Imperial Elite

Chapter 27 Dirty Footprints

After listening to Joe's report, Marshal Haig felt a little numb.

Overall, after reviewing the battle report yesterday, Marshal Haig was not entirely satisfied with the Royal Fist Mk-1 tank.

The resources consumed by this project were a minor matter for Marshal Haig, but the results achieved in the first battle made Marshal Haig quite critical of this equipment.

A regiment with forty-eight tanks, but only 12 made it to the front lines. With such a low equipment readiness rate, those who knew the situation would think that the armored units were unable to deploy due to mechanical failures, while those who didn't would think that the indigenous militia from the Dark Continent, carrying shields and spears, had gone to the battlefield without any oversight.

It's normal for new equipment to have some problems in actual combat. Marshal Haig could understand that the serviceability rate was a little low, after all, even cavalry horses suffer from equine disease, and army aviation aircraft break down from time to time. Problems with mechanical equipment are also understandable.

In the future, the logistics department should pay more attention to maintenance and strengthen the training of crew members so that they can handle some minor malfunctions on their own, just like the army aviation pilots check the aircraft's maintenance status before takeoff.

However, after these twelve tanks were deployed into battle, three of them were still destroyed by the Teutons, which displeased Marshal Haig.

Is this all the new equipment that was supposed to change the nature of warfare?

Wasn't this thing equipped with armor as sturdy as a warship? How could it still be destroyed?
To launch this attack, he mobilized the elite of the entire expeditionary force to reinforce it, and also specially prepared two divisions of infantry to assist the tank regiment in the battle.

But what did they achieve? After breaking through the first trench and pushing the front line forward by four kilometers, they crashed into a small village and died.

Yes, the tank force destroyed the command post of an infantry division, captured a general, and caused the division to collapse after losing its command. The force advanced the front line by 15 kilometers in one go, achieving the longest single-day advance in a large-scale offensive since the start of the war.

But was this achieved by the tank force breaking through the Teutonic defenses from the front? No! It was because Joe destroyed the division headquarters that this victory was achieved.

Even as all of this was happening, the tank units had to begin retreating because they were running out of fuel and ammunition.

The cavalry, which had been a reserve force since the start of the war, was responsible for achieving the greatest breakthrough since the front lines were stabilized in 1915.

It wasn't the tanks that caused the Teutonic Army to collapse, but Joe.

Tank units... Let's not even talk about tank units, how many Joes are there in the expeditionary force?

Ultimately, we still have to return to the path of direct confrontation.

Now that this new equipment has been exposed on the battlefield, the Teutons will surely copy it. If the Teutons achieve success quickly, then what should we use to defend our trenches?
Marshal Haig had considered this question before deploying tank units.

However, Marshal Haig felt that the research committee had only managed to produce a few dozen tanks after more than a year of work on the project, and the Teutons would certainly not be able to do it quickly if they started from scratch. Moreover, as the first country in the world to develop tanks, we definitely had a technological advantage.

Even if the Teutons later developed tanks and deployed them in battle, we could still crush them with our technological advantage, more skilled crews, and more tanks.

However, after Joe explained the tank's flaws, Marshal Haig understood.

It's not that the person is incompetent, it's that the vehicle is faulty.

How could they possibly defeat the Teutons while driving this industrial junk?

Seemingly noticing the change in Marshal Haig's gaze, the members of the Land Warship Committee and the manufacturers' engineers immediately said, "Marshal, you are wise. If our vehicle is really no good, how could Lieutenant Joe have been driving it for so long?"
We've also seen his report; his car didn't break down even once during yesterday's operation!
Doesn't this prove that although our design may have some minor flaws that need optimization, overall it is still successful, reliable, and capable of defeating the Teutons?

Seemingly to bolster their persuasiveness, the engineers from the Fokker factory immediately suggested that since it was all false, they would invite the Marshal to get in the car and give him a test drive, so he could see whether the car was really as bad as Lieutenant Joe described.

Use Lieutenant Joe's car!
Lieutenant Qiao, you have no objections, right?

Joe, of course, had no objections to these engineers.

Who was Marshal Haig? He was the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, while others traveled in Rolls-Royce luxury cars.

With such a noble backside, how could it possibly sit on those welded iron chairs inside a tank?

