Advanced Tobruk: Tank Battles in North Africa 1940-43 (2002)

Advanced Tobruk - Tank Battles in North Africa 1940-1943 is the first of many games to introduce the Advanced Tobruk System or ATS. It is a detailed new game SYSTEM that allows you to recreate the war in North Africa during World War II. The ultimate tactical level game presentation is coupled with easy-to-understand and use rules and charts to enable you to re-create all facets of the decisive Gazala battle - Rommel’s most spectacular victory the led directly to his defeat El Alamein only a few months later. Unlike its predecessor, Advanced TOBRUK allows you to experience Gazala AND the entire was in North Africa. Advanced Tobruk includes scenarios from Gazala, Crusader, Battleaxe, the 1940 campaign and action in Tunisia.

The Advanced Tactical System, or ATS, recreates, in a realistic manner, the tactical-level combat problems encountered by Allied and Axis forces confronting each other across the globe between 1939 and 1945. The game system with the release of ADVANCED TOBRUK in mid-2002.

This re-implements the classic Avalon Hill Tobruk System. Critical Hit has gone on to publish numerous games representing all battle fronts of the war. In addition, Korea, Vietnam, Dien Bien Phu and the Israeli conflict has been added.

The main game was published in 2002. A total of 7 expansions and a gamers guide were produced for the North Africa Campaign. Critical Hit updated the game with Advanced Tobruk 4th Edition and re-implemented the North Africa Campaign with Advanced Tobruk 2016. Advanced Tobruk Classic contains the original 24 scenarios that came with the original version in 2002.

The Base Game consists of 2 maps - essentially blank dessert, 6 play aids, 1 rulebook, 1 quick start sheet, 24 scenarios, 39 terrain overlays, 41 AFV Cards, 2 Dice. The Germans, British and Italians are represented.

TB-22 Base Game(Rules Versions potentially from 1.x - 3.x)
TB-22b Base Game (Rules Version 4.x)

Expansions for Advanced Tobruk: Tank Battles in North Africa Include -
TB-23 - Advanced Tobruk Gamers Guide

TB-24 - ATS Expansion 1: Wavells 30,000 - 12 Scenarios, 30 new counters, 3 terrain overlays, 1 new AFV Card. (1940/41 ending with Beda Fomm).
TB-25 - ATS Expansion 2: Benghazi Handicap - 12 Scenarios, 30 new counters, 1 new terrain overlay. (March/April 1941 Britsh vs. Italians)
TB-26 - ATS Expansion 3: Devil’s Garden - 12 Scenarios, 37 counters, 4 new AFV cards. (El Alamein 1942 British vs. Germans and Italians)
TB-27 - ATS Expansion 4: Blunted Sword - 12 Scenarios, 37 Counters, 7 New AFV Cards. (Tunisia British vs. Germans and Italians).
TB-28 - ATS Expansion 5a: Kasserine and Beyond - 12 Scenarios, 310 Counters, 12 new AFV. (Tunisia American and French vs. Germans and Italians plus American vs. French)
TB-29 - ATS Expansion 5b: Torch to Tunisia - 12 Scenarios, 1942-1943 (French Morocco Tunis, American vs French, American, French vs. German, German vs French).
TB-30 - ATS Expansion 6: Killing Fields - 13 Scenarios, 1941-1943 (British vs German and Italians, American vs Italian).

In 2009: The publisher indicated that additional expansions for the North Africa Campaign were to be Published. TB-31 thru TB-34.

A total of 109 Scenarios make up the base game with the expansions. An additional 4 scenarios (two by CH were available for download and two in Fire and Movement issue 145.

This is the classic version of ATS (pre-version 2014). Critical hit has re-implemented the North Africa Campaign with its 2014 Ruleset and updated maps, counters and expansions. Unfortunately the naming convention is not consistent and republished titles are not always named the same. For instance the expansion Facing the Blitz is the exact same game as ATS Briefing #1. A clear and concise summary of each expansion does not currently exist that points out duplication.