FINLAND

NORWAY

SWEDEN
North Sea

DENMARK Baltic Sea

IRELAND

GREAT
THE Warsaw
BRITAIN NETHERLANDS Berlin
The Hague
Od POL A
London er

BELGIUM GERMANY stu

la
Vi

Rhi
Dieppe Brussels

ne
Atlantic Prague
Ocean
SLOVAKIA
Paris
HU
Sei
e n

Vienna
Loire Budapest

FR ANCE SWITZERLAND

Po Belgra

YUGOSLAVIA

ITALY
CORSICA
Rome
ALBA
SPAIN

SARDINIA

SICILY
GIBRALTAR
Tunis
Algiers
Oran
SPANISH MALTA Medite
Casablanca MOROCCO
ALGERIA Kasserine
Pass

FRENCH
MOROCCO
TUNISIA Tripoli

LIBYA
0 Miles 500 1000
0 KM 500 1000 1500
 Leningrad

KE Y
Germany and
Occupied Territories
Moscow SOVIET UNION
Countries in association
Rzhev with Germany

Allied Countries

Volg
a
Neutral Countries

Do
Kursk n
Minsk Smolensk
Voronezh Stalingrad
Dn
iepe

AND
r

Kiev
Rostov Caspian
Sea

CAUCASUS OIL
FIELDS

Odessa
UNGARY

Black Sea
ROMANIA
Bucharest

ade Danube

BULGARIA IRAN

TURKEY
ANIA

GREECE SYRIA IRAQ

Athens

CYPRUS

CRETE
erranean sea

PALESTINE
TRANS-
JORDAN
SAUDI
Gazala ARABIA
Tobruk Alexandria

Halfaya Pass El Alamein

EGYPT
Alam
el Halfa

El Agheila
 Written by: Phil Yates
Editors: Peter Simunovich, John-Paul Brisigotti
Graphic Design: Casey Davies
Assistant Writers: James Brown, Andrew Haught, Mitchell Landrum, Luke Melia, Jonathan Peace, Nigel Slater, Chris Townley
Assistant Graphic Design: Sean Goodison, Morgan Cannon
Miniatures Design: Evan Allen, Tim Adcock, Will Jayne, Bob Naismith, Charles Woods
Miniatures Painting: Aaron Te Hira-Mathie
Cover Art: Vincent Wai
Internal Art: Warren Mahy
Web Support: Charlie Roberts, Luke Glover
Proof Readers: David Adlam, Austin Cheverton, Tom Culpepper, Alan Graham, Mark Goddard, Mitchell Landrum, Luke
Parsonage, Stephen Smith, Duncan Stradling
Playtest Groups: 290 Bunker (Carl Bellatti), Atlantic Canadian Testers (Ryan Sullivan), Armia Poznań (Bartosz Smarsz),
Battleground Club Rostov-on-Don (Alexander Ilyn), Cavalieri dell-Esagono (Eis Annavini), Dad’s Army
(Gavin Van Rossum), El Tunel (Jose Angel Graña Collazo), Flames Of War Regina Rifles (Lance Mathew),
La Brigada de Madrid (Jorge Sancho), Maus Haus (Daniel Wilson), Octopus & Friends (Michal Jozwiak),
Russians (Ilya Semenov), The Dynamic Duo (Mark Goddard), Wargames Association of Reading (Ian Brook)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means
without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is
published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

© Copyright Battlefront Miniatures Ltd., 2018. ISBN: 9780995104211

The Armoured Fist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
British Special Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
War in the Desert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The Battle of Gazala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
First Battle of El Alamein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Second Battle of El Alamein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Race for Tunis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Battle for Longstop Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Know Your Tanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Armoured Fist Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
7th ‘Desert Rats’ Armoured Division . . . . . . 22
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Sherman Armoured Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Sherman Armoured Squadron HQ . . . . . . . . . 26
Sherman Armoured Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Royal Scots Greys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Grant Armoured Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Grant Armoured Squadron HQ . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Grant Armoured Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
County of London Yeomanry . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Crusader Armoured Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Crusader Armoured Squadron HQ . . . . . . . . . 34
Crusader II Armoured Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Crusader II & III Armoured Troop . . . . . . . . . 35
8th Hussars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Honey Armoured Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Honey Armoured Squadron HQ . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Honey Armoured Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
6th ‘Mailed Fist’ Armoured Division . . . . . . . 40
Death or Glory Boys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Death or Glory Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Valentine III Death or Glory Squadron HQ . . 44
Crusader CS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Lee Death or Glory Squadron HQ . . . . . . . . . 44
Valentine III Death or Glory Troop . . . . . . . . . 45
Crusader III Death or Glory Troop . . . . . . . . . 45
78th ‘Battleaxe’ Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
North Irish Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Churchill Armoured Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Churchill III Armoured Squadron HQ . . . . . . 50
Churchill CS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Churchill III Armoured Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
40TH (The King’s) RTR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Valentine Armoured Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Valentine II Armoured Squadron HQ . . . . . . . 54
Valentine II Armoured Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Valentine II & VIII Armoured Troop . . . . . . . . 55
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders . . . . . . . 56
Rifle Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Rifle Company HQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Rifle Platoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
3-inch Mortar Platoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
6 pdr Anti-tank Platoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Vickers MMG Platoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Universal Carrier Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
The Rifle Brigade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Motor Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Motor Company HQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Motor Platoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
3-inch Mortar Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Support Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Hurricane Tank-Busting Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Kittyhawk Fighter-Bomber Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Priest Field Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
25 pdr Field Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Honey OP Observation Post . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
17/25 pdr Anti-tank Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Humber Armoured Car Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Bofors Light AA Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Daimler Armoured Car Troop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Painting Desert British . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Desert Armour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
British Service Colour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Tank Markings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
British Infantry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Aircraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Basing Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
1
 Our mandate from the Prime Minister is to destroy the Axis forces in North Africa. It can be done, and it will be done,
beyond any possibility of doubt. —Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (‘Monty’)

The North African desert is a harsh and forbidding place. Arid rocky wastes are interspersed with patches of soft sand,
where the only vegetation is scattered clumps of desert thorn bushes. Roads are few and poor. In the vast swathes of
arid, trackless waste, navigation is often no easier than on a ship at sea, far out of the sight of land. All supplies must
be carried to the front by long, straggling supply columns, which are constantly hounded by air attacks. Fuel is always
scarce, and even water is a precious resource. It is a brutal environment where only the toughest and most resourceful
can survive, let alone fight.

With the Operation Torch landings in Morocco, Algeria,
and Tunisia just days after the decisive British victory at El
Alamein, the fighting spread across North Africa from one
side to the other. The British and American armies have the
Germans and Italians trapped between the two fronts, and
are now squeezing the vice closed. The rich oil fields of the
Middle East and the strategically vital Suez Canal are safe,
and soon the Mediterranean Sea will be in Allied hands too.
The British Eighth Army in Egypt have fought long and
hard, being defeated by and defeating the Axis forces in turn.
They have developed a reputation for dash and flair, and a
distinct disregard for dress standards. By comparison, the
First Army in Tunisia is fresh from years of hard training in
Britain, with the latest equipment and weaponry.
The British Army has two distinct classes of tanks, the
cruisers of the armoured divisions and the infantry tanks
supporting the infantry divisions. The tactics of the armoured
regiments in the desert embodied the chivalrous traditions
of the original cavalry regiments, as they charge headlong
into battle like country gentleman riding on a hunt. The
fast, lightly-armoured Crusader and Honey tanks can run
circles around their slower opposition. With the arrival of
the American-built Grant and Sherman heavy tanks, they
can now sit back and blow the enemy away with their big
75mm guns. Either on their own or in support of the light
squadrons, the Grants and Shermans are a fearsome sight for
the German panzers.
The tank battalions supporting the infantry are far more
methodical. Their slow, well-armoured tanks encourage a
more plodding approach, steadily rolling forward crushing
all opposition. The latest Churchill tank epitomises this
approach, even being capable of shrugging off a hit from a
German ‘88’.
The smaller, cheaper Valentine tank spans the gap between
the cruiser tanks and the infantry tanks. It has the thick
armour of its infantry tank ancestry, but served mainly with
the armoured regiments, both in Egypt and Tunisia, fighting
enemy tanks and supporting infantry in equal measure.
The infantry in their distinctive khaki drill uniform of short
sleeves and baggy shorts symbolise the tough practicality
of these hardened desert veterans. On the attack, their job
is to beat a path through the enemy minefields and anti-
tank defences for the tanks to exploit. In defence, they
will steadfastly cling to their patch of desert, digging in
and fighting off the enemy with pluck and determination.
They can call on mortars and Vickers machine-guns to halt
the enemy infantry, and their 6-pounder anti-tank guns to
knock out any Axis tank.
For artillery cover, the Desert Rats have the excellent
25-pounder and the new self-propelled Priest. These provide
outstanding fire support, knocking out the German 88mm
anti-tank guns at long range before they can do their deadly
work, then eliminating enemy machine-gun positions as the
infantry close. When things get truly desperate, they can be
called on to bolster the anti-tank guns, knocking out German
panzers with direct fire. Finally, the dauntless aviators of the
RAF's Desert Air Force attack the Afrika Korps anywhere, at
any time, making sure they can never feel safe.
Are you ready to get stuck in to the enemy with courage,
dash and a bit of old-fashioned British stiff upper lip? If
you want to command a highly-mobile army featuring a
generous supply of fast tanks, then grab your riding crop
and a hot cup of tea and join the cavalry — Tally Ho! If
you prefer proper preparation and tactics to wild charging
about ‘up in the blue’, then the infantry are just what you
are looking for. Advance behind the artillery barrage into the
enemy positions with fixed bayonets. Remember, they don’t
like it up ‘em!

2
 The following special rules are characteristic of British forces,
reflecting their own style of equipment, tactics, and approach to battle.
ARMOURED FIST
The British Army is battered after years of hard fighting,
but there is still a lot of fight left in them.
TANKS
FIGHT ANOTHER DAY
The Eighth Army has been pushed back and forth across the
deserts of North Africa more times than they care to count. They
still have the stomach for a hard fight, but if the casualties get
too high, they will withdraw until they can restart the fight from
a more favourable position.
Troops that Fight Another Day have a worse Last Stand rating.
INFANTRY TANK
The heavy infantry tanks have heavy armour along with side
skirts to protect their vulnerable tracks. Their crews are trained
to lead the infantry into and through the enemy defences, and
know that they have little to fear from either infantry or guns.
Infantry Tanks have a better Counterattack rating.
SECONDARY WEAPON
The Grant has a hull-mounted 75mm gun and a secondary turret
with a 37mm gun, while the Churchill CS (Close-Support) has
a hull-mounted 3-inch howitzer and a turret-mounted 2 pdr
gun. While both of a tank’s guns can be fired at the same time,
the commander can only assist the gunner of the main gun to
find targets, leaving the other gunner to his own devices.
A Tank may fire its Secondary Weapon at ROF 1 at the
same time as its main gun. If they do this, the Secondary
Weapon suffers a +1 penalty to hit. Each weapon may fire at
a different target.
If the Tank fires an Artillery Bombardment, only weapons
firing an Artillery Bombardment can fire.
TALLY HO
Armed with guns that struggle to penetrate the enemy armour,
and protected by only light armour themselves, the Crusader,
Valentine, and Honey tanks of the light squadrons are no match
for the German panzers in a toe-to-toe slugging match. Instead,
they charge straight in close, where short-range fire can threaten
the enemy’s weaker side armour. This direct style is effective, but
does not allow for much tactical subtlety.
Tanks with Tally Ho have a faster Tactical Speed
at the cost of a worse Tactics rating.
INFANTRY
BULLDOG
British infantry are extremely tenacious. They don't like to quit
a fight once their blood is up, and once they have fought to
capture ground, they won't willingly give it up.
Troops with Bulldog have a better Counterattack rating.
DEADLY
Long-range fire can be very deadly, and is excellent at suppressing
infantry forces, but often the decisive action is an old-fashioned
bayonet charge. British infantry don’t shy away from a hand-
to-hand fight. Their training includes ample bayonet drill, and
they always have a plentiful supply of Mills Bomb fragmentation
hand grenades.
Deadly troops have a better Assault rating.
NIGHT ATTACK
The desert lacked natural cover, so British infantry developed
techniques for attacking under cover of darkness. This took a lot
of planning, so was only useful when the enemy was defending
fixed positions.
If a Force with Night Attack is the attacker in a mission
where the defender has Minefields, the player may attack at
night. If they do so, Night Fighting rules (see page 113 of
the rulebook) are in effect at the start of the game.
British Units from Formations with Night Attack can move
freely from the start of the game. Friendly Units from
other Formations or Support may not move out of their
Deployment Area until morning breaks.
ARTILLERY
MIKE TARGET
The Royal Artillery have learned the value of concentrating their
artillery fire. Different orders indicate the size of the bombard-
ment. A ‘Mike target’ order calls for the fire of a full regiment of
artillery, with 24 guns.
When a Spotting Team successfully Ranges In an Artillery
Unit with Mike Target, they may immediately roll to Range
In another Artillery Unit. If successful, the second Artillery
Unit is treated as Ranging In on the same attempt as the first.
3
 S OV I E T
UN I O N
NORWAY ESTONIA
SWEDEN
LATVIA Moscow

LITHUANIA
North Sea
DENMARK
Minsk
Kursk
G R E AT
POLAND Kharkov
B R I TA I N Berlin Warsaw
NETHERLANDS
London Kiev

Dunkirk
G E R M A N Y
BELGIUM

Paris SLOVAKIA
CRIMEA

F R A N C E HUNGARY Sevastopol
SWITZERLAND ROMANIA
Black Sea

YUGOSLAVIA
VICHY FRANCE
BULGARIA

I TA LY
SPAIN CORSICA Rome ALBANIA
TURKEY

SARDINIA GREECE

SICILY

Algiers Tunis CRETE

Oran
TUNISIA Mediterranean Sea

ALGERIA Kasserine
Pass
MOROCCO
Tripoli Gazala Mersa Alexandria
Tobruk Matruh
0 500 Benghazi El Alamein
Km
500 Buerat Beda Fomm
M L I BYA EG Y P T
El Agheila
Western Front Eastern Front North African Theatre Pacific Theatre
1939 1 9 4 0
1 September 6 October 9 April - 10 June 10 May 9 December
Germany Poland Germany invades Germany invades the Operation Compass. British
invades Poland Surrenders Denmark and Norway Nether­lands, Belgium and France push Italians back into Libya

3 September 13 March 27 May - 5 June 13 September

France and Britain Winter War ends. British and French evacuate Italy invades Egypt
declare war on Germany Finland cedes territory over 300,000 troops at Dunkirk
10 July - 31 October
17 September 30 November 28 May The Battle of Britain
Soviet Union Winter War begins. Belgium surrenders
invades Poland Soviet Union invades Finland, 22 June
but is stopped cold France surrenders

4
 On 10 June 1940 the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini,
known as Il Duce, declared war on Great Britain and
France. He had dreams of a new Roman Empire, which he
would start by kicking the British out of North Africa. In
September, Marshal Rodolfo Graziani led a 250,000-strong
army out of the Italian colony of Libya into British-held
Egypt. The Italian Tenth Army, lacking motorised transport,
advanced slowly at the pace of their marching infantry.
The British and Commonwealth defenders, the 30,000-
strong Western Desert Force under General Sir Archibald
Rostov Wavell, were heavily outnumbered and equipped with
outdated equipment. They were, however, well trained and
determined. Wavell conducted a fighting retreat, his tanks
continually harassing and delaying the advancing Italians.
Graziani stopped to wait for reinforcements and supplies at
Sidi Barrani, less than a quarter of the way to Alexandria,
Britain’s general headquarters in Africa. There, the Italians
dug in, building a series of fortified camps.
When Wavell launched a counteroffensive on 9 December
1940, code-named Operation Compass, its success surprised
both the Italians and the British. Wavell’s more mobile forces
were able to pick off the dispersed Italian positions one by
one. Then, what was planned as a five-day raid turned into a
general advance, pushing the Italians right back into Libya.
The triumphant British captured Bardia and Tobruk before
making an ambitious thrust through the desert, cutting off
the retreating Italians at Beda Fomm, and wiping out the
Tenth Army. The British suffered fewer than 2000 casualties
in Operation Compass, while Italy lost over 130,000 men
killed or captured in a campaign lasting two months.
The British advance halted at El Agheila, unable to continue
further due to vehicle breakdowns, exhaustion and the long
supply line from their base in Egypt. Thinking the Italians
beaten, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill redeployed
several of the best divisions from Africa to Greece, to help
defend against the expected German attack there.
However, a new factor was about to enter the desert war.
After the embarrassing defeat of his Italian allies, Hitler
was reluctantly forced to either send help or risk facing
British domination of the Mediterranean. So, in February
1941, a brilliant commander, Generalmajor Erwin Rommel,
was sent to Africa at the head of the newly formed
Deutsches Afrika Korps. With two panzer divisions and
motorised support, the Afrika Korps was a small, highly-
mobile force.
1 9 4 1
7 February 6 - 30 April
Operation Compass ends Axis invasion of
with the destruction of the Yugoslavia and Greece
Italian Army at Beda Fomm
30 April - 1 May
12 February Rommel assaults Tobruk
Rommel arrives
in Libya 4 March
British and Commonwealth
22 January forces diverted to Greece
Australians
take Tobruk 24 March
Rommel attacks in Libya
Rommel immediately launched a daring offensive, catching
the weakened British off guard. They were driven back from
El Agheila in disarray. The German forces swept onward,
recapturing Benghazi. In just 12 days, Rommel reversed
the tide of the campaign and drove the British back out of
Libya, apart from the 9th Australian Division and assorted
other troops left behind in the port of Tobruk, denying the
Axis a vital Mediterranean supply port. The besieged ‘Rats
of Tobruk’ steadfastly resisted everything the Germans and
Italians threw at them. They could not break out and escape,
but the need to keep them contained made it much harder
for Rommel to press his advantage.
The British made two attempts to relieve Tobruk. In May,
Operation Brevity recaptured the Halfaya Pass, but the
British were thrown back again later the same day. In June,
Operation Battleaxe aimed to encircle the Germans, but the
Afrika Korps’ effective use of mobile tank tactics and anti-
tank guns—especially the dual-role 88mm gun—repelled
the attack with heavy losses. Having failed to lift the siege
of Tobruk, Wavell was replaced by General Sir Claude
Auchinleck.
Thanks to information received from the Ultra programme,
Auchinleck knew Rommel planned to launch a massive
attack on Tobruk in November 1941, and made plans to
pre-empt him with his own offensive. Reinforced and
re-supplied, the newly designated Eighth Army now had
over 400 tanks, including the speedy new Crusader and the
American-built M3 Stuart (which the British nicknamed
the ‘Honey’). Auchinleck launched Operation Crusader on
18 November, taking the Germans by surprise.
The plan was for the 7th Armoured Division to destroy the
Axis panzer force while the infantry pushed through and
linked up with the Tobruk defenders. The plan started to
unravel when the British tanks were outfought by the Afrika
Korps at Sidi Rezegh. But the British fought grimly on
and eventually, after days of chaotic fighting, Rommel was
forced to withdraw. The Tobruk garrison was finally able to
break out, joining up with advancing New Zealand troops.
Meanwhile, the South Africans re-captured Bardia and
Sollum on the Libyan border.
Once again, the Axis front line was pushed back to
El Agheila. Operation Crusader proved that the Afrika Korps
could be beaten, but the Eighth Army had suffered much
heavier casualties than their foes.
19 November - 30 December 2 December
Operation Crusader: British push German troops come within
Germans and Italians back to sight of the Kremlin in Moscow
El Agheila in Libya
5 December
8 Sept German offensive halted
Siege of Leningrad Soviet counter-offensive
begins begins
22 June 7 December
Operation Barbarossa: Japanese bomb US fleet
German invasion of
Soviet Union begins
in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
5
 After advancing 800km (500 miles) to El Agheila, it was again the Eighth Army’s turn to
struggle with the challenges of an overextended supply line. They also overestimated the
losses inflicted on the Germans by Operation Crusader. So when Rommel unexpectedly
launched Operation Theseus on 21 January 1942, the tired British were caught off guard
and driven back. The Axis forces, now designated Panzer Armee Afrika, recaptured
Benghazi on 28 January.
By 6 February, the Axis advance had been halted and the front line had been stabilised
at Gazala, as both sides settled in to rebuild their strength. The British Gazala Line was
composed of isolated defensive ‘boxes’ spread out across the desert, each containing a
single brigade defending behind wire, linked by deep minefields. Auchinleck would soon
learn, as the Italians had before him, that this tactic did not suit the fluid nature of mobile
warfare in the desert. The line stretched 80km (50 miles) from Gazala on the coast, to an
old Ottoman fortress at Bir Hakeim, which was held by the 1st Free French Brigade.
On 27 May 1942, Rommel struck again. After a heavy artillery bombardment,
the Italian infantry attacked to the north along the narrow coastal road,
exactly where the British expected the main attack to come.
15 INFANTRY BRIGADE

SABRATHA GAZALA
DIVISION
3 SOUTH AFRICAN BRIGADE

TRENTO S o l a
DIVISION
2 SOUTH AFRICAN BRIGADE
r o E s c a
r p m
e n t TOBRUK
1 SOUTH AFRICAN BRIGADE
BRESCIA
DIVISION
Acroma
To b
PAVIA
DIVISION 151 BRIGADE ruk
Def
enc
69 BRIGADE es

20 GUARDS MOTOR BRIGADE

Knightsbridge
El Adem
150 BRIGADE
Belhamed
2 ARMOURED BRIGADE El Duda
TRIESTE
DIVISION The Cauldron 22 ARMOURED BRIGADE Sidi Rezegh
ARIETE
DIVISION

21ST PANZER
DIVISION

15TH PANZER
DIVISION

90TH LIGHT 4 ARMOURED BRIGADE

AFRICA DIVISION Bir Hakeim
1 FREE FRENCH BRIGADE

Bir el Gubi
7 MOTOR BRIGADE

Retma

0 5

5
10 15

10
20
Km
15 20
L I B Y A
M

North African Theatre

1 9 4 2
6 February 26 May 29 May 10 June
German advance The Battle of Italians clear path through 1st Free French Brigade forced
halted at Gazala Gazala begins minefields to supply Afrika Korps to retreat from Bir Hakeim box

21 January 27 May 30 May 11 June

Operation Theseus: Germans Italian Ariete Division Rommel pulls the Afrika Korps Axis forces begin offensive
advance from El Agheila besieges 1st Free French into a defensive position in from the ‘Cauldron’
Brigade at Bir Hakeim ‘the Cauldron’
28 January 5 June
Axis forces Operation Aberdeen: British counterattack fails due
recapture Benghazi to miscommunication and mismanagement

6
With characteristic cunning, Rommel sent the bulk of his
armoured force south through the supposedly impassable
desert, hooking around the southern end of the British
line at Bir Hakeim. The speed of the German advance
caught the Desert Rats off guard and their scattered
brigades found themselves fighting in isolated pockets.
Rommel constantly visited the front lines wherever the
fighting was fiercest, personally directing operations and
inspiring his troops.
Counting on a quick victory, the attacking panzer units
only had enough fuel, food and water for four days.
But the Eighth Army was not defeated yet. Determined
British counter-attacks from 29 to 31 May put the Axis
back on the defensive. Rommel pulled his forces back
into a defensive position that would become known as
‘the Cauldron’, using the Allies’ own minefields to protect
his rear. The French valiantly hung on in Bir Hakeim,
disrupting Rommel’s supply line from the south.
Although the Italians were able to clear a narrow path
to them through the mines, the Afrika Korps’ supply
situation remained desperate. But while the Germans
were at their most vulnerable, the British command
hesitated.
BARDIA
KEY
GERMAN German
UNIT Movement
Rommel wasted no time, throwing his full force against
the 150th Brigade box. After determined resistance, the
defenders were eventually worn down and forced to
surrender, splitting the Gazala Line and finally giving
Rommel a clear line of supply.
A major British counterattack on 5 June, Operation
Aberdeen, was badly coordinated. The initial artillery
bombardment fell in the wrong place, leaving the German
anti-tank defences unharmed. The advancing British
tanks were mauled by expertly placed 88’s, leaving their
infantry exposed without armoured support. The British
suffered heavy casualties—10,000 killed or captured,
along with 100 tanks and 120 guns. Rommel was once
again free to throw everything he had at the remaining
pockets of resistance.
The battered French in Bir Hakeim were finally beaten
on 10 June. Many were able to withdraw under cover
of darkness and rendezvous with 7th Motor Brigade.
With Bir Hakeim finally eliminated, Rommel launched
an all-out armoured assault towards El Adem. On
12 June the 201st Guards Brigade was pushed out of the
Knightsbridge box. The Afrika Korps demonstrated a
superiority in tactics, combining tanks with anti-tank
guns while on the offensive. The retreating British were
pushed back so quickly that they were forced to leave
damaged tanks behind. So many tanks were lost on
13 June alone that it became known as ‘Black Saturday’.
The remaining British armour fell back towards Tobruk,
and the Gazala Line was effectively cut off, leaving its
remaining defenders no choice but to break out and flee.
Auchinleck ordered that Tobruk must be defended at
all costs, but by 17 June it was clear that nothing could
prevent it from being besieged once again. The British
finally withdrew and retreated back across the border
into Egypt. With cunning and determination, Rommel
had won a crushing victory against superior numbers.
Notified that Hitler had promoted him to field marshal,
he wrote to his wife, ‘I would much rather he had sent me
one more division.’

