armies of italy axis and the -...

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Armies of

ITALY AXISWritten by:

Steven MacLauchlan, Judson MacCaull,

Vesa Nenye, Anton von Wirtzenau

and Peter Munter

Edited by: Alessio Cavatore and Rick Priestley

Cover artwork: Peter Dennis

Interior artwork: Giuseppe Rava, Richard Chasemore, Stephen Andrew, Steve Noon, Raffaele Ruggeri, Darko Pavlovic, Henry Morshead,

Mark Postlethwaite and Mike Chappell

Photography: Gabrio Tolentino and Mark Owen

Miniatures painted by: Jose Bustamante, Alan Mander, Gary Martin, Bruce Murray and Mark Owen,

Special thanks to Dave Bodley at Grand Manner for the donation of his terrain pieces.

Thanks to: Paul Sawyer, Fabio Spiezia, Steve Morgan and Steve Yates

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Cover artwork:

Interior artwork: Giuseppe Rava, Richard Chaasemore, SttepSteve Noon, Raffaele Ruggeri, Darko Pavlovici , HeHen

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Photography: Gabrio Tolentino and

Miniatures painted by: Jose Bustamante, Alan Mandeder,rBruce Murray andd

Special thanks to Dave Bodley at G for the donation of his te

Thanks to: Paul Sawyer, Fabio Spiezia, Steve Morgan and

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CONTENTSWhat Is This Book? 5

Italy 7

Army List 10REINFORCED PLATOON 10ARMY SPECIAL RULES 11

‘Avanti Savoia!’ 11Defensive strategy 11

TYPES OF UNIT 11INFANTRY 13HEADQUARTERS UNITS 13

Officer 13Medic 13Forward Observer 13

INFANTRY SECTIONS AND TEAMS 14Regular Infantry Section 14Inexperienced Infantry Section 14Camicie Nere (Blackshirts) Militia Infantry Section 15Bersaglieri Infantry Section 15Alpini Infantry Section 15Paracadutisti (Paratroopers) Infantry Section 17San Marco (Marines) Infantry Section 18Cavalry Section 18Colonial Troops Infantry Section 18Machine Gun Team 19Sniper Team 19Solothurn 20mm Anti-Tank Rifle 19Flamethrower Team 19Light Mortar Team 20Medium Mortar Team 20

ARTILLERY 21FIELD ARTILLERY 21

Light Artillery 21Medium Artillery 21Heavy Artillery 21

ANTI-TANK GUNS 2247/32 Elefantino 2275/39 Anti-tank Gun 22

ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS 22Breda 20mm 2275/46 Dual-Purpose AA Gun 2290/53 Dual-Purpose AA Gun 22

VEHICLES 23TANKS 23

FIAT 3000 (L5 series) 23L3/33 and L3/35 Tankette 23M11/39 medium tank 24M13/40 and M14/41 medium tank 24M15/42 medium tank 24Captured Renault R35 24

SELF-PROPELLED GUNS 25100/17 on Lancia 3Ro 25Semovente 47/32 25Semovente 75/18 25Semovente 105/25 26Semovente 90/53 26

ANTI-AIRCRAFT VEHICLES 26AA Trucks 26

ARMOURED CARS AND RECCE VEHICLES 26Autoblinda 41 (AB41) 26Sahariana 27Autoblinda Lince 27L6/40 27

TRANSPORTS AND TOWS 28FIAT 508 CM 28Trucks 28Autoprotetto S37 28Wheeled Artillery Tractors 28Breda 61 Artillery Tractor 28

Theatre Selectors 291940–41: THE INVASION OF GREECE 30

Invasion of Greece Reinforced Platoon 301940–43: THE WAR IN AFRICA 31

War in Africa Reinforced Platoon 311941–43: THE EASTERN FRONT 33

Eastern Front Reinforced Platoon 331943: THE DEFENCE OF SICILY 35

The Defense of Sicily Reinforced Platoon 35

Finland 36


Sisu 40Trained Huntsmen 40Motti 40



INFANTRY SQUADS AND TEAMS 42Winter War Rifle Squad 42Continuation War Rifle Squad 43Jääkäri Light Infantry Squad 43Sissi Recon Squads 44Kaukopartio Long Distance Recon Squads 44Medium Machine Gun Team 45Anti-Tank Rifle Team 45Panzerschreck Team 46Flamethrower Team 46Sniper Team 48Light Mortar Team 48Medium Mortar Team 48Heavy Mortar Team 48



ANTI-TANK GUNS 50Light Anti-Tank Guns 50Medium Anti-Tank Guns 5075 Pstk/40 Anti-Tank Gun 50

ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS 5020 ITK/30 and 38 Anti-Aircraft Gun 50

40 ITK/38 Anti-Aircraft Gun 50VEHICLES 51TANKS 51

Tankettes (Vickers 6-ton or T26B and E) 51BT-5 and BT-7 Christie Light Tank 52T-28 Postijuna Medium Tank 52T-34 Sotka Medium Tank 52T-34/85 Pitkäputkinen Sotka Medium Tank 52KV-1 Klimi Heavy Tank 53

ASSAULT GUNS 53StuG III Sturmi 53BT-42 53

ARMOURED CARS 53BA-10 53BA-20 54

TRANSPORTS AND TOWS 54Trucks 54T-20 Komsomolets 54Artillery Tractors 54

Theatre Selectors 55NOVEMBER 1939–MARCH 1940: THE WINTER WAR 56

Winter War Reinforced Platoon 57June–December 1941: The Continuation War 58

FINLAND ATTACKS 58Finland Attacks Reinforced Platoon 58

JUNE–SEPTEMBER 1944: THE CONTINUATION WAR 60The Defence of Karelia 60The Defence of Karelia Reinforced Platoon 60Special Rules 60

