The battlefield viewed from the east. The river runs through the town of Souk el Arba (center). Note the numbered markers representing possible British positions. German forces enter along east table edge (bottom). Lines of pebbles represent crestlines blocking line-of-sight.	The battle opens with a squadron of Italian MC.202 fighters attacking a single flight of British Spitfire VB's. No casualties; the planes fly back to base after expending their ammunition.	Next, Italian CR-42 AS fighter-bombers blast enemy positions in the wadis, causing some casualties on the ground. No British flak is to be found.	Simultaneously, a squadron of Italian Ju 87B Stukas dive-bombs more targets.	Finally, a squadron of Italian CANT Z.1007 medium bombers pounds the town. The Italian air force all arrived at the same time, and gave the defenders quite a shock.
A short time after the Italians made their mark, the Luftwaffe sortied with a squadron of Ju 87D Stukas with impressive bomb loads. More British units in wadis felt their wrath.	And then a squadron of Me 210 attack-bombers (here represented by Hs 129's) dove in for the kill. Again, units in wadis were spotted and bombed and strafed.	The first German units are spotted moving up from the southeast. We see the reconnaissance element (Panzer II) of a kampfgruppe, followed by panzer grenadiers on foot.	A second panzer kampfgruppe advances along the riverbed up the middle of the table, with a company of Fallschirmjäger alongside.	The reconnaissance element of the second panzer kampfgruppe (another Panzer II) and a panzer engineer company cover the right flank.
The first enemy is spotted! British infantry in a wadi engage the engineers in a firefight at close range.	The full tank strength of the second panzer kampfgruppe in the center is revealed: a HQ Panzer III F2 along with two companies of Panzer III's.	Second kampfgruppe's Panzer II discovers a newly-laid minefield beyond a crestline, very close to the front of Souk el Arba. The tankers decide not to test it, and halt in front.	Sunburned dudes! Elements of a British battalion of open fire from ambush with a battery of 6-pounder antitank guns. Note the 3-inch mortar with universal carrier.	The 6-pounder scores a kill on the first kampfgruppe's lead Panzer II. First blood on the armor!
First kampfgruppe brings up the big guns: a company of Panzer IV F2 medium tanks, accompanied by panzer grenadiers.	The krump markers show British artillery strikes (25-pounders) against second kampfgruppe. The Germans have moved their tanks forward, and have cleared the first wadi.	Another air battle! A full squadron of Bf 109G's dogfights a flight of Spitfire VB's. The British pilots turned out to be more than a match. (See next photo.)	A flight of Bf 109's goes down in flames. The Spitfires almost bagged another one, with no loss to themselves.	The fighters having done their CAP mission, Allied positions are attacked by a squadron of Hs 129B-1 attack-bombers. One flight (bottom left) is armed with a 30mm cannon, which it uses to strafe a universal carrier spotted in a wadi. The carrier was lucky this day, however.
The Germans advance in the center with the expectation that the hill on their flank (seen at bottom) is hiding something unpleasant. How right they were! A couple of 2-pounders, two 6-pounders, and a mixed tank squadron rip into the panzers and engineers.	A view from the towed 6-pounders. The Panzer III's had a hard time spotting, let alone firing upon, these pests. Unfortunately for the British, the guns were not successful before German tank and artillery fire settled the matter.	The panzer engineers freeze in position, going prone in the face of the enemy tank squadron. Being caught in the open is no picnic.	First kampfgruppe has pushed up a bit farther and silenced the single towed 6-pounder on the road. But a Panzer IV was knocked out in the process.	A couple of lorried infantry companies pour machine-gun fire into the first kampfgruppe from the safety of a steep hillside. The Germans determine to bring the tanks forward to deal with this threat.
And, by request, more airpower! A squadron of Ju 88A-4 medium bombers hammers the rubble of Souk el Arba. It turned out that the British did not invest the town heavily for this battle, so casualties from bombing were very light.	With no infantry available on its left flank, the second kampfgruppe sends a platoon of Panzer III's up to a wadi to deal with a stubborn enemy infantry company. This titanic struggle went on until the company was reduced to a single platoon, and the tank was holed by a flank shot from the hill.	The British-held hill on the German right flank takes fire from two 105mm artillery batteries. The tanks are unphased, but the towed 6-pounders are not enjoying it.	More armor! (Or should I say "armour.") Elements of two more British tank squadrons emerge from cover and exchange fire with the panzers. A platoon of Crusader II cruiser tanks goes up in smoke.	The doughty British Commander in Chief (wearing grey) is flanked by various German panzer commanders. After a stiff tank fight which accomplished little more than expending ammunition on both sides, the British decided to withdraw their forces intact to the north and west. Souk el Arba is Axis once more.