Chapter 206 Arms Development

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POV of Erich von Manstein

4-January-1922

"To your posts! Ready... aim... fire!" shouted one of the officers commanding the antitank gun, ordering his men to fire at one of our prototypes.

The report of the antitank gun, our standard weapon for destroying enemy armor, echoed across the proving ground, followed by a violent impact against steel.

"Round deflected" I said, observing through my binoculars the deep scar left on the prototype, its camouflage paint stripped away around the point of impact.

"The 3.7-centimeter gun cannot penetrate the armor, even at such short range" Guderian said, taking notes on our progress. "Just how thick is that vehicle’s frontal armor to withstand a hit like that?" he added after examining it through his binoculars.

"We have already told you that we cannot provide specific details of its construction, although we can explain the principles guiding the development of these vehicles. Your study of all this must remain theoretical. The Herzog would be most displeased to learn that I was disclosing confidential information about our continuing investment in armored vehicles" I replied, making notes of my own.

"Come now, Manstein. We are pursuing similar ideas, after all. The fact that the British imposed a treaty on us does not mean you cannot give me a few specifications. I am not going to hand them over to the government so it can manufacture copies. At most, I would recommend that the army purchase these vehicles when they become available. Those Panzers seem to improve by the day" Guderian said, watching the vehicles we had been testing continually.

"That is the point, Guderian. This is not a Panzer but an armored personnel carrier. It has wheels with reinforced tires rather than tracks. The armor is concentrated at the front and along the sides, but its slope is the most important feature. There has been no penetration. The projectile struck at an oblique angle and was deflected. That arrangement increases the armor’s effective thickness through simple geometry. In exchange, we must sacrifice interior space for greater protection. That is why we are still working to ensure that our Panzers can accommodate five crewmen while retaining adequate frontal and side armor" I replied as we began the next tests.

"Artillery and high-explosive ammunition test!" one of the officers announced as the gunners prepared their pieces and loaded a high-explosive shell into the antitank gun.

"I still find it remarkable. That 3.7-centimeter gun penetrated everything it encountered during the war. It was an exceedingly reliable weapon, yet so far it has failed in every attempt to penetrate your prototypes’ armor. At this rate, the antitank guns of future wars will have to be considerably more powerful" Guderian said, maintaining a lopsided smile as he continued recording his thoughts.

"Yes, we are already working on that. Now that relations with the Russians have settled down and we have reduced our troop strength, a substantial portion of the military budget is being devoted to developing equipment for our tanks. Though I cannot say much about that yet, since we are still at the experimental stage" I replied, raising my binoculars to observe the next shot.

The antitank gun fired at the vehicle again. This time, instead of ricocheting, the shell detonated against the armor in a powerful explosion that blackened the paint.

"What condition is the glass in? Is it still intact? Can anyone see through it, or would the driver have lost his view? Did any fragments enter that might have killed the crew?" I asked the engineers as they began approaching the vehicle.

"It does not appear to have damaged the armor, but one of the tires was caught in the explosion and is losing air. Its mobility must have suffered" Guderian said, watching through his binoculars.

"According to the doctrine we are developing, armored vehicles of this type should remain behind the tanks rather than lead the advance. The Panzers would take hits from shells like these. Even so, it never hurts to conduct such tests to determine how much we can demand of our vehicles" I said, watching the engineers run back.

"Generalfeldmarschall, the vehicle’s armor remains intact. The glass is extensively cracked but has stayed in place without shedding fragments into the interior. We therefore consider it to have passed the test. However, the driver would have lost all visibility and been unable to drive. Some form of periscope will be necessary to compensate if the armored glass fractures in combat" one of the military engineers reported.

"And the tire? Is it still serviceable?" Guderian asked, scratching his head with his pencil.

"Although it is punctured and losing air, it could still function for a few minutes. Once it has deflated completely, we can expect difficulties with mobility" the engineer replied.

"We have a vehicle that could still operate in combat, although testing the machine is one thing and what would happen to its crew is another. A hit like that would probably leave the occupants deafened by the noise and vibrations inside the hull" I said, signaling for the vehicle to be removed and another brought forward for the artillery test.

"Can you leave it where it is? I want to see how much damage it can withstand. It would be particularly valuable to examine the effects of a direct artillery hit and a nearby detonation" Guderian said, continuing to write on his sheets.

"But if it is destroyed, we will lose thousands of Baltic marks in components we cannot repair. The armor is the least of it. The important equipment is inside. There is a radio, an engine, and other costly mechanisms" I replied, looking at the German general, who was still studying our creation.

"Let us push the test to the limit. I doubt losing one vehicle out of so many during the most rigorous trials would harm the program as a whole. Is your budget really so meager?" Guderian asked, tilting his head.

