Regio Esercito - cleared text

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Here are the same files of previous Regio Esercito thread, cleared of all Winword tables and graphically corrected as to be readable in the forum.

REGIO ESERCITO

These threads contain all of the informations I was capable to collect about Regio Esercito (the Italian Army) in the years 1936-1941, adapted to fit with the HOI game system.
I'll expose here some general informations and problems. Then I'll list details about the Army into three different further threads, one for each scenario (Regio Esercito 1936, 1939, and 1941).
My primary sources had been only two:
1) Storia della Società Italiana dall'Unità ad Oggi (History of the Italian Society from Unification till Today), vol. I, - "Le Forze Armate" ("Armed Forces"), Lucio Ceva, UTET, 1981. This is a massive and complete work, excellent from the historical point of view.
2) Italian Army Order of Battle: 1940-44, W. Victor Madeja, Valor Publishing
Company, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18103, 1990. This is a minor source, for it contains many imprecisions, so every information should be carefully verified. But it has the advantage of being a short, but complete, cyclopedia of the Italian Army in WWII, from the army group down to the battalion.
My main work was to extract the necessary informations from both, to cross verify them whenever possible, and to reconstruct the missing ones with logics and secondary sources (history books, internet, and historicians; these latter, unfortunately, don't like to be bothered too often). This reconstruction was the hardest task, for I hate imprecisions, and I don't like to write them. But HOI is a game, after all, so I hope I can be forgiven for some absurdities I can possibly have wrotten. And anyway this my work upon the Italian Army represents somewhat by far more complete and precise than the database currently adopted by HOI. Just to make an example, HOI 1941 totally ignore the existence of italian 2nd and 11th armies of Yugoslavia and Greece! Thus, I sincerely hope that my work will be kept into consideration.

ITALIAN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
The current industrial production of Italy in HOI doesn't allow a player to conduct an historical game. ICs are too few to build all of the units Italy formed in WWII and to achieve the same technological goals, while resources like steel and supplies are overstimated.
Speaking about italian IC, here is a rough calculation, in HOI terms, of the italian military production from June 10th, 1940, to September 8th, 1943 (using 1941 IC costs), summed up and divided by the HOI days (months of 30 days) equivalent for the same period, to obtain the average ICs per day:

DESCRIPTION IC cost n. Total IC
a) Army
Upgrading tanks for three armored divisions
(L.3-> M.13) 1500? 3 4500
About 50% of new armored divisions
(Centauro II, Ariete II) 3078 1 3078
About 33% new armored division (Giovani
Fascisti) 3078 0,33 1026
Antitank brigade for Ariete 2250 1 2250
New infantry divisions (Piacenza, Mantova,
Rovigo, Spezia) 570 4 2280
New parachute divisions (Folgore, Nembo) 1800 2 3600
Upgrading infantry to marines (Superga,
Livorno, Friuli) 710 3 2130
Artillery brigades for infantry 1290 3 3870
Antitank brigades for infantry 1135 3 3405
New mountain divisions with artillery
brigade (Alpi Graie) 2640 1 2640 Artillery brigades for mountain divisions 1680 1 1680
Antitank brigades for mountain divisions 1240 2 2480
New militia divisions* 160 38 6080

-> Total for the Army 39019

b) Navy
New battleship (Roma) 8320 1 8320
New (incomplete) air carriers (Aquila,
Sparviero) 4480 1,5 6760
New cruisers (three completed, six under
construction) 3240 6 19440
New destroyer squadrillas 528 4 2212
New submarine squadrillas 318 6 1908
New transport flottillas (hypothetical) 492 4 1968

-> Total for the Navy 40608

c) Air Force **
New fighter units (4310 airplanes built) 10% 2160 2 4320
New tactical/torpedo bomber units (2063
airplanes built) 10% 2160 1 2160
New transport units (468 airplanes built) 10% 4884 0 0
Upgrading 4 fighter u. twice (to Fiat G50,
then to Macchi 202) 1414 8 11312

-> Total for the Air Force 17792

->-> Total for the three Armed Forces 97419

->->-> Italian ICs Production per day
(97419:1168 HOI days) .......................................... 83 ICs per day


* There's a mistake in HOI 1941, for an italian militia unit costs 1000 ICs, that's rather double an infantry division. Thus I adopted the cost as in 1939 scenario (160 ICs).
** I ignore the destination of the produced airplanes, so I hypothized that 90% of them was used to replace losses inside existing units (= HOI supplies), and only 10% to form new units (of some 250 airplanes each).

To this result is still to be added the technological research (in my experience some 90 ICs/day by now, but it might be reduced if the right technologies will be finally applied), some 65 ICs (insufficient) for the supplies and some 20 for Consumer Goods. That brings to a total of some 260 ICs per day, over the double of current Italy in the various scenarios!

About italian resources, I have collected the following data (referred to June 10th, 1940, unless differently stated) from quoted "Le Forze Armate":
-Oil: Italian production was 160000 tons per year, plus the importations.
-Army Oil: There was a 7-8 months autonomy for units in Italy, 2 months for those in Lybia and Dodecanesus, 1 month for those in Albania, and 9 months for those in AOI. This was a total of 415000 tons for the Army, without the A.O.I. reserve. This autonomy, though, had been calculated imaginating all of the units being contemporaneously in action, that was unlikely a scenario.
-Navy oil: 1700000 tons reserve (calculated to be sufficient for 1 year of war with all ships in action).
-Air Force oil: data unknown.
-Army Rubber: 10 months reserve (without A.O.I.).
Steel: national production was 2332856 tons per year in 1938, and 1923600 per year in 1942.
-Supplies: I have no precise numbers, but these were in general not sufficient for all of the needs. I suggest starting reserves of 500 for the 1936 scenario, 1000 for the 1939 scenario, and 250 for 1941 scenario.
-Coal: no data, but apparently sufficient for war needs.

ARMY TECHNOLOGY
Here is a list, scenario by scenario, of my proposal of corrections for the technologicl branches regarding Army (colors refer to research status: black for not researchable, green for researchable, and white for researched; OK means current 1.05c choices are not to be changed).
Curr. = current HOI technology status
Prop. = my proposal to correct status

Ground Combat Technology. Here I corrected overall parameters about: paratroopers (the earliest large-scale tests in the world took place in Lybia in 1938, with the launch of a libic paratroop regiment); desert warfare (Italian troops fought continuously in Lybia since 1911); mines, submachineguns and medical service (Italy was not behind other nations in these fields); and reconnaissance (R.E. made large use of armoured cars, light tanks and 'shariana' long range desert units, at least since 1941).
GROUND COMBAT TECHNOLOGY
1936 1939 1941
Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop. Paratrooper warfare equip black green OK OK OK OK
Commandos warfare equip. Black green OK OK OK OK
Amphibious warfare equip. OK OK white green white green
Artic warfare equipment black green OK OK OK OK
Desert warfare equipment black green OK OK green white
Jungle warfare equipment black green OK OK OK OK
Service rifle OK OK White green OK OK
Army long range recon btn OK OK Black green black white
Combat medical service green white OK OK OK OK
Medium mortar black green OK OK OK OK
Penicillin, DDT and mepac black green OK OK OK OK
Blood transfusions black green OK OK OK OK
Front line medical stat. Black green Black green OK OK
Improved infantry weapons black green OK OK OK OK
Basic submachinegun black green Black green OK OK
Basic magnetic mines black green black green white green
Mine clearing equipment black green Black green black white
Amphibious crossing eqp. OK OK Black green black green
Improved divisional signl OK OK OK OK black green
Improved corps signal cmd OK OK OK OK black green
Improved army signal cmd. OK OK OK OK black green
Advanced infantry weapons OK OK OK OK black green
Improved magnetic AT mine OK OK OK OK black green

Armour technology. I corrected the parameters reflecting the history of italian armored production, that's well known a field.
ARMOUR TECHNOLOGY
1936 1939 1941
Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop.
Early halftrack troop car green black white green white green
Early tank prototype (MG) green white OK OK OK OK
Welded armour green white OK OK OK OK
Basical optical sight black white OK OK OK OK
Basic halftrack troop car OK OK white black white black
Basic L tank prototype t. Black white OK OK OK OK
Basic L tank (MG) black white black white black white
Basic L tank (20 mm) black green black Green black white
Basic L tank (30 mm) OK OK OK OK black green
Amphibious tank black white OK OK OK OK
Basic gear black white green white OK OK
Basic suspension black white green white OK OK
Basic engine black white green white OK OK
Basic wading equipment OK OK green white green white
Desert operation equipmen black green OK OK green white
Improved L tank prototype OK OK black white green white
Improved L tank (20 mm) OK OK black green black green
Improved L tank (30 mm) OK OK black green black green
Improved L tank (40 mm) OK OK black green black green
Assault guns & destroyers black green green white OK OK
Improved gear OK OK black green OK OK
Improved suspension OK OK black green OK OK
Improved engine OK OK black green OK OK
L assault gun (30 mm) OK OK black green OK OK
L tank destroyer (30 mm) OK OK black green black white
L tank destroyer (40 mm) OK OK black green black White
Basic M tank prototype t. Black white black white OK OK
Basic M tank (MG) black white black white black white
Basic M tank (30 mm) black green black white black white
Basic M tank (40 mm) OK OK black green OK OK
Heavy tanks OK OK OK OK black green

