WW2 - Italy

This is a Gallery where I plan to post all of my 28mm Italian forces for the Second World War. The collection started over 15 years ago - before Bolt Action even existed - and were primarily used with Savage Worlds - as both plain historical or in Pulp Adventure/Weird War games. 

Currently much of my planning and organizing has been around Bolt Action (Third Edition), but they could be used in any game system and a lot of consideration has been made for using them in various FiveCore games, lately, as well... 

The force is primarily meant for use in North Africa from 1929-1942, with a preference to the earlier war. 

The Army So Far... 

Rifle Platoon

The full platoon (so far...) 

Platoon Commander and... Runners...? Batmen...? I'm not sure what these would be in an Italian Platoon Command Section...!? 

Infantry Squad (First Squad)

Infantry Squad (Second Squad)

Infantry Squad (Third Squad)

Solothurn Anti-Tank Rifle 

Marksman Team

Italian Army Brixia Model 35 Light Mortar

Forward Observer Team - not organic elements of a Rifle Platoon, but an attachment from an Artillery (or Air Force!?) unit there to direct off table support to the Platoon

Additional Infantry

These COULD be added to the Rifle Platoon above... as parcelled out elements of another unit being added to the force to bolster it for the current action. At SOME point I could conceivably acquire additional squads and a Platoon command for any these and field them as a platoon as an alternative to the regular army infantry platoon above. 

Eritrean Ascari - Italian Colonial Troops Infantry Squad

Bersaglieri Infantry Squad - The Bersaglieri Regiments were part of Armoured Divisions... so if I'm fielding armour, this probably would have been the smarter choice for my main infantry platoon... alas... 

X Arditi Section 

With the current organization, I do have one spare Infanrtry man with a Light Machine-Gun... I could reorganize the three infantry squads above into four understrength squads (which this trooper could be a part of!) 

Heavy Weapons Platoon

The Platoon - or, more likely, PART of the company weapons platoon (or the battalion's weapons company!?) that happens to be assigned the area of operations of the above infantry platoon! 

Platoon Commander - not entirely sure why the platoon commander has to be there to oversee detachments that are attached to the Rifle Platoon... but here he is! 

Machine-Gun Team (should probably have a crew of three... alas...) 

Medium Mortar Team

Artillery Battery

(I do need to get a Headquarters - or, at least, an officer - to command this artillery battery!) 

100/17 Modello 14 medium howitzer (and crew!) 

Armoured Platoon 

The "Armoured Platoon"

Not that any of these would be in any platoon together in any organizational chart... 

(I've even given them markings for different platoons - in different companies!) 

Carro Armato M14/41 Medium Tank (and probably the command tank of this ad hoc platoon!). Markings indicate it is the First Tank, Second Platoon, First Company! 

Semovente da 75/18 (M41) 

Carro Veloce L3/33 

Markings indicate these to be the Second and Fourth Tanks, Third Platoon, Second Company! 

Autoblinda AB-42

Other than Italian flag recognition markers - so that anxious, inexperienced anti-tank gunners (or aircraft!) don't accidentally shoot them when returning from (or out on) a reconnaissance mission well ahead of the front lines (as reconnaissance vehicles do!), thinking it's an attacking enemy armoured car!!

BOLT ACTION

Here is how the force could, currently, be organized for Bolt Action

Rifle Platoon

Platoon Commander - 1st Lieutenant 30pts (Regular)+ 2 extra ment @10pts = 50 pts pts

Infantry Section 1 NCO and 4 men with Rifles 50pts (Regular) +5 men @10pts, +submachine gun @4, + light machine gun for @15 =119

Infantry Section 1 NCO and 4 men with Rifles 50pts (Regular) +5 men @10pts, +submachine gun @4, + light machine gun for @15 =119

Infantry Section 1 NCO and 4 men with Rifles 50pts (Regular) +5 men @10pts, +submachine gun @4, + light machine gun for @15 =119

Forward Observer - (air force or artillery) 75pts (Regular) + Radio Operator @11pts = 86 pts

Light Mortar Team 30pts (Regular)

Anti-Tank Rifle Team 25pts (Regular)

Sniper Team 52pts (Regular) 

Heavy Weapons Platoon

Platoon Commander (2nd Lieutenant) - 30pts (Regular)

Machine Gun Team  - 50pts (Regular) 

Mortar Team -  45pts (Regular) 

Artillery Battery 

Platoon Commander (2nd Lieutenant) - 30pts (Regular)

100/17 Modello 14 medium howitzer (and crew!) 99 points (Regular) 

Armoured Platoon 

M14/41  - Platoon Command Vehicle - 145pts (Regular)

L3/33 -  65pts (Regular)

L3/33 - 65pts (Regular)

AB41 - 100pts (Regular)

Total: 1229 pts

Additional Options

Colonial Troops Infantry Section 1 NCO and 4 men with Rifles 40pts (Inexperienced), + 5 additional men @8, + light machine gun @15pts = 95 points

Bersaglieri Infantry Section 1 NCO and 4 men with Rifles 65pts (Veteran), +5 additional @13, + submachine gun @4pts, + light machine gun @15pts =146 points

Infantry Section 1 NCO and 4 men with 70pts (Veteran), + 5 additional men @14, +5 submachine gun @4 =160 points
(They don't seem to have rules for the X Arditi Section in the 3rd Edition rules... so I've just used Paratrooper stats...) 

STILL TO DO

I have three more tank kits to build and assemble - the kit can be built as either the M40 or M41Semovente 75/18 self-propelled gun or either am M13/40 or M14/41 Medium Tank... not sure how many I'll build of each just yet...  do I do all three as M14/41 to fill out a platoon? (I'm a little worried that they might be slightly off the scale of the one I have - from a different manufacturer!) or (because they are from different manufacturer) do them all as a troop of Semovente (so then never have to be fielded together)... or some mix of the two!? 

I also have a Breda 2cm AA gun to assemble and paint. 

I've also got a second squad of Colonial Troops to finish painting - together the two will make an understrength alternative (or... additional?!) Rifle Platoon! (I'd need another platoon command if fielding BOTH!)

STUFF TO GET

Is there additional stuff I'd like to get? Oh, for sure! 

Firstly, I need some more officers! I'll need a commander for the Artillery Battery and a Officer for the Colonial Troops platoon! 

For both infantry platoons - a medic might be handy! 

I would love to acquire an additional squad of the regular infantry to make a platoon of 4 squads. Also, squads of Bersaglieri, Colonial Troops, or X Arditi and a platoon command and have full platoons of those - as alternatives for the Regular Army Infantry Platoon. 

The Heavy Weapons squad could potentially use an additional Machine-Gun Team or Medium Mortar Team...? but those are very low priority

There are LOTS of options for armour I would love to add to this force. 

First, I would add an additional three CV-33 (L3/33) Tankettes to make a full platoon of five of those. 

I could do with 2-3 more M13/40 to fill out a platoon of those

Also I wouldn't mind picking up a few M11/39 tanks - for the really early battles in 1940

Also an additional Semovente 75/18 self-propelled gun, or the lighter Semovente 47/32 Self-Propelled Gun, or even a M41 Carro Comando command vehicle!? 

Will ANY of these happen any time SOON!? Not likely... I guess it depends on how often I get to use the miniatures I HAVE!? 

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