We continue our series with this installment on the "typical" (Italy's armored units' were seldom up to strength - some units having only 40-50% of their paper units' assigned!) Italian Armored Division; an overview of organization; a breakdown to platoon level with notes for the wargamer; the TO&E of the ARIETE division as of July 1941. An update for 1/285 scale gamers is included with the HERIOCS & ROS listing and the SKYTREX (ex-Hinchcliffe) 20mm listing that was left out of part 3. In order to put Italian armored formations in context, one must understand that Italy's armored divisions were designed for infantry support vice use as a mobile reserve - or - more to the point - as a force of attack/exploitation. As of 1941 there were three armored formations - Ariete as presented is representative of all. One constant of the North African Campaign was Change! TO&E will change along with the entire organization of the unit(s) involved from 1940-1943; this forces the wargamer to accept the challenge of tedious research - but - that's part of the fun too! As I review accumulating reference material on this period, I am amazed at the changes numerous units went through - the reader is asked to bear the above in mind while consulting the organization(s)/information presented. ITALIAN ARMORED REGIMENT An Italian armored regiment contained three battalions of three companies each. A triangular organization, each company had 17 main battle tanks. There was an additional (separate) light tank company under the command of the company sized HQ. The ratio of medium to light tanks was 161 to 16. Unlike other nations - no supporting units were attached to individual armored regiments. ITALIAN ARMORED DIVISION The armored regiment was attached to an armored division as a single entity; i.e., this was the only armored formation within the division. The division also contained the following units: HQ COMPANY - a headquarters unit (motorized-light vehicles) of @ 178 officers/men. (hereafter-o/m). ARMORED INFANTRY REGIMENT - consisting of @ 1,609 o/m and 54 LMG, 24 HMG, 400 MC or 47 MT or a combination of the above.  MOTORIZED RECON BATTALION - consisting of 18 AB/40 or AB/41 AC or a combination of both types. ARMORED SELF PROPELLED ARTILLERY REGIMENT - consisting of SEMOVENTE (when available) SPA units.@ 1,220 o/m. ANTI-TANK ARTILLERY COMPANY - consisting of 6 towed 47mm A/T guns and 10 MT. @ 136 o/m. ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY COMPANY - consisting of 20mm/75mm towed AA guns. Note: I have been unable to locate any photgraphs/photographic evidence for these weapons - can any reader help out? Also included in this unit: 12 MC and 36 MT. @ 198 o/m. ENGINEER COMPANY - consisting of @ 158 o/m and associated equipment; again - can any reader help out with more detailed info re this type of unit? SIGNAL/TRANSPORT/ADMIN/MAINTENANCE/MESS/ORDNANCE - units round out the division and are not described in this series as the point is to provide the wargamer with information that pertains to gaming the Italian Army. Note: If at IOM field strength (rare!) an Italian armored division possessed @ 1,534 vehicles for motor transport. COMPANY/PLATOON LEVEL - NOTES FOR THE WARGAMER As we stated, the typical Italian armored company contained 17 tanks. Each company was divided into three platoons of 5 tanks each with two tanks in a headquarters section. Each company contained a headquarters unit with five tanks. The light tank company had five tanks in each platoon with only one tank in the headquarters section. At a scale of 1:5 - each medium company will be represented by 4 models (3 platoons/1 HQ section) for a total of twelve in one battalion. Three battalions (counting medium tanks) will equal thirty-six models. The light tank company will consist of 5 models (4 platoons/1 HQ section). The regimental HQ company will consist