“…an encounter battle carried out too enthusiastically against prepared positions…not seen or recognized until the attack had been launched.” –Summary of the British attack at Bir el Gubi by Lieutenant General Willoughby Norrie. Ram vs. Stag is a low complexity war game simulation of the first battle fought near the village and oasis at Bir el Gubi in Libya. In response to General Erwin Rommel’s bold offensive the British-led Allied forces launched a counter offensive to defeat the Axis forces that were besieging Tobruk. Dubbed Operation Crusader, the Allied attack was launched on November 18th and caught the Axis by surprise. However, Rommel reacted quickly by withdrawing his armored forces into an arc that stretched south and west of the crucial port. The British armored units groped their way forward attempting to identify and fix their enemy’s positions. Late on November 18th units of the Italian Ariete (Ram) Division were discovered near the village of Bir El Gubi. The 22nd Armored Brigade (Stags), a recently deployed unit to the North Africa, was ordered to attack. In the past, British tanks had sent the Italians into head-long flight and a repeat was expected. Instead, the Italians had dug in and were prepared to fight. Can you do as well or better than your historical counter parts? Lean and enjoy! Each turn of the game represents one hour of time. Each hex is approximately a third of a mile across. Units represent companies of men (infantry), batteries of 4-6 guns (artillery and AT), or 10-12 vehicles (tanks and armored cars). Each copy of Ram vs. Stag is composed of the following: 8 pages of rules Two 11 by 17 inch map sheets with game tracks and tables 160 single sided, un-mounted counters Players will also need a six sided die and an opaque container (mug, envelope or anything similar) to play the game. Each turn of the game represents one hour of time. Each hex is approximately a third of a mile across. Units represent companies of men (infantry), batteries of 4-6 guns (artillery and AT), or 10-12 vehicles (tanks and armored cars).