Jan I

Allied – The chase begins as the infantry marches out towards Matruh, halting just short of the town. The 1st SA XX is sent to the NE to maintain garrison requirements.

Axis – Various units in the replacement pool are scrapped to help rebuild Italy’s shattered forces. The 21st Pz is rebuilt from cadre and various other German and Italian units appear in towns in Cyrencia. The retreat continues through to Halafaya where a fort is built south of Bardia. Over Malta bombs continue to fall, maintaining previous damage levels.

Jan II

Allied – Repairs begin on the Matruh railway while other engineers construct airfields to support the advance of the Desert Air Force. Wellington bombers with Beaufighter escort attack Tobruk. Matruh and Sidi Barrani are retaken by advancing Allied infantry and armour. At Sidi Barrani, the body of the Italian CinC is found, wrapped in an Italian flag, his Barretta side arm still pressed to his temple. He is buried with full military honours by the beach overlooking the sea towards his homeland.

German – The Italian infantry is sent to Tobruk. The remaining mobile forces remain at Halafaya. From his tactical HQ, three miles in front of the leading Axis positions, the new German commander swears he will not rest until the British are driven from Egypt and a new world order is imposed on the region. There will be no retreats, no defeats, only ever lasting glory and victory etc etc etc……. To show his seriousness, Malta is struck five times by the mighty bomber fleet from Sicily and the counters for the Italian Special Ops are placed on the map next to Malta in a noticeable manner. To continue the psychological warfare, the 4 infantry XXs and odds and sods of the 5th Army in Tripoli are advanced to the Tunisian border. Supplies are landed in Tripoli and moved to join them. Whatever this new commander has planned, it obviously seems to lie westwards towards the Atlantic instead of east towards the Nile. Hmmm.