"We are not particularly short of funds. I have some room to maneuver, and I should receive more in April. The Herzog is receiving income from several of his investments, so I will probably secure a substantial budget increase. Provided, of course, that the Red Baron does not devour it all. At present, most of the money allocated to the army is going into aviation while he flies around the world. The Herzog is interested in manufacturing aircraft to sell to our neighbors and developing helicopters for several ideas he has in mind" I replied, ordering that the vehicle remain where it was for the next test.

The gunners soon began their calculations while we withdrew to safer positions in case the shells strayed too far from the intended point of impact. We finally entered the observation shelters.

We heard the gun’s report, followed shortly afterward by the shell detonating relatively close to the vehicle, scattering numerous fragments in every direction.

"I believe several of the tires have been punctured" I said, watching through my binoculars, while the rest of the vehicle appeared relatively intact.

"So it seems. Nearby explosions do not appear to pose a serious threat to the armor, although the burst tires would put the vehicles out of action" Guderian said.

"Good. Now try a direct hit. Attempt to strike the vehicle with an artillery shell, and we will see what happens" I told the officers, who began relaying the order by radio.

We waited until everything was ready, then heard another report and watched the shell strike the armored transport squarely. The vehicle promptly exploded.

"Well, there goes an investment of twenty-eight thousand marks" I said, watching the vehicle, now a heap of burning wreckage.

"Was there fuel aboard?" Guderian asked.

"Of course. We must establish how it would perform in combat. Leaving the tanks empty would merely exaggerate its survivability under conditions that would not exist on the battlefield" I replied, shaking my head.

"I see. Then... was it carrying ammunition as well?" Guderian asked.

"Yes, for the machine gun intended for the gunner, but nothing else. As I said, it is a transport, not a tank. Its purpose is to carry as many soldiers as possible safely to the front so the infantry can support the Panzers" I said, grimacing at the results.

"Well, now we can bring up the other one and begin the artillery tests. We shall see whether it also explodes after a direct hit, since this one had already taken several impacts" Guderian said, his lopsided smile returning.

"And between us, when are you going to decide to join our side? Germany does not give you a single mark for this work. If you collaborate with us, I can provide funds for you to spend all day developing your theses and theories" I said, looking at Guderian and imitating his smile.

"You tempt me, Manstein, you tempt me, but it is not that simple. Leaving the service in such a manner would be frowned upon, however much I can find here that is beyond my reach in Germany. Nor does it seem likely that I will obtain it there anytime soon, since there is still no budget for developing tanks or armored transports like this one" Guderian said, scratching his head with his pencil again.

I laughed, and we continued the tests to determine what needed correcting in the prototypes.

The day flew by as we tested armored vehicles and experimental weapons, which continued to improve daily. Research into engines, armaments, and armor was among the Duchy’s best-funded activities, apart from aviation, which consumed almost two-thirds of the military budget.

I soon began reviewing the files, since I wanted to build more research facilities devoted to infantry weapons. Although Karl had developed weapons clearly superior to those we had used before, we were neglecting that work in favor of a few specific areas, leaving the needs of the foot soldier behind. Their share of the budget had gone chiefly toward personal protection, since the chemists had begun developing other polymers even stronger than those we used as additional protection. Research into new weapons, however, was lacking, and that posed a problem.

I reviewed the production reports and noticed that the Ottomans had placed a large ammunition order. That could indicate preparations for major maneuvers or an intention to launch another of their security operations against the Arabs, who had intensified their attacks on Ottoman positions in an effort to drive them out of Mesopotamia.

New weapons had been manufactured to replace damaged ones, along with numerous trucks, many destined for export. Most of that revenue should therefore flow directly into our coffers.

While reviewing outstanding matters, I came across an unusual order that had recently arrived from Germany through Ferdinand. It requested a shipment of pistols for the Valkist forces, which apparently intended to establish a bodyguard unit. They had asked him whether we had pistols we could sell to the party, and we were to send him some.

Something caught my attention as I examined the intelligence reports: the French and the Poles had begun intensifying their repression of the Germans still further, abusing the authority they exercised over Posen until the plebiscite. There had been cases of people being dragged from their homes and expelled from the region in an effort to further reduce the German population and secure a favorable result in the vote.

"Well... This has become very serious" I said, drafting a message to be sent to Karl.

"Begin preparing military equipment. We may have to intervene covertly. If this continues, the repression could reach the Herzog’s family and trigger something far more serious. Assemble the available Jaeger commandos. We may have to send them to Posen. But before taking action, we need Karl’s authorization" I said, studying the intelligence reports.

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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.

Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.

I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.

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