Re: Blood and Iron

Chapter 101: Further Developments to Naval Warfare

Chapter 101: Further Developments to Naval Warfare

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A new era of peace meant that Bruno had more time to plan for the war effort. His first shipyard was up and running and was beginning to work on the blueprints he had previously designed for the type XXI U-boats.

Quite frankly, the means to manufacture all the components of the Type XXI Submarine, or the improved variation of it which Bruno designed, already existed in the era. Diesel Engines were invented as far back as 1893. While Electric motor-generators were designed first in 1831. As for alkaline batteries, they were a recent invention having been first created in 1899.

As for the Hull itself, it was actually easier to manufacture than, say, the recently launched SM U-1U-Boat by the German Navy. And the reason being is that unlike U-boats of the current era, the Type XXI was manufactured quickly via prefabricated sections welded together. Were improvements needed to be made to the Diesel Engine, Electric Motor-Generators, and the Batteries necessary to sustain days' worth of submersion? Of course, and no doubt, it would take several years to work all of these things out.

But with Bruno giving his naval engineers and enormous head start with some basic rough drafts of how these things should reasonably function. He had no doubt that by 1914, his submarines would be concluded and manufactured in sufficient numbers to aid the war effort.

And while submarines, especially those that were virtually undetectable by the means of the era, were certainly a valuable weapon in war. There was another classification of warships that was woefully underdeveloped in the early 1900s.

They would later go on to serve in very important roles such as in terms of anti-submarine warfare minelaying, anti-air screening for capital class ships, and of course as escorts to protect maritime trade.

I'm talking, of course, about the Destroyer class of warship. Destroyers of WW2 were far more limited to their modern versions which were capable of launching anti air, anti-ship, and cruise missiles. Rather from the 1900s to the 1940s, they were primarily equipped with torpedoes, forward launching ASW weapons, depth charges, flak guns, and dual-purpose

cannons.

The biggest obstacle in the creation of both the U-Boats and the Destroyers that Bruno had in mind would be the fire control systems which they both made use of. In 1905 warships of all kinds made use of manual fire weapons, and line of site detection, with only the most advanced warships beginning to make use of things like telescopic sights for longer range detection.

Inventing an advanced fire control system for his destroyers, those used during the Second World War, was easier said than done. For example, fire control systems used during the era were large, heavy, multifaceted designs.

Such vessels utilized electromechanical analog computers for this purpose. And while significantly more advanced than the ones currently employed, it was not as if the concept, or even the technology, currently did not exist.

For example, the first electromechanical analog computer was designed in 1902 by a lieutenant in the British Navy for the purpose of fire control management. It was known as the Dumaresq, and while extremely primitive when compared to those used by the Navies during the Second World War in Bruno's past life, it was still somewhat capable of performing the role it was given.

It was because of this that Bruno believed his plans were indeed feasible. Hell, if he really wanted to, he could go so far as to create first generation computers for this purpose. As triodes would be invented later this year, in 1906.

But Bruno did not want to go that far. And though it would most certainly be a challenge for his goals, he wanted to implement ships that could thoroughly protect German merchant vessels, and, of course, support submarines in their efforts to interdict and destroy allied shipping.

Thus, he spent several weeks drafting blueprints that would roughly put his engineers on the right track. The German Destroyer Z51 was the first and only ship in its class. Known as the Type 1942 Class Destroyer, the design made use of a diesel engine, rather than a fuel engine, or steam turbine in order to give it superior range and more ready access to refueling when compared to its early counterparts.

Like the Type XXI U-boat, it entered the war far too late to make a difference. But was exceptional nonetheless in its overall design. While having an impressive max speed of 36 knots, its cruising speed was far more normal for the Era it was built for, with it being 19 knots.

Even so, that was well beyond the capabilities of warships of its size in this current era. Meaning it had a significant speed advantage over the enemy vessels it would be facing in the coming years. In addition to this, it was future proof insofar as having advanced fire control systems, anti-aircraft weaponry, anti-submarine weaponry, mines, and 2x triple torpedo tubes capable of carrying a grand total of 18 53.3cm/21in torpedoes.