Artillery technology. Italian artillery didn't change much in the years 1936-1941, despite a great Army plan, for italian industrial plants weren't able of a massive production (800 guns per year for the Army represented the maximum effort, even at war!). Theorically Italy was able to produce excellent 88 and 90 mm dual antiair/antitank guns, and dreadful 149 mm and 210 mm heavy howitzers, already in the mid or late '30s; but production was so slow that just little numbers of them were used in WW II.
The standard division at war had twenty-four 75 mm howitzers, twelve 100 mm howitzers, eight to six-teen 65 mm infantry guns, eight 47 mm antitank guns, eight 20 mm a/a guns, and thirty to forty-five 81 mm mortars. This had changed little since 1936, except for antitank guns and mortars, that started introduction in that very period. Only real innovation was the production in small numbers of 75 mm antitank (1937 model) and 75 mm a/a (1934 model) guns from 1941; most of these weapons though, if not all of them, were sent to USSR along with the nine field divisions of ARMIR (the italian army in Russia). Also to be noted that the antitank branch of the division -only eight 47 mm gun- was soon increased (early 1941) by using as antitank batteries the regimental 65 mm infantry guns; these weapons, infact, were capable to destroy a Mathilda tank, if properly employed (and the italian artillerymen were soon forced to learn using at its very best their inferior equipment). Since the anti-air divisional weapons were really little a thing, I corrected the parameters as Italians having but 20 mm a/a guns throughout war; this is theorically not correct (corps-level artillery included 40 mm and, sometimes, 88 mm and 90 mm, anti-air guns), but it was the real situation on the battlefields.
Variable time fuses were in use since 1915 or even earlier. Whilst no rocket research for artillery or infantry was apparently ever conduced.
I have no evidence that a naval gun of 400 mm or more was ever experimented in Italy, the largest one having been the 381 mm of the Veneto class battleships. All the contrary, a naval gun of 203 mm was already on the Zara class cruisers since 1932.
ARTILLERY TECHNOLOGY
1936 1939 1941
Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop.
Rangefinder radar green black white black white green
Infantry gun 30 mm green white OK OK OK OK
Infantry gun 70 mm OK OK OK OK white green
Field art. gun 100 mm OK OK OK OK white green
Antitank gun 30 mm green white OK OK OK OK
Antitank gun 40 mm black green green white OK OK
Tank gun 20 mm green white OK OK OK OK
Tank gun 30 mm black white green white OK OK
Antiair gun 30 mm OK OK white green white green
Field art. gun 150 mm OK OK OK OK black green
Tank gun 40 mm OK OK green black green black
Antiair gun 40 mm black green OK OK green white
Antiair gun 70 mm black green black green black green
Self-propelled artillery black white OK OK OK OK
Variable time fuse black white black white green white
Self-propelled artillery OK OK OK OK black green
Multi-barrelled a/a guns black green OK OK green white
Antitank gun 70 mm OK OK black green OK OK
Tank gun 50 mm OK OK black green OK OK
Self-propelled art. 70 mm OK OK OK OK black green
Rocket artillery 100 mm OK OK OK OK green black
Naval cruiser gun 200 mm black white green white OK OK
Naval battleship gun 400 white black white green white green
Self-propelled rocket art OK OK green black green black
Heavy artillery pieces OK OK black Green black green

Ground Doctrine Technology. Not much to say here, except that Italian doctrine was rather obsolete and sometimes overstimated by HOI. Only the reconnaissance had been understimated.
GROUND DOCTRINE TECHNOLOGY
1936 1939 1941
Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop.
Motorized warfare doctrin white green OK OK OK OK
Army long range recce black green black white black white
Early war exp. Analysis OK OK white green OK OK
Manoeuvre artillery doctrin OK OK green black green white
Deep area defense doctrin OK OK green black OK OK
Early war combat testing OK OK green black OK OK

Industrial Technology. This is absolutely not my field. I attempted just a few corrections about paratroopers. Also, the mass production was certainly a concept far from italian industrial capacity; I proposed it as green, but a black should be considered, unless an unwanted chain-effect upon other thechnologies is generated.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
1936 1939 1941
Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop. Curr. Prop.
Assembly mass production Green black white green white green
Improved plastics Black white OK OK OK OK
Improved synthetic mater. Black white OK OK OK OK
Nylon Black white OK OK OK OK
Polyurethane Black green OK OK OK OK


PROVINCES
A few considerations.
The Istrian Peninsula, now included in the province of Venezia, was a strategical handicap, for a force deployed there could easily be cutted off by an enemy attacking from east or north. This was true to the point, that the Army was against the annexion of Istria to Italy at the peace negoziates of 1919; Navy, on the other hand, was favorable due to the port of Fiume. I suggest this peninsula to be a small province apart (called Fiume), eventually with the Fiume port.
Taranto. This port is still on the wrong shore of the Bari province (east, rather than west).
Fortifications. In a previous thread, I suggested 1 point fortifications for both sides of the italian northern borders. Now I'm convinced that some 3-4 points at least are necessary, because in both World Wars whole armies were stopped by small fortifications placed in the right points of the Alpi Mountains. Only, I'm certain that these fortifications existed on French and Austrian borders, but I have no informations about Swiss and Yugoslavian borders. About Rome, 1 or 2 points are still sufficient, because these fortifications watched only the main roads, but could easily been avoided cross country.
Anti-aircraft defence. Italy had some anti-aircraft defence ready at war start in the more important areas. There should be some 1-2 points a/a defence at scenario start, at least in some one-half of the provinces of Italy and in a few of the colonial ones (Tripoli, Tobruch, and Asmara).

ARTILLERY AND GENERALS
Italian howitzer ammunitions had the particularity to explode after having penetrated the ground, and was thus very effective against fortifications; on the other hand, it was less effective against troops in open. This as the exact contrary from the British ammunitions.
I propose to simulate this fact by giving to many generals the speciality 'fortress buster'. To rebalance all, most of the specialities 'offensive doctrine' or 'strategical doctrine' might be erased.

DIVISIONAL SPECIALIZATIONS
Italy deployed only two motorized divisions, but it had developed a very original (and erroneous) concept, that of semi-motorized divisions. Up to twelve of these units contemporaneously existed (a few were even formed at war time, despite having proved to be unefficient). A semi-motorized division had about 70% of the veichles of a motorized one, when at full strength. They were certainly faster than normal infantry, but far from the performaces of motorized units. HOI system by now doesn't allow to simulate such units, that should have a speed of 6, consume some fuel, cost a certain amount of supplies, and have a vulnerability from air half-way bethween that of an infantry and that of a motorized division. I absolutely cannot propose them as motorized units, because they proved to be not as efficient, their veichles never being able to cover the needs. For example, after the battle of El-Alamein, the italian 10th Corps was destroyed because it had to withdraw across the desert on foot, despite being theorically a semi-motorized corps. Nor can I propose to have eight of them turned to motorized units and the other four to infantry, because, would the Italian HQ having been so smart, things would have gone differently in N. Africa. There should be more flexibility into the units management of HOI to simulate such units, by now they can only be proposed as normal infantry.
Speaking more about flexibility, the matter is certainly not limited to the italian semi-motorized units. Italy transformed three infantry divisions into marines in 1942, and a cavalry division was being tranformed into armored in 1943. Also, some specialized brigades were formed and attached to already existing units. This was true in so small an Army as it was the Italian one, but certainly it was even more true in larger armies. Units transformations, and brigade attaching/detaching, are not possible actions in HOI. It's my opinion that to allow a player making by himself such a changements would mean game improvement, and not further micromanagement hell for the player. I say, probably further micromanagement hell for Paradox programmers, but more fun for HOI players.

 

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1936 SCENARIO Jan 1st, 1936

This order of battle is largely hypothetical. Regio Esercito was experiencing so deep and continuous changements in these years, that to fix it in a precise moment is closely impossible. The war in Ethiopia, the enlargement program for the home army (in a very moment in which thousands of trained men and the best equipments were sent to Africa), the reorganization of regiments, divisions and larger units, all was happening contemporaneously.
There are, however, some reference data. The names and numbers of the existing divisions are known. It is also known that there were 4 armies and 13 corps in Italy. But I wasn't able to find any unit location, nor the names of their commanders, with a few exceptions.
Definitively, I prepared this order of battle, and I assigned positions to the units, following these lines:
1) Italy. I started from the order of battle of June 10th, 1940, and I moved backards, eliminating all of not-created units on the way, till January 1936. At that point, I made some reorganization in what was left of the armies and corps, recreating a deployment that could have had a strategical sense in 1936. I can't say I'm close to have guessed reality -probably most of the divisions are in erroneous positions- but at least at army and corps level I think the result is realistic. There is but a single corps that I, arbitrariously, placed in Bari, whilst it might have been virtually in any other place.
2) Aegean. Only independent regiments formed the garrison by this time. It is therefore possible to create a specific unit called Guarnigione dell'Egeo, but I think it's not the case.
3) North Africa. The four enlisted divisions had been there between 1935 and 1936, thus I'm uncertain if this was exactly the situation on January 1st, 1936. Also the unit precise locations are hypothetical.
4) A.O.I. The order of battle of the italian forces invading Ethiopia is known and complete, but it isn't referred to any precise date: it ranges from late 1935 to early 1936. I wasn't able to find the exact starting locations for the various units, except for the distinction between eritrean and somaliland deployments.
A few words about italian divisions. Italy deployed against Ethiopia, both regular divisions mobilized from Italy, and new CC.NN. divisions raised for this very purpose. Large part of the CC.NN. divisions (officers and artillery overall) were picked from regular units left in Italy; the regular divisions also, very likely, reached full strength and found equipment at expenses of country units left back (that already were below full strength, being not mobilized). To cover army weakness, showy parades took place here and there, and the leaving divisions were doubled in Italy (creating new ones with the same names, such as 29ª Divisione Peloritana II), again at expenses of other units.
This had a heavy cost: it is historically certain that for about an year, the army left in Italy wasn't capable of any military, action due to the lack of equipments and men sent in Africa. For this reason, I considered all these units to be but 50% strength, and the doubled ones 30% only.
About the CC.NN. divisions, apparently both those emplyed against Ethiopia and those used an year later in Spain, were better than those used in W.W. II due to the presence of regular officers and artillery; for this reason, I considered these units to be infantry units rather than militia, as a difference from the 1939 scenario.
I'm unsure whether the motorized division Trento had already reached Eritrea; so, an alternate option is to have this unit in preparation (leaving its double, Trento II in Libia), to be ready in late January or February. I'm also not certain that a Trento II was ever formed.


1) UNITS LIST

MOTORIZED DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION
8ª Divisione Po 50% VENEZIA
32ª Divisione Trento 100% ASMARA
32ª Divisione Trento II 30% BENGASI

INFANTRY DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION
1ª Divisione Superga 50% TORINO
2ª Divisione Sforzesca 50% BOLZANO
3ª Divisione Monferrato 50% GENOVA
4ª Divisione Monviso 50% TORINO
5ª Divisione Cosseria 100% MACALLÈ
5ª Divisione Cosseria II 30% TRIPOLI
6ª Divisione Legnano 50% GENOVA
7ª Divisione Leonessa 50% FIRENZE
9ª Divisione Pasubio * 50% VENEZIA
10ª Divisione Piave * 50% VENEZIA
11ª Divisione Brennero 50% MILANO
12ª Divisione Timavo 50% VENEZIA
13ª Divisione Montenero 50% VENEZIA
14ª Divisione Isonzo 50% VENEZIA
15ª Divisione Carnaro 50% VENEZIA
16ª Divisione Fossalta 50% ANCONA
17ª Divisione Rubicone 50% BARI
18ª Divisione Metauro 50% TRIPOLI
19ª Divisione Gavinana 100% GONDAR
19ª Divisione Gavinana II 30% BARI
20ª Divisione Curtatone e Montanara 50% FIRENZE
21ª Div. Granatieri di Sardegna 50% ROMA
22ª Div. Cacciatori delle Alpi 50% MILANO
23ª Divisione Murge 50% BARI
24ª Divisione Gran Sasso 100% GONDAR
24ª Divisione Gran Sasso II 50% TORINO
25ª Divisione Volturno 50% TORINO
26ª Divisione Assietta Artillery 100% GONDAR
26ª Divisione Assietta II 30% TOBRUCH
27ª Divisione Sila 100% ASMARA
27ª Divisione Sila II 30% BOLZANO
28ª Divisione Vespri 50% MESSINA
29ª Divisione Peloritana 100% MOGADISCIO
29ª Divisione Peloritana II 30% MESSINA
30ª Divisione Sabauda 100% GONDAR
30ª Divisione Sabauda II 30% CAGLIARI
31ª Divisione Caprera 50% CAGLIARI
1ª Divisione CC.NN. 23 Marzo 100% ASMARA
2ª Div. CC.NN. 28 Ottobre 100% MACALLÈ
3ª Div. CC.NN. 21 Aprile 100% GONDAR
4ª Div. CC.NN. 3 Gennaio 100% GONDAR
5a Div. CC.NN. 1 Febbraio 100% MACALLÈ
6a Divisione CC.NN. Tevere 100% MOGADISCIO
7a Divisione CC.NN. Cirene 100% MOGADISCIO

