Mar I
Allies: The 1st Dragoons, with their armoured cars circled around the oasis at Siwa watch fearfully as a massive dust cloud approaches from the north. Fearing it to be the Mark IIIs and IVs of the 15th Pz, they are relieved to see it is the 2nd Spt X, trundling downs from CinC ME strategic reserve to bolster the extreme southern flank. Suddenly the German CinC realises he has been caught in a ruse! The damned CinC ME has tricked the noble German CinC into sending a sizeable contingent into desert and weakened his main line! In the north, a massive attack by four infantry XX’s, the 1st Arm XX and odds and sods smash into the 2nd Pz XX, SV 288 and 9th B III. In the air, the Hurricanes and P-40s clear the Luftwaffe from the sky, destroying the slow moving Stukas and preventing the defenders getting any air support. The Axis are quickly overwhelmed by the swarms of infantry, however the tanks of the 1st Arm XX are left as grease stains on the sand. (3:1 +1 AECA, -4 ATEC = EX).
In exploitation of this success, the HQ 7th Arm XX, 7th Mot X, and 4th Arm X trots around the flank of the Axis line, past the 2nd Pz Cdr and positions itself across the LoC for the axis.
German: Running without lights and escorted by swift Italian destroyers, a vital supply convoy heads towards Tobruk to rush badly needed supplies to the front line. Out of the looming darkness, the convoy spots a massive line of British Battleships and cruisers which proceed to cut the convoy and its escort to shreds. All the ships are sunk and the valuable supplies sent to the bottom of the Med. The German CinC demands that Malta be removed from his supply line. A couple of units are rebuilt but a general retreat from Halafaya begins towards Tobruk to set up a new defensive line. Construction units fall back towards El Aghelia, much to the amusement of the Australian CinC. In the south , the 16th Pz Cdr scuttles away sheepishly to rejoin the main line, much to the amusement of the cavalry troopers of the 1st Dragoons.
Mar II
Allied: The offensive continues with five infantry XX attacking and driving back two Italian XX and the 90th Light XX. (3:1 -1 AECD = AR). Along the coast, the Royal Navy adds its guns to an Armoured attack on the It. 101 and 102 XXs causing grievous damage that makes the German CinC weep in frustration. (3:2 +3 AECA = EX) Showing the flair that gave them such renown in early 1941, the HQ 7th Arm XX 7th Mot X and Dominion recon units drive across the desert to arrive just outside a supply depot on the Gazala-Mechili road.
As the Allied motorised units exploit the situation, the survivors of the battles outside Tobruk take El Adem airfield while the courageous deep penetration forces under the 7th HQ seizes the supplies from surprised outside Mechili and carry them into the town itself, over running LW and Italian Aircraft on the ground and leaving them charred smoking wrecks.
German: With the loss of his single supply depot in the area and no possibility of reasonable counter attacks, the Benghasi Handicap is on again. All remaining aircraft in the “hump” are flown to airfields in Crete or El Agheila (into overstack). A sea evacuation occurs from Tobruk to Benghasi by some units while the remainder fall back to the Benghasi highlands and towards Aghelia. Frustrated by the land campaign, an air armada flies over Valletta to continue the pounding of Malta. AA fire destroys three air units, much to the shock of the air commander. Pride to soothed by five hits being made by the surviving air units.
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