Hypothetical: Tobruk, June 7, 1942

[MengJiao]

Early 1942 had been bad few months for the Empire, but with a little ahistorical luck (Richie tragically killed and Rommel called away briefly to look into invading Spain during some bad weather), the Axis offensive fizzles halfway across the map and the Empire prepares to counterattack with those extra 100 Grant tanks and 40 kittybomers.  So Axis air is a bit down due to the Spanish emergency (but they have an extra Italian Division).  The crucial thing is the supply dumps.  If either side can take +2 of the other side (eg, Rommel loses one but takes 3) before June 25 -- that's a win, otherwise, a draw.
The white squares show the front line and the dumps are those jerrycans:

[MengJiao]

Early 1942 had been bad few months for the Empire, but with a little ahistorical luck (Richie tragically killed and Rommel called away briefly to look into invading Spain during some bad weather), the Axis offensive fizzles halfway across the map and the Empire prepares to counterattack with those extra 100 Grant tanks and 40 kittybombers.  So Axis air is a bit down due to the Spanish emergency (but they have an extra Italian Division).  The crucial thing is the supply dumps.

Here's what I think will happen: The Imperialists are stronger, but the Axis is stronger still (fewer biplanes, but more Ju88s and an extra Italian motorized division).  So, as Rommel, I'll let Godwin-Austen attack up north and then clobber him through the center as shown below:

[MengJiao]

Here's what I think will happen: The Imperialists are stronger, but the Axis is stronger still (fewer biplanes, but more Ju88s and an extra Italian motorized division).  So, as Rommel, I'll let Godwin-Austen attack up north and then clobber him through the center as shown below:

Meanwhile, as Godwin-Austen (historically resigned from Corps command in the 8th Army after some
weird foul-ups by Richie -- but although most thought Richie was the problem, Churchill was enraged by
Godwin-Austen's earlier withdrawal with few losses from Somalia and Godwin-Austen never received another command)
Anyway, in Godwin-Austen's ahistorical shoes, and getting some kind of Ultra information -- two things: one
Attacking up north with lots of infantry and artillery may work just fine and two: 8th army has two really big armored divisions and should be able to hold off DAK down south.

[MengJiao]

Here's what I think will happen: The Imperialists are stronger, but the Axis is stronger still (fewer biplanes, but more Ju88s and an extra Italian motorized division).  So, as Rommel, I'll let Godwin-Austen attack up north and then clobber him through the center as shown below:

Meanwhile, as Godwin-Austen (historically resigned from Corps command in the 8th Army after some
weird foul-ups by Richie -- but although most thought Richie was the problem, Churchill was enraged by
Godwin-Austen's earlier withdrawal with few losses from Somalia and Godwin-Austen never received another command)
Anyway, in Godwin-Austen's ahistorical shoes, and getting some kind of Ultra information -- two things: one
Attacking up north with lots of infantry and artillery may work just fine and two: 8th army has two really big armored divisions and should be able to hold off DAK down south.

Nothing went quite as planned.  I thought the Axis was doing OK.  DAK was indeed advancing menacingly in the south while the British 1st Armoured was getting strung out (though 7th Armoured was mostly uncommitted).  The Imperialists were making some progress up north but it seemed imperiled by DAK just to the south.
Then the weather started getting bad.  First haze messing up air support and then massive dust storms.  21 PZ and 90 light moved forward pretty far south -- Cautious because 7th armoured was lurking even farther south.
15 PZ was about to close up in the center when I rolled some unfortunate rolls and the British 1st armored came back south and caught 15 PZ strung out in the dust storm on the Trig Capuzzo.  Things did not go well and the 200 Grants in 1st Armoured do indeed seem to have made a difference.  After that disaster, I was too depressed to go on and I'll have to go play something else.
I think in reality, having a lot of tanks in the pipeline was probably better than having them at Gazala and Tobruk and Mersa Matruh, but under the very special circumstances I stumbled into (with Godwin-Austen commanding 8th Army and Rommel turning up late, perfectly timed sand storms etc.) I guess 100 more Grants could have been just the thing.