Chapter 210: Generational Difference in Tanks
If tanks were divided by generations at this time, the "Charles A1" and the German A7V would be separated by an entire generation.
The "Charles A1" had a rotating turret, while the A7V did not. Although this may seem minor—since tank battles often come down to whether one cannon can penetrate the other's armor—in reality, this difference was monumental.
The A7V's fixed gun limited its firing angle severely. When a target moved to its side, it would slip out of the gun's line of fire, forcing the driver to adjust the entire tank's position. This setup often led to a frustrating back-and-forth: the driver would maneuver the tank into position, only for the target to move out of range again, leading to repeated adjustments and missed shots.
In contrast, the Charles A1's rotating turret enabled it to aim and fire instantly with minimal delay. The driver didn't even need to wait to confirm a hit; once they heard the cannon fire, they could press forward, quickly seeking a new position and repeating the process. This allowed the Charles A1 to execute a perfect hit-and-run strategy, stopping to fire and moving immediately without any awkward pauses.
This difference extended to hit rates as well:
For the Charles A1, the A7V presented a massive, slow-moving target. Turning in place, the A7V's large frame, with its towering side armor, made it easy for the Charles A1's gunner to hit, even with minimal aiming.
The A7V, on the other hand, faced a much smaller, highly mobile target. Although the Charles A1 paused briefly to fire, its stop was short-lived. Before the A7V could get a precise shot, the Charles A1 would have already fired its round and resumed moving.
The A7Vs were reduced to a futile pursuit, barely able to fire and being picked off one by one by the Charles A1s.
The sight left the French soldiers in stunned amazement. Initially, they feared the Charles A1s would be destroyed by the A7Vs' heavier firepower. Instead, the Charles A1 tanks, nimble as monkeys, seemed to effortlessly outmaneuver the German "giants."
Even Colonel Brawny, commanding the French forces, hadn't expected such an outcome. As he directed his soldiers to suppress the German infantry and watched the first tank battle unfold, he thought to himself, "The Germans are finished."
The person most dismayed was the German tank commander, Colonel Matteo. He had believed his A7Vs would crush the French tanks with sheer power, only to find his tanks on the receiving end.
After watching his tanks miss shot after shot while the Charles A1s slipped away, Matteo made a desperate gamble. He ordered, "All machine guns—load K bullets!"
The K bullets were designed to pierce the armor of the Mark I tanks, and each of the six machine guns had a belt of 250 K bullets ready to fire.
Matteo waited for his gunners to confirm their readiness, and then commanded his driver, "Stop and hold position!"
Matteo hoped that by focusing fire with K bullets, the A7Vs might still stand a chance against the Charles A1s.
"Rat-a-tat-tat!" The machine guns roared to life, the sharper sound of the K bullets slicing through the air—a result of their steel core tearing through the rifling.
Matteo peered through his viewfinder, watching the target tank's turret continue to rotate, unaffected. His hope faded to despair.
Charles had calculated this situation: at a range of 200 meters, the K bullets could penetrate steel armor up to 13mm thick, so he had specified the Charles A1's side armor to be precisely 13mm. Any thinner and the K bullets would breach it; any thicker, and the weight would compromise speed and mobility.
"Colonel, what are we supposed to do?" one of the tank crew shouted, panicked.
Matteo had no answer. He knew only one thing—his A7Vs had been outclassed, thoroughly and without question.
He stared through the viewfinder at the small tank before him, watching its turret slowly turn in his direction. With resignation, he turned to his crew and said, "Pray."
Before he could say another word, there was a metallic clang as a shell pierced their armor, tearing through to the engine. Shards of metal, debris from the shell, and loosened rivets ricocheted violently inside the cabin, sparking cries of pain.
Matteo felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He tried to look down to assess the damage but could see nothing—the thick smoke from the damaged engine obscured his vision, stinging his eyes.
In his dimming awareness, Matteo felt someone wrench open the hatch. Summoning his last reserves of strength, he crawled to the opening, poking his head out. A gust of cold air struck his face, and he took a deep breath of fresh air—a final relief.
As his vision faded, Matteo caught a glimpse of the flames erupting nearby.
The battle ended within minutes. The French emerged victorious, with nine A7Vs left burning on the field. Only one German tank managed to retreat under the cover of infantry fire. The French suffered minimal losses, with just one Charles A1 tank disabled due to a broken track, though they could not afford to repair it. To maintain secrecy, Colonel Brawny ordered the tank rigged with explosives and set alight.
The French made no move to pursue the retreating Germans. Samock Straight was never their intended route; the road, while shorter, was a German death trap.
Charles would not be foolish enough to march his troops straight into it. To rescue the besieged Second Special Artillery Division, they only needed to neutralize the German artillery battery positioned northeast of Samock.
French reconnaissance had already pinpointed the battery's exact location. Lightly defended by just two infantry companies, it was a vulnerable target for the French tanks and sidecar units, making it a one-sided engagement.
…
Inside Samock Straight, General Tijani cautiously gathered his troops along the northern side of the road. Sporadic artillery continued to sound off in the distance, seeming like a warning from the Germans.
No one dared to advance. Lying low in concealed positions, they anxiously awaited the outcome. This might be their last hope. If the shelling didn't stop as Charles had promised, surrender might be their only option.
Then, suddenly, the artillery fell silent.
Tijani froze.
Nearby, soldiers erupted in cheers, one voice rising above the rest: "We're saved! Charles did it!"
(End of Chapter)
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