It would also have radar capabilities well beyond that of its adversaries, and made use of 4x 12.7cm(5 inch) quick firing dual-purpose guns. Meaning they were capable of targeting other ships, or aircraft.

In addition to this it also had substantial anti-air armaments, though not truly necessary for the era, would prove useful should the ships be retrofitted and continue to see service in the Second World War, which Bruno was damn near certain would happen in this life even with a Central Powers victory during the Great War that preceded it.

After spending his free time in this era of peace developing these weapons, and sending them to his factories so that his naval engineers could properly expand upon them. Bruno decided that he had done enough for the German Navy. After all, he had no real command over the forces at sea, and whether they succeeded in this regard had little to do with his actual input. However, he had been given an opportunity to meet with a man who would be responsible for a major fault of the German Reich should Bruno not interfere with his plans, and because of this, Bruno was quick to set up a time and date to meet with the legendary Admiral.

After all, he had extended his invitation while Bruno was away during his involvement in the Russian Civil War, and now that he was home, it was time to properly make use of this invitation. Especially now that Bruno had helped design superior submarines and destroyers for use in the upcoming war.

And Bruno would be rather insistent on this meaning, even if there was a possibility that the man in question had said it in passing to save face. There was simply no way Bruno would not establish ties with the admiralty.

Because of this, Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff was not entirely surprised that the young General of the German Army had reached out to him. With the man smoking a cigar in the comfort of his own manor while receiving the call.

He quickly picked up the phone and immediately acted friendly to Bruno, suspecting he knew the reason for the man's call.

"General, I must say, I have been waiting for your call ever since you first returned from Russia. I am glad to see you have come home safe and sound. So, to what do I owe the

pleasure?"

Bruno was on the other end of the line. The two men separated by quite a distance could not be any different from one another. Bruno was sitting in his rustic office in his rather vintage

Fachwerk manor.

He was dressed in a workingman's tunic and trousers, with suspenders and an open collar, while smoking a cigarette in one hand while drinking from a liter full of the cheapest beer

money could buy in the Reich.

Meanwhile, the German Admiral was sitting in a rather luxurious palace like estate, wearing a luxurious three piece suit, smoking a cigar imported from abroad, with a glass of the full of the finest French cognac. Which he swirled in between sips, smelling its fumes before taking the slightest drink one could manage.

Even so, these men both held significant power and influence in the Reich despite their vast difference in background and age. And because of this, Bruno treated the man with the utmost respect as he asked if the offer to visit his home was still on the table.

"Admiral, I thank you for the kind words, and I would also like to ask if the invitation you so graciously presented to me while I was away at war is still open? I do have many things I think you would like to hear about, especially in regarding to future.

I may not have a mind best suited to maritime matters, but even so, I believe my ample experience in the field could give you some insight that might even gain you the status of

Grand Admiral that you so crave.

Admiral von Holtzendorff would one day become the last Grand Admiral of the Imperial German Navy, one of only six by the time the War Came to an end. But he would only gain such renowned status during the Great War, and for the time being, it eluded him. Knowing that Bruno was heralded by the Kaiser as a genius seldom seen throughout history,

and not just in the affairs that an officer of an army would know. Admiral von Holtzendorff was more than willing to entertain the man and his potential theories on naval warfare. Especially if Bruno's ideas really could gain him the credit needed to finally become a Grand

Admiral.

Hence why Admiral von Holtzendorff was more than willing to keep the offer he had previously given in passing open. Especially after Bruno had gained both the Kaiser's and the Tsar's favor throughout his brief but exceptional military career.

"My door is always open to you, General von Zehntner. Just name a time when you and your family are capable, and I will gladly host you for the evening!"

With this Bruno had succeeded in not only implemented two critical designs to the future

success of the German Navy, but had also established ties to the German Admiralty, and specifically the man whose reckless style of naval warfare would eventually lead to the United States joining the war on behalf of the Entente. Something Bruno wished to avoid in this timeline, if at all possible.