A long out of print game (at the least the original GDW version) with unmounted mapboards and limited counter density. The real innovation is the use of double-blind rules and two mapboards to create a situation where you never know what your enemy is up to.

The maps are small, unmounted affairs with no great graphics. The counters are nice and functional but once again do not compare to current advances in graphical design. There are not enough markers to show the frontline once the game gets going so making a few extra would be a good idea.

Units are Armour & Mechanised Infanty battalions and Unmotorised Infantry Regiments for the most part. The rules cater for the shock effect of armour on infantry (unmotorised infantry cannot retreat from combat - thus taking more losses). If you win your combat and force all defending units to retreat/get eliminated then you can also exploit from the hex you captured. This means that those pesky German Armoured divisions can strike, wipe out one of your stacks and then disappear again - a lot like the actual battle in many ways. The German armour, while tougher and more deadly, are thinner on the ground than the more numerous British armour so need to be wisely conserved. With hidden movement, the British player is a lot happier once he knows where the German armour is.

The rules also require a supply point for each attack and supply points are limited resources - so there is no running around the board attacking everything. Replacement Points & a Scapping rule can also bring back units from the dead and repair damaged ones. But once again these are limited resources so eventually you will run out of units if you are overly aggresive. There is also an interesting rule encouraging an Axis raid on the British supply sources which reflects a key move made by Rommel during the battle (which arguably led to his losing the battle).

The biggest issue the Axis player faces is that he has less supply and replacement points than the Allies. So the Axis have to safeguard their units as much as possible and not waste supply in marginal attacks.

The burden of attack falls on the British player - his job is to relieve Tobruk but the Axis player can only get a victory if he takes Tobruk. So the Axis player (if he plays to win) has to decide how to delay the British assault while taking Tobruk or alternatively, to decisively trash the British attack and then turn on Tobruk. The British also have to decide whether to go straight for Tobruk or for a more low risk strategy of destroying the frontier garrisons and then heading for Tobruk (which can backfire if the Axis focus on taking Tobruk in the first few turns).

An interesting and absorbing game that takes longer to play then you would think given the low counter density. The hidden movement and wide open spaces make both players spend a lot of time thinking what the enemy is up to - there simply are not enough units to guard your flanks.

I bought this game a few years back from Noble Knight Games but only played it this year. We have played it three times and have thoroughly enjoyed each outing. The first two results reflected our lack of skill with the rules (a German defeat due to running out of supply too soon and a British defeat due to a focus on the coastal garrison leaving Tobruck to fall to a Panzer Division plus Ariete Italian armoured assault) but the third game went the distance and reminded me a lot of the accounts of the campaign (armour appearing from nowhere and overrunning key units; British armour being slaughtered by German Anti-Tank battalions; lots of panic when armour gets into your rear etc).

I recommend this game (if you can get a copy). This review is of the GDW version.