WW2 Italian X Arditi Section

I've been trying to focus on finishing up my Italian forces for World War Two. I was wanting to work on some forces to fight in the desert of North Africa, partly because I just bought myself a desert matt. Also I wanted some targets for the Rat Patrol to shoot up and to give myself some motivation to finish up my SAS/LRDG forces... 

While trying to find a place to order my matts from, I discovered one of the places I was considering had a number of Bolt Action minis and vehicles that were about half the suggested retail prices - including a number of Italians. 

I picked up this  Italian X Arditi Section as the description suggested they were "tasked with competing against the British LRDG and SAS units in the Western Desert!" Though it seems they didn't really do much in North Africa...? 

Initially I'd started painting these in the same Desert Yellow I've been painting all the other Italians in... and wasn't loving the look of them and could find NO reference pics suggesting they ever wore such a uniform, and then completely repainted them in the green grey of the standard Italian uniforms... 

Italian X Arditi Section

(I had the new desert matt out so I took the picture on that.. probably should have dug out the grasslands matt... or took it on the bare table!?)

These probably won't be fielded with the rest of the Italians in North Africa. I might use them for smaller skirmishes in Sicily and mainland Italy using Five Men at Kursk, or something similar...? 

I suppose I COULD use them in North Africa. There is plenty of evidence of Italians wearing the not-so-tropical uniforms in North Africa. It could make sense if they were a raiding party operating at night - just like the SAS and LRDG - if we want to pretend they actually did carry out similar operations...? 

I have another 20+ Italians that ARE for North Africa nearly finished and will probably be posting them in the next day or so, along with the last of the Afrika Korps troops that I have... 

Still have a game report from the FiveCore Pulp Adventure game I play a WEEK AGO to finish up... so stay tuned for that!

Also, I have a LOT more Italians and Germans I'm very close to completing! Expect those in the next day or so!