Armored Troops, among the higher echelons of the Austrian army, have another nickname—"Heavy Cavalry".
To many, this was nothing but an enhanced version of the cavalry, the true "Iron Cavalry" in essence.
Including the use of Armored Troops, the Austrian military was also mired in controversy. A considerable number of people believed that Armored Troops should simply be used as cavalry.
In some ways, this view was not without merit; Armored Troops did indeed share many similarities with cavalry.
For instance, both were more expensive than infantry, had high logistical demands, and their operations would be restricted by severe ice and snow weather conditions...
Unfortunately, the banks of the Rhine River were already covered in ice and snow, and during the coldest part of the night, temperatures could even drop to below minus ten degrees Celsius.
In such harsh weather, cars needed to be preheated before starting the engine, or else they wouldn't start at all.
