The German task force: the Afrikakorps, is composed of two armoured divisions (the panzer divisions), the Wehrmacht’s elite. Later, the 90th light division will be formed to support the diminishing troops.
The axis commander in chief from February 1941 is the General Erwin Rommel. It’s a german officer from the young generation. He has commanded an armoured division during the French campaign. He’s from the Guderian school, the man who theorized and applied the use of the new assault tank, and he’s the man behind the Blitzkrieg (the quick war). As a consequence, he’s a chief who wants offensives and movement. The north African desert gives him wide open spaces but also traps of rock and sand.
The first german units freshly arrived, in March 1941, have to help the Italians close to annihilation. With few troops, Rommel rectifies the situation and push the English troops to Egypt.
Rommel’s arrival is a new step in the desert war. The German General is getting over many obstacles : he’s getting back the enemy’s equipment, he’s using their anti-tank guns for his attacks, usually used for defence. He deludes the English with fake tanks and fake maneuvers. It’s in Africa that he received the nickname of Desert Fox.
But the English are not without resources. The desert commandos, small groups very well trained to attack the enemy in non-expected places, are used everywhere in Africa. The units are badly hitting the supply routes and the Axis airdromes. The Afrikakorps is sometimes missing water and gas, avoiding them to exploit their superiority.