Panzerwanderer

Book 1: Eisenwürmer

by EA Baker

Genres: Alternative History Fantasy; World War I; War & Military; Alternative History sci-fi; war; steampunk; WW1; World War I; alternative history; mech

Synopsis

A glorious victory or a crushing defeat for the Central Powers hangs in the balance.

Spring of 1918 has finally arrived on the war-torn grounds of the Western Front as the Great War enters its fourth year. Having fought each other to a bloody stalemate, the Allied and Central Powers seek that final killing blow to bring the war to an end.

Russia, one of the three original members of the Entente (now called the Allied Powers), has plunged into revolution. With the battle in the east over, the German Empire is now transporting those armies to the Western Front to tilt the balance of power in their favor.

However, the hour is late for the German Empire faces supply shortages and a starving populous due to the British blockade. Adding to the drain on their resources is a top-secret project originally initiated by the Kaiser himself.

Promised that these new machines will break the stalemate and win glory for the empire, the Kaiser prioritized this project without his generals knowing. Now, with millions of men and thousands of pieces of artillery at his disposal, Ludendorff plans to launch a major offensive, putting these unwanted yet menacing machines to the test.

In this first installment, EA Baker provides readers with a fantastical yet palpable alternate history of the First World War. One where the Kaiser became a believer in a fleet of armored walkers and digging machines to render trenches useless, changing warfare forever.

In The Kaiser's Machines: Panzerwanderer, readers will follow a bold German captain, a haunted French observation pilot, an intelligent American nurse, and a pair of British and American soldiers as they witness the final days of the Great War. For fans of the World of 1920+ and alternate history, become enraptured by a time and place not so long ago where mechanical beasts storm across a devastated landscape.

Will the Kaiser's costly dream bring deliverance to a nation on the brink of collapse? Find out from those who were there and saw it all.

Warning: contains adult language and violence.

Release date: October 13, 2020

Publisher: Amazon

Print pages: 193

Content advisory: Warning: contains adult language and violence.

Sample

Prologue

Outside Verviers, Belgium

 

 The Oberste Heeresleitung, the German High Command, arrived in a column of Mercedes automobiles. They pulled off the side of the road near a creek that acted as the border to a field of tall grass. Their drivers immediately popped out of the vehicles and opened the doors to Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg, Chief of the General Staff.

In the second car arrived his Chief Deputy, acting Generalquartiermeister and General der Infanterie Erich Ludendorff. Also, in attendance were other members of the general staff including Generalleutnant Viktor Hahndorff, who Hindenburg chose to oversee the command of the Kaiser’s new machines they were unveiling today; and Generalleutnant Erich von Oldershausen whose command of the rail lines will be critical in transporting these new units to the front. 

Even though this project was started in secret by the Kaiser who considered it imperative in winning the war, his generals were more than skeptical when the details came to light. Despite their best efforts, they could not bring an end to the project. In failing to achieve this aim, the generals maneuvered to ensure that the Kaiser would have no further say in the project nor the details regarding the war save for his precious navy. As such, the Kaiser was not in attendance.

Awaiting them beside a walking bridge were two nervous-looking captains. Both snapped to attention as the members of the High Command approached.

“Ah, good to see you again Vollmer,” said Hindenburg to the first captain. Captain Vollmer saluted immediately, which Hindenburg returned.

“Always an honor, Generalfeldmarschall,” replied Joseph Vollmer. The chief designer for the German War Department motor vehicles section had a wide, black mustache that curled upward like two hooks. Whenever he spoke, they flapped like the pinions of a crow.

“I hope today is the beginning of the end of this war,” noted Hindenburg.

“Believe me when I say that this is the largest undertaking I have ever been a part of and I am confident that it will change the war decisively in our favor,” affirmed Vollmer.

Having just come from Spa, Belgium, where the High Command was now managing the war on the Western Front, Vollmer noticed that

Hindenburg didn’t wear his dress uniform. He wore a simple gunmetal grey overcoat marked by a black collar. He wore an iron cross that rested beneath his chin. On his head, he wore a cap rather than the Prussian helmet. Despite his seemingly plain attire given his rank and status, he was a powerful presence to behold, standing a head taller over everyone.