SEPTEMBER 1944–APRIL 1945: WAR IN LAPLAND 61War in Lapland Reinforced Platoon 61Special Rules 61

Bulgaria 62


Axis Allies 64Counter-Partisan Experts 64



INFANTRY SECTIONS AND TEAMS 65Infantry Section 65Inexperienced Infantry Section 65Mounted Section 65Machine Gun Team 66Panzerschreck Team 66Anti-Tank Rifle Team 66Sniper Team 66Light Mortar 66Medium Mortar 66


Light Artillery 67

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ARMIES OF ITALY AND THE AXIS

Medium Artillery 67Heavy Artillery 67

ANTI-TANK GUNS 67Skoda 37mm/70mm Hybrid Gun 67Bofors 37mm Anti-Tank Gun 67

ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS 6820mm Flak 38 68

VEHICLES 68TANKS 68

CV33 Tankette 68Renault R35 68Somua S35 68

ASSAULT GUNS 69Semovente 47/32 69

TRANSPORTS AND TOWS 69Trucks 69Artillery Tractors 69

Theatre Selectors 691941–44: OCCUPATION FORCE 70

Occupation Force Reinforced Platoon 70Special Rules 70

Hungary 71


Axis Support 73Experienced Officer Corps 73

TYPES OF UNIT 73HEADQUARTERS UNITS 74


INFANTRY SECTIONS AND TEAMS 74Regular Infantry Section 74Inexperienced Infantry and Border Guard Defence Force Section 76Light Infantry or Mountain Infantry Section 76Cavalry Section 76Machine Gun Team 76Anti-Tank Rifle Team 76Panzerschreck Team 76Sniper Team 77Light Mortar 77

Medium Mortar 77ARTILLERY 77FIELD ARTILLERY 77


ANTI-TANK GUNS 78Light Anti-Tank Gun 78Medium Anti-Tank Gun 78Heavy Anti-Tank Gun 78

ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS 7840mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun 78

VEHICLES 79TANKS 79

CV33 or CV35 Tankette 79Toldi II 7940m Turán 79

ASSAULT GUNS 8043m Zrínyi II 80

ARMOURED CARS AND RECCE VEHICLES 80Csaba 39m 80Toldi I 80

ANTI-AIRCRAFT VEHICLES 80Nimrod Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft gun 80

TRANSPORTS AND TOWS 80Miscellaneous Trucks 80Artillery Tractors 80

Theatre Selectors 811941–42: WAR IN THE EAST 82

War In The East Reinforced Platoon 82Special Rules 82

1943–44: A RED STORM RISING 84A Red Storm Rising Reinforced Platoon 84Special Rules 84

Romania 85


Axis Support 87French Artillery Doctrine 87



INFANTRY SECTIONS AND TEAMS 88Early War Infantry Section 88Late War Infantry Section 89Cavalry Section 89Motorized Infantry Section 89Machine Gun Team 89Panzerschreck Team 90Sniper Team 90Light Mortar 90Medium Mortar 90Heavy Mortar 90



ANTI-TANK GUNS 91Light Anti-Tank Gun 917.5cm PAK 97/38 9175mm TAC Resita Anti-Tank Gun 92

ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS 92Automatic cannon 92

VEHICLES 92TANKS 92

Renault R35 92TANK DESTROYERS 92

Tacam Tank Destroyers 92 Transports and Tows 93Miscellaneous Trucks 93Artillery Tractors 93

Theatre Selectors 931941–43: ONWARD TO THE CAUCASUS! 94

Onward to the Caucasus! Reinforced Platoon 94Special Rules 94

1943–44: WAR IN ROMANIA 96War in Romania Reinforced Platoon 96Special Rules 96

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WHAT IS THIS BOOK?

Italian Blackshirts, Raggruppamento Galbiati, Greece/Albania, Winter 1941, by Giuseppe Rava © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from Warrior 144: Italian Blackshirt 1935–45.

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ARMIES OF ITALY AND THE AXIS

This book is a supplement for the Bolt Action World War II tabletop wargame. It contains all the

background, rules and army list information need to field an Italian, Finnish, Bulgarian, Hungarian or Romanian army in the Bolt Action game. Inside you’ll find details of the organisation and equipment used by these diverse forces during their battles against allied forces.

The book is divided into sections, each dealing with a separate army. Each section includes its own Army List. This provides all the information needed to field that army in your games. All the major weapons, guns and vehicles are covered, together with a selection of troop types of varying quality.

Alongside each list is at least one theatre selector, which gives the forces available for a particular campaign, theatre or phase of the war. In the case of a few of the armies covered by this book the theatres are somewhat limited compared to those available for major combatants such as the British or Germans. This reflects the historical battles fought by these armies as well as the requirement to cover a number of armies all in one book.

In most cases armies are also allowed to use some German equipment, the details of which appear in the separate Armies of Germany supplement, and players wishing to take advantage of these options will need a copy of that book.

Our aim has been to try and create playable armies that can hold their own against their historical opponents and which can be used to

play games of a more general nature, taking on different armies from different campaigns or time periods should the players wish to do so. This presents particular challenges for some of the armies represented here, for example the Bulgarian forces, which saw little real

fighting and were mostly engaged in anti-partisan operations, for which they were adequately equipped. On a tactical level however – the kind of level represented by our games – things were more equal. Often, desperate and innovative defenders were able to defeat the opposition – as the Finns demonstrated time and time again in the face of a much larger and better-equipped Soviet enemy.

alingwn

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Mussolini’s boys make the Americans pay dearly for every inch of ground

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ITALY -

ITALY

M 13/40 of the Ariete Armoured Division, Western Desert, August 1942, by Richard Chasemore © Osprey Publishing Ltd. Taken from New Vanguard 195: Italian Medium Tanks.

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