Gazala 1942, a campaign for WoA

May 1942. Rommel's successful counter-offensive, following the retreat of Autumn 1941, had regained most of Cyrenaica by February. But since, the Axis forces had been blocked before the Gazala Line: a deep minefield running through the desert from Gazala to Bir Hacheim, stippled with fortified "boxes", and supported by mobile armoured reserves. Having received enough supplies, Rommel now planned to brutally unfreeze the situation. 'Operation Venezia' implied a daring flanking move South: while the Italian X and XXI Corps were tasked to fix the Allied attention North, around Gazala, the Afrika Korps and the Italian XX mobile Corps would outflank the fortified "box" of Bir Hacheim, and face the British tank reserves in the open, far away from the minefields cover, where the supposed superior range of German guns should give a decisive advantage to the Axis forces.

The frontal attack on Gazala was launched in the afternoon of May 26. The flanking move began that same night. In the morning of May 27, the Axis tanks overran one brigade, surprised while isolated in the open, and drove back two others. The Afrika Korps kept the momentum, heading Northeast, while behind it, the Italian armoured division 'Ariete' was tasked to capture Bir Hacheim and secure the supply lines.

Here is my second campaign for Wings over Africa, the free add-on by The Dev A-Team re-enacting the War over the most legendary battlefields of North Africa. All of the required planes and objects are provided already, except my own Soft targets for WoA whose download will be required (link included in the ReadMe file). One single modified file is provided additionally, giving higher hosting allowance to several airfields in order for them to manage the large number of units crowded as historically as possible on both parts of the Gazala Line (accurate details in the ReadMe file). This file is actually the same that the one enclosed with my former campaign Crusader 1941, so is compatible with both campaigns, and doesn't spoil the other campaigns by The Dev A-Team. A French translation of the campaign texts, as well as a handful of new counters are also included. Now choose your side, and protect or break open the gate to Egypt!