Chapter 307: Secret Weapon

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In the chaotic frontline barracks, German soldiers were setting up their temporary camp. A simple warning fence had been erected around the

In the chaotic frontline barracks, German soldiers were setting up their temporary camp. A simple warning fence had been erected around the perimeter, and most of the men were pitching tents and digging latrines. The scene was a hive of activity, but it was still relatively orderly.

Not far away, on the side of the highway, was the wreckage of a smoking French Renault FT-17 light tank, along with the mangled bodies of several dozen French soldiers. They had been easily defeated by the passing 3rd SS Panzer Division of the German 1st Panzer Corps and had paid with their lives.

A truck drove into the camp area. In the center of the large black Iron Cross on its side was a golden gear. This strange insignia made everyone look at the vehicle with curiosity. They discovered that this truck was actually a model of Mercedes-Benz truck that had never been seen before.

The truck stopped in front of the headquarters of the 3rd SS Panzer Division. A middle-aged colonel jumped down from the truck. He was wearing a long, black leather trench coat, and an Iron Cross was pinned at his collar. He looked at the 3rd SS Panzer Division’s headquarters camp, which was as dusty as a construction site, took off the black leather gloves on his hands, and tossed them to an adjutant at his side.

Two sentries on duty at the division headquarters came forward, stood at attention, and saluted. “Heil Führer! Please show your identification.”

“Heil Führer,” the colonel said, casually handing his identification to the sentry. He then looked with interest at the two soldiers who were refueling a Panther tank nearby.

“Colonel Demond! Welcome to the front,” the sentry said, after checking the identification and saluting at attention.

“My time is limited. Where is your division commander, Faehlich?” Colonel Demond asked, with his hands behind his back, as he continued to watch the tank being refueled. “Tell Faehlich to come out. I have to leave right away.”

“…” How could a colonel ask a general to come out and greet him? Is this a joke? How are we supposed to relay a message like that? The two sentries stood there, not knowing what to do.

Colonel Demond glanced at the watch on his wrist, frowned, and then strode toward the division headquarters, complaining as he walked, “My God, why is everyone here wasting my time like this?”

He walked to the door of Faehlich’s office and, without knocking, pushed it open. After striding in, he found a chair, sat down, looked around the environment, and then stared at Faehlich. “I am here to deliver something on behalf of the Führer.”

He raised his arm and glanced at his watch again, saying impatiently, “Help me find someone. Then I will personally hand the thing over to him and leave.”

“Ha! Demond! I knew it was you!” Faehlich quickly stood up, walked over, and said with a smile, “I heard this morning that you had arrived at the corps headquarters. I thought those guys had made a mistake. How could a busy man like you personally come to the French front? You said you’re delivering something for the Führer? For me?”

“You? Are you worth a personal trip from me?” Demond waved his hand and once again repeated his catchphrase, “My time is limited!”

He stood up, threw the general’s trench coat from the coat rack into Faehlich’s arms, and then took the general’s peaked cap from the rack and stuffed it into Faehlich’s hand. “Take me to your 1st Regiment, 1st Battalion. I’m looking for a second lieutenant named Rein Hardt.”

“Oh! Our hero? What are you looking for him for?” Faehlich asked, having no choice but to get dressed and prepare to go out, pulling on his sleeves as he spoke.

“The Führer has ordered a new experimental tank to be sent to him,” Demond said. As soon as he mentioned the new tank, even his eyes began to glow with a fiery passion. “This is our latest research and development result! I guarantee he can once again achieve a combat record of one against dozens.”

“A new tank? Is our division getting re-equipped?” Faehlich also became excited and asked with a smile.

“In your dreams! There are only a few in all of Germany!” Demond said proudly. “For me to agree to give you this one, you’ll have to give me battlefield data in exchange. But I hear that kid Rein is very formidable?”

“Very formidable? In the Battle of the Pass, he took out twenty-two of the enemy’s tanks in one go. You tell me if he’s formidable or not,” Faehlich said, his voice full of pride.

“Then I can rest assured. This is a super weapon that I have carefully designed. I don’t want ‘her’ to be destroyed so quickly,” Demond said with a nod.

Soon, Demond, with Faehlich, got into his car and drove out of the division headquarters camp. Outside, a huge trailer was waiting, with a tank covered by a canvas on its back.

Then this convoy arrived at the garrison of the 1st Regiment, 1st Battalion, and found Rein’s crew, who had nothing to do.

Demond still had his hands behind his back. He hurriedly led Rein and the others to the side of the canvas-covered tank and then signaled for his followers to open the canvas.

