Frederick's corps unites with a corps under Prince Moritz, and General Bevern joins up with Schwerin, after which both armies converge near Prague.

The Austrians have not been idle in the interim.

The able Austrian Field Marshal Maximilian Ulysses Count Browne, though initially surprised by the early Prussian attack, has been retreating skillfully and concentrating his armed forces towards Prague.

Here he establishes a fortified position to the east of the town, and an additional army under Prince Charles of Lorraine arrives, swelling the Austrian numbers to sixty thousand.

The prince now takes command.

The Austrian army under von Browne has taken up a near invincible position on the Ziska and the Tabor mountains.

The town is on their left flank, with a steep gorge to the north, and to the west by a marshy slope with a brook at the bottom.

The two Austrian commanders are in disagreement about the course of action: von Browne wants to attack, but Charles decides to wait for Königsegg, who had been defeated at the Battle of Reichenberg but is known to be retreating towards Prague, and possibly even for the arrival of Daun.