Italian RSI Briefing

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The Allied landings in Sicily (July 10th, 1943) were the first step in the invasion of Italy. In 1943 criticism of Mussolini’s conduct of the war mounted, particularly in the army and Monarchist circles. The Italian government was fed up with the war and the invasion of Sicily threw it into crisis and the Italian Fascist leaders opposed to Mussolini began to agitate for his removal. While Mussolini and Hitler met on July 19 in Northern Italy, US warplanes bombed Rome and killed 2000 people. On July 25, King Vittorio Emanuele III had Il Duce arrested and replaced him with Marshal Pietro Badoglio, the Army Chief of Staff.

OperatiOn achse

When Mussolini fell on 25 July 1943 Hitler was greatly disturbed over the fate of his fellow dictator and wanted to take immediate action by staging a coup d’état with German troops. He wanted to arrest Badoglio and the King, liberate Mussolini, and re-establish the fascist regime under German protection. Elements of the 2nd Parachute Division were at once flown to Rome to bolster German strength. But caution, ignorance of Mussolini’s whereabouts, and the apparent willingness of the Italians to maintain the alliance with Germany restrained Hitler. However, the idea was not dropped and General Kurt Student was charged with preparing the overthrow of Badoglio’s government with the XI Air Corps, a parachute unit, now dispatched to Italy. At the same time Otto Skorzeny, a daredevil SS officer, received the mission of locating and liberating Mussolini. Instead of a sudden and dramatic move, Hitler decided to occupy Italy unobtrusively and gradually by increasing the number of German divisions in the country, if possible in agreement with Comando Supremo.

On 1 August 1943 OKW issued a new and revised version of the plan to take over Italy. Assigned the code name ACHSE (Axis), the plan recognized the danger to German troops in Italy that would come about from Italian defection and Allied landings on the Italian mainland. There were as yet no strong German forces in northern Italy and Rommel’s headquarters was still in Munich. German forces in southern and central Italy and on Sicily had been increased to eight divisions. Of these, three divisions and part of a fourth were fighting on Sicily, one division was located on Sardinia, and an SS brigade occupied Corsica. At this time it was believed that Italian “treachery” could isolate all the German forces in southern and central Italy as well as those fighting on Sicily.

The directive still envisioned Kesselring directing a withdrawal to the Rome area, which was to be held until all troops had escaped from the south and from Sardinia. The Germans were to disarm the Italian Army in the process and to treat evacuated territory as hostile country. Rommel was to secure and occupy all the Alpine and Apennine passes as well as the major northern ports. The Italian Army was to be disarmed and the region of northern Italy pacified with the help of fascist organizations. Other sections contained instructions to the Commander-in-Chief-Southeast for taking over the defence of the Balkans and disarming Italian troops in that region.

On 8 September Kesselring was faced with the triple task of opposing the Allied armies, establishing German forces on the mainland, and rendering the Italian armed forces ineffective. In this mission he was aided by the lack of Italian fighting spirit and poor planning on the part of

Comando Supremo. In the Tenth Army sector Italian troops all but disappeared overnight; near Rome Kesselring needed only two days to convince the five Italian divisions located there to go home; in the north Rommel methodically disarmed and dissolved all Italian Army units. Italy had ceased to be an ally, but she also ceased to be a threat. Unhampered by the previously necessary regard for the sensitivity of Comando Supremo and the Italian Government, the Germans proceeded to conduct the defence of Italy with no considerations except their own self-interest.

Operation Achse was a success: 48 hours after the armistice, 14 German divisions disarmed 33 Italian divisions and the Italian Army was largely disbanded. On 12 September 1943, after weeks of research, the German intelligence services managed to locate where Mussolini was being held as a prisoner and launched a covert operation to rescue him.

The coup de main, organized and performed by German Parachutists, was a success and, two days later, a worn-out Duce arrived at Rastenburg where he found several of his hard-line fascist generals waiting. After strong pressure from Hitler, Mussolini accepted a new political role as the head of the new Italian Fascist Government, and on September 23rd, 1943, the “Repubblica Sociale Italiana” (in short RSI) was founded with its capital located at Salò, a small village on Lake Garda.

esercitO naziOnale repubblicanO (natiOnal republican army)After the Italian armistice, a virtual civil war broke out within the forces of the defunct Italian Armies between those who continued support of the Axis cause and those joining the Allies. A few units were able to stand together; while some went over to the Allies, such as the garrison of Sardinia, while others went over to the Germans. The great majority of the Italian army, left without orders, was disbanded. The Germans killed thousands of soldiers in attempts to quell any resistance and attempts by the former Axis troops to join the Allies or the partisans; and others were disarmed, sent to Germany and interned in work camps.