* Semi-motorized division (motorization = 50%-70%)

MOUNTAIN DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION
1ª Div. Alpina Taurinense 70% BOLZANO
2ª Div. Alpina Tridentina 70% BOLZANO
3ª Divisione Alpina Julia 70% VENEZIA
4ª Divisione Alpina Cuneense 50% TORINO
5ª Divisione Alpina Pusteria 100% GONDAR
5ª Div. Alpina Pusteria II 30% GENOVA

CAVALRY DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION
1ª Div. Celere Eugenio di Savoia 70% VENEZIA
2ª Div. Celere Emanuele Filiberto
Testa di Ferro 70% VENEZIA
3ª Div. Celere Amedeo Duca d'Aosta 70% VENEZIA

MILITIA DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION
Divisione Libia 100% MOGADISCIO
1ª Divisione Eritrea 100% MACALLÈ
2ª Divisione Eritrea 100% MACALLÈ



2) ITALIAN ORDER OF BATTLE, Jan. 1st 1936

1ª ARMATA (North-Western Italy), Gen.
II Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-4ª Divisione Monviso
-25ª Divisione Volturno
-4ª Divisione Alpina Cuneense
III Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-3ª Divisione Monferrato
-6ª Divisione Legnano
-5ª Div. Alpina Pusteria II
Riserva d'Armata
-22ª Div. Cacciatori delle Alpi

4ª ARMATA (Northern Italy), Gen.
Corpo d'Armata Alpino, Gen.
-1ª Div. Alpina Taurinense
-2ª Div. Alpina Tridentina
I Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-1ª Divisione Superga
-24ª Divisione Gran Sasso II
IV Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-2ª Divisione Sforzesca
-27ª Divisione Sila II
Riserva d'Armata
-11ª Divisione Brennero

2ª ARMATA (North-Eastern Italy), Gen.
V Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-12ª Divisione Timavo
-15ª Divisione Carnaro
XI Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-13ª Divisione Montenero
-14ª Divisione Isonzo
-3ª Divisione Alpina Julia
Corpo d'Armata Celere, Gen.
-1ª Div. Celere Eugenio di Savoia
-2ª Div. Celere Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro
-3ª Div. Celere Amedeo Duca d'Aosta
VIII Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-8ª Divisione Po
-9ª Divisione Pasubio
-10ª Divisione Piave

3ª ARMATA (Southern Italy and islands), Gen.
XII Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-28ª Divisione Vespri
-29ª Divisione Peloritana II
XIII Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-30ª Divisione Sabauda II
-31ª Divisione Caprera
IX Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-17ª Divisione Rubicone
-19ª Divisione Gavinana
-23ª Divisione Murge
VII Corpo d'Armata, Gen.
-7ª Divisione Lupi di Toscana
-20ª Divisione Curtatone e Montanara
Riserva d'Armata
-16ª Divisione Fossalta

Riserva Centrale (Reserve)
-21ª Div. Granatieri di Sardegna

COMANDO SUPERIORE FF.AA. AFRICA SETT. (Lybia), M.d.A. Balbo
-5ª Divisione Cosseria II
-18ª Divisione Metauro
-26ª Divisione Assietta II
-32ª Divisione Trento II

COMANDO SUPERIORE DELL'A.O.I. (Eritrea and Somaliland), M.d.I. Badoglio
-32ª Divisione Trento
I Corpo d'Armata dell'A.O.I., Gen. Santini
-26ª Divisione Assietta
-30ª Divisione Sabauda
-5ª Divisione Alpina Pusteria
-4ª Div. CC.NN. 3 Gennaio
II Corpo d'Armata dell'A.O.I., Gen. Maravigna
-19ª Divisione Gavinana
-24ª Divisione Gran Sasso
-3ª Div. CC.NN. 21 Aprile
III Corpo d'Armata dell'A.O.I., Gen. Bastico
-27ª Divisione Sila
-1ª Divisione CC.NN. 23 Marzo
IV Corpo d'Armata dell'A.O.I., Gen. Babbini
-5ª Divisione Cosseria
-2ª Div. CC.NN. 28 Ottobre
-5a Div. CC.NN. 1 Febbraio
Corpo d'Armata Eritreo, Gen. Pirzio Biroli
-1ª Divisione Eritrea
-2ª Divisione Eritrea
Corpo d'Armata Libico, Gen. Graziani
-29ª Divisione Peloritana
-Divisione Libia
-6a Divisione CC.NN. Tevere
-7a Divisione CC.NN. Cirene


3) ARMY NEW UNITS POOL

A new program to increase regular divisions to more than a hundred (sic!) was under development; in fact, from the less than 40 divisions of 1935, it was reached the official number of 73 by June 10th, 1940 (but they were even more by adding those of A.O.I.). In this process, most of the already existing divisions changed names, whilst some changed number, and others (CC.NN. and doubled ones overall) were disbanded.
I propose for this pool but the names and numbers of the real units that historically have been created, and its logic for numbering also, rather than attempting to follow the logic that had been in use till that moment. Where this would mean doubled names or numbers (such as 32ª Divisione Trento and 102ª Divisione Trento, and 8ª Divisione PO and 8ª Divisione Di Marcia, for example), then that historical unit will be omitted. The list of the names that the infantry divisions numbering from 1 to 31 assumed in the following years can be taken from the 1939 scenario, but I don't see how this change might be simulated by the game, if not by the manual intervention of the player.
I made an exception for the CC.NN. divisions, that were raised for specific wars (Ethiopia, Spain) and disbanded immediately after. These units changed often names at raising, but always started numbering from 1 upwards. I enlist those of the Spanish Civil War, even if they double the 1-4 range of numbers (as does the 1ª Divisione Corazzata CC.NN. M as well) for completness only; but I don't think it would be a good idea to have contemporaneously in game the 1ª Divisione CC.NN. 23 Marzo and the 1ª Divisione CC.NN. Dio lo Vuole.

-New armoured divisions
131ª Divisione Centauro;
132ª Divisione Ariete;
133ª Divisione Littorio;
134ª Divisione ? (Centauro II);
135ª Divisione ? (Ariete II);
136ª Divisione CC.NN. Giovani Fascisti;
1ª Divisione Corazzata CC.NN. M;
130ª and 137ª-139ª Divisione (no further names known).
Hypothetical names. It's very hard to propose appropriate names here. My personal suggestion is to use numbers without names adding the specific 'corazzata' (such as '137ª Divisione Corazzata'), just to be sure not saying absurdities.
-New mechanized divisions
No names known.
No numbers assigned.
Hypothetical names. I propose to use territrial names as it was for infantry and motorized units. So, see below.
-New motorized divisions
101ª Divisione Trieste;
103ª Divisione Piacenza;
104ª Divisione Mantova;
105ª Divisione Rovigo;
100ª-102ª and 106ª-109ª Divisione (no further names known; but see below).
-New infantry divisions
32ª Divisione Marche;
33ª Divisione Acqui;
36ª Divisione Forlì;
37ª Divisione Modena;
38ª Divisione Puglie;
41ª Divisione Firenze;
44ª Divisione Cremona;
47ª Divisione Bari;
48ª Divisione Taro;
49ª Divisione Parma;
50ª Divisione Regina;
51ª Divisione Siena;
52ª Divisione Torino;
53ª Divisione Arezzo;
54ª Divisione Napoli;
55ª Divisione Savona;
56ª Divisione Casale;
57ª Divisione Lombardia;
59ª Divisione Cagliari
60ª Divisione Sabratha;
61ª Divisione Sirte;
62ª Divisione Marmarica;
63ª Divisione Cirene;
64ª Divisione Catanzaro;
Div. Granatieri di Savoia;
80ª Divisione Spezia;
34ª-35ª,39ª-40ª, 42ª-43ª, 45ª-46ª, 58ª, 65ª-79ª, and 81ª-89ª Divisione (no further names known; but see below);
8ª-xxxª Divisione CC.NN. (no further names known).
For the Spanish Civil War intervention:
1ª Divisione CC.NN. Dio lo Vuole;
2ª Divisione CC.NN. Fiamme Nere;
3ª Divisione CC.NN. Penne Nere;
4ª Divisione CC.NN. Littorio;
Brigata CC.NN. Frecce Nere;
Brigata CC.NN. Frecce Azzurre;
Brigata CC.NN. Frecce Verdi.
-New cavalry divisions
4ª-xxxª Divisione Celere (no names known).
Hypothetical names. I propose some taken from the Savoia dinasty (as it was for the three existing units), in alphabetical order: Amedeo il Conte Verde, Amedeo il Conte Rosso, Amedeo il Grande, Carlo Alberto Re di Sardegna, Carlo Emanuele il Grande, Oddone di Savoia, Umberto Biancamano, Umberto Re d'Italia, Vittorio Emanuele II Re d'Italia).
-New parachute divisions
185ª Divisione Folgore;
184ª Divisione Nembo;
183ª Divisione Ciclone;
180ª, 181ª-182ª and 186ª-189ª Divisione (no further names known).
Hypothetical names. I propose the following ones, having the same spirit: Bufera, Fulmine, Saetta, Tempesta, Tifone, Turbine, Uragano. Also the Regia Aeronautica (Air Force) names of A.D.R.A. might be used, using numbers ranging 1ª-xxxª (such as 1ª Divisione A.D.R.A., 2ª Divisione A.D.R.A., etc.), for such units, though smaller, did exist.
-New marines divisions
None known.
Hypotethical names. A few infantry divisions were transformed into assault & landing (marine) divisions in 1942, so perhaps the same numbers and names available for new infantry units might be used. A second option is to call each of them Divisione da Sbarco (Landing Division), or Divisione Fanti di Marina (Marine Division), with numeration 1ª-xxxª (1ª Divisione da Sbarco, 1ª Divisione Fanti di Marina).
-New mountain divisions
6ª Divisione Alpina Alpi Graie;
7ª-xxxª Divisione Alpina (no further names known).
Hypotethical names for new units (alphabetical order) follow a territorial logic, as it was the use: Divisione Alpina Alpi Cozie, Alpi Marittime, Cadore, Carnica, Dolomitica, Gran Sasso, Lepontina, Monte Bianco, Monte Rosa, Monti Appennini, Orobica, Pennina, Retica, Vallese.
-New militia divisions
1ª Divisione Libica;
2ª Divisione Libica;
3ª Divisione Libica;
3ª Divisione Eritrea;
151ª Divisione Perugia;
152ª Divisione Piceno;
153ª Divisione Macerata;
154ª Divisione Murge;
155ª Divisione Emilia;
156ª Divisione Vicenza;
157ª Divisione Novara;
158ª Divisione Zara;
159ª Divisione Veneto;
200ª-xxxª Divisione Costiera.

