I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 147

Chapter 147: The Basic Functions of a Tank

Colonel Browning was a reckless man. At 1 a.m., he led his Third Infantry Regiment—nearly two thousand men with over five hundred sidecar motorcycles—into the small town of Davaus. The roar of engines filled the air, headlights illuminated the streets, and the soldiers were armed to the teeth.

They were stopped at the town’s entrance by the local guards.

Normally, these guards wouldn’t dare halt soldiers returning from the frontlines. However, after the previous experience with the "Artillery Colonel," they reluctantly stepped forward to question this seemingly "unfriendly" unit.

As expected, tempers flared, and the ensuing argument woke the town’s residents. Mistakenly believing that capitalists had sent troops to harm Charles, the townspeople rallied in no time, forming a militia.

At the time, Charles was fast asleep at home. He was startled awake by a pale-faced Camille and, still groggy and confused, was hurriedly escorted out by the anxious Djoka. They attempted to withdraw through another exit under the militia’s protection.

Fortunately, Major Laurent arrived just in time. After calling headquarters to confirm Colonel Browning’s orders, the misunderstanding was finally cleared up.

Colonel Browning, blissfully unaware of the chaos he had caused, greeted a disheveled and visibly exasperated Charles with enthusiasm:

"Hey, Lieutenant, long time no see! Where are you off to so late at night?"

"Shall we give you a lift? Your sidecars are incredible, and your tactics helped us defeat many enemies!"

"Heh, heh, heh..."

Surrounded by murderous glares, Colonel Browning’s laughter eventually turned into an awkward, dry chuckle.

Charles, utterly helpless, had hoped to keep a low profile. He didn’t want the media catching wind of the specialized training he was organizing for the troops. But thanks to Browning, the entire town was in an uproar, and word quickly spread.

Sure enough, the next day, the newspapers were rife with speculation:

• "The ‘Commander’ of the Marne River Campaign and his troops are now stationed at Charles’s factory in Davaus!"

• "Is Gallieni trying to recreate the success of the Marne River Campaign using sidecars?"

• "Sidecars offer no protection—can Charles once again defeat Schneider and pull off another miracle?"

...

Now, there was no secrecy left. The Germans needed only to buy a newspaper to learn Charles’s preparation schedule, the unit designations, training locations, and, eventually, even details about Charles’s tanks.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Charles noticed that a photograph of the "Mark I" tank had already been published in the papers.

The media had entered full-on mockery mode:

• "Good heavens! Is this Charles’s new tank? It looks ridiculous!"

• "They say it has only three machine guns, two of which are Hotchkiss!"

• "Does he really think this tank can defeat the Germans? And the military has purchased one hundred of them!"

...

Gallieni was furious. The battle hadn’t even begun, and the enemy already knew everything. He angrily remarked, "Are we going to tell them our battle plans next?"

"You need to reconsider your factory’s security measures!" Gallieni scolded Charles sternly. Although he rarely lost his temper with Charles, this time, his expression remained grave. "If you can’t handle it, I’ll take care of it for you!"

"No, General," Charles replied. "I can handle it. It’s just..."

"Just what?"

"One day, my tanks will have to travel from Davaus to the Paris train station," Charles explained with a hint of frustration. "Only then can they be sent to the front. How do we hide their movements during such a journey?"

Gallieni paused, realizing the dilemma. Reporters only needed to camp near the factory to pinpoint the exact departure time of the tanks, which would inform the Germans of Charles’s offensive schedule.

After some thought, he issued an order: "This isn’t a problem. Extend the railway to Davaus!"

Thus, five construction teams were dispatched to work on the new railway, which Gallieni planned to have operational within two weeks. The line would have no stops along the way and would terminate directly at Charles’s tractor factory, where a dedicated station was built.

As for factory security, Charles merely gave Djoka a few casual instructions, not paying it much mind. After all, most of the critical information had already been leaked.

...

Colonel Estigny arrived in Paris the following evening, only to be immediately detained by Gallieni’s men upon stepping off the train.

He endured an entire night of questioning before they were satisfied that he posed no threat and released him.

When Estigny finally reached Charles’s tractor factory, his bloodshot eyes and haggard face revealed his exhaustion.

This method of interrogation was a signature tactic of Gallieni, who believed that people spoke more honestly when fatigued. It wasn’t torture—merely prolonged questioning.

Clearly, Estigny had passed the test.

Charles led both Browning and Estigny to the "Mark I" tank and gestured toward it. "You have two weeks to learn how to coordinate with it—and then defeat the Germans!"

Browning remained calm, neither excited by the tank’s massive frame nor disappointed by its lack of heavy artillery.

This was precisely what Charles wanted to see: a professional soldier focused on whether the tank was suited for the battlefield and capable of fulfilling its mission, rather than obsessing over its firepower.

Estigny circled the tank, growing more animated with every step. His fatigue seemed to vanish, and he looked years younger.

"Lieutenant!" Estigny returned to Charles’s side, his expression uncertain. Hesitantly, he asked, "I’m guessing... it’s meant to cross trenches?"

Charles nodded, impressed. As a designer of tanks himself, Estigny had immediately discerned the primary purpose of the "Mark I."

Charles walked around the tank, with Estigny trailing him like a diligent student. Meanwhile, Browning wandered about, casually gripping his saber with one hand and inspecting the tank with the other, like a shopper at a market.

Ignoring Browning, Charles asked Estigny, "Colonel, what do you think is the most fundamental function of a tank?"

After a moment of thought, Estigny cautiously replied, "To shield infantry as they advance and break through enemy defenses."

He recalled the Marne River Campaign, where Charles’s early tank prototype had served this exact role.

Charles nodded. "If it can’t even achieve that..."

Estigny suddenly realized, exclaiming, "Then all weapons lose their meaning. My God, we’ve overlooked this—no wonder the CA-1 and Saint-Chamond tanks failed so miserably!"

This was the crux of the matter. During World War I, a tank’s primary role was to act as a shield—a protective barrier for infantry against the enemy’s machine gun fire.

To fulfill this role, a tank needed sufficient speed to avoid being easily targeted by artillery.

It also required adequate armor and the ability to traverse trenches.

Otherwise, it would either become trapped in shell craters or be pierced by enemy rifle fire before reaching the frontlines. Piling on more weapons would serve no purpose if it couldn’t even reach the enemy.

Table of content - Next Chapter >>>