Operazione 'E' - What if Italy Invaded Egypt Early?

The Italian 10th Army invaded British Egypt in September 1940 from their holdings in Libya. They advanced as far as Sidi Barrani on the coast, stopped there, and established a series of bases and camps to defend what they had taken. The British counterattacked in October (Operation Compass). They succeeded in turning the Italians back, chased them into Libya, and destroyed them in due course. 

That is, at least, what happened in September and October in 1940. What were to happen, though, if the Italians went in early in 1940? The Europa module War in the Desert makes an early invasion of Egypt possible. 

I purchased War in the Desert last year and I added it to my ever-growing collection of Europa games. I was checking the blog earlier today and I realized that of all three games I have played on here to date that take place in 1940, each of them has been a Europa game. First was Norway, then Greece, and now Egypt. I suppose I ought to get a France game in soon. War in the Desert comes with OOB set ups for the Axis and Allies in April of 1940, so I used those positions and reinforcement schedules for an early start to the Italian 'Operation E', the invasion of Egypt.

The real Italian invasion principally concentrated on the efforts of four regular divisions and a host of supporting artillery, mobile, and black shirt forces. The OOB set up for the Italians in April has these same forces ready in the field, and that's not including the two divisions assigned to garrison duties. While the British OOB in Egypt and the Middle East may differ between April and September 1940, there's no difference for the Italians.

In the air, the Italians are entirely dominant in 1940. In raw numbers, the Italians have 3 fighters for every British 1 in Egypt and they have 7-8 bombers for every 3 that the British can bring into the theater. This is according to the OOB. Mersa Matruh (far to the east of Sidi Barrani), however, is the key the Italians need to leverage their superiority in the air. The range of the Italian fighters and the lack of suitable bases to get them close to the British possessions deeper in Egypt hinges on possession of the airfield at Mersa Matruh. 

The four divisions of the Italian 10th Army launched Operation E against the British in Egypt with support from the two Blackshirt divisions and a sizeable complement of the Libyan Divisions Group. Facing their advance: a smattering of independent British infantry brigades, the 7th Support Group in Sidi Barrani, and the British 7th Armoured. 

The Italian's first strike at Sidi Barrani failed to take the town. By a stroke of luck, the British retained control just long enough to keep the Italians from moving down the coast. In response, the British railed in reinforcements to Mersa Metruh, at the cost of leaving any garrisons in Palestine. 

Even so, the Libyan mobile forces held the coast road and by the second Italian turn, had cut off the British in Sidi Barrani. Lacking speed, the Italians made their first sidle to turn the British flank. To do this, they stretched their line. In turn, the British concentrated a force to break out the defenders and succeeded in driving back the Italians and reestablished a steady line of supply.

All the while, bombers controlled the skies overhead. Italian fighters had blasted the British fighters out of the Western desert, but they could not penetrate British airspace far enough to reach the bomber bases in Cairo. As a result, the rate of close air support available to both sides was remarkably high.

With their first sidle overcome, the Italians tried to cut off the frontline defenders again. This time, they cut off a significant force after consolidating their gains at Sidi Barrani. Only the 1st Cavalry Division out of Palestine, the 7th Armoured Division and the 4th Indian Division at the far edge of the line kept the Libyans at bay. While the British garrison units assigned to Egypt held their ground, even though isolated, the British mobile units gave the Libyans a bloody nose and again broke through the Italian cordon.

Not content to be so set back, the Italian offensive tactics resorted to yet another sidle and encirclement. This time, the Italians circled wide of Mersa Matruh. They overran the 4th Indian Division's HQ and they isolated the majority of the British forces lock, stock, and barrel. Only the Indians and Australians remained uncaught by the slow-moving Italian wheel. 

If the Italians could capture the forces holdimg Mersa Matruh, all that would stand in the Italian's way would be the Australian and Indian divisions. While the offensive power of the 10th Army is still insufficient to overwhelm the Australians and Indians in direct combat, their wheeling sidle tactics would certainly be sufficient, once the British were out of the picture.

In any case, the Italians failed to achieve their short term objective at Mersa Matruh, let alone reach the Nile Delta and bring the Egyptian Army into play. As with the other times before, the Italian cordon failed to hold. A combined relief force, including a fresh Australian division, sent the Italian flanking forces reeling back for good. With that, Operation E had reached it zenith.

I find it remarkable how slow the Italian 10th Army is, and how poorly defended Egypt was in 1940. It is only the reinforcements in Palestine that saved the British in this game. If the axis could tie down the forces in Palestine with a diversionary operation, perhaps on the part of the Vichy forces based out of Beirut and Damascus, then just maybe the Italian 10th Army might reach the delta. 

Oh, and with that, a happy new year one and all!