German Red Prince

Page 143

During World War II, Mercedes-Benz was a major manufacturer of German military trucks and cars. Not only did it build the world's first armored car for Mustang, but it was also the main manufacturer of tank engines for the German armored forces. The famous Tiger tank engine was produced by Maybach, a subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz.

The Tiger tank is familiar to every military enthusiast. This most famous tank in World War II had many advantages. However, German equipment also had a common problem: while the front lines were doing well, the logistics were often driven to the brink of collapse. The German logistics team was so frustrated with the Maybach engine that it was designed to be too complex and difficult to maintain.

These car brands each had their own division of labor during World War II. BMW's main business was the production of aircraft engines, Mercedes-Benz was mainly responsible for the research and design of tank engines, and Audi was mainly responsible for the research and development of armored vehicles.

Audi, a luxury car brand, has a very complex history. It was formed by the merger of Audi AG, Horch AG, DKW AG, and Wanderer AG.

DKW was also a well-known tank supplier during World War II. DKW itself had excellent engine production capabilities, and during the war, the company supplied onboard generator sets for tanks such as the Panzer IV.

In its original history, after the merger of the four companies in 1932, Audi's logo became the familiar "four rings," representing the equal status and close unity of the four companies.

Horch, one of the companies involved, manufactured the Horch 4x4 military vehicle, the Horch 853 officer's limousine, and armored reconnaissance vehicles such as the Sd.Kfz. 221, Sd.Kfz. 222, and Sd.Kfz. 223, as well as the Sd.Kfz. 260 and Sd.Kfz. 261 series reconnaissance vehicles during World War II.

China also imported these armored vehicles at the time. In the early stages of the War of Resistance against Japan, China imported a small number of Sd. Kfz. 222 armored reconnaissance vehicles from Germany, which participated in the Battle of Shanglankao and the Battle of Kunlun Pass. However, these few armored vehicles did not play any key role and were quickly lost in the battle.

Thorne can only be grateful to the previous kings of the Kingdom of the Rhine. The Kingdom of the Rhine has many famous companies, such as Porsche, Mauser, Rheinmetall, and Messerschmitt. In later years, the three major car companies, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi, were all located in the Kingdom of the Rhine, except for BMW, which was based in Bavaria.

To Thorne's surprise, Rudolf Diesel was still alive at the Augsburg machine factory in the Ruhr region. Thorne had met the old gentleman at an event recently, and although he was seventy years old, he was still in very good health.

This man is the father of the diesel engine. In 1897, Rudolf Diesel manufactured the world's first high-performance diesel engine for the Augsburg Machine Works. Subsequently, the Augsburg Machine Works rose to prominence and merged with another major machine manufacturing company at the time, Nuremberg Machine Works AG.

Diesel engines were also Thorne's main focus. These engines had high power, low fuel consumption, could use inferior fuel, and were very safe. During World War II, the German army did not use diesel engines on a large scale; most of the diesel fuel was supplied to the navy and air force.

The German army still uses gasoline extensively, and there are many explanations for this. Some say it's because Germany lacks oil, and diesel can only be supplied to the navy and air force, which have greater needs. The army extracts liquefied petroleum gas through coal-to-oil technology. Others say it's because Mercedes-Benz wants to monopolize the production of engines for the army, and so on.

The Kingdom of Rhine has now discovered oil in North Africa, which has temporarily solved its energy problem. Moreover, the kingdom does not have as many problems as it would later face. These companies are basically all under the kingdom's control, and many have already been acquired by the kingdom's government, which saves a lot of trouble.

In the original history, despite Diesel's great scientific success, his personal life was not happy. His inventions were criticized and ostracized by his rivals, and he gradually fell into financial difficulties.

In 1913, Diesel, only 55 years old, mysteriously disappeared while traveling by ship through the English Channel.

The common view is that he committed suicide by jumping into the sea, while some speculate that he was deliberately murdered by people in the oil industry. It is said that at that time, Diesel already had the idea of ​​making engines using bio-gasoline in his mind.

However, in this timeline, Diesel is alive and well, which allows Thorne to avoid many detours and has someone to help him realize his ideas.

