Chapter 47: What Rommel Could Not Do, Lelouch Still Can

At exactly 2 p.m., the 1st Assault Battalion, where Lelouch was stationed, carved out several new breaches more than a kilometer deep along the southwestern railway front line of the enemy’s entrenched positions.

Lelouch’s own Company A was growing increasingly exhausted and needed a brief respite. The soldiers remained in their trenches, gulping down cold water.

Yet the overall momentum of the offensive did not falter. Captain Rommel’s Company B, in perfect coordination, bypassed the positions recently captured by Lelouch and continued to infiltrate forward.

The key to assault tactics lay in maintaining relentless pressure.

It was better to commit fewer soldiers on the front line and open narrower breaches so that the reserves could be well rested, but under no circumstances could there be interruptions or gaps in the attack.

When Rommel passed by Lelouch, Lelouch pulled him aside to share some insights he had just observed:

“The enemy’s will to resist doesn’t seem that strong. It looks like they were intimidated by our artillery support bombardment before noon. They’re afraid to defend with full strength across the line, fearing a counterattack from our artillery. You need to exploit this defensive weakness.”

...

Rommel soon took over from Lelouch and pressed on, infiltrating northwestward.

Company B was in excellent condition and launched a fierce assault.

In stark contrast, the opposing troops were weary—having been holding on since noon without rest, their nerves stretched taut for two hours.

Rommel ordered two platoons’ submachine gun teams to form loose infiltration lines. They quickly reached another trench and suppressed a group of enemy soldiers armed with Lee-Enfield rifles.

In the ensuing melee, the enemy appeared desperate, the fighting distances shrinking rapidly.

The enemy soldiers, driven to frenzy, saw how disadvantageous the firefight was and resorted to lying among the dead, allowing Rommel’s vanguard platoon to approach before suddenly rising and lunging with gleaming bayonets.

The lead assault troops were caught off guard and were stabbed to death outright. The submachine gunners behind reacted swiftly, unloading their magazines in a frenzy, mowing down five or six enemies in the cramped trenches.

But they had no time to reload. The battle devolved into close-quarters combat. The soldiers dropped their submachine guns and drew entrenching tools to fight in hand-to-hand combat.

Even those in the rear ranks, wary of hitting their own men, grabbed their entrenching tools and Mauser rifles fitted with bayonets and joined the fray.

With dull thuds and sickening blows, enemy soldiers were crushed and decapitated.

In the heat of battle, the enemy managed to kill or wound several German soldiers, but they soon realized their bayonets were only offensive weapons and offered no defense.

In the narrow trench, attempting to block an enemy’s entrenching tool with a rifle bayonet was futile—the bayonet would easily get stuck in the earthen sidewall, leaving the soldier’s head vulnerable.

After the initial chaos, the German assault troops quickly distilled a simple but vital lesson from the life-or-death struggle.

They spontaneously formed close-combat teams of two or three, with designated members focused on blocking and others on striking.

The enemy, by contrast, could only thrust forward blindly with bayonets, a clear disadvantage.

After a bloody struggle, the remaining enemy troops finally broke and fled, only to be cut down by a hail of submachine gun fire from behind, their bodies piling up.

Pure infantry trench warfare could not withstand assault squads!

Rommel’s company thus advanced steadily, covering one to two hundred meters every fifteen minutes.

Though the breaches were narrow, they penetrated deep enough that Rommel had no fear of his supply lines being cut off and pushed relentlessly forward into the depth of enemy lines.

...

Major General Rawlinson, commanding the 3rd British Division responsible for the southern defense line of Bayoulet Town, soon learned of the front’s catastrophic collapse.

Lelouch and Rommel’s assault squads wreaked havoc, causing him endless torment.

“General! Those mysterious enemy assault squads have breached two kilometers of our lines in just two hours! I’ve never seen an enemy attack with such reckless abandon! The close combat firepower is devastating!”

Listening to the reports from regiment and battalion commanders, Rawlinson was furious, pounding the table and roaring:

“Where is the artillery cover? Why haven’t the artillery wiped out the charging enemy?”

“Sir! The enemy’s assault forces are too small and agile! The artillery response is too slow! Expanding bombardment risks hitting our own troops!” the frontline officers protested desperately, trying to justify that it was not their incompetence but the enemy’s cunning.

Rawlinson’s temples throbbed with veins bulging. Gritting his teeth, he bellowed:

“Expand the artillery coverage! Don’t be afraid of friendly fire! Keep your heads down in the trenches!”

This came at a cost: soldiers hiding completely meant reduced vigilance and defense. But Rawlinson chose the lesser evil, hoping that increasing artillery coverage would eliminate those unknown enemy forces.

...

“The enemy’s artillery barrage is intensifying, even hitting their own men! We must not expose ourselves; advance along the trenches and communication trenches!”

