The Italian Army on Venus? Who saw that coming? Not me either.
But someone has to fight my Russians if I deploy them to Venus, so a good opportunity to branch out. Hmmm...maybe some of the Afrikan German colonial troops also...
Here follows some a notes for a potential project as the mood strikes me, given there isn't much out there for the Italians on Venus. Indeed, in the Space 1889 niche, Venus is seemingly rare for tabletop gaming. On the topic, GDW's Soldier's Companion (1990) states only that:
Separately, the later Ubiquity edition of the Venus Sourcebook (2014) states:
Rather than seeing that as a restriction, I see it as opportunity to mix and match! After all, the Bersaglieri and their flank guard/recon roles would be right at home in the jungle protecting vulnerable convoys and working with native (lizardmen) guides.
An Italian Infantry regiment of the period typically consisted of 3 battalions, although some formations had 4 (specifically Bersaglieri). Each battalion comprised 4 companies. A regiment was around 1,500 men at peace footing, expanding to roughly 3,000 men on a war footing.
Thats probably what the 7th Infantry Regiment "Cuneo" / 7º Reggimento fanteria "Cuneo" looks like, though I'm sure a few Bersalgieri and other small units from the Italian military are there also, if not in force.
While it was established in 1891, if there are troops of Venus it makes sense to establish the "Regio corpo truppe coloniali de Venere" and sweep all the troop on Venus into it under the Italian Governor's authority.
Uniforms
Researching late 19th Century Italian Colonial forces, the Italian colonial army (primarily operating in Eritrea) wore a mix of white or khaki tropical uniforms, commonly featuring a white cork helmet with an azure-blue band, or the traditional red tarbush(fez) with a turban for native ascaro troops. Native soldiers often wore white linen tunics and sash combinations, armed with Vetterli-Vitali rifles.
Key Aspects of the 1890s Italian Colonial Uniforms:
- Colonial Units (Askaris/Native Units): Native Eritrean troops commonly wore a red tarbush (fez) with a blue feather/turban, a white or linen-colored tunic with insignia, white trousers, and sandals.
- Italian Officers: Wore white tropical tunics and trousers, often with a white cork helmet ("salacot") decorated with a blue band.
- Note Officers in Italy wore white pants with a Dark Blue jacket with black piping around the collars, cuffs and red edges, and white leather equipment, which might add variety
- Fatigue Uniforms: In barracks, troops wore "dirty brown" canvas fatigues, which were more durable than their white parade dress.
- Distinctions: Light blue distinctions were often used on helmets and uniforms for colonial troops.
- Arms: Soldiers were often armed with the M1870/87 Vetterli carbine, M1874 cavalry sabers, and traditional local knives in their sashes.
These uniforms were specifically adapted for the climate in East Africa, shifting away from the heavy wool uniforms used in the Italian mainland at the time, which featured dark blue coats and grey-blue trousers. So these would naturally appeal for the steamy jungles of Venus!
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| Infantry Captain, Truppe d'Africa, 1896 service dress |
Bersaglieri were a high mobility light infantry and skirmishing force, originating in Sardinia before being incorporated into the Italian army when th Kingdom of Italy was formed in 1861. In the 1895 period, in tropical climates such as Abyssinia and Eritrea, they tended toward the newer khaki style uniforms with sun helmets and their distinctive plumage of black feathers.
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| Bersaglieri Lieutenant, marching order |
In the 1860 period, Bersaglieri wore a Summer Campaign Dress of white trousers and dark blue jackets (see first picture in this post) with wide brimmed hats.
In Somaliland (and others) the Italian colonial forces made good use of Tribal irregulars, many of which were equipped with their tradition spears and shields, and a limited amount trained to use firearms. I think that tradition would continue with local tribes of lizardmen
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Wargames Atlantic plastic Lizardmen from "Gisby's Gaming Blog"
(https://gisby.wordpress.com/2022/02/17/space-1889-lizard-men-of-venus/)
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Would love to hear people's thought on the subject, or Space 1889 on Venus in general.
And while we talking about Venus do remember that on this planet, Germany is the strongest Colonial force...
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Schutztruppe militia in the outback of the German protectorate |
