The British did not disappoint the Italians and showed up promptly at daybreak entering the Souk el Arba area from both the north and east. The British force from the east was composed of a small amount of infantry support by both 25-pounder field guns and 6-pounder antitank guns. This unit cautiously approached the main town from the east, wary of suspected enemy positions not only in Souk el Arba, but in the surrounding villages as well. They also had reports of a squadron of Hurricanes shooting up an Italian armored column approaching from the east behind them. This unit managed to move into firing position and unlimber, but in the process took enemy fire. Casualties were extremely light, the British losing only the command vehicles (jeep). But the fire had enough affect to cause the unit to retire with its guns in tow. The British unit spent the next two hours unable to get into another firing position as panic from the approaching Italian armor set in.

Meanwhile, British armored recon forces from the north moved to identify and encircle the defending Italian units. The British force made a wide sweep around the village with most of their armored recon, as supporting infantry moved into position to make a westerly approach. A small recon unit moved to make a northerly approach. The recon units pushed cautiously and checked several suspected positions only to find them empty of enemy troops. As they approached the village, the British moved their attached 6-pounder antitank battery and 3" mortars into firing position to support the attack.

Soon one Semovente position was discovered. A fierce firefight ensued with the final result of the Semovente unit being silenced. The supporting British unit came under repeated Italian shelling, but shrugged off volley after volley with very little damage.

The forces circling to the south of Souk el Arba finally located a company of Italian infantry in the town. They immediately engaged this unit in an effort to help the British force approaching from the east gain a safe route through the area.

The eastern force had managed to locate another Semovente unit hiding in a nearby village. They sent their infantry in an approach through a nearby orchard to attack this Semovente unit. The British infantry, although be heavily shoot up, soon gained a position from which they would be able to close assault the Semoventes. The Italian leader, sensing the danger, decided to break cover of the village and try to move to a safer location. He mistakenly thought the squadron of patrolling Hurricanes was gone, and his unit was hit hard by 20mm cannon fire from the sky.

The eastern British force, seeing the Semovente force destroyed and the enemy infantry engaged by the other British unit, but also finding their position turning desperate, tried to make run for cover. A remaining unspotted Semovente unit quickly brought the British unit under fire and with some deadly accurate shooting destroyed the remaining trucks and guns and caused a lot of damage to the passengers as well. The Italian company in the town attempted to out-duel the British scouts and soon found their numbers significantly reduced.

Both units simultaneously decided that they had had more than enough fighting for the day, and quit the field. (Both units failed morale rolls by 6 or more and were eliminated!)

At this point, the Italian armored column made up of a large number of M14/40 medium tanks came charging onto the board from the east. The British forces were just beginning to get into position to assault the town and the remaining, but unknown, Italian units within it. The British loses were very low but, lacking sufficient AT capabilities, they decided it would be better to withdraw to fight another day rather than take on the Italian armor.