November 18th 1941 08:00 (1)
The early morning did not bring good news.
A New Zealand infantry regiment seized Sidi Azeiz.
Halfaya pass is under attack by Raj infantry
Near Sidi Rezegh a large concentration of British armour was spotted. The lead battalion of Stuart light tanks crumbled against disciplined Panzer fire.
South African infantry supported by British tanks advanced on Bir El Gubi whilst an armoured car recon battalion slipped through the lines to seize the village.
The Italian troops in the area came under fire and took heavy loses.
As the Italians reeled against The British offensive, Major Weiss engaged the British armoured cars that had slipped through the lines.
Weiss ordered his crews to hold their fire. As the heavy Matildas crept ever closer the British looked on in dismay as round after round bounced off the thick armour.
“They’re using our own bloody tanks against us chaps!”
It took only a single volley of fire to convince the british that this was a fight they could not win.
With the armoured cars removed the Italian tank battalion was able to full back and join elements of 1.Panzer division in a defensive formation.
Further north Generalmajor Fischer pulled his forces back, hoping to lure the British onto his prepared positions.
21.Panzer division began moving to their assembly area, ready to repel the British advance.
November 19th 1941 (2)
The RAF make their presence known over 21.Panzer. As the first wing of planes wave off after sighting a Flak battalion nearby the second dove on their targets unaware of the heavy German flak about to make their own presence known.
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Karl and Otto were sweating. The desert was not the place you wanted to be performing heavy labour. “Bertha says go away British flyboys!”
Otto glanced at his friend “Karl, save your energy for work not shouting at planes”
British Stuart light tanks engaged 2.Panzer regiment but failed to make an impression on the German formations. The Vickers battalion had more luck and managed to destroy the remnants of the Italian AT battalion.
Sidi Rezegh fell to the British but they had learnt their lesson it would seem as they did not engage the waiting Panzers.
On the Egyptian boarder, the Italians lost Halfaya pass and reports indicate armour is moving against Sollum.
Major Weiss saw the opening. British armour had attacked and come off worse in the exchange. “This is what the General anticipated, the British have over extended in attack. Now it is our turn”
The remaining British armour near Bir El Gubi was routed in a swift counter attack.
Colonel Rossi ignored the commands coming from Major Weiss. “He is only a Major and I am a Colonel. I want to retake that airstrip as it is imperative our planes have somewhere to operate from.”
With the skies above his head clear, Generalmajor Fischer launched his first counter attack. The most forward British tanks were unable to stand against his Panzers and their well trained crews.
Pferdmann smiled at his friend's report. The first British attack had been all but stopped and Sidi Rezegh was back in German hands.
Flak battalions assigned to protect 21.Panzer did their work with precision.
5.Panzer regiment linked up with the divisions infantry in the assembly zone ready to strike south. 22.Panzer regiment deployed to watch the open desert between the Afika Korps two divisions.
So the Matildas are already doing the job I hoped they would. Gaining surrenders without killing loads! The two units they captured weren't particularity expensive but I wont get to 9000p by holding out only for full strength expensive units to be in a position for me to capture. Every little bit I can gobble up I will.
Likewise I smashed the first Crusader unit in the objective rather than encircle to capture because 1) There's likely to be more British units behind them and I couldn't see a safe way to isolate both tanks and protect my troops and 2) I'm still on a time limit. I can't afford to dally to long!
A bit of luck with the British seizing the two western most objectives is handy - I can take the shackles off of 1.Panzer now and they can go ham in pushing forward.
