Selling The Tanks

On the evening of the parade, Ian first met with the ambassador of the Doicheun Empire, and afterward he received together the ambassadors of the Moria Empire and the Noma Empire.

The moment they stepped into the audience chamber, they requested to purchase tanks.

“Your Majesty, please sell us the tanks we saw at the parade!”

“If there were ten tanks in the parade, we presume you have more than that in stock. Is that correct?”

Hearing them, Ian nodded. He had expected sales to follow; once development had been completed, factories had already been built and production had begun. He smiled and said:

“We can sell you as many as you like.”

“Thank you. Then what quantities are available?”

“For the first deal, I can let you have about a hundred units. Will you buy them?”

“We will purchase the entire lot!”

The Moria ambassador’s immediate commitment to buy felt wonderfully forthright. Since the two ambassadors were acting in concert, a hundred tanks would be split between them for use at the front.

“When can we buy more after that?”

“Assuming continued purchases, in a month I could sell you around two hundred more.”

“We’ll place a reservation for those as well.”

“Oh? Will you?”

With back-to-back reservations, the money rolling in reminded Ian how crucial timing was. He was glad they had developed tanks early. In truth, after just one more year, the other side would likely lose interest in buying Polian tanks.

They, too, had learned the hard way what tanks could do, and were surely pouring themselves into development right now.

Even a year from now, production and deployment will take time; we could keep selling for at least two years, right?

Production capacity had already been greatly expanded, and tanks were rolling off the line. About 20% of output was slated to arm Polia itself—no matter how good sales were, they still needed to equip their own forces.

‘We should form proper tank battalions and begin training at once.’

Since tanks had just been born as a weapon system, Polia needed to build organizations and gain familiarity. With the deal going well, Ian added one more point.

“Before you arrived, the Doicheun ambassador said something absurd.”

“What did he say?”

“He told us not to sell our tanks to other countries.”

The Doicheun envoy had asked Polia to refrain from tank sales. From their perspective, Polia’s tanks were hardly welcome—just as their breakthrough was gaining steam, a countering tank had appeared to blunt it.

“To say something so lawless—he has no common sense!”

“They know full well that arms sales are a sovereign act of the Polia Kingdom, and still they say that? How arrogant!”

The two ambassadors fumed. Ian told them he had of course refused.

“Naturally, I rejected their demand. As a neutral power, we are free to sell arms to anyone.”

“Indeed. You did well to refuse.”

“Since Polia stands as a neutral nation, we must always be fair.”

“Exactly—fair to all. We will continue to sell arms impartially to any country.”

At this, the two ambassadors weren’t sure whether to be pleased or uneasy. Either way, they would now have tanks; the Doicheun armored advance would not go unanswered.

Of course, since they had not yet seen combat, results remained unknown.

“In any case, may this be another good transaction.”

“Certainly.”

“We must hurry—the sooner we receive the tanks, the better.”

The front was still collapsing. They needed to air- and sea-lift Polian tanks to the continent quickly. Ian, however, worried whether transport would be straightforward.

Judging by the Doicheun Empire’s posture, they’d do anything to block these tanks from reaching the continent.

He suspected they might resort to indiscriminate submarine attacks to sink tank-laden freighters. So he halted plans to use Polian cargo ships and decided on another method.

‘If we do this right, it might turn out fine.’

March 13.

A cargo ship of the Magnia Empire.

Thirty Frei tanks, delivered by rail, were being hoisted by steam crane and carefully loaded into the freighter’s hold.

They had wanted to move the tanks sooner, but time had passed while arranging contracts and securing ships; only now could they ship a batch of thirty.

This was the first outbound shipment; seventy more tanks waited at the port. The plan was to send thirty per day thereafter.

Each 15-ton tank was gingerly lowered by crane. In total, nearly 450 tons—a significant weight for a 5,000-ton freighter.

Watching with relief were personnel of the Moria and Noma Empires. Their homelands kept urging them to expedite tank deliveries to the front, but that was easier said than done.

Fortunately, they had secured a Magnian-flagged freighter, and the contractor would carry the cargo to its destination. Escorts and caretakers for the tanks would sail with them.

Bwoooong—!

With all cargo aboard, the freighter’s horn sounded and she got under way, clearing the harbor and heading out to open sea. A week’s voyage would bring her to port.

