Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-13740085-20140322054844/@comment-32656-20140401111731

Would help if you looked at better sources on one hand, and actually read them on the other.

The only time in which the Italians were outnumbered was when the Central Powers moved all those troops from the eastern front to the west after the Russian surrender. Didn't last, either.

Don't know why those numbers are common, but they're not all that accurate. In order for those numbers to be accurate, A-H would have had to have divisions somewhere in the area of twice the size of the Italian ones. Which is not the case, and never would be - Italian divisions, were, in fact, mildly larger. Yet the number of divisions on either side are unquestionable. Nor could A-H get enough other soldiers in the area to add to that - it is simply impossible for them to reinforce like that.

Most likely, soldiers from elsewhere are being added to the total for some reason. Common, but misleading.

Moreover, the number of German soldiers is also misleading - note how it never really says how many? A lot more of them than you think. Horribly over-sized divisions. Only reason why the Italians were ever outnumbered.

Amount of times attacked at any given location is irrelevant - trench warfare, remember? Same goes for casualties. See the same kind of activities on all the other fronts, in the same number range. On the Italian front, even worse. All the mountains, high altitude, and cold. While that 10,000 dead avalanche story that's out there really isn't true, it is not as much of an exaggeration as you'd think. Disturbingly high number of deaths to things like that.

Of all the battles on that front, the Italians were outnumbered twice: when units from the east arrived and attacked, and the last battle. The former, more or less fresh, over-sized, and experienced German troops against tired Italians - not a shocking result. The latter, however, is a far more accurate tell: Despite being outnumbered, the Italians beat the stuffing out of the A-H troops. Allied troops were not involved in any real way.

Same effect in earlier battles - German troops allowed A-H to have staying power. Take them out of the equation, and Italy gets through.

Italy can devote all its power to the front - and would have support/backing from the otl Allies. A-H cannot. Not only do they have many borders and areas that they must keep troops on/in, but they also can't trust a lot of their soldiers. You'll see mutinies and open revolts very soon.

And even that ignores their other neighbors, who will encourage said problems. Bet on semi-official intervention, too.

A-H cannot mobilize its forces easily - Italy can. Their naval forces also far outmatched A-H.

Net result is that A-H can't commit more than otl, give or take, to that front. With no German support, be it men or munitions, A-H is screwed. And the Germans would not even intervene at that point if others join against A-H in some form. Gets that bad, will be obvious how weak A-H is, and they'll take Italy as an ally instead.

So, overall, no. A-H loses. ASB.