ITALIAN Italian
UNIT Movement Sollum

BRITISH British
UNIT Movement Buqbuq

FRENCH British
UNIT Defences

Roads

12 June 14 June 20 June 26 June

The 29 Indian Infantry Brigade
th
repels attack on El Adem box
13 June
‘Black Saturday’: British suffer
major losses. Germans capture
Knightsbridge
Auchinleck authorises Ritchie to
withdraw from the Gazala Line
16 June
Germans attack Acroma
and El Adem
17 June
Germans surround Tobruk.
British retreat to Mersa Matruh
German assault on Tobruk begins
21 June
Tobruk garrison surrenders
22 June
Rommel promoted to
General­feldmarschall.
Auchinleck offers to resign
German assault on Mersa
Matruh begins
27 June
Mersa Matruh garrison ordered
to break out
28-29 June
Mersa Matruh garrison
break out with heavy losses

7
 Auchinleck ordered his forces to fall back to defensive
positions at Mersa Matruh, where he hoped to stop the Axis
advance. The garrison at Tobruk was left to hold on behind
the Axis lines, threatening their communication and supply
lines as it had in 1941. This time, though, the neglected
Tobruk defences had fallen into disrepair, and within days
the defending 2nd South African Division was forced to
surrender.
Halfway to Alexandria lay Mersa Matruh, a fortified port
town, much like a smaller Tobruk. A single-track railway
terminated there, running through El Alamein to Alexandria.
Having learned the limitations of fixed defensive positions,
Auchinleck planned to fight a mobile defensive battle,
determined to avoid having his forces encircled and captured.
Even so, due to poor communication and co-ordination, the
British were decisively outmanoeuvred. Rommel captured
Mersa Matruh along with 6000 prisoners and a large haul of
supplies and equipment, but his main goal of destroying the
Eighth Army had narrowly escaped him.
The Eighth Army turned and made a last stand at El
Alamein, a nondescript railway station on the coast only
60 miles from Alexandria. The British had recognised it as a
strong natural defensive position and started to hastily build
a fortified line, laying wire and mines. Unlike the Gazala
Line, the flanks were secure. The right flank was the sea, and
the left flank was the Qattara Depression, a huge, deeply
sunken area of salt marshes totally impassible to vehicles. A
strong defensive ‘box’ had been prepared at El Alamein, and
weaker ones at Bab el Qattara and Naq Abu Dweis, on the
edge of the depression. But most of the ‘line’ still consisted
of open desert. Auchinleck planned for the fortified boxes
to split up the attack formations, allowing mobile units to
attack their flanks and rear.
The first German units reached the El Alamein line on 30 June
1942. Rommel’s forces were exhausted by weeks of constant
combat without rest. The supplies captured at Tobruk were
helpful, but water and ammunition were still in short supply.
Most of their transport vehicles were out of service, and they
were only still moving thanks to captured British vehicles.
His panzer units were down to only 55 operational tanks,
against the British tank strength of 179. Nevertheless, it was
now or never for Rommel. He knew that the British position
would only get stronger if he didn’t attack immediately.
Panzer Armee Afrika’s attack began in the pre-dawn darkness
of 1 July. Everything in the first day’s fighting went in
the Eighth Army’s favour. The German 90th Light Africa
North African Theatre
1 9 4 2
1 July 3 July
German attack begins, and is largely repulsed. Ariete Division attack
Afrika Korps capture Deir el Shein, losing 18 tanks Ruweisat Ridge from the south
2 July 9 July
‘Ash Wednesday’: in a panic, British General Littorio Division captures now-
Staff in Cairo burn confidential documents abandoned Bab el Qattara box
30 June
Germans arrive at El Alamein Line.
Their first attack is delayed due to supply problems
8
Division found themselves pinned down by the South
African artillery firing from the El Alamein box. The 15th and
21st Panzer Divisions were held up all day by determined
resistance from 18 Indian Brigade and the 1st Armoured
Division at Deir el Shein.
The British were finally learning to match Rommel’s mobile
tactics. The majority of their strength was divided into
mobile brigade groups supported by tanks, as well as the
powerful new 6 pdr anti-tank gun, which could penetrate
the armour of any of the German panzers. By the end of the
first day, the Afrika Korps had only 37 tanks left operational.
Nevertheless, the British General Staff in Cairo were in a
panic, burning confidential documents on 2 July.
Although the British were on the defensive, they spent
as much time counterattacking as defending. Wherever
possible, Auchinleck tried to strike against the Italians,
whose morale was lower than the Germans but whose
numbers were critical to holding the Axis line. Much of the
bitterest fighting was concentrated on the Ruweisat Ridge, a
low stony rise that provided a commanding view for many
miles across the surrounding desert. The fierce combat was
messy and confusing, and would drag on almost until the
end of July. Both armies were at the limit of exhaustion,
grimly staying in the fight but too weak to deliver a final
knock-out blow.
By 21 July, Rommel was reduced to 26 active tanks and had
switched to the defensive. The Eighth Army was not in much
better shape, and was in no position to make a determined
counterattack. By 27 July, the First Battle of El Alamein
had ended in a stalemate. The Axis push towards Alexandria
had been stopped, but it had cost both sides dearly in men
and materiel.
Early in August, Prime Minister Churchill personally visited
the front lines for five days. Determined to end the Eighth
Army’s string of defeats, he sacked General Auchinleck and
replaced him with the energetic Lieutenant General Bernard
Law Montgomery. ‘Monty’ brought a renewed sense of
purpose to his battered but determined forces. Within two
weeks, he had eradicated any thought of further retreat and
prepared a solid defence against Rommel’s next attack.
Monty mounted a carefully planned and executed defensive
battle at Alam El Halfa, keeping his armour under tight
control. Skilfully placed in hull-down positions, with
concentrated support from massed anti-tank guns and
artillery, the British tank regiments decimated the attacking
panzers and halted Rommel’s last-ditch attack in its tracks.
10th July 12stJuly
9 Australian Division 21 Panzer Division
captures Tel el Eisa ridge counterattacks at Tel el Eisa
10 July 13 July
1st South African Division 21st Panzer Division again fails
captures Tel el Makh Khad to capture El Alamein box
 Tel el Eisa
Tel el Makh Khad
90TH LIGHT
21 PANZER
ST
AFRICA DIVISION
DIVISION

M
it
R e EL ALAMEIN
15 PANZER
TH

DIVISION
id ir 1ST SOUTH
g iy AFRICAN DIVISION 9TH AUSTRALIAN
e a DIVISION

4 ARMOURED BRIGADE
De
ir
el
Ab ARIETE
DIVISION
ya Deir e 23 ARMOURED BRIGADE
d l S
he
18 INDIAN BRIGADE
in

ge
21ST PANZER
DIVISION
El Mreir Ruwe
isat
1ST ARMOURED
DIVISION Rid
Ridge lfa
Ha
el
la
m KEY
A GERMAN German
UNIT Movement

5TH INDIAN
Bab el Qattara DIVISION ITALIAN Italian
UNIT Movement
6 NEW ZEALAND
yil
m Na
BRIGADE

Ala BRITISH British

Movement
Deir el Muhafid UNIT

British
Defences

LITTORIO
DIVISION Railway
Deir el Munassib
2nd NEW ZEALAND Roads
DIVISION
Jebel Kalakh
Ra
gil
Depr
ession
7 ARMOURED
th

DIVISION

Naq Abu Dweis

9 INDIAN BRIGADE

E G Y P T
Qaret el Himeimat
Qat 0 10
tara Km
Depression 10
M

14-17 July 22th July 13 August 1 September

2 New Zealand Division is mauled
nd
5 Indian Division and Montgomery takes command German attacks on
attacking Ruweisat Ridge when 2nd New Zealand Division attack along of the Eighth Army Alam El Halfa fail
British tank support fails to arrive Ruweisat Ridge and at El Mreir
30 August 2 September
16 July 26th July Battle of Alam el Rommel orders withdrawal
Australians, supported by British tanks, 9 Australian Division and 1 South
st
Halfa begins from Alam El Halfa salient
fail to retake Tel el Eisa, suffering heavy African Division make an abortive
casualties attack against Miteiriya Ridge 5 September
Battle of Alam El Halfa ends:
18 July 27 July Axis forces return to start line
Light tanks of 7 Armoured Division
th
First Battle of El Alamein ends
attacks Axis southern flank

9
 Again, both sides dug in and rebuilt their strength.
Montgomery was under pressure to launch an attack as soon
as possible—before the planned Operation Torch landings
in November at the latest. The Eighth Army spent six weeks
resupplying and rigorously training, each unit carefully
rehearsing their part of the upcoming attack. Under the
lend-lease programme, President Roosevelt ordered every
spare tank to be sent to North Africa. By the start of the
battle, Eighth Army had over 1000 tanks, almost double the
armoured strength of Panzer Armee Afrika.
The Second Battle of El Alamein began on the evening of
23 October. It started with a heavy artillery bombardment
all along the line, with almost a thousand guns pounding the
German and Italian front lines for half an hour. At zero-hour,
10pm, the attack began. The artillery bombardment did not
cease, but instead crept back across the deeper defences,
advancing ahead of the attacking infantry—a perfecting of
the rolling barrage tactic developed in the First World War.
The Axis defences stretched back up to 7km (4.5miles) behind
their front lines. The British plan was to attack with infantry,
forcing narrow corridors through the deep Axis minefields,
then progressively widening the breach by ‘crumbling’ the
defences on either side. When the German armoured reserve
came to the aid of the defenders, the British tanks would be
ready to pounce, destroying the outnumbered panzers and
breaking out behind enemy lines.
The main thrust would be against the north of the line,
with four divisions pushing forward towards Tel el Eisa
and Miteiriya Ridge. Simultaneous diversionary attacks
were launched by the Indians at Ruweisat Ridge and the
7th Armoured Division, supported by the Free French
Brigade, at Qaret el Himeimat in the south, aimed at keeping
some of the Axis reinforcements away from the main attack.
For several days, the Eighth Army failed to make significant
headway. The first, lightly-held, Axis defensive line collapsed
quickly, and the infantry were mostly able to push forward
to their objectives as planned. However, while the British
fought to ‘crumble’ the successive lines of Axis defences
with artillery and localised infantry attacks, their armour
repeatedly failed to push through the minefields and anti-
tank guns to open ground, where they would be free to
manoeuvre.
The British persevered, launching attack after attack in the
north, forcing Panzer Armee Afrika into a battle of attrition.
They began to push a large ‘bulge’ into the Axis line, centred
around a low geographical feature known as ‘Kidney Ridge’.
Rommel kept up a spirited mobile defence, carefully
committing his dwindling panzers wherever they were most
needed. A strong Axis counterattack was stopped just south
of Kidney Ridge at a position codenamed Outpost Snipe,
with two days of desperate defence by the 2nd Battalion of the
Rifle Brigade, which destroyed over 50 armoured vehicles at
close range with their 6 pdrs.
As the infantry attacks kept up the pressure and continued
to crumble the defences, Montgomery began assembling a
strong armoured reserve behind the front line, preparing for
one last big push, which he hoped would ‘hit Rommel for
six, right out of Africa’.
This final attack, Operation Supercharge, was launched
on 2 November. Again, an overwhelming artillery barrage
preceded an attack by the motorised infantry. This time the
attackers succeeded in blasting a hole in the exhausted Axis
lines, and the next day 1 Armoured Division pushed forward
8km (5 miles) to the Tel El Aqqaqir ridge. There it smashed
the last German counterattack. Within days, Rommel
ordered a retreat.
Following the pattern of the previous two years, the pursuit
quickly pushed Rommel out of Egypt and retook Tobruk.
Halting at El Agheila, Rommel received new tanks, but Allied
landings in Morocco and Algeria drew away most of the
planned replacements to Tunisia. After a month’s preparation
at Tobruk, Montgomery attacked again, outflanking the El
Agheila position and taking the British forces further west
than they had managed in their two previous offensives.
Evading the trap, Rommel broke away, retiring to another
defensive position astride the Wadi Zem Zem at Buerat.
Despite a lengthy supply line, Montgomery’s preparations
paid off and Buerat fell to another ‘left hook’ through the
difficult going of the Wadi Zem Zem. Once again Rommel
retreated, abandoning the port of Tripoli, and took up
positions along the Mareth Line, the old French fortifications
along the Tunisian border. Following up, Montgomery halted
and regrouped, bringing up supplies for the next stage.
El Alamein eradicated the myth of Rommel’s invincibility,
and it established Montgomery’s reputation as a smart,
adaptable commander, and a master of the meticulously
planned set-piece battle. Churchill finally had the victory he
had been waiting for, assuring the British public, ‘This is not
the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is,
perhaps, the end of the beginning.’

Eighth Army First Army Western Front

21 September
Exhausted and sick after two
years of war, Rommel returns
to Germany for medical leave
23 October
Operation Lightfoot:
Second Battle of El Alamein begins
1 9 4 2
24 October
General Stumme, commanding in
Rommel’s absence, dies of a heart
attack while visiting the front lines
25 October
British begin to ‘crumble’
defences, clearing paths
through the minefields
25 October
Major tank battle at Kidney Ridge
25 October
Rommel returns to Africa
and resumes command
1 November
Axis are almost out of fuel,
and have been reduced to
90 operational tanks
28-29 October
9th Australian Division attacks on the
coast, suffers heavy casualties from
an Axis counter-attack
2 November
Operation Supercharge:
British break through Axis defences
4 November
Axis lines at El Alamein broken
Italian rearguard defeated

10
 90TH LIGHT
AFRICA DIVISION

15TH PANZER
DIVISION

LITTORIO
DIVISION
TRENTO
DIVISION 9th AUSTRALIAN
DIVISION
164 LIGHT
TH

AFRICA DIVISION Tel el Eisa

51st (HIGHLAND)
DIVISION

Kidney Ridge
Tel el Aqqaqir 2nd NEW ZEALAND
DIVISION
M
it
R eir EL ALAMEIN
id i 1st SOUTH AFRICAN
ge ya DIVISION
1st ARMOURED
DIVISION

BOLOGNA
Deir el Abyad DIVISION

Deir el Shein 10th ARMOURED

DIVISION

4th INDIAN
RAMKE BRIGADE DIVISION
ge
Rid
lfa
El Mreir Ridge Ha
BRESCIA
DIVISION Ruweisat el
m
la
A
KEY
50 INFANTRY
th
GERMAN German
DIVISION UNIT Movement

21ST PANZER
DIVISION
Bab el Qattara ITALIAN Italian
UNIT Movement
yil
m Na
Ala BRITISH British
Movement
UNIT
ARIETE
DIVISION FRENCH
Deir el Muhafid UNIT Minefields

44th INFANTRY Railway

Deir el Munassib DIVISION

FOLGORE
DIVISION Roads
Jebel Kalakh
Ra
gil
Depr
ession
7th ARMOURED
DIVISION
Naq Abu Dweis
E G Y P T

Qaret el Himeimat
Qat 1 FREE FRENCH BRIGADE
tara
Depression 0 10
Km
10
M

8 November
Operation Torch:
Allied First Army lands
in Morocco and Algeria
9 November
German forces occupy Tunis
10 November
Vichy French forces in Algeria
agree to a ceasefire
1 9 4 2
11 November 20 November 10 December
Operation Anton: Eighth Army recaptures Benghazi First Army front line pushed
German and Italian armies back to defensive positions
occupy Vichy France 26 November east of Medjez el Bab
Allied advance is halted at Tebourba
11 November 12 December
New Zealand infantry 27 November Battle of El Agheila: Axis
capture Halfaya Pass French fleet is scuttled at Toulon forces pushed out of Egypt
to avoid capture by German forces
13 November 22-25 December
Eighth Army recaptures 29 November - 4 December Battle of Longstop Hill: failed
Tobruk German counterattack pushes offensive toward Tebourba
Allies back to Tebourba

11
 EASTERN BIZERTE
TASK FORCE Mateur
Bône Tebourba
TUNIS
ALGIERS Medjez el Bab
Bougie
Bou Arada
Souk el Arba
Enfidaville
Sousse

ALGERIA Thala Sbiba

TÉBESSA
Kasserine Faïd
Sidi Bou Zid
Sbeitla
SFAX
0 50 100 150
Km GAFSA
50 100 150
M
El Guettar

Wadi Akarit GABÈS

On 8 November 1942, just days after the victory at El
Alamein, a combined British-American force landed on the
coasts of French Morocco and Algeria in Operation Torch.
The Western Task Force landed around Casablanca on the
Atlantic coast of Morocco, the Centre Task Force landed at
Oran in Western Algeria, and the Eastern Task Force landed
on beaches to either side of Algiers. Many of the defending
Vichy French troops put up little resistance, and the Allied
infantry quickly pushed inland and surrounded the city,
which surrendered that evening.
The American General Eisenhower, in charge of Operation
Torch, negotiated a ceasefire with the French who, spurred
on by the German occupation of Vichy France, changed
sides on 11 November. With Algeria secure, the Eastern
Task Force, now officially designated as the British First
Army (even though it included American and French troops
as well) was given the task of making its way east with all
possible haste and seizing the Tunisian capital of Tunis.
However, the Germans were not going to let Tunisia go
without a fight. Immediately the Allies landed, the Germans
began ferrying troops into Tunis, including their brand-
new Tiger tanks. The French forces in Tunis reluctantly
allowed this as the Germans were still nominally their allies.
Unable to stop the Germans landing, they took up defensive
positions in the surrounding hills before joining the Allies.
The British 78th Division was the first to enter Tunisia,
advancing on three routes. 36 Infantry Brigade’s advance
was along the northern route through Mateur to Bizerte,
while 11 Infantry Brigade (supported by parts of Combat
Command B of the US 1st Armoured Division) took the
Eighth Army First Army Western Front
1 9 4 3
14-24 January 23 January
Casablanca Conference: Roosevelt, British capture Tripoli
Churchill and Free French leaders
plan next phase of Allied strategy 30 January
in Europe Germans capture Faïd Pass,
opening the way to western
13-21 January Tunisia
British fight three battles at
Bou Arada 4 February
Eighth Army reaches
Tunisian border
Mareth Line
TUNISIA EIGH TH
ARMY
southern route through Medjez el Bab and Tebourba
towards Tunis. Blade Force (a battalion of British tanks from
the 6th ‘Mailed Fist’ Armoured Division and another of US
light tanks) travelled cross-country between the two.
Blade Force got closest to the objective, raiding a German
airfield at Djedeida just 9 km (6 miles) from Tunis on
25 November. Unfortunately the main body was held up by
German and Italian forces west of the Chouigui Pass, then
counterattacked by the newly arrived German 10th Panzer
Division the next day. Vigorous German counterattacks
at Djefna in the north and Tebourba in the south halted
the infantry brigades there as well. On 1 December, the
Germans launched their own offensive, and despite the
arrival of 1 (Guards) Brigade and the rest of Combat
Command B, as well as rains that turned the roads to muddy
quagmires, pushed the Allied forces back to Medjez el Bab
by 4 December. Another week’s hard fighting failed to gain
further ground and the offensive was called off.
On 22 December, First Army launched another offensive
aimed at retaking Longstop Hill near Medjez el Bab. The
newly-arrived US 18th Infantry Regiment (from their
1st Infantry Division) and the Guards Brigade initially took
the ridge, but lost it again in heavy fighting over the next few
days. The ‘nutcracker campaign’, to crush the Axis between
two unstoppable Allied armies and drive them out of North
Africa, was not going to be as easy as the Allies had hoped.
14 February 18 February
Germans advance from Faïd Pass German reconnaissance arrives at
and defeat US at Sidi Bou Zid Kasserine
15 February 18th February
Germans smash US 6 Armoured Division arrives
counterattack at Sidi Bou at Sbiba and Thala
Zid, advancing to Sbeitla

12
 The jockeying for position continued through the winter,
with the next major offensive being the German attack
on the French forces holding the pass at Pont du Fahs
on 18 January 1943. The British 6th Armoured Division
moved south to Bou Arada, halting the German offensive
and capturing a Tiger tank. Further German offensives
later in the month took the rest of the passes through
the eastern mountains, including Faïd Pass in the south.
With the Eighth Army reaching the Tunisian southern
border on 4 February, the Germans were surrounded and
increasingly outnumbered. Their solution was typical —
attack! Their offensive, using all available German and
Italian armoured troops, began on 14 February,
quickly defeating US forces at Sidi
Bou Zid and Sbeitla in the
south of Tunisia.
With the American forces falling back in disarray, the
6th Armoured Division rushed south to take over the
defence of Sbiba and Thala. The attack on Sbiba by
the German 21st Panzer Division was quickly defeated.
However, the American defenders of Kasserine Pass fell
to the next phase of the German attack, and the defenders
of Thala faced a tough fight.
Advancing through Kasserine Pass, the Germans split
their force with 10th Panzer Division going north to
face their old foe. A staunch defence by the British force
at Thala and Combat Command B in front of Tébessa
finally halted the advance, and the overstretched
German and Italian forces withdrew back to
their starting positions.
BIZERTE

Sedjenane

Djefna BARENTHIN
Mateur PARACHUTE
36 BRIGADE REGIMENT

Djebel Aboid

Chouigui
Hunt’s Gap

Djedeida
Tebourba 10TH PANZER
BLADE DIVISION
FORCE TUNIS

Beja 0 5 10
11 BRIGADE
Km
COMBAT 5 10
COMMAND B M
18 INFANTRY
KEY
TH

REGIMENT
Longstop Hill
GERMAN German
UNIT Movement
1 (GUARDS)
BRIGADE Medjez el Bab US
US
UNIT Movement

BRITISH British
UNIT Movement

FRENCH French
UNIT Movement
10 PANZER
TH

DIVISION
Roads
6TH ARMOURED TUNIS
DIVISION DIVISION
Pont du Fahs
Bou Arada Railway

1 9 4 3
19 February 21 February 23 February 25 February - 5 March
6th Armoured Division 6th Armoured Division halts Lacking enough mobile forces to British defeat German attack
defeats 21st Panzer 10th Panzer Division at Thala overwhelm the defence, Rommel at Hunts Gap
Division at Sbiba calls off the attack; Axis forces retreat
21 February through Kasserine Pass 6 March
19 February US forces halt Italian-German Battle of Medenine: Eighth
German attack at Kasserine advance on Tébessa 25 February Army defeat German spoiling
Pass begins Allies reoccupy Kasserine Pass attack in southern Tunisia

20 February
US retreat from Kasserine Pass

13
 Believing that the British had weakened their northern flank
to reinforce the defences around Kasserine, the Germans
launched an offensive against Mateur and Medjez el Bab
on 25 February 1943. In the north, around Sedjenane, the
British 46th Division was outflanked, and after hard fighting,
pushed back to Djebel Aboid.
Attacking south from Mateur towards Bou Arada with the
majority of the available tanks of 10th Panzer Division and the
Tiger tanks of 501st Heavy Tank Battalion, a second German
force pushed another brigade from 46th Division back to
Hunt’s Gap. There they ran into a killing ground of artillery
and air attacks, before being counterattacked and pushed
back with heavy casualties.
Around Bou Arada, the third part of the German offensive
hit the 78th Division and the improvised Y Division (based
around 38 (Irish) Brigade, reinforced by paratroopers and
some Churchill tanks) holding the ground previously held
by the 6th Armoured Division. This scratch force was pushed
back about 10 km (6 miles) before being further reinforced
with 1 (Guards) Brigade and a regiment of US infantry. This
strengthened force counterattacked at Steamroller Farm where
the Churchill tanks showed their worth with the German
commander ascribing his retreat to a ‘mad tank battalion
which had scaled impossible heights’.
With their offensives through Kasserine Pass and towards Beja
halted, the Germans attempted one last, desperate offensive
in early March. The Eighth Army was gathering in front of
the Mareth Line, ready to attack the Tunisian positions from
the south, so the Italian-German forces in front of them
launched a spoiling attack at Medenine on 6 March, hoping
to delay the inevitable British attack. Unfortunately for the
Axis forces, the British knew of their planned attack thanks to
their intelligence network, and were waiting. By nightfall the
offensive was already over with the loss of many Italian and
German tanks.
The Eighth Army’s offensive began on schedule on 19 March,
but proved unable to breach the Mareth Line. It was only the
outflanking move by the New Zealand Division a week later
that finally broke the Axis defence. The Germans and Italians
then withdrew to Wadi Akarit, holding this position until
6 April. The Italians and Germans held a parallel American
offensive at El Guettar and Kairouan up even longer, only
retiring when outflanked by the Eighth Army breaking
through the Wadi Akarit position.
Despite the 6th Armoured Division breaking through
Fondouk Pass in an attempt to cut them off, the retreating
Axis forces reached their next defensive position at Enfidaville
on 12 April, halting the Allied advance.
Eighth Army First Army
1 9 4 3
17 March 23 March
US forces occupy Gafsa and US forces halt German
El Guettar counterattacks at El Guettar
19 March 26 March
Operation Pugilist: Eighth Army Operation Supercharge II:
begins attacking Mareth Line Eighth Army outflank Mareth
Line through Tebaga Gap
21 March
New Zealand Corps seizes 27 March
entrance to Tebaga Gap US force fail to break
through Fondouk Pass
14
The British 5th and 9th Corps launched their own offensive
in the north on 28 March, and by the middle of April they
had recovered most of the ground lost to the Germans earlier
in the month. This cleared the way for the planned final
offensive to take Tunis.
With the Eight Army taking over the southern Tunisian front,
the US 2nd Corps moved to the very north of the line, facing
Mateur and Bizerte, allowing the British Corps to concentrate
around Medjez el Bab.
The Allied offensive opened on 18 April with the Eighth
Army’s attacks against Enfidaville. Ferocious resistance by the
Italian defenders halted the attack well short of a breakthrough
after nearly two weeks of heavy fighting.
Meanwhile, knowing that First Army’s offensive would soon
follow, the German Hermann Göring Division launched
another spoiling attack towards Medjez el Bab on 20 April, but
once again, this ran into a solid defence and was stopped cold.
The First Army’s offensive began on schedule two days later
on 22 April. The 5th Corps facing 15th Panzer Division and the
Hermann Göring Division had a tough fight. One of the key
positions to be overcome was Longstop Hill. 78th Division’s
attack went in on 22 April, supported by plentiful artillery
and the Churchill tanks of the North Irish Horse. After five
days fighting, the infantry took both of the peaks of Longstop
Hill, opening the route forward towards Tebourba, although
German resistance remained stubborn.
Further south, the 46th Division around Bou Arada had
an easier time, breaking through the southern flank of the
Hermann Göring Division after a day and a half ’s heavy
fighting. The 1st and 6th Armoured Divisions were thrown
through the gap, advancing as far as Djebel Kournine before
running into the 10th Panzer Division whose stout defence
halted their advance.
Between these two attacks, the 1st and 4th Divisions faced ridges
similar to Longstop Hill. These were tenaciously defended,
and took until the end of the month to clear. Although the
British and US offensives had all been halted, they had taken
the hills that formed the main German defence line across the
whole First Army front, setting the stage for another offensive.
Leaving the rest of the Eight Army to a secondary role for
the remainder of the campaign, the 1st and 7th Armoured
Divisions and 4th (Indian) Division were transferred to First
Army in early May, reinforcing First Army’s final offensive
which began on 6 May. This time the depleted and exhausted
German and Italian defenders were quickly overcome and the
three British and one US armoured divisions finally found
themselves free to race for Tunis and Bizerte. A week later, the
campaign in Tunisia was finally over.
28 March - 7 April 30 March - 6 April
British forces recapture ground Americans attack at El Guettar
lost at Hunts Gap
6 April
29 March Eighth Army breaks German
New Zealand Corps captures Gabès, position at Wadi Akarit
Axis retreat to Wadi Akarit
 0 5 10 15
Km
5 10 15
M
KEY
BIZERTE GERMAN German
UNIT Movement
9TH
INFANTRY
DIVISION
ITALIAN Italian
UNIT Movement

US US
UNIT Movement
DIVISION VON
MANTEUFFEL BRITISH British
UNIT Movement
1ST ARMOURED
Djefna DIVISION FRENCH French
Mateur UNIT Movement

2ND
CORPS Roads

1ST ARMOURED
DIVISION Railway

Hunt’s Gap Chouigui

334TH INFANTRY
DIVISION
34TH INFANTRY Carthage
DIVISION Djedeida
Tebourba
1ST INFANTRY
DIVISION
TUNIS
7TH ARMOURED
DIVISION

15TH PANZER
DIVISION Hamman Lif
n
Bosula
4TH INDIAN
6TH ARMOURED DIVISION
DIVISION p n
Caeni
4TH INDIAN
DIVISION
P
Longstop Hill 4TH DIVISION
78TH DIVISION

Medjez el Bab HERMANN

GÖRING
1ST DIVISION DIVISION
1ST ARMOURED
5TH 4TH DIVISION
10TH PANZER
DIVISION

CORPS DIVISION

Djebel Kournine
46TH DIVISION
Steamroller Farm Pont du Fahs
Bou Arada
9TH
CORPS

AFRIKA KORPS 21ST 20TH

BATTLEGROUP CORPS
CORPS

56TH DIVISION

7TH ARMOURED
DIVISION 4TH INDIAN Enfidaville
DIVISION
2ND NZ DIVISION

19TH 10TH
CORPS
CORPS

7 April 10 April 22 - 27 April 6 May

Eighth Army and First Army link up 6th Armoured Division
captures Kairouan
8th- 9 April
6 Armoured Division breaks 10 April
through Fondouk Pass Eighth Army captures Sfax
12 April
Eighth Army captures Sousse
British breakthrough at Bou Operation Vulcan, final Allied
Arada and Longstop Hill halted offensive, launched
by German counterattacks
7 May
23 April - 1 May British armour enters Tunis,
US forces attack captures Mateur Americans enter Bizerte
13 May
Axis Powers surrender
in Tunisia

15
 The Desert Rats employed a variety of armoured vehicles, from their own speedy Crusader cruisers to the tough
Churchill and Valentine infantry tanks and the American-built Sherman, Grant, and Honey tanks.

