About This File
On mid-November 1941, six months had passed since Rommel's Afrika Korps and the Italian Army of Libya had driven back the Western Desert Force to Marmarica, secured positions at Sollum and Halfaya, surrounded and besieged the port of Tobruk. All of the Allied ill-planned counter-attacks against Rommel's strong positions so far had failed. Yet, though scarcely and expensively supplied by sea, the Tobruk Fortress still stood fast, fixing enemy forces and denying this strategic supply port to the Axis. Now Rommel was ready to deliver a heavy and, he hoped, decisive blow against Tobruk by November 20. Therefore, he had ordered his subordinates to ignore all of the deceptive maneuvers the British could attempt against his Eastern positions in order to disorganize the assault.
Unfortunately for Rommel, it was a major offensive that Cunningham's Eighth Army was actually planning, named 'Crusader' after the new cruiser tank model just delivered on the Desert front - both the tank and the offensive crystallizing great hopes. While the XIII Corps was to threaten and locally outflank the main enemy positions at Sollum and Halfaya, the XXX Corps, with 7th Armoured Division as a spearhead, was to advance deeply into Rommel's rear lines and seek a decisive battle in the open against the outnumbered Panzers. The flanking maneuver began on November 16, and when the 7th Armoured Division stroke the Italian division 'Ariete' on November 18 at Bir-el-Gubi, Rommel didn't understand at once that he was to lead a major and decisive battle.
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Welcome to the first of my first two campaigns designed for TK games – actually, for a marvellous free add-on for TK games. A 'Gazala 1942' campaign shall indeed be uploaded very soon. So please forgive some possible mistakes and omissions, due to sometimes scarce or conflicting sources. I need your indulgence, and possibly, if wanting to share, your informations and sources to amend my database for my other projects.
Almost all of the required planes and objects are provided already in the excellent Wings over Africa mod, except an Italian skin for Stuka. Fortunately, Wrench has designed an adequate model which is available for downloading at Combatace. Also, my own Soft targets for WoA will be required. All of the links are included in the ReadMe file. Some modified files are provided, allowing some Italian units to fly the Fiat G-50 in campaign with adequate markings, and giving higher hosting allowance to several airfields in order for them to manage the large number of units posted as historically as possible on the start line of the offensive (accurate details in the ReadMe file). A French translation of the campaign texts, as well as a handful of new counters are also included. Now time to take off and fight for Tobruk!