41.06 Operation Battleaxe, Egypt June 14th, 1941 -- Armed with a new shipment of tanks, the British Eighth Army planned an offensive that would push the Axis forces back from Libyan border posts and relieve their siege of Tobruk. However, while the Germans were outnumbered, their superior artillery and tanks enabled Rommel to not only hold his positions, but to knock out more than 75% of the British armor in only three days of combat. The Eighth Army would need a change of command and nearly six months to regroup before finally launching a successful offensive in the winter of 1941. Operation Battle Axe had failed.