A ranar 23 ga Satumba 1941 "Ascari" da 'yan uwanta sun sanya filin mine a Malta, kuma a rana mai zuwa sun shiga cikin wani abu na 3rd da 8th Cruiser Divisions da nufin tsayar da wani jirgin Birtaniya, ba tare da nasara ba. A ranar 13 ga Disamba ta shiga cikin babban aikin jirgi tsakanin Italiya da Libya, "M. 41", wanda ya gaza saboda hare-haren da jiragen sama da jiragen ruwa ke kaiwa. A ranar 16 ga Disamba "Ascari" ya shiga cikin wani babban aikin aiki zuwa Libya, "M. 42", wanda ya yi nasara, duk da wani ɗan gajeren gamuwa da rakiyar wani jirgin ruwa na Allied zuwa Malta, a cikin wani aiki da aka sani da
Yaƙin farko na Sirte.