The British developed the concept of a cruiser tank to act as fast mechanised cavalry vehicles, in contrast to their slow and
heavily-armoured infantry tanks, which operate closely with infantry. The most numerous British cruiser tank in the Desert
War was the Crusader, which entered service in 1941. This first model had an auxiliary machine-gun turret in front of the
hull. This was quickly discarded, and slightly thicker armour was added.

CRUSADER II
The Crusader's 2 pdr gun was effective against the lightly-armoured Italian Crew (4): Commander, gunner,
tanks, but when the German panzers arrived it was a different story. The loader, driver
Crusader crews would have to use speed and manoeuvre to survive against the Weight: 19.1 tonnes
larger guns of the panzers. Length: 5.97m (19’ 7")
Width: 2.77m (9' 1")
Height: 2.24m (7' 4")
Weapons: QF 2 pdr (40mm) gun
7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: 22 - 30mm +18mm
Speed: 42 km/h (26 mph)
Engine: Nuffield Liberty V12
250 kW (340 hp)

CRUSADER II CS
Making up for the 2 pdr's lack of HE (high explosive) ammunition, the Crew (4): Commander, gunner,
Crusader II CS (Close Support) tank carried a 3-inch (76.2mm) howitzer loader, driver
which could fire high-explosive shells as well as smoke. The Crusader II CS has Weight: 19.1 tonnes
a shorter, thicker gun barrel than the Crusader II, otherwise they are visually Length: 5.97m (19’ 7")
Width: 2.77m (9' 1")
identical.
Height: 2.24m (7' 4")
Weapons: QF 3-inch (76mm) howitzer
7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: 22 - 30mm +18mm
Speed: 42 km/h (26 mph)
Engine: Nuffield Liberty V12
250 kW (340 hp)

CRUSADER III
The Crusader III entered service in time for the Second Battle of El Alamein. Crew (3): Commander/loader,
It was up-gunned with the powerful new 6 pdr gun, which packed a decent gunner, driver
punch. The larger gun, along with ammunition storage and extra ventilation Weight: 20 tonnes
for the gun fumes, didn't leave enough space in the turret for three men, so Length: 5.97m (19’ 7")
Width: 2.77m (9' 1")
the commander also had to act as the loader.
Height: 2.24m (7' 4")
Weapons: QF 6 pdr (57mm) gun
7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: 27 - 35mm +18mm
Speed: 42 km/h (26 mph)
Engine: Nuffield Liberty V12
250 kW (340 hp)

16
The strong industrial base of the United States enabled it to go from having virtually no tanks in 1939 to providing large
numbers of tanks to its Allies by 1942. For the British, these came at a critical time when their own industry was struggling
to replace losses with their own tanks. These well-armed American tanks enabled the British to fight the German panzers on
an equal footing for the first time.

SHERMAN
The M4 Medium Tank, aka the Sherman, is the replacement for the Grant. Crew (5): Commander, gunner, loader,
Even better protected than the Grant, and mounting a new, long-barrelled driver, assistant driver
75mm gun, the Sherman was an instant hit with British crews when it arrived Weight: 30 tonnes
just before the Second Battle of El Alamein. Length: 5.84m (19’ 2")
Width: 2.62m (8’ 7")
Height: 2.74m (9' 0")
Weapons: 75mm Gun M3
.50-cal M2 Browning MG
2x .30-cal Browning MG
Armour: 30-76mm
Speed: 35 km/h (22 mph)
Engine: Continental R975
300kW (400 hp)

GRANT
The M3 Medium Tank, which the British named the Grant, was a strange Crew (6): Commander, turret gunner,
design with its large main gun mounted in the hull, and a smaller secondary driver, turret loader,
gun mounted in a turret. Its crews were very pleased to receive it prior to the hull gunner, hull loader
Gazala battles of May and June 1942. Weight: 27 tonnes
Length: 5.64m (18’ 6")
Despite its ungainly appearance, Width: 2.72m (8' 11")
it was considered superior to Height: 3.12m (10' 3")
any German tank then Weapons: 75mm Gun M2
in service. 37mm Gun M5
Browning .30-cal MG
Armour: 38-51mm
Speed: 42 km/h (26 mph)
Engine: Continental R975 EC2
300kW (400 hp)

HONEY
The speedy M3 Light Tank began the British practice of naming American- Crew (4): Commander, gunner,
supplied tanks after Civil War generals—in this case JEB Stuart. These names driver, assistant driver
were eventually adopted by the US Army as well, but not until after the war. Weight: 15.2 tonnes
Length: 4.84m (15’ 10")
The Stuart was so reliable and Width: 2.23m (7 6")
offered such a smooth ride that its Height: 2.56m (8' 5")
crews almost exclusively knew it as Weapons: 37mm Gun M6
the ‘Honey’ instead. 3x .30-cal Browning MG
Armour: 25-51mm
Speed: 58 km/h (36 mph)
Engine: Continental R670
164 kW (220 hp)

17
 The slow and heavily-armoured infantry tanks were designed to advance under heavy fire, cooperating closely with infantry
to attack enemy trench lines. The small Valentine tank fought in every major battle in the Western Desert and the pursuit to
Tripoli. In Tunisia, it was the heavier Churchill tank that dominated every battle in which it fought.

CHURCHILL III
The Churchill III infantry tank is the most heavily-armoured British tank. Crew (5): Commander, gunner, loader,
Although its suspension looks antiquated, it does a remarkable job of spread- driver, hull MG gunner
ing the vehicle's weight and maintaining traction on any surface, allowing it to Weight: 38.5 tonnes
go almost anywhere. The Churchill III mounts a long-barrelled 6 pdr anti-tank Length: 7.44m (24’ 5")
Width: 3.25m (10' 8")
gun firing high-explosive shells as well as armour piercing rounds.
Height: 2.49m (8' 2")
Weapons: QF 6 pdr (57mm) gun
2 x 7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: 89mm
Speed: 24 km/h (15 mph)
Engine: Bedford opposed twin six
260 kW (350 hp)

CHURCHILL CS
The first model of the Churchill tank mounted a 2 pdr anti-tank gun in a Crew (5): Commander, gunner, loader,
small turret and a 3-inch howitzer in the hull to fire high-explosive and smoke driver, hull MG gunner
ammunition. These CS (Close Support) tanks sit back and fire as artillery. Weight: 38.5 tonnes
Length: 7.44m (24’ 5")
Width: 3.25m (10' 8")
Height: 2.49m (8' 2")
Weapons: QF 2 pdr (40mm) gun
QF 3-inch (76mm) howitzer
7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: 89mm
Speed: 24 km/h (15 mph)
Engine: Bedford opposed twin six
260 kW (350 hp)

DAIMLER ARMOURED CAR Crew (3): Commander/loader,

The Daimler armoured car combined the punch of a cruiser tank with excel- gunner, driver
lent speed and cross-country performance. It became the standard British Weight: 7.6 tonnes
armoured car, replacing almost every other type. Length: 4.00m (13’ 1")
Width: 2.46m (8' 1")
Height: 2.26m (7' 5")
Weapons: QF 2 pdr (40mm) gun
7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: 16mm
Speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)
Engine: Daimler 6-cyl 4.1 litre
70 kW (95 hp)

18
 VALENTINE II
The Valentine was designed as a cheaper replacement for the Matilda. Its a Crew (3): Commander/loader,
little faster and its armour is slightly thinner, but it is armed with the same gunner, driver
2 pdr anti-tank gun. Weight: 17.3 tonnes
Length: 5.42m (17’ 9")
Width: 2.63m (8' 8")
Height: 2.27m (7' 6")
Weapons: QF 2 pdr (40mm) gun
7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: Front 65mm
Side 60mm
Speed: 26 km/h (15 mph)
Engine: AEC 6-cyl diesel
98 kW (131 hp)

VALENTINE III
The Valentine III fixed the one big downside of the Valentine II by fitting a Crew (4): Commander, gunner,
bigger turret allowing the addition of a loader to the crew. loader, driver
Weight: 17.3 tonnes
This required a reduction in side Length: 5.42m (17’ 9")
armour to keep the weight Width: 2.63m (8' 8")
down, but made the tank Height: 2.27m (7' 6")
much more effective. Weapons: QF 2 pdr (40mm) gun
7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: Front 65mm
Side 50mm
Speed: 24 km/h (15 mph)
Engine: AEC 6-cyl diesel
98 kW (131 hp)

VALENTINE VIII
Fitting a 6 pdr gun to the small Valentine tank required some clever thinking. Crew (3): Commander/loader,
The turret crew was reduced back to just the commander and gunner, the gunner, driver
co-axial machine-gun was dropped, and a bulbous new mantlet solved Weight: 17.5 tonnes
the problem. Length: 5.92m (19’ 5")
Width: 2.63m (8' 8")
Height: 2.16m (7' 1")
Weapons: QF 6 pdr (57mm) gun
Armour: Front 65mm
Side 50mm
Speed: 24 km/h (15 mph)
Engine: GMC 6-cyl diesel
98 kW (131 hp)

HUMBER ARMOURED CAR Crew (4): Commander, gunner,

The Humber armoured car was a speedy and reliable wheeled vehicle for radio operator, driver
the light cavalry regiments, who conducted long-range reconnaissance Weight: 5 tonnes
and raided enemy supply columns. Length: 4.60m (15’ 1")
Width: 2.21m (7' 3")
Height: 2.39m (7' 10")
Weapons: 15mm Besa MG
7.92mm Besa MG
Armour: 15mm
Speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)
Engine: Rootes 6-cyl 4.1 litre
67 kW (90 hp)

19
 Rommel's army has been defeated. It has been routed. It has been very largely destroyed
as a fighting force. Now, this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end.
But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.
—British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

ARMOURED FIST FORCE

Your Force must contain at least one Formation, and
may contain as many Formations as you like.

HEAVY TANK CRUISER TANK INFANTRY TANK INFANTRY

FORMATIONS FORMATIONS FORMATIONS FORMATIONS

SHERMAN DEATH OR GLORY CHURCHILL RIFLE

ARMOURED SQUADRON SQUADRON ARMOURED SQUADRON COMPANY
MB131 MB120 OR MB122 MB128 MB133

GRANT CRUSADER VALENTINE MOTOR

ARMOURED SQUADRON ARMOURED SQUADRON ARMOURED SQUADRON COMPANY
MB101 MB103 MB125 MB108

HONEY
ARMOURED SQUADRON
MB106

BRITISH SUPPORT UNITS

You may field one Support Unit from each box.

ARTILLERY ARTILLERY RECONNAISSANCE RECONNAISSANCE

25 PDR 25 PDR DAIMLER ARMOURED DAIMLER ARMOURED

FIELD TROOP FIELD TROOP CAR TROOP CAR TROOP
MB116 MB116 MB136 MB136

PRIEST PRIEST HUMBER ARMOURED HUMBER ARMOURED

FIELD TROOP FIELD TROOP CAR TROOP CAR TROOP
MB137 MB137 MB115 MB115

UNIVERSAL UNIVERSAL
CARRIER PATROL CARRIER PATROL
MB113 MB113
ARTILLERY OBSERVER

25 PDR HONEY OP
FIELD TROOP OBSERVATION POST
MB116 MB117

PRIEST
FIELD TROOP
MB137

20
The British fielded two main types of division: armoured Combined with plentiful artillery and a preference for going
divisions and infantry divisions. The armoured divisions in with the bayonet, the combination of riflemen and infan-
were expected to race around fighting enemy armoured try tanks can be well-nigh unstoppable.
divisions and exploit breakthroughs to pursue and destroy As the British gained experience, the
the enemy. For this role they were equipped with lots of fast armoured and infantry divisions
cruiser tanks and big-gunned heavy tanks. Initially their started looking more and more
infantry consisted of a few 'motor' battalions, small mobile alike. For the Second Battle
formations that combined a few infantry with lots of guns. of El Alamein, the number
These were expected to hold the ground taken by the tanks of tank regiments (a bat-
and provide them with a safe place to rearm and refuel at the talion-strength forma-
end of the day. tion in British parlance)
The infantry divisions were expected to hold ground, and in an armoured division
to take it as well. Their core was the rifle battalion, a large was halved and a brigade
formation with four companies of infantry (the extra com- from an infantry divi-
pany allowed them to keep up the pressure when a normal sion was added.
battalion would have exhausted itself ), backed by plenty of Regardless of which type
anti-tank guns, machine-guns, and mortars, along with a of division you prefer,
dozen lightly-armoured Universal Carriers for scouting and both are hard-hitting forces
flank protection. well supported by artillery and
Oddly enough, an infantry division launching an attack usu- air power.
ally had just as many tanks as an armoured division, in the
form of a brigade of well-armoured infantry support tanks.

ANTI-TANK ANTI-TANK ANTI-AIRCRAFT AIRCRAFT

6 PDR 17/25 PDR BOFORS HURRICANE

ANTI-TANK PLATOON ANTI-TANK TROOP LIGHT AA TROOP TANK-BUSTING FLIGHT
MB110 MB114 MB118 MB119

KITTYHAWK
FIGHTER-BOMBER FLIGHT
MB138

FORMATION SUPPORT ALLIED SUPPORT WILDCARD

You may field compulsory
Combat Units (with a black box)
from the above Formations as
Support Units.
?
You may field one compulsory
Unit from a US Formation as
Support and one US Formation
as an Allied Formation.

21
 To us is given the honour of striking a blow for freedom which will live in history, and in the
better days that lie ahead men will speak with pride of our doings.
—Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (‘Monty’)
The 7th Armoured Division, which would become
one of the most famous formations in
the Second World War, was formed in
1938 as the Mobile Division in response
to mounting Italian aggression in
Africa. It began with three Hussar
regiments fielding light tanks. The
division's first commander, Major-
General Percy Hobart, nicknamed
them the ‘Desert Rats’ after the jerboa
which is also their insignia.
In February 1940, the Mobile Division
became 7th Armoured Division. It was at
the forefront of Operation Compass, which
drove the Italian Tenth Army out of Egypt.
When Rommel's Afrika Korps attacked in April
1941, the Desert Rats were busy refitting, but were quickly
back in the fight, taking part in Operations Brevity and
Battleaxe, attempting to lift the Siege of Tobruk.
7th Armoured Division was then reinforced in preparation
for Operation Crusader. 22 Armoured Brigade was added,
comprising three Yeomanry regiments armed with Crusader
tanks, bringing the Division up to a strength of three
brigades. Operation Crusader saw some of the most deadly
fighting of the desert campaign. 7th Armoured Division was
badly battered by the Afrika Korps in the fighting around
Sidi Rezegh, but was still able to fight on until the successful
though costly conclusion of the offensive.
22
When Rommel counterattacked once more,
7th Armoured was again refitting, and didn't
get back into action until Gazala, where
they similarly fought hard and well.
Unfortunately, poor co-ordination
between the Army as a whole allowed
the Axis forces to knock it out
piecemeal. The Afrika Korps ad-
vanced so rapidly that 7th Armoured
Division HQ was overrun. General
Messervy was captured, but managed
to escape the next day.
The division was forced to join the
headlong retreat, dubbed the ‘Gazala
Gallop’, as British forces struggled to
maintain cohesion while falling back to the lines
at El Alamein. As the whole Eighth Army began refitting
and training for Monty's carefully planned counteroffensive,
the division played a major role in defeating Rommel's last-
ditch attempt to break the Allied lines at Alam el Halfa.
Once the Second Battle of El Alamein kicked off in October
1942, the 7th Armoured Division participated in the
breakout codenamed Operation Supercharge. With the Axis
forces thrown into full retreat, the division joined the long
pursuit back across Egypt and Libya and into Tunisia. In
early 1943, the Desert Rats took part in the last push to kick
the Axis out of North Africa. On 7 May they entered Tunis,
and by 12 May the war in North Africa was over.
Gentlemen, I know you are all tired, and understandably so, but we still have a job to do. Rommel’s furious that
we stopped him at Alam el Halfa, but he’s not given up quite yet! Tonight we are going to turn that around.
The Italians are dug in here and here, and they are known to have heavy anti-tank guns located somewhere
behind the ridge. As usual, the infantry will lead the assault, the sappers will clear lanes through the Eyetie
minefields. Our tanks will need to be right behind them to help capture the ridge. Traversing the minefield’s
going to be tough, we’re going to have to go through in single file. Hopefully, our gunners can keep the Eyeties
honest and get us clear. Once we’re on the ridge, it is essential to keep Jerry’s 21st Panzer Division busy, as they
will try to head up north and engage our main attack.
If we take the ridge and hold the panzers off, Jerry will be in full retreat and we’ll chase him all the way back to
Tobruk! Any questions? No? Brief your men, dismissed.

7th ARMOURED DIVISION

30 CORPS, EIGHTH ARMY, EL ALAMEIN, OCTOBER 1942
Major-General John Harding

4 ARMOURED BRIGADE 22 ARMOURED BRIGADE 131 (QUEEN’S) DIVISIONAL SUPPORT

(Grant and Honey Tanks) (Grant and Crusader Tanks) INFANTRY BRIGADE

ROYAL SCOTS GREYS 1ST ROYAL TANK 1/5TH BATTALION, 11TH HUSSARS
(p. 28) REGIMENT QUEEN'S ROYAL REGIMENT
(p. 56)

4TH/8THHUSSARS 5TH ROYAL TANK 1/6TH BATTALION, 15TH LIGHT AA REGIMENT,

(p. 36) REGIMENT QUEEN'S ROYAL REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY

2ND DERBYSHIRE 4TH COUNTY OF LONDON 1/7TH BATTALION, 65TH ANTI-TANK REGIMENT,
YEOMANRY YEOMANRY QUEEN'S ROYAL REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY
(p. 32)

1ST BATTALION, 1ST BATTALION, 53RD FIELD REGIMENT,

KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS THE RIFLE BRIGADE ROYAL ARTILLERY
(p. 62)

3RD ROYAL HORSE 4TH & 97TH FIELD REGIMENTS,

ARTILLERY ROYAL ARTILLERY

23
 I must mention the magnificent fight put up by 9th Armoured Brigade — 3rd Hussars, Wiltshire Yeomanry, Warwickshire
Yeomanry… If the British armour owed any debt to the infantry of 8th Army, the debt was paid on November 2nd by
9th Armoured Brigade in heroism and blood…
The Wiltshire Yeomanry was formed in 1797 during the
Napoleonic Wars to keep order in the county while much
of the army was overseas. It gained the 'Royal' honour in
1831 for restoring the established order against agricultural
and industrial protesters, and the title 'Prince of Wales's
Own' for escorting the future King of England through the
Savernake Forest deer park.
When the Boer War broke out, the regular army found itself
in need of more troops, so the yeomanry were asked to send
troops to fight. During the First World War, the regiment
fought on horseback during the advance to the Hindenburg
Line in 1917, before converting to infantry for the remain-
der of the war.
ROYAL WILTSHIRE YEOMANRY,
EL ALAMEIN
9 ARMOURED BRIGADE, 2ND NZ DIVISION, NOVEMBER 1942
Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Sykes
SQUADRON HQ
1 TROOP 2 TROOP 3TROOP
A SQUADRON
1, 2, & 3 Troop with 8 Sherman & 3 Grant tanks
24
—Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (‘Monty’)
With the arrival of the Second World War, the Royal Wiltshire
Yeomanry joined 4 Cavalry Brigade in Palestine, taking part
in operations in Iraq, Syria, and Iran during 1941. Towards
the end of the year, the regiment finally said farewell to their
horses and began the process of converting to tanks. Due
to a shortage of tanks, this process took nearly a year, and
it wasn't until just before the Second Battle of El Alamein
that the brigade (now renamed 9 Armoured Brigade) start-
ed to receive its complement of tanks (10 Shermans for A
Squadron, 13 Crusaders for B Squadron, and 14 Grants for
C Squadron) and train with the New Zealand Division with
which they would fight.
REGIMENTAL HQ
1 Grant & 5 Crusader tanks
SQUADRON HQ
5 TROOP 6 TROOP 7TROOP 8 TROOP 9 TROOP
B SQUADRON
5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 Troop with 18 Crusader tanks
 SHERMAN ARMOURED SQUADRON HEAVY TANK FORMATION

You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

SHERMAN ARMOURED
SQUADRON HQ
MB131

ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR

SHERMAN SHERMAN SHERMAN SHERMAN

ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP
MB132 MB132 MB132 MB132

GRANT GRANT
ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP
MB102 MB102

CRUSADER
ARMOURED TROOP
MB104 OR MB105

HONEY
ARMOURED TROOP
MB107

CHURCHILL III
ARMOURED TROOP
MB130

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

The New Zealand infantry attacked as part of Operation
Lightfoot on the night of 23 October 1942, pushing through
the enemy minefields and capturing their front-line posi-
tions. The regiment went into battle defending the infantry
from counterattacks on the morning of 24 October, having
spent much of the night negotiating gaps in the minefields.
The two heavy squadrons fought hard, but soon began
to take casualties. By midday, they were reduced to one
Sherman and three Grants, with the Crusaders still held in
reserve. That evening, the regiment was ordered to hand all
of their surviving tanks over to the Warwickshire Yeomanry
and retire to re-equip.
SQUADRON HQ
10 TROOP 11 TROOP 12 TROOP
C SQUADRON
10, 11, & 12 Troop with 12 Grant tanks
A week later, the regiment was ready for action again,
equipped with a variety of Shermans, Grants, and Crusaders
collected from the battlefield and repaired. On 2 November,
the regiment reprised its role for Operation Supercharge.
Once again the infantry attacked at night, opening the
way for the tanks. Dawn found the Crusader-equipped
B Squadron exiting the minefields in the face of intense
German anti-tank fire. Without hesitation, the Squadron
charged, overrunning the German positions, to make space
for the rest of the regiment to deploy.
Once again, the Wiltshires and the rest of 9 Armoured
Brigade spent the day fighting off enemy counterattacks
and praying for the armoured divisions to come forward
and relieve the pressure. When they finally withdrew late in
the day, the Wiltshire Yeomanry once again took just four
tanks with them, giving truth to Montgomery's answer to
Brigadier John Currie when he pointed out that he expected
heavy casualties from the assignment, that if the brigade did
its job, he would accept one hundred percent casualties.
After the action, Brigadier Gentry of 6 (NZ) Brigade
approached Currie saying, ‘Sorry to wake you John, but I’d
like to know where your tanks are?’. Currie waved his hand
at the tanks around him, replying ‘There they are.’ Gentry
was puzzled. ‘I don’t mean your headquarters tanks, I mean
your armoured regiments.’ Currie waved his arm and again
replied, ‘There are my armoured regiments, Bill.’

25
 SHERMAN ARMOURED SQUADRON
SHERMAN HQ ARMOURED SQUADRON HQ

MOTIVATION • TANK      FORMATION • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Fight Another
Green Day
Last Stand 5+ ARMOUR

4x Sherman (75mm) 36 POINTS SKILL FRONT 6

3x Sherman (75mm) 27 POINTS TRAINED 4+ SIDE &
REAR 4
2x Sherman (75mm) 18 POINTS
TOP 1
When the first convoy of new Sherman tanks was TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

sunk en route to Egypt, the American President, 10”/25CM 12”/30CM 18”/45CM 20”/50CM 3+
Roosevelt, stripped new tanks from divisions WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

in training to load a new convoy. When these Sherman (75mm) 28”/70CM 2 1 10 3+ Smoke
powerful tanks arrived just before the Second Sherman (.50 cal MG) 20”/50CM 3 2 4 5+ Self-defence AA
Battle of El Alamein, they gave British tankers a Sherman (MGs) 16”/40CM 2 2 2 6
decided advantage over the Germans for the rest
of the desert war.

