NQM Italian Armd Div

  Italian Armoured (Corazzata) Division

(Corps Scale Orbat [CSO] annotations in Green)

Divisional HQ  

Comd in Fiat staff car (C3)

Signals Vehicle (C3)

Divisional HQ represented by a die-cast taxi and railway model Citroen

Cavalleria Regiment

Comd in car (C3)

AB 41 A/C (R3)

3 Motorcycles (@R1)

AB 41 A/C (R3) + 2 recce markers

The Divisional Recce Regiment – QRF AB41, and FoW Saharina substituted for the M/C

Bersaglieri Regimental HQ

Comd with  47mm Atk and/or  81mm Mortar (CS3) (Same in CSO)

Bersagliari RHQ – Peter Pig Italians, American tank crew and AK47 personality

Bersaglieri Battalion x up to 3

Comd + MMG + Truck (CS3) 

3 Rifles (F3) [Everyone fits into the truck.]

Rifle Infantry stand (F3)

Bersagliari Bn – Peter Pig Bersagliari and Italian infantry

Bersaglieri Motorcycle Company

2 Motorcycle stands (@R1) (Omit in CSO)

0-1 HMG Motorcycle Stand (RS1) (Omit in CSO)

Anti-Tank Company

47mm Atk (S3) + Limber (L3)

4.7cm Howitzer + Limber (S3)

Bersagliari Motorcycle troops and 47mm Anti-tank company with a 20mm Chenillette

Tank Regiment

 HQ tank (C3)

2-5 CV33 or M11 or M13 Carro Armati (@F3)

3 CV33 or M11 or M13 Carro Armati (@F3)

M13 Tank Regiment – Flames of War

M11 Tank Regiment – Converted Peter Pig T-26s

Understrength L6 Tank Regiment – Flames of War

Artillery Regiment

RHQ comd (C3)

FOO (O1)

100mm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3)

The 100mm Artillery Battalion and FOO – Peter Pig and Flames of War

75mm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3)

75mm Gun (S3) + limber (L3)

Semovente SP (S3)

100mm or 75mm Howitzer, or Semovente (S3) + limber (L3)

AA 53mm, or 35mm or 55mm portee in truck (S3) with trailer, or towed. (L3)

The 75mm, Self Propelled and AA components of the Artillery Regiment

Engineer Company

2 Engineers (E1),  Truck (L3) + optional Trailer (L3)

2 Engineers  with  Truck (E3)

The Engineer Battalion with rather cramped transport! – Peter Pig and QRF

Workshop/Transport Battalion (Same in CSO)

Ammo Truck (L3)

Workshop (L3)

Fuel bowser (L3)

The Transport Train, Workshops and Fuel Train – Peter Pig and FoW

For the Western desert, at Maximum strength, for XX Corps at Alamein, Wickepedia gives:

Italian Mobile XX Corp

• 132 Armoured Division Ariete, Major General Francesco Arena
  • 132 Armoured Regiment
  • 8 Bersaglieri Regiment (motorised)
  • 132 Artillery Regiment (motorised)
  • 3 Battalion Nizza Cavalleria
  • 32 Mixed Engineer Battalion (motorised)

• 133 Armoured Division Littorio, Major General Gervasio Bitossi
  • 133 Tank Regiment
  • 12 Bersaglieri Infantry Regiment
  • 3 Artillery Regiment
  • 133 Artillery Regiment (part)
  • 3 Tank Group Lancieri di Novara

• 101 Motorised Division Trieste, Brigadier General Francisco La Ferla
  • 11 Tank Battalion
  • 65 Infantry Regiment
  • 6 Infantry Regiment
  • 21 Artillery Regiment
  • 8 Armoured Bersaglieri Battalion
  • 52 Mixed Artillery Battalion

In total, as the strength of the Italian armoured divisions rose and fell, there were three armoured (Corazzata) divisions that fought in North Africa : 

132 Divisione Corazzata “Ariete”

133 Divisione Corazzata “Littorio”

131 Divisione Corazzata “Centauro”, which arrived in theatre last and eventually absorbed the remnants of 132 and 133 divisions in Tunisia.

TO&E

2 Command Fiat staff cars, 1 Signals Vehicle, 1 AB 41 A/C, 3 Motorcycles, 1 HMG Motorcycle, 5 Command stands, 1 FOO, 9-12 Rifle stands, 3 MMGs, 2 47mm Atk guns, 1 81mm Mortar, 4-7 Trucks, 1 Ammo Truck, 1 Workshop Truck, 1 Fuel bowser, 1 HQ tank , 2-5 Tanks (CV33 or M11 or M13 Carro Armati), 1 100mm Howitzer, 1 75mm Howitzer, 1 75mm Gun, 1 Semovente SP, 4 Artillery Limbers, 1 AA Truck or towed (53mm, 35mm or 55mm), 2 Engineer stands, 0-1 Trailer.

Sources :

Walker, I. (2003) Iron Hulls Iron Hearts. The Cromwell Press, Trowbridge.

http://reocities.com/pentagon/quarters/1975/g_itardi.htm  (1997) [Accessed 1 Jan 2012]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_XX_Motorised_Corps  [Accessed 1 Jan 2012]

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