An inventory done by General Jodl showed that Operation Student led to confiscation from Italian troops of 1,255,660 rifles, 38,383 machine guns, 9,986 artillery pieces, 15,500 vehicles, 6,760 mules and horses. Approximately 60,000 Italian soldiers were interned in German camps.

After the RSI formation, Mussolini obtained out of Hitler the re-establishment of Italian Armed Forces, under the guide of General Rodolfo Graziani. After many summits between Italian and German authorities, the Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano was founded on 27th October 1943.

badOgliOtruppen

The original protocol, signed in Rastenburg on 16 October, provided that:

a) OKW should have equipped, armed and trained four Italian divisions (one alpine and three infantry) for a total of 52,000 men. The main part of these to be volunteers from prison camps in Germany. Becasue of this the German instructors’ tasks should have been easier becasue the officers, NCOs, and soldiers were veterans of three years of

Per l’onore d’ItaliaPost-1943 Italian Fascist ENR forces for Flames of War

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Italian RSI Special RulesDue to their training by the Germans in German methods the Italian RSI troops use the following German Special Rules: Kampfgruppe, Mission Tactics and Stormtroopers.

8 Million BayonetsTo reflect the rather mixed source of the recruits and sub-sequent mixed performance the Italian RSI troops retain the 8 Million Bayonets rule.

8 Million Bayonets Roll IAlpini IIFucilieri IIIFanteriadiMarina IVBersaglieri (Monterosa) (Littorio) (SanMarco) (Italia)

1 Reluctant Trained Reluctant Trained Reluctant Trained Reluctant Trained

2 Reluctant Trained Reluctant Veteran Reluctant Trained Reluctant Trained

3 Reluctant Veteran Confident Trained Reluctant Veteran Reluctant Trained

4 Confident Trained Confident Trained Confident Veteran Confident Trained

5 Confident Veteran Confident Veteran Fearless Trained Confident Veteran

6 Fearless Trained Fearless Trained Fearless Trained Fearless Trained

Italian platoons are rated as I Alpini, II Fucilieri or Regular, III Fanteria di Marina, or IV Besaglieri to re-flect the different divisions. After deployment, but before the first turn, roll a die for each platoon and its attached teams and consult the 8 Million Bayonets table to deter-mine their Training and Motivation characteristics.

war. After four months, in early June 1944, the first divisions were to be ready to reach the Italian front, while another four divisions were to have started training, returning to Italy by the end of that year;

b) A ninth armoured division was to be formed in Wunsdorf, at the German Motorized Military School. Completely equipped with German tanks, it was to have been composed of personnel coming from Italian armoured and motorized divisions;

c) The Italian High Command was to have organized about 30,000 men to form alpine artillery, engineers and anti-aircraft companies to be put at the disposal of German divisions operating in Italy, mainly for anti-aircraft and coastal defence.

It was very soon clear that German promises wouldn’t be carried out. Field-Marshal Keitel, OKW commandant, and the other German generals didn’t trust the Italian prisoners, defined derisively as Badogliotruppen, viewing them as untrustworthy and unwilling. Only about 13,100 (3,275 men per division) left the prison camps as volunteers. The RSI government had to resort to conscription to complete the numbers necessary for the four planned divisions.

the fOur divisiOns

The conscription called on the classes of 1925 and 1924. The RSI authorities were amazed by the enthusiastic response during the first few weeks. When it was known that the Italian divisions were going to be trained in Germany quite a lot of them, thinking that the call up was just an excuse to deport them, preferred to desert with many joining the partisans in the mountains. The training location was imposed by OKW, officially to offer the well-organised German training facilities, where large-scale manoeuvres and exercises could take place. In fact Field-Marshal Keitel didn’t want the four divisions, well trained and equipped, but potentially unfaithful, detached in the immediate rear of Kesserling’s front-line troops.

