The Greek-Italian War 1940-1941
References:
The Italian Army 1940-45 (I) Europe 1940-43; Philip S Jowett; Osprey Publishing; Men-At-Arms 340
Italian Forces in Albania - Emergency 'G' Operation; George Nafziger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Italian_War
http://www.regioesercito.it/index.htm
http://xoomer.virgilio.it/ramius/index.html
Wargame Rules
The order to invade Greece was given by Benito Mussolini on 15 October 1940, with the expectation that the attack would commence within 12 days, and D-day was set at dawn on 26 October.
The Italian war plan, codenamed 'Emergenza G' ("Contingency G[reece]"), called for the occupation of the country in three phases. The first would be the occupation of Epirus and the Ionian Islands, followed by a thrust into Western Macedonia after the arrival of reinforcements, and concluded with movements towards Thessaloniki, aimed at capturing northern Greece. Afterwards, the remainder of the country would be occupied. Subsidiary attacks were to be carried out against the Ionian Islands and it was hoped that Bulgaria would intervene and pin down the Greek forces in Eastern Macedonia.
The front, roughly 150 km in breadth, featured extremely mountainous terrain with very few roads. The Pindus mountain range divided it into two distinct theatres of operations: Epirus and Western Macedonia.
The Italian High Command accorded an Army Corps to each theatre, formed from the existing forces occupying Albania.
The stronger XXIV Ciamuria Corps in Epirus consisted of the 23rd Ferrara (16,000 men, with 3,500 Albanian troops), the 51st Siena (9,000 men) Infantry Divisions, the 131st Centauro Armoured Division (4,000 men).
The Corps was reinforced by 3rd Granatieri di Sardegna Regiment, the 6th Regiment Lancieri di Aosta, several cavalry squadrons of the 7th Regiment Lancieri di Milano, some artillery batteries and some Albanian blackshirts battalions, all forming the brigade-sized "Littoral Group" (Raggruppamento Litorale) of some 5,000 men. In total, this was around 30,000 men and 163 L3 light tanks. They intended to drive towards Ioannina, flanked on the right by the Littoral Group along the coast, and to its left by the elite Julia Alpine Division, which would advance through the Pindus Mountains.
The XXVI Corizza Corps in the Macedonian sector consisted of the 29th Piemonte (9,000 men), the 49th Parma (12,000 men) Infantry Divisions; the 19th Venezia Division (10,000 men) was moving from the Yugoslavian frontier: it first unit to reach the operation theatre was the 83rd Infantry Regiment. The total Italian forces in western Macedonian, once completed their deployment, was around 31,000 men. The 53rd Arezzo Division was later called in the area once the failure of the offensive become apparent. It was initially intended to maintain a defensive stance. In total, the force facing the Greeks comprised about 85,000 men under the command of Lt. General Sebastiano Visconti Prasca.
After the Italian occupation of Albania, the Greek General Staff had prepared the "IB" (Italy-Bulgaria) plan, anticipating a combined offensive by Italy and Bulgaria. The plan was essentially prescribing a defensive stance in Epirus, with a gradual retreat to the Arachthos River–Metsovo–Aliakmon River–Mt. Vermion line, while maintaining the possibility of a limited offensive in Western Macedonia. Two variants of the plan existed for the defence of Epirus, "IBa", calling for forward defence on the border line, and "IBb", for defence in an intermediate position. It was left to the judgment of the local commander, Maj. General Charalambos Katsimitros, to choose which plan to follow. A significant factor in the Greeks' favour was that they had managed to obtain intelligence about the approximate date of the attack and had just completed a limited mobilization in the areas facing the expected Italian attack.
The main Greek forces in the immediate area at the outbreak of the war were the 8th Infantry Division, fully mobilized and prepared for forward defence by its commander, Maj. Gen. Katsimitros, in Epirus and the Corps-sized Army Section of Western Macedonia or TSDM (ΤΣΔΜ, Τμήμα Στρατιάς Δυτικής Μακεδονίας), under Lt. Gen. Ioannis Pitsikas, including the "Pindus Detachment" (Απόσπασμα Πίνδου) of regimental size under Colonel Konstantinos Davakis, the 9th Infantry Division, and the 4th Infantry Brigade in Western Macedonia. The Greek forces amounted to about 35,000 men, but could be quickly reinforced by the neighbouring formations in southern Greece and Macedonia.