Of course, the most crucial point is that Joe is only a second lieutenant, so even if he objects, it's useless.

Marshal Haig seemed to be interested in the huge vehicle, so he followed the engineers and climbed into the tank.

Of course, just as Marshal Haig walked to the tank and stepped one foot inside, Joe saw him frown. Clearly, Marshal Haig had also sensed the strong odor emanating from the tank.

As the engineers closed the hatch, the Lucky Bella was about to embark on a cruise carrying Marshal Haig.

After a while, the Lucky Bella remained motionless in place.

Then the hatch suddenly opened, and an engineer got out of the car and came up to Joe, asking him somewhat awkwardly.

Why won't your car start?

"Can't start? How is that possible?"

Joe looked at the engineer in surprise.

"You can just crank it; that's how we start it."

The engineer's expression became even more awkward.

"We shook it, but it wouldn't budge."

Hearing him say that, Joe chuckled.

"Then just use all your strength. If it really doesn't work, you can add two more people to shake it. That's how we start it."

Upon hearing Joe's words, the engineer returned to the tank with an embarrassed expression.

After a while, the Lucky Bella finally roared to life with its engine, as usual. Usually, at this point, the vehicle would begin to wander through the mud.

But this time the situation was a little different. Even through the thick armor plates, Joe could hear a gasp from inside the car.

"Holy crap! The engine's on fire?!"

"Holy crap! How can there be so much smoke?!"

"Put out the fire! Quickly find something to put out the fire!"

Upon hearing this sound coming from inside the tank, the engineers and officers watching went completely mad.

A tank engine catching fire isn't a big deal; several tanks were lost just yesterday. But Marshal Haig, the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, is still inside the vehicle!

If something were to happen to Marshal Haig, everyone would be marching in unison to sit in a military court, and then have to choose between a traditional bungee jump and a kinetic energy puncture.

Then, accompanied by a sharp cry of "Quickly, save the Marshal!", a group of officers and engineers rushed forward, trying to pry open the vehicle's hatch and rescue Marshal Haig.

However, the hatch, which was originally designed to prevent the Teutons from opening it, was not so easily pried open.

Some officers were so anxious that they even tried to move the cutting machine from the logistics department next door to open the door.

Amid the chaos, Joe shook his head and sighed, then climbed up to the top of the tank along the gun barrel of the side turret, took a deep breath, and jumped into the vehicle, which was now blackened by smoke.

At this point, the inside of the tank was completely blackened by thick smoke, to the point where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

But given how tiny the space inside a tank is, Joe could find everything with his eyes closed, and dealing with common problems inside a tank was even simpler.

"Get out of the way! Don't block the way!"

After kicking away two people blocking his way, Joe went to the engine and pulled a wet blanket from under the ammunition rack to cover it.

Then he pulled a bucket of sand from next to the fuel tank and sprinkled it on. After this series of actions, as the flames on the engine went out, Joe, who could no longer see anything, went to the tank hatch and opened it.

"Move aside! Move aside! Don't block the door."

After driving away the officers and engineers blocking the doorway to prevent the situation from escalating from a loyal officer's heroic rescue to an enthusiastic officer nearly assassinating the king, a group of engineers, their faces blackened by the smoke, coughed and ran out of the car.

Marshal Haig, as expected of the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force, calmly stepped out of the tank as if he had just gone to the toilet, even in this situation.

Everyone was amazed; otherwise, how could he have become a marshal? He was almost burned alive but was still able to maintain his composure.

With this incident, the story of Marshal Haig experiencing the tank naturally came to an end.

After Marshal Hag stepped off the Lucky Bella with a physically dark expression, he patted Joe on the shoulder.

"Write a complete report on the areas you think the tank needs improvement and submit it to me. Don't rush, take your time, but be quick!"

"Yes! I will submit the report as soon as possible!"

Seeing Joe salute him, Marshal Haig returned the salute, then ignored the committee members and the factory garrison representatives, and turned to walk back the way he came.

When Marshal Haig turned around, Joe's blood ran cold.

On the back of Marshal Haig's uniform, a dirty footprint caught Joe's eye.

'Holy crap, the marshal probably doesn't know I kicked him, right?'

Looking at the footprint, a bead of sweat slid down Joe's forehead.

