In his battles as in his campaigns, Napoleon depended on speed, mass, and aggressive maneuver: normally he struck at one wing of a hostile army, preferably the one nearer its communications. Only at Austerlitz did he actually stand on the defensive and lure his enemies into a trap.
Napoleonic tactics are distinguished by intensive soldier training, rapid combat movement, mixed arms attacks involving infantry, cavalry, and cannons, small cannon, short-range musket fire, and bayonet charges. Austerlitz was a huge success for the Allies. It was not, however, the definitive triumph that has been widely depicted. Napoleon was successful in defeating the Coalition. Napoleon triumphed because he deceived the allies into believing he desired negotiations, prompting them to seek a war, which he had anticipated and desired.
