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Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)

Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09) Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
includes five plastic Grant tanks, three plastic Crusader tanks, one plastic Tank Commander sprue, two plastic 17/25 pdr or 25 pdr guns, two plastic Gun Crew sprues, one mini 4th Flames Of War rulebook, two Decal sheets and eight Unit cards.

The eyes of the world are on the complex and bloody campaign unfolding in the Western Desert of Egypt and Libya. If the Axis can succeed in pushing the British out of Egypt, there will be nothing keeping them from the rich oil fields of the Middle East, and the strategically vital Suez Canal will open the back door to the Far East. The brave but battered soldiers of the Eighth Army hold the last line of defence against fascist conquest.

Check out Monty's Desert Rats in the online store here...
Armoured Fist
The British Army has the Italian-German armies in Africa caught in a vice, and are steadily screwing the jaws shut. The Eighth Army is advancing from El Alamein in the east, while the First Army fights its way through Tunisia from the west. Their armoured divisions combine the dash of fast, light tanks like the Honey and Crusader, with the power of the heavy Grant and Sherman. Their infantry divisions have some of the toughest riflemen in the world, backed up by thickly-armoured Churchill and Valentine tanks and massed artillery. Together, they make up a force that can defeat anything the enemy brings against them, a force that will destroy the Axis forces in Africa.

Learn more about Armoured Fist here...
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)

Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)

British armoured regiments were delighted to receive the new American-made M3 Grant tank, which gave them a tank with a gun as good as those on the German panzers, with armour to match. Rushed into service to meet the urgent need for a heavy 75mm-armed tank it took the Germans by surprise. Its thick armour and powerful 75mm gun are superior to most of the German panzers. Its only real downside is its height, which makes it a conspicuous target in the desert. The placement of the 75mm gun makes it difficult to conceal the tank in a hull-down position behind terrain. At Alam el Halfa, with time to prepare a static defence, the British were able to partly overcome these difficulties by carefully choosing the placement of each Grant.

The light squadrons of the armoured regiments embody the dash and daring of the British cavalry. Fast and manoeuvrable but not as heavily armoured as the enemy panzers, they use speed and cover to protect themselves. They are often relegated to scouting or protecting the flanks of the regiment while their heavy cousins, the Grants, take the fight to the enemy.

The Crusader entered service in November 1941, in time for Operation Crusader, the offensive in late 1941 that was named after the new tank. Although the Crusader is vulnerable to enemy fire and prone to certain mechanical difficulties, its speed and cross-country manoeuvrability are admired both by its own crews and their German and Italian foes. 

Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
When the up-gunned Crusader III entered service just prior to the Second Battle of El Alamein, it was eagerly welcomed by the crews. The new tanks are shared out among the squadrons, giving each troop much-needed extra firepower.

Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)

In the ongoing race between tank armour and anti-tank guns, even the 6 pdr would not be powerful enough for long. The answer was the huge 17-pounder. The barrel was ready by May 1942, but the carriage still needed work, so in an effort to rush the gun into service to deal with the arrival of heavy German panzers like the Tiger, a temporary hybrid solution was created by mounting the gun on a 25 pdr carriage. The resulting 17/25-pounder, codenamed the ‘Pheasant’, first saw action at the Battle of Medenine in March 1943.

 
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Contact the customer service team at [email protected] if you have issues with any components.
Flames Of War 4th Edition Mini Rulebook (x1)
Plastic Crusader Sprue (x3)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Plastic Grant Sprue (x5)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Plastic 17/25 pdr or 25 pdr gun (x2)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Plastic Gun Crew (x2) Large Six-hole Base (x2); Base Plug Sprue (x1)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09) Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Plastic Tank Crew (x1) Decal Sheet (x2)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09) Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Unit Cards
7th Armoured Divison (x1) Movement Orders (x1)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09) Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Grant Armoured Squadron HQ (x1) Grant Armoured Troop (x1)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09) Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Crusader II Armoured Troop (x1) Crusader II & III Armoured Troop (x1)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09) Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
17/25 pdr Anti-tank Troop (x1) 25 pdr Field Troop (x1)
Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09) Monty's Desert Rats (BRAB09)
Click here to learn how to assemble the Crusader here... Click here to learn how to assemble the Grant here...
Click here to learn how to assemble the Crusader here... Click here to learn how to assemble the Grant here...
Click here to learn how to assemble the 25 pdr here... Click here to learn how to assemble the 17/25 pdr here...
Click here to learn how to assemble the 25 pdr here... Click here to learn how to assemble the 17/25 pdr here...

Boot Camp Battle Report
Afrika Korps vs. Desert Rats
To conclude the lessons laid out in the 4th Edition Boot Camp, Phil and James put the theory into practice by playing a 62-point game using the Free For All mission.

Boot Camp Battle Report: Afrika Korps vs. Desert Rats...

Boot Camp Battle Report: Afrika Korps vs. Desert Rats


Last Updated On Tuesday, January 14, 2020