Now or Never more - The Matrix Games version of West Front

Rommel, after his success in the Gazala battle, immediately attacked the 8th Army position and attempted yet another breaking of the El Alamein defences in a final thrust at his goal, Alexandria. Informed by ULTRA that "The Desert Fox" attacked, Montgomery was able to deduce that the attack should be from the south and an outflanking maneuver would be attempted. Rommel attacked with the 21th Pz Div, 15th Pz Div and 90th Light Div the Alam El Halfa Ridge about 40 kilometers to the southeast of El Alamein and the Eighth Army fought the hardest of the African corps. Although most historical attention has focused on the two swirling battles of El Alamein that anchor this period, it was the four-day battle of Alam el Halfa, which came between them, that finally exhausted Rommel's strength and set the British firmly on the road to victory. Distinguishing this battle was deep defensive areas -- marked by minefields, wire, and strong. The British plan was to hold the northern area as strongly as possibly while inviting and then threatening from the flanks an enemy advance along the southern corridor. Montgomery had increasing the number of artillery pieces allocated to the southern flank from 50 to 250 guns. For almost two days the Germans persevered under heavy artillery and air attack while the British closed in with additional armor, attacking Rommel's right flank and sealing off the possibility of advance to the northeast or east. The British choice of ground and unit dispositions facilitated their use of air power; while British ground troops boxed Rommel's units, British air attacks inflicted heavy losses on his tank columns and he was unable to dent the defenses of the Alam Halfa position when he reached it. Accordingly on 2 September he began to withdraw, fighting off a flank attack by the 2nd New Zealand Division. The Germans were thus able to retreat to their starting point -- although at great cost.