Luckner grew up in Kötzting, in eastern Bavaria and received his early education from the Jesuits in Passau.

Before entering the French service, Luckner spent time in the Bavarian, Dutch and Hanoverian armies.

As commander of the Army of the North in 1792 he captured the Flemish cities of Menen and Kortrijk, but then had to retreat towards Lille.

However, the National Convention was not satisfied with his progress and Choderlos de Laclos was ordered to support or replace him.

He was the great-grandfather of Count Felix von Luckner (1881–1966), a German naval officer who commanded the famed merchant raider SMS Seeadler (1916–1917) during World War I .