German Red Prince

Page 135

Thorne reminded the officer to write it down: Germany developed a logistical phobia after World War I, which is why it was willing to do anything to control Ukraine. How could he feel at ease without controlling this major breadbasket of Europe?

After controlling the grain-producing regions of Eastern Europe, large quantities of cheap grain flooded into Germany. As the colonial power, Germany sold this grain at very low prices. While this resulted in very low grain prices in Germany, it also severely impacted German agriculture.

In Germany, many farms have gone bankrupt because they cannot compete with those in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, forcing farmers to leave their homes and move to cities. This situation has become widespread in rural areas. On the surface, German agriculture seems to be thriving, but Germany has now become a food importer.

Farms in Germany have gone bankrupt due to the crisis, and Germany is already struggling to ensure its own food supply. Ukraine is its own now, but who can guarantee its future? If something happens in Eastern Europe and food supplies run out, and people go hungry, the people will revolt.

However, Wilhelm II seemed very confident that he could control the situation in Eastern Europe. The issue of farm bankruptcy in the country had been raised more than once, but there had been no action. Since they couldn't make a living in the countryside, they might as well go to the city to work. Anyway, Germany didn't lack that little bit of food, at least not now.

In his previous life, Thorne was Chinese, and compared to other Germans, he valued peasants more. Although the main force of the proletarian revolution in Europe was the working class, peasants could not be abandoned. For example, in the Finnish Civil War in his previous life, the Finnish Red Army, which controlled a large number of cities and had Soviet aid, was still defeated by a group of Finnish peasants led by Mannerheim.

If you don't fight for him, someone else will. In a revolution, never underestimate the power of any class or group. After all, it's always better to have one more friend than one more enemy.

"We only feel at ease when we have our own grain. If we only think about buying from others, problems will inevitably arise in the long run. Our departments must also take action to subsidize and help those farms. We must also organize bankrupt farmers. We must not end up like Prussia, where the higher-ups did not care."

“Understood, Your Highness Thorne.” The officer made a note of it. “By the way, Your Highness Thorne, there is also a letter here sent to you from Patagonia.”

"For me?"

Thorne took the letter and immediately recognized its author. It must be from Joseph. They hadn't been in touch for so long; he wondered how things were going over there.

In the letter, Joseph first expressed his gratitude to Thorne, noting that the Argentine navy dared not obstruct trade between Germany and Patagonia, and that trade between the Kingdom of the Rhine and Patagonia had greatly improved their financial situation.

Joseph also attached a photo showing that, with investment from the Kingdom of the Rhine, Patagonia had built its first formal military factory.

At the same time, Joseph also thanked Thorne for the books he had sent, which were his spiritual nourishment. He felt restless if he didn't read them every day. The summaries in these books were also very helpful, giving Joseph a lot of inspiration and providing many methods that the Patagonian regime could refer to.

Now, the local churches in Patagonia have been completely subdued by Joseph. Those few churches that liked to stir up trouble and cause trouble have been wiped out, and the people have not objected. The majority of the Patagonian people are now firmly united around the Workers' Party.

However, Joseph certainly didn't write about these things. In his letter, he also subtly mentioned that he had almost finished reading the books Thorne had given him, so perhaps...

"This Joseph has come to buy goods from me."

Thorne smiled. It was just a book; he had plenty of those. Joseph's ambitions weren't limited to a small Patagonia. Before setting off, Thorne had asked him, and Joseph's ambitions were probably all of South America. Since he had failed in Russia, he would try again in South America.

To avoid repeating the same mistakes and ultimately causing the Soviet Union to collapse, Thorne sent over mostly books reflecting on the lessons of the Soviet Union's demise and the collapse of the party and the country, as well as some books on economic development.

Thorne's reading list includes many books on this subject, such as "A History of Soviet Economic Thought," "A Short Course in Soviet Economics," "A Tribute to the Collapse of the CPSU," and "Some Lessons from the Collapse of the CPSU." Since Joseph wants them, let's send them all over at once.