Rawlinson’s artillery strategy shift was immediately sensed by Rommel.

To be fair, despite Rawlinson’s rank as a major general, his battlefield instincts and intuition were far inferior to Captain Rommel’s.

After losing a dozen or so men, Rommel realized a new problem and abandoned all attempts to shortcut over open ground, instead strictly advancing along the communication trenches.

Though these trenches were fewer and sometimes required longer detours or assaults on more enemy defenders, it was far better than moving openly under indiscriminate artillery fire.

...

Rommel was fully aware of his strengths and weaknesses. Armed with submachine guns, his men had no fear even when clearing trenches against multiple times their number armed with rifles.

His rapid countermeasures quickly bore fruit.

Rawlinson’s attempt to stem the assault with “indiscriminate artillery” was soon countered by Rommel’s new tactic of concentrated submachine gun sweeps along the communication trenches.

Though Rommel’s losses increased slightly, his advance speed was maintained and his kill ratio remained strong.

After another half-hour of relentless fighting, Rawlinson managed to piece together the grim situation from the tangled frontline reports.

Fortunately, as a major general, he retained some composure and quickly devised another countermeasure.

“The enemy has abandoned surface attacks. We must reconfigure our heavy machine gun positions! Don’t block the surface approaches! Redeploy them laterally along our trenches! Especially seal off the communication trenches between the two trench lines!”

Having suffered heavy losses, the British finally learned a harsh lesson.

Since these mysterious small assault units never took the usual routes, placing heavy Vickers machine guns in their old positions to block conventional paths was pointless.

The heavy machine guns must adapt dynamically and be deployed toward the enemy’s most likely approach directions.

The British heavy machine gun crews near the assault’s avenue of approach began hastily dismantling and relocating their weapons.

Soon, one by one, the dark muzzles aimed directly into the communication trenches that friendly forces only used when retreating.

...

“Attack! Keep pressing! Throw the enemy into chaos!”

Since taking command, Rommel had pushed forward about two more kilometers.

It was now four or five in the afternoon, and though fatigued, he remained spirited and electrified.

At noon, six kilometers of enemy depth lay ahead. Lelouch had pushed two kilometers forward earlier in the afternoon, and now Rommel had added another two kilometers, leaving just two kilometers to the outskirts of Bayoulet Town—within reach before nightfall.

In the age of infantry assaults, advancing nine kilometers in a day through fortified lines was lightning speed!

Rommel felt certain that his battalion and tactics would be recorded in military history.

Yet as Rommel pressed on, an abrupt change occurred.

Several of his submachine gunners had just cleared a corner where a communication trench met a normal trench with grenades and were cautiously advancing when suddenly, the staccato rattle of heavy machine-gun fire erupted!

Most of the eight men in the assault team fell screaming in agony within moments; the few unscathed managed to survive only by dropping prone behind the dead.

An entire eight-man assault team was wiped out in an instant by heavy machine-gun fire!

Rommel felt a hot flush of blood to his head but forced himself to calm down, baring his teeth in grim determination:

“Everyone, take cover where you stand! The British have moved their heavy machine guns inside the communication trenches to block us! We can’t advance!”

A platoon leader immediately crouched over and asked:

“Captain, should we call in artillery? Maybe request support from the cannon battalion?”

Visible beads of cold sweat formed on Rommel’s forehead. After a moment’s thought, he firmly refused:

“Artillery support takes too long—sending the message, target spotting, adjusting fire—it’s at least twenty minutes!

The enemy only has one or two heavy machine guns. It’s not worth the wait.

What about the grenade launcher teams? Get more of them up here—not just from your platoon!”

Two other platoons quickly assembled six grenade launcher teams and began observing the British heavy machine gun positions covering the intersecting communication trenches.

“400 yards, bearing 77 degrees, fire a test round!”

The grenade arced high, nearly seventy degrees, soaring several hundred yards and landing far behind the British trenches.

“Quick, adjust fire! The first round was too far!”

The grenade launcher crews repeatedly adjusted and fired five or six more rounds but still overshot.

Ordinary soldiers lacked mathematical skills and had little experience with this new weapon, leading to panic.

Fortunately, Rommel’s quick mind and tactical acumen prevailed.

Frowning, he pondered briefly before a sudden realization struck, and he decisively ordered:

“Don’t worry about why the rounds are overshooting! Hold the launchers steady and don’t shake!

Based on how far the previous round was off, reduce your elevation and fire three rapid rounds for coverage from each team!”

Following Rommel’s new command, all six grenade launcher teams gripped their weapons tightly, improvised supports to stabilize them, and avoided recoil sway.

After the forward observer estimated the overshoot, they shortened the range and fired several rapid volleys.

Nearly twenty grenades rained down onto that sector, finally obliterating the two intersecting Vickers heavy machine gun nests.

Seeing the effective result, Rommel’s hunch was confirmed.

