I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 139

Chapter 139: The Swarm Tactic

"Colonel Estigny!" Charles shifted the conversation back on track. "It seems you have your own perspective on tanks?"

"You could say that, Lieutenant!" Colonel Estigny nodded. "I believe it shouldn't just be a pile of weapons; it should also be something..."

"That can have a strategic impact," Charles interjected.

"Exactly!" Estigny's eyes lit up with excitement.

He had felt as if a veil covered his understanding, leaving everything blurry. Charles' words pierced through it, suddenly clarifying the entire picture.

"I believe its most important role is to lead troops in breaking through enemy lines!" Estigny was fully immersed in the discussion now. He began arranging trays and coffee cups on the table to simulate a battlefield. "Our tanks should be able to cut through barbed wire and cross trenches—with the help of infantry, of course!"

At this point, Estigny glanced at Charles.

The method of using infantry to help tanks cross trenches was something he'd learned from Charles. During the Battle of the Marne, Charles' technique of quickly filling trenches with sandbags had left a lasting impression.

Estigny didn't want to outright copy the idea, but after much thought, he realized there was no better solution.

Charles remained indifferent, as this idea hadn't originated with him. He had no issue with its use; it wasn't something that could be patented or bring economic benefits.

Relieved by Charles' reaction, Estigny continued sketching out the battlefield on the table. In his mind, he was already caught up in the chaos of blood-soaked combat, facing the enemy amidst gunfire and explosions.

"Once our tanks, accompanied by infantry, breach the enemy lines, we shouldn't stop. Instead, we must regroup these dispersed forces into a single cohesive unit and press forward!"

"In doing so, we can attack the vulnerable rear of the enemy. Their rear forces, unprepared for such an assault, will crumble before the combined strength of our tanks and infantry."

"Then, the enemy's logistics will collapse like an avalanche, and their front-line troops will lose their fighting capability due to lack of supplies!"

...

Charles nodded slightly. This tactic resembled a precursor to the "blitzkrieg" approach, where striking the enemy's weak rear areas ultimately led to encirclement.

During World War II, hundreds of thousands, even millions, of soldiers were forced to surrender under this kind of assault.

However, there were still differences. It was only a prototype and didn't account for air-ground coordination, making it essentially a two-dimensional, surface-level operation.

"I call it 'the swarm tactic'!" Estigny announced, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "Because like bees, the forces gather at the rear and can disperse again if necessary to strike multiple targets!"

As he spoke, Estigny's excitement and anticipation were evident.

From Charles' thoughtful gaze and pensive expression, Estigny could tell that Charles understood and even approved of his tactics.

This was a rare moment for Estigny. Unlike Grevy and others, Charles was someone who truly listened and appreciated new ideas. Estigny realized he had come to the right place—this trip was worth it.

However, he had no idea this was only the beginning. Soon, he would experience a shock from an entirely different era.

"So, you're planning to use tanks to cut through barbed wire?" Charles asked.

"Of course!" Estigny replied. "Without that, infantry and tanks won't be able to break through the enemy lines quickly!"

This was a key feature of the CA-1 tank's design and one of the reasons it outcompeted the Saint-Chamond for orders. While the Saint-Chamond couldn't cut barbed wire, the CA-1 could. Many parliament members believed the two tanks complemented each other, so both were purchased.

Charles posed a single question that left Estigny speechless: "What if the enemy has a lot of barbed wire? Layers upon layers of it, arranged like a jungle of steel in front of us. Would you still try to cut through it with tanks?"

Estigny froze. He hadn't considered that possibility. Yet on the front lines, "jungles" of barbed wire were indeed common. Barbed wire was one of the cheapest and most effective obstacles. As long as the enemy had any left, they would deploy it in front of their positions.

Charles followed up with another question: "Or would you choose to attack elsewhere?"

Estigny shook his head. That was clearly impractical. If they avoided the barbed wire, the enemy would only need to surround key breakthrough points with it.

"But what else can we do?" Estigny countered. "This is the only way to break through quickly..."

"That's an infantry task, Colonel," Charles said softly. "You can't expect tanks to do everything. Tanks are not standalone combat units; they require the cooperation of infantry. Even artillery and aircraft play a role. If you take these into account during the design process, everything becomes much easier."

Estigny suddenly understood. This approach simplified tanks significantly. They wouldn't need to cut barbed wire, destroy bunkers, and be equipped with multiple machine guns to deal with enemy infantry. Instead, tanks would be...

"A part of a combined unit?" Estigny widened his eyes and looked at Charles. "A branch of the armed forces that works in tandem with infantry and artillery?"

Charles nodded. This was a fundamental concept of modern warfare: combined arms coordination.

However, understanding the concept was one thing; implementing it on the battlefield was another, especially in the technologically limited context of World War I. Achieving effective coordination was extremely challenging without advanced communication equipment.

Still, with careful planning and step-by-step training, basic coordination could be achieved. This was the proper direction for tank development.

Estigny remained silent for a moment, envisioning this new combat model.

Previously, his tank designs had been an exercise in addition, aiming to make tanks more powerful and versatile.

Now, he began thinking about subtraction—what tasks could be assigned to infantry? What could artillery handle?

Then, he suddenly exclaimed, "Cannons might not even be necessary! They're ineffective on tanks. Our 75mm artillery is highly mobile; why not leave it to the artillery units on the ground?"

Djoka was stunned by this statement and turned to look at Estigny in disbelief, then shifted his gaze to Charles.

For some time, Djoka and Joseph had been arguing that tanks should be equipped with cannons. They considered it a grave mistake on Charles' part to leave them out.

Now, hearing Estigny's words, Djoka realized it was not Charles who was mistaken. He and Joseph had been trying to use their ignorance to challenge Charles' expertise.

Charles nodded slightly. At least for now, tanks didn't need to carry cannons.

Charles looked at Estigny with a trace of regret. "If you add cannons to your tanks, their speed will drop to 5 kilometers per hour—or at best, 8.5 kilometers per hour. Do you know what that means?"

Estigny suddenly grasped the reality. Shocked, he stood up. "My God, they would become sitting ducks for enemy artillery!"

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