Italy represented in the various WWWII games?

[MAJIC Miniatures]

The recent topic about Japan has got me thinking about the other major Axis power Italy? To be honest I am a bit stumped. Other than stereotypes like Vatican Hit Squads, relics and the Mafia I can't really think of anything that would make sense?

Has anyone got any other ideas?

Oliver

[argsilverson]

But Italy joined the Allies at an early stage of the war, September 1943.
Lots of massacres reported. Lots also drowned in the ships carrying them into captivity in prison camps.

So, a small suggestion: zombies!

[xeoran]

Twig of the Hundred Horses
In Sicily there is a tree 4,000 years old, with the largest girth of any tree in the world. Once it sheltered the Queen of Aragon and her knights, now it shelters the sons of Italy. Twigs of the tree are given to selected soldiers who can hope for the trees protection. Mortars miss, booby traps explode prematurely and bullets fall from the sky. And each time a single leaf drops from the twig.

Umm, that's pretty much it. Italian folklore seems pretty empty. Maybe there is some Roman folklore? The glorious Second Roman Empire etc. Legionnaires, Cults of Mars and Mithras and so forth. Other than that I can only offer the idea of the Sahariana robbing tombs in Egypt and stumbling on more than they thought they'd find...

[Smith]

I always liked the Vodacce (faux-Italian) fate witches from 7th Sea. Something about tweaking probabilities seemed very Italian to me for some reason.

The Vatican can be a much more fertile source of inspiration than just the hit squads – given the number of sects and mystery cults that existed in the past, you can come up with an angle or a reason for pretty much any type of troop type you like:

e.g.
Nephilim
Offspring of an angelic being and an angel, the Nephilim were responsible for giving mankind the secrets of irrigation, agriculture and fire. Deep within the cellars of the Abbey of St. Fulcrum, just outside Rome, the monks of the Order of St. Fulcrum tend to the last remaining Nephilim, who survived the great flood sent to wipe them out, giving them the chance to aid mankind again. Their resistance to supernatural powers and their <other awesome abilities> make them feared foes, more than a match for an armoured division.

You've also got a vast background of Roman myths to play with for inspiration, whether the causes are mystical or scientific:

e.g.
Herculites
Genetically/Mystically enhanced by special researchers for the Vatican/Il Duce, Herculites follow in the footsteps of their mythical namesake, possessing enhanced strength and endurance. They are often used as front line shock troops in assault operations.

[Westfalia Chris]

May I humbly suggest either snazzy futurist aircraft:



or some 3W2ish variant of the Decima M.A.S., i.e. aquatic power-armoured commandos:



Of course, all marred by the lamentable capacities of Italian industry at the time. 

[Phil_McCrackin]

I sort of envisioned Skeletal Roman Legionaries, and walkers that have riveted panels - like VSF meets GearKrieg

[Cory]

I'd give the Italian walkers a real art deco flair with long lines and gracious curves. Like a 1930s toaster with legs. Oh, and big feathers/plumes.

I second the Roman skeletal legionaries but they should be less zombie and more like the guardian mummies in the Mummy movie.

[Backyardpatrol]

Dr. Emilio Lizardo/ Lord John Whorfin completes his over thruster and frees Lectroids from their dimensional prison.
"Home... home is where you wear your hat... I feel so breakup, I wanna go home."

[area23]

Stalingrad veterans/survivors.
Futurist artists and writers or filmakers.
The republic of Salé extended/evolved.
Mussolini got away and didn't get arrested and shot, but  intsead...?

[Bullshott]

I guess it all depends on how wierd/sci-fi you want to go.

For post 1945 Italian soldiers along the same lines as those in SOTR how about selecting figures from the Urban War/Void universe (available from Urban Mammoth and Scotia Grendel)  for a distinct Roman legionary look. This pack from Scotia Grendel has a lot of potential (10 figures for £5):



Completed they look something like these (matals from the same manufacturer):



Just replace the guns with something more appropriate and add Roman legionary decals to the shields ....

[MAJIC Miniatures]

Some good ideas here (especially the Vodacce).

I really like the Urban War/Void Plastic idea suggestion.

Does anyone produce (Italian and Japanese for that matter) Weapons (Rifles, SMGs LMGs and HMGs) seperately in 28mm?

Oliver

[xeoran]

Love the idea of the Void stuff. Seeing as Italy had pseudo-Stormtroopers in WW1 (the Company of Death) who were armoured assault troops it might be funky to have them as the vanguard of Mussolinis armies. The black uniforms worn by the Company of Death were also a great influence on Mussolini's fascists. It would make sense therefore that with the war going badly and having been rescued by Skorzeny Mussolini nabs Skorzeny and has him begin training of the nucleus for a new Italian army. Taking the toughest, nastiest, most dedicated the whole Company of Death thing is reformed for WW2 with the addition of mock Roman Legionary shields, exploding engineering pilums and gladius pattern bayonets.

[Bullshott]

....and bullet-proof legionary shields would certainly make these troops interesting on a WWW2 battlefield 

[Overlord]

....and bullet-proof legionary shields would certainly make these troops interesting on a WWW2 battlefield 

...WWWII Testudo? 

[midismirnoff]

Hi,
in Sicily the mafiosi seemed to help the American invasion. In my www2 game the mob works together with american intelligence to clear Sicily from the zombi menace left behind by the Nazi to slow the Operation Husky. You've got plenty of "partisan" minis to represent them!



Check this out too:

http://www.libon.it/modules/libon/9780760324578.html