He seized the moment to remind his noncommissioned officers:

“Use this method to continue the assault.

The reason you can’t aim accurately with grenade launchers, even though we trained for it prewar, is because the training was too mechanical.

The training grounds were flat, and you learned to estimate range by memorizing a standard stance.

But the battlefield is not a training ground; it’s muddy and uneven. You can’t even find flat ground to set up your firing position!

So don’t shake your hands! Stabilize the launcher before firing, and adjust based on the previous round’s error rather than theoretical values!”

...

Grenade launchers are much lighter than mortars but harder to use.

The key difference is that grenade launchers have no base plate and cannot be leveled like mortars before firing.

Launcher crews rely on muscle memory to estimate range, which introduces significant errors.

If standing on sloped ground, environmental errors compound, rendering theoretical training values and muscle memory largely useless.

It’s like a driver who learns to reverse by memorizing a stone or a tree as a reference on a test course but struggles to back into a real parking spot on unfamiliar roads.

Rommel’s battlefield insight was the most practical solution.

Company B’s grenade launcher teams quickly absorbed his analysis, regained confidence, and pressed the attack.

...

“The enemy is pouring in numerous grenade launchers! Our heavy machine gun nests blocking the communication trenches have been destroyed!”

“Colonel, we can’t hold—enemy firepower is too flexible and fierce! The men are disoriented from the bombardment!”

Rommel kept pushing forward, fighting desperately for several hundred more meters, nearing Bayoulet Town.

The enemy had no new tricks to stop him; Rommel grew bolder.

The only true barrier was the rapid consumption of ammunition.

Whether Blitzkrieg or storm assault, logistical strain was immense.

Rommel realized that relying solely on rapid grenade launcher fire to suppress heavy machine gun points meant his entire company was burning through grenades at an alarming rate.

It took over a hundred grenades to neutralize just two intersecting heavy machine guns.

After dismantling three to five such strongpoints and earlier ammunition use, Rommel’s company found its grenade stock nearly exhausted.

Even averaging a dozen grenades per soldier wasn’t enough.

Captain Lister’s Company C faced the same situation.

“No choice—we can’t push faster. From now on, conserve ammo.

Better to slow down and call for precise artillery support.

Let Lelouch’s Company A, rested and ready, relieve us.

Whether we can break through Bayoulet tonight depends on Company A.”

Rommel had to concede and halted before an earthen bunker line.

He ordered several platoons to send messages and call for artillery support from the cannon battalion.

Ten minutes later, Major William Kettell’s 105mm cannons began firing toward the assault team’s target coordinates.

The first barrage was wildly off, but forward observers kept correcting the fire.

Within three to four minutes, after three adjustments, shells landed squarely on the enemy’s earthen bunkers, destroying a 2-pound direct-fire gun and three heavy machine guns.

The British were stunned, unable to comprehend how small enemy assault squads deep in their lines could call in such accurate artillery.

Panic spread among the enemy ranks.

Rommel’s relentless charges shattered their remaining strongpoints, ripping another hole in the defensive line.

Unfortunately, though precise, the pace slowed considerably.

Removing each strongpoint took twenty to thirty minutes, making it impossible to advance far before nightfall.

When Lelouch and his rested Company A returned to relieve them, Rommel had only pushed forward a few hundred meters more before exhaustion set in.

“Whether you can bypass Bayoulet tonight depends on you. We’re out of strength,” Rommel sighed with both regret and pride.

“Don’t worry, leave it to me. You’ve done well,” Lelouch reassured Rommel and Lister.

Rommel added: “One more thing—if you want to bypass Bayoulet, artillery support alone won’t suffice.

Advancing further means moving beyond Major Kettell’s artillery’s effective range.

We’ve already pushed nine kilometers today.

Then we’ll have to wait until tomorrow when Kettell moves the cannons forward to support us.”

Lelouch smiled faintly.

“It’s alright. The deeper we go, the worse the enemy’s fortifications become.

Without precise artillery, I can still break through with grenade launchers.”

“Grenade launchers aren’t as easy to use in combat as in training. I found several problems today...” Rommel began explaining the difficulties he had encountered.

Lelouch furrowed his brow briefly, then relaxed again.

He seemed confident in his mathematical and geometric skills.

Patting Rommel on the shoulder, he said:

“Don’t worry. I graduated from the Architecture Department of the Royal Orléans Academy.

Geometry and calculations are my strengths.

Environmental errors won’t matter.”

—

P.S.: The battlefield details might be a bit tedious, causing some to lose interest.

But today’s installment is another eight thousand words.

The second update is already five thousand words.

I earnestly beg everyone to keep following. Don’t dismiss it as filler.

Whether this novel gets recommended or published depends on your support.

Given that I’m updating daily with eight thousand free words, this is quite rare.

Even if you think the writing is too detailed or mathematical, remember I haven’t been paid yet.