After dealing with these matters, there was some news from Cyrenaica that the French Republic and the Ottoman Empire were still embroiled in conflict, which is one of the more intense local wars in the world today. Because Cyrenaica was a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire, it was inevitably affected as well.

The peacekeeping force that Thorne sent to Cyrenaica is currently the only force in the entire Kingdom of Rhine that is participating in actual combat. This is because the previous terms stipulated that they would protect Cyrenaica's caravan trade, so these forces would also participate in the fighting.

Thorne values ​​this combat data quite a bit, because the more we summarize now, the fewer people will die in the future.

Thorne always studies Cyrenaica's reports for a long time. The recent reports have all been about weapons. The soldiers are very satisfied with the new helmets, which are very effective in protecting them from shrapnel and bullet impacts. However, they have begun to complain about the weapons.

The caravan traveling through the desert was surrounded by vast, empty wasteland with no effective cover. Although the German rifles were effective at engaging the bandits at a distance, these desert bandits on horseback were highly mobile and would rush towards them before the bolts had even been pulled back a few times.

The Mauser rifle is a classic German rifle, so much so that Mauser has become synonymous with the word "rifle," and in later generations, any gun seen is referred to as the Mauser 98K.

This bolt-action rifle, whose accuracy allows it to be used as a sniper rifle, has many advantages, but it is still a bolt-action rifle after all, and its firepower is a major weakness.

In later generations, the intensity of World War II was no small matter, especially on the European battlefield. Any tank that Germany or the Soviet Union could pull out could wreak havoc on the Asian battlefield. The intensity of that war between industrialized nations was truly terrifying.

In terms of firepower, submachine guns are clearly superior, and they are also used in peacekeeping forces, but the soldiers do not seem to be particularly satisfied with this type of submachine gun.

The submachine gun currently in service in the Kingdom of Rhine is the MP34 submachine gun from later generations, but its production is extremely limited, and it is not widely used in peacekeeping forces. The main reason for this is that this gun is too expensive.

The Germans' pursuit of craftsmanship seems to have reached an obsessive level. The MP34 was made with the highest-grade materials available at the time, and all finished products passed rigorous inspection standards, ensuring superior quality.

This gave the MP34 impressive performance, earning it the nickname "Rolls-Royce submachine gun." However, the high quality of the MP34 came at the cost of its high production costs.

This is clearly not suitable for future needs. Pursuing perfection in everything will only harm you. Thorne's future armored soldiers will also need to be equipped with submachine guns. You can't expect everyone to have such an expensive weapon to charge into battle, or you'll go bankrupt before the war even starts. As for weapons, sturdiness and durability are enough.

Since the firepower of the Mauser rifle is insufficient, the troops should be equipped with more submachine guns. The new submachine guns should not be rare items like the MP34; they must be inexpensive, durable, and produced in large quantities.

256. Submachine gun problem

What role do submachine guns play in combat? Only by understanding this can we manufacture submachine guns that are truly suitable for the battlefield.

In Germany's order of battle, the current army is equipped with a considerable number of submachine guns, but from the perspective of the army as a whole, submachine guns still account for a minority of the total number of weapons.

What was Germany's most successful unit during the war? If you ask, no German would be unable to answer: the Stormtroopers, the elite of the German army, a source of pride for all Germans.

Germany's current priorities are also mobility and firepower, specifically the mobility and firepower of its ordinary infantry.

Germany's main research focus now is on improving the breakthrough capabilities of ordinary infantry. Having benefited from the war, only elite infantry can now be equipped with submachine guns.

In other words, most ordinary infantrymen still use bolt-action rifles, while submachine guns and machine guns are issued to elite infantry assault teams. These assault teams consist of highly qualified soldiers with extensive combat experience, so they are well-equipped.

The Kingdom of the Rhine was also somewhat influenced by Prussia, and most of the expensive and well-made MP34 submachine guns were issued to these soldiers.

The Storm Assault Team of the Kingdom of Rhine has an extremely high rate of automation weapons adoption, far exceeding that of ordinary combat troops. However, this is still relatively speaking, only a minority of Storm Assault Team members are actually equipped with submachine guns.

