Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: 3rd Guard Infantry Regiment 3rd Battalion (2)
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The request for my position change, submitted by the battalion commander, went up to the regiment and came back stamped with approval.
My new position was 'Battalion Special Staff Officer (Bataillons-Generalstabsoffizier zur besonderen Verwendung)'. It was a truly bizarre appointment.
A special staff officer was one of the general staff positions that Germany prided itself on. They were usually assigned to regiments or divisions and above.
Generalstabsoffizier meant a general staff officer, which implied graduation from the War College.
Yet here I was, becoming a staff officer without even attending the War College, let alone graduating.
'No, the very existence of such a position at the battalion level is what's strange.'
Right. It would be unthinkable for even a regiment or division. But it became possible due to the ad hoc nature of this temporary position and the battalion's modest(?) size.
And that's how my appointment to it became feasible too.
It was a chimera born from the battalion commander's tantrum toward the regiment, combined with my uniqueness and this peculiar position... utterly without foundation.
I wondered if this would positively affect my career...
More than that, though.
'Ah, my combat unit... my platoon...'
Damn it... stuck in the rear again...
Feeling a twist in my gut, I arrived at battalion headquarters feeling deeply uncomfortable, where Manstein greeted me with a sly grin, clearly waiting.
"Oh, you've arrived. Welcome to battalion headquarters."
"...Yes."
I shot Manstein a slightly resentful look.
Thinking about it, wasn't this guy the root of all this? Why did he have to go stirring up the battalion commander unnecessarily?
And for an adjutant, he looked way too relaxed...
"Haha, of course I've finished all my tasks."
"...I-I didn't say anything."
"Working as an adjutant has sharpened my ability to read people. Come on, let's go."
What the hell? That's creepy...
Treating me as if it were the most natural thing, Manstein led me inside without another word.
Following behind him, I cautiously asked,
"So, what exactly am I supposed to do? This... battalion special staff officer position... I've never heard of it before."
"It has no real foundation, but that makes it flexible enough to handle all sorts of tasks, doesn't it?"
"...Yes. Anyway, what am I supposed to do?"
The hairs on my neck stood up at his ability to read my mind, but I forced myself to stay calm and ask again.
Manstein chuckled as he explained.
"You're aware that after running several war games on trench warfare recently, we've concluded it's a non-negligible variable, right?"
"Is that so?"
A variable rather than a constant... Not entirely satisfactory, but good enough.
It seemed the German Army couldn't completely dismiss prolonged warfare now that the Schlieffen Program had passed.
"Therefore, an opinion emerged to experimentally form a few battalions suited for trench warfare, centered around General Hindenburg, who will soon retire. Our battalion was selected as one of them."
"I see."
"However, there aren't many people who truly understand trench warfare, so we've been struggling. Our battalion commander and the similar staff officers held meeting after meeting but couldn't reach any good conclusions."
I could roughly guess. Selecting multiple experimental battalions meant rankings would be set—the top performer and the bottom one.
And if we ranked low... it would leave a very ugly mark on the battalion commander's record. He'd borrow even a cat's paw if he could.
"Then you dropped into our battalion like a comet. You, who first predicted trench warfare."
Even if it was just a lieutenant's paw.
Manstein glanced at me with eyes full of subtle expectation.
"So we created the temporary position of battalion special staff officer and appointed you. With pride on the line, the regiment and division have not only allowed all sorts of exceptions but are providing full support."
"...The responsibility is heavier than I thought."
"The higher-ups have very high expectations, and we hope to meet them—and uphold our honor. The honor of the German Empire's elite Guard Division."
What is this? It's more serious than I imagined.
"Us Prussians are such a pain in that regard... Put simply, if we don't come in first, we're all done for."
Manstein said cheerfully, mimicking a throat-slitting gesture.
Don't say that with a smile! If I screw this up, my military career is royally fucked!
