Oh, the Rommel model? Don't you want one from someone who won?
Always thought that Rommel was the most useless praised general since Lee. I think it was because he was involved in the (again, unsuccessful) plot against Hitler that people feel required to rank him as some sort of great general, when in fact, it not exactly what the record would bear out. Most of his victories were against substandard armies. And the rest is full of fail. He could not take Egypt, which was the reason for the entire North Africa Campaign in the first place. Hell the Aussies - who really are tough - held out against him in Torbruk for almost a full year. I think what success he did have in North Africa was the result of getting to fight against Monty who was always busy defeating himself. Once a real general got in there, you know, when Patton showed up, with green troops with little to no battle experience, he kicked his ass.
And the 'brilliant strategy' deal, really. His last command had him heavily fortifying the French coast to guard against an invasion, when his early victories in war ought to have taught him in very simple terms the value of the Maginot Line was pretty much an illusion, and it's simple to overcome, as Ike did, following the German example and just dropping troops in behind it. He wasn't half the general that Kesselring was.
However, he was by all accounts very much a gentleman, the soldiers under him never accused of war crimes (all but impossible for most German units), he conducted war under the old rules, and is to be commended for that much at least.
Oh, the guy who opened many a can of whoop-ass on Rommel, that Patton dude? He carried a Colt .45 or a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum depending on his mood. Both revolvers by the way.