Just after completing the design of the armored vehicle, Thorne was about to begin research on the engine, and he could ask this master to come and help him at that time.

Thorne decided to let Audi take over the production of the armored vehicles, since Audi would later produce a large number of wheeled armored vehicles.

Wheeled armored vehicles are a key focus of Thorne's research. Thorne plans to first let Audi practice with tracked armored vehicles, so that they can become the warhorses that gallop across the Rhine Kingdom in the future.

277. Armored vehicle template

In 1899, August Horch, who had just obtained a degree in manufacturing, chose to start his own business. At that time, it was the Second Industrial Revolution, and the automobile manufacturing industry was a very popular industry. Horch followed the trend of the times and founded an automobile modification shop to specialize in engine ignition systems.

It is crucial to seize the opportunities of the times. Horch reaped the benefits of the Industrial Revolution. After five years of technological and financial accumulation, Horch had enough capital to found an automobile company in 1904 with the help of investors.

At the age of 31, he took the first step toward realizing his dream by founding his own company, August Horch, on the banks of the Rhine.

At the end of the 19th century, automobiles were as popular as the internet at the end of the 20th century. Horch, following the path pioneered by Otto, Diesel, and other pioneers, like countless other young people at the time, devoted himself wholeheartedly to a new era for engines and automobiles with great ambition and enthusiasm.

However, the good times didn't last long. Every entrepreneur has their ups and downs. Hosie was too meticulous in his research and design, which led to high costs for each R&D project. These high costs soon became the trigger for a conflict with investors.

In addition, in 1909, Horch's latest engine failed, and these changes led Horch to leave the company in anger and start his own business with a friend.

However, the name of the new company had not been decided yet. Just when Horch and his friends were worrying about a new name, it was the suggestion of his friend's child that led Horch to name the company Audi. Thus, a great car brand was born.

Because of Horch's personality, Audi has always been committed to technological innovation. In 1923, the first six-cylinder Audi car was launched. He also innovated the design of the air filter, which revolutionized the entire automotive industry. Since then, the air filter has become an essential feature of automobiles.

In 1932, in order to expand into a wider market, Audi merged with three other companies, including Wanderer, to form Auto Union. To demonstrate the equality of the four companies, Audi's classic four-ring logo also appeared in the public eye.

However, that was the original timeline. In that timeline, after August Horch broke up with his investors, he applied for funding from the Kingdom in order to continue his research and development. With the Kingdom's support, he continued his research and development, and during the war, Audi also reaped the benefits of the war.

During the Great War, Audi's main business was producing armored vehicles for the kingdom. In this timeline, Audi merged with the other three companies much earlier than in the original timeline. When the Great War broke out, in order to consolidate the country and improve production efficiency, Audi was merged ahead of schedule and put in charge of the armored vehicle field.

This is why Thorne sought help from Audi to research the latest armored vehicles. During the four years of the war, Audi had accumulated a lot of technical experience, and now Audi is basically controlled by the kingdom. Although it produces civilian vehicles in peacetime, it can immediately switch its production line to produce military vehicles in wartime.

Thorne's vision was to continue designing and improving tracked and wheeled armored vehicles. Tracked vehicles were more focused on the ability to traverse complex terrain. Due to the large contact area of ​​the tracks and the low ground pressure, tracked vehicles could not outrun wheeled armored vehicles on good roads, but in complex terrain, that was where tracked vehicles excelled.

Tracked vehicles have strong off-road speeds and can travel at high speeds even in complex road conditions, but wheeled vehicles can hardly achieve the same speeds under the same conditions. Even if they could reach the same speed as tracked armored vehicles, the people inside would probably not be able to withstand it. However, the cost of tracked armored vehicles is very high: the metal tracks are heavy, wear-prone, and have a short lifespan.

The main advantage of wheeled armored vehicles is their speed. Because they use tires, they have low friction and can travel at high speeds. Compared to tracked vehicles whose metal tracks can weigh 1-2 tons, wheeled vehicles are lighter in terms of their running gear. However, wheeled vehicles are not as good as tracked vehicles for off-road driving in complex terrain. The smaller contact area of ​​the tires with the ground results in higher pressure per unit area, making them less capable of traversing mud and desert areas compared to tracked vehicles.

Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages. The tracked armored vehicle has a thick chassis that allows it to carry more weapons and armor, and it is also very reliable. However, it is expensive to build, troublesome to maintain, and has very high personnel training costs.

Wheeled armored vehicles have high mobility and are much cheaper than tracked armored vehicles, making them very suitable for long-distance raids. However, compared to tracked armored vehicles, wheeled armored vehicles have lighter armor and cannot carry as many weapons. Therefore, Thorne gave them a general direction for their future responsibilities.

Although tracked armored vehicles are slower, they can cope with various complex terrain environments, and because they are tracked, the vehicle body has a stronger load-bearing capacity and can carry more weapons and personnel.

Thorne envisioned designing tracked armored vehicles and transport vehicles to handle logistics in complex terrain and provide cover for infantry during combat. Tracked vehicles were primarily used for troop advances. Blitzkrieg exploited price differences and speed to catch the enemy off guard.

When the enemy reacts, they need strong firepower to suppress them. This is where the tracked armored vehicle comes in. Its lack of speed makes it unsuitable as the spearhead of an attack, and the infantry following behind also need cover. The tracked armored vehicle can transport soldiers and carry more weapons.

When the time comes, artillery and machine guns will be mounted on these armored vehicles. Although their armor thickness is not as good as that of tanks, they will be more than enough to deal with infantry. The first step of blitzkrieg is to destroy the enemy's key armed forces. With all tanks deployed to the front line, these armored vehicles are the best choice.

If the primary role of tracked armored vehicles is propulsion, then wheeled armored vehicles are for offense. Thorne envisions wheeled armored vehicles with good off-road capability, capable of navigating even in complex terrain, large capacity, and lightweight design to ensure high speed.

A wheeled armored vehicle fully loaded with soldiers can cooperate with tanks during an attack. The tanks' powerful firepower can provide cover for the armored grenadiers. The accompanying soldiers have a simple task: keep up with the speed of the tanks and protect them.

Tracked armored vehicles primarily provide fire support, while wheeled armored vehicles offer speed. Thorne actually had some ideas about designing both types of vehicles.

In his office, Thorne took out several sketches: the 38(t) tracked armored personnel carrier and the SDKFZ234 Puma wheeled armored vehicle. These armored vehicles were developed in the later stages of World War II, but Thorne brought them out more than a decade earlier, which would give him more time to improve and upgrade them.

278. Tracked infantry fighting vehicle

The key to Germany's victory in World War II was its armored forces. After tasting the benefits of armored forces, Germany became unstoppable and attached great importance to the use of armored weapons throughout the war.

In the early stages of the war, before the European theater had reached its peak, Germany had already produced and equipped itself with a large number of half-track vehicles. These armored vehicles could be used to transport troops on the battlefield and for armed reconnaissance at the front.

However, although these half-track vehicles were very popular during World War II, it was not uncommon for people to realize the drawbacks of this seemingly perfect armored vehicle. With continuous feedback from the battlefield, in 1943, later in the war, the German military hoped to develop a fully tracked armored personnel carrier.

The military required that this new armored vehicle, in addition to having basic armor protection, must also have a guaranteed speed, and its speed could not be too low, in order to meet the needs of mobile warfare.

At the same time, this armored vehicle also needs to be able to transport soldiers quickly. As an armored personnel carrier, it needs to carry at least a squad of soldiers. Based on this requirement, Auto Union and BMM put forward their own designs at the time, but they were all modified from the 38(t)nA light tank.

The 38(t)nA light tank has not yet been manufactured. In the original timeline, it would take at least another ten years. While this might slow down the production of Thorne's armored personnel carriers, it also means that Thorne can carry out more thorough improvements and innovations.

The armored personnel carrier designed and developed by Germany at that time was called Vollkettenaufklürer 38 (t) “Katzchen”.

Because Auto Union and BMM were the two companies that submitted the bids, the two design technologies differed significantly, although both were influenced by the Jagdpanzer tank destroyer.