After adjustments following the major battle, a typical Storm Assault Team was equipped with two to three submachine guns, with only elite squads achieving complete firepower superiority.

A elite 10-man Stormtrooper squad was typically equipped with six MP34 submachine guns, one Bergmann MG15 nA machine gun, and three Mauser rifles. It's no wonder that such a well-equipped squad was one of the most elite units in the German army.

To form a Storm Assault Group, you need more than just elite soldiers; you also need expensive weapons. Often, organizing such a unit would be enough to expand several infantry divisions.

Elite soldiers are equipped with elite weapons. That sounds reasonable, but why make submachine guns so expensive?

German ordnance designers had not yet figured out what the submachine gun was for. Since the end of the war, the submachine guns in the Rhineland army had been upgraded three times, but these submachine guns had never gotten rid of one problem: they were too expensive.

These submachine guns have gone through several generations, but they're still the same. Take the original MP-18I for example. This gun can be considered the ancestor of German submachine guns. Its structure is very simple, but it's not cheap to manufacture.

It's understandable that this gun was expensive to manufacture, given that it was during World War I and new technologies like stamping were not yet widespread in the firearms manufacturing industry. Every metal part of the MP-18I was individually cut out using machining methods, which resulted in high costs, long production times, and low metal utilization.

Besides its high cost, the MP-18I, as a submachine gun from its early stages, also had a number of unreasonable design flaws. These flaws were not removed in later submachine gun designs, but were instead retained as "features," which made Thorne feel somewhat uncomfortable every time he saw the troops conducting drills.

What's most unacceptable about this gun is probably its strange snail-shaped drum magazine. Originally, Hugo Schmeisser designed it to be a straight-box feed, but in order to be compatible with the Luger Artillery Pistol, it was changed to a 32-round drum magazine.

Because this drum magazine was originally designed to fit the angled grip of the Luger pistol, with a large angle at which it was inserted into the grip, the MP-18L submachine gun had to have its magazine well tilted forward to accommodate the feeding path of this drum magazine.

Perhaps because the MP18 is so classic, subsequent designs and improvements have never deviated from the basic shape of this submachine gun.

However, this is no longer the era of World War I. After more than a decade of development, Germany's industrial level has far surpassed that of other countries. It is obviously inappropriate to continue using cutting technology to manufacture such expensive guns. Submachine guns are not rare items, and improvements must be made. Germany does not have so many resources to waste on this.

"Isn't the Army Department considering equipping the troops? Let's go see how their weapons designs for the bidding are coming along."

The Kingdom of the Rhine was now planning to complete a complete overhaul of its army around 1930, updating a batch of land forces' equipment.

Some time ago, the G98, which had been serving in the Army, was also relegated to a secondary role because its improved version, the kar.98k, had passed testing and began to be mass-produced and deployed by the military.

The improved rifle is shorter and lighter, with the barrel shortened from 740mm to 600mm for easier carrying. The charging handle has also been changed from a straight type to a downward-curved type for future combat.

Now that the rifles have been upgraded, Thorne also wants to go and see what the other competing weapons are designed to look like.

Rommel's armored grenadiers have already started training, and Thorne doesn't want these men to be unable to afford a submachine gun and have to sit in armored vehicles with long guns on their backs.

Since there were no restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, Germany in this world should theoretically have been able to develop its weapons without any limitations. However, what is surprising is that Germany's current weapons are not much different from those in the past, and overall they are only one or two years ahead.

At the firing range, the weapons participating in the bidding were being test-fired, and Thorne was also there to observe. These guns still had the same old problems. Was the MP18 too classic? Thorne didn't feel that these guns had changed much. The only change was that the snail-shaped drum magazine had finally been removed and replaced with a straight magazine.

"Erwin, what do you think of these guns?"

Thorne turned to look at Rommel, who was standing to the side. He knew that the armored units would definitely be the first to be equipped with submachine guns, so he asked Rommel to take a look and see if there were any problems.