“I just hope the resources we used to make these machines were well spent. I would have much preferred to have made more bullets and guns,” added Ludendorff, whose stoic and rough demeanor contrasted with Hindenburg’s inspiring air. 

“For the Empire’s sake, I hope so,” replied Captain Vollmer as politely as possible. He understood why Ludendorff was known to have very few friends. The man was terse and did not have the same warmth as his senior Hindenburg.

“And who is this?” asked Hindenburg as he stood before the next captain.

“Rittmeister Otto König, commander of the unit conducting today’s demonstration, sir,” replied Otto as firm and calm as possible.

“Ah, a cavalryman,” said Ludendorff in a negative tone.

Hindenburg looked to Ludendorff as if he was going to say something but then thought otherwise. “Please, lead the way gentleman.”

Otto and Vollmer saluted before turning on their heels and walking across the bridge. A creek lazily swept across the rocks beneath their feet. It was a pleasant sound that was soon interrupted by the crashing of something heavy and massive.

Positioning themselves in the middle of the field, they could see the fumes from the machine’s engines rising above the forest as it lumbered forward. Its iron body gradually came into view with each step it took. The earth shook beneath their feet. Otto and Vollmer looked at the two generals who gaped in awe at the iron beast as it walked into the clearing.

As it drew closer, the machine’s sheer size and armament became apparent. Standing nearly four stories high, its massive armored legs pummeled the earth, smashing the tall grass with each step.  

“Gentlemen, I present to you the panzerwanderer.”

“Panzerwanderer,” replied Hindenburg as if it was a newborn myth that he had yet to come to terms with.

As the machine moved towards them, its whining gears filled the air, causing the generals to falter. They motioned backward, afraid that the iron

beast would smash them to a pulp. But once it was fifty meters away from them, the panzerwanderer came to a halt. When it did, it hissed like a bull as if it was about to unleash a wrathful bellow.

Hindenburg walked forward in silence, mesmerized by what stood before him. He walked between its legs before touching it with his hands as if to confirm that what he saw was real.

“It is magnificent,” he said in a hushed voice.

“Tells us more about this monster of yours, Vollmer,” asked Ludendorff acidly.

“It stands 12 meters tall with its six armored legs. We went with six instead of four to increase stability. It’s fifty meters long and twenty-five meters wide. With a crew of forty to sixty men, it has a formidable armament. Eight machineguns, two anti-aircraft batteries, two 10 cm K1 canons, and a forward-mounted 21 cm heavy howitzer. Fully loaded, its max speed is 6.4 kilometers an hour.”

Otto added, “We can get a few kilometers more out of her if she isn’t fully loaded and we push the engines.”

“And what about armor?” replied Ludendorff.

“It will hold up against most of what the enemy can throw at her except for big guns and direct hits from bombs dropped from the air.

Ludendorff scoffed and replied, “Which the enemy will surely throw at it. As far as I can tell, you have made a great iron coffin.”

At that moment, the earth shook once again, except the panzerwanderer was not moving. Peering between the legs of the machine approached two smaller, faster-moving versions of the beast that was the panzerwanderer.

“Meet panzerwanderer’s machine cousin, the sturmspinnen,” announced Vollmer. The machines flanked the panzerwanderer before stopping. “Faster and more agile, these machines can work together to break the enemy line and advance into their rear areas. At least, that is the idea.”

Ludendorff was taken aback. But his surprise quickly turned to him stroking his chin, plotting something out in his head as he was in a deep conversation with himself.

A silence fell upon everyone. Hindenburg came over to Ludendorff and said, “Have more faith, Erich. If thrown at the enemy properly, I think we may just end this war.”  Otto and Vollmer met each other's gaze, nodding in approval as they knew that they had impressed the generals.

Otto breathed a little more easily when Hindenburg said, “Well done, gentlemen. Well done. We have much to discuss, but first, let’s celebrate

with food and drink. Come.” The men retreated from the field, leaving the pack of iron beasts to slumber in the field.