Before the war he was put in charge of analyzing technical advances at home and abroad and his enthusiasm for innovation earned him the nickname Armee Modernissimus ("the army modernization fanatic").
Inden krigen, da han blev sat til at analysere tekniske fremskridt i ind- og udland, gav hans entusiasme over for nye ting ham øgenavnet Armee Modernissimus (se Simplicius Simplicissimus).