Chapter 192 Coordinated Operations

The train dragged several carriages slowly into the tank base, stopped amidst the harsh sound of brakes, and released steam with a "sizzling" sound. The surrounding area was instantly enveloped in white, like a fairyland.

It was Gallieni's order to drive the railway into the tank base. This was to transport the tank by train to every place where it was needed in the shortest possible time when needed on the battlefield.

At the same time, trains can also bring needed materials and supplies to the tank base.

But this time, the train brought not these, but mortars, artillery shells, and a group of instructors.

…

Brownie looked at an assembled mortar on the ground and asked doubtfully, "Is this a new weapon you invented?"

Charles nodded: "I think it can solve the problem you just mentioned, Colonel!"

Colonel Browne looked at Charles in surprise, and then laughed: "Are you kidding? Such a small gun, a field gun used to deal with the Germans..."

But seeing Ciel's serious expression, he put away his smile and said, "Okay, tell us what we should do!"

Browne was the one who believed in Charles the most, ever since the victory of the Battle of the Marne using tanks.

If he finds something unbelievable, he will immediately think the other way around: There must be something wrong with me!

Charles walked into the awning with the training chart, and Brownie immediately followed.

"Perhaps we should change our tactics, Colonel!" Charles picked up the pen dropped on the table and scribbled on the training chart: "We can't always let the tanks go in front to block everything for the infantry. The result of this is, I can only watch the tanks being blown up one by one!"

Colonel Browne was instantly fragmented.

During this period, all his ideas, including those of Colonel Estini, were all based on tanks covering infantry.

But now...

But Charles told him that he couldn't rely on the cover of tanks?

"But." Colonel Browne looked confused: "This is what we have always done."

"That's just because the enemy doesn't know we have tanks." Charles replied softly: "Or it can be said that they don't know how to deal with tanks and are not even prepared!"

After a pause, Charles added: "If the enemy is prepared, as you just said, they only need to conceal their field artillery behind the defense line, and our tanks will become their targets!"

Brownie thought it was right.

The Battle of the Marne was the first time the Germans saw tanks, and of course they were not prepared.

In the Battle of La Forks, the Germans deployed all their artillery on the front, while the Charles launched its attack from its empty wings.

If attacking from the front, even the "Mark I" will be blown to pieces, as well as the infantry behind the tanks.

But this time, Brownie was even more confused. He looked puzzled and hesitated: "Major, if you don't use tanks to cover infantry, how about using infantry to cover tanks?"

"You can say that!" Charles nodded: "In fact, they should cover each other: the tanks cover the infantry, and the infantry also covers the tanks. If the tank is dangerous, there is no doubt that the infantry should be on it. Otherwise, the infantry will be lost. The tank cover quickly collapsed!"

"You are right!" Brownie nodded with difficulty: "But how can the infantry cover the tank?"

In Browne's view, the infantry are just flesh and blood. How can they stand in front of the tank and block its shells?

Charles penciled a line on the training map and explained calmly: "We might as well segment the offensive line here, about 700 meters away from the enemy's defense line. Beyond this line, it is very difficult for the enemy to It is difficult to find infantry to hit infantry, but it is easy to find and destroy tanks!"

Brownie nodded.

This is obvious. The tall body of the tank is also accompanied by a "rumbling" noise, which makes it difficult not to attract the enemy's attention.

When the line of sight is good, the enemy artillery does not even need telescopes and directly aims its field guns at the tanks.

But if they are infantry, they use cover to spread out and leap forward, or lie on the ground and crawl forward. It is difficult for the enemy to cause effective damage at this distance.

(Note: This is the reason why the range of modern assault rifles is generally around 400 meters. Unless you are a professionally trained sniper at a longer distance, it will be difficult to hit the target. The bolt-action rifles in World War I and World War II had a range of 700 to 800 meters. It is unreasonable and even a serious waste.)

At this time, Charles came to the conclusion: "So, at this distance, the infantry should provide cover for the tanks."

Colonel Browne suddenly realized: "In other words, before the tanks set off, the infantry first went onto the battlefield to prepare for the tank attack?"

"Yes!" Charles replied: "Infantry clears obstacles for tanks, such as mines, roadblocks, and barbed wire. Sometimes they also plan the tank's attack route to help it avoid muddy areas that it may sink into."

Colonel Browne nodded slowly: "Then it's the tanks' turn..."

"No!" Charles interrupted Colonel Browne: "Then the mortars should come in!"

Ciel raised his head toward the mortar placed outside.

Colonel Browne was stunned for a moment, then nodded repeatedly: "You're right, it has a range of 700 meters, and it has already entered the range at this time."

But after thinking about it, he shook his head again: "However, it still cannot suppress the enemy's field artillery. They may be set outside the range!"

The German field artillery had a range of five kilometers, while the mortar had a range of only 700 meters. If the field artillery was deployed a little further back, it would be beyond the range of the mortar.

Charles smiled lightly: "We don't need to suppress it, Colonel, we can use smoke bombs!"

Colonel Brownie said "Oh": "That's right, mortars fire smoke bombs, which can cover the enemy's infantry and artillery's sight!"

"And the bombing of mortars!" Charles pointed to the enemy's defense line on the training map: "Then there will be dust and smoke here, and there will be suppression from our field artillery and howitzers, and even fighter planes in the air... Then it's time for tanks to play!"

Brownie was stunned, such a battle...

Charles said: "Before this, it was just the coordination of infantry and tanks, now..."

Brownie nodded: "Now, it is the coordination of infantry, artillery, tanks, and aircraft, which is difficult to achieve. But as long as we do it, even if we only do part of it, it means that the enemy has no power to fight back!"

Charles was satisfied with what Colonel Brownie said, which showed that he had understood the concept of coordinated operations.

Colonel Estiny was more suitable for command in strategic direction, while Brownie was more sensitive to this kind of tactical coordination.

(The picture above shows an old steam train)