of one medium model. I realize that this organization is over the stated 1:5 ration to some degree - if your rules do not call for command control below the company level - eliminate the one model at each company HQ and the one model in the light company HQ section. The medium tank company consists of M13/40 (or 41's) and the light tank company of either L3's or L6's THE ARIETE DIVISION IN JULY, 1941 At this point in time, the ARIETE consisted of DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS - with administrative/logistic/signal/ quartermaster staff, etc. THREE ARMORED REGIMENTS - consisting of an armored headquarters company and three battalions of M13 medium tanks, the VII, VIII and IX battalions, respectively. THE 8TH BERSAGLIERI (MOTORIZED) INFANTRY REGIMENT - consisting of a motorized headquarters company and the XII motorized infantry battalion which contained four copanies - 1-HQ, 2-INF (rifle) and one A/T company of-8 47mm A/T guns. the V motorized infantry battalion which contained the same type of sub-units described for the XII motorized battalion, above. one mc company. III Heavy Weapons battalion which contained four companies - 1-HQ, 1-MG, 1-20mm A/A and 1-81mm motorized company (mortar). an Engineer battalion currently stationed in Italy at this point in time. an A/T battalion consisting of three companies - 1-HQ and two companies each containing 8 47/32mm A/T guns. the 132nd motorized artillery regiment consisting of 4 battalions - two of 75/27mm artillery guns, one of 105/28 field guns and one A/A artillery battalion consisting of two companies of 20mm A/A guns (motorized) and one of 90/53mm (motorized). ABRV. USED TO&E - TABLE OF ORGANIZATION/& EQUIPMENT HQ - HEADQUARTERS UNIT(S) @ - APPROXIMATELY LMG/HMG - LIGHT/HEAVY MACHINE GUN(S) MC - MOTORCYCLE MT - MOTOR TRANSPORT AC - ARMORED CAR(S) SPA - SELF PROPELLED ARTILLERY A/T - ANTI-TANK A/A - ANTI-AIRCRAFT INF - INFANTRY MG - MACHINE GUN H&R has a fairly extensive selection of 1/285 scale miniatures. I recently sent them an order and will report on length of wait (I ordered airmail), quality, etc - in a future installment. You can contact them at - HEROICS & ROS UNIT 12 SEMINGTON TURNPIKE SEMINGTON TROWBRIDGE, WILTS BA14 6LB UK 20mm UPDATE I really screwed up on this - I had the Emperor's HQ catalog on my desk when I was roughing up part three - I simply forgot to include their listing. They are distributing the SKYTREX (UK) line of 20mm vehicles: 123-MC W/TROOPS-7.50 123A-MC LT MG CARRIER-8.50 124-MC LT ARTY TRACTOR-7.50 125-47mm A/T GUN-6.25 126A-L3/35 LT TANK TWIN MG'S-8.50 126B-L3/35 LT TANK 20mm-8.50 127-L6 LT TANK-11.50 128-M13/40-12.50 128A-M13/40 CMD VEHICLE-11.50 128B-M13/40 TWIN MG/OPEN HATCH-11.5 129-L3 FLAME AND CREW-11.50 130-A/B 41 AC-11.50 131-SAHARIANA AS42 RECON VEHICLE-12.50 132-SAHARIANA HY WEAP VEHICLE-12.50 133-FIAT 508 STAFF CAR-9.00 134-LANCIA 3R0 TRUCK-12.50 135-LANCIA 3R0 TRUCK DA 90mm/153-16.00 136-FIAT TL37 LT TRUCK-10.50 136A-FIAT TL37 LT ARTY TRACTOR-10.50 137-BREDA 40 HY ARTY TRACTOR-10.50 138-M11/39-12.50 139-SEMOVENTE M40-11.50 140-SEMOVENTE L40-11.50 204-ANSALDO 75mm F/G-6.25 205-SKODA 100mm F/G-6.75 206-ANSALDO 75mm HOW-6.25 A pretty extensive listing - albeit an expensive one! It would take a pretty hefty checkbook to make up large units (even at 1:5). I would recommend these castings for small, skirmish games. Quality is high - I took a long look at these models at the EHQ booth at the last HISTORICAN and was very impressed! Well - Part 4 was longer than I would have wanted - partly my fault due to the additional listings. Again, this (the historical end) research is not easy (but fun!) - so the readership is encouraged to submit views, updates and any necessary corrections. Back to MWAN #67 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1994 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com