Intelligence Briefing on the Early War Italian Army (1940-41)

The Italian Army is not ready for a major war. The state of the equipment and training is poor due to rapid expansion and rearmament with modern equipment. The degree of training in the unit is entirely up to the units officers. The Italian Army frowns on too much training (or even any at all), claiming it dulls the senses and blunts the natural initiative and courage of the Italian soldier. The veterans of the Spanish Civil War and the fighting in Abyssinia have some experience, other have little or none. Some units fight well, others poorly.

Italian Company Choices

You can base your Italian force on: a Compagnia Carri (Tank Company), a Compagnia Bersaglieri (Mechanised Infantry Company), or a Compagnia Fucilieri (Infantry Company).

Motivation and Experience

The Italian Army is incredibly variable in quality. Some units are brave and professional, others reluctant and scarcely trained. As explained in the 8 Million Bayonets rule below, the motivation and experience of Italian soldiers is variable from game to game.

Special Rules 8 Million Bayonets

Mussolini demanded an army eight million strong to create his new Roman Empire. The rapid expansion needed led to WWI veteran and reservist officers being called back to service with little or no extra training. After 20 years of civilian life some are still excellent soldiers, most were not! Note: The 8 Million Bayonets ratings of the Early War Italian Army are different from those of the Mid War. To reflect the variable quality of Italian officers, Italian units are rated as Regular, Elite, or Artillery. After deployment, but before the first turn, roll a die for each platoon to determine just how good your officers really are.
8 Million Bayonets Rating Roll 1 2 3 4 5 6 Regular Reluctant Conscript Reluctant Trained Reluctant Trained Reluctant Trained Confident Trained Fearless Conscript Elite Reluctant Trained Confident Trained Confident Trained Confident Trained Confident Trained Fearless Trained Artillery Reluctant Trained Confident Trained Confident Trained Confident Trained Fearless Trained Fearless Trained

Platoons cannot make Avanti moves if they are Pinned Down. Bogged Down or Bailed Out vehicles cannot make Avanti moves.

Italian Weapons
Ammunition Bearers
Lacking in motorized transport, the Royal Army relies on ammunition bearers to keep its support weapons supplied. The extra ammunition carried by these soldiers allows the support weapons to keep up a heavy fire over a longer period or fire one particularly heavy barrage. You may remove a Rifle team from a Mortar Platoon before shooting to allow a Medium Mortar team to count as two weapons firing for that turn. The removed ammunition-bearer Rifle teams are removed from the table, but do not count as destroyed.

Brixia Light Mortar

The Brixia Modello 35 light mortar is the most advanced light mortar ever designed. It is a magazine-fed breech loading mortar allowing a high rate of fire. Brixia light mortar teams fire as normal light mortar teams but with a ROF rating of 2.

FIAT-Revelli Machine-gun
The FIAT-Revelli machine-gun was a much-improved version of the original 1914 design, but still prone to jamming. FIAT-Revelli machine-guns count as HMG teams, but have their ROF reduced to 3.

Avanti!
The Italian Army learned many lessons from its own and others experience in the First World War. From the Germans they took the concept of speed and mobility, while from the French they gained the techniques of methodical destruction of the enemy defences. The resulting doctrine emphasised mobile warfare and demanded rapid movement to keep the enemy off balance during the manoeuvre phase of battle. Any Italian platoon with a command team may attempt an Avanti move in its Shooting step if it does not shoot. If a platoon attempts to make an Avanti move, it may not shoot even if it fails to make an Avanti move. Roll a skill test for each platoon. If the test is successful the platoon may move another 4/10cm. If the test is unsuccessful, the platoon cannot move further this step. All of the normal rules apply for this movement.

Air Support
The Royal Air Force (Regina Aeronautica) was the first to use aerial bombing techniques and has always provided the army with air support. Using the new CR.42 biplane fighter, the air force bombs and harasses the enemy at every opportunity. You may request Sporadic air support at a cost of 50 points. Sporadic air support will provide supporting ground attack aircraft and fighters on a roll of a 6. You may request Limited air support at a cost of 100 points. Limited air support will provide supporting ground attack aircraft and fighters on a roll of a 5 or6.
Aircraft Fiat CR.42 Weapons Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower Bombs 4/10cm 4 1+

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Compagnia Carri (Tank Company)

While the older Italian tanks are barely on a par with their equivalents elsewhere, the newer M13/40 is as good as any comparable tank in the world.

What Is In A Compagnia Carri?