Available numbers for further divisions of the types Armored, Mechanized, Motorized, Infantry, Parachute, Militia and Marine (but NOT Cavalry and Mountain): 91ª-99ª, 110ª-129ª, 140ª-149ª, 160ª-179ª, 190ª-199ª Divisione.
Hypotethical names for new Infantry, Motorized and Mechanized units (in alphabetical order) follow a territorial logic, as it was the use:
-Abruzzi, Agrigento, Agro Romano, Alto Adige, Alessandria, Ancona, Ascoli, Asti, Aquila, Asmara, Avellino, Basilicata, Belluno, Benevento, Bengasi, Biella, Bolzano, Brianza, Brindisi, Caltanissetta, Campania, Campidano, Campobasso, Carrara, Caserta, Catania, Cesena, Chianti, Chieti, Cilento, Ciociaria, Como, Cosenza, Crotone, Enna, Fiume, Foggia, Frignano, Frosinone, Gallura, Genova, Gorizia, Grosseto, Imperia, Irpinia, Isernia, Istria, Langhe, Lazio, Lecce, Lecco, Liguria, Littoria, Lodi, Lomellina, Lucca, Maremma, Massa, Matera, Milano, Mogadiscio, Molise, Monferrato, Nuoro, Oristano, Padova, Palermo, Pesaro, Pescara, Pinerolo, Pisa, Pola, Polesine, Pordenone, Potenza, Prato, Ragusa, Reggio di Calabria, Reggio nell'Emilia, Rieti, Rimini, Rodi, Roma, Romagna, Sabina, Salerno, Sannio, Sardegna, Serre, Sicilia, Siracusa, Sondrio, Taranto, Tavoliere, Teramo, Terni, Terra d'Otranto, Tobruch, Toscana, Trapani, Trentino, Treviso, Tripoli, Tripolitania, Udine, Umbria, Urbino, Valle d'Aosta, Valli di Comacchio, Varese, Veneto, Venezia Giulia, Verbania, Vercelli, Verona, Vibo Valentia, Viterbo.

 

[unmerged(16045)]

1939 SCENARIO Sep. 1st, 1939

Italy started mobilization at this time, but the general situation of the Army was not of readiness. Most of the units were understrength and this situation had not improved sufficiently wen Italy finally declarared war (June 10th, 1940).
I know that at this time there were a total of 48 infantry divisions in Italy, 5 in Albania, 12 in North Africa (or ready to leave for N. Africa), 1 in the Aegean, and 1 in A.O.I. Thus, the situation was close to the well known Order of Battle of June 10th, 1940, except for 5 infantry divisions less in Italy, and a few divisions less in North Africa. Lacking of more precise sources (and it's hard to find precise information about such precise a date, while the Army was mobiliting), I interpreted the situation as follows: 1) In Italy, I choosed 5 infantry divisions of the two army reserves as not still deployed at scenario start (it's arbitray a choice, I only know there were some 5 infantry divisions less than in June 1940); anyway, as these divisions existed just a few months later, I thought it was a good idea to have them already in preparation. 2) In North Africa I choosed Sabratha and the libic divisions as not still ready, because I have some trace about the readiness of the other ones. 3) A.O.I. was somewhat apart from the country Army, so I interpreted the single existing division as meaning 'true italian'; therefore I considered already existing all of the native militia units (probably most, despite a huge armed manpower availability, were still to be organized), because it is really unlikely they would be otherwise recruited by the average player. I placed in preparation only the Africa. 4) Again about A.O.I., I know there were some 300,000 men ready for combat there in June 1940; both their poor behavior against the British and the fact that I found the existence of but a limited number of native divisions, suggested me not to create further, not documented units. I made two exceptions, Bande Armate Sud and Bande Armate Est, for such commands at corps level did exist (but I found no traces about which troops they had assigned), and presumably they should have had some 30,000 men each at least: I fournished them with but an arbitrary division each, that's 10,000 men each. 5) Armored division Littorio was already existing at this time, but I placed it in preparation to simulate the fact that the three armored divisions in this period were under continuous transformation.
I considered the CC.NN. divisions of this period as militia units, as a difference with the 1936 scenario, for they seemingly had no longer any army officers/ artillery inside; all the contrary, their officers were incompetent and their troops -though fully volunteers- trained only for parades. I'm not truely sure anyway; it is still possible that the data I found were referred only to the CC.NN. legions (regiments) attached one per infantry division, and not to these three fully CC.NN. units.
The 50th division, Regina, had an artillery brigade unattached; but as this was naval artillery, not field, so I suggest to give to Rhodos (its home station) 2 points of fortifications, rather than improving the fighting ability of the division. Otherwise, the average player would rescue as soon as possible Regina to use it in the continent (as this would be one of the few good combat units), that's not historical at all.
About single unit dislocations, my sources weren't completely thrustable. So, keeping in mind also that this is a game, I preferred to keep corps united in the same location, rather than having their units spreaded here and there as it was probaly true in some cases. I made an exception for those units that were to be sent quickly in Lybia: I placed them in Napoli, for they had been transfered to N. Africa in September-October 1939.


1) UNITS LIST

ARMORED DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
131ª Divisione
Centauro FIAT 3000 80% TIRANA Magli
132ª Divisione
Ariete L.3/33 80% VENEZIA Baldassarre
133ª Divisione
Littorio L.3/33 0% Nov. 1939 Bitossi

MOTORIZED DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
101ª Divisione Trieste 70% VENEZIA Ferroni
102ª Divisione Trento 70% VENEZIA Nuvoloni

INFANTRY DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
1ª Divisione Superga 60% TORINO Barbassetti
di Prun
2ª Divisione Sforzesca 50% TORINO Ollearo
3ª Divisione Ravenna 80% GENOVA Nebbia
4ª Divisione Livorno 100% TORINO Gioda
5ª Divisione Cosseria 90% GENOVA Vassarri
6ª Divisione Cuneo 90% GENOVA Melotti
7ª Divisione Lupi di Toscana 0% Nov. 1939 Bollea
9ª Divisione Pasubio * 70% VENEZIA Giovannelli
10ª Divisione Piave * 60% VENEZIA Roncaglia
11ª Divisione Brennero 0% Nov. 1939 Forgiero
12ª Divisione Sassari 60% VENEZIA Castagna
13ª Divisione Re 60% VENEZIA Fiorenzoli
14ª Divisione Isonzo 50% VENEZIA Romero
15ª Divisione Bergamo 60% VENEZIA Belletti
16ª Divisione Pistoia 0% Nov. 1939 Priore
17ª Divisione Pavia * 100% TRIPOLI Zaglio
18ª Divisione Messina 50% ANCONA Zani
19ª Divisione Venezia 100% TIRANA Bonini
20ª Divisione Friuli 80% FIRENZE Sogno
21ª Div. Granatieri di Sardegna 80% ROMA Orlando
22ª Div. Cacciatori delle Alpi 0% Nov. 1939 Lorenzelli
23ª Divisione Ferrara 100% TIRANA Zannini
24ª Divisione Pinerolo 50% TORINO De Stefanis
25ª Divisione Bologna * 100% TRIPOLI Lerici
26ª Divisione Assietta Artillery 50% TORINO Girlando
27ª Divisione Brescia * 50% TRIPOLI Cremascoli
28ª Divisione Aosta 70% MESSINA D'Arle
29ª Divisione Piemonte 50% COSENZA Cerio
30ª Divisione Sabauda 60% CAGLIARI Scanagatta
31ª Divisione Calabria 60% CAGLIARI Petra di
Caccuri
32ª Divisione Marche 70% BOLZANO Pentimalli
33ª Divisione Acqui 80% TORINO Sartoris
36ª Divisione Forlì 60% TORINO Perugi
37ª Divisione Modena 90% GENOVA Gloria
38ª Divisione Puglie 60% BOLZANO Marghinotti
41ª Divisione Firenze 70% FIRENZE Negri
44ª Divisione Cremona Antitank 80% GENOVA Mondino
47ª Divisione Bari 80% COSENZA Zaccone
48ª Divisione Taro 70% COSENZA Pedrazzoli
49ª Divisione Parma 70% ANCONA Grattarola
50ª Divisione Regina 100% RODI Piazzoni
51ª Divisione Siena Artillery 80% ROMA Gabutti
52ª Divisione Torino * 60% VENEZIA Manzi
53ª Divisione Arezzo 100% TIRANA Molinari
54ª Divisione Napoli 70% MESSINA Coturri
55ª Divisione Savona * 100% TRIPOLI Maggiani
56ª Divisione Casale 70% ANCONA Navarrini
57ª Divisione Lombardia 50% VENEZIA Esposito
58ª Divisione Legnano Artillery 0% Nov. 1939 Scala
59ª Divisione Cagliari 80% TORINO Scuero
60ª Divisione Sabratha * 0% Oct. 1939 Della Bona
61ª Divisione Sirte * 80% TRIPOLI Della Mura
62ª Divisione Marmarica * 80% TOBRUCH Tracchia
63ª Divisione Cirene * 80% TOBRUCH Spatocco
64ª Divisione Catanzaro * 80% BENGASI Stefanelli
Div. Granatieri di Savoia 90% ASMARA Liberati

* Semi-motorized division (motorization = 50%-70%)

MOUNTAIN DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
1ª Div. Alpina Taurinense 70% BOLZANO Micheletti
2ª Div. Alpina Tridentina 70% BOLZANO Santovito
3ª Divisione Alpina Julia 90% TIRANA De Giorgis
4ª Divisione Alpina Cuneens 80% TORINO Ferrero
5ª Divisione Alpina Pusteria 70% BOLZANO De Cia

CAVALRY DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
1ª Div. Celere Eugenio di Savoia 70% VENEZIA Ferrari
Orsi
2ª Div. Celere Emanuele Filiberto
Testa di Ferro 70% VENEZIA Pizzolato
3ª Div. Celere Amedeo
Duca d'Aosta Artillery 70% VENEZIA Marazzani