The armor plates installed at a large angle at the front of the vehicle body enhance its defensive capabilities. The top of the troop carrier has an open structure. The side and rear structures of the troop carrier are similar to those of a half-track vehicle. The engine compartment is located on the right rear of the vehicle body, and the road wheels have two types: four-wheel suspension like the 38nA and staggered road wheels. The drive wheels are all located at the front.

The vehicle is equipped with two MG42 machine guns with armored shields as combat weapons. One is mounted on the upper right front of the vehicle body, and the other is located at the rear of the crew compartment, firing outwards from the top.

Such a design was still very novel for this era. After all, it was only 1928, not even the 1930s. When Germany designed this armored vehicle, the war was almost over. So when Thorne took out the blueprints, the designers present gathered around them and started discussing them.

Historically, BMM manufactured a prototype in 1944. However, the engineers did not adhere to the original standards. The prototype was stronger in terms of armor protection and larger in size. The armor thickness of the troop carrier was significantly increased, with the thickest part of the frontal armor being 50 mm, the side armor 30 mm, and the rear armor 20 mm. Overall, it reached the level of light tanks at that time. Such armor was already a relatively strong level in the 20s.

Meanwhile, the original 350 mm wide tracks were deemed unsuitable, and the newly designed armored vehicle used 450 mm wide tracks. In terms of the crew arrangement, the driver was located at the front left of the vehicle, with an observation window in front of him for observation and driving. To his right was the commander/machine gunner, and at the rear of the vehicle was the troop compartment, with long benches installed on both sides for soldiers to sit on.

Overall, this 38(t) armored personnel carrier already shows the shadow of later infantry fighting vehicles. If it could be produced, it would be a very good combat vehicle. In addition to carrying soldiers, it could also be used as a towing vehicle to tow artillery or temporarily transport supplies.

Thorne is very satisfied with the overall performance of the 38(t) armored personnel carrier. It must be said that Sandezi's ability is really strong. He has put forward a lot of advanced concepts. If there is enough time to modify this vehicle, it may play a huge role after it is put into actual combat.

However, under the circumstances at the time, both time and resources were very tight, and there was no large-scale production. In 1944, Germany was short of supplies and did not even have a safe production factory. Moreover, armored personnel carriers were not urgently needed military equipment, and the German army had many half-track armored vehicles available for use.

At the time, the German army hoped to produce more Jagdpanzer tank destroyers and other equipment, and if the 38(t) armored personnel carrier were produced, it would inevitably compete for the already precious resources. Therefore, at the end of that year, the development of new vehicles related to the 38(t) was stopped.

Not only did BMM's design fail, but the troop carrier designed by Auto Union also did not progress smoothly. Auto Union's armored vehicle adopted technologies such as staggered road wheels and hydraulic transmission, which made the overall process of the armored vehicle more complicated. Moreover, the development of the gearbox slowed down the overall progress, and it was abandoned by the German army not long afterward.

Thorne had produced the blueprints for the armored vehicle as early as 1928, which gave him at least ten years to continuously improve and upgrade it. The 38(t) armored personnel carrier, like other armored personnel carriers at the time, adopted an open-top design.

This design allows the crew to have good visibility and react quickly. It also allows the vehicle to carry more crew members and provide fire support when encountering enemies.

However, without top protection, the probability of injury to the crew increases significantly. Without overhead protection, a single grenade or mortar shot can wipe out an entire vehicle of people. Europeans are usually tall and strong, and even when they sit down, half of their heads are often still sticking out, making them easy targets for snipers.

Thorne's direction was to allow tracked armored vehicles to carry more weapons for battlefield support. Infantry was not needed in large numbers; their main role was simply to protect the armored vehicles, so they did not need such a large space. In terms of firepower, the 38(t) only had two machine guns as weapons, which was clearly not what Thorne wanted.

Thorne hoped that the tracked armored vehicle would develop in the direction of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle of later generations. It could carry a small number of people, but its firepower must be fierce. However, the requirements could not be too high. If you want fierce firepower and more soldiers, wouldn't it become a tank that can carry people? Developing Merkava now is probably a bit unrealistic.

