Enter Rommel

[Dog Soldier]

Axis turn one.
06:00 AM March 31, 1941
Normal Conditions
Visibility 3km.


Axis first turn.

Recon element s of 200 Infantry regiment bumped into the British obtaining water at Bir Sueicher.
Lieutenant Gruber was as surprised as the British. Gruber’s orders were to occupy the nearby oasis of Bir Sueicher in the opening moves of the first German offensive in the desert. Since arriving at Tripoli, Gruber had nothing but boring marches to the front and constant maintenance on his machines. “This dust gets into everything”, complained the company mechanics. Gruber had to admit they were right; it was even in the food.
Quickly the following Italian motorized infantry came up. They sealed the northern exits from the oasis. Further German units sealed off the southern exits. The surprised British had only enough time to race back into their armored cars as the first spray of machine gun fire came from the advancing German scout cars. The British took some hasty shots at the Italians as they raced in their trucks to their blocking positions and dismounted. No casualties resulted from this fire.

Fifth Light Division
General Striech had told Major Dossler, “Move fast, hit hard, and move fast again." Speed is our best weapon in this open country.” The tank crews were excited about this offensive. Everything seemed to be true from intelligence. The British did not expect such an aggressive move from the Afrika Korps. They were not all assembled yet. Columns were still moving up from Tripoli. Rommel wants to give the British an inferiority complex with this attack. The first target was some British Bren carriers who were sitting on a hill watching the coast road. The Major’s orders were to surround them and take their unit out. It was not to be allowed for them to spot for the British air or artillery. The tankers were too keyed up and all three units fired at the same time instead of staggering their fire and waiting for the assault orders. There were seven smashed Bren carries. Thanks to the panzer jagers of the 605 who obeyed orders and held fire until the assault was ordered. The panzer jagers were now mixed up on the hill top with the surviving and stunned British. Major Dossler knew it only took one British officer with his wits still about him to call in the air strike or artillery fire that was now soon to come. Dossler gave the order to disperse and surround the survivors of the assault then finish them off. This was not what he had hoped for.