Chapter 163 The Top of the Domain
James was in his office at Schneider's Arsenal when he heard the news of the Shire's victory.
James has a habit that is a little different from ordinary people. He likes to hear the sounds of machines running and metal knocking and colliding. He believes that this represents strength, power, and even authority, just like the cannons he produces.
His office is large but plain. In addition to the necessary items such as tables, chairs, desk lamps and bookshelves, there is also a small open conference room next to it. On the oval table is a 75 gun model.
Low-key, simple, lacking in interest, and without many entertainment and rest supplies.
James likes this style. He believes that it can always remind himself to keep moving forward, which is the foundation for a company to develop healthily in the long run.
At that time, James was sitting at his desk, flipping through a few photos in his hand. It was a "Mark I" tank produced by Charles.
James didn't understand how such an ugly monster could pose a threat to "Saint Shamon" and become the strongest and only competitor?
Can it achieve victory on the battlefield?
Although James always showed his disdain for it, he still felt vaguely uneasy in his heart.
That's Charles, he has created many miracles on the battlefield that no one else can achieve!
At this time, Secretary Paulina brought a telegram. Her blue eyes behind her glasses were a little flustered. She stepped forward and said cautiously, "Mr. James, Charles... has won."
"What?" James looked up at Paulina in shock. After a moment's pause, he took out his pocket watch and took a look. He still couldn't believe it: "But it's less than two hours before the war starts!"
"Yes!" Paulina replied quickly: "One hour and forty-seven minutes, the news has been confirmed, the Germans have chosen to surrender, and we have recaptured La Faux."
James frowned, and he anxiously took out a cigar from the cigarette box and lit it with a match.
He stood at the window and thought for a while, then turned his back to Pauline and ordered: "Call Eugen."
"Yes, sir!" Pauline answered.
Eugen was the head of Schneider's design department, and the "Saint-Chamond" tank was his design.
Not long after, Eugen appeared in James' office. He was wearing work clothes, white gloves stained with machine oil, and there were a few streaks of dirt on his face.
James frowned. “You’re fiddling with the machines with the workers again?”
"Sir!" Eugen replied, "Only in this way can I design better works!"
James shook his head slightly, motioned for Eugen to sit down on the sofa in the conference room, picked up the photo of "Mark I", walked over and threw it in front of Eugen: "The answer is no, your work is not good enough!"
Eugen only took a glance at the photo to understand what was going on.
"No, it's impossible!" Eugen said as he looked at it. "It beat Saint-Chamon?"
"Without a doubt!" James answered simply, "We lost completely, Eugen! Charles won the victory in just one hour and forty-seven minutes, using this type of tank! And we lost forty-three tanks but couldn't move forward even a small step. Most of them could only stay on the road!"
Eugen thought for a while, then looked up at James: "I need more information, sir! Can you provide me with the entire operation process?"
James cast his eyes towards the secretary in the cubicle. The secretary understood and immediately handed a document to Eugen: "This is the information we got from the reporter. The specific data needs to be further confirmed!"
"Thank you, Pauline!" Eugen thanked him absentmindedly, took the file and opened it.
He looked around for more than ten minutes. James waited patiently without disturbing Eugen.
This is James' way of employing people. If James thinks someone is useful, he will give him enough freedom and respect. James believes that this is sometimes more important than a high salary.
The most difficult people to serve in this world are talented people. He once wanted to recruit Charles as his subordinate, but James believed that Charles was not the kind of "talent" who was willing to be inferior to others.
Charles's talent is for his own use, he is a natural rival.
Eugen let out a long sigh, closed the file, and stared into the void in front of him, seemingly trying to digest the contents of the file.
"How is it?" James asked, "Have you thought of anything?"
"He is a man who can both design and fight, sir!" Eugen's face showed something strange: "He is familiar with the battlefield and knows what is needed on the battlefield. Then he designed his tank according to the needs of the battlefield. The tank seems to be tailor-made for his tactics. This Charles... is a genius in both aspects!"
James said "Oh" and nodded. He also realized this: "The reason why we lost is because we don't know how to fight!"
"You can say that." Eugen admitted this generously: "Most of our understanding of equipment remains in the workshop and on the blueprints, but they are used on the battlefield, which leads to a serious disconnect between design and reality!"
Eugen picked up the picture of the Mark I and raised it. "Charles' tank was born for the battlefield. It has achieved a perfect balance. Although it has no artillery, it can exert the greatest combat power!"
"Is it possible for us to defeat him?" James asked, "Go find some soldiers? Or send you to the army to experience it?"
The latter sentence was actually a joke, but Eugen took it seriously: "If necessary, it can indeed be done. If you don't look at the battlefield, how can you design something for the battlefield?"
James spread his hands. He forgot that Eugen was just like that. He would always experience the design himself, no matter the cost.
"Maybe we don't need to do this!" Paulina leaned out from her secretary's room: "We... can try a simpler method!"
"What method?" James asked curiously.
Paulina stepped forward in high heels and said to the photo of the Mark I: "I'm not sure if this method is feasible, but... if Charles' tank was designed based on the battlefield, does it tell us what design ideas and directions the tanks used on the battlefield should have? We can't copy it, but we can improve it according to its ideas!"
After a pause, Paulina opened the file and pointed at the data on it and added: "For example, we should replace the electric drive engine. It is 5 tons heavier than the traditional engine, but the role it can play is very limited! There is also the issue of armor thickness. The idea that the side armor of the Saint-Chamond is thicker may be wrong..."
James and Eugen looked at each other, and both saw recognition and surprise in each other's eyes. Paulina was right. The design ideas and direction were already laid out in the open and were no longer a secret, but they hadn't noticed it.
Then James thought of Francis' tractor factory that was about to go bankrupt, and the "Holt 120" that was about to be shipped out of the UK.
The former can provide basic technology and workers, while the latter can allow Schneider to go one step further and then easily surpass Charles' "Holt 75".
Money is not what James needs to consider. What he needs is to stand at the top of the field and defeat Charles!
Thanks to: Reading and Thinking about Life, Super Legend Brother, Book Friend 2024527205837250, nbkill, Small Stage’s Stubbornness, Where Are You, and Book Friend 20220807084628363 for their rewards! Thank you very much!
(End of this chapter)
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