Although a competent field commander, he was above all noted for his excellent knowledge of military strategy and tactics, which made him a key member in the General Staff of the Imperial and Royal Army during the Napoleonic Wars.

He was then commissioned in Belgium, where he served as Adjutant to Feldmarschallleutnant József Alvinczi and then led his Grenadiers at the battle of Neerwinden, an action during which he was wounded and taken prisoner.

[1] After the end of the War of the Second Coalition, Wimpffen was given a position as Adjutant in the newly created Inner Austrian military command (1803) and was promoted to Oberst (Colonel) in 1805.

During this battle, he was badly wounded, while directing troops during the main Coalition attack, but his merits were appreciated and was awarded the Military Order of Maria Theresa and the position of General-Adjutant to Archduke Charles of Austria-Teschen (1806).

The next major stage of his career came in 1813, after Austria joined the War of the Sixth Coalition and Wimpffen was promoted to Feldmarschallleutnant and given the command of a division, which he led at the battle of Leipzig.