At the beginning of 1944 the first troop trains, guarded by German armed sentries, left Italy to carry to Germany the recruits of the first four divisions of the new RSI Army:

- 1st (later 4th) Alpini Division “Monterosa”

- 2nd Infantry Division “Littorio”

- 3rd Naval Infantry Division “San Marco”

- 4th (later 1st) Bersaglieri Division “Italia”

The human composition of the divisions was very heterogeneous. There were hard fascists, veterans of the Royal Army, prisoners who volunteered only to come back to Italy, or just to leave the lagers, 19 year old conscripts, captured absentees and even mopped up and forgiven partisans. Life in the training camps was miserable, with bare survival meals and incredibly hard physical and tactical training, but the end product was four first-class divisions with very high morale and operational skills, eager to fight against the Allies.

Unfortunately, the Germans did not trust the Italians any more by this time, and when the divisions returned to Italy they were assigned to counter-insurgency and coastal-defence operations. The morale of the soldiers was quickly shattered, and their operational skill diminished. Soon the desertion rate was very high.

Besides garrison and anti-partisan activity, the RSI army fought on the north-east frontier against the Yugoslavian partisans (who by 1944 were already organized as a regular army) that were advancing against Trieste, Udine and Venice in Italy. The only large offensive operation of the RSI Army against the Allies was a regimental-size tactical counterattack in the Appennines in the Winter of 1944 against Brazilian troops. The operation was a success, and the RSI troops proved themselves very skilled and aggressive in this otherwise brief encounter.

The end of April 1945 saw RSI Army troops retreating northward before the Allied troops spreading into Padana plain, after breaking the Gothic Line. With the final and total Axis surrender, the four divisions ceased any military operations and surrendered to advancing US units or to the few “legitimate” partisan combat outfits in the region.

Some platoons were not available in some of the RSI divisions, the right side of each platoon’s title bar indicates which companies can have that platoon. I: Monterosa, II: Littorio, III: San Marco and IV: Italia.

Tenente

Capitano

Company CommandSMG team

Company HQ

Compagnia di Fanteria

Capitano

Sergente

Anti-tank Section

2iC Command SMG team

Fucilieri Platoon

Tenente

Fucilieri Platoon

Tenente

Fucilieri Platoon

Panzerschreck team

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rsi cOmpagnia fanteria

A force based around a Compagnia Fucilieri, Alpini, Bersaglieri or Fanteria di Marina must contain:

1 Company HQ, and 2 or 3 Fucilieri, Alpini, Bersaglieri or Fanteria di Marina Platoons.

Weapons Platoons available to a Compagnia Fucilieri, Alpini, Bersaglieri or Fanteria Marina are:

0 to 2 Machine-gun Platoons, 0 to 2 Mortar Platoons, and0 to 1 Infantry Gun Platoon.

Support Platoons available to a Compagnia Fucilieri, Alpini, Bersaglieri or Fanteria di Marina are:

0 to 1 Light Anti-tank Gun Platoon, 0 to 1 Light Anti-aircraft Gun Platoon,0 to 1 Pioneer Platoon (p. 11),0 to 1 Armoured Car Platoon (p. 9), Bersaglieri Ciclisti Platoon (p. 8), or Bersaglieri Motociclisti Platoon (p. 8), 0 to 1 Anti-tank Gun Platoon (p. 12), or Assault Gun Platoon (p. 14, IV only),

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0 to 2 Artillery Batteries (p. 13),0 to 1 German Grenadier Platoon (p. 34, Festung Europa), or Gebirgsjäger Platoon (PDF Briefing), 0 to 1 German Tank Hunter Platoon, Marder III M (p. 46, Festung Europa, III only), and0 to 1 German Motorised Artillery Battery (p. 48, Festung Europa).

You may have two Support Platoons for each Fucilieri, Alpini, Bersaglieri or Fanteria di Marina Platoon you field.

mOtivatiOn and skill

The newly raised troops of the RSI are recruited from a mix of royal army veterans taken from POW camps, volunteers and raw conscripts. Due to this the different companies of the RSI forces can vary in morale and fighting effectiveness from unit to unit. A Compagnia Fucilieri, Alpini, Bersaglieri or Fanteria di Marina is rated as indicated by the Company HQ (8 Million Bayonets Special Rule p. 2).

