I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France
Chapter 144: Revised - 144 Covering the Tank Flanks

Chapter 144: Revised: Chapter 144 Covering the Tank Flanks

Shire continued introducing: "This tank is called ’Mark I’, with 83 horsepower. Its engine and Saint Chammon’s 90 horsepower are not much different, but Saint Chammon weighs 27 tons, while Mark I only weighs 17 tons!"

This is thanks to Matthew, who simplified the structure of Mark I by removing some unnecessary parts. Some parts were designed to make the tractor easier to convert into a bulldozer, which a tank doesn’t need.

"What is its speed?" Estiny asked expectantly.

He already understood the importance of speed; it doesn’t need to be too fast, but it must at least be able to evade enemy artillery fire to ensure the tank can survive.

If it can’t survive on the battlefield, it obviously can’t cover the infantry, and it might even become a burden to the infantry!

But this answer was obvious; with horsepower similar to Saint Chammon and weighing half as much, the speed is definitely faster.

Sure enough, Shire answered: "Initial tests show it can reach a speed of 11 km/h on flat ground!"

Estiny’s eyes lit up; this was significantly faster than Saint Chammon’s speed of 8.5 km/h.

"We must make one thing clear!" Shire’s gaze turned to the machine gun protruding from the side of the tank: "At least for now, we install weapons on the tank for self-defense, not to kill the enemy!"

"Understood!" Estiny felt enlightened: "Killing the enemy should be the infantry’s job. The tank’s task is to advance with heavy armor, covering the infantry to break through the enemy lines!"

The ’Mark I’ was designed for this purpose, with its unique rhomboid body and tracks encasing the entire body, allowing it to traverse most obstacles.

Even trenches, it can touch bottom first and then climb, easily crossing without sandbags filling the trench.

Then Estiny suddenly thought of something and said worriedly: "Lieutenant, the Germans might have intensified their ammunition. It’s said their rifles can penetrate Saint Chammon’s 12mm front armor..."

Shire nodded; that was the Germans’ legendary K bullets, which replace the rifle bullets with steel-core, even tungsten-core bullets, making them capable of penetrating 13mm steel plates.

But, of course, Shire had considered this, and he replied: "Mark I’s front armor is 17mm, and side armor is 11mm!"

The front armor is sufficient to defend against the German Army’s K bullets, while the side armor can fend off ordinary rifle bullets, which is why Mark I is still 17 tons despite not having many cannons or machine guns.

(Note: Britain’s Mark I tank armor thickness is between 6 to 12 millimeters and weighs 28 tons)

Hearing these numbers made Estiny feel assured, imagining this tank advancing through a battlefield under heavy fire, deflecting enemy bullets while advancing towards the enemy, followed closely by the soldiers, ultimately breaking through the enemy’s fortifications.

However, Estiny still had concerns about the side; he frowned: "The moment the tank crosses a trench seems the most dangerous. Its speed would be slow, and its side area would be large, while the Germans hide in the trench, armed with K bullets..."

Shire turned his gaze to the inattentive Brownie behind him: "That’s the infantry’s job!"

Colonel Brownie was a bit impatient: "Kid, saying so much is useless. Don’t you think we should start practicing with it? By practicing a few times like before, we will know how to fight, and you can decide the rest!"

Brownie was just that kind of person; as long as he was told how to fight, he believed Shire would have considered everything, and by following the instructions, he would achieve victory!

Shire responded calmly: "Sorry, Colonel, I think you should learn this first..."

As he said this, Shire nodded towards Joseph, who was waiting aside.

Joseph understood, and summoned a few workers to carry two long boxes over and pile them in front of Colonel Brownie.

Colonel Brownie opened the box lid and saw it filled with wooden handle-like items. Curious, he picked one up and turned to Shire: "What’s this?"

"Grenades, Colonel!" Shire answered: "Open the safety cover at the tail, pull the cord, and throw it towards the enemy. It will explode after a few seconds!"

But these were training grenades, identical in weight and size to the real ones.

Brownie immediately understood; he had been busy transporting supplies and wounded soldiers. Some of the wounded had been injured by German hand-thrown explosives, and he often heard them complain:

"What’s our government doing? The Germans have specialized explosives; pull a cord and throw it into our trenches, exploding a large area!"

"While we have to use tin cans packed with gunpowder and insert a fuse to make our own!"

"Can’t they invent something useful?"

Someone even said to Brownie: "Hey, I heard you are Shire’s friend. Why not let him invent an easy-to-throw explosive?"

At those times, Brownie would always pat his chest and reply: "Don’t worry, I’ll handle it!"

However, he always turned around and forgot about it.

Now seeing these grenades, Brownie held them fondly: "Hey, kid, how many of these do you have? I think the front-line soldiers really need them!"

"Don’t worry!" Shire said: "They will soon be equipped on the frontline, after we break through Lafox!"

The Saint Etienne Armory was currently producing them at a rate of twenty thousand per day, with plans to expand production. As long as the army wants to buy them, these simple and practical items will be plentiful on the battlefield!

Estiny had not taken grenades seriously, but after carefully considering, he looked hesitantly at Shire: "Lieutenant, this thing... are you planning to use it to cover the tank’s sides?"

Shire nodded; this was Estiny’s advantage: he could foresee the grenades as part of the tank combat system without needing practice or explanation, just through imagination.

In the future on the battlefield, this scene might occur:

As the ’Mark I’ slowly crosses a trench, German soldiers with K bullets ready to penetrate the tank’s sides will be caught off guard as rows of grenades fall from the sky...

These grenades cannot penetrate tank armor, so French soldiers can throw them freely. Any pits, trenches, or holes ahead can receive a grenade to "startle the snake."

Once the explosion sounds, the infantry will rush forward with rifles, killing the enemy who hasn’t yet reacted to the blast.

In this way, even if German soldiers have K bullets, it’s challenging to penetrate the Mark I’s sides, because they must face the French infantry’s grenades and rifle attacks first.

However, of course, throwing grenades requires standardized actions and a series of strict training, otherwise, it’s easy to injure friendly forces or even oneself.

"This is part of the combined infantry-tank tactics!" Shire looked up at Estiny and said: "It’s not as simple as it seems; I hope you can take charge of the training!"

Estiny responded with awe: "Yes, Lieutenant, I know what to do!"

But Shire replied calmly: "No, you don’t know how to do it yet. This is just part of it; perhaps tomorrow we should visit the First Flying Battalion!"

"First Flying Battalion?" Estiny’s eyes glowed with unusual light; does this mean that aircraft will also join the battle?

(Mark series tanks, due to their unique shape and design, have a strong ability to cross trenches)