SHERMAN
FEATURES
BIG GUN: The Sherman's long-barrelled 75mm main
gun can penetrate 73mm of face-hardened armour,
making it deadly to the German panzers. It can also fire
high-explosive shells to engage the deadly '88'.
HEAVY ARMOUR: Of the tanks in widespread service,
the Sherman tank is one of the most heavily armoured.
Its armour is resistant against almost any German panzer.
SPECIAL RULES
SELF-DEFENCE AA: The big American-made .50-
cal MG mounted on the commander's cupola gives the
Sherman some protection from enemy air attacks.
SMOKE: The Sherman can operate as its own 'close
support', firing effective smoke shells to blind enemy
anti-tank guns.

26
 SHERMAN ARMOURED TROOP
SHERMAN ARMOURED TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Fight Another Day
Last Stand 5+ ARMOUR

3x Sherman (75mm) 27 POINTS SKILL FRONT 6

TRAINED 4+
1x Grant (37mm & 75mm) (MB102) SIDE &
REAR 4
2x Sherman (75mm) 24 POINTS
TOP 1
The new Sherman tank was the next evolution- TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

ary step from the powerful Grant tank. Its large 10”/25CM 12”/30CM 18”/45CM 20”/50CM 3+

turret allowed it to mount an even more power- WEAPON RANGE ROF

HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

ful 75mm gun in the turret rather than the hull Sherman (75mm) 28”/70CM 2 1 10 3+ Smoke
front, and with thicker armour. Sherman (.50 cal MG) 20”/50CM 3 2 4 5+ Self-defence AA

Although the British initially managed to equip Sherman (MGs) 16”/40CM 2 2 2 6

whole regiments with the new Sherman tank,
battle casualties and long supply lines soon
meant that older Grant tanks were mixed in to
make up numbers.

‘They want us to do WHAT?’.

Lieutenant Steele dropped into the turret of his lovely new American Sherman tank, ‘Bulldog’, before replying.
‘Orders straight from Monty. We’re to bust through the anti-tank guns and stop the counterattack. We’re the
only ones he thinks are up to the task, so let’s show him how we do things!’. Muttering curses under his breath,
the driver started up Bulldog and they rolled off.
Moving up to the ridge, Steele started calling targets to his gunner. Bulldog rocked back as high explosive rounds
flew downrange. With a terrible clang, a round ricocheted off the side of the tank.
‘Davis, blast that bugger!’, he instructed his gunner, and was rewarded by a brilliant flash as a round impacted
the offending anti-tank gun.
Another round impacted the tank, this time finding its mark, bringing the tank to a sudden halt.
‘Transmission’s out!’, Fraser, the tank’s driver shouted, pain obvious in his voice.
‘Alright then, time to get lucky’, the young Lieutenant thought as the breech slammed shut on the next round.
Again, Davis found his mark, leaving a pile of mangled metal where the dreaded gun once stood.

SHERMANS AND GRANTS: ON THE TABLE

The British armoured divisions used two types of American-built heavy tanks, the Sherman and the Grant.
Here are the key differences to help you choose between them.

SHERMAN GRANT
Front Armour: 6 Front Armour: 5
Weapon Range: 28"/70cm Weapon Range: 24"/60cm
Anti-tank: 10 Anti-tank: 9
Firepower: 3+ Firepower: 3+
Cross: 3+ Cross: 4+
Other: Smoke Other: Forward Firing
Self-defence AA Protected Ammo
Secondary Weapon
Smoke

27
 The Royal Scots Greys is one of the oldest cavalry regiments
in the British Army, dating back to shortly after the English
Civil War. The regiment is most famous for a devastating
charge in the Battle of Waterloo, where they crushed the
French 45th Regiment, capturing the Eagle which would
from then on adorn their regimental badge. Although the
regiment unfortunately got caught up in the heat of battle
and was counterattacked by French cavalry, suffering heavy
losses, what history remembers is the glorious power of what
Napoleon later called ‘those terrible grey horses’.
The Greys began the Second World War as a horse-mounted
cavalry unit stationed in Palestine, helping to police a
fragile peace between the Jewish and Arab populations. In
February 1940, the regiment conducted its last mounted
charge, putting down a civilian riot. It was converted to an
armoured regiment in September 1941, receiving intensive
tank training in Honeys, before being redeployed to Egypt,
where they began learning how to fight in the desert.
In April 1942, the Greys received their first Grant tanks and
looked forward to putting them to use. However, after three
months of training in the powerful new tanks, the Greys'
Grants were instead given to other units urgently needing
replacements after the Gazala battles.
By August, the regiment finally had new tanks and were ready
for their first taste of armoured warfare as Rommel made a
last-ditch attempt to smash the British line at Alam el Halfa.
Most of the Eighth Army units that still had functional
tanks were concentrated together in one strong brigade,
so the Scots Greys found themselves temporarily attached
ROYAL SCOTS GREYS, ALAM EL HALFA
22 ARMOURED BRIGADE, 7th ARMOURED DIVISION, AUGUST 1942
REGIMENTAL HQ
4 Honey tanks
SQUADRON HQ
1 TROOP 2 TROOP
3 TROOP
A SQUADRON
1, 2, & 3 Troop with 12 Grant tanks
B SQUADRON
5, 6, & 7 Troop with 12 Grant tanks
28
to 22 Brigade. Their Grants were the newest and most
mechanically reliable, so were kept back as a mobile reserve.
The defence began according to plan, with the 75mm guns
of the Grant tanks inflicting a heavy toll on the attackers.
However, the Germans had a new weapon of their own—a
new model of Panzer IV up-gunned with a high-velocity long
75mm gun. This proved deadly to the stationary defending
Grants, allowing the panzers to punch a hole through the
British line.
General ‘Pip’ Roberts, commanding 22 Brigade, desperately
sent the Scots Greys to plug the gap before the panzers could
push through, urging them to ‘get out their whips.’ Just in
time, the Greys' Grants crested the ridge and charged down
the slope in cavalry fashion, straight into the face of the
German attack, which was stopped in its tracks.
In Operation Lightfoot, the opening attack of the Second
Battle of El Alamein, the Scots Greys attacked through the
minefields in the south, helping to pin 21st Panzer Division
and the Italian Ariete Division in place, while the main
attack took place in the north. The regiment then joined the
break-through in Operation Supercharge, and pursued the
retreating Axis across the desert.
REGIMENTS, SQUADRONS AND TROOPS
In the British Army a cavalry regiment (such as the
Royal Scots Greys) is a battalion-sized formation.
Each regiment is made up of three company-sized
squadrons, of three to five platoon-sized troops.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes
SQUADRON HQ
9 TROOP 10 TROOP
11 TROOP 12 TROOP
C SQUADRON
9, 10, 11, & 12 Troop with 16 Honey tanks
GRANT ARMOURED SQUADRON HEAVY TANK FORMATION

You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

GRANT ARMOURED
SQUADRON HQ
MB101

ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR

GRANT GRANT GRANT

ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP
MB102 MB102 MB102

CRUSADER
ARMOURED TROOP
MB104 OR MB105

HONEY
ARMOURED TROOP
MB107

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

29
 GRANT ARMOURED SQUADRON
GRANT HQ ARMOURED SQUADRON HQ

MOTIVATION • TANK FORMATION • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Fight Another Day
Last Stand 5+ ARMOUR

3x Grant (37mm & 75mm) 18 POINTS Protected Ammo

Remount 3+ FRONT 5
2x Grant (37mm & 75mm) 12 POINTS
TRAINED
SKILL

4+
SIDE &
REAR 4
British armoured regiments were delighted to TOP 1
receive the new American-made M3 Grant tank,
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
which gave them a tank with a gun as good as 10”/25CM 12”/30CM 18”/45CM 20”/50CM 4+
those on the German panzers, with armour to
WEAPON RANGE ROF ANTI- FIRE- NOTES
match. Rushed into service to meet the urgent HALTED MOVING TANK POWER

need for a 75mm-armed tank, its clumsy design Grant Hull (75mm) 24”/60CM 2 1 9 3+ Forward Firing, Smoke

was a compromise. The main gun was mounted Grant Turret (37mm) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ Secondary Weapon

in a hull sponson because no American tank Grant (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6

plants could cast a turret big enough for it.

GRANT
FEATURES
BIG GUN: The Grant's 75mm main gun can penetrate
64mm of face-hardened armour, making it deadly to the
German panzers. It can also fire high-explosive shells,
making up for the main deficiency of the light tanks'
smaller guns.
HEAVY ARMOUR: When the British assessed the
prototype of the M3, one of the changes they insisted on
was the addition of even thicker armour. In comparison to
the German panzers, the Grant is as well-protected from
the front and even better protected from the sides.
SPECIAL RULES
PROTECTED AMMO: British tank crews have learned
from bitter experience how common it is for tanks to
explode when hit, due to ammunition fires. One of the
modifications they immediately made to their Grants when
they received them from the US was to install armoured
bins for the ammunition, making them less likely to ‘brew
up’ from an ammunition explosion.
FORWARD FIRING: The sponson for the hull-mounted
75mm gun has limited horizontal traverse, and can only
engage targets to the tank's front.
SECONDARY WEAPON: Although each gun has its
own gunner and loader, the tank's commander is too busy
directing the fire of the main hull-mounted 75mm gun to
assist the turret gunner to locate targets for his 37mm gun.

30
 GRANT ARMOURED TROOP
GRANT ARMOURED TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Fight Another Day
Last Stand 5+ ARMOUR

3x Grant (37mm & 75mm) 18 POINTS Protected Ammo

Remount 3+ FRONT 5
The arrival of the Grant in the Battle of Gazala TRAINED
SKILL

4+
SIDE &
REAR 4
took the Germans by surprise. Its thick armour TOP 1
and powerful 75mm gun are superior to most
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
of the German panzers. Its only real downside is 10”/25CM 12”/30CM 18”/45CM 20”/50CM 4+
its height, which makes it a conspicuous target
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
in the desert. The placement of the 75mm gun WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

makes it difficult to conceal the tank in a hull- Grant Hull (75mm) 24”/60CM 2 1 9 3+ Forward Firing, Smoke

down position behind terrain. At Alam el Halfa, Grant Turret (37mm) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ Secondary Weapon

with time to prepare a static defence, the British Grant (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6
were able to partly overcome these difficulties by
carefully choosing the placement of each Grant.

Second Lieutenant Perry had been in command of his troop for only six weeks, and was happy to
be in this Grant. Its powerful 75mm gun would knock Jerry for six! With the sun sinking below the
horizon, Perry had turned his tanks around as they crested a low ridge, barely two yards high in the
dying orange light. It was as good a place as any to make a stand. The Grant was a tall beast—over
nine feet—and not easy to hide. Its low gun mount never let the tank go fully ‘hull down’, exposing
only its turret. This spot, though, gave some protection.
It was the longest night of his life, waiting for the dawn. Squinting through his binoculars as the
night faded and the sky lightened, he scanned the ridge line three thousand yards away to the
southwest, where he expected the enemy to appear. Suddenly, he saw them. Four panzers—the big
Mark IVs. They could take a shot any second, but the range was extreme. It was better to wait. At
two thousand yards, the tension weighed heavier on them than the thirty tons of armoured machine
in which he and his crew sat.
At fifteen hundred yards the panzers slowed. The German commander in the lead tank, peering
through his binoculars, was having trouble seeing with the sun now rising into his eyes. The last thing
he saw was the clouds of smoke rising twelve hundred yards in front of him as Second Lieutenant
George Perry's troop got their vengeance.

31
 The 4th County of London Yeomanry (abbreviated 4th CLY)
was formed during the build-up of tensions immediately
prior to the outbreak of war, around a nucleus of troops
split off from its sister regiment, 3rd County of London
Yeomanry. The regiment joined 7th Armoured Division as
part of 22 Armoured Brigade before the start of Operation
Crusader. The operation, the Eighth Army's push to drive
the Axis back and liberate Tobruk, was named after the new
Crusader tanks which the brigade proudly rode into battle.
The first action of the 4th County of London Yeomanry was
against the Italian Ariete Division at Bir El Gubi. One story
has it that the regiment's officers went into battle waving
riding crops and shouting ‘Tally Ho’ as they charged the
Italian guns. Such valour led to heavy losses, putting the
brigade out of the battle for several days.
When the Gazala battles started in May 1942, 4th CLY and
the rest of 22 Armoured Brigade were back in the desert
under the command of the 1st Armoured Division. It helped
defend the Knightsbridge Box and was badly battered in the
deadly, swirling battles for the ‘Cauldron’.
On the first day of the First Battle of El Alamein, the
Yeomanry were supporting 18 Indian Brigade against an
Afrika Korps armoured attack when Lieutenant-Colonel
Francis Arkwright was killed by a direct hit from an armour-
piercing round. Command of the regiment passed to
Major HB Scott.
For the Battle of Alam el Halfa, the depleted regiment
temporarily rejoined with 3rd County of London Yeomanry
to form 3rd/4th CLY, a composite regiment, as part of
22 Armoured Brigade. The tanks of this combined unit
occupied carefully prepared defensive positions in the rocky
foothills. Rather than manoeuvring to meet the advancing
enemy, they fought a purely defensive battle. Their Grant
tanks were hidden as well as their high profile would allow,
holding their fire until the enemy were within close range,
then inflicting heavy casualties within minutes.
However, the Germans had a new weapon, a new model of
Panzer IV mounting a deadly long 75mm gun. This took a
heavy toll on the defending Grants. Most of the Grants of
A Squadron were ‘brewed up’, leaving a hole in the British
line. The timely arrival of the Scots Greys halted the German
attack in the nick of time. The Yeomanry's remaining
Crusader tanks were sent to the left of 22 Brigade's position
to block a dangerous flanking move by surviving panzers.
After the surrender of the Axis in Tunisia, 4th CLY returned
to the United Kingdom with 22 Brigade to prepare for the
invasion of Normandy. The regiment's tanks landed on
Gold Beach on the night of D-Day, 6 June 1944 and fought
in the battles at Villers-Bocage. Having suffered heavy
losses of both men and tanks, the regiment was eventually
re-amalgamated with its sister regiment in August 1944 as
3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry, serving the rest of the
war as part of 4 Armoured Brigade.

4th COUNTY OF LONDON YEOMANRY

22 ARMOURED BRIGADE, 7th ARMOURED DIVISION, AUGUST 1942
Lieutenant-Colonel FGB Arkwright, later Major HB Scott
REGIMENTAL HQ
4 Crusader tanks

HQ HQ HQ HQ HQ HQ HQ

SQUADRON HQ SQUADRON HQ

1 2 5 6

1 1 2 2 5 5 6 6

1 TROOP 2 TROOP 5 TROOP 6 TROOP

3 7 8

3 3 7 7 8 8

3 TROOP 7 TROOP 8 TROOP

A SQUADRON B SQUADRON
1, 2, & 3 Troop with 12 Grant tanks 5, 6, 7, & 8 Troop with 16 Crusader tanks

C SQUADRON
9, 10, 11, & 12 Troop with 16 Crusader tanks

Geometric symbols painted on the turret sides identify the tank's squadron. The colour of the symbol corresponds to the
regiment's position in the brigade (red for the senior regiment, yellow for the second, and blue for the junior regiment)
while the shape gives the squadron. Some cavalry regiments also paint troop numbers inside the symbol.

32
 CRUSADER ARMOURED SQUADRON CRUISER TANK FORMATION

You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

CRUSADER ARMOURED
SQUADRON HQ
MB103

ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR

CRUSADER CRUSADER CRUSADER CRUSADER

ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP
MB104 OR MB105 MB104 OR MB105 MB104 OR MB105 MB104 OR MB105

GRANT
ARMOURED TROOP ARMOUR
MB102

CRUSADER
ARMOURED TROOP
MB104 OR MB105

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

British tank crews raced to load fresh ammunition down through the turret hatches of their Crusaders. When
warning cries indicated that the enemy had been sighted, the supply trucks sped off along the powdery track,
raising a thick cloud of dust behind them. The blunt shapes of German panzers were advancing in a broad sweep,
and the Crusader crews hastily buttoned up, engines roaring as they prepared to engage the veteran Afrika
Korps tanks. The recently-arrived Crusader cruisers had proved to be fast at covering ground and quick to get
their 2-pounder guns laid on target.
The Crusaders accelerated over the stony plain, their gunners beginning to fire. The Mk III panzers responded in
kind and fiery columns of black smoke began to mark losses for both sides. The British tanks attempted to close
the range, heading straight at the panzers. Trading fire at long range did no favours for the lighter armour of the
British tanks, as they instead sought to engage the Germans in a mobile duel, using their superior speed to keep
the enemy off balance, pumping out a steady tempo of rounds as they raced through the German formation.
The British tanks pressed forward to get in a few more flank shots as the Panzers withdrew, brewing up one
more enemy tank before being recalled. Hard experience had tutored the cruiser tank crews not to pursue the
panzers into the inevitable anti-tank gun ambush.

33
 CRUSADER ARMOURED SQUADRON
CRUSADER HQ ARMOURED SQUADRON HQ

MOTIVATION • TANK FORMATION • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
Fight Another Day
Last Stand 5+ ARMOUR
2x Crusader II (2 pdr)
2x Crusader CS (3 inch) 7 POINTS
SKILL FRONT 3
TRAINED 4+
1x Crusader II (2 pdr)
Tally Ho
Tactics 5+
SIDE &
REAR 2
2x Crusader CS (3 inch) 5 POINTS TOP 1
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
The light squadrons of the armoured regiments 14”/35CM 14”/35CM 20”/50CM 24”/60CM 3+
embody the dash and daring of the British cav- WEAPON RANGE ROF ANTI- FIRE- NOTES
HALTED MOVING TANK POWER
alry. Fast and manoeuvrable but not as heavily Crusader II (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE
armoured as the enemy panzers, they use speed Crusader CS (3-inch) 32”/80CM ARTILLERY 2 4+ Smoke Bombardment
and cover to protect themselves. They are often
or Direct Fire 16”/40CM 2 1 5 3+ Smoke
relegated to scouting or protecting the flanks
Crusader II & CS (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6
of the regiment while their heavy cousins, the
Grants, engage the enemy head on.

CRUSADERS
CRUSADER II FEATURES
HIGH SPEED: Cruiser tanks are the sports cars of the
tank world. The Crusader's excellent power-to-weight
ratio and smooth Christie suspension give it excellent
cross-country performance.
TACTICAL SPEED: The Crusader is designed especially
for the fast-moving and aggressive fighting style which the
British tankers are trained for. The gunner can aim quickly
while the tank is moving. He raises and lowers the gun
with his shoulder, while using the turret's fast hydraulic
traverse system to track the target. Its large turret gives the
crew room to operate effectively.
CRUSADER II CS FEATURES
ARTILLERY: Each squadron has a few Crusader CS
(Close Support) tanks, which have their main gun
replaced with a 3-inch howitzer, giving the squadron its
own integrated artillery support, useful for blinding or
knocking out anti-tank guns.
CRUSADER III FEATURES
UP-GUNNED: The 6 pdr gun carried by the Crusader III
is a major improvement. At last the British tankers have a
weapon with a good chance of defeating the face-hardened
armour of the German panzers, even at long range.
IMPROVED PROTECTION: As well as slightly thicker
front armour, the Crusader III has improved protection
around the turret mounting and the ammunition racks,
which were identified as a common cause of fires in the
earlier model.
SPECIAL RULES
NO HE: The 2 pdr and 6 pdr guns mounted by the
Crusader only have armour-piercing shells. This severely
limits its use against infantry and unarmoured targets,
as the uncapped solid steel shot will only inflict serious
damage with a direct hit to a vital area.
SMOKE: The Crusader CS is designed to act as dedicated
artillery support, which includes the ability to fire smoke
rounds to blind the enemy.
SMOKE BOMBARDMENT: Laying down a heavy
smoke screen can shield the squadron from enemy anti-
tank guns while it manoeuvres to attack.
OVERWORKED: The larger 6 pdr gun of the
Crusader III restricts turret space, so the commander must
also act as the loader, when he should be using every spare
moment to observe the tank's surroundings and make
crucial tactical decisions. This makes it harder for the crew
to fight at top efficiency while on the move.
CRUSADER II
Front Armour: 3
Weapon Range: 24"/60cm
Anti-tank: 7
Firepower: 4+

34
 CRUSADER ARMOURED TROOP OPTIONS
You can field either a Crusader II Armoured Troop with only 2 pdr-armed Crusader II tanks, or a mixed Troop with both
Crusader II tanks and 6 pdr-armed Crusader III tanks.

CRUSADER II ARMOURED TROOP

CRUSADER II ARMOURED TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
Fight Another Day
Last Stand 5+ ARMOUR
3x Crusader II (2 pdr) 5 POINTS
SKILL FRONT 3
TRAINED 4+
The Crusader entered service in November 1941, Tally Ho
5+
SIDE &
REAR 2
in time for Operation Crusader, the offensive in Tactics

late 1941 that was named after the new tank.

TOP 1
Although the Crusader is vulnerable to enemy TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

fire and prone to certain mechanical difficulties, 14”/35CM 14”/35CM 20”/50CM 24”/60CM 3+
its speed and cross-country manoeuvrability are WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

admired both by its own crews and their German Crusader II (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE
and Italian foes. Crusader II (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6

CRUSADER II & III ARMOURED

CRUSADER IITROOP
& III ARMOURED TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
Fight Another Day
Last Stand 5+ ARMOUR
1x Crusader II (2 pdr)
2x Crusader III (6 pdr) 7 POINTS SKILL
CRUSADER II
FRONT 3
TRAINED 4+
CRUSADER III
FRONT 4
5+ 2
Tally Ho
2x Crusader II (2 pdr) Tactics SIDE
1x Crusader III (6 pdr) 6 POINTS TOP 1
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
When the up-gunned Crusader III entered service 14”/35CM 14”/35CM 20”/50CM 24”/60CM 3+
just prior to the Second Battle of El Alamein, it
WEAPON RANGE ROF ANTI- FIRE- NOTES
was eagerly welcomed by the crews. The new HALTED MOVING TANK POWER

tanks are shared out among the squadrons, Crusader II (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE

giving each troop much-needed extra firepower. Crusader III (6 pdr) 28”/70CM 2 1 9 4+ No HE, Overworked
Crusader II & III (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6

CRUSADERS: ON THE TABLE

There are three different models of Crusader tank.
The key differences are highlighted below to help you pick the right tank for the job.

CRUSADER II CS CRUSADER III

Front Armour: 3 Front Armour: 4
Weapon Range: 16"/40cm Weapon Range: 28"/70cm
Anti-tank: 5 Anti-tank: 9
Firepower: 3+ Firepower: 4+
Other: Artillery Other: Overworked
Bombardment
(+1 To Hit for Moving ROF)

35
 The 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars were one of the original
regiments of the Mobile Force (Egypt) which would go on
to form the 7th Armoured Division. The regiment has a long,
proud history dating back to the late 17th Century. In the
Crimean War, it was one of the regiments which took part
in the famous Charge of the Light Brigade, a glorious but
costly action which had unfortunate echoes in some of the
regiment's Second World War engagements. They began the
war in light tanks, fighting through 1940 and 1941 as part of
4 Armoured Brigade, against the Italians and then Rommel's
Afrika Korps.
Honeys of the 8th Hussars were the first M3 Light Tanks to
see combat, against the 5th Panzer Regiment of the 21st Panzer
Division near Gabr Saleh, at the start of Operation Crusader
on 19 November 1941. It was a harsh baptism of fire, in
which the limitations of the lightly armoured tanks quickly
became apparent, as the 8th Hussars lost 20 tanks.
But worse was to follow a few days later during the fighting
for the Sidi Rezegh airfield. Because tanks are difficult to
co-ordinate in the dark, armoured night attacks are rare,
and tank units normally consider themselves safe in their
night encampments. However, on 22 November, 15th Panzer
Division stumbled upon 8th Hussars just as night fell, and
were able to surround and overwhelm the regiment. The
commander and most of the tanks, along with 4 Armoured
Brigade HQ, were captured or destroyed. Only seven of the
8th Hussars' Honey tanks escaped.
The regiment was reformed with new Honey tanks, and was
quickly back in action on December 1, again at Sidi Rezegh.
Perhaps the legacy of the Charge of the Light Brigade
lived on in the Hussars' memory. Again, they were almost
annihilated when they charged ‘cavalry style’ in support of
New Zealand troops. The attack succeeded, but the regiment
suffered many casualties, including their new commander.
36
They were again issued new tanks—this time including
two squadrons of Grant tanks. In the defence of Gazala,
4 Armoured Brigade were sent south to meet the Afrika Korps'
surprise encircling move, and unexpectedly ran straight into
the full 15th Panzer Division. They fought bravely, surprising
the Germans with their powerful new Grants. However,
facing a whole panzer division they took heavy losses and
retreated towards El Adem to regroup.
After the retreat from Gazala, the regiment's surviving tanks
were temporarily amalgamated with another under-strength
light cavalry regiment as the 4th/8th Hussars. This composite
regiment fought in the defence of Alam El Halfa at the start
of September 1942. They then helped breach the minefields
in the Second Battle of El Alamein in October, before
joining the pursuit of the retreating Axis forces for the next
three weeks.
The 8th Hussars remained with the 7th Armoured Division for
the rest of the war, serving as the division's reconnaissance
regiment in its long, difficult fight through Normandy,
Belgium, the Netherlands, and into Germany itself.
BRIGADES
A brigade consists of three or four regiments or battalions
grouped together under a single command. Brigades can
operate independently, or two or three brigades can be
grouped together into a division.
Brigades are often swapped between divisions as the
situation dictates, and battalions are likewise sometimes
moved between brigades.
Sometimes two or more battalions which had suffered
heavy casualties could be temporarily grouped together into
composite units.
 HONEY ARMOURED SQUADRON CRUISER TANK FORMATION

You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

HONEY ARMOURED
SQUADRON HQ
MB106

ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR

HONEY HONEY HONEY HONEY

ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP
MB107 MB107 MB107 MB107

GRANT
ARMOURED TROOP
MB102

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

Engines idling, the Honeys of C Squadron waited patiently for their slower
cousins to catch up. The Grant tanks were rumbling forward at a steady pace,
their high profile making them appear slightly top-heavy. As they finally drew
level, Major Tom Rutherford, C Squadron commander, gestured and the lighter
tanks accelerated away obliquely to the right, the sound of their radial engines
fading as the Grants shook out into a line abreast.
The first enemy tanks appeared in the hazy distance and the Grants began firing.
Surprised that they could be hit at this range, the panzers split up, some staying to
return fire while others moved off towards the flank, executing the tactic that had
worked so well for them in the past. This time, though, the Honeys were waiting,
and a Mark III panzer, struck in its thinner side armour by a well-placed 37mm shot,
began to burn.
The Honeys were loath to sit still and trade shots. They moved at high
speed, turrets rotating to follow their targets. In Rutherford's tank, the
loader hurriedly fed shells as the gunner poured shot after shot at the
enemy tanks. In the rear of the turret, with his head and shoulders
protruding through the hexagonal hatch, Rutherford was
dangerously exposed, but he knew the unrestricted view of
the battlefield was worth it.

