April I 41 Allied Turn
Malta status = 13 The Allies decide to take their only Egyptian front AS as 3 x Res Pts – the Pioneers and newly arrives Aus engineers can start to fortify El Alamein next turn.
Malta AA is back in supply.
The general retreat continues, trading space (or rather distance from Axis AS) for time. The Allies form a 2 hex line starting 1 hex inland from the sea in the 01xx hexrow. 7 Arm XX is on the southern flank, with a few previously unengaged units left further east to keep the Axis honest
April I 41 Axis Turn
The Axis roll for Levant intervention and gain air rights.
3 AS ship to Bengahzi. Amazingly, even at Max damage, Malta sinks one of them. The first elements of 15Pz arrive at Derna and Bengahzi.
The very large LW withdrawals bring an end to the usual massive air raid hits on Malta. The remaining Ju87s and SM 79s fail to score a single hit, status remains at 13.
The BR20M transfers to Bengahzi, where the cons Engineers complete airfield repairs (total cap = 4)
The Axis explore attack options, but can’t get better than 1:1 +1 or 2:1 -1 so instead they close up tight.
April II 41 Axis Turn
The Wellingtons are away in Greece, no doubt something to do with the evacuation to Crete.
Malta status = 11.
The West Med supplies reach Malta, greatly assisted by the withdrawal of the He111 anti shipping bombers.
The engineers start to quick construct a Fort at Alamein.
The rest of the Army forms up in 2 stacks south of Sidi Barrani, with the newly returned 4th Ind XX as a backstop near Matruh. The stacks could be isolated, but the Allies calculate that even halved for lack of supply they could kill one of the Axis stacks if they stick their necks out.
Axis turn;
DAK Art arrives at Derna, as does the It cons unit from Bengahzi. 5 Pz III arrives at Bengahzi.
The Cons unit repairs the Derna port hit. (and in the exploit phase a second Cons, rebuilt in Tripoli, arrives there too using the last, newly repaired RE of port cap).
The Italians close up the Sidi Barrani line while DAK (incl the newly formed 15th Pz) swing south round 7th Arm on the southern Flank. They don’t attack, but the threat is clear.
The first of the Italian Inf XX from 5th Army is now close to the front after their long march east.
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