Chapter 186 Tank Gun
In the conference room of the Ritz Hotel, Steed had the produced mortars moved to the display stand in the conference room.
Steed put some effort into this.
The display stand was made of wood and was originally used to place small samples for conference guests to facilitate explanations. However, the mortar that Steed brought weighed 47 kilograms and required a larger space, which the display stand obviously could not support.
Steed immediately called the hotel manager and asked him to replace the display stand with a more sturdy table, and also had someone bring a sandbag to prop up the chassis. Only then was he satisfied.
Charles made some preparations before coming. This time he changed into casual clothes to avoid attracting attention like last time.
Then Charles found that it was very awkward to wear casual clothes layer by layer, and he was even a little uncomfortable with it.
When he entered the conference room, Steed immediately came up to greet him with a smile. He politely led Charles to the display stand, and said with some pride in his tone: "I hope it will satisfy you, Charles!"
Charles looked the mortar up and down for a moment and asked, "How far can it hit?"
"731 meters!" Steed answered with precise data: "Although the accuracy is not high, just as you estimated, it can fire 25 shells a minute!"
Charles nodded with satisfaction: "This is what I want, Mr. Steed."
Then Charles added: "I need a complete set of standardized operating procedures, and at least 10 skilled gunners to operate it. These gunners will become instructors to train others!"
"Of course," Steed replied, looking a little excited.
This is the standard procedure for new equipment to enter the battlefield and enter the army, but the Saint-Etienne Arsenal has not developed new equipment for so long that the procedure has almost been thrown out of the window.
Now, it beckons to Steed like a triumphant warrior, and there will be more and more in the future.
"Besides." Charles turned his gaze to Steed: "I should thank you for your help in England last time!"
"No, no, that's what I should do." Steed replied: "I'm honored, Charles, if you need anything in the future, I'm very happy to help!"
This was his true feelings. If this couldn't be done, it wouldn't be considered an alliance at all.
Charles nodded and stopped being polite to Steed.
As he sat down in the chair, Djokovic took out the blueprint from his briefcase and handed it to Steed.
"This is the new equipment I need!" said Charles.
Steed took the drawing excitedly, but after flipping through it, his smile gradually disappeared, replaced by a look of confusion.
"This is..." Steed looked up at Charles with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"You see, this is a cannon!" Charles said calmly.
"Yes, but..." Steed had a strange expression on his face. He hesitated for a moment and said seriously, "Charles, do you have any doubts about Saint-Etienne's technology?"
"No!" Charles shook his head and asked, "Why do you think so?"
"Look at this gun!" Steed picked up the blueprint, his face full of confusion: "It looks like a small water pipe!"
"Yes." Charles did not deny: "The caliber is only 37MM."
"The length is only..." Steed looked at the drawing: "less than 1 meter, I even thought it was a gun!"
"This is what I need." Charles said softly but confidently, "Can your arsenal produce it?"
"Of course!" Steed laughed, "But what good can it do?"
Steed thought that Charles would give a large-caliber artillery this time, but he didn't expect it to be still a small cannon, and its caliber was even much smaller than that of the 76MM mortar.
Are we going to use this small cannon to challenge Schneider's 105MM caliber howitzer?
This is ridiculous!
Steed even thought that this was another test from Charles.
But Charles was serious.
"This is a cannon for infantry, Mr. Steed." Charles explained, "Its function is similar to that of a mortar, or more precisely, an auxiliary one."
"What do you mean?" Steed was confused.
"Mortars are indirect-fire artillery, and they are more suitable for attacking hidden positions." Charles said, "For example, in trenches or behind rocks."
"Yes, I know!" Steed nodded.
"But some targets require direct-fire artillery!" Charles glanced at the blueprint in Steed's hand, "For example, the enemy's bunkers and fortifications hidden in caves."
Steed suddenly realized: "Mortars cannot pose a threat to such fortifications, but direct-fire guns can easily destroy them!"
Charles nodded, his eyes remained calm as water, without a ripple.
Steed turned his eyes to the blueprint in his hand again, and said as he turned it over with interest: "So, it is still a mobile and portable artillery. Am I right?"
"That's right, Mr. Steed." Xia Ershiran replied: "We can't ask ourselves to compete with Schneider right away. Schneider has many years of experience in producing artillery and they have very mature technology. But..."
Steed nodded repeatedly in agreement: "But the army still has some needs that Schneider hasn't discovered. We can start from this aspect and develop cannons that he doesn't have. This way, we can be ahead of him in certain areas!"
"Yes, that's what I thought!" Charles replied.
Steed nodded slowly, looking at Charles with eyes full of appreciation, and said with emotion: "Forgive my ignorance, Charles, you are right, not only in the artillery, but also in the strategy against Schneider!"
Steed even felt a little ashamed. He was already old, but he was not as patient as Charles.
Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that Saint-Etienne has been in decline for too long. Steed, who has been suppressed for too long, finally sees hope and can't wait to make a splash.
But Steed knew that what could really succeed was Charles's method of slowly conquering the city bit by bit.
Charles didn't say anything. There were some things he didn't tell Steed.
Steed thought he was developing a direct-fire infantry gun, and it was.
However, it is also a tank gun that can be used on Renault tanks!
This was something Steed didn't need to know, it should be kept secret. It would be best if the enemy suddenly discovered that the Renault tank had a gun when it entered the battlefield.
"One more thing, Mr. Steed," said Charles. "It's in the press."
Steed said, "I was just about to bring this up. Your Meritorious Newspaper is obviously not convenient for clarifying this. Let's leave it to the Little Daily Newspaper!"
Deyoka asked anxiously: "How are you going to clarify, Mr. Steed?"
Steed smiled lightly: "If we clarify, we will lose. The price difference is there, and it will only make things worse!"
"Then what should we do?" Djokovic leaned forward unconsciously. He was more concerned about this matter than the artillery.
"That's easy!" Steed replied. "We just need to figure out where to spend the extra money, Mr. Dejoka."
Seeing that Djoka still didn't understand, Steed explained: "For example, the field hospital that Charles has been funding."
Djokovic said "Oh" and suddenly realized.
It is indeed a good idea. Not only does it not require clarification, but it can also be easily reversed to stir up a wave of patriotic sentiment!
(End of this chapter)
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