Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Though Nikolai’s efforts weren’t entirely in vain, ultimately there were no "era-transcending new weapons 20 years ahead of technology!"

Because what Nikolai remembered was just the practical aspects of specific weapons - their effectiveness in various scenarios, their tactical applications on the battlefield, and their designated combat roles. He lacked the intricate details of their developmental processes, the complex engineering challenges overcome during their creation, or the countless technological innovations and design iterations that brought them to their final forms.

Though often referred to as the tumultuous 20th century, the military-industrial complex of this era wasn’t so straightforward that someone with only surface-level understanding could meaningfully intervene or make improvements. The depths of military technology encompassed countless interconnected fields - metallurgy, ballistics, chemistry, electronics, and more - each requiring years of specialized expertise to master.

Instead, there were things he could definitely do - areas where his practical knowledge of weapons’ capabilities and limitations could be put to meaningful use without requiring the deep technical expertise he lacked. His understanding of how various weapons performed in actual combat situations could still prove valuable in the right context.

"If there’s enough artillery, shouldn’t we not need to aim at the enemy?"

"...Your Majesty, what do you mean? Artillery not aiming?"

"No, Roman. Think a bit deeper. How was artillery fire at the Yalu River? Did they fire seeing the enemy directly? No. Didn’t they just confirm enemy coordinates and fire?"

This era’s maximum artillery range approached 40km.

Of course, 40km was maximum for large caliber guns and even France’s main 75mm had difficulty achieving such range, but direct-fire guns or most nations’ medium artillery of this era had no particular difficulty hitting enemies within 10km.

Though there weren’t yet 8-inch howitzers being towed and fired by trucks, every country had technology for 155mm howitzers commonly known to Korean men.

Then why weren’t medium artillery above 105mm - like good 155mm or 203mm artillery - the main force?

’They didn’t feel any need to change from 75mm, 76mm, 78mm. Well, there’s no history of battlefields fighting simultaneously across tens of kilometers until now.’

Plus change again when 70mm range hasn’t even been popular for 20 years?

Countries that hadn’t yet experienced the Great War couldn’t sympathize with this necessity at all.

Thus, despite sufficient technology, no one attempted such artillery changes.

Except Russia.

"Assume war scale becomes tremendously large. Not just 10,000 or 20,000 fighting, but 100,000, 1,000,000! Would artillery aim at each enemy and fire then? No. Commanders would just mark places on maps and fire blindly."

"...I’m not sure if I understand correctly, but you mean conduct line infantry style command with artillery? Strike together at one place without aiming while facing the enemy?"

"That’s the analogy."

Looking at this era, Nikolai saw artillery as a change both feasible and hugely advantageous on the battlefield.

Pre-Great War 20th century.

While France mistakenly thought themselves world’s strongest artillery after standardizing 75mm.

While Germany obsessed with artillery mobility and created small guns becoming basis of modern mortars.

While Britain replaced army artillery modeling Boer howitzers after the Boer War.

Russia’s artillery changes focused on just one thing.

"My point is to change the scale."

For artillery alone, the Tsar didn’t try to introduce strange new weapons, demand specific technology implementation, or order making large guns suitable only for sea.

Just increase artillery. With larger calibers if possible.

Nikolai’s instructions were very simple.

The existing 76mm M1902 already reached about 8.5km range anyway.

Meaning not even discarding existing ones.

However, despite artillery being transformed by the Tsar’s strong will, it took quite long even after war began for imperial forces to experience this change.

Though Brusilov used light artillery well while occupying Poland centered on cavalry, he couldn’t properly use slow medium artillery.

Similarly, since engaging in constant trench warfare since Roman’s appointment, it was useful for blocking enemies but never used when attacking.

However, when offensive time actually came.

"Damn it, think my soldiers endured a year for such an offensive!"

Unlike Roman complaining to high heaven.

"...How much are these crazy bastards firing. Aren’t those all high-explosive shells? Artillery Sound Ranging?"

"They’re firing so much there’s no need to install microphones to assess. They’re all firing from over 12km away. Even if we find positions, counterattack is... not easy. If we approach to fire, we’ll only reveal our artillery positions."

Artillery counterattack technique of installing microphones across several kilometers, then measuring sound wave arrival time differences at each microphone to find enemy positions.

Even methods usefully employed catching French artillery on the Western Front since German Captain L. Lowenstein’s 1914 development don’t work.

Because Roman’s preliminary bombardment now firing while saying "I’m going to attack, and want to kill half of you before starting!"

Was like history of French and German commanders at Verdun and the Somme in 1916 Western Front - who realized "Ah, artillery is god in trench warfare" - happening a year early when they decided "Fuck it, give up aiming, they must be somewhere here, just fire first!" and rear artillery fired millions of rounds just looking at maps.

So at this moment in autumn 1915.

2,500 artillery pieces spewing 100,000 shells per hour.

This pre-offensive bombardment firing maximum within limits of barrels not breaking from overheating.

"General Dukhovskoy! Are you watching! The army you’ve cherished since governor days is about to die like this!"

"...Commander-in-Chief, we’ve fired nearly 9 million rounds. What shall we do?"

"Urgh, still 6 hours until offensive starts, so from now tell them not to worry about barrels breaking and pour out all remaining quantity."

"Understood!"

Actually, it was nonsensical to implement this in 1915.

Even France consuming massive supplies from America would struggle achieving such artillery firepower after one year of war, and Germany impossible despite unlimitedly increasing quality Austrian guns.

"Send my soldiers toward those terrifying machine gun muzzles? No good. Just a few more days of bombardment-"

"We can’t delay any longer! It’s already been a week! Enemy positions are already devastated!"

"Damn it, even one surviving machine gunner means our troops die!"

Actually, Kuropatkin’s offensive orders weren’t such an unconscionable suicide command.