[Imp]

First the plan then a rundown of the first leg, not a lot happened for a while but here are my notes on the initial phases, should liven up shortly.
On the beer in a fit of insanity let the girfriend take my credit card on a trip to Knightsbridge. Still trying to figure out how she persuaded me it was a sensible idea women

Shows how long its been since I played thought Matildas would still be a problem should have looked before upgraded my tanks.
Turns out I have the advantage the 2 pounder is not a lot of cop except vs the light armour. The 25 pounder is a diffrent matter though I will need to treat those with respect.
I have to consider upgrading my inf howitzers for the real deal bought ammo dumps for but they just don't have the range. Only One spot where they can reach all likely targets & set up on a rough hex so the ammo dumps on it. This time we will try a major break through rather than dealing with mines all over the shop.
Pre bombardment will drop smoke & most of the force will move on North Location AA pos position then they can follow the train tracks.
Company B (inc 2 Pioneers) & a couple of mortars will move on foot spread out on the other AA location. They have 4 trucks that can be used safely for first 500m or so with them. Also my ATGs & there transport is here along with 3 MkIIIs & a FOO.
These are Main & Secondary forces MF SF respectivly & MF is not moving as one complete lump at start, no need to give arty more targets than needed they will come forward once mines found theoretically.
HQ has been told no more heroics but you never know.
As I thought there are a few areas with only a 1 hex gap in the soft sand so either exploit them or nice & slow.

T1
2 4.5inch & a 25pdr fired then my smoke fell nicely followed by the roar of 60 odd engines all hitting the gas hard in unison, we leap forward & theres no dust trail, whoops think I bodged the map a bit was not expecting that. Easier overall probably but now wishing had dropped more smoke we are going to end the turn with a lot of units visible to anyone in the NE just where a line of wire is. Only visible additional fortifications are 2 lines of wire just over 500m long on row 90 at each edge of the map. Those SIGs just came in handy 13 smoke each & managed to direct fire & give half reasonable cover.
Fast forward to the end of turn 4 the smokes nearly gone & the MF is ready to climb the rise to the North AA location. The enemy is deadly silent so far including his arty so it is possible no one is there. I have dropped arty on it for 2 turns. The SF has moved out but is keeping its vehicles back & hidden.
2 trucks took a shortcut through the soft sand & are stuck.
Am replotting most arty for a new smoke screen I will be fully visible ffom here on in so my only options to unload unseen is this or to drop everyone here & continue on foot. Mines could cause an upset to this plan but I am a beliver in most cases of pushing hard at the start with acceptable loses to give time for problems later & in this heat that water is tempting & my boys don't wan't to walk

Turn5+6 Holding Pattern
Looks like nobodys home I made the map full width to allow the AI to defend as it liked but most flags are set further back than normal so I may not meet much resistance till later on. Smoke fell badly so mainly waiting before move out & spotter finaly finds our first Brits a platoon of Valentine IIs on the hill West of the bunker entrance so things will finaly get going.
2 Scouts in bikes decide to move out as speed means they can take a path that makes best use of the smoke, all goes well no mines till he reaches the smoke . 2men lost as 2Pdr in the orchard opens up. Smoke fell around it but not well enough & a few units move to the top edge of the orchard pop smoke & unload.
Turn7
Visibility through the orchard is about 250m so the squads that moved up last turn took on the 2 Pdr killing it, a bit more smoke came down so units moved out towards it. I am keeping the MkIIs & AC back for the moment & the spotter overflew the other AA location spotting 1 squad. Lost contact with my plane, had placed it so could adjust onto any guns found but it went & attacked a Vali. It did see a 2Pdr though & no sign of any AAA yet.
Two MkIIIs have been moving slowly in plain view to see if drew any reaction, arty just fell behind them a bit close to my HQ who has ended up shadowing them
Turn8
Take 2 flags at AA location things are still pretty quiet arty is starting to fall in MF area & slightly worried for my AA but want them near just in case.
The 2 tanks out in the open are just starting to move round the bottom of the orchard. They have taken fire from 2Pdr which is acceptable at this range.
A couple of the tree hexes North of the orchard do provide cover Rams & a few loaded Ht are hiding there. Most transport is moving to open the range as the smoke is fading & there passengers are poised to move out of it next turn. Forgot to plot spotter.
Turn9
Seems I was wrong you can't hide there a2Pdr in the SE corner of the orchard took out a HT before losing 2 men & a couple more shots were fired at exposed tank, still cant see it. Looks like I may have been lucky MMG finds a mine near AA location, think they probably run North from there supporting wire as vehicles passed just South of. The arty immobilised one of my AA last turn so they have fallen back & vehicles realy have no where to go now so position is not to clever.
Turn10
Just realised not making much headway & forgot to think about soft sand for planning further routes.
Lots of fire exchanged again between tanks for no effect but another HT got caught up in it, vehicles that were supposedly hiding moved last go & arty fell where they had been.
SF> is about a Km from trenches but was fired on by Vickers HMG 500m further forward, MMG killed three men & 3 MkIIIs have now broken cover.
Spotter went for another fly by but never returned multiple Boffors AA about 1Km East of South AA position saw to that.

Things should start warming up soon me thinks
Thats all folks