Minifigure – Royal Italian Army Submachine Gunner (North Africa Tropical Variant) WWII

Character Identification: WWII Royal Italian Army Submachine Gunner

This custom-printed building block minifigure represents a specialized frontline assault soldier of the Royal Italian Army (Regio Esercito) during World War II. The light tan/khaki uniform indicates that he is equipped for a tropical or desert environment, specifically representing the forces that fought in the North African Campaign.

Specific Name and Visual Details

• Specific Name: WWII Royal Italian Army Submachine Gunner (North Africa Tropical Variant)

• Headgear (Primary & Alternate):

  • The M33 Helmet: The figure is currently wearing the standard M33 Steel Helmet (Elmetto Mod. 33), painted in a desert sand color to blend in with the North African environment.

  • The Bustina Cap: Floating to the right of the figure is a secondary headgear option—a tan Bustina, the traditional Italian peaked side-cap worn by soldiers during non-combat duties.

• Facial Features: The printed face features a rugged, battle-worn appearance with a distinct black goatee and mustache, along with printed stubble and dirt marks, capturing the harsh reality of prolonged desert warfare.

• The Uniform and Insignia: He is outfitted in the Italian tropical khaki/sahariana tunic and trousers.

  • Collar Tabs (Mostrine): The collar prominently features the classic red collar tabs adorned with a five-pointed white star. This is the Stella d’Italia (Star of Italy), the historic national symbol used to identify regular soldiers of the Italian armed forces.

• Tactical Webbing and Gear (The “Samurai” Bandolier): * The most defining feature on his uniform is the thick, black diagonal magazine bandolier strapped across his chest. Historically, this was known as the “Samurai” vest/bandolier. It was specifically designed to carry the long 40-round stick magazines for the Beretta submachine gun across the soldier’s chest for rapid reloading during an assault.

• Footwear: His lower legs feature printed dark grey puttees (cloth leg wraps) worn over standard brown leather boots to keep desert sand out.

• Weapon Accessory: Floating to the left is a highly detailed brown and dark grey submachine gun. This represents the famous Beretta MAB 38 (Modello 38), identifiable by its wooden stock, side-feeding magazine, and perforated barrel shroud.

Historical Background

During World War II, the Kingdom of Italy fought a massive, grueling desert war across North Africa against British, Commonwealth, and eventually American forces.

• The Beretta MAB 38: While the Italian military often suffered from outdated heavy equipment, their small arms development produced some incredible weapons. The Moschetto Automatico Beretta (MAB) Modello 38 is widely considered one of the absolute best submachine guns of the entire war. It was beautifully machined, incredibly reliable, and fired the powerful 9mm Fiocchi cartridge. It was so highly prized for its quality and firepower that Allied, German, and Partisan forces alike would often discard their own weapons to use captured Beretta M38s.

• The Role of the Submachine Gunner: Because the Beretta M38 was expensive and slow to manufacture, it was not issued to every soldier. Instead, it was primarily issued to NCOs, paratroopers (like the elite Folgore division), shock troops (Bersaglieri), and specialized assault squads. The presence of this weapon and the specialized chest rig indicates this minifigure represents an elite or highly experienced shock troop.

• The “Samurai” Magazine Vest: Standard rifle ammo pouches were useless for long SMG magazines. The Italians developed a dedicated canvas chest rig worn diagonally or horizontally to hold these magazines. Its segmented appearance led troops to nickname it the “Samurai” vest, as it vaguely resembled samurai armor plating.