Changes

Initially the British Middle East Command under General Archibald Wavell only had 30,000 troops stationed in Egypt to defend against the 150,000-250,000 (depending on the source) Italian and Libyan troops stationed in Libya. Airplanes available to both sides in the desert tended to be older biplanes. The Italians had Fiat CR.32s and Fiat CR.42s while the British had Gloster Gladiators. The British also several warships from the Meditteranean Fleet to bombard Tobruk and Bardia.  

Initially the British Middle East Command under General Archibald Wavell only had 30,000 troops stationed in Egypt to defend against the 150,000-250,000 (depending on the source) Italian and Libyan troops stationed in Libya. Airplanes available to both sides in the desert tended to be older biplanes. The Italians had Fiat CR.32s and Fiat CR.42s while the British had Gloster Gladiators. The British also several warships from the Meditteranean Fleet to bombard Tobruk and Bardia.  

Graziani expressed doubts about the capabilities of his larger but largely un-mechanized force to defeat the British, who, though smaller in numbers, were largely mechanized and had better-trained infantry. Graziani's one mobile group was the partially motorized and lightly armored "Maletti Group". This group was commanded by General Pietro Maletti. But even this group was short on transport vehicles. Maletti Group's tanks were mostly machine gun-armed Fiat L3s tankettes. His heaviest tank type was the Fiat M11/39. This tank featured a relatively weak hull-mounted 37 mm tank gun, and their numbers were small. In comparison, the British were able to field some faster Cruiser tanks (A9s, A10s, and A13s) which were more than match to the M11/39s. The British also had a limited number of heavy Matilda Infantry tanks that, while slow, were strongly armored and well armed. The armor of the Matilda tanks could not be pierced by any of the available Italian tank guns or anti-tank guns available at that time though Italian anti-aircraft guns could be used against them in the same manner as the German 88 mm.

Graziani expressed doubts about the capabilities of his larger but largely conscript un-mechanized army to defeat the British Commonwealth forces, who, though smaller in numbers, were largely mechanized and had a proffesional army. Graziani's mobile group was the partially motorized and lightly armored ''Maletti Group''. This group was commanded by General [[Pietro Maletti]]. But even this group was short on transport vehicles. Maletti Group's tanks were mostly machine gun-armed Fiat L3s tankettes. His heaviest tank type was the Fiat M11/39. This tank featured a relatively weak hull-mounted 37 mm tank gun, and their numbers were small. In comparison, the British were able to field some faster Cruiser tanks (A9s, A10s, and A13s) which were more than match to the M11/39s. The British also had a limited number of heavy Matilda Infantry tanks that, while slow, were strongly armored and well armed. The armor of the Matilda tanks could not be pierced by any of the available Italian tank guns or anti-tank guns available at that time though Italian anti-aircraft guns could be used against them in the same manner as the German 88 mm.

==Italian invasion of Egypt==

==Italian invasion of Egypt==