Rommel's counter-plan that collided with Operation Crusader in late 1941

We judge that Rommel's reconnaissance raid named something like "Mid-Summer's Night Dream" (the Australian historian didn't like the Mid-Summer's Night part of the name and only called it the Summer's Night Dream. Rommel hoped to take the Tobruk fortress in his attack.His main concern was with his supply situation. Rommel's plan for the attack was dated about 26 October 1941. Three days later, Hitler issued his plan to reinforce the Mediterranean area. He appointed Field Marshal Kesselring as "Commander-In Chief South". Since Kesselring was an air force officer, we get a hint that the main reinforcements would be to the air force. The goal was to provide protection for the supply line feeding Rommel's forces in North Africa. They would also move against the island of Malta that was a base for ships and aircraft targeting the Axis supply line.
Improving the supply lines for North Africa was not to be an easy task. In November, the supplies delivered decreased considerably from what had been achieved. Only some 30,000 tons were delivered in November, while 70,000 had been a typical supply delivery achievement. In December, the Axis forces managed to deliver 39,000 tons, an improvement over November, but worse than what had been typical. The rest fell victim to British aircraft, surface ships, and submarines.
Most of the Axis losses at sea in November were caused by British surface warships. Force K operated from the island of Malta. Force K consisted of the cruisers Aurora and Penelope, along with the destroyers Lance and Lively. That situation changed, so that British submarines sank most of the supply ships.
German submarines were operating against the Tobruk seaborne supply line. They also caused some major warship losses. They sank the aircraft carrier Ark Royal on 14 November. Eleven days later, one submarine sank the battleship Barham. These losses made the urgency for tanking more western airfields of greater priority.
Rommel followed his plan as he had designed it. They would attack sometime between 15 and 20 November. The Africa Division (later renamed the 90th Light Division) would attack the Tobruk perimeter between the Barida Road and near El Adem and Pilastrano. Both the British and Axis forces used Italian maps that showed this in bold, apparently. They map showed a defensive position near the connection between the Bardia and El Adem roads. Once the Africa division had broken the perimeter, the 15th Armored Division would push through to the coast. They had some 100 gun-armed tanks, including ten captured Matildas and 38 light tanks (Pzkw I and II). The Italian XXI Corps would move to the elevated ground The 21st Armored Division would guard the frontier, but be close enough to move to Tobruk, if needed. They were positioned to satisfy General Halder, who wanted the frontier guarded. This is based on the account in Vol.III of the Australian Official History.