#411119_01 Surprise at Bir el-Gubi - North Africa 1941

Bir el-Gubi, south of Tobruk: November 19th, 1941. (Scenario Size: Division-. Head to Head or British Human vs AI) The British 8th Army launched Operation Crusader on November 18th, hoping to draw the German Afrika Korps into battle with their concentrated armor. Rommel, focused on his attack on Tobruk scheduled in the near future, believed the move was a feint to draw his units away from the Tobruk. He ignored the British Commonwealth movements. As a result, the British changed their plan and sent their armor brigades in different directions. The 22nd Armored Brigade Group was sent west to defeat the Italians holding Bir el-Gubi, threatening their western flank as they pushed toward Tobruk. This led to a clash in the desert, with the British having little infantry and artillery support against the Italian Ariete division. The British forces are inexperienced and new to the desert, while the Italians have implemented some reforms in reaction to their earlier disasters in the desert.