The Logistics and Maintenance Department lived up to Rommel's expectations and completed the transformation of 12 "mine-sweeping tanks" within 12 hours, that is, at 8 o'clock that night.

After that, Rommel personally organized a small-scale exercise...... The troops must know how to use this new weapon and how to form it. It took two hours.

Then the minesweeper tanks and the 21st Panzer Corps embarked on the offensive again in the dark.

Rommel's deployment went like this:

The Italian 7th and 48th Infantry Divisions opened a long line of defense and confronted the northern section of the British El Alamein Line and launched a feint.

(Note: The Italian garrison in North Africa originally had ten divisions, but after being routed by the British, Rommel reorganized them into one armored division and five infantry divisions at Tobruk)

Rommel did not dare to expect too much from the Italian army, so they could only make a feint, that is, to fire empty guns in the line or fire a few shots in the direction of the enemy.

Later, Qin Chuan learned that these were actually the two infantry divisions with strong combat effectiveness of the Italian Army...... Three divisions with worse combat effectiveness were either stationed in Tobruk or on logistical missions.

The only armoured division of the Italian army, the 132nd Panzer Division (Ariette Division), was not as good as it could be, but they had the same shortcomings as the British armoured forces...... Slow.

This is mainly due to the fact that the M13 tanks they are equipped with are very backward, and they are not even equipped with dust filters when fighting in the desert, so they are slow (33 kilometers per hour) and constantly break down during the march.

So, when Rommel was in a hurry to attack the enemy lines, this armored division, which the Italians respectfully called the "Ram Division", was still on its way.

Rommel, of course, did not stop and wait for the "ram" that was slow and always disappointing.

The 15th Panzer Division was placed in front of the Rowasat Ridge and launched two more assaults after dark...... This convinced the British even more that they were right: the Germans' breakthrough was the Roissat Ridge.

However, at this time, the 21st Panzer Division had already circled the right flank of the Rwaisat Ridge, which was supposed to be the main force of the Indian 4th Infantry Division.

General Stryk was more cautious, or it can be said that General Stryk was still a little uneasy about the new equipment of the "mine-sweeping tank", so he arranged for a team of sappers to lurk in the minefield for demining and preliminary reconnaissance before the troops arrived.

In fact, the more important thing is reconnaissance, because this determines the distribution of the location of the minesweeper tank and the walking route, for example, there is a roadblock in a certain position that the minesweeper tank is difficult to cross, and the route should be avoided as much as possible.

Then, the main forces of the 21st Panzer Division rushed to the minefield five kilometers away from the British, where they rested in the dark for ten minutes...... In these ten minutes, the minesweeper tank slowly drove to the front of the team.

Due to secrecy, the German soldiers were completely unaware of the existence of the "minesweeper tank" before this, and they were a little confused when they saw strange things appear in front of the team.

"What is this?" Werner asked: "Is that thing in front of him containing explosives?" ”

"I see chains on it!" The baker replied, "They don't want to beat the British with these chains!" ”

Qin Chuan couldn't help but laugh dumbly when he heard this.

"Sgt., what do you seem to know?" Alfredo asked.

"Yes, of course he does!" The informed Bazel replied: "Because he invented it!" ”

"What? This was invented by the sergeant? The German soldiers couldn't help but look at Qin Chuan with wide eyes.

"This is a minesweeper tank!" Qin Chuan explained: "I just hope that we don't have to risk our lives to clear mines like we did last night!" ”

The German soldiers couldn't help but cast grateful eyes at Qin Chuan:

"Well done, Sergeant!"

"My family and I will be grateful to you for that!"

"You're a lifesaver!"

"Why do you say 'simply', he is!"

……

Minesweeper tanks are divided into groups of five in groups of two. (The extra two are used as a backup)

The reason for the need for a group of two vehicles is, on the one hand, to open a wider offensive channel, and on the other hand...... It is the fear that if one tank breaks down or is destroyed, the other tank can continue to work on minesweeping without giving up halfway.

General Stryk looked at his watch, and then ordered: "Attack!" ”

Three red flares soon rose into the air.

The cannon rang out at the first moment...... Prior to this, the Germans had already transferred part of the artillery regiment of the 15th Panzer Division and even the artillery regiment of the Italian Infantry Division.

The British, on the other hand, used most of their artillery on the Roissat Ridge, so in the local area of Dirsin, there was an anomaly in which the German artillery had a slight advantage.

As a result, the German artillery successfully suppressed the British artillery fire and provided cover for the minesweeping tanks.

But this is not the point, the point is that the sound of artillery can drown out the sound of demining of "minesweeper tanks".

Sure enough, when the news of the heavy shelling of Dirsiin reached General Ochinleck, General Ochinleck did not take it to heart.

"This is just another trick of the Germans, they want us to transfer the artillery back!" General Ochinlek looked at his watch and said, "It's already twelve o'clock, and the minefield of Dirsiin is a full five kilometers...... If the Germans attack there, they will not be able to pass through the minefield at dawn! ”

"But Major General David reported that the enemy's artillery fire was fierce!" Major General Richie was a little worried, he already sensed that this battle was a little different.

"Major General David hasn't fought yet, understand?" General Auchinleck said: "To be exact, they have not seen the German artillery fire, so they cannot tell what 'fierce' is." ”

General Auchinleck took it for granted, but he couldn't be blamed for this, and without knowing the "minesweeper tank", it was really impossible to imagine that the Germans would choose another location with a complete minefield to carry out the breakthrough.

On the other hand, the German "minesweeping tanks" have already shown their might on the battlefield...... Ten tanks lined up, as soon as the motor started the steel chain "swished" forward, as the tank pushed forward, the steel chain continued to whip the ground in front of it like a whip.

The mines exploded one after another, and due to the rapid advance of the tanks and the high density of the British mines, the smoke and dust from the mines in front of the tanks were like a tide to advance in the direction of the British army.

The British did not know anything about this scene, because they were panicked by the heavy German artillery fire and did not know how to respond.

until they stabilized and fired a flare in front of the position......

Then they froze: "God, what's that?" ”