"Ah, of course, as adjutant, I have almost no responsibility... but if you, whom I dragged kicking and screaming into this spot, don't meet expectations... you know?"
"...I'll tell the battalion commander?"
"...Haha, just kidding. Sheesh, what a humorless junior."
When I openly grimaced at his veiled threat, he backed down obsequiously.
This guy is too flippant, isn't he?
"Sigh... So I just need to advise on the battalion's organization and tactics?"
"Exactly!"
"Whoa!"
BAM! The battalion commander kicked open the door and shouted, startling Manstein badly.
Seeing Manstein's reaction, Battalion Commander Kluge laughed boastfully.
"Kahahahaha! Is that all the guts in a Prussian man? This Württemberg native has more!"
"Whoa, I nearly had a heart attack."
"Heh heh heh."
Despite their jovial exchange, I couldn't bring myself to laugh easily.
It went beyond drinking from a poisoned chalice—I'd been force-fed a full shot!
Thinking about it, these bastards had poured it straight down my throat!
I forcibly kept my lips from curling downward.
Turning back to me with a beaming smile, the battalion commander shouted,
"Ooh! The jewel of our battalion! The hope of our regiment! The savior of our division! The future of our army! Lieutenant Rommel has arrived!"
"...Yes, sir, I have."
"Alright! The adjutant seems to have explained everything, so let's jump straight into the meeting!"
Ignoring my extremely reluctant response, the battalion commander grabbed my arm and dragged me along.
Several people were already seated in the battalion commander's office.
Including my former company commander, many company commanders, supply officers, and...
Staff officers and officers clearly from higher up stared at me.
'...Ah, damn it. Make me speak in the middle of all those guys at my rank?'
I looked up at the battalion commander with eyes conveying that, but he brushed it off and introduced me.
"Here he is, our newly appointed brain! Special Staff Officer Lieutenant Erwin Rommel!"
'Please, there's no way these guys like me...'
"Waaaaah!!!"
"Welcome!"
"Huh?"
Clap clap clap clap! Enthusiastic applause and welcoming cheers poured in.
Amid my stunned stupor at the unexpected situation, Manstein sidled up and whispered,
"I told you... everyone's necks are on the line. We can't afford to be picky."
...Ah.
The desire for survival had overridden pride.
In a way... it felt natural...
"Come on, sit down quick!"
"The seat next to you, sir..."
"Your voice sounds like you'll be heard better right next to me—what's the issue!"
...Will my military life be okay from now on?
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A short time before Rommel was assigned to 3rd Battalion.
Hindenburg had proposed two main directions for developing the experimental battalions.
1. Cultivate the most efficient battalion for defensive roles in trench warfare.
2. Cultivate the most efficient battalion for offensive roles in trench warfare.
In other words, create units excelling in both attack and defense. Change the organization, introduce new weapons—whatever it took.
"Hmm, according to the report, we need to introduce barbed wire fences and machine guns, and build zigzagging trenches."
Firing positions, support positions, communication trenches... damn, why is it so complicated? Is this really practical in combat?"
Defense was straightforward. There was a detailed report from some lieutenant long ago explaining it all.
But offense was the problem.
"2nd Company, wiped out."
"3rd Company wiped out too."
"..."
They tried every method to breach the trenches built per the report, but all failed.
They could force a breakthrough somehow, but it held no tactical or strategic value.
Too time-consuming, too many casualties, supplies depleted—practically a failure outright.
The endless war games and mock battles only proved indirectly how accurate the report was and why trench warfare was hell.
"...If this were a real situation."
"Horrific... Massive preliminary barrages and preparatory fire seem right, but there's no progress..."
Results from these mock battles, complete with photos and data, went up the chain.
That report resurfaced in people's mouths, now carrying even greater weight.
And though no one said it outright...
"This is modern warfare? Has humanity gone mad? If it were real, hell might feel better."
For soldiers of the German Empire, who had never dared imagine it...
Fear and vigilance toward war slowly spread.