37
 HONEY ARMOURED SQUADRON
HONEY HQ ARMOURED SQUADRON HQ

MOTIVATION • TANK FORMATION • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
Fight Another Day
5+
4x Honey 7 POINTS Last Stand ARMOUR

3x Honey 5 POINTS
SKILL FRONT 3
TRAINED 4+
Tally Ho
Tactics 5+
SIDE &
REAR 2
The M3 Stuart Light Tank is the first American- TOP 1
made tank supplied to the British Army under
the lend-lease programme. Compared with TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

12”/30CM 16”/40CM 24”/60CM 28”/70CM 3+

earlier British-designed tanks, it is much less
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
prone to breaking down—so reliable that its WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

drivers call it a ‘Honey’. One of its intended Honey (37mm) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE

roles was infantry support. But to the British, Honey (MGs) 16”/40CM 5 5 2 6 Self-defence AA

infantry tanks are slow and heavily armoured, so

the Honey is employed in the same way as the
British-built cruisers.

HONEY
FEATURES
HIGH TOP SPEED: The Honey is the fastest tank in
the British arsenal, outpacing even the Crusaders flat-out.
Although British tank doctrine recommended firing on
the move, Honey crews found they got their best result
through speedily closing with the enemy, quickly halting
and then firing their 37mm gun into the side armour of
the panzers.
TACTICAL SPEED: Despite its high speed, the M3 Stuart
was originally intended for infantry support, so unlike the
Crusader, it was not designed with fast-paced moving tank
duels in mind. Nevertheless, a few minor modifications
have made the Honey a quick and nimble fighter, capable
of running circles around its slower adversaries.
SPECIAL RULES
NO HE: British Honeys don't carry high-explosive shells
for their 37mm guns. They will need space for as many
armour-piercing shells as possible to fight the better-
protected German panzers.
SELF-DEFENCE AA: The Honey is equipped with three
Browning .30-cal machine-guns: one co-axial with the
main gun, one in the bow at the assistant driver's position,
and one in an anti-aircraft mount on the turret roof, giving
some protection from the Stuka dive bombers.

38
 HONEY ARMOURED TROOP
HONEY ARMOURED TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
Fight Another Day
5+
3x Honey 5 POINTS Last Stand ARMOUR

SKILL FRONT 3
TRAINED 4+
The Honey's armour is not bad for a light tank, Tally Ho
Tactics 5+
SIDE &
REAR 2
but unlike its big brother the Grant, it can't go TOP 1
toe-to-toe with the German panzers—not if its
crew want to live for long. With eight forward TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

12”/30CM 16”/40CM 24”/60CM 28”/70CM 3+

gears and two reverse, the Honey can get itself
out of trouble quickly if it has to. WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

When they received the M3 Stuart, the British Honey (37mm) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE

found many things about its internal layout to Honey (MGs) 16”/40CM 5 5 2 6 Self-defence AA

be awkward. They quickly made adaptations to

improve the tank's usability, including moving
the turret traverse controls to the left-hand side,
giving control of the turret to the gunner. With
space in the turret limited, the tank was designed
for the commander to also act as the gunner.
This was far from ideal, because the commander is the tank's eyes and
ears, and when operating the gun his vision is too limited to command
effectively. The British overcame this by shifting crew functions. In
combat, the commander would move to the rear of the turret while the
assistant driver would climb up and man the gun.

The German gunners crouched behind their 5cm PaK 38 anti-tank guns, waiting for the British tanks to appear,
pursuing the withdrawing panzers into the carefully laid trap. They were caught completely off guard by the
sudden appearance of several troops of Honeys on their flank. The light tanks sped diagonally through the gun
line, machine-guns blazing from hull and turret. Gun crews fled in terror from the torrents of bullets, bright
with tracer rounds. The assault was over in moments, the would-be ambushers scattered just as the Grant tanks
began to appear.
Sweeping forward, the Honeys raced to cut off the retreating column of German tanks. One of the Honeys
exploded as a 50mm shell hit, penetrated and detonated its fuel tanks. The other small tanks kept moving, using
their speed to deny the Afrika Korps tankers an easy target.
One German machine, then another, blossomed into bright fireballs as concentrated fire from the Grants' guns
began to strike home. The path of the other panzers' retreat had taken them out of sight in the shelter of a
steep-sided wadi. Realising they were too late to prevent the rest of their quarry from escaping back to the
safety of their main force, the Honey commander reluctantly signalled his troops to break off the pursuit and
regroup. Today's hunt was over, but there would be more battles to come.

39
 At the other side of Africa, a thousand miles or more to the westward, the tremendous joint undertaking of the United
States and Britain, which was fraught with so many hazards, has also been crowned with astonishing success…
The 6th ‘Mailed Fist’ Armoured Division was formed
in September 1940 during the dark days after
the evacuation from Dunkirk. Britain
desperately needed more tanks to face
the threat of German invasion as the
Battle of Britain raged overhead. With
the 1st Armoured Division destroyed
in France and the 2nd Armoured
Division desperately short of men
and equipment, it would clearly take
a while for six new armoured divisions
(6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 42nd) to
become combat ready.
Nevertheless, in late 1942, after two years of
training, the 6th Armoured Division was ready
for action and ordered to prepare for deployment to
Tunisia. A battle­group named ‘Blade Force’ (made up of the
17th/21st Lancers, a company each of infantry, armoured cars,
and artillery, and later a battalion of American M3 Stuart
light tanks from their 1st Armoured Division) was to be first
into combat, supporting the 78th ‘Battleaxe’ Division.
Blade Force advanced to within 15km (9  miles) of Tunis
at the end of November, but with the ‘Battleaxe’ Division
advancing on three different axes, and the unusual order to
‘create a tank-infested area’ rather than to advance on Tunis,
combined with rapid German counterattacks, that was as
close as they got before being pushed back to Medjez el Bab.
Despite the arrival of the rest of the division, inconclusive
fighting around Medjez el Bab and Bou Arada continued
until the end of January as both sides traded offensives
attempting to improve their position. This all changed with
the spectacular German success against the green American
1st Armoured Division at Sidi Bou Zid on 14 February
1943 and their subsequent advance towards Kasserine Pass.
40
—British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Leaving 38 (Irish) Brigade to hold their old
positions, the 6th Armoured Division headed
south to stop the German offensive.
With the American forces falling back
in disarray, the divisional command-
er, General Keightley, with a scratch
force of 1 Guards Brigade, two reg-
iments of American infantry (one
each from the 1st and 34th Infantry
Divisions), and the tanks of the
16th/5th Lancers, defeated the
German 21st Panzer Division’s attack
on Sbiba to the north of Kasserine Pass.
Meanwhile, 26 Armoured Brigade (less
the 16th/5th Lancers) headed for Thala behind
the Kasserine Pass. Having broken through
Kasserine Pass, the German 15th Panzer Division and the
Italian Centauro Division attacked westward, while the
10th Panzer Division turned northwards towards Thala. After
a hard fight, the British halted the attack, and the Germans
retreated back through Kasserine Pass.
Having lost most of its Valentine and Crusader tanks,
the division re-equipped with Sherman tanks in March.
Keeping 1 Guards Brigade (made up of 3rd Bn Grenadier
Guards, 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards, 3rd Bn Welsh Guards)
in exchange for 38 (Irish) Brigade, the rebuilt division went
back into action on 9 April to force the Fondouk Pass in
an attempt to cut off the retreating German and Italian
armies. The Welsh Guards and a regiment of American
infantry were unable to take the heights overlooking the
pass, so 26 Armoured Brigade under its new commander,
Brigadier ‘Pip’ Roberts, took the pass by storm. Advancing
to Kairouan, they fought the Axis rearguard, knocking out
dozens of tanks.
The division now returned to Medjez el Bab for the final
attack to capture Tunis. After hard fighting, the German
defences were broken and the division was among the first
to enter the capital as the Tunisian Campaign ended.
Corporal James was tired, hungry, and hot. The Germans had been relentlessly pounding his company for two
days straight, and he knew it wasn’t going to stop. The Germans had assaulted the previous day, and James was
forced to use his bayonet to defend his position. However, he also knew it was his life or the enemy’s, and he
was determined to make it home. The ‘Skins’ had already taken heavy casualties, and he knew those numbers
would increase even more.
‘BOOM!’. Direct fire from an 88 slammed into a nearby entrenchment, making James drop his mug of tea, spilling
it all over himself. ‘Arse!’, he swore. They were coming again.
James grabbed his rifle and carefully sighted on a German soldier scrambling around a rock lower on the
slope. As he fired, James heard someone screaming nearby — a glance showed it to be Sergeant Cottrell in the
next foxhole.
‘Stretcher!’, he yelled as he scrambled across to the Sergeant, seeing blood streaming through the fingers laced
across his stomach. German soldiers were advancing on the section’s position, threatening the battalion’s flank.
‘Stretcher!’, he shouted again, bringing his rifle up and loosing off another shot.
As the Jerry fell, James jumped as machine-guns opened up behind him. ‘What the feck!’. He turned his head
to see three Valentine tanks grinding over the crest of the hill. Looking back, the Germans were on the run,
machine gun fire kicking up dust in their wake.
‘About fecking time’, James muttered as he fired on the retreating Germans.

6th ‘MAILED FIST’ ARMOURED DIVISION

5 CORPS, FIRST ARMY, BOU ARADA, JANUARY 1943
Major-General Charles Keightley

26 ARMOURED BRIGADE 38 (IRISH)

INFANTRY BRIGADE DIVISIONAL SUPPORT
(Valentine and Crusader Tanks)

16TH/5TH LANCERS 2ND BATTALION, 12TH (HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY)

LONDON IRISH RIFLES ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY
(p. 56)

17TH/21ST LANCERS 1ST BATTALION, 152ND (AYRSHIRE YEOMANRY)

(p. 42) ROYAL IRISH FUSILIERS FIELD REGIMENT, ROYAL ARTILLERY

2ND LOTHIANS AND BORDER 6TH BATTALION, 51ST LIGHT AA REGIMENT,

HORSE YEOMANRY ROYAL INNISKILLING ROYAL ARTILLERY
FUSILIERS

10TH BATTALION, 72ND ANTI-TANK REGIMENT,

THE RIFLE BRIGADE ROYAL ARTILLERY
(p. 62)

1ST DERBYSHIRE YEOMANRY

41
 The 17th/21st Lancers was an old regiment with an illustrious
history. The 17th Lancers were formed as Light Dragoons by
Colonel John Hale, who having fought alongside General
Wolfe at the Battle of Quebec, chose the motto ‘Death or
Glory’ in his memory. The 17th Lancer’s first battles were in
America, fighting in the War of Independence. They fought
in the Caribbean and South America during the Napoleonic
Wars and then in India, before leading the famed ‘Charge
of the Light Brigade’ against the Russians in the Crimea
(having meanwhile been re-designated as lancers). After
another half-century of colonial warfare in India and South
Africa, the regiment fought as cavalry on the Western Front
during the First World War.
In 1922, as part of the post-war downsizing of the army,
the 17th Lancers were amalgamated with the 21st Lancers to
form the 17th/21st Lancers. The 21st Lancers had been raised
to fight the Indian Mutiny in 1858. After wining their only
battle honour at Omdurman in the Sudan in 1898, they
became the 21st (Empress of India’s) Lancers, fighting on the
North-West Frontier of India in the First World War.
Having returned to Britain, the ‘Death or Glory Boys’
converted to tanks when they joined the 6th ‘Mailed Fist’
Armoured Division in November 1940. Equipped with
Valentine tanks, they trained hard in their new role, and
by late 1942 were eager for battle, having received some
up-gunned Crusader tanks for anti-tank support.
The 6th Armoured Division began landing in North Africa
in early November 1942. While the rest of the division
arrived, Blade Force, based around 17th/21st Lancers, raced
ahead to seize Tunis. Their first battle in tanks took place
on 25 November 1942, when the armoured cars of the
17TH/21ST LANCERS, TEBOURBA
26 ARMOURED BRIGADE, 6th ARMOURED DIVISION, NOVEMBER 1942
REGIMENTAL HQ
4 Valentine tanks
SQUADRON HQ
9 TROOP 10 TROOP
11 TROOP 12 TROOP
A SQUADRON
1, 2, 3, & 4 Troop with 8 Valentine & 8 Crusader tanks
B SQUADRON
5, 6, 7, & 8 Troop with 8 Valentine & 8 Crusader tanks
42
Derbyshire Yeomanry reported fire from two farms. The
attached company from the Rifle Brigade were ordered to
assault, covered by fire from the Royal Horse Artillery, while
a squadron of the Lancers swept around the flanks to pro-
vide support, just as they had done in training exercises. It
worked as planned, with a haul of 100 Italians, 40 Germans,
and four Italian SP guns. The tanks pursued the fleeing sur-
vivors, and attacked two more farms. One was captured, but
the other held out as there were no infantry to assault it.
The next day, Blade Force’s American light tanks faced a
counterattack by long-barrelled Panzer IV tanks, so called
for assistance to take the second farm. The Lancers found
themselves outgunned and losing tanks. Once again, they
lacked the infantry support they needed to take the farm,
although they succeeded in stopping the German advance.
On 1 December, the Germans launched a much stronger
attack with a battalion of tanks backed by a large force of
infantry. Against this, the bravery of the Lancers was irrele-
vant and after a gallant, but fruitless charge, they were forced
to give ground, with just five Crusaders and eleven Valentines
still fighting outside Tebourba by the end of the day. Despite
the enemy superiority in tanks, Blade Force bought enough
time for the Tebourba defences to be reinforced and the
German offensive petered out for the moment.
The regiment went on to thwart German offensives at Bou
Arada and then at Kasserine Pass in January and February
1943, gallantly pitting their Valentines and Crusaders
against Panzer  IV and Tiger tanks. Then, in March 1943,
they re-equipped with American-built Shermans before lead-
ing the final drive on Tunis.
Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hull
SQUADRON HQ
9 TROOP 10 TROOP
11 TROOP 12 TROOP
C SQUADRON
9, 10, 11, & 12 Troop with 6 Valentine, 6 Crusader & 3 Lee tanks
 DEATH OR GLORY SQUADRON CRUISER TANK FORMATION

You must field one Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

VALENTINE III DEATH OR

GLORY SQUADRON HQ
MB120

LEE DEATH OR GLORY

SQUADRON HQ
MB122

ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR

VALENTINE III CRUSADER III VALENTINE III CRUSADER III

DEATH OR GLORY TROOP DEATH OR GLORY TROOP DEATH OR GLORY TROOP DEATH OR GLORY TROOP
MB123 MB124 MB123 MB124

VALENTINE III
DEATH OR GLORY TROOP
MB123

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

Trucks, jeeps, and half-tracks had been scampering through the positions of the 17th/21st Lancers throughout
the day, fleeing from the Germans coming through Kasserine Pass. Corporal Lorrigan flicked away a cigarette
butt, then climbed aboard his Valentine tank. No more transports appeared as he settled into the turret,
nudging the gunner, ‘Wakey, wakey lad. Rommel’s on his way.’
The flat crack of heavy cannon rounds passing nearby announced the arrival of the panzers on the next ridge.
‘Gunner, traverse left…steady…on! 1000, Tank…FIRE!’. The two-pounder slammed
back, venting cordite into the cramped turret. The tracer arced into the panzer, then
bounced, soaring into the evening sky, the range too long for their shot to have any
effect against the bigger German tanks.
‘Advance and engage’, crackled through the radio. Lorrigan started forward,
advancing with the rest of the troop, firing on the move. Twice he saw
German tanks brewed up, smoke curling from their hatches. Pausing
in the cover of a dry stream bed, Lorrigan peered about. Time flowed
strangely in combat—somehow the sun was almost down and there
were no friends nearby. Looking around and seeing several wrecked
Valentines, he muttered. ‘Death or bleedin' Glory alright. Too much of
both around here.’

43
 VALENTINE III
DEATH OR GLORY SQUADRON HQ
VALENTINE III
VALENTINE III
DEATH OR GLORY SQUADRON HQ

MOTIVATION • TANK FORMATION • IS HIT ON

2x Valentine III (2 pdr) CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
2x Crusader CS SKILL
13 POINTS
ARMOUR
(3-inch) (MB121) TRAINED 4+ FRONT 6
5+
Tally Ho
1x Valentine III (2 pdr) Tactics

2x Crusader CS
SIDE &
REAR 5
(3-inch) (MB121) 10 POINTS TOP 1
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
Despite being cavalry, the Death or Glory Boys 10”/25CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 16”/40CM 3+
were equipped with Valentine infantry support ROF ANTI- FIRE-
WEAPON RANGE NOTES
tanks. They found that while they weren't HALTED MOVING TANK POWER

Valentine III (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE

fast, they were well protected and reliable.
Valentine III (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6
However, there wasn't a close support artillery
version of the Valentine, so they were issued the
Crusader CS (Close Support) tank instead. CRUSADER CS
CRUSADER CS
While the Crusader wasn't as well armoured as
MOTIVATION • TANK • IS HIT ON
the Valentine, that didn’t matter too much as it CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
wasn't supposed to be up front getting shot at. SKILL ARMOUR

Rather, it was supposed to be sitting back firing TRAINED 4+

smoke to mask enemy anti-tank guns, followed
FRONT 3
5+
Tally Ho
Tactics
by HE to knock them out.
SIDE &
REAR 2
TOP 1
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

14”/35CM 14”/35CM 20”/50CM 24”/60CM 3+

WEAPON RANGE ROF ANTI- FIRE- NOTES

HALTED MOVING TANK POWER

Crusader CS (3-inch) 32”/80CM ARTILLERY 2 4+ Smoke Bombardment

or Direct Fire 16”/40CM 2 1 5 3+ Smoke

Crusader CS (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6

LEE
DEATH OR GLORY SQUADRON
LEE HQ DEATH OR GLORY SQUADRON HQ

MOTIVATION • TANK FORMATION • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
SKILL ARMOUR

18 POINTS TRAINED 4+
3x Lee (37mm & 75mm) FRONT 5
5+
Tally Ho
Tactics

When the US troops retreated from Tebourba,

SIDE &
REAR 4
they left several tanks mired in the winter mud. TOP 1
The 6th Armoured Division recovered several of TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
the big M3 Lee tanks and Major ffrench-Blake’s 12”/30CM 12”/30CM 18”/45CM 20”/50CM 4+
C Squadron used them in their HQ. Describing WEAPON RANGE ROF ANTI- FIRE- NOTES
HALTED MOVING TANK POWER
them as like a wedding cake, with their 75mm
Lee Hull (75mm) 24”/60CM 2 1 9 3+ Forward Firing, Smoke
gun on the bottom layer, the 37mm next, then
Lee Turret (37mm) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ Secondary Weapon
the machine-gun on top, ffrench-Blake appreci-
Lee (MGs) 16”/40CM 4 4 2 6
ated them for their good-sized HE round and
the punch of their armour piercing shot.

44
 VALENTINE III DEATH ORVALENTINE
GLORY TROOP
III DEATH OR GLORY TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
SKILL ARMOUR

3x Valentine III (2pdr) 10 POINTS TRAINED 4+ FRONT 6

5+
Tally Ho
Tactics
The Valentine tank made up the bulk of the
SIDE &
REAR 5
Death or Glory Boys' equipment. It was well TOP 1
armoured and reliable, two features missing from
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
many British tanks. The new Valentine III had a 10”/25CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 16”/40CM 3+
bigger turret allowing the commander to focus
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
on his job, without the distraction of having to WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

load the gun as well, although it still had the Valentine III (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE

same small 2 pdr gun as most Cruiser tanks. Valentine III (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6

DEATH OR GLORY FEATURES

DASHING: The Death or Glory Boys
know that they’re outgunned, so they don’t
waste time sneaking about. When they
advance, it’s an all-out charge to close the
range to finish the enemy off.
FIREPOWER: The Crusader III’s 6 pdr gun
gives the Death or Glory Boys the punch
they need to back up the Valentine. It’s
quite capable of tackling a panzer at range.
SPEED AND ARMOUR: Although the
Valentine isn’t renowned for its speed,
with a dashing crew it still makes a good
cruiser tank. The gunner raises and lowers
the gun with his shoulder, while tracking
the target, allowing the tank to fight on the
move. Combined with the Valentine’s thick
armour, they are a tough foe.

CRUSADER III DEATH ORCRUSADER

GLORY TROOP
III DEATH OR GLORY TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AGGRESSIVE 3+
SKILL ARMOUR

3x Crusader III (6 pdr) 9 POINTS TRAINED 4+ FRONT 4

5+
Tally Ho
Tactics
When offered the Crusader III with its powerful
SIDE &
REAR 2
6 pdr gun to replace all of its Valentines, the TOP 1
6th Armoured Division declined due to the light-
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
er armour of the Crusader and its reputation for 14”/35CM 14”/35CM 20”/50CM 24”/60CM 3+
unreliability. Instead they equipped just one or
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
two troops in each squadron (depending on the WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

regiment) with the Crusader as a gun tank to Crusader III (6 pdr) 28”/70CM 2 1 9 4+ No HE, Overworked

support their trusty old Valentines. Crusader III (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6

45
 We have come into North Africa shoulder to shoulder with our American friends and Allies for one purpose, and one
purpose only — namely, … to cleanse the shores of Africa from the stain of Nazi and Fascist tyranny, …
78th ‘Battleaxe’ Division was formed in Scotland
in May 1942 specifically for Operation Torch,
the British-American landings in western
North Africa. The division’s three bri-
gades (1  Guards, 11, and 36 Infantry
Brigades) were all experienced forma-
tions, having fought in France and
taken part in the Dunkirk evacuation.
Since then they’d been training for an
amphibious landing against German-
held territory.
While the Americans landed in
Morocco and Oran, 11 Infantry Brigade
(temporarily under command of the US
34th Infantry Division) assaulted Algiers on the
north coast of Algeria on 8 November. 36 Infantry
Brigade landed shortly afterwards, and once the city was
secure, moved east into Tunisia to seize Bizerte and Tunis
with the support of Blade Force from the 6th ‘Mailed Fist’
Armoured Division.
This force advanced on three widely-sep-
arated routes. 36 Infantry Brigade’s
was along the northern route
through Mateur to Bizerte, while
11 Infantry Brigade took the south-
ern route through Medjez el Bab and
Tebourba to Tunis. Blade Force with
all of the tanks travelled cross-country
between the two.
36 Brigade ran into a German blocking force
at Djebel Aboid on 17 November, but lacking
tanks and with little artillery, they were unable
to break through. 11 Brigade and Blade Force
(along with some American M3 Lee tanks
assigned as infantry support to both brigades)
took longer to reach Tunisia and concentrated
around Beja on 24 November.
46
—British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
All three forces began their advance again the
next day reaching Djefna and Tebourba
largely unopposed on 26 November. The
next day the Germans counterattacked
with Tiger tanks, halting the Allied
advance, then pushing it back in
bloody fighting. By 10 December,
11 Brigade had been pushed back to
Medjez el Bab having suffered heavy
casualties.
Fortunately at this point 1 (Guards)
Brigade (with 3rd Bn, Grenadier
Guards, 2nd Bn, Coldstream Guards,
and 2nd Bn, Hampshire Regiment)
reached the front and, along with the US
18th Infantry Regiment, relieved the battered
11 Brigade at Medjez
These fresh units attacked on 22 December, with the Guards
taking Longstop Hill before handing the position over to
the Americans. The Germans counterattacked the green
American troops, retaking the hill, so the Guards attacked
again the next night taking it back once more. Another
German counterattack on Christmas Day then threw the
Guards off the hill, and a stalemate settled in for the rest of
the year and January 1943.
In February 1943, 1 (Guards) Brigade was exchanged for
38 (Irish) Brigade from the 6th Armoured Division when
the 78th Division took over their sector of the front, freeing
the 6th Armoured Division to stop the German attacks at
Kasserine Pass. The division fought several battles to stop
German attacks over the month of March, then recaptured
Longstop Hill in an epic battle in April, opening the way to
Tunis and the end of the campaign.
With the end of hostilities in North Africa, the 78th Division
participated in the Victory Parade in Tunis before joining
the Eighth Army for the Invasion of Sicily and Italy, where
they fought for the rest of the war.
 78th ‘BATTLEAXE’ DIVISION
5 CORPS, FIRST ARMY, LONGSTOP HILL, APRIL 1943
Major-General Vyvyan Evelegh

11 INFANTRY BRIGADE 36 INFANTRY BRIGADE 38 (IRISH) BRIGADE

2ND BN, LANCASHIRE 5TH BN, THE BUFFS 2ND BN, LONDON
FUSILIERS IRISH RIFLES

1ST BN, EAST SURREY 6TH BN, QUEEN’S OWN 1ST BN, ROYAL
REGIMENT ROYAL WEST KENT REGIMENT IRISH FUSILIERS

5TH BN, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 8TH BN, ARGYLL AND 6TH BN, ROYAL
REGIMENT SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS INNISKILLING FUSILIERS
(p. 56)

DIVISIONAL SUPPORT

NORTH IRISH HORSE 56TH REGIMENT, 1ST BN (MG) 49TH LIGHT AA REGIMENT,
(p. 48) RECONNAISSANCE CORPS KENSINGTON REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY

17TH FIELD REGIMENT, 132ND (WELSH) 138TH (CITY OF LONDON) 64TH ANTI-TANK REGIMENT,
ROYAL ARTILLERY FIELD REGIMENT, FIELD REGIMENT, ROYAL ARTILLERY
ROYAL ARTILLERY ROYAL ARTILLERY

Sergeant O’Hare was thrown hard against the turret bulkhead as the Churchill tank plunged into another
hidden depression, crawling along the scraggy bluff. His curse rang as loud in the tight confines of the tank as
the machine-gun fire that fell on them from above. The German defensive position, a fortified strongpoint built
into the crest of the slope, was on full alert. Machine-gun and mortar fire rained down, the explosions of mortars
causing minor rock slides that clattered down around them.
To the right, a second Churchill ground to a halt. Tilted at a near impossible angle, its revving spewing dark
plumes of smoke from the rear deck as the driver fought against the controls and gravity itself to right the tank
and bring it back into the fight. Turning the periscope, O’Hare watched as a section of British infantry ran past
the stricken Churchill, diving into cover as more mortar rounds exploded around them. Instantly they began
firing back and keeping the Germans busy.
‘Target the crest’, O’Hare commanded. ‘Keep their heads down! We’re nearly there!’.
The tank’s BESA machine-guns rattled, ripping lines along the crest as the Churchill made its last dash to the top.
‘6 pdr, HE – FIRE!’.
The bark of the 6 pdr gun was echoed by the explosion that tore apart the machine-gun nest. Debris
rained down, this time on the German defenders. The Germans were stunned to see a tank on the
bluff, the steep, rocky slope should have been more than enough to stop their approach. Shock quickly
turned to panic when the rest of the platoon crested the rise, flanked by dozens of British infantry.
Suddenly, the battle was over as the Germans broke and ran.