MILITIA DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
Divisione Africa 0% Oct. 1939 Varda
1ª Divisione CC.NN. 23 Marzo 100% NAPOLI Antonelli
2ª Div. CC.NN. 28 Ottobre 100% NAPOLI Argentino
3ª Div. CC.NN. 21 Aprile 30% NAPOLI
4ª Div. CC.NN. 3 Gennaio 100% NAPOLI Merzari
1ª Divisione Libica 0% Oct. 1939 Sibille
1ª Divisione Eritrea 70% GONDAR
2ª Divisione Eritrea 60% GIMMA Carminio
4ª Divisione Eritrea 60% ASMARA
101ª Divisione Somala 40% MOGADISCIO Baccari
102ª Divisione Somala 30% OBBIA Liberati
Bande Armate Sud 70% MAGALO Gazzera
Bande Armate Est 70% MACALLÈ Nasi


2) ITALIAN ORDER OF BATTLE, September 1st 1939

GRUPPO D'ARMATE OVEST (Western Italy), M.d.I. Umberto di Savoia
1ª ARMATA, Gen. Pintor
II Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Bertini
-36ª Divisione Forlì
-33ª Divisione Acqui
-4ª Divisione Livorno
-4ª Divisione Alpina Cuneense
III Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Arisio
-3ª Divisione Ravenna
-6ª Divisione Cuneo
XV Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Gambara
-37ª Divisione Modena
-5ª Divisione Cosseria
-44ª Divisione Cremona
Riserva d'Armata
-5ª Divisione Alpina Pusteria
4ª ARMATA, Gen. Guzzoni
Corpo d'Armata Alpino, Gen. Negri
-1ª Div. Alpina Taurinense
-2ª Div. Alpina Tridentina
I Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Vecchiarelli
-59ª Divisione Cagliari
-1ª Divisione Superga
-24ª Divisione Pinerolo
IV Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Mercalli
-2ª Divisione Sforzesca
-26ª Divisione Assietta

GRUPPO D'ARMATE EST (Eastern Italy), Gen. Grossi
2ª ARMATA, Gen. Ambrosio
V Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Balocco
-12ª Divisione Sassari
-57ª Divisione Lombardia
-15ª Divisione Bergamo
XI Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Roux
-13ª Divisione Re
-14ª Divisione Isonzo
6ª ARMATA DEL PO, Gen. Vercellino
Corpo d'Armata Celere, Gen. Messe
-1ª Div. Celere Eugenio di Savoia
-2ª Div. Celere Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro
-3ª Div. Celere Amedeo Duca d'Aosta
Corpo d'Armata Corazzato, Gen. Dall'Ora
-132ª Divisione Ariete
-101ª Divisione Trieste
-102ª Divisione Trento
Corpo d'Armata Autotrasportabile, Gen. Zingales
-9ª Divisione Pasubio
-10ª Divisione Piave
-52ª Divisione Torino
8ª ARMATA, Gen. Adalberto di Savoia
XIV Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Vecchi
-32ª Divisione Marche
-38ª Divisione Puglie
VI Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Rosi
-18ª Divisione Messina
-49ª Divisione Parma
-56ª Divisione Casale

GRUPPO D'ARMATE SUD (Southern Italy and islands), M.d.I De Bono
XII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. A. Rossi
-28ª Divisione Aosta
-54ª Divisione Napoli
XIII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. De Pigner
-30ª Divisione Sabauda
-31ª Divisione Calabria
Comando Superiore Truppe d'Albania, Gen. Visconti Prasca
-19ª Divisione Venezia
-23ª Divisione Ferrara
-53ª Divisione Arezzo
-3ª Divisione Alpina Julia
-131ª Divisione Centauro
3ª ARMATA, Gen. Geloso
IX Corpo d'Armata, Gen. C. Rossi
-47ª Divisione Bari
-48ª Divisione Taro
-29ª Divisione Piemonte

7ª ARMATA (Reserve, Central Italy), Gen. Filiberto di Savoia
VII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Aymonino
-41ª Divisione Firenze
-20ª Divisione Friuli
VIII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Gabelli
-51ª Divisione Siena
-21ª Div. Granatieri di Sardegna

FF.AA. Isole Italiane dell'Egeo (Dodecaneso), Gen. De Vecchi di Val Cismon
-50ª Divisione Regina

COMANDO SUPERIORE FF.AA. AFRICA SETT. (Lybia), M.d.A. Italo Balbo
5ª ARMATA, Gen. Gariboldi
X Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Barbieri
-25ª Divisione Bologna
-55ª Divisione Savona
XX Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Cona
-17ª Divisione Pavia
-27ª Divisione Brescia
-61ª Divisione Sirte
XXIII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Bergonzoli
-1ª Divisione CC.NN. 23 Marzo
-2ª Div. CC.NN. 28 Ottobre
10ª ARMATA, Gen. Berti
XXI Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Dalmazzo
-62ª Divisione Marmarica
-63ª Divisione Cirene
XXII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Pitassi Mannella
-64ª Divisione Catanzaro
-4ª Div. CC.NN. 3 Gennaio
Scacchiere Sahariano, Gen. Gallina
-3ª Div. CC.NN. 21 Aprile

FORZE ARMATE DELL'A.O.I. (Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somaliland), M.d.I. Amedeo di Savoia
-Div. Granatieri di Savoia
Scacchiere Nord, Gen. Frusci
-1ª Divisione Eritrea
-2ª Divisione Eritrea
-4ª Divisione Eritrea
Scacchiere Sud, Gen. Gazzera
-Bande Armate Sud
Scacchiere Est, Gen. Nasi
-Bande Armate Est
Scacchiere Giuba, Gen. Pasenti
-101ª Divisione Somala
-102ª Divisione Somala


3) ARMY NEW UNITS POOL
I considered the 80ª Divisione Spezia, that was an airborne unit, to be normal infantry. This is because it was, in effects, an infantry unit, just equipped as to be transportable by airplanes. It had to land in airports in any cases, I have no evidence that any gliders had been built for it. Anyway, if the HOI choice is to consider this unit as a parachute one, then all the range 80th-89th of new units is to be left to parachute units.
I considered infantry divisions ranging 151ª-159ª, all recruited in 1942-1943, to be militia units. This is because these were formed with occupational purposes in Greece, Yugoslavia and USSR, so these had scarce training and equipment. The same applies to the 200ª-230ª Divisione Costiera, that had the duty to slow an eventual invasion of Italy (a few were deployed in the Balkans) to leave time to regular units for an efficacious intervention; these units were formed mainly by militians, frontier guards, etc., and had probably a low level of readiness.

-New armoured divisions
134ª Divisione Centauro II;
135ª Divisione Ariete II;
136ª Divisione CC.NN. Giovani Fascisti;
1ª Divisione Corazzata CC.NN. M;
(?)ª Divisione Leonessa;
130ª and 137ª-139ª Divisione (no further names known).
Hypothetical names. It's very hard to propose appropriate names here. My personal suggestion is to use numbers without names adding the specific 'corazzata' (such as '137ª Divisione Corazzata'), just to be sure not saying absurdities.
-New mechanized divisions
No names known.
No numbers assigned.
Hypothetical names. I propose to use territrial names as it was for infantry and motorized units. So, see below.
-New motorized divisions
103ª Divisione Piacenza;
104ª Divisione Mantova;
105ª Divisione Rovigo;
100ª and 106ª-109ª Divisione (no further names known; but see below).
-New infantry divisions
80ª Divisione Spezia;
34ª-35ª,39ª-40ª, 42ª-43ª, 45ª-46ª, 65ª-79ª, and 81ª-89ª Divisione (no further names known; but see below).
-New cavalry divisions
4ª-xxxª Divisione Celere (no names known).
Hypothetical names. I propose some taken from the Savoia dinasty (as it was for the three existing units), in alphabetical order: Amedeo il Conte Verde, Amedeo il Conte Rosso, Amedeo il Grande, Carlo Alberto Re di Sardegna, Carlo Emanuele il Grande, Oddone di Savoia, Umberto Biancamano, Umberto Re d'Italia, Vittorio Emanuele II Re d'Italia).
-New parachute divisions
185ª Divisione Folgore;
184ª Divisione Nembo;
183ª Divisione Ciclone;
180ª, 181ª-182ª and 186ª-189ª Divisione (no further names known).
Hypothetical names. I propose the following ones, having the same spirit: Bufera, Fulmine, Saetta, Tempesta, Tifone, Turbine, Uragano. Also the Regia Aeronautica (Air Force) names of A.D.R.A. might be used, using numbers ranging 1ª-xxxª (such as 1ª Divisione A.D.R.A., 2ª Divisione A.D.R.A., etc.), for such units, though smaller, did exist.
-New marines divisions
None known.
Hypotethical names. A few infantry divisions were transformed into assault & landing (marine) divisions in 1942, so perhaps the same numbers and names available for new infantry units might be used. A second option is to call each of them Divisione da Sbarco (Landing Division), or Divisione Fanti di Marina (Marine Division), with numeration 1ª-xxxª (1ª Divisione da Sbarco, 1ª Divisione Fanti di Marina).
-New mountain divisions
6ª Divisione Alpina Alpi Graie;
7ª-xxxª Divisione Alpina (no further names known).
Hypotethical names for new units (alphabetical order) follow a territorial logic, as it was the use: Divisione Alpina Alpi Cozie, Alpi Marittime, Cadore, Carnica, Dolomitica, Gran Sasso, Lepontina, Monte Bianco, Monte Rosa, Monti Appennini, Orobica, Pennina, Retica, Vallese.
-New militia divisions
2ª Divisione Libica;
3ª Divisione Libica;
3ª Divisione Eritrea;
8ª Divisione Di Marcia;
151ª Divisione Perugia;
152ª Divisione Piceno;
153ª Divisione Macerata;
154ª Divisione Murge;
155ª Divisione Emilia;
156ª Divisione Vicenza;
157ª Divisione Novara;
158ª Divisione Zara;
159ª Divisione Veneto;
150ª Divisione Di Marcia (that's a my proposal to cover n. 150, but this unit never existed);
200ª-216ª, 220ª-227ª, and 230ª Divisione Costiera (recruited from 1941 to 1943);
217ª-219ª and 228ª-229ª Divisione Costiera (never existed);
may be 231ª-xxxª Divisione Costiera also.