At the current level, Thorne obviously couldn't produce the Marder armored vehicle, and he didn't quite like the 38(t) version, so the Swedish Pbv301 armored personnel carrier became a more suitable candidate.

Although this infantry fighting vehicle was developed in the 1960s, its chassis was based on the Stridsvagn m/41 light tank produced between 1942 and 1944. This light tank was only at the level of the early World War II, similar to the 38T light tank. Thorne would not have had much difficulty conducting research based on this model.

This armored vehicle is equipped with a 20mm autocannon, so its firepower is not bad. Although it is difficult to remotely control it in this day and age, it is not a big problem. It can be modified with a design. This armored vehicle is mobile, can carry 8 people, and can be modified on a 38t chassis.

Although the interior space may be a bit cramped, it is at least safer than an open-top vehicle. For the level of technology at this time, the fact that such an armored vehicle could be manufactured is already a disaster for ordinary infantry. Not only does it have firepower, but there are also people sitting inside. Breaking through the enemy's position would be incredibly easy.

After Thorne shared some of his ideas, the rest was left to the designers at Audi.

As mentioned before, he is not a professional, and he can't understand much of what these experts are saying. He can only provide a general outline, and he is only responsible for leading the direction. The rest should be left to the professionals.

Just as they were about to continue their research, an officer rushed in from outside and hurriedly reported to Thorne.

"Your Highness, something has happened in the military camp! The armored troops and the Storm Assault Team are fighting!"

279. The Great Victory at the Small Square

The armored forces were created around the same time as the Storm Commandos, but during the war, the development of tanks and armored vehicles was still in its early stages, and their performance was relatively poor. In muddy trench warfare, they could only play an auxiliary role, cooperating with the infantry.

The infantry didn't think much of this big metal can, since it often broke down and its armor was basically negligible.

At first, it could intimidate the enemy, but after a while, the soldiers were no longer afraid of it, and a gun with a larger caliber could easily penetrate it.

Therefore, armored soldiers in that era were not highly regarded. Compared to ordinary infantry, they were probably only one more capable of driving a car, and that was it.

Such a unit is completely unqualified to compete with the Storm Commando. During the war, a small squad of Storm Commando not only quickly broke into the enemy's trenches, but also destroyed four enemy tanks. Such a record is probably something that armored troops will never be able to surpass in their lifetime.

Because of these past honors, the Storm Assault Team was very arrogant. However, things are different now. The armored soldiers, whom they used to look down on, have suddenly become important. The once unpopular military branch has become highly sought after overnight and is about to become the number one military branch in the Kingdom of Rhine.

The once-glorious Storm Assault Team had suddenly been relegated to the sidelines, and on top of that, they had just been given these extremely ugly submachine guns. The men were all seething with anger. How could they tolerate the armored soldiers daring to provoke them like this? They were just looking for a place to vent their frustration, so they decided to use this as practice.

Metz had a fiery temper and couldn't stand it, so he rushed up and started fighting with the armored soldier. Although the Storm Commando were all elites selected from the entire army and had very strong physical fitness, Metz didn't have much of an advantage. The physical training of the armored soldiers was also very strict, especially the loader, whose arms were as strong as oxen and whose punches were very heavy.

Seeing that Metz was not gaining any advantage and seemed to be gradually losing ground, the other Storm Commando soldiers could not stand it anymore. They were the elite of the army, how could they not even be able to defeat an armored soldier? They all rushed over to provide support.

One-on-one duels might seem chivalrous, but what era are we living in? If you can gain an advantage, what's the point of chivalry? The opponent outnumbered you, which is clearly unsportsmanlike. One person obviously can't beat so many people, and the battle quickly turned one-sided.

Of course, there were bound to be people on the armored battalion's side. Soon, someone ran to the 7th Armored Battalion to report the situation. How could they tolerate their own brothers being attacked? Did these Storm Assault Team members think they were so arrogant just because they were senior? Did they think they could bully other branches of the military at will?

"Brothers, if they dare to bully us today, they'll dare to get the kingdom to dismiss Colonel Guderian tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow they'll dare to clamor for the disbandment of our armored forces! This cannot be tolerated, let's fight them!"

