Italian East Africa (IEA) was no joke, there was something like 370,00 armed men there, but this is a deceptive indication of strength and only about 1/3rd were Italian. The rest were Colonial Troops, and 4 years of Italian rule had not made much progress with many of the Ethiopians…. yet. Carrying them along on successful offensives and then sending some of them home with tales of military glory should keep them adequately motivated. (( Historically, the Italians did venture out and seize bits of Kenya, small parts of the Sudan, and all of British Somaliland.))
British Somaliland was no great trick. The Italians had to be re-directed from the planned attack on Djibouti (French Somalia) and didn’t attack until Early August. This allowed the British to boost the garrison from 2 to 5 Battalions…. still too few to hold the Italians off for more than a few days once the fighting began.
The Sudan was going well, air superiority (in one battle the Italians lost five Cr. 42 to shoot down seven Gladiators) and were coming close to Port Sudan and the Nile. They were stopped by a shortage of fuel.
Fuel, again…. still sounds like a lie to me. 400,000 gallons were captured in Mogadishu.
Where to get more? For this I take my cue from Machiavelli and turn to Russia, via our pals, the Germans.
Germany is putting out Commerce Raiders right from day one and, those raiders can come a-calling on us at Mogadishu. However, if they want fuel, they can be the ones to pre-position it. THEY can pay the Soviets for it, charter a Soviet tanker to bring it to us prior to the entry of Italy into the war.
The deal is, we get a 50/50 split. So if 10,000 tons arrive, Italy gets 5,000… and we didn’t pay one red cent for it. That ought to turn the trick, yes?
But the really bold part will be taking the one British base in the area that seems out of reach; Aden.

(IRL, the Bombers hit it early, in day and night raids!)
Historically on hand, June 1940;
Duke Aosta had two metropolitan divisions, the 40th Infantry Division Cacciatori d'Africa and the 65th Infantry Division Granatieri di Savoia, a battalion of Alpini (elite mountain troops), a Bersaglieri battalion of motorised infantry, several Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MSVN Camicie Nere [Blackshirt]) battalions and smaller units. About 70 percent of Italian troops were locally recruited Askari. The regular Eritrean battalions and the Corps of Somali Colonial Troops were among the best Italian units in the AOI and included Eritrean cavalry Penne di Falco (Falcon Feathers)
Italian forces in East Africa were equipped with about 3,313 heavy machine-guns, 5,313 machine-guns, 24 x M11/39 medium tanks, 39 x L33/35 tankettes, a few armored cars and 824 x cannon, 24 × 20 mm anti-aircraft guns, 71 × 81 mm mortars and 672,800 rifles
(too few 81mm mortars, and far too many rifles … that must include what was available to the Italian civilians)
I was a little surprised to see 1/4th of the whole production run of the M11/39 posted to this area, this was the best tank they had at the time. Someone in Rome clearly had some interest in giving this Army some offensive power....
CHANGES; Double the number of 20mm guns. Conduct a thorough inspection of Arms and Ammunition to ensure that shortages are rectified and that nothing is going to be siphoned off once the ballon goes up. Due to its isolation, a higher standard of accountability is to be expected in this Theater of War.
One full-strength Division with good equipment is to be transferred in March, and posted to Addis Ababa by the end of April. This will free the 65th Division to move to the Northwest in preparation for it's combat assignment.
At war start
Riserva Generale Addis Abeba and Dessiè with:
-321.a and 322.a Compagnia carri M11/39 (4 platoons with 6 x M11/39 each) {one to 65th Div, one to 40th Div}
-1.a and 2.a compagnia carri L35 each) {one to 65th Div, one to 40th Div}
Comando Truppe Scioa with:
-Squadrone carri veloci “Cavalieri di Neghelli” (15xL3) {to Groupo Sudani… minus 3 to Aden group}
-Reparto Autocarri armati PAI (some armored trucks armed with MG) {Local Garrisons}
Comando Truppe HARAR with:
-Sezione Autonoma autoblindo Fiat 611 – (5x37mm Fiat611) {one to Aden, 4 to Kenya}
-Seziona Autonoma autoblindo Lancia IZ – (4xLanciaIZ) {to Somalia}
Comando Truppe Galla-Sidamo with:
-Sezione Autoblindo Lancia del Galla Sidamo (Gimma)(3xLanciaIZ) {to So. Sudan}
-Sezione Autoblindo Fiat 611 del Galla Sidamo (Javello)(3xFiat611mg) {1 to Aden, 2 to Kenya}
-Compagnia autocarri armati del Galla Sidamo (Gimma)(some armoured trucks with MG) {stays there for internal security duty}
-Sezione autocarri armati (Uolisciò) (4xarmoured trucks) {to Kenya}
Comando Truppe Amhara with:
-Reparto provvisorio autoblindo (Debrivar)(some LanciaIZ) {Home Patrol}
-Sezione autoblindo Lancia (6xLanciaIZ)(Debra Marcos-Goggiam) {with Groupo Sudani}
Armor deployment, by location/destination;
Kenya; 4 x Fiat611 w/37mm, 2 x Fiat611 MG, 4 x Armored trucks, 4 x 20mm on armored trucks.
65th Div ; 12 x M11/39 tanks, 12 x CV33 tankettes,
40th Div ; 10 x M11/39 tanks, 12 x CV33 tankettes, 4 x Lancia a/c
Aden ; 3 x CV33, 2 x Fiat611, 2 x M11/39 tanks*
Groupo Sudani (along with the Motorized Battalion & Cavalry attachments) ; 12 x CV33, 6 x Lancia a/c, 4 x 20mm on armored trucks.
So. Sudan ; 3 x Lancia a/c, some armored trucks later on.
*The small and eclectic team sent to Aden is to allow for the expansion of the perimeter as needed, and the propaganda impact of having Axis tanks on the Arabian Peninsula.
I have more, but once again the post becomes loooong, and I don't want eyes to start glazing over, so I will break this up a little.