Available numbers for further divisions of the types Armored, Mechanized, Motorized, Infantry, Parachute, Militia and Marine (but NOT Cavalry and Mountain): 91ª-99ª, 110ª-129ª, 140ª-149ª, 160ª-179ª, 190ª-199ª Divisione.
Hypotethical names for new Infantry, Motorized and Mechanized units (in alphabetical order) follow a territorial logic, as it was the use:
-Abruzzi, Agrigento, Agro Romano, Alto Adige, Alessandria, Ancona, Ascoli, Asti, Aquila, Asmara, Avellino, Basilicata, Belluno, Benevento, Bengasi, Biella, Bolzano, Brianza, Brindisi, Caltanissetta, Campania, Campidano, Campobasso, Carrara, Caserta, Catania, Cesena, Chianti, Chieti, Cilento, Ciociaria, Como, Cosenza, Crotone, Enna, Fiume, Foggia, Frignano, Frosinone, Gallura, Genova, Gorizia, Grosseto, Imperia, Irpinia, Isernia, Istria, Langhe, Lazio, Lecce, Lecco, Liguria, Littoria, Lodi, Lomellina, Lucca, Maremma, Massa, Matera, Milano, Mogadiscio, Molise, Monferrato, Nuoro, Oristano, Padova, Palermo, Pesaro, Pescara, Pinerolo, Pisa, Pola, Polesine, Pordenone, Potenza, Prato, Ragusa, Reggio di Calabria, Reggio nell'Emilia, Rieti, Rimini, Rodi, Roma, Romagna, Sabina, Salerno, Sannio, Sardegna, Serre, Sicilia, Siracusa, Sondrio, Taranto, Tavoliere, Teramo, Terni, Terra d'Otranto, Tobruch, Toscana, Trapani, Trentino, Treviso, Tripoli, Tripolitania, Udine, Umbria, Urbino, Valle d'Aosta, Valli di Comacchio, Varese, Veneto, Venezia Giulia, Verbania, Vercelli, Verona, Vibo Valentia, Viterbo.

 

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1941 SCENARIO Dec. 12th, 1941

Italy was deep in the war effort by this time, and despite initial disasters things seemed to have considerably improved with german help (though national loyalty had started going down). The yugoslavian and grecian campaigns had just finished, and the strategical importance of the african front was becoming evident; moreover, the small effort to help Germans in the USSR, represented by the three divisions of CSIR, had now to be considerably increased in short times (becoming an army, the ARMIR), and many units were in Italy to be equiped with the best available resources. Also, many other units that had suffered heavy losses now required reformation. N. Africa units needed for continuous reinforcements; and new units had to be created as garrisons for the occupied areas of France, Greece and Yugoslavia, and to face the oncoming huge forces of USA. The organization of corps-level units was thus under continuos changements, so the preparation of a precise order of battle by December 12th, 1941, is not easy a matter.
There is a known order of battle dated June 5th, 1941, but it is not fully complete, contains at least a few mistakes, and is 'old', in the sense that many changements occurred in the following six months. Anyway, the list of the divisions is complete and exact; also, at least their gross position (Italy, Greece, Lybia, and so on) is known, when not their precise locations. Starting from that, and using a few informations I had available about single units history, I was able to recreate an ODB for December 1941 that, if not historical in absolute, should have no heavy imprecisions. This is true for unit strength as well as for their locations and commander names.
About the divisions, there are a few explanations that I must furnish.
-136ª Div. Giovani Fascisti: this one was intended to be an armored division, but the desperate need for replacements in N. Africa, as well as the cronycal lack of supplies and tanks, made it to be quickly sent to Libia as a motorized battle group. I could simply ignore this unit in the army list, or enlist it as an under-strenght motorized unit. In proposing it as a tank unit of small efficience, my intent is to reflect reality: a player might use it as it is, finding hard to turn it into a good armored unit; infact, not just it is highly expensive in supplies to bring it to full strength, but also real tanks have to be purchased (I furnished it with the old, extra light L.3/33), that means complete reorganization, time and resources. And this was the real problem and the reason because it was used as it was.
-103ª Divisione Piacenza, 104ª Divisione Mantova, 105ª Divisione Rovigo: these divisions weren't formed as motorized units. But I interpreted their numeration, that's proper of italian motorized divisions, as the intention to have them motorized: probably, the cronycal need for veichles of the other units made it impossible to properly equip these newborns. As these units had just started formation in this period, my proposal is to have them in preparation as motorized units at their very begin at scenario start, leaving to the player the eventual decision to abort such a waste of resources.
-Cosseria, Cuneense, Julia, Ravenna, Sforzesca and Tridentina: these units were in praparation to be sent in the USSR as an expeditionary force to Germany, to reinforce CSIR (Pasubio, Torino, and 3ª Celere). For their mission, they had been fornished with a 75 mm antitank battery, in addition to the standard two batteries of 47 mm. Moreover, most of the 210 mm and 149 mm howitzers of the Army had been collected toghether to be sent in the USSR with them; so, these units were by far the best equiped ones of all Regio Esercito. Thinking that in this case a distinction was compulsory, I then added to each of these units either an artillery brigade, or an antitank brigade. I'm doubtful wether to suggest these units to be already under german control at scenario start, or not, seen that they left Italy to USSR as late as in July, 1942.
-Other divisions with a brigade unattached: all of these ones are reported by a source having extra units. Ariete, for example, seems to have had an 88 and 90 mm antitank brigade unattached, while Cremona a SP L.47 battalion, and Livorno an extra engineers battalion.
-Divisions Ariete and Trieste. I indicated these two divisions (the whole 'Corpo d'Armata di Manovra', or CAM; the 'Corpo d'Armata Motocorazzato' was a denomination of 1942) to be an expeditionary force to Germans. This is because Rommel had took soon direct control of these two units.
-50ª Divisione Regina: this unit had an artillery brigade unattached; but as this was naval artillery, not field, I suggest to give to Rodi (its home station) 2 points of fortifications, rather than improving the fighting ability of the division. Otherwise, the average player would be tempted to rescue Regina to use it in the continent, that's not historical at all.

A final consideration about ilalian-occupied territories. At the end of 1941, Italy had invaded Croatia, had annexed Lubijana, Dalmatia and Montenegro, and controlled with its troops all of Greece, side by side with Germans. These were Hitler's concessions to restore some popularity to fascism, that in Italy was down due to the loss of A.O.I. and to the disastrous initial military campaigns.
This situation is by now largely ignored by HOI.
About Greece, I admit I didn't study sufficiently the argument, but I imagine there was an agreement bethween Hitler and Mussolini to devolve at least part of these resources to Italy. I suggest to have one-half greek provinces (Ioannina, Agrinion, Argastoli, and Patrai) to be under Italian control until the effective historical situation will be clearified.


1) UNITS LIST

ARMORED DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
131ª Divisione
Centauro M.13/40 30% FIRENZE Pizzolato
132ª Divisione
Ariete M.13/40 Antitank 100%BIR EL AKIM Baldassarre
133ª Divisione
Littorio M.13/40 70% MOSTAR Bitossi
136ª Div. Giovani
Fascisti L.3/33 30% TARANTO Sozzani

MOTORIZED DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
101ª Divisione Trieste 80%BIR EL AKIM Piazzoni
102ª Divisione Trento 80% TRIPOLI Nuvoloni
103ª Divisione Piacenza 0% March 1942 Rossi
104ª Divisione Mantova 0% March 1942 Dupont
105ª Divisione Rovigo 0% March 1942 Rovida

INFANTRY DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
1ª Divisione Superga 100% NAPOLI Lorenzelli
2ª Divisione Sforzesca Antitank 70% ROMA Ollearo
3ª Divisione Ravenna Antitank 70% TORINO Nebbia
4ª Divisione Livorno Engineers 100% TORINO Gioda
5ª Divisione Cosseria Artillery 70% GENOVA Gazzale
6ª Divisione Cuneo 80% IRAKLION Melotti
7ª Divisione Lupi di Toscana 40% LARISA Reisoli
9ª Divisione Pasubio * Artillery 80% KHARCHOV Giovannelli
10ª Divisione Piave * 90% GENOVA Roncaglia
11ª Divisione Brennero 80% VLORE Berardi
12ª Divisione Sassari 100% DUBROVNIK Monticelli
13ª Divisione Re 90% SPLIT Fiorenzoli
14ª Divisione Isonzo 80% LUBIJANA Romero
15ª Divisione Bergamo 90% SPLIT Belletti
16ª Divisione Pistoia 100% BARI Negro G.
17ª Divisione Pavia * 60% BARDIA Giglioli
18ª Divisione Messina 80% MOSTAR Tucci
19ª Divisione Venezia 70% BAGORICA Bonini
20ª Divisione Friuli 80% BOLOGNA Ferroni
21ª Div. Granatieri di Sardegna 100% LUBIJANA Orlando
22ª Div. Cacciatori delle Alpi 100% SPLIT Pivano
23ª Divisione Ferrara 50% TIRANA Zani
24ª Divisione Pinerolo 70% LARISA De Stefanis
25ª Divisione Bologna * 80% BARDIA Marghinotti
26ª Divisione Assietta Artillery 100% MESSINA Girlando
27ª Divisione Brescia * 60% DERNA Zambon
28ª Divisione Aosta 70% MESSINA D'Arle
29ª Divisione Piemonte 80% LARISA Naldi
30ª Divisione Sabauda 80% CAGLIARI Sozzani
31ª Divisione Calabria 80% CAGLIARI Castagna
32ª Divisione Marche 80% DUBROVNIK Pentimalli
33ª Divisione Acqui 90% ERGASTOLI Mazzini
36ª Divisione Forlì 80% ATHINAI Ruggero
37ª Divisione Modena 80% ATHINAI Gloria
38ª Divisione Puglie 80% VLORE D'Aponte
41ª Divisione Firenze 70% VLORE Negri
44ª Divisione Cremona Antitank 100% CAGLIARI Mondino
47ª Divisione Bari 50% BARI Negro M.
48ª Divisione Taro 60% BANJA LUKA Pedrazzoli
49ª Divisione Parma 60% TIRANA Adami
50ª Divisione Regina 100% RODI Scaroina
51ª Divisione Siena Artillery 70% IRAKLION Carta
52ª Divisione Torino * Artillery 80% KHARCHOV Manzi
53ª Divisione Arezzo 70% BAGORICA Ferone
54ª Divisione Napoli 80% SIRACUSA Coturri
55ª Divisione Savona * 70% BARDIA Maggiani
56ª Divisione Casale 80% AGRINION Navarrini
57ª Divisione Lombardia 70% SPLIT Zatti
58ª Divisione Legnano Artillery 60% VENEZIA De Cia
59ª Divisione Cagliari 80% PATRAI Angioj
60ª Divisione Sabratha * 80% BENGASI Soldarelli
80ª Divisione Spezia 0% Jan. 1942

* Semi-motorized division (motorization = 50%-70%)

MOUNTAIN DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
1ª Div. Alpina Taurinense 90% BOURGES Maccario
2ª Div. Alpina Tridentina Antitank 30% BOLZANO Santovito
3ª Divisione Alpina Julia Artillery 30% PATRAI Girotti
4ª Divisione Alpina
Cuneense Antitank 30% TORINO Battisti
5ª Divisione Alpina Pusteria 60% BAGORICA Esposito
6ª Div. Alpina Alpi Graie Artillery 0% Jan. 1942 Girotti

