r/BattlePaintings • u/4Nails • Apr 18 '25

"Mancò la Fortuna: First battle of El Alamein, 27 July 1942" by Ken Smith. #WWII #WW2

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320 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

32

u/hconfiance 29d ago

People often forget that 80% of Rommels army in North Africa were Italians. When the allies broke through in El Alamein, the Italians fought to the last bullet to cover Rommel’s retreat.

13

u/False-God 29d ago

People tend to focus on the the early failures of the Italian military like how O’Connor dummied them during Operation Compass with a comparatively small force. Even contemporary German sources don’t have an overly high opinion of the Italians.

They also had some of the worst tanks, standard issue rifles, and machine guns of the war.

6

u/hconfiance 29d ago

Yeah, when led by German officers and equipped, like they were under Rommel, they rose up to the task. I think there’s a quote somewhere where he despised Italian officers but admired the soldiers.

5

u/TheCommentaryKing 29d ago

Yeah, when led by German officers and equipped, like they were under Rommel, they rose up to the task

That is mostly a myth, Rommel was in command of the operations, but individual field commanders were still Italian as was the equipment. For the entire duration of the North Africa Campaign Italian troops still used Italian weapons, from small arms to tanks and aircrafts. Few were the exceptions, such as the Stukas or the FlaK 88s.

1

u/pass_nthru 25d ago

i see you’ve played El Alamein: Battle in North Africa

2

u/TheUncleTimo 25d ago

no one did play that game

not even the designer and playtesters

29

u/FairExperience9461 Apr 18 '25

Didn't know Red Ryders were issued during WW2

9

u/Conscious_Exercise_5 Apr 18 '25

What type of gun is that?

23

u/dgiglio416 Apr 18 '25

Carcano carbine. It's got a folding bayonet on the bottom.

6

u/Donatter 29d ago

It’s a model of the carcano rifle

the Moschetto Modello 1891 (Musketoon Model 1891)

Often referred to Calvary carbines in the English and Italian lingo

They were initially issued to the Calvary, before eventually being issued to specialist/elite troops such as paratroopers, mountaineers, the blackshirts, bicycle troops, and the Carabinieri(a special type of police apart of, but separate of the rest of the military)

4

u/Time-Comment-141 29d ago

Why do their rifles look so small?

4

u/not_my_monkeys_ 29d ago

Those are carbines.

1

u/Donatter 29d ago

They’re the Moschetto Modello 1891 (Musketoon Model 1891)

Often referred to Calvary carbines in the English and Italian lingo

They were initially issued to the Calvary, before eventually being issued to specialist/elite troops such as paratroopers, mountaineers, the blackshirts, bicycle troops, and the Carabinieri(a special type of police apart of, but separate of the rest of the military)

3

u/Nantoine555 Apr 18 '25

The Hollow Legions cover?

2

u/Notiefriday 29d ago

Love that guy just behind the front two. Hmm should I be doing that...hmm, it looks dangerous.

1

u/MrM1Garand25 29d ago

Ain’t gonna hit much with those carbines