“These guns are a bit heavy.” Erwin picked one up and weighed it in his hand. “The wooden stock adds to the weight of the submachine gun, which is not conducive to the rapid movement of armored troops. Also, the side-loading takes up too much space. Future troops will be moving around, not lying in trenches all day long. Side-loading is a bit outdated.”

"really."

Thorne also picked up a gun and weighed it in his hand. Although these submachine guns had been improved, such as not only being able to load from the side but also having the magazine installed at the bottom, it was still somewhat redundant. The design of submachine guns should be as simple as possible, and this was obviously too complicated.

"The future needs of the armed forces are compact and lightweight submachine guns that are easy to carry, have sufficient firepower, are simple to operate and maintain, and are cost-effective so that they can be widely adopted in the military."

Since Thorne returned from the Polish battlefield, the military has been listening to the prince's advice. They agree with what Thorne said, and after careful consideration, these submachine guns do not really meet the requirements.

Just as the military was reiterating its requirements and preparing for the next round of bidding, a gun caught Thorne's attention. Unlike the other guns that resembled the MP18, this gun looked very much like the later MP40, lacking the bulky wooden stock and featuring a metal structure.

"Who designed this gun?" Thorne asked the person next to him.

“It was designed by Vollmer Design,” someone nearby replied.

Why was this gun rejected?

Thorne was a little curious. This gun looked very similar to the MP40 in their world. Logically speaking, it shouldn't have been rejected.

"This gun's accuracy and reliability can't compare to other submachine guns, and the financial situation of this company, Vollmer, isn't good either. It's not famous for its designs and is now on the verge of bankruptcy, so we don't plan to purchase it."

Heinrich Vollmer, who would be considered a master of firearms in later generations, how come he's doing so poorly here? Thorne was a bit puzzled; he couldn't just let this guy get away so easily.

Thorne has countless ideas in his head right now. He just happened to run into an expert, so he should have a good chat with him and discuss how to finalize the design of the next submachine gun.

257. Suggestions for Improvement

Heinrich Vollmer was very anxious because his fledgling company was about to go bankrupt. Vollmer was a very talented designer, but fate seemed to be against him.

Although his designs have always been sponsored by the military of the Kingdom of Rhine, the military has never purchased the firearms he designed or modified. Without orders, his company can only make a living by processing some parts.

Recently, due to the overall economic downturn in Germany and poor management, although Vollmer is a weapons master, he is not so versatile in company management. What's worse, the Kingdom of the Rhine is paying less and less attention to his company, and sponsorship is decreasing.

With no orders and no sales channels, Vollmer's company has seen a large number of employees leave, and he is on the verge of bankruptcy. This trip is his last chance. Vollmer brought his new gun and wanted to try his luck. If he fails this time, he will have no choice but to sell his small company at a low price.

Vollmer watched as his new gun sat unnoticed in a corner. It seemed the military of the Kingdom of Rhine wasn't very satisfied with the weapons that had come to bid. With the opportunity gone, Vollmer was already planning to go back and sell his small company.

Just as Vollmer was about to leave, an officer came out and invited him in. This excited Vollmer. If he was called over, it meant there was still a chance.

"Erwin, what do you think of this gun?"

After a round of test firing by the professionals, Thorne asked Rommel for advice.

"The accuracy is not bad, and at least he took down that big ass."

Rommel looked at the lightweight submachine gun and began to complain. Compared to other submachine guns, this one did not have a heavy wooden stock, but instead used a steel bar as the rear stock, which looked much more comfortable.

The large wooden stock was replaced with a steel bar, which greatly reduced the weight of the submachine gun, while also shortening the processing time and cost. The main purpose of the submachine gun is to provide fire support for the troops; just fire the bullets and there is no need to consider too much.

"Where is the designer of this submachine gun? I'd like to speak with him."

Thorne turned to the officer beside him and asked him about the basic structure of the submachine gun, which was already the framework of the German submachine gun of later generations. He thought that talking to the officer might lead to the design of an improved version. However, Thorne was not keen on continuing to design in the direction of the MP40.