CAVALRY DIVISIONS
1ª Div. Celere Eugenio di Savoia 90% ZAGREB Lo Maglio
2ª Div. Celere Emanuele Filiberto
Testa di Ferro 70% ZAGREB Ceriana
Majneri
3ª Div. Celere Amedeo
Duca d'Aosta Artillery 90% KHARCHOV Marazzani

PARACHUTE DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
185ª Divisione Folgore 0% Jan. 1942 Frattini

MILITIA DIVISIONS
NUMBER & NAME MACHINE BRIGADE STR. LOCATION COMMAN
151ª Divisione Perugia 100% SPLIT Chiminello
153ª Divisione Macerata 0% Jan. 1942 Quarrasito
155ª Divisione Emilia 0% Jan. 1942 Butta
156ª Divisione Vicenza 0% Jan. 1942 Pascolini
158ª Divisione Zara 30% VENEZIA Viale
201ª Divisione Costiera 100% BOURGES Salvi
202ª Divisione Costiera 100% MESSINA
204ª Divisione Costiera 100% CAGLIARI
205ª Divisione Costiera 0% Dec. 1941 Manildo
206ª Divisione Costiera 0% Dec. 1941 D'Havet
207ª Divisione Costiera 0% Dec. 1941
208ª Divisione Costiera 0% Dec. 1941 Binacchi
211ª Divisione Costiera 0% Jan. 1942 Gonnella
212ª Divisione Costiera 0% Jan. 1942 Medori
213ª Divisione Costiera 0% Jan. 1942 Tosi


2) ITALIAN ORDER OF BATTLE, December 1st, 1941

2ª ARMATA (Yugoslavia), Gen. Ambrosio
-133ª Divisione Littorio
-18ª Divisione Messina
V Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Balocco
-13ª Divisione Re
-48ª Divisione Taro
-57ª Divisione Lombardia
VI Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Dalmazzo
-12ª Divisione Sassari
-32ª Divisione Marche
XI Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Robotti
-14ª Divisione Isonzo
-21ª Div. Granatieri di Sardegna
XVIII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Spigo
-15ª Divisione Bergamo
-22ª Div. Cacciatori delle Alpi
-151ª Divisione Perugia
Corpo d'Armata Celere, Gen. Ferrari Orsi
-1ª Div. Celere Eugenio di Savoia
-2ª Div. Celere Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro

4ª ARMATA (Western Italy and France), Gen. Vercellino
I Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Barbassetti di Prun
-1ª Div. Alpina Taurinense
-201ª Divisione Costiera
II Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Zanghieri
-3ª Divisione Ravenna
-4ª Divisione Livorno
-4ª Divisione Alpina Cuneense
XV Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Bancale
-5ª Divisione Cosseria
-10ª Divisione Piave

5ª ARMATA (Lybia), Gen. Gariboldi
X Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Barbieri
-17ª Divisione Pavia
-25ª Divisione Bologna
-55ª Divisione Savona
XX Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Spatocco
-27ª Divisione Brescia
-60ª Divisione Sabratha
XXI Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Navarini
-102ª Divisione Trento
Corpo d'Armata di Manovra, Gen. Gambara (expeditionary force to Germans)
-132ª Divisione Ariete
-101ª Divisione Trieste

6ª ARMATA (Southern Italy and islands), Gen. Rosi
IX Corpo d'Armata, Gen. De Biase
-16ª Divisione Pistoia
-47ª Divisione Bari
XII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Rossi
-26ª Divisione Assietta
-28ª Divisione Aosta
-202ª Divisione Costiera
XIII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Basso
-30ª Divisione Sabauda
-31ª Divisione Calabria
-44ª Divisione Cremona
-204ª Divisione Costiera
XVI Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Cinti
-54ª Divisione Napoli

9ª ARMATA (Albania and Montenegro), Gen. Pirzio Biroli
IV Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Mercalli
-23ª Divisione Ferrara
-49ª Divisione Parma
XIV Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Vecchi
-19ª Divisione Venezia
-53ª Divisione Arezzo
-5ª Divisione Alpina Pusteria
XXV Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Rossi
-11ª Divisione Brennero
-38ª Divisione Puglie
-41ª Divisione Firenze

11ª ARMATA (Greece), Gen. Geloso
-6ª Divisione Cuneo
-51ª Divisione Siena
III Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Arisio
-7ª Divisione Lupi di Toscana
-24ª Divisione Pinerolo
-29ª Divisione Piemonte
VIII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Pafundi
-36ª Divisione Forlì
-37ª Divisione Modena
-59ª Divisione Cagliari
-3ª Divisione Alpina Julia
XXVI Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Della Bona
-33ª Divisione Acqui
-56ª Divisione Casale

(Dodecaneso) Gen. Bastico
-50ª Divisione Regina

XXXV Corpo d'Armata CSIR (USSR), Gen. Messe (expeditionary force to Germans)
-9ª Divisione Pasubio
-52ª Divisione Torino
-3ª Div. Celere Amedeo Duca d'Aosta

RESERVE (Italy)
-131ª Divisione Centauro
-136ª Div. Giovani Fascisti
-2ª Divisione Sforzesca
-58ª Divisione Legnano
-2ª Div. Alpina Tridentina
-158ª Divisione Zara
VII Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Priore
-20ª Divisione Friuli
XIX Corpo d'Armata, Gen. Pentimalli
-1ª Divisione Superga



3) ARMY NEW UNITS POOL

-New armoured divisions
134ª Divisione Centauro II;
135ª Divisione Ariete II;
1ª Divisione Corazzata CC.NN. M;
(?)ª Divisione Leonessa;
130ª and 137ª-139ª Divisione (no further names known).
Hypothetical names. It's very hard to propose appropriate names here. My personal suggestion is to use numbers without names adding the specific 'corazzata' (such as '137ª Divisione Corazzata'), just to be sure not saying absurdities.
-New mechanized divisions
No names known.
No numbers assigned.
Hypothetical names. I propose to use territrial names as it was for infantry and motorized units. So, see below.
-New motorized divisions
100ª and 106ª-109ª Divisione (no further names known; but see below).
-New infantry divisions
34ª-35ª,39ª-40ª, 42ª-43ª, 45ª-46ª, 65ª-79ª, and 81ª-89ª Divisione (no further names known; but see below).
-New cavalry divisions
4ª-xxxª Divisione Celere (no names known).
Hypothetical names. I propose some taken from the Savoia dinasty (as it was for the three existing units), in alphabetical order: Amedeo il Conte Verde, Amedeo il Conte Rosso, Amedeo il Grande, Carlo Alberto Re di Sardegna, Carlo Emanuele il Grande, Oddone di Savoia, Umberto Biancamano, Umberto Re d'Italia, Vittorio Emanuele II Re d'Italia).
-New parachute divisions
184ª Divisione Nembo;
183ª Divisione Ciclone;
180ª, 181ª-182ª and 186ª-189ª Divisione (no further names known).
Hypothetical names. I propose the following ones, having the same spirit: Bufera, Fulmine, Saetta, Tempesta, Tifone, Turbine, Uragano. Also the Regia Aeronautica (Air Force) names of A.D.R.A. might be used, using numbers ranging 1ª-xxxª (such as 1ª Divisione A.D.R.A., 2ª Divisione A.D.R.A., etc.), for such units, though smaller, did exist.
-New marines divisions
None known.
Hypotethical names. A few infantry divisions were transformed into assault & landing (marine) divisions in 1942, so perhaps the same numbers and names available for new infantry units might be used. A second option is to call each of them Divisione da Sbarco (Landing Division), or Divisione Fanti di Marina (Marine Division), with numeration 1ª-xxxª (1ª Divisione da Sbarco, 1ª Divisione Fanti di Marina).
-New mountain divisions
7ª-xxxª Divisione Alpina (no further names known).
Hypotethical names for new units (alphabetical order) follow a territorial logic, as it was the use: Divisione Alpina Alpi Cozie, Alpi Marittime, Cadore, Carnica, Dolomitica, Gran Sasso, Lepontina, Monte Bianco, Monte Rosa, Monti Appennini, Orobica, Pennina, Retica, Vallese.
-New militia divisions
8ª Divisione Di Marcia;
152ª Divisione Piceno;
154ª Divisione Murge;
157ª Divisione Novara;
159ª Divisione Veneto;
150ª Divisione Di Marcia (that's a my proposal to cover n. 150, but this unit never existed);
200ª, 203ª, 209ª-210ª, 214ª-216ª, 220ª-227ª, and 230ª Divisione Costiera (recruited from 1941 to 1943);
217ª-219ª and 228ª-229ª Divisione Costiera (never existed);
may be 231ª-xxxª Divisione Costiera also.

Available numbers for further divisions of the types Armored, Mechanized, Motorized, Infantry, Parachute, Militia and Marine (but NOT Cavalry and Mountain): 91ª-99ª, 110ª-129ª, 140ª-149ª, 160ª-179ª, 190ª-199ª Divisione.
Hypotethical names for new Infantry, Motorized and Mechanized units (in alphabetical order) follow a territorial logic, as it was the use:
-Abruzzi, Agrigento, Agro Romano, Alto Adige, Alessandria, Ancona, Ascoli, Asti, Aquila, Asmara, Avellino, Basilicata, Belluno, Benevento, Bengasi, Biella, Bolzano, Brianza, Brindisi, Caltanissetta, Campania, Campidano, Campobasso, Carrara, Caserta, Catania, Cesena, Chianti, Chieti, Cilento, Ciociaria, Como, Cosenza, Crotone, Enna, Fiume, Foggia, Frignano, Frosinone, Gallura, Genova, Gorizia, Grosseto, Imperia, Irpinia, Isernia, Istria, Langhe, Lazio, Lecce, Lecco, Liguria, Littoria, Lodi, Lomellina, Lucca, Maremma, Massa, Matera, Milano, Mogadiscio, Molise, Monferrato, Nuoro, Oristano, Padova, Palermo, Pesaro, Pescara, Pinerolo, Pisa, Pola, Polesine, Pordenone, Potenza, Prato, Ragusa, Reggio di Calabria, Reggio nell'Emilia, Rieti, Rimini, Rodi, Roma, Romagna, Sabina, Salerno, Sannio, Sardegna, Serre, Sicilia, Siracusa, Sondrio, Taranto, Tavoliere, Teramo, Terni, Terra d'Otranto, Tobruch, Toscana, Trapani, Trentino, Treviso, Tripoli, Tripolitania, Udine, Umbria, Urbino, Valle d'Aosta, Valli di Comacchio, Varese, Veneto, Venezia Giulia, Verbania, Vercelli, Verona, Vibo Valentia, Viterbo.

 

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A few words of explanation.

