Tearing Black Shirts

DATE: 26/03/2026

TIME (GMT): 19:00

ERA: ww2

MAP(S): Pella Region

TYPE: COOP

GAME: Arma 3

EVENT: Official

AUTHOR(S): Sclembi

SLOTS: 25 / 88

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RATING: not rated yet! (0)

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Italy's invasion of Greece from its Albanian protectorate on October 28, 1940 started the Greco-Italian War, which quickly developed into a taxing campaign of mountain warfare in which the Greek Army not only repelled the initial Italian thrust but also carried the conflict deep into southern Albania. Greek raiding operations behind Italian lines on the Albanian front emerged in this larger context as a crucial, if frequently overlooked, aspect of the conflict—shaped by the region's difficult topography, the operational requirements of both armies, and the improvisational prowess of Greek soldiers and commanders. These raids, conducted amidst the snowbound peaks and treacherous passes of the Pindus and Epirus, were characterized by small-unit infiltration, sabotage, and sudden assaults on Italian supply lines, outposts, and communications, and they played a significant role in both the tactical and psychological dimensions of the campaign.
The Albanian front, stretching from the Ionian coast in the west to the rugged interior of the Pindus Mountains in the east, presented an operational environment of extraordinary difficulty. The terrain was dominated by steep, forested slopes, narrow defiles, and high-altitude passes, many of which were snowbound or impassable for much of the winter. The region’s limited road network, often little more than mule tracks, severely constrained the movement of mechanized forces and placed a premium on local knowledge, physical endurance, and the ability to operate in small, autonomous groups. For the Greek Army, many of whose soldiers hailed from the very regions now under threat, this environment was both a challenge and an opportunity: while the logistical difficulties were immense, the Greeks’ familiarity with mountain warfare, their use of mules for transport and their decentralized command philosophy rooted in the German concept of Auftragstaktik, or mission command enabled them to exploit the terrain to their advantage.
Greek raiding actions behind Italian lines were born of necessity as much as design. Following the initial repulse of the Italian invasion, the Greek counteroffensive pushed into southern Albania, capturing key towns such as Korçë, Gjirokastër (Argyrokastro), and Sarandë (Santa Quaranta) by December 1940. However, as the front stabilized and the Greek advance slowed in the face of harsh winter conditions, supply shortages, and increasing Italian reinforcements, the Greek High Command, under General Alexandros Papagos, recognized the need to maintain pressure on the enemy through irregular operations. Major offensive actions were suspended in early January 1941, but local attacks and raids were explicitly authorized to disrupt Italian preparations, gather intelligence, and realign Greek forces for future operations.
The objectives of these raids were multifaceted. At the tactical level, Greek raiding parties sought to harass Italian rear-area units, destroy supply dumps, ambush convoys, and cut telephone and telegraph lines. Such actions not only inflicted material losses but also forced the Italians to divert troops from the front to rear-area security, thereby relieving pressure on the main Greek defensive lines. At the operational level, raids were intended to sow confusion, undermine Italian morale, and exploit the Italians’ unfamiliarity with the terrain. Strategically, these actions contributed to the broader Greek aim of maintaining the initiative, tying down superior Italian forces, and buying time for the Allies to reinforce the Balkan theater.
The conduct of Greek raids was shaped by both tradition and innovation. Drawing on a long history of klephtic and andartiko warfare in the Greek mountains, raiding parties typically operated in small, lightly equipped groups led by junior officers or experienced non-commissioned officers. These units relied on stealth, speed, and surprise, often moving at night along little-known paths and striking isolated Italian outposts or supply columns before melting back into the mountains. The use of local guides, many of whom were intimately familiar with the terrain, was crucial, as was the support of the local population especially in regions with significant Greek minorities, such as Northern Epirus (southern Albania). In some cases, Greek raiders collaborated with Albanian partisans or exploited the ambivalence of local Albanian communities toward the Italian occupiers, although such cooperation was limited and often fraught with suspicion.
Notable among the Greek units involved in raiding and mountain operations were the elite Evzone regiments, renowned for their endurance and fighting spirit, as well as ad hoc detachments drawn from regular infantry divisions. The Pindus Detachment, under Colonel Konstantinos Davakis, played a critical role in the early defense against the Italian Julia Alpine Division’s thrust through the Pindus Mountains, stabilizing the front and launching counterattacks that ultimately encircled and decimated the Italian spearhead. Later, as the Greek advance pushed into Albania, divisions such as the 1st, 11th, and 7th “Cretan” Infantry Divisions distinguished themselves in both conventional assaults and raiding actions, most famously during the capture of the Klisura Pass in January 1941 - a battle that combined frontal attacks with flanking maneuvers and infiltration tactics.
The outcomes of Greek raiding actions were significant, if difficult to quantify in isolation from the broader campaign. At the tactical level, raids disrupted Italian supply lines, destroyed ammunition dumps, and captured prisoners and equipment. The psychological impact on Italian troops, many of whom were conscripts unaccustomed to mountain warfare and demoralized by the harsh conditions, was considerable. Italian commanders, including General Ugo Cavallero and General Carlo Geloso, were compelled to reinforce rear-area security, deploy additional Blackshirt and Bersaglieri battalions, and divert resources from the front to protect vulnerable lines of communication. Despite these efforts, Italian logistics remained chronically overstretched, and the inability to secure the rear contributed to the failure of successive Italian offensives, including the much-heralded Spring Offensive of March 1941, which was repulsed with heavy losses after repeated attacks on Greek positions such as Hill 731.
The strategic significance of Greek raids extended beyond their immediate effects. By maintaining constant pressure on the Italians, the Greeks forced Mussolini to commit ever-larger forces to the Albanian front—by January 1941, more than 260,000 Italian troops were deployed in Albania, supported by thousands of vehicles and animals, yet unable to achieve a decisive breakthrough. This diversion of Axis resources had far-reaching consequences: it delayed German intervention in the Balkans, complicated Axis planning for Operation Barbarossa, and provided a vital, if temporary, respite for the British and their allies in the Mediterranean theater. British support, though limited by logistical constraints, included the deployment of Royal Air Force squadrons to bomb Italian supply centers and provide close air support for Greek operations, as well as the activities of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), which began to lay the groundwork for later resistance and sabotage efforts.
Eyewitness accounts and primary sources, including diaries, official reports, and memoirs, attest to the hardships and heroism of Greek raiders. Soldiers endured freezing temperatures, inadequate clothing and rations, and the constant threat of ambush or encirclement. Frostbite and illness claimed thousands of casualties on both sides, and the logistical challenges of supplying forward units in the mountains were immense. Yet, as contemporary observers noted, the morale of Greek troops remained remarkably high, sustained by a sense of defending their homeland and by the support of local communities, who provided food, shelter, and intelligence despite the risks of Italian reprisals.
Players will take a role of Greek raiding unit deployed behind enemy lines to destroy a number of outposts, ending with a capture of a large Italian ammo dump.