Spearhead Italian Data Card Expansion

20mm Solothurn ATR, and L3 (modified): The 20mm Solothurns first appeared in the Ethiopian army in 1935 and gave the Italian L3's quite a fright! That said they were however rather overrated and performance was little better than the 0.55" (14mm) Boys ATR or the 7.92mm PzB38 or 39. Still the Solothurns were adopted as an "unofficial" anti-tank gun for Infantry units and consequently later L3's were adapted to mount these weapons. The mount was either in a factory produced mounting replacing the twin-MGs (The official modification) with a new mantlet and 20mm Solothurn or Battlefield conversions mounting either 13.2mm Breda HMGs in place of the twin 7mm MGs, or the 20mm Solothurn externally on a central pedestal, while retaining the twin 7mm MGs (there are some excellent video clips around of this latter conversion in a couple of "documentaries"). Either way they served in units amongst standard MG and specialist Flame-thrower armed versions. Overall very few L3's retained their original twin MG armament with no modification, hence the decision to 'average' the fire-power rather than distinguish individual platoons as one type or another. This was the standard version of the L3 in service in 1941 and early ‘42. I feel that the best way to represent this is to treat all L3's from mid'41 on as modified and consequently allow them an AT factor of 0. Early Italian Infantry Platoons assumed to not have integral Solothurn ATRs present should have their Infantry AT factor decreased from 3 to 2.

Semovente L40 da 47/32: The Italian army, early in 1941, decided that the "Infantry Guns" (47mm ATG) of all Infantry formations should be self-propelled on an armoured chassis to improve mobility (which was really intended to be used as a SP support gun - much like the German sIG33). Unfortunately they did not choose to upgrade the basic weapon, using the existing 47/32 ATG. It was late 1942 by the time reasonable numbers began to appear, the gun was in a simple (and small) vehicle based on the L6 light tank chassis. Limited numbers of these saw service in North Africa in late 1942 and 1943. They saw service until the end of the war in small numbers with the German, Italian Fascist (RSI), and Loyalist Italian forces. The Germans acquired 78 of these and 16 were used by the "Panzer Kompanie zbV 12", in 1944 most of the remaining vehicles were issued to the Croatian Army.

Semovente M42 da 75/34: In mid 1943 production of the M42 Semovente switched to the new longer 75mm gun. 200 vehicles had been produced with the 75/18 and it was now intended that 500 would be produced with the new weapon. However only about 40 were produced before the German occupation. The Germans readily adopted these weapons and a total of 178 75/18 and 116 75/34 armed Semovente were confiscated (or produced under German control) and they saw service with the Germans in 1943-45. In total (at the end of 1943) 6 Infantry, 1 Jager, 2 Panzer, and 3 PanzerGrenadier Divisions throughout Italy and the Balkans included these vehicles in their TO&Es. There were still a total of 93 (both types) in service in Italy and the Balkans at the start of 1945.

Semovente M43 da 105/25: In mid 1943 production of the M43 Semovente began. Unable to utilise the P26/40 chassis (due to production delays) the M15/42 chassis was modified (widened) to accommodate the larger gun and heavier armour. Both the 336th Infantry, and the 26th Panzer Divisions were the first units issued with these vehicles in late 1943. The Germans confiscated 26 in 1943 and produced a further 91. There were still a total of 66 in service in Italy and the Balkans at the start of 1945.

Semovente M43 da 75/46: In mid 1944 the Germans investigated the "upgrading" of the M43, which they considered the best Italian AFV currently in production. This included uparmouring with additional frontal armour, and the mounting of the 75mm L/46 AA gun. As an interim measure 29 were produced in late 1944 mounting the older 75/34, and the last production runs of the M43 105/25 were fitted with appliqué armour to bring them up to the same standard (Treat both these vehicles as their previous versions but with frontal armour of 7). Finally in 1945 11 were produced mounting the 75/46 which had been modified to take Pak 40 ammunition. These 11 saw service in 1945 in Italy and the Balkans.

Camionettas: The Camionetta Morris pb Con Cannone was a conversion based on captured British equipment that entered service in November 1941. The Ford AA was a similar conversion. These were used to equip two artillery Gruppos (Battalions), the XIV and XV autoportatei. Both of these consisted of (Scaled to Spearhead): 3 Cammionetta Morris da 65/17 platoons, 1 Ford 20mm AA Platoon. They served with RECAM in Marmarcia, then with RCAS (i.e. In central Artillery reserve), then at Siwa Oasis with the Giovani Fascist Combat Group. Finally they served with the 136th Giovani Fascist Artillery in the composite 136th Armoured Division (formed in November 1942) eventually being destroyed in Tunisia in 1943. (Incidentally somewhere along the way a battery managed to star in Alessandrini's Italian film "Giarabub"!). The 136th Artillery Regiment also included a Group of TL37 75mm's and a group of Lancia 100mm's. The Lancia 102mm's were a temporary expedient by mounting Naval Coast Defence guns (Dual Purpose AA & Coast Defence) on the back of trucks. About 7 actual vehicles were built (1-2 Spearhead stands) and operated in a special "MILMART" (Maritime Artillery Militia) unit assigned to 132nd ARIETE Armoured Division during "Operation Crusader" Nov-Dec 1941.

Camionetta "Sahariane" All-terrain vehicle: The Sahariane was an excellent rough terrain vehicle based on the hull of the AB armoured car series. It had a large open boat-shaped body, and usually mounted 1 or 2 20mm Breda AA's on pedestal mounts and an assortment of MGs and small arms. Originally used by specialist units to combat the LRDG and SAS infiltration behind Italian lines, they eventually ended up being used in the main battle area by reconnaissance units in 1942-45.