I'm not proposing here that Italy should be considerably stronger than it is now, I only noticed that's weak in the wrong manner. Those my calculations about industrial production in WWII in HOI terms, iust mean that there is something wrong somewhere. The real industrial problem, for Italy, was the low capacity to produce guns, airplanes, tanks, and supplies.
If the game choice is to mix together research and industrial production, then to reach a better level of simulation, some changes should be made. To research a new rifle, or a new machine prototype, is a matter; to mass produce it is quite different a problem. Research needs for brains, while production for resources and industrial plants.
What I mean is that this might be better simulated by separating, inside the research branch, the achievement of a technology, from the mass use of it. For example, to develop a new gun for the infantry should require long times, but a very low IC cost. But developing it should not bring to any immediate and automatic advantages: it should then be mass produced and distribuited, with both long times and high IC costs.

About fighting ability of italian units, in playing HOI I felt them to be too much reliable, at least in the 1939 scenario.
In 1940, an army of 150.000 men in the N.Africa, led by Graziani (Balbo had been killed in action in the early days of war), was wiped out virtually without fighting, by a british force of 30.000 with a few Mathilda tanks; not less than nine divisions were destroyed. This means, in my eyes, the current HOI fighting ability of italian troops and the competence of their commanders, in 1936 and 1939, are overstimated. A player should work hard inside the doctrine branch of the game to sort out from such a situation. And the doctrine branch of HOI should be larger than it is now, and have a more determinant pound upon the fighting abilities of nations. It should cost less IC points though (like research, it is a matter of brains and not of industrial capacity), leaving current times unchanged.

But, to finish, it is also to be taken into cosideration that Italy was not so weak virtually as one might think, but it was badly leaded. For example, in 1940, Italy attacked Greece with inferior troops (sic!), across mountains, and without any surprise! In this case it was over all a question of stupidity, not a matter of power: a gross mistake a player might or might not to commit.

 

[Vulture]

Aye, I mailed you back... You can post the answer here if you like.

 

[unmerged(13008)]

Originally posted by Hurin
To research a new rifle, or a new machine prototype, is a matter; to mass produce it is quite different a problem. Research needs for brains, while production for resources and industrial plants

As far as I see it, Researching is also INCLUDING the distribution of the new wepaon.

For example you research new Infantry weaponry.
This is brain work and ranges from the drawing of teh design to the first prototyps and admission of a new Model.

The next applied Tech: Basic MP, for example:

It won´t make sense to say, this is plainly research. This part includes production. In my view it even resembles mainly production, distribution and first training with the new weapon.
If it´s ONLY research, how on earth is it possible to equip thousands of soldiers after just having invented it.

Same with ships.
Building ships takes almost notime...considered real building times.
Therefore I consider the process of actually inventing new ships, as subtracted from the ingame building time..

 

[unmerged(16045)]

Originally posted by Vulture
Aye, I mailed you back... You can post the answer here if you like.

Well, here is my answer.

The general balance situation of Italy in the current three HOI scenarios (beyond the details, suggestions and corrections I proposed in all of the previous threads) is, in my opinion, the following:

Industrial Capacity. No doubt it is understimated. I think ICs should be upgraded to some 180-190 -that’s half-way between official choices and the result of my rough calculations above- and tested for eventual further adjustments.

Supplies strategical reserve. This one should be drastically reduced.

Commanders: too clever those of the Army... But don’t touch Balbo!

1936. The Army -overall the home one- is too strong in strength (as in the army list above) and organization; I propose to downgrade organization for all units to 38, except for mountain troops, to be downgraded to 40 (alpini always have been the best trained troops of all infantry). The Navy is probaly close to reality; anyway submarines should be less efficient. The Air Force is too large, it should be about one-half of that of 1939 scenario (see below): just three years before, in 1933, there were but 703 fighters (biplanes) and 538 bombers deployed, plus recon, transports etc: a total of 3125 planes.

1939. Again Army too strong: organization for all should better be some 40, except for mountain troops and paratroopers 43). There are too few units deployed, anyway. Navy: same considerations as for the 1936 scenario. Air Force is too large: in November 1939 there were 5344 planes deployed and 3184 under construction; this might mean, interpolating with 1933 data, 1900 deployed fighters and bombers, and further 1250 of them under construction.

1941. Italian position too small, it lacks of controlled provinces in Jugoslavia and Greece. Also Army too small: whole armies have not been deployed. Organization can stay as it is; I’d just downgrade marines to 43, and upgrade paratroopers to 50-55. Navy: same considerations as for the 1936 scenario. Air Force: I have no data for a comment by now.

 

[unmerged(16045)]

Originally posted by GS_Guderian
As far as I see it, Researching is also INCLUDING the distribution of the new wepaon.

For example you research new Infantry weaponry.
This is brain work and ranges from the drawing of teh design to the first prototyps and admission of a new Model.

The next applied Tech: Basic MP, for example:

It won´t make sense to say, this is plainly research. This part includes production. In my view it even resembles mainly production, distribution and first training with the new weapon.
If it´s ONLY research, how on earth is it possible to equip thousands of soldiers after just having invented it.

You can develop a new MP for the infantry, for example, with some months research and virtually no IC cost. Then you can decide that you have not sufficient IC to equip your divisions with that new weapon by now, and to postate such an improvement for better times. May be you’ll never equip really your infantry with the new MP –too expensive, and useless! Just a few, small units will ever use it… But now you own that technology, and pheraps, with the correct industrial choices, you’ll be soon able to develop a new assault rifle.

A title like ‘Infantry Weaponry’ means that, in order to develop and produce any single new infantry weapons, you must have an industrial basis ready: part of your factories furnished with the technology to build that kind of weapons, and part of your researchers organized and trained for that specific field.

 

[unmerged(13008)]

Originally posted by Hurin
You can develop a new MP for the infantry, for example, with some months research and virtually no IC cost. Then you can decide that you have not sufficient IC to equip your divisions with that new weapon by now, and to postate such an improvement for better times. May be you’ll never equip really your infantry with the new MP –too expensive, and useless! Just a few, small units will ever use it… But now you own that technology, and pheraps, with the correct industrial choices, you’ll be soon able to develop a new assault rifle.

A title like ‘Infantry Weaponry’ means that, in order to develop and produce any single new infantry weapons, you must have an industrial basis ready: part of your factories furnished with the technology to build that kind of weapons, and part of your researchers organized and trained for that specific field.

Well with your version of understanding the Tech Tree it is just a "snap" with your Finger to distribute new weapons.

I INCLUDE the distribution into the technology. Makes more sense in my world

 

[unmerged(16045)]

Originally posted by GS_Guderian
Well with your version of understanding the Tech Tree it is just a "snap" with your Finger to distribute new weapons.

I INCLUDE the distribution into the technology. Makes more sense in my world

That's not understanting, it's a my proposal to modify the tree system.
Italy, to make an historical example, developed many new guns and self-propelled guns, that were good and modern, but that were produced in so little numbers, as to have no impact on the battlefields... But technology advanced.

 

[Vulture]

Originally posted by Hurin
Well, here is my answer.

The general balance situation of Italy in the current three HOI scenarios (beyond the details, suggestions and corrections I proposed in all of the previous threads) is, in my opinion, the following:

Industrial Capacity. No doubt it is understimated. I think ICs should be upgraded to some 180-190 -that’s half-way between official choices and the result of my rough calculations above- and tested for eventual further adjustments.

Supplies strategical reserve. This one should be drastically reduced.

Commanders: too clever those of the Army... But don’t touch Balbo!

1936. The Army -overall the home one- is too strong in strength (as in the army list above) and organization; I propose to downgrade organization for all units to 38, except for mountain troops, to be downgraded to 40 (alpini always have been the best trained troops of all infantry). The Navy is probaly close to reality; anyway submarines should be less efficient. The Air Force is too large, it should be about one-half of that of 1939 scenario (see below): just three years before, in 1933, there were but 703 fighters (biplanes) and 538 bombers deployed, plus recon, transports etc: a total of 3125 planes.

1939. Again Army too strong: organization for all should better be some 40, except for mountain troops and paratroopers 43). There are too few units deployed, anyway. Navy: same considerations as for the 1936 scenario. Air Force is too large: in November 1939 there were 5344 planes deployed and 3184 under construction; this might mean, interpolating with 1933 data, 1900 deployed fighters and bombers, and further 1250 of them under construction.

1941. Italian position too small, it lacks of controlled provinces in Jugoslavia and Greece. Also Army too small: whole armies have not been deployed. Organization can stay as it is; I’d just downgrade marines to 43, and upgrade paratroopers to 50-55. Navy: same considerations as for the 1936 scenario. Air Force: I have no data for a comment by now.

OK

1) IC: Well, it's not hard to raise Italy's IC. But the problem will be they'll break down fairly fast since they won't have the resources to RUN that economy. But if you think it should be done, it's considered.

2) Various OOB's: If you can give me the exact armies (with divisions), names, location etc that are missing I can add them no problem. I don't have the time to doublecheck all inc files with your documents.

3) Reducing ORG: I'll have to delete some doctrines from Italy then. Problem is they'll be even weaker than now and they'll be overrun even more easily, even though UK has a fairly easy job in Africa.

4) Missing provinces in 1941: Which ones?

 

[unmerged(16045)]

Originally posted by Vulture
OK

1) IC: Well, it's not hard to raise Italy's IC. But the problem will be they'll break down fairly fast since they won't have the resources to RUN that economy. But if you think it should be done, it's considered.

2) Various OOB's: If you can give me the exact armies (with divisions), names, location etc that are missing I can add them no problem. I don't have the time to doublecheck all inc files with your documents.

3) Reducing ORG: I'll have to delete some doctrines from Italy then. Problem is they'll be even weaker than now and they'll be overrun even more easily, even though UK has a fairly easy job in Africa.

4) Missing provinces in 1941: Which ones?

1) My proposal is for a general revision, but I think the current global balancement of Italy in the 1936 and 1939 scenarios is good and should stay about unchanged. Only the situation of the 1941 scenario should be considerably improved, for it is understimated.
Thus, in a few words technology and IC should grow, while armed forces capability should go down. But just upgrading ICs without upgrading resources it's pointless.

2) I already placed a file in the forum, months ago, with all of those simple corrections you ask me for, at least about the 1939 scenario.
But, of course, the OOBs of this last my file are by far more precise and complete.

3) No problem to have a weaker Italy, upon the military point of view, at 1936 and 1939 scenarios starts. In 1939 Italy was not ready for war, as the first libic campaign and the greek adventure clearly demonstrated. And in 1936 situation was even worser, with most of the best equipments and resources projected to the ethiopic campaign.
On the other hand in 1941, as I said, the military situation was better than in the HOI scenario.

4) Missing provinces are in the introduction to the 'Regio Esercito 1941' above: Croatia, Lubijana area, Dalmatia, and Montenegro; moreover I proposed part of Greece.

I understand you are short of time but, please, try to collect my files (old and new) all together. I know well the problems that are behind the preparation and testing of a game, but I'm sure you can find them useful as a reference basis. It's hard to find such a material about italian armed forces in WWII.