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Compagnia di Fanteria

HEADQUARTERS

HeadquartersI Alpini, II Fucilieri, III Fanteria di Marina and IV Bersaglieri

CompanyHQ 35points

Options Replace either or both Command SMG teams

with Command Panzerfaust SMG teams for +10 points per team.

Add Anti-tank Section for +20 points.

Replace Panzerschreck team with a 8.8cm RW43 Püppchen rocket launcher at no cost.

Add up to three Sniper teams for +50 points per team.

All Combat, Weapons and Support Platoons must be the same rating as the Company HQ.

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� cOmpany hQ

The infantry form the core of the RSI Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano (ENR) divisions. Each company can call on support from the battalion’s weapons as well as heavy equipment and specialists from the divisional support units. Even the occasional German platoon may lend a hand.

(infantry cOmpany)

I II III IV

Sergente

Fanteria Squad

Tenente

CommandRifle/MG team

HQ Section

Fanteria Platoon

Tenente

Rifle/MG team

Rifle/MG team

Sergente

Rifle/MG team Rifle/MG team

Rifle/MG team

Rifle/MG team

Sergente

Fanteria Squad

Fanteria Squad

Sergente

MG Section

Tenente

CommandSMG team

HQ Section

Machine-gun Platoon

Tenente

MG42 HMG MG42 HMG

MG42 HMG MG42 HMG

Sergente

MG Section

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Combat Platoons

PlatoonI Alpini

HQ Section with:

3FanteriaSquads 120points


II Fucilieri and III Fanteria di Marina

HQ Section with:



IV Bersaglieri

HQ Section with:



Options Replace Command Rifle/MG team with a

Command Panzerfaust SMG team for +10 points.•

� Or � fucilieri, alpini, bersaglieri Or fanteria di marina platOOns

Despite their array on honorary titles the men of the RSI Alpini, Fucilieri, Fanteria di Marina and Besaglieri platoons completed the same intense training under the Germans.

Provided with a new understanding of German methods and a mix of Italian and German equipment these new units are ready to get to grips with the enemy.

Weapons Platoons

PlatoonI Alpini

HQ Section with:

2MGSections 110points

1MGSection 65points


HQ Section with:


1MGSection 70points

IV Bersaglieri

HQ Section with:


1MGSection 60points

Options Replace Command SMG team with a Command

Panzerfaust SMG team for +10 points.•

0 tO � machine-gun platOOns

Whether armed with the German MG-42 or the Italian Breda modello 37 heavy machine-gun, the machine-gunners can provide the infantry with devastating support fire.


I II III IV

I II III IV

Sergente

Mortar Section

Tenente

CommandRifle team

HQ Section

Mortar Platoon

Tenente

81/14mortar

Sergente

81/14mortar

81/14mortar

Observer Rifle teamObserver Rifle team

81/14mortar

Mortar Section

Sergente

Infantry Gun Section

Tenente

HQ Section

Infantry Gun Platoon

Tenente

65/17 gun

CommandSMG team

Observer Rifle team

Sergente

65/17 gun

Infantry Gun Section

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PlatoonI Alpini

HQ Section with:

2MortarSections 110points

1MortarSection 65points


HQ Section with:



IV Bersaglieri

HQ Section with:



Options Replace Command Rifle team with a Command

Panzerfaust SMG team for +15 points.•

0 tO � mOrtar platOOns

Combining the best of German training with the excellent Italian 81/14 mortar provides the Company with on call artillery support.

PlatoonI Alpini

HQ Section with:

2InfantryGunSections 60points


HQ Section with:


IV Bersaglieri

HQ Section with:


Options Replace Command SMG team with a Command

Panzerfaust SMG team for +10 points.

Replace both 65/17 guns with 7.5cm leIG18 guns for +10 points (III only)

Add Pack Horse or Mule teams at no cost.

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0 tO � infantry gun platOOn

The Italians have always used light guns in the infantry support role, and nothing has changed under German doctrine. With the German style Infantry gun Platoon a compagnia fanteria can call on 65/17 guns (or 7.5cm leIG18 guns in the San Marco Division) to provide a little more hitting power against key enemy positions.

Provided with pack mules or horses the men of the platoon have little trouble keeping the guns up with the advancing infantry, enabling them to be on hand to provide support whenever needed.


Pack Horse teams make Gun teams transported by them move as Man-packed. Pack Horse teams don’t have to be modelled.

