Whilepreparations for the October offensive were in hand on the right bank of the river Piave, the Austro-Hungarian forces were reckoning all their numerous problems. For several months the soldiers had eaten very little food and meat was very rare. The discomfort was great and increased even more after news arrived of the German defeat at Amiens. It was now clear to everybody that the war was about to come to an end with a defeat.
On the front in Veneto, however, the situation was still not settled: "the majority of Austro-Hungarian troops who were now resigned to not winning the war, loathed the idea of being beaten in a pitched battle by the Italians." (Gianni Pieropan, Storia della Grande Guerra sul fronte Italiano 1915-1918, Mursia, Milan, 1988, page 777). Pride and the spirit of camaraderie still represented a link that was effective enough between soldiers, especially for those who were in the trenches.
After the Battle of Solstice some skirmishes took place in the sector of the Asiago plateau (around Mount Sisemol). In October, however, attention turned towards Mount Grappa and Grave di Papadopoli along the Piave. The mobilization that was ordered by General Armando Diaz did not pass unnoticed and everybody understood that Italy was preparing itself for an offensive.
Charles I, the Chief of Staff Major Arz von Straussenburg and the generals who were deployed on the front prepared themselves for what would very probably be the last battle in Italy. In terms of numbers the Austro-Hungarians were slightly superior but they were clearly at a disadvantage as far as weapons were concerned and also with regard to the air force which was increasingly decisive in the Great War. Around Grave di Papadopoli, for example, the Italians deployed 3,570 guns of various calibre and 600 cannons while the Austro-Hungarians only had 835 cannons.
