While Anning was confronting the Austrian army at the Mincio River, Massena was facing the front lines of the Sardinian Kingdom's army, led by General Coli, which had already arrived at the Cheva Fortress.
Massena had only the original Italian legion and an additional force of fifteen thousand troops under his command, with orders from Anning to secure the transportation line from Nice to Savona.
Although Anning's army's main supplies now depended on Milan City, the military supplies produced by the workshops inside the city were not particularly sufficient, only guaranteeing an abundant supply of daily necessities such as food and clothing.
Therefore, Anning's army also had to rely on some ammunition and gunpowder provided from within France.
This transportation line was extremely important, and Anning repeatedly reminded Massena to guard it well.
