Incoming! Bersaglieri, Italian Starter Armies & More

As many of you will no doubt have noticed, we’ve been on something of an Italian kick of late! Since Campaign Soft Underbelly came out, we’ve been massively overhauling our Italian range, with loads of brand-new plastic and metal kits. Another wave is incoming – let’s take a look at what’s in store!

Brand New Plastic Bersaglieri

For those players who fancy a veteran Italian force, or for connoisseurs of really snazzy headwear, the brand-new plastic Bersaglieri will soon be arriving with their very own starter army! Built around a core of 36 plastic infantry, these sprues share some components with the recent Italian Army plastics, but a large number are completely new, allowing you to properly represent these elite light infantrymen who so impressed Rommel with their performance in the Western Desert. With both sun helmets and steel helmets (each bearing the Bersaglieri’s iconic capercaillie feather plume) on the sprue, you can tailor your force to whichever theatre you prefer.

Backing up the infantry is a plastic M13/40 medium tank, or, if you prefer, a Semovente 75/18 assault gun – this versatile kit can build either vehicle! Additional support is offered by an officer team, MMG, and Medium Mortar team, as well as a 20mm anti-aircraft gun, perfect for menacing infantry and light vehicles alike! For the moment, this starter army will be the only way to get hold of the new Bersaglieri sprues, making it one not to miss for die-hard Italian fans.

X Arditi Infantry Section

The X Reggimento Arditi (10^th Arditi Regiment) were in many ways the Italian equivalent of the British Commando forces. Inheriting the name and traditions of the First World War Arditi stormtroopers, they were well-trained (particularly in hand-to-hand fighting techniques) and highly motivated soldiers, recruited for both physical and mental toughness and previous combat experience. While they had only mixed success in commando-style raiding missions, they were undeniably excellent combat infantrymen, and were well-respected by friends and foes alike. Soft Underbelly gives you rules for not just the Arditi infantry sections, but a Saboteur raiding section and an officer to lead them – all can be represented using the contents of this new metal boxed set!

San Marco Marines Infantry Section

The elite infantry of the Italian Navy, with a history stretching back to the 18^th century, the San Marco regiment was a proud formation with a rigorous selection and training process that produced effective and capable soldiers. Clad in their unique naval uniforms and bristling with weaponry, the San Marco Marines served around the Mediterranean and Aegean before being deployed to North Africa in 1942. Fighting ferociously and well, particularly in the defence of Tobruk, they earned a fearsome reputation, and although they were unable to prevent the Axis defeat in the desert, one German general rated them as the best soldiers he had ever commanded. The San Marco Marines’ rules can be found in Armies of Italy & the Axis, and now they’re getting some awesome new models to go with their tabletop prowess!

Italian Colonial Troops Infantry Squad

Italy, like most other European powers, possessed a number of African colonies during the 19^th and 20^th centuries, including Eritrea. As was common practice, locals of the colonies were recruited as auxiliary troops, commonly known by the local name of Askaris, or other regional terms. Eritrean Askaris formed a large contingent of the colonial troops in Italian East Africa, and were essential to the defence of that region. Fighting hard, often with outdated weapons, they put up stiff resistance before the fall of Italian East Africa in 1941, and were considered brave and skilled fighters, especially when wielding their traditional fighting knives! Wearing their iconic tall fezzes, they cut an intimidating figure on any Bolt Action battlefield and make for a fantastically characterful addition to an Italian force – or the core of an army in their own right! While not as intensely-trained as many European regulars, they are nonetheless Tough Fighters, and more than capable of holding their own in close combat.

Italian Army/Blackshirts Starter Army

For players looking to start an Italian force of their own, look no further than this new starter army boxed set! With 36 of the fantastic new plastic infantry figures at its core, the incredible variety of components allow you to tailor your army to any theatre. Extra heads abound; bustina side caps and M33 steel helmets suitable for all theatres, and sun helmets to add a more tropical theme to your army. There’s also enough heads wearing the trademark black fezzes to allow you to create an army of Camice Nere (Blackshirts), Mussolini’s fascist militiamen. As with the Bersaglieri starter set, armoured support comes from the M13/40-Semovente kit. For fire support, metal MMG and Medium Mortar teams are backed up by an always-useful 47mm anti-tank gun, while a pair of officers, a medic, and a radio operator provide command and control. With all of these forces at your disposal, you’ve got everything you need to jump into the action right away!

Pre-Orders for all the above open Friday 23rd September 2022. Look out for the Warlord Games Newsletter for full details, hitting your inbox every Wednesday and Friday. Not subscribed? You can do so here »

Be Prepared

We’ve managed to convince our Studio painting maestros to give up their secret recipes, and we’ve combined them into handy paint bundles for you! Getting started with Italians, whichever theatre you choose, has never been easier – Avanti Savoia!

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