3ª Divisione Alpina 'Julia'
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, 81mm Mortar, pack horse
8º Reggimento alpino
Battaglione alpino 'Gemona' - 3 Figures, MG
Battaglione alpino 'Tolmezzo' - 3 Figures, MG
Battaglione alpino 'Cividade' - 3 Figures, MG
9º Reggimento alpino
Battaglione alpino 'L'Aquila' - 3 Figures, MG
Battaglione alpino 'Vicenza' - 3 Figures, MG
3º Reggimento d'artiglieria alpino - 75mm Gun, pack horse
attached
Battaglione alpino 'Val Tagliamento' - 3 Figures, MG
Battaglione alpino 'Val Fella' - 3 Figures, MG
Gruppo d'artiglieria 'Val Tanaro' - 65mm Gun, pack horse
XXIV Corpo d'Armata 'Ciamuria'
51a Divisione di fanteria 'Siena'
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, MG, 47mm ATG, truck
31º Reggimento di fanteria 'Siena'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
III Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
32º Reggimento di fanteria 'Siena'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
LI Battaglione mortai - 2 Figures, 2 81mm Mortar
51º Reggimento d'artiglieria - 75mm Gun, horses
attached
265º Reggimento di fanteria 'Lecce'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
III Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
CCCXII Battaglione carri - L3/33
23a Divisione di fanteria 'Ferrara'
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, MG, 47mm ATG, truck
47º Reggimento di fanteria 'Ferrara'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
48º Reggimento di fanteria 'Ferrara'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
82a Legione d'Assalto Camicie Nere 'Benito Mussolini' - 3 Figures, MG
XXIII Battaglione mortai da 81 - 2 Figures, 2 81mm Mortar
14º Reggimento d'artiglieria 'Murge' - 75mm Gun, horses
131ª Divisione corazzata 'Centauro'
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, MG, M/C Bersaglieri, truck
31º Reggimento carri
XIII Battaglione carri - L3/33
XIV Battaglione carri - L3/33
XV Battaglione carri - L3/33
5º Reggimento Bersaglieri
XIV Battaglione Bersaglieri autoportato - 3 Figures, Mortar 81mm, truck
XXII Battaglione Bersaglieri motociclisti - 3 M/C, MG M/C
XXIV Battaglione Bersaglieri autoportato - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG, truck
131º Reggimento d'artiglieria armata - 75mm Gun, truck
attached
XXII Battaglione Bersaglieri d'Accompagnamento autoportato - 2 Figures, 81mm Mortar, MG, truck
Battaglione carri armati - AB40
Gruppo Litorale
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, MG, M/C Bersaglieri, truck
3º Reggimento di fanteria 'Granadieri di Sardegna'
Comando - CO, Figure, 81mm Mortar
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
III Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
Gruppo d'artiglieria - 75mm Gun, horses
6º Reggimento di cavalleria 'Lancieri di Aosta'
Comando - CO Rider, Rider, 81mm Mortar
I Squadrone - 3 Riders, MG
II Squadrone - 3 Riders, MG
III Squadrone - 3 Riders, MG
Gruppo d'artiglieria - 65mm Gun, horses
7º Reggimento di cavalleria 'Lancieri di Milano'
Comando - CO Rider, Rider, 81mm Mortar
I Squadrone - 3 Riders, MG
II Squadrone - 3 Riders, MG
III Squadrone - 3 Riders, MG
Gruppo d'artiglieria - 65mm Gun, horses
Battaglione Camicie Nere 'Tomorri' - 3 Figures, MG
Battaglione Camicie Nere 'Gramshi' - 3 Figures, MG
XXVI Corpo d'Armata 'Corizza'
49ª Divisione di fanteria 'Parma'
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, MG, 47mm ATG, truck
49º Reggimento di fanteria 'Parma'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
III Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
50º Reggimento di fanteria 'Parma'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
IL Battaglione mortai - 2 Figures, 2 81mm Mortar
49º Reggimento d'artiglieria - 75mm Gun, horses
29ª Divisione di fanteria 'Piemonte'
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, MG, 47mm ATG, truck
3º Reggimento di fanteria 'Piemonte'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
III Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
4º Reggimento di fanteria 'Piemonte'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
XXIX Battaglione mortai - 2 Figures, 2 81mm Mortar
24º Reggimento d'artiglieria 'Peloritana' - 75mm Gun, horses
19ª Divisione di fanteria 'Venezia'
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, MG, 47mm ATG, truck
83º Reggimento di fanteria 'Venezia'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
84º Reggimento di fanteria 'Venezia'
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
72ª Legione Camicie Nere - 3 Figures, MG
XIX Battaglione mortai - 2 Figures, 2 81mm Mortar
19º Reggimento d'artiglieria 'Gavinana' - 75mm Gun, horses
attached
383º Reggimento di fanteria
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
III Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
53ª Divisione di fanteria 'Arezzo'
Quartier Generale - CO, 2 Figures, MG, 47mm ATG, truck
225º Reggimento di fanteria
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
226º Reggimento di fanteria
I Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
II Battaglione - 3 Figures, MG
80ª Legione Camicie Nere - 3 Figures, MG
LIII Battaglione mortai - 2 Figures, 2 81mm Mortar
53º Reggimento di artiglieria - 75mm Gun, horses
GREEK ORDER OF BATTLE
8th Infantry Division
Headquarters - CO, 2 Figures, T-13-I Tank Destroyer, 20mm AAG, horses
15th Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
85th Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
42nd Light Infantry Regiment (5th 'Évzoni Regiment)
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
Artillery Group - 75mm Gun, horses
attached
III Infantry Brigade
Headquarters - CO, Figure, 81mm Mortar
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
Artillery Group - 75mm Gun, horses
Army Section of Western Macedonia
Pindus Detachment
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
9th Infantry Division
Headquarters - CO, 2 Figures, T-13-I Tank Destroyer, 20mm AAG, horses
27th Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
32nd Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
53rd Light Infantry Regiment (5th 'Évzoni Regiment)
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
Artillery Group - 75mm Gun, horses
4th Infantry Brigade
Headquarters - CO, Figure, 81mm Mortar
1st Battalion - 3 Figures, 47mm ATG
2nd Battalion - 3 Figures, MG
3rd Battalion - 3 Figures, 45mm Mortar
Artillery Group - 75mm Gun, horses
Cavalry Division
Quartier Generale - CO Rider, 2 Riders, 20mm AAG, 65mm Gun, horses
1st Cavalry Regiment
1st Cavalry Group - 2 Riders, MG
2nd Cavalry Group - 2 Riders, MG
3rd cavalry Regiment
1st Cavalry Group - 2 Riders, MG
2nd Cavalry Group - 2 Riders, MG
Artillery Group - 75mm Gun, truck
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