In later years, German troops still liked to use Soviet submachine guns, so now that weapons are being replaced, why not lean towards Soviet equipment?

The thought of Soviet-made guns for the German army is terrifying. Also, Thorne really wants to see how Soviet guns were made using German manufacturing techniques.

"Your Highness Thorne, this is Mr. Heinrich Vollmer, the designer of this submachine gun." The officer beside Thorne brought Vollmer over and introduced him.

"Hello, Mr. Folmer."

"Hello, Your Highness Thorne."

When he learned that it was Prince Thorne who had come to see him, Fulmer's hope was rekindled. He had heard about the prince's deeds, and if the prince took a liking to him, there might actually be a chance. Perhaps his company could be revived this time.

"Did you design this gun? Could you give a brief introduction?"

"No problem, Your Highness Thorne."

Folmer picked up the gun and began to talk to Thorne. Since people were asking about it, it meant that he must have been targeted.

"This submachine gun is our latest MP28 submachine gun design. After understanding the needs of the military, we reduced the weight of the entire gun, abandoning the bulky wooden stock and adopting a lighter steel stock, which simplified the production process."

"We adopted a blowback automatic system, using a firing pin, and included a fire selector—located above the grip."

"The MP28's safety mechanism is relatively simple. It works by engaging the cocking lever in a notch. The MP28 has single-shot and burst-fire selector functions, and the fire selector and safety are mounted on the trigger."

This gun was like his precious son to Folmer; he knew every single detail about it, so he described it in great detail.

"The submachine gun's components are mainly made of steel, with only the handguard and grip being made of wood. The magazine is latched at the rear of the magazine well. To provide a better shooting feel, the MP36 submachine gun's charging handle is located on the left side of the receiver, so the shooter's right hand doesn't have to leave the trigger. Because the charging handle is operated by the left hand, the magazine well is tilted 30° to the left."

"To make it easier to use, our R&D team determined the conditions such as the left-hand charging handle and the addition of a barrel hook. In order to simplify production and reduce costs, our team also adopted a brand-new technology - steel plate stamping."

"This technology was initially used in automobile manufacturing, which inspired us to apply it to the development of submachine guns. The gun has a 9mm caliber, fires 9mm Parabellum pistol cartridges, and with the stock, the overall length is 831mm, the barrel length is 250mm, the total weight is 3.96kg, the magazine capacity is 32 rounds, and the theoretical rate of fire is 500 rounds per minute."

Listening to Folmer's detailed explanation, Thorne nodded. Although the gun still had some shortcomings in hindsight, it was a significant improvement over submachine guns of the same era, at least compared to the other submachine guns competing for the contract.

"This submachine gun is indeed a good gun."

Thorne nodded, which greatly excited Folmer. Was this an affirmation?

"However, some problems still exist."

Thorne abruptly changed the subject, which dampened Folmer's spirits. However, he wasn't discouraged. At least Thorne had taken a liking to his submachine gun design. Wouldn't raising questions lead to better improvements? Folmer pulled out his notebook, ready to jot down Thorne's suggestions.

"First of all, there's the issue of weight; I hope it can be even lighter."

Thorne first brought up the issue of weight. The development of submachine guns should be towards lighter, shorter, and easier-to-carry designs. This MP28 is still quite heavy, and Thorne hopes to reduce its weight further.

"Another issue is the length. Although this gun has abandoned the wooden stock, it uses a fixed steel stock. While the weight has been reduced, it is still too long and inconvenient to carry. I hope to design a foldable stock so that it will be easier to carry during operations."

Submachine guns will be issued to paratroopers and armored troops, as these units operate in environments with limited space and must be portable.

“In terms of design, the single/burst fire design is unnecessary, as it increases the complexity of the submachine gun. On the battlefield, the submachine gun is mainly responsible for firepower output, and with this rate of fire, there is no need to add a fire selector. The manufacturing process can be simplified to reduce costs. The processing of wooden parts is too time-consuming, so we can replace them with metal parts.”