RE: BLOOD AND IRON

While Bruno was engaging in diplomacy at the highest scale with the House of Romanov, his lead engineers were, of course, teaching the Russian Industry many new concepts. Whether it was the introduction of full scale assembly lines, or scalability in production of weapons platforms like the E-Series of armored fighting vehicles.

Russia quickly gained much insight from this technological exchange of research. And though the future was uncertain, the Russian Empire’s industrial potential was massive.

Introduction of advanced industrial techniques like rolled homogenous steel, advanced stampings of sheet metal, and the riveting required to make platforms robust, or simply cold hammer forged chrome lining of barrels with “machine gun quality steel” similar to the way Fabrique National produced its current lineup in the 21st century.

Russia began pumping out weapons that were of quality similar to the infamous German Steel, and they had their German Allies to thank for it.

And while the Russian Industry was gearing up for a mass modernization of its Army, Bruno had secretly gathered the greatest engineering minds of the Russian Empire and German Reich within the home of the Tsar, who he wanted to introduce a concept to as the first major joint enterprise of their newfound alliance which was still both in a state of infancy, and unofficial status.

The men gathered around as Bruno stood before them all, many with confusion, but those who knew Bruno most understood that this kind of clandestine meeting of brilliant engineers, material scientists, mechanics, et cetera. Would mean one thing, a vision of technology so grand it defied the eras’ current understanding of it.

Thus, after the men began to hush themselves, Bruno finally unveiled what was little more than a proof of concept, and it was not for a weapon itself, but for an engine. Listed on the proof of concept and crude initial draft of a blueprint was what Bruno theorized would be the necessary steps to create, streamline, and mass produce the product.

Lying on the sheet of paper was a sketch of what could only be described by those in the know as an advanced aircraft engine, one the world had not even conceived as possibility at this point.

No, this was not a jet engine, this was turboprop engine, which Bruno knew would be the key to air supremacy in future wars, and would take years, if not decades to truly master at the current underdeveloped state of the aviation industry which in this life had been less prioritized during the Great War due to Germany’s heavy reliance on armored vehicles and self propelled artillery to dominate the battlefield.

Most of the men in this room, brilliant as they were instantly realized what Bruno was theorizing as a real possibility, and many saw the brilliant steps he had already thought through on a theoretical level, on that sidestepped and disproved many conflicting theories of development.

Shock, joy, curiosity, eagerness erupted from all the scientists as the Tsar watched in ignorance at what had gotten these brilliant men all riled up, and in the end, Bruno simply tapped the board thrice, signalling for the men to silence themselves before giving his speech.

“That’ right… This is a very superficial mockup of what could theoretically advanced aviation technology by two generations. Monoplanes, built with these turboprop engines would guarantee greater power, fuel efficiency, climbing speeds, and range of all aircraft equipped with them.

But… It will take years, maybe even decades of development, and many rare earth metals to see these instituted across the German Luftstreitkräfte, and the Russian Air Corps. Alone in this grand technological pursuit, Germany would not have these built in scale until the late 1930s at the earliest.

However, together we possess the brilliance, the raw materials, and the industrial capacity to mass produce these engines and scale them up or down for every aircraft necessary to secure complete and total global air supremacy in any conflict our new alliance may find itself in within the next thirty to forty years.

We are just beginning to scratch the surface of military reforms, and advancements as a cooperative venture, and there are many things we will need to prioritize in the coming decades, but this is the first major project I want you all to work on together.

A proof of concept, if you will that we need each other more than any past grievances would have us hate one another. From the north sea to the Atlantic to the Pacific, combined our power shall remain unchallenged for generations to come, and we, here and now, are the first men to take a step towards this bold new future.

I ask you to put aside your differences of opinion, disregard your emotions, and focus solely on the science of understanding how best to make this work! It will determine whether our alliance lasts as supreme global hegemony for a thousand years, or crumbles within ten!”

Bruno did not say another word after this, and instead took a seat next to the Tsar as his lead engineer stepped forward and began divvying up responsibilities for certain aspects of the project towards joint teams of Russian and German engineers. All of which were beyond excited to work on this revolutionary project.

As for the Tsar, he leaned over and whispered to Bruno, clarifying if a simple engine had the capacity to change the world in the way he claimed.

“This… piece of equipment of yours. Is it really so fearsome that it can change the world as we know it?”

Bruno looked over at Nicholas with an almost smug expression as he stole the words of one of his past life’s greatest generals when coming to the realization that air supremacy was the greatest asset in any theater of conflict.

“Anyone who has to fight, even with the most modern weapons, against an enemy in complete command of the air, fights like a savage against modern European troops, under the same handicaps and with the same chances of success….

Nicholas, my dear friend…. The victor of every future warfare will not be determined by artillery and armor like those of the past, but rather by he who commands the skies… And the heavens will belong to us, and us alone, especially if this engine design is completed before the next war begins…”

Bruno’s “quote” was ripped straight from Erwin Rommel, but the words were true nonetheless, however, it was not the quote itself and the power behind it that filled Nicholas with dread, rather the fact that Bruno had already determined there was another Great War on the horizon, and that he was actively taking steps to prepare for it. Just how far ahead of everyone else did this man think?

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