Historical Background: After the disastrous charge of the 23rd Armoured brigade, Auchinleck ordered a new attack, Operation Manhood. The 24th Australian Brigade, with the support of the 69th Infantry Brigade and "Valentine" tanks of the 50th Royal Tank Regiment, attacked in the night 26th to 27th July the Miteyriha Ridge defended by Italians soldiers of the division "Brescia". At dawn, the Australians had reached Sanyet el Miteyriha but the tanks remained behind the minefields. Italians soldiers of the 20° Fanteria counter-attacked at that time as well as Kampgruppe Briehl, a German tank unit just arrived to reinforce the Italians. Operation Manhood was a new setback for Auchinleck and cost 600 losses to the two allied infantry brigades. The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.
Briefing: Axis player [Italy/Germany] : 5 command cards. Allied player [Australia/United Kingdom] : 5 command cards, you move first.
Conditions of Victory: 7 medals. Sanyet el Miteyriha is a temporary medal objective for the Allied player.
Special Rules: - Use "BCF Command" rules (Nations 5) to all Allied units. - Use "Royal Italian Army" rules (Nations 6) to all Axis units with Italian badges. Don't use the "Italian High Command" rule. - Use "Elite Armor" rules (Troops 2) to all Allied armor units. These tanks are moving slow, they can move only one or two hexes and fight. - Use "Combat Engineer" rules for the three Allied units with engineer badge (Troops 4). - Use "North African Desert" rules (Actions 9). - Use "Night Attacks" rules (Actions 19). - The Axis player lays out the minefields (Terrains 29). - Kampfgruppe Briehl (two German tank units) entered on the board only when full daylight. Tanks are activated by a card and entered on the hexagon with Exit token.
Scenario Bibliography: - Magazine "Batailles & Blindés" hors série n°8 - Afrika Korps, tome 2. - Magazine "Historica" hors série n°84 - Première bataille d'El Alamein. - Album historique "21. Panzer Division" - Ed. Heimdal.
Warning: Please note that this scenario was not approved by Richard Borg or Days of Wonder, so you have to check yourself about playability, potential gaming issues, etc.
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