I II III IV

I II III IV

Sergente

Anti-aircraft Section

Tenente

HQ Section

Light Anti-aircraft Gun Platoon

Tenente

CommandSMG team

3-ton truck

Sergente

3-ton truck

Sergente


20/65 gun

20/65 gun 20/65 gun

3-ton truck


Field Car

Truck

Light Anti-tank Gun Platoon

Tenente

Tenente

HQ Section

SergenteSergente

Anti-tankGun Section



Sergente

75/27 gun

Truck

75/27 gun

Truck

Field Car

75/27 gun

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Support Platoons

PlatoonI Alpini

HQ Section with:

3Anti-tankGunSections 80points



HQ Section with:



IV Bersaglieri

HQ Section with:



Options Add Kfz 15 field car and Kfz 70 trucks for +5

points for the platoon.

Replace all 75/27 guns with 75/32 guns for +10 points per Anti-tank Gun Section.

Replace all 75/27 guns with 6 pdr guns for +5 points per Anti-tank Gun Section. (Not available to III.)

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0 tO � light anti-tank gun platOOn

Short of decent large calibre anti-tank guns the Italians were forced to press older field guns into action against armour. Some of the newer Cannone da 75/32 modello 37 were pressed into action alongside older 75/27 guns and captured 6pdrs supplied by the Germans. The Italians’ effetto pronto HEAT ammunition allowed them to put older field guns to good use against tanks.

PlatoonI Alpini

HQ Section with:

3Anti-aircraftSections 75points



HQ Section with:



IV Bersaglieri

HQ Section with:



Options Add 3-ton trucks for +5 points for the platoon.•

0 tO � light anti-aircraft gun platOOn

The Allies dominate the sky over Italy and the 20/65 anti-aircraft gun serves well to protect the ENR troops from their onslaught. It is light and compact and easily transported on a truck.

It can also be used in ground operations against Allied infantry attacks.


I II III IV

I II III IV

A Gruppo Esplorante Company HQ is a Reconnaissance Platoon.

Tenente

Capitano

Company CommandSMG team

Company HQ

Gruppo Esplorante

Capitano

Sergente

Anti-tank Section

2iC Command SMG team

Ciclisti Platoon

Tenente

Ciclisti Platoon

Tenente

Ciclisti Platoon

Panzerschreck team

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A force based around a Gruppo Esplorante must contain:1 Company HQ, and 1 to 3 Bersaglieri Ciclisti or Arditi Platoons.

Weapons Platoons available to a Gruppo Esplorante are:0 to 1 Mortar Platoon (p. 5).

Support Platoons available to a Gruppo Esplorante are: 0 to 1 Light Anti-tank Gun Platoon (p. 6), 0 to 1 Light Anti-aircraft Gun Platoon (p. 6),0 to 1 Besaglieri or Arditi Motociclisti Platoon,0 to 1 Armoured Car Platoon, 0 to 1 Anti-tank Gun Platoon (p. 12),0 to 2 Artillery Batteries (p. 13),0 to 1 German Grenadier Platoon (p. 34, Festung

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Europa), or Gebirgsjäger Platoon (PDF Briefing), and0 to 1 German Motorised Artillery Battery (p. 48, Festung Europa).

You may have two Support Platoons for each Bersaglieri Ciclisti or Arditi Platoon you field.


The newly raised troops of the RSI are recruited from a mix of royal army veterans taken from POW camps, volunteers and raw conscripts. Due to this the different companies of the RSI forces can vary in morale and fighting effectiveness from unit to unit. A Gruppo Esplorante is rated as indicated by the Company HQ (8 Million Bayonets Special Rule p. 2).

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Gruppo Esplorante

HEADQUARTERS

HeadquartersCompanyHQ 45points






All Combat, Weapons and Support Platoons must be the same rating as the Company HQ.

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� cOmpany hQ

The reconnaissance companies are the eyes and ears of the ENR divisions. They are Arditi for the San Marco and Besaglieri for the others.

(recOnnaissance infantry cOmpany)

rsi gruppO esplOrante

I II III IV

A Bersaglieri Ciclisti or Arditi Platoon is a Reconnaissance Platoon.

A Bersaglieri or Arditi Motociclisti Platoon is a Reconnaissance Platoon.

