L.3/35 Carro Veloce - A funny tankette in Greek hands
During the Greco-Italian War of 1940–41, Greek forces captured a substantial number of Italian Carri Armati L3 (L3/33 and L3/35) tankettes and pressed them into service to bolster the Hellenic Army’s limited armored capabilities.
The L3 in Greece
On 28 October 1940 Italian forces invaded Greece from Albania. Greek troops of the 8th Infantry Division under Major General Charalambos Katsimitros halted and then reversed the Italian advance in the Battle of Elaia–Kalamas (and specifically around Kalpaki) in November 1940. In the process they overran elements of the Italian 131ª Divisione Corazzata “Centauro,” capturing roughly 40–45 L3 light tanks (sources vary between about 30 recovered in usable or repairable condition and the higher figure of 40–45 overall). Greek mechanics and crews rapidly restored as many as possible by cannibalizing damaged vehicles for spare parts, ammunition, and weapons.
These tankettes were organized into a tank company (Ίλη Αρμάτων) within the Mechanized Cavalry Regiment (Μηχανοκίνητο Σύνταγμα Ιππικού), the only Greek mechanized unit then engaged against the Italians. The company was promptly committed in support of the Greek counter-offensive into southern Albania, notably toward Gjirokastër (Argyrokastro) in December 1940. The L3s were employed primarily as mobile machine-gun platforms to suppress Italian positions rather than as independent breakthrough vehicles. Greek crews valued their mechanical simplicity and robustness in the difficult mountain terrain and affectionately nicknamed them “little bouzoukis.” Only two were lost during these operations—one to accident and one in direct combat. At least one captured L3 carried the painted slogan “The Avenger of Elli,” referring to the Greek cruiser sunk by an Italian submarine in August 1940.
In early 1941 a number of the surviving L3s (around 18 according to some accounts) were incorporated into the newly formed 19th Mechanized Division. With the German invasion of Greece in April 1941 and the subsequent Axis occupation, most of the Greek-operated L3s were either destroyed, abandoned, or recaptured by Italian forces.
Key specifications
Crew: 2 (commander/machine-gunner + driver)
Length:3.15–3.17 m
Width:1.40–1.42 m
Height:1.28–1.30 m
Combat weight: 3.2–3.5 tonnes
Engine: 4-cyl water-cooled FIAT SPA CV3-005
Power: 43 hp / 2,400 rpm
Max speed (road): 42 km/h
Range: 120–125 km
Armor: 6–14 mm
for me i would like to see it as we have the 3 French 1.0 tanks
just put it there and you don’t have to play it at all, i know its almost useless but gives a funny note to gameplay just running around like a little rat searching for the 2-3 targets you can kill
Gonna have to go with -1.
Seems a little silly to go through the whole effort of modeling a vehicle just for it to be basically useless. If the infantry mode ever expands to the WW2 BRs, then I’ll change my tune. Until that point, it just doesn’t serve a purpose in-game centered around vehicle combat. We already have the version that can actually fight tanks, which I’m content with.
It would be a vehichle with only machineguns, too weak even for 1.0 in a Techtree where the starter vehichle is 6.3.
It’s never going to be added. Your only hope if the
While interesting personally -1 as the vehicle would be completely useless in the game due to its lackluster anti armour capabilities and would be horrible post pen
The L3/33 CC model is 8 years old, and doesn’t hold up to the modern visual model standards. A newly released L3 variant would be remodeled from the ground up.
The L3/33 CC model in-game also differs from the L3/35. For instance, in the photo’s you’ve provided, the L3/35’s have more extensive bolts on the superstructure sides. Maybe it’s not too hard to model given current assets, but it’s not a case of a simple asset swap.
This is a false equivalence. Those French tanks were once somewhat viable (not competitive oc) for fighting other tanks. They only linger because they are legacy vehicles that were retroactively made almost unusable by the shift to the DeMarree penetration calculator. Even then, the possible addition of Brandt APDS rounds could make them somewhat useable again.
The L3/35 is even worse than those French 1.0s by a huge margin since it’s outright incapable of harming basically any tank.
When you strip away the Keanuchungus heckin wholesome 100 reddit memes, this vehicle offers very little of actual substance to gameplay and is diverting resources that are better spent on far more fun and viable vehicles, which the Israeli tree and Greek subtree are in actual need of.
Anyone who wants a little Italian tankette for taking unexpected hiding spots and other such shenanigans already has that option in-game, but with the ability to still hurt equal-BR tanks.
Like I said, if we get an infantry gamemode, then this absolutely has a place like all the other little MG tankettes, but that’s not what the game is right now.
