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This beastie is a match for anything the Allies can field! Just after Second Alamein, during the retreat, a batch of brand spanking new Panzer III (7.5cm) arrived (Panzer III N). By the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Panzer III (up-armoured) – the Panzer III L for us techno-geeks – was the big hitter, combining the long gun with extra armour taking it to Front 6 rather than 5. Its long gun gives the tank 4”/10cm more range and Anti-tank 9 rather than 8. The Panzer III (long 5cm) appeared in the Battle of Gazala and was predominant in the First Battle of El Alamein. The short-barrelled 5cm, the Panzer III (short 5cm) – the terminology matches that of German documents of the period, Panzer III (Kurz), covers all of the earlier models that made up the bulk of the force in the first half of 1942 and served on for the rest of the year and into the new year (mainly Panzer III H and J for the rivet counters like me!). Fortunately, there’s a detailed guide to the differences so you can tell them apart. Talking about the Panzer III, the book covers four different versions: the short and long-barrelled 5cm, the up-armoured long-barrelled 5cm, and the short-barrelled 7.5cm. Most of their tanks have the Protected Ammo attribute, making them very likely to remount from being Bailed Out, and the latest Panzer III short-barrelled 7.5cm model has the HEAT rule, allowing it to ignore the +1 penalty to penetration at long range, making it very effective when combined with its Firepower of 3+. They have a Last Stand rating of 3+, meaning they won’t quit, even when things are looking black. The Third Reich attribute reflects the (at the time quite justified) arrogance of the German soldiers, having just about conquered all of Europe, Russia, and North Africa in three years. This gives German units a tactical flexibility unrivalled by any other army. The German special rules give most of their units the Stormtroopers rule allowing them to attempt a second Movement Order if they pass their first. The Afrika Korps book follows the same pattern as Desert Rats, with its history interleaving that of the British book with focus on the fall of Tobruk and the retreat to El Alamein, the Battle of Alam el Halfa, and the fighting in southern Tunisia (where the Afrika Korps was joined by powerful Tiger tanks!). Afrika Korps: German Forces in the Desert 1942-43