47
 The North Irish Horse was formed as a militia regiment in
1903 after the Boer War in South Africa. As an active reserve
unit, individual squadrons served as divisional cavalry
for the first two years of the First World War,
before being grouped together again as corps
cavalry, and then converted to a cyclist bat-
talion. The regiment won eighteen battle
honours, including fighting against the
major German offensives of 1918.
The North Irish Horse was 'disembod-
ied' after the First World War, being
reduced to a handful of officers (by
1934, it was down to a single Major!).
In 1939, with the outbreak of the
Second World War, the North Irish Horse
was reformed as an armoured car regiment,
equipped with old First World War armoured cars.
In 1941, the regiment received tanks, and joined 25 Army
Tank Brigade in 1942. After Christmas leave, the regiment
embarked for Tunisia, arriving in February 1943.
The Churchill tanks of A and B squadrons were rushed to
the front to fight in support of the 46th Division at Hunt's
Gap, then when it became available, C Squadron supported
another brigade of the 46th Division at Sedjenane. In both
locations, they were instrumental in stopping the German
advance and regaining lost ground in a series of attacks over
the rest of March and, in conjunction with 38 (Irish) Brigade
of the 78th 'Battleaxe' Division, the first half of April.
On 23 April, the North Irish Horse supported the
8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (of the 78th Division's
36 Brigade) in their assault on the western peak of Longstop
Hill, a well-fortified position that had been in German hands
since December. Having secured that position, they con-
solidated their hold over the next few days, and
assisted 38 (Irish) Brigade to take the higher
peaks of the ridge above Longstop Hill.
Then, on 26 April, the North Irish Horse
attacked in support of the 5th Buffs to
take the remaining peak of Longstop
Hill. The unstoppable Churchill tanks
advanced along the ridge as well as the
lower slopes, destroying machine-gun
nests and an 88mm gun. The terrain was
so broken that one Churchill surprised an
anti-tank gun at a range of just 10 metres,
engaging the gun with its machine-gun before
the Germans could open fire.
Having opened the way to Tebourba, C Squadron of the
North Irish Horse joined the 4th (Indian) Division for the
final offensive, capturing six 88mm guns. Its operations
opened a passage for the 7th 'Desert Rats' Armoured Division,
which pursued the defeated enemy until their surrender.
Switching to 1st Division, they assisted their advance through
Tebourba to capture Djedeida. A Squadron's advance took
it even further, reaching the coast at Carthage as German
resistance collapsed.
Having defeated the Axis forces in Tunisia, the regiment
replaced its worn out tanks, and prepared for its role in the
defeat of the Axis on the Italian mainland.

NORTH IRISH HORSE,

LONGSTOP HILL
REGIMENTAL HQ
25 ARMY TANK BRIGADE, 22 APRIL1943
Lieutenant-Colonel David Dawnay
4 Churchill tanks

TROOP HQ
SQUADRON HQ

RECCE PATROL

1 TROOP 2 TROOP 3 TROOP

RECCE PATROL

4 TROOP 5 TROOP

A SQUADRON RECCE PATROL

1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 Troop with 18 Churchill tanks
RECCE TROOP
B SQUADRON 10 Carriers
6, 7, 8, 9, & 10 Troop with 18 Churchill tanks

C SQUADRON
11, 12, 13, 14, & 15 Troop with 18 Churchill tanks

48
 CHURCHILL ARMOURED SQUADRON INFANTRY TANK FORMATION

You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

CHURCHILL III ARMOURED

SQUADRON HQ
MB128

ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR INFANTRY

CHURCHILL III CHURCHILL III CHURCHILL III RIFLE

ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP PLATOON
MB130 MB130 MB130 MB134

SHERMAN SHERMAN
ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP
MB132 MB132

ARMOUR ARMOUR

CHURCHILL III CHURCHILL III

ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP
MB130 MB130

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

49
 CHURCHILL III ARMOURED SQUADRON HQ
CHURCHILL III
CHURCHILL III
ARMOURED SQUADRON HQ

MOTIVATION • TANK       FORMATION • IS HIT ON

1x Churchill III (6 pdr) CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
2x Churchill CS Counterattack 3+
Infantry Tank

33 POINTS
ARMOUR
(2 pdr & 3-inch) (MB129)
3+ 8
Protected Ammo
Remount FRONT
1x Churchill III (6 pdr)
1x Churchill CS TRAINED
SKILL

4+
SIDE &
REAR 7
(2 pdr & 3-inch) (MB129) 22 POINTS TOP 2
3x Churchill III (6 pdr) 33 POINTS TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

2x Churchill III (6 pdr) 22 POINTS 8”/20CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 14”/35CM 2+

1x Churchill III (6 pdr) 11 POINTS WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

Churchill III (6 pdr) 28”/70CM 2 1 10 4+

The Churchill had been rushed into production Churchill III (MGs) 16”/40CM 4 4 2 6
in the dark days after the evacuation
from Dunkirk. The early versions were so
mechanically unreliable that they were barely
CHURCHILL CS
CHURCHILL
usable. The Tunisian campaign was supposed to MOTIVATION • TANK • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
be the Churchill's swan song, both its first and
Counterattack 3+
Infantry Tank
last battle. Instead, by doing everything asked of ARMOUR

3+ 8
Protected Ammo
Remount FRONT
it and more, the Churchill proved that it had
overcome its initial teething troubles and had
TRAINED
SKILL

4+
SIDE &
REAR 7
matured into an outstanding tank. TOP 2
Designed for a refight of the First World War,
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
the tracks of the Churchill I ran along the top of
8”/20CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 14”/35CM 2+
the hull, and it had a 3-inch howitzer in the hull
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
for tackling bunkers as well as a 2 pdr (40mm) WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

anti-tank gun in the turret. The Churchill III Churchill CS (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+
Forward Firing,
that made up the bulk of the tanks in Tunisia Churchill CS (3-inch) 32”/80CM ARTILLERY 2 4+ Smoke Bombardment
was armed more conventionally with a 6 pdr or Direct Fire 16”/40CM 1 - 5 3+ Forward Firing, Secondary Weapon,
Smoke
(57mm) gun in the turret and a hull machine- Churchill CS (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6
gun. Only a few of the original Churchill I tanks
were retained as CS (Close Support) tanks in the
company HQ for artillery support.
CHURCHILL
CHURCHILL III FEATURES CHURCHILL CS FEATURES
GO ANYWHERE: The Churchill tank looks rather old TWO GUNS: The Churchill CS mounts a 2 pdr anti-tank
fashioned with the tracks running right over the top of the gun in its turret and a 3-inch howitzer in the hull front,
hull. However, its design allows it to go almost anywhere, giving it a weapon for every occasion.
crossing difficult terrain with ease. ARTILLERY: The Churchill CS tanks use their 3-inch
THICK ARMOUR: The Churchill is almost invulnerable howitzer to give the company its own integrated artillery
to most anti-tank guns. Only the massive German '88' and support, useful for blinding or knocking out anti-tank guns.
its Italian 90mm equivalent could effectively penetrate it
at long range. Its unique construction also makes it hard SPECIAL RULES
for artillery or infantry anti-tank grenades to damage it. SECONDARY WEAPON: Although each gun has its
INFANTRY TANK: The crews of the Churchill infantry own gunner, the commander is too busy directing the fire
tank have confidence in their vehicles' survivability, so of the 2 pdr gun to assist the hull gunner to locate targets
have few worries about rolling through infantry positions. for his 3-inch howitzer. Firing bombardments is even more
WELL ARMED: The Churchill III mounts the latest complex, so the 2 pdr has to cease fire when doing so.
long-barrelled 6 pdr, a weapon capable of penetrating any SMOKE: The Churchill CS is designed to act as dedicated
tank in existence, even the dreaded German Tiger. artillery support, which includes the ability to fire smoke
HE: The Churchill tanks have been given priority for rounds to blind the enemy.
supply of the new HE (High Explosive) ammunition SMOKE BOMBARDMENT: Laying down a heavy
for their 6 pdr guns. This enables them to engage enemy smoke screen can shield the squadron from enemy anti-
machine-guns and anti-tank guns more effectively. tank guns while it manoeuvres to attack.

50
 CHURCHILL III ARMOURED TROOP
CHURCHILL III ARMOURED TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Counterattack 3+
Infantry Tank
ARMOUR

3x Churchill III (6 pdr) 33 POINTS Protected Ammo

Remount 3+ FRONT 8
2x Churchill III (6 pdr) 22 POINTS
TRAINED
SKILL

4+
SIDE &
REAR 7
Designed to be protected against any anti-tank TOP 2
gun in existence, the Churchill proved nigh on TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

unstoppable in battle, shrugging off hits from 8”/20CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 14”/35CM 2+
German anti-tank guns and climbing terrain the WEAPON RANGE ROF ANTI- FIRE- NOTES
HALTED MOVING TANK POWER
Germans thought impassable to tanks. Churchill III (6 pdr) 28”/70CM 2 1 10 4+
Churchill III (MGs) 16”/40CM 4 4 2 6

KINGFORCE
The Churchill tank first went into action as part of the raid
on Dieppe on the French coast in August 1942. Their per-
formance there was less than spectacular as most of them got
stuck on the loose shingle of the beach when leaving their
landing craft. Two months later, the Churchill was given an
opportunity to redeem itself in the form of Kingforce.
Six Churchill tanks were shipped to Egypt at the beginning
of October, where they came under the command of Major
Norris King. Within three weeks they were prepared for
desert service, camouflaged, and ready for action. Attached
to the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays), an armoured
regiment supporting 7 Motor Brigade of the 1st Armoured
Division, they fought in the Second Battle of El Alamein.
On the opening day of the battle, 23 October, when the rest
of the force were unable to advance, having lost numerous
tanks, Kingforce was brought forward. Under heavy German
fire, the Churchill tanks were unable to restart the advance,
losing one tank destroyed (having taken 58 hits, only three
of which penetrated!) and another out of action, but claimed
several German tanks in return.
Rested and repaired, the tanks of Kingforce went back into
action several days later. Once again they acquitted them-
selves well. Three out of five were put out of action, but
quickly repaired, one having taken 30 hits with just a broken
track as a result.
By the end of the Battle of El Alamein, Kingforce had
destroyed five panzers and three anti-tank guns for the loss of
one tank. The Churchill tank had shown that it was ready for
battle. It was capable of taking punishment and handing it
out in spades. However, with the German and Italian forces
in retreat, there was no further role for slow, heavy infantry
tanks, and Kingforce was disbanded.

51
 In July 1942, the Eighth Army was hanging on by the skin of
its teeth, its divisions battered and its armour almost gone.
Fortunately, the 8th Armoured Division had been shipped
round the Cape from Britain, arriving in Egypt in
July. The situation was so desperate that the
first arrivals, 23 Armoured Brigade, were
sent into battle as soon as they arrived, not
waiting for the rest of the division.
The Axis forces held the vital Ruweisat
Ridge, driving a wedge deep into the
British position. If Egypt was to be held,
the ridge must be recaptured. A previ-
ous attack had failed with heavy losses
when the 1st Armoured Division failed
to protect the infantry from marauding
German tanks. Another attack was planned,
and this time the 23 Armoured Brigade would
be in support. It was hoped that these fresh troops
would be more aggressive than the overly cautious veterans
of 1st Armoured Division.
23 Armoured Brigade's armoured regiments were all territo-
rial units from Liverpool, and all three took part in the attack.
40th (The King's) Battalion, of the Royal Tank Regiment
(40th (The King's) RTR for short) and 46th (Liverpool Welsh)
RTR would support the New Zealanders, while 50th RTR
supported the 9th Australian Division attacking the other
end of the ridge.
At dawn, the New Zealand infantry were on their objectives.
Rommel counterattacked and things were looking grim.
The sappers hadn’t cleared gaps in the anti-tank minefields
between the tanks and the infantry, and 23 Armoured
Brigade, having finally seen the ground they were supposed
to cross, were questioning the wisdom of the attack.
INFANTRY TANKS: ON THE TABLE
The British fielded three different models of Valentine tank, as well as the Churchill infantry tank.
The key differences are highlighted below to help you pick the right tank for the job.
VALENTINE II
Front Armour: 6
Weapon Range: 24"/60cm
Anti-tank: 7
Firepower: 4+
Other: No HE
Overworked
(+1 To Hit for Moving ROF)
52
The orders came through; the attack would take place as
planned. The Valentine tanks of 40th and 46th RTR would
charge to the rescue at top speed! Kicking up clouds of dust,
40th RTR and 46th RTR charged towards the New
Zealand positions a mile and a half away. Within
minutes they ran onto the minefields, losing
two dozen tanks. Still they charged on, C
Squadron, 40th RTR in the lead.
Soon they came under fire. Seeing only
the guns ahead, the green crews valiant-
ly sought to close the range and engage.
Lacking high explosive ammunition
for their 2 pounder guns, the tankers
had no choice but to drive right amongst
the German guns and machine-gun them.
Within 2 hours, both battalions had ceased to
exist as fighting forces.
Normally, after such a bloody start, the brigade would
have been disbanded and used as replacements for other units.
Instead, 23 Armoured Brigade quickly repaired its damaged
tanks and retrained in infantry-support tactics. Within two
weeks, they were again ready for battle, now sporting a new
'Liverbird' as their logo.
Revitalised, and much wiser, 23 Armoured Brigade won
glory in the Second Battle of El Alamein, where 40th RTR
supported the 9th Australian Division in their epic fighting
around Tel El Eisa, taking every objective assigned the divi-
sion and defeating intense counterattacks on their positions.
40th RTR led the pursuit of the beaten Axis forces, earning
the nickname 'Monty’s Foxhounds' by being at the fore-
front of the chase right across North Africa, before attack-
ing the Mareth Line and Wadi Akarit in support of the
51st (Highland) Division, and then fighting at Enfidaville.
VALENTINE VIII
Front Armour: 6
Weapon Range: 28"/70cm
Anti-tank: 10
Firepower: 4+
Other: No HE, No MG
Overworked
(+1 To Hit for Moving ROF)
 VALENTINE ARMOURED SQUADRON INFANTRY TANK FORMATION

You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

VALENTINE II ARMOURED
SQUADRON HQ
MB125

ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR ARMOUR

VALENTINE VALENTINE VALENTINE VALENTINE

ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP ARMOURED TROOP
MB126 OR MB127 MB126 OR MB127 MB126 OR MB127 MB126 OR MB127

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

Helmets and slouch hats poked out of slit trenches on the rim of the depression. One of the Australians
turned, and with a laconic wave of his arm, indicated where the enemy were advancing. Lieutenant Burgoyne
guided his driver forward into a hull-down position, while the rest of his troop came up into line abreast.
Shots began to be exchanged as the shimmering images of the German tanks started to resolve into menacing
dark shapes. Burgoyne's gunner immobilized a Panzer III, then with Burgoyne loading as fast as he could,
pounded it until it burst into flame and thick, black smoke spewed into the bright blue sky.
As smoke, haze, and dust obscured the battlefield, Burgoyne led his tanks to the flank, looking for a better
angle on the well-armoured panzers, bringing the combatants into a deadly close-range fight. Turrets
traversed right, they exchanged fire, AP rounds skipping off the stony desert floor.
A big Mark IV crested a small rise, its turret pointed away but beginning to rotate towards him. Burgoyne's
gunner fired, the shot flashing on the enemy turret, just as the gun aligned. Burgoyne tensed—expecting
the killing shot from the Mark IV — when the panzer exploded, showering the desert with scrap, leaving a
burning hulk behind.

VALENTINE III CHURCHILL III

Front Armour: 6 Front Armour: 8
Weapon Range: 24"/60cm Weapon Range: 28"/70cm
Anti-tank: 7 Anti-tank: 10
Firepower: 4+ Firepower: 4+
Other: No HE, Tally Ho Other: HE, Protected Ammo
Death or Glory Infantry Tank

53
 VALENTINE II ARMOUREDVALENTINE
SQUADRON II HQ ARMOURED SQUADRON HQ

MOTIVATION • TANK FORMATION • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
SKILL ARMOUR

3x Valentine II (2 pdr) 11 POINTS TRAINED 4+ FRONT 6

The 'Liverbird' brigade was trained as a dashing
SIDE &
REAR 6
armoured brigade, charging the enemy, TOP 1
heedless of danger. They quickly learned that
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
the enemy was less forgiving than the umpires 8”/20CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 16”/40CM 3+
during training back in England. They rebuilt
WEAPON RANGE ROF ANTI- FIRE- NOTES
themselves as an infantry-support formation, HALTED MOVING TANK POWER

gaining a reputation for skill and determination Valentine II (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE, Overworked

in their new role. Valentine II (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6

VALENTINES
VALENTINE II FEATURES
2 PDR GUN: The light 2 pdr gun enables the Valentine to
be keep it's size down, allowing it to mount thick armour.
THICK ARMOUR: For a small 17-ton tank, the Valentine
is well armoured, being better protected than the 23-ton
Panzer III and the 30-ton Sherman.
VALENTINE VIII FEATURES
6 PDR GUN: The new long-barrelled 6 pdr gun was first
mounted on the Valentine, giving it a dangerous punch.
The gun can knock out any tank in existence, but comes at
the cost of the tank's machine-gun.
THINNER ARMOUR: To keep weight down, the side
armour was reduced when the turret was increased in size.
SPECIAL RULES
OVERWORKED: The small turret of the Valentine II
and the big 6 pdr gun of the Valentine VIII forces the
commander to also act as the loader, when he should
be using every spare moment to observe the tank's
surroundings and make crucial tactical decisions. This
makes it harder for the crew to fight at top efficiency while
on the move.
NO HE: The 2 pdr and 6 pdr guns mounted by the
Valentine only have armour-piercing shells. This severely
limits its use against infantry and unarmoured targets, as
the solid steel shot will only inflict serious damage with a
direct hit to a vital area.

54
 VALENTINE ARMOURED TROOP OPTIONS
You can field either a Valentine II Armoured Troop with only 2 pdr-armed Valentine II tanks, or a mixed Troop with both
Valentine II tanks and 6 pdr-armed Valentine VIII tanks.

VALENTINE II ARMOURED TROOP

VALENTINE II ARMOURED TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
SKILL ARMOUR

3x Valentine II (2 pdr) 11 POINTS TRAINED 4+ FRONT 6

The Valentine was designed as a cheaper alterna-
SIDE &
REAR 6
tive to the old Matilda infantry tank. Weighing TOP 1
in at just 17 tonnes, it was faster and almost as
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
heavily armoured, though it retained the same 8”/20CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 16”/40CM 3+
light 2 pdr gun. Its biggest improvement was
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
its mechanical reliability. The Valentines of WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

23 Armoured Brigade crossed North Africa on Valentine II (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE, Overworked

their own tracks, fighting all the way. Valentine II (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6

VALENTINE II & VIII ARMOURED TROOP

VALENTINE II & VIII ARMOURED TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
SKILL ARMOUR
2x Valentine II (2 pdr)
1x Valentine VIII (6 pdr) 13 POINTS
TRAINED 4+ FRONT 6
6 PDR
SIDE & REAR 5
The early models of the Valentine had a small,
2 PDR
SIDE & REAR 6
two-man turret that required the overworked
TOP 1
commander to act as the loader as well as doing TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

8”/20CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 16”/40CM 3+

their own job. The Valentine VIII had a larger
turret, but crammed a big long-barrelled 6 pdr WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

gun into it, requiring the removal of the co-axial Valentine II (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE, Overworked
machine-gun despite the larger size. These were Valentine II (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6
shared out as they arrived to give each troop Valentine VIII (6 pdr) 28”/70CM 2 1 10 4+ No HE, Overworked
greater anti-tank capability.

55
 The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)
regiment was created in 1881 by the amalgamation of
the 91st (Argyllshire Highlanders) and 93rd (Sutherland
Highlanders) Regiments of Foot. Both regiments had been
raised to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, and had served
across the globe, fighting in Europe, Africa, India, and the
Americas. The 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment won
fame as the 'Thin Red Line' at Sevastopol in the Crimea,
where they faced down a Russian cavalry charge. Eleven bat-
talions of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders fought in
the First World War, winning 68 battle honours in France,
Italy, Greece, and Turkey.
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders sent six battalions
into battle in the Second World War, with four of these
fighting in France in 1940, one in Crete and North Africa,
and one fighting in as the rearguard in the retreat through
Malaya in 1942.
The 7th and 8th Battalions fought with the 51st (Highland)
Division and were mauled defending the line of the Somme
River with the French Army in 1940, before being with-
drawn to Britain and then sent to North Africa in 1942.
The 7th Battalion remained with the Highland Division
and fought with the Eight Army at El Alamein, while the
8th Battalion joined the 78th 'Battleaxe' Division in the First
Army in Tunisia.
The 8th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders formed
the reserve for the landings at Algiers in Operation Torch on
8 November 1942, then sailed for Bougie, 225km (140 miles)
to the east. From there they set out on 11 November for
Tunis 575km (360 miles) further east, reaching Djebel
Aboid a week later on 18 November. There the advance was
halted by German paratroopers supported by tanks.
When they set out again on 26 November, now supported by
American tanks, they found that the Germans had retired.
Three days later, they were ambushed as they moved forward
along the road through the hills near Sedjenane. Unable
to advance further, their wrecked Universal Carriers in No
Man's Land became a grim symbol of the ensuing stalemate.
After a wet and muddy winter spent patrolling, the Argyll
and Sutherland Highlanders spent the first half of April
1943 pushing the Germans back from Beja to Medjez el Bab.
Then, on 22 April, they launched an attack on Longstop Hill,
the main defensive position blocking the route to Tebourba
and Tunis. Supported by the Churchill tanks of the North
Irish Horse, they attacked with considerable gallantry, and
despite heavy casualties from mortar and machine-gun fire,
took the peak, earning a Victoria Cross in the process.
Having opened the way to Tunis and victory in North
Africa, the Highlanders went on to fight their way up the
Italian Peninsula, ending the war in Austria.

8TH BATTALION, ARGYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS

LONGSTOP HILL, 36 INFANTRY BRIGADE, 78th 'BATTLEAXE' DIVISION, 22 APRIL 1943
REGIMENT HQ

RIFLE COMPANY HQ
COMPANY HQ

3x Bren Guns 3x Bren Guns

6x 3-inch mortars 4x 6-pdr anti-tank guns
1x Boys anti-tank Rifle 1x Boys anti-tank Rifle
1x 2" Mortar 1x 2" Mortar 3. MORTAR PLATOON 5. ANTI-TANK PLATOON
7. RIFLE PLATOON 8. RIFLE PLATOON

13x Universal carriers

13x Bren Guns &
3x Bren Guns
Boys Anti-tank Rifles
1x Boys anti-tank Rifle
1x 2" Mortar 4. CARRIER PLATOON
9. RIFLE PLATOON S  COMPANY
A  COMPANY (7, 8, & 9 platoon)

B  COMPANY (10, 11, & 12 platoon)

The battalion headquarters and support company also
C  COMPANY (13, 14, & 15 platoon) contained 1. Signals, 2. Admin, and 6. Pioneer platoons.
D  COMPANY (16, 17, & 18 platoon)

Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment provided Additional anti-tank guns could also be attached from
machine-gun support as needed. 64th Anti-tank Regiment if required.

4x Vickers MMG'S 4x Vickers MMG'S 4x 6-pdr anti-tank guns

MACHINE-GUN PLATOON MACHINE-GUN PLATOON ANTI-TANK PLATOON

56
 RIFLE COMPANY INFANTRY FORMATION

You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

RIFLE
COMPANY HQ
MB133

INFANTRY INFANTRY INFANTRY

RIFLE RIFLE RIFLE

PLATOON PLATOON PLATOON
MB134 MB134 MB134

ARTILLERY ANTI-TANK ANTI-TANK

3-INCH MORTAR 6 PDR 6 PDR

PLATOON ANTI-TANK PLATOON ANTI-TANK PLATOON
MB135 MB110 MB110

INFANTRY INFANTRY

VICKERS MMG VICKERS MMG

PLATOON PLATOON
MB112 MB112

RECON RECON RECON RECON

UNIVERSAL CARRIER UNIVERSAL CARRIER UNIVERSAL CARRIER UNIVERSAL CARRIER

PATROL PATROL PATROL PATROL
MB113 MB113 MB113 MB113

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

57
 RIFLE COMPANY HQ
RIFLE COMPANY HQ
MOTIVATION • INFANTRY FORMATION • NIGHT ATTACK • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Counterattack 3+
Bulldog
2x SMLE rifle team 2 POINTS SAVE

TRAINED
SKILL

4+ Infantry
3+
The rifle companies are the heart and soul of
3+
Deadly
Assault
a rifle battalion. They are the ones who must
clamber out of their fox holes, fix bayonets, and
assault the enemy defences. They are the ones TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

8”/20CM 8”/20CM 12”/30CM 12”/30CM AUTO

who must endure artillery bombardments, then
be ready to repulse enemy attacks. WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

SMLE rifle team 16”/40CM 1 1 2 6 Slow Firing

NIGHT ATTACKS
PREPARED ATTACK: Attacking across open desert in
broad daylight is a risky proposition. Attacking at night
allows the riflemen to cross the open ground before
coming under effective fire. If the enemy defensive posi-
tion is protected by minefields, your rifle companies can
choose to attack at night. Shooting at night is less deadly
(see page 113 of the rulebook), so they suffer fewer casual-
ties as they close with the enemy and assault.
CONSOLIDATE AT DAWN: One problem with attack-
ing at night is that tanks and other supporting troops
aren't trained to operate at night, so must wait until
dawn before they can advance and assist the riflemen. If
the objective has been taken, they will help the riflemen
fight off counterattacks and consolidate their position. If
not, an attack by armour can help get the advance moving
again, using combined arms to finish the job.