Though she would pass through waters embroiled in war, the ship felt secure; flying the Magnia Empire flag, she expected no attack.

Out on the high seas, she steered northeast. A day passed, then two. On the third day, something small broke the surface nearby, stalking the freighter.

It was a Label-class submarine—a newer boat, now up to 500 tons displacement. Larger tonnage meant greater length, more stores, and more torpedoes.

Periscope up, the submarine confirmed the target. Though the freighter flew Magnia’s colors, the sub’s orders were to sink any tank-carrying ship by any means necessary.

As soldiers, they obeyed without hesitation. They calculated range and speed; torpedoes were loaded. When the “ready” light came on, the captain gave the order to his executive officer.

“XO, fire.”

“Aye! Firing torpedoes!”

In an instant, fish streaked from the bow tubes. Their intercept point was the freighter’s track—timed to smash into her side as she passed.

Had someone seen them, it might have helped, but no one could. It was pre-dawn, too dark to make out the sea’s surface. And this was no warship—there was no proper watch system.

Trusting in her flag, the freighter, a regular caller at Polian ports, never saw what hit her. KWAANG! KWANG! Two heavy explosions. She heeled over at once.

Fire took hold, flames lighting the darkness as the ship slowly settled. Torpedo holes rent her flank; water poured in.

Soon she was gone beneath the waves. With its task complete, the Doicheun submarine slipped back into the depths and vanished.

March 17.

-“Magnia-flagged freighters sunk?! Reports say two ships went down; survivors speak of a torpedo attack.”

-“Moria and Noma accuse the Doicheun Empire of sinking the freighters; Doicheun denies any involvement.”

-“With sixty tanks lost aboard the two ships, a final freighter carrying thirty Polian tanks remains in port, unable to depart and waiting indefinitely.”

Polia Kingdom – Royal Palace, the King’s Office

“So, it has come to this.”

“Your Majesty anticipated this and ordered that our own freighters not accept the contract, is that correct?”

“Yes. I expected the Doicheun Empire to act this way.”

Hearing Ian, Marquis Norwen, the chancellor, felt a surge of admiration. No wonder the king had worked to keep Polian ships from taking the job. Still, he worried that two Magnian freighters had been torpedoed and sunk.

“The Magnia Empire is reacting furiously toward Doicheun. Their feelings are clearly inflamed.”

“When a nation’s ship is attacked, anger is natural. We would be the same.”

“Indeed. I hear the Moria Empire has dispatched several warships to escort the freighter.”

“Since a battle might break out in our waters, dispatch the 5th Fleet to monitor the ship until it completely clears our maritime zone.”

“At once. Also, given the situation, it’s awkward from their perspective to remit payment now.”

“Payment terms don’t change because they suffered losses. Once we sell, our obligation is fulfilled.”

“Agreed. A signed purchase contract stands.”

Nearly sixty tanks now lay on the seabed, but the buyers still had to pay. If they refused, future business would end that very day.

Then we’d end up supplying arms only to the Doicheun Empire.

To avoid that, they would certainly process payment properly. Meanwhile, Magnia was unlikely to let this pass. Unlike before, this action had been brazen.

‘If Doicheun mishandles the aftermath, Magnia might actually enter the war.’

Magnia might play a role akin to America in another world; if so, the war could end next year. Or, depending on Doicheun’s choices, it could drag on longer.

Doicheun’s territory and national power were too great to simply roll over.

Perhaps this war would end along a path different from Earth’s history. In the meantime, the freighter awaiting escort finally received word that Polia’s warships were on station near Polian waters and could depart.

The 5th Fleet moved to accompany her, a posture that looked very much like protecting the freighter. She soon linked up with Moria’s waiting warships.

Even so, there was word of another submarine attack attempt against the freighter; this one was detected in advance and foiled by Moria’s navy. Thus, all thirty tanks reached Moria’s waters intact.

They entered port and began unloading. With reporters present, images of the Polian tanks spread across the Moria Empire, then the armor was loaded onto freight trains and sent straight to the front.

The tanks reached the battlefield as March turned to April. Since Doicheun had first deployed tanks in February, Allied tanks had appeared in just two months. Many generals, however, doubted whether so few could help meaningfully.

Even if they fought well, using tanks effectively at the operational level would take at least half a year. Given that Doicheun was producing and fielding nearly 450 tanks already, the Allies would first need to increase their numbers dramatically.