Italian air force?

[Smoothhoof]

Any suggestions for naming the Italian air units? I could just call them all stormo or gruppo but it's not as satisfying (or useful for telling fighters and bombers apart) as the luftwaffe's JG, SG, ZG etc.

I'm trying to do Afrika Korps Italian challenge on Rommel.

[eskuche]

You can go historical or just name them after their first heroes, which is what I used to do.

[Smoothhoof]

I was hoping someone could clue me in to some historical abbreviations actually. The planes I started with I called 33a Stormo but I wondered where to go next with names, and a quick look on the internet wasn't much help. I don't really want to read a book on the Regio Aeronautica. My bedside table is already a bit full right now!

I'm not looking for genuine names of squadrons as such, just the kind of names they were given so I can add my own numbers. If it was the Germans and I got a new stuka, I could call it SG 17 or SG 45 or whatever. That sort of thing.

[enry1977]

Fighter in italian is "caccia".

[cerberusiv]

Wikipedia for an article on "Search wikipedia for an article on "structure of the Italian air force". Not sure if it exactly answers your question but it may give you some ideas.

[Smoothhoof]

Thanks for the replies. Turns out that what to call the poor sods is the least of my problems coz Italian challenge on Rommel is really flipping hard! It's a blind playthrough.

[cerberusiv]

On Rommel it is really hard. There is a PzC AAR, Afrika Korps - Italian challenge on Rommel by goose_2, on the Slitherine forums. I would particularly recommend it as a good guide to the Italian challenge. What units to have is discussed pretty well in it.

Obviously it is a huge spoiler if read beforehand but if you are having real problems with any particular scenario you could try it blind and then read the AAR and have a second go.

[Smoothhoof]

Cheers. My Italian tanks are doing ok so far, it's the planes that are the problem and I don't have the prestige to spam them. That German flak truck you start with is getting so much action that it's absolutely hardcore, but I'm terrified of losing it!

[cerberusiv]

Some thoughts - warning, fairly major spoilers about units.

Yes, that SP AA gets insanely good very quickly. It is worth upgrading as a priority. The Italian armour is pretty fragile. You get access to a very lethal SP AT but it is fragile. The Italians do get good fighters a bit further on. The problem is keeping your fighters alive long enough to get decent experience. The only way is to wear down the Allied air units with AA traps - show a nice juicy artillery unit with an AA gun just behind it that the AI can't see. They almost always send an air unit to bomb the artillery and your flak can tear them apart. Worth investing in one or two of the Italian 90mm towed AA when they become available. They are as good as the German 88's apart fromonly having trucks to towthem rather than half tracks. Eventually you can pretty much eliminate allied air power in most scenarios.

Towards the end (if you get onto the India path) you get Italian P26 tanks, equivalent to a late model PzIV and Italian Panther D's (the Panthers are insanely expensive). Initiative 7 Italian fighters also become available, as do Italian Me109K's. Having enough prestige to buy any of this kit isn't easy though. Avoid purchasing replacements during scenarios if you can. Keep units upgraded, especially your precious German ones, it will help keep them alive. Keep to trucks rather than half tracks and don't even bother with trucks for your move 3 infantry. Bersaglieri are the only Italian infantry that get a 1943 upgraded version andare generally the ones to go for.

One final thought. You do get captured units. Not sure whether you are allowed to upgrade them as they become German equivalents, rather than Italian. Even as they are, several are useful - such as the Sherman Firefly you can pick up a few turns before the end in India.

[Smoothhoof]

Thanks for the advice. I got it with the 90mm AA already. I only have one tho, I think I need more. I have been upgrading captured units, they come with german markings so I think it's allowed. I have been disbanding SE tanks for the prestige, partly coz I don't like the camo for the desert and partly because I want SE planes instead.

About the bersagleri, I know they are the only decent Italian infantry, but they were elite weren't they? Seems funny to have a whole army if them.

[cerberusiv]

Yes, that is the balancing act, do you use "lesser" units in a quest for realism or "elite" units because they are stronger.

I rationalise it as my core forces are not the entire Axis forces in the theatre, auxiliary forces are sometimes present, but are the elite "fire brigade" part of those forces, sent it whenever a crisis arises. In that context, using the best available units makes sense.

I can never make up my mind between tanks and planes as SE units in this campaign. The only planes of interest are fighters as the Italians get useable tac bombers and a pretty decent strat bomber. Which is more useful? I have never persevered with the Italian challenge right through so cannot answer that.

[Smoothhoof]

My reasoning was that at some point the RAF is going to hit me with a whole load of spitfires so the more decent planes I had the better.

It also seems to be good to hide in the middle of the desert, scout a lot and when you attack make sure you kill every damn thing within 2 hexes of your units so the AI can't see anything to bomb on his turn.

[cerberusiv]

The RAF become a problem once they get the Spitfire IX. But you only need 3 or 4 decent fighters (you can acquire a Spitfire IX yourself at Malta, a couple of German SE fighters and a couple of the better Italian fighters when they become available and you are set), let your AA do the heavy lifting and just make sure whatever your AA damages is killed immediately.

Yes, nice when that works but sometimes you just have to slug it out. That is when a couple of SE Tiger 1's become really useful.

[cerberusiv]

The last point I would make about the Italian Challenge is that it makes a huge difference if you find most of the capturable enemy units and get most of the extra units awarded to you for meeting certain conditions.

An important scenario for awarded units is "Dash to the wire" where destroying the supply dumps near the British lines gets you several extra units, including a Me109 and a Stug. Obviously you want to have the maximum number of SE units as well. These all really add up and can turn a mediocre army into a strong one.

Good luck!

[Smoothhoof]

Cheers mate. I did get those units and I admit that I cheated a bit and restarted the scenario when I realised there were a bunch of hidden hangars. Your advice has been great. Now I'm off to the desert, my Storch has its engine running and I have snazzy goggles on my hat. Forwards!

[Smoothhoof]

Nope. Too hard. I gave up when I caught myself scum saving to save precious German units. I think I need to get gud first.