A Motociclisti Platoon’s teams mounted on motorcycles are Cavalry teams except that Motociclisti mounted on motorcycles cannot launch an Assault, and they move as a Jeep team rather than a Cavalry team.

Sergente

Tenente

CommandRifle team

HQ Section

Bersaglieri Ciclisti or Arditi Platoon

Tenente

Rifle team Rifle team

Sergente

Scout Squad Scout Squad


Sergente

Scout Squad


Sergente

Tenente

CommandRifle team

HQ Section

Motociclisti Platoon

Tenente


Sergente

Scout Squad Scout Squad

Motorcycle

Motorcycle

Motorcycle


Motorcycle

Motorcycle

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Combat Platoons

PlatoonI Monterosa

HQ Section with:

3ScoutSquads 120points


II Littoria and III San Marco

HQ Section with:



IV Italia

HQ Section with:



Options

Replace Command Rifle team with a Command Panzerfaust SMG team for +15 points.

Replace all Rifle teams with Rifle/MG teams for +5 points per team.

Replace all Rifle/MG teams with SMG teams for no cost.

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� tO � bersaglieri ciclisti Or arditi platOOns

Support Platoons

PlatoonII Littorio and III San Marco

HQ Section with:


1ScoutSquad 60points

Options

Replace Command Rifle team with a Command Panzerfaust SMG team for +15 points.


Replace all Rifle/MG teams with SMG teams for no cost.

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0 tO � bersaglieri Or arditi mOtOciclisti platOOn

A portion of the reconnaissance battalions are motorised on motorcycles, including the Arditi of Marco’s reconnaissance battalion. These troops provide the divisions’ scouts with the ability to range further from main body. Even behind the lines their mobility can prove useful when searching for the unpredictable partisans or uncovering potential danger during a march.


II III

The reconnaissance battalions of the ENR divisions are formed from Bersaglieri bicycle troops (Arditi for San Marco). They provide scouting patrols to probe the enemy positions.

I II III IV

An Armoured Car Platoon is a Reconnaissance Platoon.

Tenente

Tenente

Sergente

HQ Section

Armoured Car Section

Armoured Car Platoon

Command AB41Armoured Car

AB41Armoured Car

AB41Armoured Car

AB41Armoured Car

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PlatoonI Monterosa

HQ Section with:

1ArmouredCarSection 105points

NoArmouredCarSection 50points

II Litorrio

HQ Section with:

1ArmouredCarSection 110points

NoArmouredCarSection 55points

0 tO � armOured car platOOn

The 1st and 2nd Reconnaissance battalions also have a small complement of armoured cars at their disposal. Ideal for patrolling roads the AB41 offers extra back-up during the scouting missions of the Bersaglieri scouts of the Monterosa and Littorio divisions.


I II

Tenente

Capitano

Company CommandPioneer SMG team

Company HQ

Compagnia Genio

Capitano

Sergente

Anti-tank Section

2iC Command Pioneer SMG team

Genieri Platoon

Tenente

Genieri Platoon

Tenente

Genieri Platoon

Panzerschreck team

�0

A force based around a Compagnia Genio must contain:1 Company HQ, and 2 or 3 Genieri Platoons.

Weapons Platoons available to a Compagnia Genio are:0 to 1 Mortar Platoon (p. 5).

Support Platoons available to a Compagnia Genio are: 0 to 1 Light Anti-tank Gun Platoon (p. 6), 0 to 1 Light Anti-aircraft Gun Platoon (p. 6), 0 to 1 Anti-tank Gun Platoon (p. 12), or Assault Gun Platoon (p. 14, IV only),0 to 2 Artillery Batteries (p. 13),0 to 1 German Grenadier Platoon (p. 34, Festung Europa), or Gebirgsjäger Platoon (PDF Briefing),0 to 1 German Tank Hunter Platoon, Marder III M (p.

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46, Festung Europa, III only), and0 to 1 German Motorised Artillery Battery (p. 48, Festung Europa).

You may have two Support Platoons for each Genieri Platoon you field.


The newly raised troops of the RSI are recruited from a mix of royal army veterans taken from POW camps, volunteers and raw conscripts. Due to this the different companies of the RSI forces can vary in morale and fighting effectiveness from unit to unit. A Compagnia Genio is rated as indicated by the Company HQ (8 Million Bayonets Special Rule p. 2).

