Mussolini famously boasted that the Italian army had eight million bayonets standing at the ready. In actuality, the standing Italian army was far smaller than that, with huge numbers of troops conscripted into a war they neither believed in nor understood. The fighting ability of units of the Italian army varied greatly, with much of the rank and file lacking proper equipment, transport and even motivation. Still, there were several key battles in North Africa and the Eastern Front where they performed well. Camicie Nere (Blackshirts) Militia The MVSN or Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (Voluntary Militia for National Security) was made by the Fascist Party into a paramilitary organization similar in concept to the German SS. The rank and organizational terminology used by the MVSN was very close to that of ancient Rome, with legions, centuries, cohorts, maniples and so on. Mostly concerned with territorial security and counter-partisan activities, in wartime the Camicie Nere were organized into ‘assault legions’ that were fielded alongside regular army infantry divisions to reinforce them and as a way to ‘politicize’ the Regio Esercito. The quality of these militia units varied immensely, ranging from barely trained village bullies to veterans of the Spanish Civil War and highly motivated ‘Giovani Fascisti’ (young fascists). The Sprue The Italian uniform changed several times during the course of the war and we chose the pattern that could best represent a wide array of troops, at different times during the war, and in different theatres of operation. At 28mm scale, these are ideal to represent M37 or M40 tunics. We have also included the Camiciotto Sahariana pullover smock for added variety. Weaponry includes the M91/41 rifle, M91/38 Carcano Cavalry Carbine, M38A Beretta SMG, M38 Carcano carbine, M1934, 9mm Beretta pistol and Breda M30 LMG. A wide variety of headgear for the Italian Army and Blackshirts are included – M33 steel helmets, Bustina cap, M1935 pith helmet, Blackshirt soft fez & Blackshirt hard fez. Not only that but the sprue contains masses of optional extras such as two types of gas mask bags, goggles, bayonets, combat knives, etc!

Infantry weapons teams are a key component of any Bolt Action army, providing greater tactical flexibility for your force. Sniper teams, anti-tank teams and light mortar teams are among the most prevalent, presenting your opponent with multiple challenges to overcome. The Solothurn anti-tank rifle was a cross between a true anti-tank rifle and a light anti-tank gun. Featuring a light wheeled carriage and a magazine-feed, the Solothurn could achieve a rate of fire of up to 20 rounds per minute. The Italian army had no specialist sniper rifle, and the relatively light-weight Carcano Model 1891 with its small calibre bullet was not ideally suited to the role. However, in the hands of a skilled marksman the weapon would prove deadly enough. The Brixia 45mm light mortar was a powerful and successful weapon in the hands of properly trained soldiers. Its rate of fire was higher than similar weapons employed by other nations, and its accuracy was also unparalleled. Box contains:

• Six Warlord Resin™ Figures
• Plastic Bases
• Three Order Dice