Artillery fire rained down all along the ridge of Longstop Hill. ‘Keep going lads!', Colonel McNabb encouraged his
Highlanders, swishing aside stalks of corn as they pushed through a field near the base of the rise. ‘Nearly there!’.
The Argylls slogged on under the umbrella of artillery fire throwing up explosion after explosion in a deadly
wall ahead of them. As the artillery lifted ahead of the Highlanders, machine-gun fire began to pour down from
the ridge once again, cutting into the cornfield. Mortar shells exploded, throwing men and dirt in all directions.
Some rose to fight on. Some, like McNabb, fell never to move again.
Seeing their commanding officer fall, the Highlanders took cover and started shooting back. Wave after wave of
heavy fire criss-crossed between the two lines with neither side gaining an advantage. The attack had stalled.
Explosions and machine-gun fire created a great wall of smoke and dust that drifted down the slope, obscuring
the combatants. Screams filled the air, cut off by the staccato bursts of machine-guns.
‘We can’t stay here forever', Major Anderson shouted to his sergeant.
‘We’ll be cut to pieces!’. Climbing to his feet amidst the storm of bullets,
he led the way forward. The Argylls followed, pushing into the wall of fire.
Bren teams emptied magazine after magazine covering the advance,
keeping the defender's heads down while the riflemen advanced.
Dashing forward from cover to cover, the Highlanders rushed up towards
the enemy machine gun nests. The Germans strafed the onrushing men,
but as men fell to the deadly fire, more came on, tossing grenades
amongst the German positions.
The attack was back on, and the Highlanders had regained
the momentum.

58
 RIFLE PLATOON
RIFLE PLATOON
MOTIVATION • INFANTRY UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Counterattack 3+
Bulldog
7x Bren Gun & SMLE rifle team SAVE

1x Boys anti-tank rifle

1x 2-inch mortar 11 POINTS TRAINED
SKILL

4+ Infantry
3+
3+
Deadly
5x Bren Gun & SMLE rifle team Assault
1x Boys anti-tank rifle
1x 2-inch mortar 8 POINTS
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

The Unit Leader is one of the Bren Gun & SMLE 8”/20CM 8”/20CM 12”/30CM 12”/30CM AUTO
rifle teams, and is mounted on a small base ROF ANTI- FIRE-
WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES
(see page 76).
Bren Gun & 16”/40CM 2 1 2 6
SMLE rifle team
Boys anti-tank rifle 20”/50CM 1 1 4 5+ Assault 4+, Slow Firing
The riflemen of the British Army have a reputation Assault 4+, Overhead Fire,
2-inch mortar 16”/40CM 1 1 2 4+
for making deadly use of their bayonets to take Slow Firing, Smoke

the fight to the enemy, then refusing to give up

their gains when counterattacked. how to fight and win. Their tactics aren't subtle, they prefer to attack
Their long exposure to the rigours of desert behind a heavy artillery barrage supported by infantry tanks, but they are
warfare has toughened them, and taught them effective.

RIFLE COMPANY WEAPONS

SMLE RIFLE: Most riflemen are armed with the
.303-calibre Short Magazine Lee–Enfield (SMLE, aka.
‘Smelly’), a reliable and accurate weapon, although
relatively slow firing.
BREN GUN: The rifle platoon's main firepower comes
from its three accurate and reliable .303-calibre Bren light
machine-guns. Each rifleman carries four spare magazines
for his section's Bren in two chest pouches on his webbing
gear. Using the Bren Gun as a base of fire, they manoeuvre
closer to the enemy, then use their rifle fire to cover the
Bren Gun as it advances.
BOYS ANTI-TANK RIFLE: The slow-firing .55-calibre
bolt-action Boys anti-tank rifle is too cumbersome to use
easily on the move. It is best fired prone, using its bipod.
2-INCH MORTAR: The SBML (smooth-bore muzzle-
loading) 2-inch mortar conducts overhead fire, throwing
a 1kg (2lb) high-explosive bomb in an arcing trajectory,
down onto the heads of the enemy, making it excellent at
knocking out dug-in enemy troops. It can also fire rounds
that use white phosphorous or titanium tetrachloride to
produce dense, white smoke to block the enemy's vision.
It must be fired from a firm position on the ground, so is
slow firing.
ASSAULT 4+: The crews of the 2-inch mortar and
the Boys anti-tank rifle are not as well equipped as the
riflemen for hand-to-hand combat, so they hit on a score
of 4+ rather than 3+ in assaults.

3-INCH MORTAR PLATOON

3-INCH MORTAR PLATOON
MOTIVATION • INFANTRY UNIT • HEAVY WEAPON • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+

6x 3-inch mortar 9 POINTS SKILL SAVE

TRAINED 4+
4x 3-inch mortar 6 POINTS Heavy Weapon
Assault 5+ Infantry
3+
2x 3-inch mortar 3 POINTS

The 3-inch mortars of the battalion's mortar

TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
platoon give them immediate artillery support. 4”/10CM 4”/10CM 6”/15CM 8”/20CM 3+
The mortars are excellent for softening up the
WEAPON RANGE ROF ANTI- FIRE- NOTES
enemy before an assault and for knocking out HALTED MOVING TANK POWER

enemy machine-gun nests. 3-inch mortar 32”/80CM ARTILLERY 1 4+ Smoke Bombardment

3-INCH MORTAR FEATURES

ARTILLERY: Mortar bombs fly in a high-arcing trajectory, SMOKE BOMBARDMENT: When the enemy cannot
soaring over friendly troops and intervening terrain, to see you, they cannot hurt you. Where there is no terrain
drop down onto the target from above. Unlike most other features to conceal your movements, laying down a dense,
infantry weapons, they cannot conduct direct fire. blinding smokescreen is the next best thing.

59
 6 PDR ANTI-TANK PLATOON
6 PDR ANTI-TANK PLATOON
MOTIVATION • GUN UNIT • GUN SHIELD • IS HIT ON

FEARLESS 3+ CAREFUL 4+

4x 6 pdr gun 12 POINTS SKILL SAVE

VETERAN 3+
3x 6 pdr gun 9 POINTS Gun
Assault 4+ Gun
3+
2x 6 pdr gun 6 POINTS

The Quick-Firing 6-pounder is a 57mm anti-

TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
tank gun which made its combat debut in the
2”/5CM 2”/5CM 4”/10CM 4”/10CM 5+
Gazala battles in May and June 1942. Dug-in
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
and firing at point blank range, these guns are WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

deadly to enemy tanks. 6 pdr gun 28”/70CM 2 1 9 4+ Forward Firing, No HE

6 POUNDER
FEATURES
ARMOUR PENETRATION: The 6 pdr's high-velocity
solid armour-piercing rounds can punch through the
armour of all but the heaviest German panzers.
GUN SHIELD: The best defence is to wait in concealment
until the perfect time to fire, the bulletproof gun shield
gives the gun crew some
welcome protection
though.
SPECIAL RULES
FORWARD FIRING: The trail does not allow the 6 pdr
gun to traverse quickly to track targets moving to its sides,
so it can only fire at targets to its front.
NO HE: Although a high-explosive shell has been
designed for the 6 pdr, Britain's limited production
resources are being concentrated on crucial armour-
piercing rounds, and the limited supply of HE is reserved
for the Churchill tanks.

VICKERS MMG PLATOON

VICKERS MMG PLATOON
MOTIVATION • INFANTRY UNIT • HEAVY WEAPON • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Counterattack 3+
Bulldog
4x Vickers MMG team 4 POINTS SAVE

2x Vickers MMG team 2 POINTS

TRAINED
SKILL

4+ Infantry
3+
5+
Heavy Weapon
Assault
The divisional machine-gun battalion provided
specialist support to the rifle companies as
needed. The Vickers medium machine-guns TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

8”/20CM 8”/20CM 12”/30CM 12”/30CM AUTO

pin the enemy down while the rifle platoons
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
manoeuvre for the knock-out blow. On the WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

defensive, no enemy infantry can approach the Vickers MMG team 24”/60CM 6 2 2 6
Vickers without weathering a storm of lead. Firing Bombardment 48”/120CM ARTILLERY 1 6

VICKERS MMG FEATURES

HIGH RATE OF FIRE: The belt-fed, water-cooled
Vickers gun is an extremely reliable weapon, able to
fire continuously for hours without jamming. Firing
up to 500 rounds per minute, the hail of lead it throws
out makes frontal assaults a deadly proposition for any
unarmoured enemy.
ARTILLERY: When the Vickers was first used in the
First World War, machine-gunners devised a technique
of firing high-angle barrages of long-range indirect fire
against enemy positions up to several miles away. The
bullets strike the area without warning, a silent killer for
any infantry unprotected in the open.

60
 UNIVERSAL CARRIER
This versatile little vehicle could be found anywhere the rifle battalions went, Crew (3): Commander, gunner, driver
scouting ahead of the infantry or delivering highly mobile machine-gun Weight: 3.2 tonnes
support wherever it was needed. Length: 3.65m (12’ 0")
Width: 2.06m (6' 9")
Height: 1.57m (5' 2")
Weapons: .303 Bren light MG
Armour: 4-10mm
Speed: 48 km/h (30 mph)
Engine: Ford V8 60 kW (80 hp)

UNIVERSAL CARRIER PATROL

UNIVERSAL CARRIER PATROL

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • SCOUT • SPEARHEAD • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Scout
6
3x Universal Carriers 2 POINTS Counterattack ARMOUR

5+ 1
Scout
Last Stand FRONT

OPTIONS
TRAINED
SKILL

4+
SIDE &
REAR 0
• Arm any or all Universal Carriers with a
Boys AT rifle for +1 point for the Unit.
Scout
Assault 5+ TOP 0
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

The versatile Universal Carrier is commonly 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 20”/50CM 24”/60CM 4+

called a Bren Gun Carrier, which was the first WEAPON RANGE
ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

variant developed, even though it has since Carrier (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6 Forward Firing
evolved into a more general-purpose vehicle. Optional 20”/50CM 1 1 4 5+ Forward Firing, Slow Firing
Carrier (Boys AT rifle)
Its usual jobs are scouting No Man's Land to
reconnoitre enemy positions and protecting the
company's flanks as a mobile reserve.

UNIVERSAL CARRIER
FEATURES
ARMOURED CARRIER: The scout platoon's carriers
give them the mobility they need to roam far out into
No-Man's-Land, and their humble armour protection
is hopefully enough to let them survive contact with the
enemy and report back.
OPEN SCOUT: The Universal Carrier is meant for
reconnaissance and transport, not to be used as an
assault vehicle. It is not built for up-close engagements.
Its unprotected top makes a tempting target for a hand
grenade or spray of submachine-gun fire.
SPECIAL RULES
SCOUT: Small and quick, with a low profile, the Universal
Carrier is well suited to the task of reconnaissance,
sneaking forward to observe the enemy, then speeding
away if spotted.
SPEARHEAD: By scouting ahead and providing up-to-
date reports on enemy movements, the scout platoon
lets the combat elements know exactly how far they can
advance before meeting the first line of enemy defences.

61
 The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) is descended from
the famous 95th Rifles of the Napoleonic Wars, who wore
dark green jackets in place of the traditional red coat, and
were armed with the accurate Baker rifle instead of smooth-
bore muskets. This tradition of marksmanship and light-
infantry tactics continued into the 20th Century.
The 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade (abbreviated 1RB) was
one of several battalions of the Rifle Brigade that served with
distinction in the North African Campaign.
The 1st Battalion began the war as part of the BEF, the British
Expeditionary Force, in the defence of France, where it was
hastily thrown into action in the defence of Calais. The
battalion was eventually overwhelmed and captured, but
only after a brave stand which held up the German armoured
attack for four days, delaying the advance on Dunkirk and
helping to save the British Expeditionary Force.
The 1st Battalion was reformed in the United Kingdom and
sailed to North Africa as part of 2 Armoured Brigade of the
1st Armoured Division. There it took part in the defence of
the Gazala line before joining the retreat to the defensive line
at El Alamein.
At the end of June 1942, as the Eighth Army was reorganised
to defend the El Alamein line, 1st Battalion was transferred
to the 7th Armoured Division, as 22 Armoured Brigade's
motor battalion. They would remain with the 'Desert Rats'
for the rest of the war.
In the Battle of Alam El Halfa, 22 Armoured Brigade were
placed in a defensive line along the southern and eastern
slopes of the Alam El Halfa ridge. A major part of the line
was flat, unbroken ground—unsuitable for the Grants,
with their high profile and hull-mounted gun, but perfect
for dug-in and concealed 6-pounder guns. In the first day
of fighting, the 1st Battalion's anti-tank platoon claimed
19 enemy tanks destroyed. One gun accounted for five tanks
on its own. After night fell, the motor platoons sent out
patrols to destroy immobilised tanks to prevent the enemy
from recovering them.
The 1st Battalion stayed with 22 Armoured Brigade for the
Second Battle of El Alamein and the Tunisia Campaign until
May 1943, when the Axis was finally defeated in Africa.
The 1st Battalion was not the only battalion of the Rifle
Brigade to fight in North Africa. 2nd and 7th Battalions
were with 7 Motor Brigade during the ‘crumbling’ phase
of Operation Lightfoot. 2nd Battalion seized an objective
codenamed ‘Outpost Snipe’ and held it for two days, despite
intense bombardment and determined Axis armoured
attacks. They destroyed over 50 armoured vehicles with
their anti-tank guns and halted a major Axis counterattack.
2nd Battalion's Colonel, Victor Turner, was awarded the
Victoria Cross for the action after he fought on despite a
head wound, manning a solitary 6 pdr with two other men
and destroying several tanks at point-blank range.

1st BATTALION, THE RIFLE BRIGADE

22 ARMOURED BRIGADE, 7th ARMOURED DIVISION, OCTOBER 1942
REGIMENT HQ

2x 3" Mortars
MOTOR2xCOMPANY
3" MortarsHQ COMPANY HQ

MOTOR2xCOMPANY
3" MortarsHQ
MOTOR COMPANY HQ

3x Bren Guns 3x Bren Guns 4x 6-pdr anti-tank guns 4x 6-pdr anti-tank guns
1x Boys anti-tank Rifle 1x Boys anti-tank Rifle ANTI-TANK PLATOON ANTI-TANK PLATOON
3x Bren Guns 3x Bren Guns
1x 2" Mortar 1x 2" Mortar
1x Boys anti-tank Rifle 1x Boys anti-tank Rifle
MOTOR
3x Bren Guns
PLATOON MOTOR
3x Bren Guns
PLATOON
1x 2" Mortar 1x 2" Mortar
1x Boys anti-tank Rifle 1x Boys anti-tank Rifle
MOTOR PLATOON
1x 2" Mortar MOTOR PLATOON
1x 2" Mortar
MOTOR PLATOON MOTOR PLATOON 4x 6-pdr anti-tank guns 4x 6-pdr anti-tank guns
ANTI-TANK PLATOON ANTI-TANK PLATOON
4x Vickers MMG'S 1x Universal carriers
1
MACHINE-GUN 11x Bren Guns
4x Vickers PLATOON
MMG'S 11x Universal carriers S  COMPANY
11x Boys Anti-tank Rifles
MACHINE-GUN 11x Bren Guns
4x Vickers PLATOON
MMG'S 11x Universal
SCOUT carriers
11x Boys PLATOON
Anti-tank Rifles
MACHINE-GUN PLATOON 11x Bren Guns
SCOUT PLATOON
A  COMPANY 11x Boys Anti-tank Rifles
SCOUT PLATOON
C  COMPANY
I  COMPANY

Unlike the other battalions of the Rifle Brigade which used the usual A, B C and S (Support) company designations,
1RB consisted of A, C, I and S (Support) Companies. One platoon of four anti-tank guns was usually attached to each
motor company, with the fourth assigned where it was most needed. Further anti-tank guns could also be attached from
the divisional Support Group if required.

62
 MOTOR COMPANY INFANTRY FORMATION

You must field the Formation HQ and one Combat Unit from each black box.
You may also field one Combat Unit from each grey box.

HEADQUARTERS

MOTOR
COMPANY HQ
MB108

INFANTRY INFANTRY ARTILLERY

MOTOR VICKERS MMG 3-INCH MORTAR

PLATOON PLATOON SECTION
MB109 MB112 MB111

ANTI-TANK ANTI-TANK

6 PDR 6 PDR
ANTI-TANK PLATOON ANTI-TANK PLATOON
MB110 MB110

MOTOR
PLATOON
MB109

RECON RECON RECON

UNIVERSAL CARRIER UNIVERSAL CARRIER UNIVERSAL CARRIER

PATROL PATROL PATROL
MB113 MB113 MB113

You may field a Combat Unit from a black box as a Support Unit for another Formation.

63
 MOTOR COMPANY HQ
MOTOR COMPANY HQ
MOTIVATION • INFANTRY FORMATION • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Counterattack 3+
Bulldog
2x SMLE rifle team 2 POINTS SAVE

TRAINED
SKILL

4+ Infantry
3+
In the fast-moving environment of the desert
3+
Deadly
Assault
war, it is the tanks that usually get all the glory.
But the hard work still belongs to the PBI, the
‘Poor Bloody Infantry’. For such a small unit, TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

8”/20CM 8”/20CM 12”/30CM 12”/30CM AUTO

a motor company has plenty of firepower at its
disposal. Their machine-guns, anti-tank guns, WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

and mortars can deal with almost any opposition. SMLE rifle team 16”/40CM 1 1 2 6 Slow Firing

MOTOR PLATOON
MOTOR PLATOON
MOTIVATION • INFANTRY UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Counterattack 3+
Bulldog
4x Bren Gun team SAVE

1x Boys anti-tank rifle

1x 2-inch mortar 8 POINTS TRAINED
SKILL

4+ Infantry
3+
3+
Deadly
3x Bren Gun team Assault
1x Boys anti-tank rifle
1x 2-inch mortar 7 POINTS
TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

The Unit Leader is one of the Bren Gun teams, 8”/20CM 8”/20CM 12”/30CM 12”/30CM AUTO
and is mounted on a small base (see page 76). ROF ANTI- FIRE-
WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

Bren Gun team 16”/40CM 3 2 2 6

Motor platoons spend most of their time Boys anti-tank rifle 20”/50CM 1 1 4 5+ Assault 4+, Slow Firing
forming a safe base for the armour to operate 2-inch mortar 16”/40CM 1 1 2 4+ Assault 4+, Overhead Fire,
Slow Firing, Smoke
from. On the attack, though, it will be the job
of the riflemen to carve a path for the tanks
through the enemy defences.

3-INCH MORTAR SECTION

3-INCH MORTAR SECTION
MOTIVATION • INFANTRY UNIT • HEAVY WEAPON • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+

2x 3-inch mortar 3 POINTS SKILL SAVE

TRAINED 4+
Heavy Weapon
Assault 5+ Infantry
3+
Each motor company has a section of two
3-inch mortars for close support. They fire a
5kg (10lb) high-explosive bomb which can
knock out enemy gun positions or break up TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

4”/10CM 4”/10CM 6”/15CM 8”/20CM 3+

attacking infantry units. While not as deadly as
its big-barrelled Royal Artillery counterparts, the WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

3-inch mortar is a more portable alternative. 3-inch mortar 32”/80CM ARTILLERY 1 4+ Smoke Bombardment

64
The roar of aircraft droning overhead to bomb the enemy was drowned out by the thunder of hundreds of guns
opening fire at once. The gun flashes on the horizon flickered like lightning as their salvoes rumbled overhead
before plunging into the enemy positions, raising great plumes of smoke and sand, burying the enemy in an
endless stream of explosions.
'Right lads, up and at 'em', the lieutenant shouted, barely heard above the tumult.
A long line of riflemen rose from the sand, bayonets glinting in the hot sun as the tracks of the advancing tanks
kicked up clouds of dust ahead of them. The new chaps looked around nervously as they walked, encouraged by
the jokes and jibes of the old hands. Surely nothing could withstand firepower of this magnitude — they hoped.

HURRICANE TANK-BUSTING FLIGHT

HURRICANE TANK-BUSTING FLIGHT

MOTIVATION • AIRCRAFT UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AIRCRAFT 5+

2x Hurricane 9 POINTS SKILL SAVE

TRAINED 4+
Aircraft
3+
Based on the Royal Air Force's most numerous
single-seat fighter, the Hawker Hurricane  IID
tank buster is nicknamed the ‘Flying Can
Opener’. A Vickers S gun beneath each wing TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

UNLIMITED AUTO
fires 40mm armour-piercing ammunition, with
machine-guns firing tracer rounds to aid with WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

sighting, making them accurate and deadly. Hurricane

(Vickers S gun) 8”/20CM - 2 7 4+

KITTYHAWK FIGHTER-BOMBER FLIGHT

KITTYHAWK FIGHTER-BOMBER FLIGHT

MOTIVATION • AIRCRAFT UNIT • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ AIRCRAFT 5+

2x Kittyhawk 7 POINTS SKILL SAVE

TRAINED 4+
Aircraft
3+
In British service, the lend-lease American
P-40 fighter was known as the 'Kittyhawk'.
The Desert Air Force used their Kittyhawks as
effective fighter-bombers, diving on their targets, TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

UNLIMITED AUTO
dropping 500 lb bombs with deadly precision.
Should the opportunity present itself, their six WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

.50 cal machine-guns were deadly when strafing 500 lb bombs 6”/15CM ARTILLERY 3 2+ Bombs

troops caught in the open. .50 cal MGs 8”/20CM - 3 5 5+

65
 PRIEST FIELD TROOP
PRIEST FIELD TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • MIKE TARGET • IS HIT ON

FEARLESS 3+ CAREFUL 4+
SP Gun
Counterattack 5+ ARMOUR

4x Priest (105mm) 20 POINTS SKILL FRONT 3

VETERAN 3+
2x Priest (105mm) 10 POINTS SP Gun
Assault 5+
SIDE &
REAR 1
The American M7 self-propelled 105mm howit-
TOP 0
zer gained the nickname 'Priest' in British service TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

from the pulpit-like machine-gun mounting. 10”/25CM 12”/30CM 18”/45CM 20”/50CM 3+

Built on the chassis of the Grant tank, the Priest WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

gave the armoured divisions a mobile artillery Priest (105mm) 72”/180CM ARTILLERY 3 3+ Forward Firing,
Smoke Bombardment
piece able to keep up with its tanks during or Direct Fire 24”/60CM 1 1 9 2+ Brutal, Forward Firing, Slow Firing,
Smoke
cross-country moves. Priest (.50 cal MG) 20”/50CM 3 2 4 5+ Self-defence AA

PRIEST
FEATURES
ARMOURED PROTECTION: The armoured super­
structure of the Priest protects the crew from shrapnel and
small-arms fire, but with its open top, they would be wise
to avoid close assaults.
MOBILITY: Based on the Grant chassis, the Priest is fully
tracked, enabling it to go wherever the tanks go.
SELF-DEFENCE AA: The pulpit-like appearance of
mounting ring for the anti-aircraft .50-cal machine-gun is
what inspired the nickname ‘Priest’.
SPECIAL RULES
BRUTAL: A single direct hit from one of the 105mm
high-explosive shells is generally enough to annihilate an
unprotected target. Infantry and guns hit in Direct Fire
must re-roll their saves.
FORWARD FIRING: The gun is not designed to rotate
quickly to follow fast-moving targets, and can only fire at
targets to the vehicle's front.
SLOW FIRING: The 105mm howitzer fires large, heavy
shells, making it cumbersome to fire on the move.

B Troop's Gun Position Officer bent over a portable table, marking targets and
calculating ranges. Signaller Little knelt beside him, engaged in a steady monotone
conversation with other radio operators on the net. As soon as the first fire mission
was ready, bearing and elevation were passed to the guns. The din of war commenced
as the guns fired, crashing back in their cradles, breeches flying open to eject spent
propellant cartridges. The gunners worked in a steady rhythm, ramming home shells
and cartridges. Far down range, explosions began to fountain on the desert floor.
German infantry of the 90th Light Africa Division were engulfed in shrapnel and rock
splinters as high-explosive rounds detonated all around them, taking a terrible toll
on the exposed soldiers.
Further to the west, 7 Motor Brigade spotted a patrol of eight-wheeled German
armoured cars trying to sweep around their flank, prompting a new fire mission.
Back at the battery, the gun layers heaved up the tail end of the carriages, smoothly
rotating the guns on the firing platforms. The new firing solution came in and within
moments the guns resumed. Soon the armoured cars were retreating, leaving several
of their vehicles behind as smoking wreckage.

66
 25 PDR FIELD25TROOP
PDR FIELD TROOP
MOTIVATION • GUN UNIT • GUN SHIELD • IS HIT ON
• LARGE GUN • MIKE TARGET •
FEARLESS 3+ CAREFUL 4+

4x 25 pdr gun 14 POINTS SKILL SAVE

VETERAN 3+
2x 25 pdr gun 7 POINTS Gun
Assault 4+ Gun
4+
The versatile Quick-Firing 25-pounder entered
service just before the war began, and remains the
main British field gun and howitzer throughout TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

- 2”/5CM 4”/10CM 4”/10CM 6

the desert war.
ROF ANTI- FIRE-
Its main ammunition is an 11.5kg (25lb) WEAPON RANGE HALTED MOVING TANK POWER NOTES

87.6mm high-explosive shell, with solid armour- 25 pdr gun 80”/200CM ARTILLERY 3 4+ Smoke Bombardment

piercing rounds also available. or Direct Fire 24”/60CM 2 1 9 3+ Smoke

25 PDR FEATURES
DUAL PURPOSE: The open, mobile nature of desert
warfare sometimes sees tanks and guns coming into close
contact, with the 25 pdrs direct-firing at enemy tanks over
open sights. Each gun is supplied with solid steel armour-
piercing rounds for this eventuality.
FEARLESS: The Royal Artillery gunners are staunch in
the face of danger, and will only ever abandon their guns
with extreme reluctance, even after taking heavy casualties.
LONG-RANGE ARTILLERY: While the 25 pdr is of
some use in anti-tank work, it excels in its primary role as
a field gun. It can fire to a range of over 12km (7.5 miles),
threatening distant enemy infantry, guns, and even tanks.
TURNTABLE: A circular firing platform attached
underneath the trail is lowered to the ground and the gun
is pulled onto it. This provides a stable surface on which
the gun can quickly be rotated in any direction.