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Compagnia Genio

HEADQUARTERS

HeadquartersCompanyHQ 45points






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� cOmpany hQ

Each of the four divisions has a engineer battalion to provide engineers for clearing minefields and other battlefield obstacles as well as a range of more mundane engineering tasks.

They are also trained in the assault engineering role using German techniques to clear enemy fortified positions with close assaults, flame-throwers and explosive charges.

Like the Germans they are often used in the first wave of a prepared attack, making certain the way is clear of fortified hazards for the following infantry.

(infantry cOmpany)

rsi cOmpagnia geniO

I II III IV

You may replace up to two Pioneer Rifle teams in the platoon with a Flame-thrower team each at the start of the game before deployment.

Genieri Platoon

Tenente

Sergente

Pioneer Squad

Sergente

Pioneer Squad

PioneerRifle team

PioneerRifle team

PioneerRifle team

Sergente

Pioneer Squad

PioneerRifle team

PioneerRifle team

PioneerRifle team

Command Pioneer Rifle team Pioneer Supply horse-drawn wagon

Tenente

HQ Section

PioneerRifle team

PioneerRifle team

PioneerRifle team

��

Combat Platoons

PlatoonI Monterosa

HQ Section with:

3GenieriSquads 175points


II Litoria and III San Marco

HQ Section with:



IV Italia

HQ Section with:



Options

Replace Command Rifle team with a Command Panzerfaust SMG team for +15 point.


Add Pioneer Supply horse-drawn wagon for +20 points, or Pioneer Supply 3-ton truck for +25 points.

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� Or � genieri platOOns

Armed with rifles, machine-guns, satchel charges, and Flame-throwers the Genieri Platoon’s men are ready to overcome any enemy fortified position. Bunkers provide no difficulties to these specialist assault pioneers.

rsi cOmpagnia geniO

I II III IV

Tenente

Anti-tank Gun Platoon

Tenente

Sergente

Anti-tank Gun Section Anti-tank Gun Section

Sergente

HQ Section

75/27 gun

75/27 gun

75/27 gun

75/27 gun

3-ton truck3-ton truck

3-ton truck3-ton truck

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Italian RSI companies may have the following Support Platoons:

0 to 1 Anti-tank Gun Platoon,0 to 2 Artillery Batteries, and0 to 1 Assault Gun Platoon (IV Italia only).


Division support platoons are rated as indicated by the

•••

Company HQ of the company they are supporting (8 Million Bayonets Special Rule p. 2).

air suppOrt

Italian RSI copanies may take German Sporadic Air support (p. 45, Festung Europa)

Division Support

HeadquartersI Monterosa

HQ Section with:


1Anti-tankGunSection 60points

II Littorio and III San Marco

HQ Section with:



IV Italia

HQ Section with:



Options Replace 75/27 guns with 75/32 guns for +20

points per Gun Section.

Replace 75/27 guns with 7.5cm PaK40 guns for +35 points per Gun Section.

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0 tO � anti-tank gun platOOn

For heavy anti-tank work the ENR divisions relied on their old field guns firing the effetto pronto HEAT round.

However some units are lucky enough to be issued with the powerful German 7.5cm PaK40 gun. With this modern weapon any Allied tank becomes vulnerable, lessening the threat to the otherwise anti-tank light RSI forces.

rsi divisiOn suppOrt

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Sergente

Gun Section

Tenente

HQ Section

Artillery Battery

Tenente

75/13 gun

75/13 gun

Sergente

Gun Section

CommandSMG team

Staff team

Observer Rifle team

75/13 gun

75/13 gun

Observer Rifle team

Pack Horse team Pack Horse team

Pack Horse team

Pack Horse team

Pack Horse team

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HeadquartersI Monterosa

HQ Section with:

2GunSections 125points

1GunSection 70points

II Littorio and III San Marco

HQ Section with:



IV Italia

HQ Section with:



Options Add Pack Horse teams at no cost.

Replace 75/13 guns and Pack Horse teams with 100/17 guns and TL-37 tractors for +25 points per Gun Section.

A force may not have more than one Artillery Bat-tery with 100/17 guns.

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0 tO � artillery batteries

Each ENR division is equipped with four battalions or groups. Three groups are armed with the Skoda 75/13 mountain gun and the fourth with the 100/17 howitzer.