A large group of armored battalion soldiers charged toward the Storm Assault Team's base. However, at this point, the commotion wasn't too great; it was just a few dozen soldiers from both sides fighting each other. It wasn't until what happened next that things really escalated.

Blitzt was very happy today because their armored platoon had just received the latest Panzer II tanks. This behemoth was much larger than the Panzer I, with thicker armor, and its long gun barrel looked very reassuring.

Blitzt loved these tanks. Because of their excellent performance in training, their platoon was among the first to be assigned to the Panzer II tank. Blitzt would wipe them down several times after each training session, and he even wanted to sleep with them in his arms.

After training that day, he was cleaning the tank as usual, with his sleeves rolled up. He was halfway through when a soldier suddenly rushed over.

"Platoon leader, something terrible has happened! Brien has been attacked!"

"Who? Who attacked them? Who dares to attack our armored forces?"

Blitzkrieg was incredulous after hearing this. Someone actually dared to provoke armored troops in the Kingdom of the Rhine? Did they have a death wish?

"They were attacked by the Storm Assault Team, a whole group of them, and they're all bleeding!"

"What! These bastards of theirs have really given them a hard time!"

What kind of people are these Storm Commandos? How dare they provoke us and even attack our loader? They're asking for it. We armored soldiers aren't pushovers.

"All platoon, assemble! These mad dogs dared to attack our men! Let's show them the power of tanks!"

Blitzkrieg usually disliked the Stormtroopers putting on airs; were these old guys still reminiscing? Didn't they know it's the age of tanks and armored vehicles now?

Following Blitzer's order, the armored platoon quickly assembled. All five tanks in the platoon were the latest Panzer II models. The engines started, white smoke billowed from the rear of the tanks, and the roar of the tanks filled the air. The imposing presence of the Land Cruiser was truly terrifying. These five Panzer II tanks marched in a grand procession to the "battlefield".

The fighting was fierce. The Storm Assault Team was initially in the lead and the battle was intense. However, the armored troops arrived in large numbers and temporarily put them at a disadvantage. As both sides continued to reinforce their troops, the nature of the brawl became less simple and began to turn into a tactical duel between the two sides.

The company commander of the 9th Tank Company began to give orders, commanding his four "tank platoons" to charge towards the center of the enemy lines, where the "enemy" was the fewest and weakest. He planned to break through from there, divide the "enemy" into two groups, and defeat them one by one.

The third platoon quickly charged into the enemy lines, catching them completely off guard. The enemy was clearly caught off guard and was tackled to the ground by the armored soldiers who rushed up. As the third platoon completed its initial mission, the other three platoons also quickly sprang into action, dividing the enemy into two groups that could not support each other, and defeating them one by one.

The Storm Commando team also needed to find a solution. Their greatest strength on the battlefield was their small but elite nature. The opposing team directed their soldiers to quickly disperse and split into multiple small units.

By having these small units fight one against one, the enemy's forces can be dispersed as much as possible, forcing the enemy to expand their encirclement and seek opportunities to break through.

Fighting in the military is much fiercer than fighting among ordinary people. They don't fight randomly; they break through, encircle, divide, and are well-trained and prepared.

Later, the fighting turned into a battle of tactical skills between the two sides. Each side had a commander-in-chief who started passing orders down the line. After all, this was not a simple fight of egos, but a conflict between two branches of the military. The other side had to be completely defeated and subdued.

The fierce battle between the two sides did not last long, because at this moment the roar of engines came from afar. The loud noise made both sides temporarily stop fighting. Five brand-new tanks drove in from a distance and stopped in front of the "battlefield".

"Brothers, the 16th Platoon is coming to reinforce us! Let's see who dares to bully our armored troops!"

Blitz stood imposingly atop the tank, looking down at the Storm Commando below. No matter how powerful these men were, could they possibly defeat a tank?

Five tanks drove over, their imposing presence instantly overwhelming the opposing side. The armored soldiers cheered; they had won this "battle," a great victory in the small square!

"Long live victory!"