HONEY OP OBSERVATION
HONEYPOST
OP OBSERVATION POST

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • INDEPENDENT • IS HIT ON

• OBSERVER • • SCOUT •
CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Scout
6
1x Honey OP 2 POINTS Last Stand ARMOUR

5+ 3
Observer
Counterattack FRONT
You must field a Priest Field Troop (MB137) or a 25 pdr
Field Troop (MB116) before you can field a Honey OP.
VETERAN
SKILL

3+
SIDE &
REAR 2
The 25 pdrs can accurately send shells 12km
TOP 1
(7.5 miles) but they are blind without a forward TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

observation post to direct the bombardment. 10”/25CM 16”/40CM 24”/60CM 28”/70CM 3+

To keep up with the armoured units, the FOO WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

(Forward Observation Officer) and his team Honey OP (37mm) 24”/60CM 1 1 7 4+ No HE

have their own tank. Honey OP (MGs) 16”/40CM 5 5 2 6 Self-defence AA

67
 17/25 PDR ANTI-TANK TROOP
17/25 PDR ANTI-TANK TROOP
MOTIVATION • GUN UNIT • GUN SHIELD • LARGE GUN • IS HIT ON

FEARLESS 3+ CAREFUL 4+
4x 17/25 pdr gun 16 POINTS SKILL SAVE

VETERAN 3+
3x 17/25 pdr gun 12 POINTS Gun
Assault 4+ Gun
4+
2x 17/25 pdr gun 8 POINTS

In the ongoing race between tank armour and

anti-tank guns, even the 6 pdr would not be TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

- 2”/5CM 4”/10CM 4”/10CM 6

powerful enough for long. The answer was the
huge 17-pounder. The barrel was ready by May WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

1942, but the carriage still needed work, so in an 17/25 pdr gun 36”/90CM 2 1 12 3+ Forward Firing, No HE

effort to rush the gun into service to deal with

the arrival of heavy German panzers like the The resulting 17/25-pounder, codenamed the ‘Pheasant’, first saw action
Tiger, a temporary hybrid solution was created at the Battle of Medenine in March 1943.
by mounting the gun on a 25 pdr carriage.

17 PDR FEATURES
LONG RANGE: The 17/25-pounder is a large and
imposing gun. Its barrel is almost 4.2m (13' 9") long,
giving it a high muzzle velocity and good long-range
accuracy. Its size makes it harder to conceal than smaller
anti-tank guns.
UNRIVALLED PENETRATION: Even at long range,
the solid armour-piercing round fired by the 17/25 pdr is
more than a match for the armour of the German panzers.
Even the mighty Tiger will be lucky to survive a direct hit.

HUMBER ARMOURED CAR TROOP

HUMBER ARMOURED CAR TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • SCOUT • SPEARHEAD • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Counterattack 6
Scout
3x Humber (15mm) 3 POINTS ARMOUR

5+ 1
Scout
Last Stand FRONT

The Humber was one of the most successful

VETERAN
SKILL

3+
SIDE &
REAR 1
British armoured car designs. The latest Scout
Assault 4+ TOP 0
Humber III model had a big, three-man turret,
making it an excellent reconnaissance vehicle as TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

8”/20CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 32”/80CM 4+

the loader relieves the commander of the radio
operation as well as feeding the main gun. This WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

allowed its big 15mm BESA heavy machine-gun Humber (15mm) 20”/50CM 3 2 5 5+
to operate at full effect, ripping apart enemy Humber (MG) 16”/40CM 3 3 2 6
armoured cars.
The Humber was fielded in North Africa by
several cavalry units, including the 11th Hussars,

ARMOURED CAR SPECIAL RULES

NO HE: The 2 pdr gun only has armour-piercing shells.
This severely limits its use against infantry and unarmoured
targets, as the uncapped solid steel shot will only inflict
serious damage with a direct hit to a vital area.
OVERWORKED: The small turret of the Daimler
armoured car forces the commander to also act as the
loader, when he should be using every spare moment to
observe the car's surroundings and make crucial tactical
decisions. This makes it harder for the crew to fight at top
efficiency while on the move.
SCOUT: The job of reconnaissance units is not to stand
and fight, but to provide information about enemy
movements. They are adept at avoiding detection and
getting away quickly if spotted. Light wheeled vehicles
aren't tanks—they don't have the weight to simply crush
infantry positions, making direct assaults a much more
dicey proposition.
SPEARHEAD: Once the recce units have ascertained the
strength and dispersal of the enemy, the information they
pass back to the combat elements lets them know exactly
where they can safely push forward without undue risk.

68
 BOFORS LIGHT AA TROOP
MOTIVATION • GUN UNIT • LARGE GUN • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
SKILL SAVE

8 POINTS VETERAN 3+
6x Bofors 40mm AA gun Gun
Assault 4+ Gun
4+
3x Bofors 40mm AA gun 4 POINTS

The open desert offers precious little cover from

the Stuka dive-bombers of the Luftwaffe. The TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS

- 2”/5CM 4”/10CM 4”/10CM 6

quick-firing Bofors guns can be relied on to
drive away the harassing Axis aircraft before they WEAPON RANGE ROF
HALTED MOVING
ANTI- FIRE-
TANK POWER NOTES

have a chance to do too much harm. Bofors 40mm AA gun 24”/60CM 3 2 7 4+ Dedicated AA

DAIMLER ARMOURED CAR TROOP

DAIMLER ARMOURED CAR TROOP

MOTIVATION • TANK UNIT • SCOUT • SPEARHEAD • IS HIT ON

CONFIDENT 4+ CAREFUL 4+
Counterattack 6
Scout
2x Daimler (2 pdr) ARMOUR

1x Dingo 3 POINTS 5+ 1
Scout
Last Stand FRONT

Armoured cars played a similar role to the light VETERAN

SKILL

3+
SIDE &
REAR 1
cavalry regiments of old, roaming far ahead of Scout
Assault 4+ TOP 0
the tanks, observing enemy dispositions and TACTICAL TERRAIN DASH CROSS COUNTRY DASH ROAD DASH CROSS
reporting their movements. In pursuits, they led 8”/20CM 10”/25CM 14”/35CM 36”/90CM 4+
the chase, harassing the retreating enemy and ROF ANTI- FIRE-
WEAPON RANGE NOTES
ambushing fleeing convoys. In retreats, they were HALTED MOVING TANK POWER

Daimler (2 pdr) 24”/60CM 2 1 7 4+ No HE, Overworked

the rearguard, slowing the enemy advance and
Daimler & Dingo (MG)
covering the withdrawal of the fighting forces.
The Daimler armoured car was the latest model
to be fielded by the British in the desert. Armed
with the same 2 pdr anti-tank gun as the cruiser
and infantry tanks, the Daimler was more than
capable of dealing with enemy armoured cars.
The little Dingo scout cars that operate with
them led the advance, poking their noses into
potential trouble spots and ambushes, covered by
the guns of the bigger armoured cars concealed
and waiting behind. If the enemy took the bait,
shooting at the Dingo, it would race back while
the armoured cars tackled whatever it stirred up.
16”/40CM 3 3 2 6
ARMOURED CAR FEATURES
DAIMLER FEATURES
FAST: The Daimler armoured car and Dingo scout car have powerful
engines and independent suspension giving them mobility.
WELL ARMED: The Daimler armoured car's 2 pdr anti-tank gun
gives it a huge punch for such a small armoured car.
HUMBER FEATURES
RAPID FIRE: The Humber armoured car mounts a rapid-firing
15mm BESA machine-gun. While not as powerful as the Daimler's
2 pdr gun, it is more effective against a wide range of targets.

69
 Desert Armour
Crusader Grant
Desert Pink & Dark Olive Green Four-colour Pattern

Honey
Light Stone No. 61

A number of camouflage concepts were trialled by the British
army for the desert. From late 1941, through most of 1942,
an all-over basic colour of Light Stone No. 61 (Crusader Sand),
a pale dull yellow, was used on all vehicles and artillery.
In October 1942, prior to the Second Battle of El Alamein,
new orders were issued changing the basic colour to Desert
Pink (DAK Sand), with a disruptive pattern of Dark Olive
Green (Firefly Green)
The instructions applied to new and repaired vehicles, so many
tanks at El Alamein were still in plain Light Stone.
Grant tanks arrived from the US in their original Olive Drab
colour, which was usually painted over with Light Stone,
sometimes leaving Olive Drab areas as a disruptive pattern.
A few regiments outlined the edges of the camouflage pattern
with black and white lines.

Desert Sand Vehicles

Colour Palette Crusader Sand Rommel shade
Large Brush Large Brush

Crusader Sand
(363)

Rommel shade
(494)

Dry Dust Basecoat your tank with Crusader Sand. Two thin Wash the tank with Rommel Shade. Try to achieve an
(364)
coats are better than one thick coat. even coverage over the whole tank, letting the wash pool
in the recesses without building up too much on flat
Pale colours like Crusader surfaces.
Sand, the most common
colour for British desert Crusader Sand Dry Dust
Medium Brush Small Drybrush
tanks, can be challenging
to paint over a dark base
without getting ugly
brush strokes. Consider
using a white or pale grey
primer to make it easier to
get a bright, even finish.
Crusader Sand is also
available as a spray can,
the quickest and easiest
way to basecoat your
tanks. Tidy up the wash with Crusader Sand using a Drybrush the tank with Dry Dust, concentrating on
combination of drybrushing and layering. edges, raised details, and upper surfaces to add highlights.

70
Desert Sand Camouflage
Colour Palette DAK Sand Firefly Green
Large Brush Large Brush

DAK Sand
(366)

Firefly Green
(348)

Rommel shade Basecoat your tank with DAK Sand. Two thin coats are Paint Cloud-shaped patches of Firefly Green. Camouflage
(494)
preferable to one thick coat, and you may find it easier if was applied from a standard template (see our website for
you use a DAK Sand spray undercoat. more details).

Rommel shade DAK Sand

Dry Dust Large Brush Medium Brush
(364)

The tanks that fought in

the Second Battle of El
Alamein typically had
a two-colour disruptive
camouflage pattern.
Desert Pink was chosen
as the basic colour. It
was thought that its light
earthy tone would blend
well into the terrain of Wash the tank with Rommel Shade to add shading. You Tidy up the wash with DAK Sand using a combination
most parts of the Western can substitute Bradley Shade if you have it, to emphasise of drybrushing and layering, leaving darker shading in
Desert. the warmer tone of the Desert Pink base colour. recessed areas.

The disruptive pattern was Firefly Green Dry Dust

Medium Brush Small Drybrush
intended to make it harder
for the enemy to identify
specific vehicle types,
rather than to truly hide
the vehicle from sight.
Sometimes, when Dark
Olive Green was not
available, black or dark
brown was substituted.

Tidy up the disruptive camouflage areas in a similar way Drybrush the tank with Dry Dust, concentrating on
using Firefly Green. edges, raised details, and upper surfaces to add highlights
and give the tank a weathered, dusty finish.

Tank Tracks
Colour Palette Motherland Earth Rommel Shade Dark Gunmetal
Medium Brush Medium Brush Small Drybrush

Motherland Earth
(383)

Rommel Shade
(494)

Dark Gunmetal Basecoat the tracks Motherland Wash with Rommel Shade to Drybrush with Dark gunmetal.
(480)
Earth or Battlefield Brown. enhance shading. You can substitute Note: Honey, Grant, and Sherman
Manstein Shade for a darker result. tracks have solid rubber pads.

71
 British Service colour

Churchill III Churchill III

Kingforce S.C.C.2 Service colour

The Churchill tanks of Kingforce were sent to the desert for More Churchills fought in Tunisia sporting Service Colour
Operation Supercharge. These Churchills were painted in and Dark Brown camouflage. Crews often mixed up a mud
standard desert colours. paste and applied it to their tanks as additional camouflage.

Colour Palette Comrade Khaki Boot Brown

Large Brush Large Brush

Comrade Khaki
(326)

Boot Brown
(323)

Bradley Shade Basecoat your tank with Comrade Khaki. Two thin coats Paint Camouflage patches with Boot Brown, concentrating
(490)
are preferable to one thick coat, and you may find it easier mainly on the lower parts of the tank. Road wheels should
if you use a white or light grey undercoat. be all be one solid colour.

Bradley Shade Comrade Khaki

Dry Dust Large Brush Medium Brush
(364)

From March 1943, British

vehicles started arriving
in Tunisia in the SCC 2
Service Colour (Comrade
Khaki). Often units
would paint dark brown
(Boot Brown) disruptive
camouflage patterns over
the Service Colour, like
the Death or Glory boys Wash the tank with Bradley Shade to add shading and Tidy up the wash with Comrade Khaki using a
Valentine tank shown in depth to the model. combination of drybrushing and layering, leaving darker
the step-by-step. shading in recessed areas.
The colours are similar Boot Brown Dry Dust
tones, so often black and Medium Brush Small Drybrush
white photos make it look
like the tanks are a single
colour, when in reality they
had camouflage.

Tidy up the disruptive camouflage areas in a similar way Drybrush the tank with Dry Dust, concentrating on
using Boot Brown. edges, raised details, and upper surfaces to add highlights
and give the tank a weathered, dusty finish.

72
 Armoured Squadron Tank Markings
Tactical markings are an excellent way of adding visual and historical
interest to your models. British tanks had a divisional symbol on the
left-hand mudguards, and a regimental number on the right.
A geometric symbol on the sides of the turret identified
the squadron. You can find more information on
British markings in Colours Of War and on
the Flames Of War website.
Divisional Symbol
Regiment Number

Squadron
Marking

Divisional Symbol
1ST ARMOURED DIVISION
This decal sheet also provides options
for the 1st Armoured Division that This Grant has markings from
fought in Africa 1942-1943. B Squadron, Senior Regiment, 7th Armoured Division

Regiment Number

Senior Regiment 2nd Regiment Junior Regiment

A Squadron B Squadron C Squadron A Squadron B Squadron C Squadron A Squadron B Squadron C Squadron

SQUADRON MARKINGS
Each tank in a squadron will have the same turret marking. Some units added platoon numbers
The shape and colour shows the squadron and regiment. (or HQ for Headquarters) to the
The Crusader below has markings from Headquarters centre of the squadron markings.
3rd platoon, B Squadron, 2nd Regiment, 6th Armoured Division

1st Platoon 2nd Platoon 3rd Platoon 4th Platoon

6th Armoured Divisional Symbol

Squadron
Regiment Number

Marking

23 ARMOURED BRIGADE
Most unit boxes come
with one of the decal
sheet shown here.
More decal options
can be found on
Regiment and divisional markings can go BR940 British Desert
on either the mudguards or hull. Rats Decal Sheet.

73
 Churchill Tank Markings
Churchills follow the same organisation as tanks from
the Armoured Squadrons shown on the previous page.
The North Irish Horse have slightly usual squadron
markings as they marked their platoon number in white,
and used an F for their HQ tanks.

     Marking
Squadron
Regiment Number

Divisional Symbol

Churchill tanks arrived

The Churchill decal sheet provides
options for marking your tanks
as either the North Irish Horse
in Tunisia, or as the 21st Tank
Brigade in Italy.
Tank recognition flash
North Irish Horse
21st Tank Brigade
in Tunisia with Mud-
guards, by the end of
the Tunisian campaign
most had either lost
them or had them
removed by the crew.

British Infantry
British troops in North Africa
Helmets & Painted Metal
wore a uniform consisting of
khaki drill shorts or slacks with Crusader Sand
(363)
long-sleeved Aertex shirts.
The light khaki drill fabric was Uniform
good in the hot desert sun, but Dry Dust
(364)
was usually insufficient for the
cold desert nights.
Flesh
Webbing equipment was simple European Skin
raw canvas, not treated with (385)
Blanco (the coloured cleaning
paste which uniform regulations Webbing & Pouches
required for troops in other Worn Canvas
theatres). (306)

Metal items such as brass buckles Metal Parts of Weapons

were left unpolished to reduce Dark Gunmetal
potential glare. (480)

Socks
Military Khaki
(327)

Wooden Stocks
Battlefield Brown
(324)

Boots
Black
(300)

74
Uniforms and webbing
Colour Palette Dry Dust Worn Canvas Military Khaki
Medium Brush Small Brush Medium Brush

Dry Dust
(364)

Worn Canvas
(306)

Military Khaki
(327) Basecoat the uniform with Dry Basecoat the webbing gear and rifle Basecoat the socks with Military
Dust, using multiple thin coats if slings with Worn Canvas. Khaki.
necessary to get an even coverage.
Rommel Shade
(494) Rommel Shade Dry Dust
Medium Brush Small Brush

The paler shade of the

khaki drill tropical
uniform was better suited
to desert regions than
Actual Size
the heavy brown serge of
standard Battledress.

Wash the figure liberally with Highlight the uniform with Dry
Rommel Shade to add realistic Dust, concentrating on folds and
shading. raised details.

Flesh
European Skin Skin Shade European Skin
Medium Brush Medium Brush Small Brush

European Skin
(385)

Actual Size
Skin Shade
(491)

You can find more

advanced methods for
painting flesh on page 23
of Colours Of War. Basecoat the face and other exposed Wash liberally with Skin Shade to Highlight prominent details such
skin areas with European Skin, in create shading and definition. as fingers, cheeks and nose with
two thin coats. European Skin.

Weapons
Dark Gunmetal Battlefield Brown Skin Shade
Medium Brush Medium Brush Medium Brush

Dark Gunmetal
(480)

Battlefield Brown
(324) Actual Size

Skin Shade
(491)

Paint barrels and other metal parts Basecoat stocks and other wooden Wash with Skin Shade to add
sparingly with Dark Gunmetal. areas with Battlefield Brown. shading and deepen the wood colour.

75
 Aircraft
Hurricane
Basing Guide
All Flames Of War infantry and guns are
supplied with appropriate bases. Assemble
your infantry teams by gluing the figures
into the holes on a base of the right size.
Super glue works well for this.
There are usually several figures with each
type of weapon, so you can create variety
in your teams. It doesn’t matter which mix
of figures you put in each team, as long
as the mix of weapons is right. Visit the
product spotlight on the Flames Of War
website: www.FlamesOfWar.com for a
more detailed guide.
Vickers MMG
Base these heavy weapons on medium base facing the long
edge. These teams have the gunner and his weapon along
with two assistant gunners or loaders.
6 pdr gun
Base the 6 pdr gun on a medium base
facing the short edge. Each gun has a
gunner along with an NCO and two
ammunition loaders.
76
Fuselage
DAK Sand
(366)
Camouflage
Motherland Earth
(383)
Commanders and Unit Leaders Bren Gun team
Base the Rifle or Motor Company Bren Gun teams and Bren Gun and SMLE
HQ teams and the Rifle or Motor teams have four figures on a medium base facing
Platoon Unit Leader on a small the long edge. Each Bren Gun team from a
base with an NCO and a rifleman. Motor Platoon has a Bren machine-gunner. Bren
The team faces the long edge. Gun & SMLE rifle teams from a Rifle Platoon
have a machine-gunner on every second base.
The remaining figures are NCOs or riflemen.
3-inch mortar Boys anti-tank rifle 2-inch mortar
Base Boys anti-tank rifles and 2-inch mortars
on a small base with a rifleman loader.
The team faces the long edge.
17/25 pdr gun 25 pdr gun Bofors 40mm AA gun
Base these guns on a large base facing the short edge.
Each 25 pdr and 17/25 pdr gun has a gunner along with an NCO and three ammunition loaders.
The Bofors has two gunners, an NCO and an ammunition loader.
 The Churchill's Kingforce and Monty's Desert Rats
army deals are the best starting points for any British
Desert army.
Expand your force by adding other units from the
British range. Each Flames Of War unit box contains
a complete unit and their Unit Cards.
BRAB11 Churchill's Kingforce
(x3 Churchill, x3 Sherman, x6 Carriers) (Plastic)
BRAB09 Monty's Desert Rats
(x5 Grant, x3 Crusader, x2 17pdr) (Plastic)
BBX32 Honey Armoured Troop (x5) (Plastic)
BBX33 25pdr Field Troop (x4) (Plastic)
BBX35 Universal Carrier Patrol (x9) (Plastic)
BBX36 Bofors Light AA Troop (x3)
BBX37 Grant Armoured Troop (x5) (Plastic)
BBX38 6pdr Anti-tank Platoon (x4) (Plastic)
BBX39 Crusader Armoured Troop (x5) (Plastic)
BBX40 Hurricane Tank-Busting Flight (x2)
BBX41 17/25pdr Anti-Tank Troop (x2) (Plastic)
BBX42 Sherman Armoured Troop (x5) (Plastic)
BBX43 Valentine Armoured Troop (x5) (Plastic)
BBX44 Churchill Armoured Troop (x3) (Plastic)
OK
RULEBO BBX45 Priest Field Troop (x4) (Plastic)
DES FULL BBX46 Kittyhawk Fighter-Bomber Flight (x2) (Plastic)
INCLU BBX47 Daimler Armoured Car Troop (x3)
BR733 Rifle Platoon (x39 figures) (Plastic)
BR734 3-inch Mortar Platoon (x18 figures) (Plastic)
BR753 Motor Platoon (x26 figures) (Plastic)
BR754 MMG Platoon & Mortar Section
(x4 HMG, x2 3" Mortars) (Plastic)
BBX34 Humber Armoured Car Troop (x3)
BR900 Desert Rats Dice (x20)
BR901 Desert Rats Tokens (x20)
BR902 Armoured Fist Dice (x20)
BR903 Armoured Fist Tokens (x20)
CWP131 Desert Rats Paint Set (x5 paints)
CWP231 Desert Rats Spray (Crusader Sand)

For more information

visit our website: www.flames of war.com
 FINLAND

NORWAY

SWEDEN
North Sea

DENMARK Baltic Sea

IRELAND

GREAT
THE Warsaw
BRITAIN NETHERLANDS Berlin
The Hague
Od POL A
London e r

BELGIUM GERMANY stu

la
Vi

Rhi
Dieppe Brussels

ne
Atlantic Prague
Ocean
SLOVAKIA
Paris
HU
Sei
e n

Vienna
Loire Budapest

FR ANCE SWITZERLAND

Po Belgra

YUGOSLAVIA

ITALY
CORSICA
Rome
ALBA
SPAIN

SARDINIA

SICILY
GIBRALTAR
Tunis
Algiers
Oman
MALTA Medite
MOROCCO
ALGERIA Kasserine
Pass

FRENCH
MOROCCO
TUNISIA Tripoli

LIBYA
0 Miles 500 1000
0 KM 500 1000 1500

38
 Leningrad

KE Y
Germany and
Occupied Territories
Moscow SOVIET UNION
Countries in association
Rzhev with Germany

Allied Countries

Volg
Neutral Countries

a
Do
Kursk n
Minsk Smolensk
Voronezh Stalingrad
Dn
iepe

AND
r

Kiev
Rostov Caspian
Sea

CAUCASUS OIL
FIELDS

Odessa
UNGARY

Black Sea
ROMANIA
Bucharest

ade Danube

BULGARIA IRAN

TURKEY
ANIA

GREECE SYRIA IRAQ

Athens

CYPRUS

CRETE
erranean sea

PALESTINE
TRANS-
JORDAN
SAUDI
Gazala ARABIA
Tobruk Alexandria

Halfaya Pass El Alamein

EGYPT
Alam
el Halfa

El Agheila

39
The rumble of engines made a bass counterpart to the squealing and clattering of tracks as the
squat brown Churchill tank appeared over the crest of the ridge. Pivoting along the ridgeline, it
crawled further up the steep hill before stopping.
Crouching low, Lieutenant Cannon ran over to the slab-sided tank. Pointing further
up the hill, he shouted up to the officer leaning out the top of the tank, ‘Jerry’s
got a machine-gun up there by the big rock. Can you take care of it for us?’
The tank commander nodded, then spoke into his microphone as Cannon
ducked for cover again. The tank backed and turned, tracks squealing on
the rocks, then halted.
The turret slowly swung towards the big rock, then stopped.
Nothing more happened for a moment, then the barrel lifted slightly,
paused, and with an ear-splitting crack spat smoke and flames.
Cannon was impressed when the machine-gun nest disappeared in a small
explosion. That was particularly good shooting.
‘Come on laddies,’ he called to his men as he stood up,
‘it’s still a long way to the top.’

The British Army has the Italian-German armies in
Africa caught in a vice, and are steadily screwing the
jaws shut. The Eighth Army is advancing from El
Alamein in the east, while the First Army fights its
way through Tunisia from the west. Their armoured
divisions combine the dash of fast, light tanks like
the Honey and Crusader, with the power of the heavy
Grant and Sherman. Their infantry divisions have
some of the toughest riflemen in the world, backed
up by thickly-armoured Churchill and Valentine tanks
and massed artillery. Together, they make up a force
that can defeat anything the enemy brings against
them, a force that will destroy the Axis forces in Africa.
INSIDE YOU WILL FIND:
• Background on the British Army and its defence
of Egypt in the Battle of Gazala, the First and
Second Battles of El Alamein, the Run for Tunis,
and the Battle of Longstop Hill.
• Instructions on how to build a Sherman
Armoured Squadron, Grant Armoured Squadron,
Crusader Armoured Squadron, Honey Armoured
Squadron, Death or Glory Squadron, Churchill
Armoured Squadron, Valentine Armoured
Squadron, Rifle Company, or Motor Company.
• A detailed painting guide.

A copy of the Flames Of War rulebook is necessary to use the contents of this book.
DESIGNED IN NEW ZEALAND ISBN 9780995104211
PRINTED IN EUROPE
Product Code FW245
© Copyright Battlefront Miniatures Limited, 2018.
All rights reserved.