“Because of your outstanding performance in the Battle of the Pass, I am now ordered to, on behalf of the Führer, award you the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves,” Demond said, not waiting for his men to finish their task, but first holding a simple award ceremony. He didn’t care about any bullshit ceremonies or regulations. Everything was based on saving time.

He then even more casually stuffed three Knight’s Crosses directly into the hands of Bruce, Andre, and Baumann, as if these medals, which represented bravery and fearlessness, were worthless.

He then walked to the front of the tank that no one had ever seen before and began to introduce it with a smile. “Well then! My time is limited! Let me now introduce your new weapon! This weapon was personally named the ‘Tiger’ by the Führer. That is to say, you are very lucky to become the first Tiger tank users in Germany.”

He knocked on the Tiger tank and continued, “The armor thickness of this tank in every direction has been increased by at least 30 millimeters, which makes it stronger than the Panther. Of course, it’s also more difficult to drive, so I suggest the driver get a lot of experience before taking it into battle.”

He then walked to the rear of the tank, patted it, and said, “It is the first to use a brand-new diesel engine. The power is stronger, and it is less flammable. It can completely give you the same forward and reverse speed as the Panther tank. Of course, the rear-mounted transmission has greatly changed the tank’s center of gravity. Whether this is good or bad will depend on the driver’s feedback.”

As Demond spoke, he placed his hand on the track and introduced to the crowd, “The same hollowed-out road wheels as the Panther, the same suspension, the same tracks. It inherits and improves upon the Panther’s running gear system. It can be said to be the most advanced tank running gear design in the world.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Baumann. Only after seeing Baumann nod did he continue his introduction. “The front hull armor is 90 millimeters thick and uses a sloped design. I can tell you very responsibly that no known tank can currently penetrate the frontal armor of this tank.”

He pointed to the cannon on the turret, which was thicker than the Panther’s, and continued to boast about his design. “Derived from the air force’s 88mm anti-aircraft gun, this super cannon can easily penetrate 100 millimeters of thick steel plate at a distance of 1,000 meters. This is my favorite design. The shells can easily knock over a light tank. If you are lucky enough, one shell can penetrate two tanks.”

He then looked at Bruce. “The position of the shells is more reasonably designed, and loading is also simpler. But the caliber of the shells is larger, and they are also heavier, which is a test for the loader. Of course, you don’t have to be too afraid. Overall, in terms of physical exertion, it is still at the level of the Panther.”

He then looked at Rein, then smiled and pointed to the tank’s turret. “Because of the design, the internal space is about 20 millimeters smaller than the Panther’s. This also allows the tank to maintain a low profile while being equipped with thicker armor, and the weight has only increased by 5 tons. High-power radio equipment, can be used as a command tank. As a prototype, it is also equipped with luxurious leather seats, a folding table inside the vehicle, an automatic fire extinguisher—oh, I almost forgot, it also comes with four extra aluminum canteens. Side skirts, front add-on armor plates, cage armor around the turret, a fully enclosed turret rear storage box, it has everything!”

He looked at Rein and the others, like a car salesman, his words flying as he spread his arms and said, “Of course, the place I am most, most proud of is that 30% of the internal parts of this tank are interchangeable with the Panther! This reduces the logistical supply pressure by three-tenths… I am even moved by my own genius.”

At this point, he suddenly stopped his self-indulgent mode and suddenly became serious. “Of course, the entire design concept of the Tiger tank was completed solely by the Führer. He is the person I admire the most! If he could concentrate on designing weapons, he would definitely be the greatest weapons designer of this century!”

“No matter how much you introduce it, it’s useless. We only have four people now. We can’t operate this tank,” Rein said. He actually liked this tank very much. He also hoped very much to drive this new type of tank to avenge Clark. It was just that the replacements had not yet arrived. Even if he had new equipment, he could only wait with the battalion for the replacements.

“I’ve brought you a radio operator,” Demond said proudly, pointing to a female technical sergeant sitting on the trailer. “General Guderian specially found her for you. A technical sergeant radio operator, and a beautiful woman at that. How about it? Isn’t it a surprise?”

“A woman?” Rein was taken aback, looking at the female soldier who, upon hearing the introduction, had opened the door and jumped down from the trailer herself. It was rare for female soldiers to actually go to the front line, and even rarer for those who went to the front to be tankers. This made him quite surprised.

“She has no problems professionally. She was originally a duty officer in the radar troops, responsible for handling telegrams and radio. She was punished and sent to the front to serve for making a small mistake,” Demond said with a smile to Rein. “She’s a perfect fit for you problem crew. All of you are strange and peculiar people.”

“You? What kind of mistake could you make in the radar troops to be sent to the front?” Andre asked, frowning at the young girl.

“I… almost had the Führer’s plane shot down,” the little girl said shyly.

“…”