I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 39

Chapter 39: The Issue of Ammunition Compatibility

Not long after, Uncle Guillaume returned with a group of workers.

These workers were people Uncle Guillaume knew well, skilled professionals who were far different from those who climbed into mid- and high-level positions through flattery or nepotism.

Moreover, these individuals were remarkably loyal.

Bringing them to Charles, Uncle Guillaume said, “Young Master Charles, after hearing about your efforts, they’ve all volunteered to help us retrofit this batch of motorcycles for free!”

The workers chimed in enthusiastically:

“Helping the military is helping ourselves. Young Master Charles, we also want to do something for France!”

“Yes, many of us have children serving in the military. We support what you’re doing!”

“If funding is tight, we can even pool some money together!”

...

“Thank you, thank you all!” Charles expressed his gratitude to the workers. “I deeply appreciate your generosity, but I need workers who can be with me long-term. Naturally, that means you need wages; otherwise, you won’t be able to provide for your families!”

Charles was not one to skimp on such small matters; instead, he chose generosity to win goodwill.

Sure enough, as soon as he mentioned their families, the workers silently nodded in agreement. They were not so well-off that they could work for free.

“Rest assured!” Charles reassured them. “If you work hard to manage the motorcycle factory well, I will make a profit. That way, I can pay you while continuing to help those in need. What do you think?”

“Of course, Young Master Charles!”

“That’s exactly our goal!”

“We’d be happy to do that!”

...

Charles planned to cultivate these individuals as the backbone of the motorcycle factory.

In the future, through their work and daily lives, they would pass on Charles’s story and values to other workers. Eventually, every worker would understand that their hard work was not exploitation but a way of indirectly helping those in need.

This might not seem significant at first glance. After all, workers provide labor, and employers pay wages—it’s as simple as that.

However, worker motivation made all the difference. At the very least, the over 500 annual strikes typical in France during this period would not occur in Charles’s factory. Moreover, talented managers and skilled technicians would be less likely to be poached with high salaries, as they sought more than just wages.

Without delay, the workers began retrofitting the sidecars. It wasn’t long before someone pointed out flaws in the prototype:

“Hey, Guillaume! Attaching just one steel pipe seems too fragile. It could easily break during operation. We should add a few more!”

“Exactly! And this machine gun mount—since it’s meant to hold a Maxim machine gun, I suggest we switch to a tripod design for better stability!”

“Also, shouldn’t we include some shock absorbers? Otherwise, even a small pothole could split the gunner’s backside in two!”

...

The workers burst into laughter, and Guillaume responded to each suggestion, incorporating the changes into the sidecar’s design.

The results of their brainstorming were astonishing. Within an hour, the sidecar had undergone several upgrades, nearing the appearance of a modern sidecar.

“Uncle Guillaume!” Charles called out as Guillaume was preparing to test drive the new vehicle. “There are a few things to keep in mind while driving: When starting or accelerating, try to keep it smooth, or the sidecar will pull to the right. The same applies when braking—if you brake suddenly, the front end will pull to the left...”

Guillaume stared at Charles in surprise. “Young Master Charles, how do you know that? I thought it was just a problem with the prototype.”

Guillaume had noticed these issues during previous drives but hadn’t understood why and hadn’t dared to mention them.

Charles explained, “It’s because the sidecar’s power and braking aren’t centralized—they’re asymmetrical! The sidecar’s inertia always causes it to move in the opposite direction of the motorcycle. The heavier the sidecar, the more pronounced this effect. Understanding this is crucial!”

Guillaume nodded, half understanding.

He didn’t quite grasp what inertia was, but if Young Master Charles could identify the issue without even test-driving the vehicle, he must be right.

“Educated folks are really something else,” Guillaume marveled.

At that moment, Major Browning arrived with his troops.

Over 200 soldiers marched into the factory in neat formation, spontaneously saluting and greeting Charles.

To them, Charles was more than just an ally—he was a comrade who had fought alongside them in battle.

He was their savior because the tanks he had invented had saved their lives—not just once.

Some even regarded Charles as the hope of France, as he was the only capitalist willing to selflessly aid the military and the nation!

...

Major Browning ordered the soldiers to stand down, then approached Charles and saluted before turning to wave at the carts following behind.

“I thought you might need machine guns for testing, so I brought a batch. More will come later!”

“You’re ahead of me, Major!” Charles said. “But I think you should also bring some German rifles.”

“Rifles? German ones?” Major Browning looked puzzled. “Why?”

“Have you ever considered this problem?” Charles explained. “You’re using Maxim machine guns, which are German, but your rifles are French Lebels. What could happen on the battlefield?”

Major Browning let out a soft “Oh” and nodded slightly. The two weapons used different ammunition.

In the chaos of intense combat, soldiers might grab ammunition from a crate, only to realize on the front lines that they had picked up Maxim machine gun rounds instead of rifle cartridges.

Or vice versa: a few Lebel cartridges might find their way into a Maxim machine gun’s belt.

Either scenario could lead to catastrophic confusion.

Looking at Charles, Major Browning’s eyes gleamed with trust. Although he had more questions, he had grown accustomed to assuming Charles was always right.

“So, if we’re going to use Maxim machine guns, we should also equip ourselves with German rifles and get familiar with them?”

“Exactly!” Charles nodded.

“But what about resupply?” Major Browning asked. “If we run out of ammunition and our allies or logistics teams send us French 8mm rounds...”

“Major!” Charles interrupted. “If you’re operating this sidecar in combat, you’ll be surrounded by more Germans than allies. In other words, you’re more likely to acquire 7.92mm German rounds than 8mm French ones!”

“What?” Major Browning stared at Charles in shock. Was he suggesting they would fight deep in enemy territory? But they only had 200 men...

“We need to discuss tactics,” Charles said calmly, as though he had read Major Browning’s mind. “Do you have a map, Major?”

“Of course!” Major Browning quickly pulled out a military map and spread it in front of Charles. His eyes betrayed a hint of fear—was this young man planning to turn them into superhumans?

Charles had no intention of turning Major Browning and his men into superhumans. He simply wanted to teach them how to conduct mobile warfare.

Operating a sidecar equipped with a Maxim machine gun would be suicidal in a conventional trench battle.

Charles could not afford such an outcome. After all, it would mean he wouldn’t sell a single sidecar!

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