The 75/13 gun is ideal for the mountainous terrain of the Gothic Line, it being relatively light and easily transported on pack animals.

For heavier fire support the old, but robust, Skoda 100/17 provides the high-explosive power needed to destroy dug-in enemy positions. However it is a heavy gun that requires motorised transport to get into a firing position.

rsi divisiOn suppOrt

Pack Horse teams make Gun teams transported by them move as Man-packed. Pack Horse teams don’t have to be modelled.

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TenenteTenente

Sergente Sergente

Sergente

Assault Gun Platoon

Assault Gun Section Assault Gun Section

Assault Gun Section

HQ Section

Semovente 75/18 Semovente 75/18

Semovente 75/18

Command Semovente 75/18

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HeadquartersIV Italia

HQ Section with:

4Semovente75/18 150points



0 tO � assault gun platOOn

The Germans have taken over much of Italy’s industry and armoured vehicles to be put towards their own war effort, but the Italia Division is lucky enough to received some Semoventes. The division is supported by a Gruppo of nine Semovente 75/18 assault guns.

Though lightly armoured compared to Allied tanks, when handled with skill they can use their 75mm gun to good effect. The 75/18 gun fires the effetto pronto HEAT round that had proved so useful in the desert.

IV

German Support Platoons

0 tO � grenadier platOOn

0 tO � gebirgsjäger platOOn

0 tO � mOtOrised artillery battery

0 tO � tank hunter platOOn, marder iii m III

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P.35, Festung Europa.

P.4, 5. Gebirgsdivision Intelligence Briefing (PDF).



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Italian RSI Arsenal

Gun TeamsWeapon Mobility Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower NotesMG42 HMG Man-packed 24”/60cm 6 2 6 ROF 2 when pinned down.8.8cm RW43 (Püppchen) launcher Man-packed 16”/40cm 1 11 5+ 81/14 mortar Man-packed 48”/120cm - 2 6 Smoke bombardment.65/17 gun Light 16”/40cm 2 8 3+ Firing bombardments 64”/160cm - 2 67.5cm leIG18 gun Light 16”/40cm 2 9 3+ Gun shield, Smoke. Firing bombardments 64”/160cm - 3 620/65 gun Light 16”/40cm 4 5 5+ Anti-aircraft, Turntable.6 pdr gun Medium 24”/60cm 3 10 4+ Gun shield, No HE.75/27 gun Heavy 24”/60cm 2 9 3+ Gun shield, Smoke.75/32 gun Heavy 24”/60cm 2 10 3+ Gun shield, Smoke.7.5cm PaK40 gun Medium 32”/80cm 2 12 3+ Gun shield.75/13 gun Heavy 16”/40cm 2 9 3+ Gun shield. Firing bombardments 64”/160cm - 3 6 100/17 howitzer Immobile 24”/60cm 1 10 2+ Gun shield. Firing bombardments 72”/180cm - 4 4+

Infantry TeamsTeam Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower NotesRifle team 16”/40cm 1 2 6 Rifle/MG team 16”/40cm 2 2 6SMG team 4”/10cm 3 1 6 Full ROF when moving.Panzerschreck team 8”/20cm 2 11 5+ Tank Assault 5.Flame-thrower team 4”/10cm 2 - 6 Flame-thrower.Staff team cannot shoot Moves as a Heavy Gun team.

additiOnal training and eQuipment

Panzerfaust 4”/10cm 1 12 5+ Tank Assault 6, Cannot shoot in the Shooting Step if moved in the Movement Step.

Pioneer teams are rated as Tank Assault 4.

Transport Teams Armour Vehicle Mobility Front Side Top Equipment and NotesHorch Kfz 15 car Jeep - - -Steyr Kfz 70 truck or SPA TL-37 Tractor Wheeled - - -3-ton truck Wheeled - - -Horse-drawn wagon Wagon - - -Pack Horse or Mule team Man-packed - - -

Tank Teams ArmourName Mobility Front Side Top Equipment and Notes Weapon Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower

armOured cars

AB41 Wheeled 1 0 0 Co-ax MG, Hull rear MG. 20/65 gun 16”/40cm 2 5 5+

Semovente 75/18 Fully-tracked 4 2 1 AA MG. 75/18 gun 24”/60cm 2 9 3+

Italian RSI Briefing

Documents

Transcript of Italian RSI Briefing