The weapons training was advancing at a fast pace. Erika had even drafted plans to train her troops in jungle warfare, though this portion of the training will not start for at least a month. Erika's desire is to take the trainings efficiently and she had to compromise between the years she had left and the training requirements. Plus the extra problem of troops having to fight against the enemy in a jungle. The jungle warfare is something every army even in the modern world was afraid of. Especially the army Erika was expert in. "Damn the Germans! They go through forests all the time but don't have any experience in jungle warfare." Erika was annoyed. "I have to let the troops get experienced in jungle warfare themselves. What better way to learn than trial by fire. But I won't let them go straight to the dark forest, its better to train them in moving through jungles in formation in the other forests that don't have monsters. I can ask Emil for that." These were Erika's thoughts when she was lying in her bed at the night. She recalled her day and thought of it as a partial success. "I was able to make the weapons I desired in enough numbers plus I did show Emil and Bauer that I can use the weapons I make to protect myself but still, I don't believe they would let me go in this quest." She let out a deep breath. "It will tough, but I must do whatever it takes." Erika thought. She also thought about various future aspects of her Wehrmacht. "Once I get my hands on the resources inside the dark forest I can increase my troops and even the number of craftsmen can be increased which can improve my production rate." But these were all distant dream and she had focus on the problems now at hand namely the Panzerfaust for the Panzerjagers. Unlike the other weapons up to now, the panzerfaust was a disposable one-time use weapon. So she had to make a huge number of it. The shaped charge and hollow tube were no problem. The cone the firing pin and primer to arm the thing was no problem as well. But the problems were the propellant charge. Sigh.... "For now, lets sleep, I might as well try this thing tomorrow." Erika thought and then dosed off to sleep.
The mornings would start in the usual routines. Bauer waking her up, Having breakfast and chatting with her mother about their days etc. These were peaceful moments for Erika and she enjoyed them as much as making her more futuristic ambitions come true. Though she would avoid mentioning about her military works and would sometimes feel guilty for lying to her mother which is something Bauer would exploit fully to tease her. Which annoyed Erika but helped to lighten up their mood. After these light hearted moment would come the more heavier stuff. Bauer and Emil off to their training while Erika busy with coming up ways to produce more powerful weapons. A month has passed since Erika reincarnated in this world. Her 'Wehrmacht' was for now just a detachment of 10 men plus she, Emil and Bauer while Emma and Emily and six craftsmen work on production and maintenance while Bauer was in both combat role and logistics. While Emil's friends would provide her with necessary raw materials like steel and woods. Today Erika planned on testing her capacity on Panzerfausts. Her first challenge was to come up with suitable propellent which was impossible. She tried to use her magic for the propellant at first. After mana infused tube was ready, she immediately set on making the projectile. The Panzerfaust is a High Explosive Anti Tank weapon with a cone shaped cylinder inside that on impact pushes the explosives and molten metal inside unlike traditional anti tank shells. These themselves were not problems. Erika tried using magic power here as well. But she hit her limitations because there wasn't enough heat inside. Only those with affinity to fire magic can generate heat something Erika could not. "Damn, what do I do now?" Erika closed her fists. She was in a pinch. "Ah, maybe the blacksmiths can help." She went to her temporary weapons factory, basically a tin shed held by four wooden pillars there wasn't even walls though the shed was large enough for all the craftsmen to work. All the blacksmiths were working in Bauer was supervising the craftsmen. "Ah, milady what a pleasant surprise. What brings you here today?" Bauer greeted her. "Good morning milady." The craftsmen also greeted her with a bow. They were busy with the production of the Gewehr 43. "Good morning. How are you? I hope there are no problems in your daily work." "Yes milady, we are doing just fine. There is no problem in our part." Replied Heinke who was the oldest of the group and had become like a leader to them. He was almost 50 years old and had some wrinkles on his face along with half white half black hair that proved his age and experience. Erika would call him uncle Heinke.
"Listen uncle Heinke, I need your help with some things. I know you are the most experienced in the group so you are the most suited candidate for this job." "As you wish milady." Replied Heinke. "Listen, I am in a pinch. I need to use this cone shaped projectile to be filled with molten iron, that would be thrusted in a single point like um..." Erika thought for a second to come up with an understandable example. "Ah yes, like a punch." Erika showed him her model shaped charge, which looked like a giant fist and a metal rod with fins behind it. Heinke was caught a little off-guard. "Milady, even if I melt the steel, it would melt down the cylinder." Erika understood his worry and clarified the facts, "No, no I don't want to fill in molten steel, I want you to use your magical powers to fill the cone inside this outer shell." She showed him the inside by opening the shell. Erika went on to explain the whole point. "The important thing," she said "is that the fire must ignite in the direction of the cone and melt the steel then punch that steel towards the object it hit." Erika showed him the concept. "Watch closely as I show you" She showed him the process first by hitting her open hand with the projectile. Then she opened the shell and showed the cone. "Look once hit, the primer on the top," She pointed to the primer which was inside the outer shell "this primer will ignite your magic fire to melt the still and finally the hollow cone will guide the molten steel towards the object it hit." Heinke was surprised with the amount to precision in Erika's weapon. "Let me try milady." He was eager to see this new type of weapon. After the completion of the first prototype Erika tried to fire it with the previously made tube. But the magic propellant didn't work. "Ah, damn." She cried out. Heinke was calm however. He quickly thought of a plan. "Milady since the primer only requires impact to detonate, maybe we can see if it ignites manually by hitting it hard to an object instead of using the tube?" It was a good idea and could at least confirm if the projectile was working according to plan. But there was another problem. "But the primer is very hard and would not ignite with just a simple impact." Erika replied to Heinke's proposal. "Maybe we can use something like a crossbow?" Erika jumped up with excitement. "That's it. Thanks uncle Heinke, your idea will save all my problems." Heinke couldn't understand. "Yes, just like the British PIAT, I can also use an enchanted spring to fire the shell. It would not only save me from using a magic based propellant but also make sure that the tubes won't be disposable." Erika excitedly thought in her mind. She took some time to create the new tube. Meanwhile Heinke made some adjustments in the projectile. After some trials they were able to make a perfect upgraded PIAT-Panzerfaust highbreed. "Well if it works, it works." Erika thought. She was very proud of herself. Heinke was proud as well. He was starting to disbelief Erika's idea after first two failures. But now he was extremely happy and took Erika up in his shoulders in happiness. "Yes milady we did it. This new weapon of yours can make a hole through the thickest of walls." He said while smiling and holding Erika in the air. Erika was a little scared after hearing this. She stopped laughing and said in a serious tone, "It would be best if that would never happen." With this Erika's preparations were complete. All she had to do was wait for the troops training to be complete.