A force based around a Compagnia Carri must contain: a Company HQ, and at least two Carri Platoons. Weapons Platoons available to a Compagnia Carri are: a Flame-thrower Platoon. Support Platoons for a Compagnia Carri can be: Bersaglieri Platoons (from a Compagnia Bersaglieri), or Anti-tank, Anti-aircraft, Artillery, or Reconnaissance Platoons from Divisional Troops. You may have up to one Support Platoons attached to your company for each Carri Platoon you are fielding.

Combat Platoons

Motivation And Experience

The Compagnia Carri is rated as Elite.

2 or 3 Carri Platoons
A Carri Platoon has four tanks.

Headquarters Platoon

Weapons Platoon 0 to 1 Flame-thrower Platoon

Light tank companies usually have a fourth platoon equipped with four L3/35 (lf) Lanciafiamme (flame-thrower) tanks.

1 Company HQ
A Compagnia Carri has a single radio tank in the Company HQ. This can be a light L3/35 tank or a medium M11/39 or M13/40 tank.

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Compagnia Bersaglieri (Mechanised Infantry Company)

A Compagnia Bersaglieri is organised identically to a Compagnia Fucilieri. It is however rated as Elite.

Headquarters Platoon 1 Company HQ

At full strength: 35 points

0 to 1 Mortar Platoon
At full strength: With 1 section: Add observer team: Add -ton trucks: 85 points 50 points +20 points +5 points each

Combat Platoons 2 to 3 Fucilieri Platoons

At full strength: With 1 section: 155 points 85 points

Support Platoons 0 to 1 Transport Platoon

The Bersaglieri dont have their own transport, but rely on the divisions Transport Platoons for mobility. A Transport Platoon has three to five 3-ton trucks, led by a command motorcycle.

Weapons Platoons 0 to 1 Machine-gun Platoon

At full strength: With 1 section: 145 points 80 points

0 to 1 Light Mortar Platoon

At full strength: With 2 sections: With 1 section: 185 points 125 points 70 points

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Compagnia Fucilieri (Infantry Company)

Italian infantry suffers from poor leadership, training and equipment. However the artillery arm is superb and makes up for the deficiencies of the infantry to a large degree.

What Is In A Compagnia Fucilieri?

A force based around a Compagnia Fucilieri must contain: a Company HQ, and at least two Fucilieri Platoons. Weapons Platoons available to a Compagnia Fucilieri are: a Machine-gun Platoon, a Light Mortar Platoon, a Mortar Platoon, and a Gun Platoon. Support Platoons for a Compagnia Fucilieri can be: Carri Platoons (from a Compagnia Carri), and Anti-tank, Anti-aircraft, Artillery, or Reconnaissance Platoons from Divisional Troops. You may have up to one Support Platoon attached to your company for each Fucilieri Platoon you are fielding.

Combat Platoons

Motivation And Experience

A Compagnia Fucilieri is rated as Regular.

2 to 3 Fucilieri Platoons
At full strength: 130 points 70 points With 1 section:

Headquarters Platoon

Italian Rifle Platoons are unusual in that they have only two large sections. However, each section has two machineguns and a rifle group so the overall firepower of the platoon is maintained.

Weapons Platoons

1 Company HQ
At full strength: 30 points

In line with conventional Italian practice, there isnt much to the Company HQ.

0 to 1 Machine-gun Platoon
At full strength: With 1 section: 120 points 65 points

The Machine-gun Platoon provides long range fire support and defensive firepower for the infantry.

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0 to 1 Light Mortar Platoon

0 to 1 Mortar Platoon

At full strength: With 1 section: Add observer team: Add -ton trucks: At full strength: With 2 sections: With 1 section: 155 points 105 points 55 points

70 points 40 points +20 points +5 points each

The heavier 81mm modello 35 mortars provides the infantry with good long-range firepower.

The Light Mortar Platoon is a curious unit equipped with nine 45mm Brixia mortars. This unit has considerable firepower at short range.

0 to 1 Gun Platoon
The gun platoon can provide both direct fire and indirect fire support for the infantry. They can also destroy the lighter enemy vehicles. A Gun Platoon is composed of a command Rifle/MG team and two sections each with a Rifle/MG team and a 47mm or 65mm gun. For marches, the gun is carried in a 3-ton truck. A Gun Platoon in a Fucilieri Compagnia is rated as Regular. As a result, 47/32 guns cost only 25 points and 65/17 guns both cost only 20 points.

Divisional Troops
0 to 1 Anti-tank Platoons
An Anti-tank Platoon is composed of a command Rifle/MG team and two sections each with a Rifle/MG team and a 37/45 or 47/32 gun. For marches, the gun is carried in a TL-37 tractor or a 3-ton truck. Anti-tank Platoons are rated as Artillery.

