Chapter 259:
The discussion took place, as usual, at Deyoka's dining table in the modest but private living room. Despite its simplicity, the setting was completely secure. The only outsider was Camille, but she neither understood nor had any interest in these technical conversations.
It was similar to when a woman wears a new outfit and asks a man if it looks good. Most men respond vaguely with words like "It's fine" or "It's okay" because, for them, "looking good" isn't really about clothes—it's about what's underneath.
In the same way, even if women listened to discussions about military equipment all day long, they might still gasp and say, "What? Tanks don't have wheels? Then how do they move?"
Because of this, Deyoka didn't ask Camille to leave, nor did he ask her to keep anything confidential. If a spy tried to extract any information from Camille to piece together details, they would surely be driven to despair.
A rough sketch lay on the table, accompanied by a pencil and notes, as if calculations had been done on the spot.
Colonel Estigny slid the sketch toward Charles, saying with concern, "One of my old subordinates drew this from memory. He was fortunate enough to be chosen as a test operator for Schneider, and after encountering this tank, he shared some information with me. I believe it's a new model Schneider is developing."
Charles glanced at the sketch and couldn't help but chuckle. "You call this a tank? It looks more like an armored car."
Colonel Estigny and Deyoka exchanged looks. They had assumed Schneider's new tank would pose a serious threat to the "Charles A1," but Charles's dismissive reaction surprised them.
Thinking Charles hadn't taken a close look, Colonel Estigny explained further, "It has two configurations, Colonel. It can switch between wheels and tracks, giving it incredible mobility."
"Yes," Deyoka agreed. "It can use wheels on roads and switch to tracks for mud or off-road conditions. It's an interesting concept."
"And so?" Charles asked.
Colonel Estigny elaborated, "Mobility means it can advance quickly."
"It seems they've drawn some inspiration from the success of the 'Charles A1.'"
"For instance, they prioritize mobility and rely on machine guns for weaponry. I wouldn't be surprised if they even design their own 37mm cannon!"
Charles nodded. It was clear that Schneider had taken some cues from the "Charles A1." However, since they couldn't copy it openly, they'd had to forego a rotating turret.
After thinking for a moment, Charles pushed the drawing back to Colonel Estigny and asked, "Without a rotating turret, how do you think it will stand up against enemy machine guns and large-caliber cannons?"
Colonel Estigny pointed at the sketch, moving in close to analyze. "My guess is they hope to compensate for the lack of a turret by sheer numbers."
"They could make the side armor very thin, just thick enough to withstand standard rounds, and reinforce the front armor to withstand armor-piercing rounds."
"In battle, they would always face the target head-on. Using high mobility, they could close in from multiple directions…"
Charles understood Estigny's thinking. It seemed logical: if one "Charles A1" tank could be matched by producing two or more of these cheaper light tanks, then while the "Charles A1" needed a rotating turret to aim, these light tanks could surround the target, each one taking aim from different angles.
Which approach would be more efficient?
It seemed like this cheaper light tank, which could swarm like ants, might create an "ant bites elephant" advantage.
Charles shook his head with a smile.
The ideal may sound attractive, but reality is often harsh. Schneider would never have imagined that soon, anti-tank weapons for infantry would emerge.
Even without specialized anti-tank weapons, these thin-skinned light tanks couldn't withstand heavy machine gun fire; infantry would turn them into target practice.
Seeing Charles's lack of concern, Colonel Estigny continued, "It's common knowledge that our tanks have a disadvantage in speed."
"If they could reach car-like speeds on roads, that would be terrifying."
"They could advance on targets quickly, Colonel. This could be the future of tank development!"
Charles nodded thoughtfully, surprised. This reminded him that Schneider might not only be copying the design but exploring new tactical concepts.
An effective capitalist indeed, Schneider showed an impressive capacity for learning. Unfortunately, they were heading down a misguided path.
"This isn't the future of tank development," Charles said firmly.
"We can't be certain of that, Colonel," Estigny responded, his tone laced with frustration and concern. "If this isn't the future, then what is? I can't think of any way to improve further!"
Charles now understood the state of mind Estigny was in.
He believed that for an evolving piece of equipment, something had to change—whether in its core mechanics, structure, or configuration.
After the "Charles A1" tank was introduced, Colonel Estigny was eager to innovate but found no room for improvement, leading him to feel frustrated, as though he'd hit a dead end.
When Schneider suddenly developed a tank with greater mobility, Estigny mistakenly assumed that this was the "innovation" and "direction" the industry needed.
While Charles found it laughable, this was an understandable reaction in a world where no one yet knew the future of tank development.
After a brief pause, Charles asked calmly, "How much does it weigh?"
"I'm not certain," Estigny admitted. "But Schneider seems focused on making it lighter, so it's likely only about half the weight of the 'Charles A1.'"
(Note: The Saint-Chamond tank actually weighed only 3.3 tons, less than half the weight of the 8-ton "Charles A1.")
Estigny added, "Tests show it can reach speeds of up to 28 kilometers per hour on roads, and that's just preliminary. It could go even faster."
As he said this, there was a trace of fear in Estigny's eyes. He seemed to envision a swarm of these light tanks racing down roads to surround and divide enemy forces.
This tactic was reminiscent of how Charles had operated in previous battles on the front line.
Deyoka also looked serious. Estigny had previously shared his ideas with him, and this new concept seemed to fit with Estigny's long-standing "swarm tactics"—or rather, this type of fast light tank seemed capable of realizing his theories.
Charles smiled slightly. "Consider this: if these light tanks were to face off against not the German heavy tanks, but our own 'Charles A1,' which tank do you think would win?"
Estigny and Deyoka looked at each other, realizing they had never thought of it that way.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Franklin1