Meanwhile, far away in the map room of the Germanic palace, the Teutonic Emperor's sweat dripped from his forehead onto the exquisite map of the Old World before him.

"How is the situation at the front now?"

"General Fritz has stabilized the defensive line, the 10th Reserve Infantry Division has moved into the second line of defense, and the Bunitania offensive has been contained."

The Teutonic Emperor raised his head and looked at the Chief of the General Staff who was speaking beside him.

"What about the 50th Reserve Infantry Division?"

The Chief of the General Staff, sweating profusely, swallowed hard and raised his hand as if to loosen his collar, which was now somewhat tight. However, he remembered that the Emperor was still in front of him and he could not be disrespectful in front of the Emperor.

As he put his hand back down, the Chief of the General Staff said nervously.

"The 50th Reserve Infantry Division has been almost completely wiped out. The military police have only managed to recover a small number of survivors. Most of the rest are likely scattered behind the Bunitania's lines of defense..."

"shame!"

Before the Chief of the General Staff could finish speaking, the Teutonic Emperor slammed his fist on the map.

"A disgrace to the Teutonic School!"

The Teutonic Emperor raised his head and looked at the Chief of the General Staff.

"The Buntanians simply deployed one weapon, yet it changed the course of the battlefield, and our intelligence agencies were completely unaware of it. Even our air force reconnaissance failed to detect these things. How did they get to the battlefield? Did no one notice them along the way? Did the Buntanians use magic to magically transport them to the front lines?!"

As he spoke, the Teutonic Emperor tapped the table several more times.

Seeing the emperor's anger, the Chief of the General Staff quickly offered an explanation.

"Your Majesty, the breach in the defenses this time was not due to the new weapons deployed by the Bonitania..."

Sensing the Teutonic Emperor's murderous gaze, the Chief of the General Staff's voice immediately dropped an octave.

"It wasn't entirely due to the new weapons. Yesterday, the Somme battlefield was shrouded in thick fog. A tank commanded by Joe Harrison crossed the lines and raided the headquarters of the 50th Reserve Infantry Division, capturing its commander, Carl von Boning. This loss of command for the 50th Reserve Infantry Division led to its collapse. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't be able to..."

"malfeasance!"

Before the Chief of the General Staff could finish speaking, the Teutonic Emperor slammed his fist on the map table again.

"Where are the scouts?! Where are the guards?! How could they let the tanks... wait..."

The roaring Teutonic Emperor suddenly noticed the name that the Chief of the General Staff had just mentioned.

"Joe Harrison? That inventor? He was the one who commanded that tank?"

The Chief of the General Staff immediately nodded frantically.

"Yes, he left the lower-ranking officers in the regimental headquarters in a barn near the command post. When the retreating troops passed by, they released them, which is how we found out what had happened."

The Teutonic Emperor shook his head and reached out to touch the map in front of him.

"This guy... what a pity..."

After speaking, the Teutonic Emperor, who seemed less angry than before, turned to look at the heads of the War Ministry and the Ordnance Ministry.

“Tell me, how long will it take you to manufacture similar products? We must have what the Bunitanias have.”

"Forehead……"

Facing the Teutonic Emperor's gaze, the heads of the War Ministry and the Ordnance Ministry exchanged glances, and then the head of the Ordnance Ministry spoke cautiously.

"Your Majesty, this is a completely new weapon. I must organize experts to evaluate it..."

"Three days."

The Teutonic Emperor raised his hand and held up three fingers.

"I need your full schedule in three days."

After speaking, the Teutonic Emperor turned his gaze to the Chief of the General Staff.

"So what can the military do to solve this problem before these new weapons are delivered to the troops?"

Upon hearing this question, the Chief of the General Staff finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Given the success of the first Storm Assault Team, we are preparing to form more Storm Assault Teams to break through the Gauls' defenses. The second batch of Storm Assault Teams has arrived at the front lines today..."

The Chief of the General Staff took out his pocket watch and glanced at it.

"Right now, they're preparing to launch an offensive at Verdun."

Just then, Holtz, in the trench, pulled out a gas mask and put it on. The assault team leader in front of him was holding a small gadget called a submachine gun.

"Remember, wipe out every Gaul you see! Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor!"

Holtz, wearing a gas mask, reached out and pounded on the armor on his chest.

(End of this chapter)