Artillery Batteries
An Artillery Battery has four 75mm or 100mm howitzers towed by TL 37 tractors and a command Rifle/MG team with a Fiat 508CM field car, an optional observer team with motorcycle and sidecar combinations, and an optional staff team with a 3-ton truck. Artillery Batteries are rated as Artillery.

0 to 1 Anti-aircraft Platoons
Anti-Aircraft Platoons have two 20mm anti-aircraft guns and a command Rifle/MG team with a field car. The light 20mm guns are carried on 3-ton trucks. Anti-aircraft Platoons are rated as Artillery.

Reconnaissance Platoons
Armoured Car Platoons have four FIAT 611 or Lancia IZM armoured cars. Reconnaissance Platoons are rated as Elite.

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Tanks and Other Fighting Vehicles

Name Points Mobility Armour Front Side Top Equipment And Notes Tanks Elite L3/35 30 Half-tracked 1 0 1 Twin MG. L3/35 with AT Rifle 30 Half-tracked 1 0 1 20mm gun. L3/35 Lanciafiamme 55 Half-tracked 1 0 1 MG, Flame-thrower, Fuel tanks. M11/39 65 Fully-tracked 2 1 1 37mm tank gun, twin MG. M13/40 100 Fully-tracked 3 2 1 47mm tank gun, co-ax MG, twin hull MG. Reconnaissance Elite FIAT 611 or Lancia IZM 35 Wheeled 0 0 1 Two MG, hull-rear MG, Recce. Fuel tanks: Flame-thrower fuel is extremely flammable. The enemy re-rolls any failed Firepower tests to destroy a L3/35 Lanciafiamme flame-throwing tank. Recce: Recce troops can use the Reconnaissance rules to avoid enemy fire.

Guns and Vehicle Weapons

Name Points Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower Notes 81mm mortar team 40/100cm 1 3+ Mortar, Smoke. 20/65 gun 25 24/60cm 4 5 5+ Turntable, Anti-aircraft. 37/45 gun 25 24"/60cm 3 6 5+ Gun shield. 47/32 gun 30 24"/60cm 3 6/1 4+ Close-support Artillery. 65/17 gun 30 16/40cm 2 6/2 3+ Gun shield, Artillery. 75/27 howitzer 55 24/60cm 2 8/2 3+ Gun shield, Artillery, Smoke. 105/28 gun 90 24/60cm 1 9/3 2+ Gun shield, Artillery. MG and AA MG 16/40cm 3 2 6 ROF 1 if other weapons fire. Twin MG 16/40cm 4 2 6 ROF 2 if other weapons fire. 20mm tank gun 16/40cm 2 5 5+ 37mm tank gun 24/60cm 2 6 5+ 47mm tank gun 24"/60cm 2 6 4+ Flame-thrower 4/10cm 2 6 Flame-thrower, 6 Shots. Anti-aircraft: Anti-aircraft weapons can fire at aircraft. Artillery: Artillery can fire artillery bombardments at up to three times their normal range. Close-support artillery: Close-support artillery can fire artillery bombardments at up to twice their normal range. Gun shield: Teams crewing weapons with a gun shield are in Bulletproof Cover when fired at from the front. Flame-thrower: Flame-throwers roll a Skill test to hit and pin down any target they hit. The target does not get any saving roll. Mortar: Mortars can only fire artillery bombardments. Smoke: Weapons with smoke ammunition can fire a smoke screen rather than their normal shooting. Turntable: Weapons mounted on turntables can rotate to fire in any direction without penalty.

Infantry
Name Rifle team Rifle/MG team Light Mortar team HMG team Command Rifle/MG team Observer team Staff team Points 15 15 20 10 Range 16/40cm 16/40cm 16"/40cm 24"/60cm 16/40cm ROF 1 2 2 3 2 Anti-tank 2 2 1 2 2 Firepower 6 6 5+ 6 6 Weapons And Notes M1891 rifle. M1891 rifle and Breda Modello 30 light machine-gun. Brixia Modello 35 light mortar. Fiat-Revelli machine-gun. M1891 rifle and Breda Modello 30 light machine-gun. Moves and fights as a Gun team.

Transport
Name Points Mobility Armour Front Side Top Equipment And Notes Trucks Motorcycle and sidecar, 5 Jeep or Fiat 508CM field car OM-36-ton truck 5 Wheeled Dovunque 35 3-ton truck 5 Wheeled Gun Tractors FIAT SPA TL37 tractor 5 Wheeled Slow tank: -ton trucks only move 8/20cm on Road.

1 passenger. 1 passenger, Slow. 3 passengers. 1 passenger.

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