Chapter 30: Artillery

Facing Dietrich's "gilded invitation," Logan couldn't say he was thrilled, but he found himself in a dilemma: which path would be more advantageous for him?

Following Dietrich might lead to a quick promotion to camp captain. When the standards of the Fuhrer's Guard Flag Battalion are raised, his position would undoubtedly rise as well. Moreover, the SS still held many "privileges," offering more opportunities to interact with Germany's high command compared to staying in the paratrooper unit. However, the drawbacks were apparent. Firstly, defecting from the Luftwaffe would be frowned upon by most Wehrmacht generals. It might not matter much while he was still a mid-level officer, but the higher he climbed, the greater the resistance. Reflecting on the history of World War II, it seemed no SS commander could reach the level of a corps commander!

Of course, with Logan's "foreknowledge" of some significant historical events, finding a shortcut to success wasn't entirely impossible. But first, he would need to be extremely cunning, slick, crafty, and even downright evil. Honestly, except for the last point showing some potential, the first three didn't seem quite reliable.

Perhaps it's best to refuse! Logan thought. After all, most Germans, especially German soldiers, still favored the Wehrmacht's "pure bloodline." In the long run, staying in the paratrooper unit would be more beneficial. However, facing someone like Dietrich, a character with such strong will, a casual refusal might bring unfavorable consequences. After a moment's thought, Logan smiled and said:

"Well... in that case, if your unit plans to form a paratrooper platoon, my soldiers and I would be more than willing to serve you!"

Dietrich stared at Logan squarely, seemingly trying to discern the meaning behind his words from the young face. The atmosphere grew somewhat awkward, but Peter, who was standing nearby, laughed and said, "Ha, then you'll need a group of 'Valkyrie aunts' to go along with it!"

Dietrich chuckled too, and this expression slightly relieved Logan.

"I haven't misjudged you, my friend Hans. I envy General Stüdent for having such an intelligent commander like you! As I said before, whenever there's anything I can help with, don't hesitate to ask!"

"Hehe, no wonder the astrologer said I would encounter a benefactor a few months ago. That must be you!" Logan employed his usual tactic of feigned mystery.

Dietrich didn't seem interested in astrology. Perhaps to conceal his disappointment, he turned to look at the busy gunners and asked Peter, "How much ammunition do we have left?"

Putting personal matters aside, the burly artillery commander answered seriously, "75mm guns have 1.5 ammunition units, and 150mm guns have 1 unit!"

"Can we hold out until tomorrow noon?" Dietrich's timeframe was a whole day longer than what the military headquarters had given him.

It's always good to leave some room for oneself, thought Logan.

The artillery commander, who was about the same age as Dietrich, said, "If we conserve ammunition as much as possible, we can hold out for another day and a half! But... I'm concerned the enemy might flank us from both east and west. Even if they don't attack simultaneously, the rate of ammunition consumption will double!"

As Dietrich pondered, Logan took the opportunity to survey the artillery position. The lighting was dim, but from the trench-like gun positions, there were nearly 20 guns deployed here. In reality, due to the longer-range 105mm howitzers being used to bombard Dunkirk, only the closer-range 75mm caliber ig.18 and 150mm caliber ig.33 infantry guns were employed in the recent shelling. According to Wehrmacht standards, a regimental artillery battery equipped with these guns would have 6 75mm guns and 2 150mm guns. However, the Fuhrer's Guard Flag Battalion not only surpassed regular Wehrmacht armored divisions in personnel but also boasted luxurious weapon configurations. Of course, having more guns on the battlefield didn't necessarily mean an advantage; logistics was a headache for all warring parties. Perhaps only the insanely mechanized Americans could handle it!

These cannons weren't particularly remarkable. What caught Logan's eye more was the artillery position itself. The trench-like gun positions were dug into the ground, providing ample cover for the guns. When the gun barrels were raised to nearly 45 degrees, they looked like large frogs crouching in the pits. The gunners and ammunition were stored in interconnected trenches.

"It's hard to imagine all this was done in just nine hours!" Logan praised Peter and the artillery commanders of the SS. Even from an outsider's perspective, setting up such positions required considerable effort!

Peter chuckled modestly, "It wasn't much, really, just took a few hours!"

At this point, Dietrich chimed in, "Hans, you might not know this, but Peter was quite a genius back when he was in the Wehrmacht. He always came up with unconventional methods that left those old officers dumbfounded! About 70% of these positions were created by blasting!"

"Blown up?" This revelation surprised Logan.

"Indeed, digging a small hole in the ground and blasting it twice creates these circular gun positions, same with the trenches. Once the main structure is done, the soldiers just need to tidy up a bit and place the guns, and it's all set!"

"Ah?" Logan scrutinized the positions again. It explained why he found these positions peculiar earlier. Typically, trenches dug by hand would have piles of earth along the edges, but here, all he saw were low mounds.

Dietrich proudly declared, "Completed in three hours, a speed that Wehrmacht artillery couldn't match!"

Looking at Peter, who stood silently beside him, Logan couldn't believe that this man with a typical German face and a sturdy physique was actually such an innovative thinker!

As they conversed, the familiar sound of a distant steam whistle interrupted them. Every face, including Logan's, turned pale in an instant. Before more shells landed, they quickly dashed into the temporary observation command post next to the artillery position. Originally meant for a commander, a signaler, and two observers, the cramped space now accommodated seven people, resembling a sardine can. Despite only having a one-meter-thick roof made of piled earth on a wooden frame, it remained the most reliable shelter in the vicinity!

Amidst the continuous explosions that lasted nearly half an hour, the façade of false calm was shattered. It was the Allied artillery this time, precisely targeting the German perimeter defenses. Some shells hit the town, but the German artillery positions couldn't escape their attention either. However, as long as the shells didn't land directly in the gun pits or detonate ammunition, the guns and gunners in the trenches weren't in significant danger. As for the trucks loaded with ammunition, they had swiftly moved to safer locations at the first sign of enemy bombardment!