One More Thrust - The Matrix Games version of West Front

Cuscia Hill (Point 187), 35km WSW of Tobruk, Libya: [Best played as Axis] For almost three weeks Axis and Commonwealth divisions pounded at one another in the open desert between the Gazala Line and El Adem, west of Tobruk. Recovery and repair efforts on both sides had been remarkable, returning hundreds of damaged tanks to the battered armored formations. However, by June 14th the Afrika Korps had broken out of "The Cauldron" and taken control of the battlefield, outnumbering the British more than two to one in armor. With XXX Corps' infantry divisions in danger of being stranded in their fortified boxes, General Gott ordered the Gazala fortifications evacuated. Rommel recognized at once the opportunity to cutoff the retreat of the Commonwealth formations and directed both panzer divisions to drive north through remnants of the 22nd Armoured Brigade and a string of strongpoints southwest of Acroma. Nearly exhausted after weeks of thrust and counter-thrust, Colonel Crasemann, of the 15th Panzer Division, led his kampfgruppe in one more thrust north from Rigel Ridge to seize Point 187 on Cuscia Hill from Lt. Colonel Knight's entrenched 1st Worcestershire Battalion.