Operation Crusader quickly began to degenerate into a battle of attrition. The DAK (Deutsch Afrika Korps) was able to fend off repeated British assaults, but it lost irreplaceable tanks doing so. On November 21, the Allied garrison at Tobruk attempted to break out, with the fighting centered around the Sidi Rezegh airfield. While the airstrip itself was of no importance, its position was. If the allies could take the field, then Rommel's line would be broken in half. Elements of the 21st Panzer Division met the British 7th Hussars Tank Battalion as they advanced towards the DAK positions south of the airfield.
Objectives: Your platoon (supported by a Sturmgeschutz section) has been detached to defend the crossroads. An infantry section has set up strongpoints in the village itself, but they are not equipped with antitank guns so will be unable to assist you against enemy armor. Keep the area clear of the enemy, and watch your flanks for wide sweeping movements as the enemy attempts to envelop or bypass your position.
