This weekend we look back in time to the Second Battle of El Alamein and the operation that kicked it off – Operation Lightfoot! While learning all about this battle that changed the direction of the war in Africa, you can enjoy the following in-game bonuses:
Double Crew Experience
All of your tankers will improve their skills at twice the usual rate.
50% discount and 50% increased income on the following vehicles:
|
|
|
|
10% Discount on long-term Premium Accounts
When buying enough time for half a year or a whole year, you will pay 10% less gold!
Mission: Sand Beneath My Treads
|
Goal |
Win a battle on one of these desert maps: Airfield, El Halluf, Sand River |
|
Reward |
20% additional experience |
|
Restrictions |
Random battles only. This mission can be repeated each time you play on a desert map. |
These bonuses will be available from Saturday 26th October 07:10 CEST (GMT +2) until Tuesday 29th October 06:00 CET.
Operation Lightfoot
By the summer of 1942, the war wasn’t going well for the Allies. The Germans were in control of most of Europe and were pushing forwards into Russia. In Africa, things weren’t going much better. The Afrika Korps, under the command of the renowned Field Marshal Rommel, were pushing steadily forward towards the Suez Canal. The Allies realised it was essential to keep hold of the Suez Canal or face their supply routes being cut off almost completely.
El Alamein was to be the location of the desperate last stand for the Allies. The town was placed on a bottleneck between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and an expanse of desert to the south. During the First Battle of El Alamein, the Allies were on the defensive. For the Second Battle, they went on the offensive.
The numbers favoured the Allies, who had nearly 200,000 men and 1,000 tanks – more or less double the German numbers. The Allied tanks also included 300 of the new Shermans. However, between the Allies and the Axis forces lay a vast spread of landmines. Known as the ‘Devil’s Garden’, this field was a formidable defence. While the mines were there, no progress could be made.
The Allied commander was Bernard Montgomery and he devised Operation Lightfoot in order to clear a path through the mines. This began on October 26th 1942, and the clue was in the name – infantry on foot went ahead as they were too light to trigger the anti-vehicle mines. They were equipped with powerful mine detectors, the design of which had recently been gifted to the British Army by the Polish engineer Jozef Kosacki. When a mine was found, engineers would remove it – a dangerous task, as many of the mines were linked to other mines with wires (meaning if one was set off, others would detonate as well). The aim was to cut a path just wide enough for the Allied tanks to pass through in single file. It was an ambitious plan – the tanks would have to pass through five miles (eight kilometres) of the minefield, and it all had to be done in one night!
Sadly, it ultimately failed. While moving in single file through the minefield, the Allied tanks were easy targets for the German defenders and one stalled tank held up all the others behind it. It proved impossible to move all the tanks through in a single night, and the Allied forces were forced to dig in and fight from where they were.
Although things didn’t go as planned for the Allies, Operation Lightfoot was the beginning of the end for the Afrika Korps. Just a few days later on November 2nd, Rommel conceded defeat and retreated.
Want more bonuses? Check out the other specials that are currently running:
|
Enjoy discounts and additional credits on the mighty AMX 50 B and more. |
|
|
Prove you are the best commander by completing the missions to earn rewards. |
|
|
Find out which tank branch will feature in this week’s random draw! |
Get your tanks and draw lines in the sand.
