NQM Italian Inf Div

Italian Infantry Division

NQM GAZALA game. The Italians assault the French at Bir Hakeim

(Corps Scale Orbat [CSO] annotations in Green)

Divisional HQ

Comd in Fiat staff car (C3) (Same in CSO)

Signals Veh (C3) (Same in CSO)

AA stand (S2-3) in truck, or towed. (Same in CSO)

Blackshirt Legion

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

2 MMGs + HMG (S3) Omit in CSO

2 Battalions

Comd + 2 Rifles (C3

3 Rifles (F3)

2 (F3) Rifle Infantry stands

Infantry Regimental HQ x 2

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

Infantry Battalion x up to 6

Comd + MMG + 45mm Mor (CS3)

3 Rifles (F3)

4-6 (F3) Rifle Infantry stands

81mm Mortar Battalion

Comd (C1)

MFC(O1)

81mm Mortar (S3)

+ limber (L3)

81mm Mortar (S3)

Pack Gun Company

4.7cm Howitzer (S3) + Mule train (L3)

4.7cm Howitzer + Mule train (S3)

Artillery Regiment

Comd (C3)

FOO (O1)

10cm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3)

7.5cm Howitzer (S3) + limber (L3)

7.5cm or 10cm Howitzer + artillery tractor (S3) e.g. Pavesi P4/100, Breda 32, SPA TL-37, Fiat OCI 708 CM

Engineer Battalion

2 Engineers (@E1)

1-2 Wagons or Trucks (L3) with optional Bridging Trailer (L3)

Truck with 2 Engineers (E3)

A5-I Pavia 17 Infantry Division

Pavia Infantry Division in CSO scale

102 Motorised Division TRENTO

Trento Infantry Division in FSO scale

Italian Infantry Division in RSO/DSO scale

For various reasons, the Italians were not Germany’s most enthusiastic allies, although they fought bravely when occasion demanded it.

The picture above shows the blackshirt legion in the forground and one infantry regiment behind. Mules were not used in Africa. The orbat there was called tipo Africa Settentrionale (tipo A.S.) motorising the orbat as much as possible within Italy’s capability.

J. Ellis cites the following infantry divisions in Russia; 3rd (Ravenna), 5th (Cosseria), 9th (Pasubio), 52nd (Torino), 156th (Vicenza) (Jul’41-Jan’43) Infantry Divisions.

They fought in Army Group South (Later Army Group B) as 8th Italian Army. Most being destroyed and withdrawn to Italy after the battles that cut off Stalingrad.

TO&E Italian Infantry Division (Corps Scale Orbat)

Command Fiat staff car (C3), Signals Vehicle (C3), 0-1 (S3) AA Truck, towed or horse-drawn (53mm, 35mm or 55mm), 3 (C3) Command stands, 8 (F3) Rifle stands, 47mm Atk gun (S3), 81mm Mortar (S3), 0-1 (S3) 100mm Howitzer, 0-1 (S3) 75mm Howitzer (S3) + 2 Artillery tractors, 2 (E1) Engineer stands, 1 (Europe) -2 (Africa) (L3) Trucks (Africa) or Wagons (Europe), 0-1 Trailer.

For those wanting to work out how many figures to a division, here is a breakdown assuming 2 figs to a stand, 1 heavy weapon to a support stand (crew come as part of Peter Pig packs), gun crew are assumed at 3 for an Anti-tank gun or 4 for a divisional artillery piece:

25 Commanders (one is the Div Comd stood next to, or sat in, his car taking an aperatif), 2 FOOs, 2 MFCs, 36-64 Rifles, 6-8 MMGs, 4 81mm Mortars, 4-6 45mm Mortars, 1 HMG, 9 Atk Crew, 12 artillery crew, 4-8 Engineers. (Under Review)

You will also need a pack or two of drivers for open topped cars and limbers. In terms of Peter Pig packs of 8, that is roughly:

4 Command packs, 4-8 rifle packs, 2-3 MMG packs, 2 81mm Mortar packs, 2-6 45mm Mortar packs, 1 kneeling crew pack 1-2 standing crew pack, 1 engineer pack. There are a few figures over that can move around to fill the shortfalls on key stands. Any extra figures can be put onto command or crew stands.

* A command stand or FOO/MFC would consist of the commander and a staff member or radio/field telephone operator.

“An Italian Infantry Division normally consisted of two Infantry Regiments (three Battalions each), an Artillery Regiment, a Mortar Battalion (two companies), an Anti Tank Company, a Blackshirt Legion (Regiment of two Battalions)“

Paoletti, Ciro (2008). A Military History of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group. p 170, ISBN 0-275-98505-9

For transport of the infantry, trucks would be allocated from Army Intendenza:

“In an effort to keep the combat divisions “slim and agile” a centralized “Intendenza” at Army level was given almost all of the few trucks available. The theory was to replenish Corps, Divisions, and even Regiments from the rear forward. The ‘War of Rapid Decision’ was totally divorced from existing Italian capabilities. The supply organization functioned adequately in slow-moving or static actions, but failed to support swift movement. Even mere relocation of a unit could sometime disrupt its supply chain. Supply was over centralized at army level, leaving forward units at the mercy of the vagaries of the Intendenza.“

Turnbow, W.W. http://www.1jma.dk/articles/1jmaarticlesww2italyarmy.htm