Strategy for Desert Fox
German Strategy
Tested in Very Hard/Furious.
Right away, use your german forces to support attack on Msus, marching the entire italian force in there. As soon as the italian tanks arrive in Msus, use them to support attack Bengazi. Have your german troops attack through it, waypointed through the coast all the way to El Alamein, where they will cut off the entire region from supply. Use your italian tanks to run over the second "line" of provinces, and the italian infantry to support attack and then encircle and destroy the british divisions.
Using your airforce isn't necessary to win, but it can help since retreating british divisions out of supply will move terribly slowly and hold up your advance since you don't want them roaming around behind your lines. They will go down to your CAS without being able to put up a fight.
When the whole area is cleared out, redeploy all your troops to El Alamein and attack Alexandria. Again, use your fast moving german troops (and italian tanks, just in case) to go straigh to Tel Aviv without stopping. When Alexandria falls, make sure you're not advancing through the new capital, just move around it to render just about all of the british army out of supply. If they attack you, flank them. Encircle and destroy their divisions. Your tanks will cut through the british as if they weren't even there.
Done right, you'll achieve a strategic victory before the end of June (with a year and 3 months to spare) on very hard/furious.
UK Strategy
Played in very hard/furious.
The goal of the UK is the opposite of the German's, you must make the battle as long as possible and slow down the German advance. In the beginning, evacuate the air force to Tobruk, move all of the troops in Egypt to Forte Capuzzo and Rabia. The goal is to make a defensive line along Tobruk, Forte Capuzzo and Rabia with the strongest army in Rabia while the weakest should be in Forte Capuzzo. If done correctly Derna, Mechilli, Forte Maddalena and Siwa will become a no-man's land where there will be no army there, thus stalling the Axis indefinitely.
The game begins with Axis attacking both of the frontlines. Do not retreat them immediately, fight for a few hours and then retreat. This will buy a little bit time. The two armies in the frontline should end up in Tobruk. Use the air force to create air superiority in Tobruk. After the defensive line along Tobruk, Forte Capuzzo and Rabia is set, the no-man's land must be created. It can be done by attacking Italian armies in nearby territories while after winning the battle, cancelling the attack instead of going on to occupy the province. Here is the breakdown of invasions:
- Tobruk armies should try to make Derna empty.
- Forte Capuzzo being the weakest should get the help of armies in Tobruk to rout Italian armies in Mechilli. It must also keep Forte Maddalena empty with the help of armies in Rabia.
- Armies in Rabia must keep Siwa empty all the time to avoid being circled.
In 27 April 1941, there will be an event indicating German invasion to Crete. Only the second option (defend with all we can afford) has any chance of holding Crete. Note that it is random so although the second option is chosen, Crete may still fall. In very hard difficulty, hardly any division is expendable so the third option is probably the best.
In 1 June 1941, you will receive an option to declare war on Syria or not. While you gain 2 infantries, 2 aircrafts and 800 supplies for declaring, you will open a new front in Syria. Not declaring on Syria is a better option since it allows you to focus on the German and Italian forces completely.
Keep waiting and maintain the no-man's land until you get reinforcements of two motor and one armor corps (in normal difficulty, you can strike back whenever you are ready). Move slowly and advance to Tripoli. Your superior number should manage to reach it before Torch commences.