I have been building an Italian force for early Desert games (latest end 1941) and came across this unit. The unit was not a fascist militia as such but was recruited through an organisation called the GUF (Gioventu’ Universitaria Fascista).
The unit entered the desert theatre in July 1941 and is most famous for its dogged defence at Bir el Gobi in November of the same year. It had an excellent reputation as a fighting force and is something a bit different for the period. They wore a distinctive black stocking cap making them instantly recognisable.
As far as I know no one makes these guys in 28mm so I had to hatch a cunning plan. Modelling has never been my strongest point, I've tried to do a spot of sculpting but its safe to say I wont be putting the Perrys out of work soon. I call these a wargaming conversion, they are mostly Perrys plastic DAK with a straight forward head swap, the donors being from the Perrys ACW Zouave box, add to that some spare arms from the many Desert Rats boxes I have and from a distance in poor light they are spot on. For the purist the belts aren't quite right, the SMGs look suspiciously like Tommy Guns and the Bredas look like an MG34 that someones stuck a magazine on.
I quite like how they have come out, they will represent a company with our rules and I have enough spare heads (and an spare box of Zouaves with turbans as I dont do 28mm ACW, swapsy anyone ?) to do another company. But I must paint the pile of figures I have before I buy some more, yeah right.
Beautiful looking troops and pictures, love the MG...
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