Italian Army & Blackshirts from Warlord Games

Bolt Action: Italian Army & Blackshirts

Mussolini boasted that the Italian army possessed eight million bayonets at the ready. In reality, the standing Italian army was far smaller than this number, and a large number of soldiers were drafted into a war they neither believed in nor understood. The combat effectiveness of the Italian army's units varied greatly, as a large portion of the troops lacked proper equipment, transport, and even motivation. Nevertheless, they fought valiantly in several important battles in North Africa and on the Eastern Front.

Originally, the standard rifle was the Carcano Model 1891, as used in World War I. In 1941, a shortened version (M91/41) was introduced, intended, along with the M38 carbine, to replace the M1891—the shorter barrels were much more practical for infantry to carry and maneuver. These two latter weapons are represented in our new plastic model. Also included is the M91/38 cavalry carbine, which is typically equipped with a fixed rear sight (set to 200 meters) and a folding bayonet. The excellent 9mm Beretta M38 was the standard submachine gun. The Italian light machine gun—the Breda Model 1930—suffered from a slow rate of fire, the use of the same small-caliber ammunition as the troops' rifles, and a mechanism prone to jamming and breakage.

Camicie Nere (Blackshirts) Militia

The MVSN, or Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (Volunteer Militia for National Security), was transformed by the Fascist Party into a paramilitary organization with a concept similar to the German SS. The MVSN's rank and organizational terminology closely resembled that of ancient Rome, employing legions, centuries, cohorts, maniples, and so on. The Camicie Nere were primarily responsible for territorial security and combating partisans. In wartime, the Camicie Nere were organized into "assault legions," which were deployed alongside the infantry divisions of the regular army to reinforce them and "politicize" the Regio Esercito (Armed Region).

The quality of these militia units varied greatly, ranging from poorly trained village tyrants to veterans of the Spanish Civil War and highly motivated "Giovani Fascisti" (young fascists).

• to the box:
• Italian uniforms changed several times during the war, and we selected the pattern that could best represent a variety of troops at different times during the war and in different theaters of operation. At 28mm scale, they are ideal for depicting M37 or M40 tunics. We have also included the Camiciotto Sahariana pullover tunic for added variety.

The weapons include the M91/41 rifle, the M91/38 Carcano Cavalry Carbine, the M38A Beretta SMG, the M38 Carcano Carbine, the M1934 9mm Beretta pistol, and the Breda M30 LMG.

A wide selection of headgear for the Italian army and the Blackshirts is included - M33 steel helmets, Bustina cap, M1935 tropical helmet, Blackshirt soft fez & Blackshirt hard fez.
Additionally, the box contains masses of optional extras such as two types of gas mask pouches, goggles, bayonets, combat knives, etc.!

The box contains 30 highly customizable Italian infantry figures made of plastic, with decal sheet and assembly instructions.