#411119_02 Skirmish at Gabr Saleh - North Africa 1941

Gabr Saleh, southeast of Tobruk: November 19th, 1941. (Scenario Size: Regiment. Head to Head or Axis 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 4th Armored Brigade was left to protect the Gabr Saleh area and the western flank of the infantry forces pushing toward the Axis fortified positions near the Mediterranean coast. This lone brigade was then further split up with 2 of 3 tank regiments off to the northeast supporting armored cars chasing after some German recon elements. Meanwhile, Rommel finally ordered a Kampfgruppe from the 21. Panzer-Division to probe the Gabr Saleh area to get a better idea of the situation southeast of Tobruk.