I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 969: Liege Fortress

The Liege Fortress is indeed impregnable, but these fortresses are usually built on high ground at an altitude of 100 to 200 meters, forming a firepower strike on the plains below from above.

The advantage of this design is that it expands the defenders’ field of vision and increases the artillery range, allowing the fortress’s firepower to be utilized to its maximum effect.

However, the drawback is also obvious: the fortress has many blind spots in its firepower, rendering it powerless against enemies who have already charged up the high ground and surrounded the fortress.

(The above image is a plan of the Liege Fortress, with 12 fortresses forming a ring. The "Lonsin" in the red circle refers to the "Lonsin Castle" mentioned previously.)

...

When formulating the battle plan, Kristen did not consider this a weakness of the fortress.

"Although what you said is true, General," Kristen said:

"our soldiers must break through their firepower net in order to approach those high grounds."

"And according to the Germans’ firepower layout, I mean each fortress has over two hundred cannons and countless machine guns."

"Our soldiers can hardly survive to reach the front of their fortresses."

This was what Albert I also intended to say; the firepower blind spots of the fortress, areas that are in the "shadow under the lamp," are an open secret, and as the King of Belgium, he certainly knew.

However, if the enemy were to charge through a network of crossfire formed by long-range artillery, medium-range artillery, close-range artillery, and machine guns, not to mention wire fences, barricades, and mines between them.

Even suffering casualties equivalent to several River Somme battles might not be enough to get close.

Therefore, the "fortress weakness" that Shire mentioned does not really exist.

"We don’t necessarily have to break through the firepower ring to get close," Shire said. "Have you all forgotten we have paratroopers? They can directly parachute near the target fortress or even on top of it."

(The above image shows part of the Liege Fortress, with a flat top capable of accommodating people. During World War II, German paratroopers attacked Fort Eben-Emael by parachuting onto its top with guided parachutes and then engaged in close-range demolition to capture it.)

"Paratroopers?" Kristen asked in confusion. "Can they land on top of the fortress? I thought they couldn’t control their landing spot."

Kristen had studied the Battle of Saarbrücken where Shire utilized airborne troops, and he had even considered developing such a force in the 6th Army Group, so he was somewhat familiar with parachute details.

"Most cannot control," Shire replied, "but some modified parachutes can."

These were guided parachutes that Shire had developed in advance, enabling control of the flight path in the air.

This made Kristen and Albert I beam with delight.

"I knew the Vice Admiral would find a way," Albert I nodded with satisfaction. "If they can parachute directly around the fortress, then there won’t be a problem, and we might even have the chance to capture the fortress intact."

But Kristen, after a brief consideration, objected:

"That might still be insufficient."

"The fort’s firepower can provide mutual cover, General; they are spaced 3 to 5 kilometers apart."

"For instance, if we attack ’Lonsin Castle,’ the ’Alonnes’ and ’Landen’ forts on its sides can cover ’Lonsin Castle’ with artillery fire."

Albert I’s smile froze; this was indeed a problem.

The German Army’s firepower and personnel were hidden inside the fortresses, protected by 3 meters of reinforced concrete, theoretically resistant to bombardments from 210MM caliber artillery.

Thus, as long as the Germans employed this "self-bombardment" tactic, they could inflict significant losses on paratroopers attacking up close and then eliminate them.

Shire was already prepared for this and calmly asked in reply: "What if the fortresses on both sides were also in danger themselves?"

...

Liege Fortress.

White parachutes began to float in the sky, one after another, drifting like plane tree catkins dancing in the air. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Major General Friedrich did not hesitate; he put away his binoculars and ordered the signalman beside him: "Bring in the 3rd Infantry Regiment, immediately!"

Garrisoned inside Liège City was an infantry division, primarily tasked with maintaining order and ensuring the supply of each fortress.

Although these troops had questionable combat quality, Major General Friedrich believed it was time to deploy them.

French paratroopers would put the fortresses in a passive state.

After some thought, he supplemented the orders: "Contact Forts 12 and 2, and have them ready for fire support!"

"Yes!" The signalman transmitted the orders one by one.

However, before the orders were even relayed, Major General Friedrich was stunned to discover that Forts 12 and 2 on both sides were already under attack by the French Army.

Planes swooped down from the sky with a piercing screech, pulling up sharply when almost crashing into the fort.

At the same time, a blast was heard as thick smoke and flames rose into the air.

Immediately, another plane dropped its bombs; they even formed a circle, diving down in rotation like a wheel and dropping their bombs.

(Note: This was a bombing strategy used by the German Army during World War II. Although the dive bombers had achieved a high level of accuracy, a 30-meter deviation still made it difficult to hit targets. The German Army organized bombing squadrons in a loop, allowing subsequent bombers to make slight adjustments based on the flight paths and deviation points of the friendly aircraft in front, further enhancing accuracy.)

While Major General Friedrich was amazed at how France had developed such fierce bombers, the chief of staff rushed over in panic to report:

"General, Forts 12 and 2 are calling for help; the bombs dropped by enemy bombers can pierce the fort."

"They have suffered varying degrees of damage."

"Fort 2 has had a turret collapse and tunnels caving in, resulting in heavy casualties."

Major General Friedrich was dumbfounded.

The fact that the French bombers could penetrate the fort’s 3-meter-thick reinforced concrete top?

...

There was an element of luck involved.

Shire had tested that a bomber’s high-speed dive, coupled with a 500-kilogram armor-piercing bomb on the belly, could barely penetrate 3 meters of reinforced concrete.

The fact that the start of the war could cause damage to the German 2nd Fortress was because the Liege Fortress had been bombarded multiple times with various calibers of German artillery during the 1914 German attack, with some being patched up after being bombed by "Big Bertha."

Its overall structure no longer met the 3-meter concrete strength, enabling the unexpected result.

But it also scared the Germans half to death.

The thought in their minds:

If French bombers could so easily penetrate the 3-meter-thick concrete layer on top, wouldn’t it suffice to bomb the fortresses one by one?

In other words, as long as there was enough time and enough bombs, the French bombers could level one fortress after another.

Thus, the helplessness that once faced the Belgian Army now appeared on the German Army; they seemed to have no choice but to await their fate.

The only difference being, Belgium’s opponent was the "Big Bertha" heavy artillery, while the German Army’s adversary was the aerial "dive bomber"!