Italian Civil War

The Italian Civil War is an ongoing conflict between the Papal States and the recently seceded Italian Social Republic led by former Fascist general and MVSN commander, Achille Starace. 

On September 8, 2026 during a public interview former leader of the Kingdom of Italy, Benito Mussolini, announced publicly that he had regretted his decision to hand the Kingdom of Italy to Pope Francis in 1961, and that his decision to do so had only brought death, instability, and poverty to the Italian people who had to endure the collapse of the Papal States internally. The Partito Nazionale Fascista, which had become a fringe movement which was even condemned by its founder was soon given purpose again.

On September 19, 2026 its president, Achille Starace met with several former fascist leaders (alive from sea sponge injections) including Mario Roatta, Ettore Muti, Giuliano Martinat, and Roberto Farinacci to discuss the possibility of a revival of the fascist movement. On September 23, Starace met with leader of the recently established Free State of Turin, Amedeo Aosta to discuss the possibility of an alliance between a fascist regime and the free state. Coming to an agreement on the 25th, Amedeo also contacted Rudolf Hess, and a meeting in Berlin was held between high ranking members of the Novus Ordo to secure an alliance and lend lease if a war was started. Over the next weeks, several Blackshirt militas were organized in northern cities and answered to Starace’s command post in Venice.

Starace attempted to convince King Joseph Goebbels of Sicily to use the Sicilian Navy to blockade Papal ports, in exchange for being given Calabria and Apulia back after the war. When Goebbels declined on account of his recovering nation and alliance to the Papal States, Starace attempted to convince Muvimentu Fascista Sicilianu leader, Jacob Mauser into reorganizing the MFS and to overthrow Goebbels in a coup. Jacob declined his offer also on the account of recovering from the recently fought civil war, and because most of the MFS had joined the Sicilian Royal Army.

On October 21, 2026, Starace authorized the blackshirts to rise up. In a few hours, most of the Northern regions of Italy were under rebel jurisdiction. The rebellion quickly mandated the Verona Manifesto, which defined the laws of the newly established government of the Italian Social Republic, elected Starace as the head of the state, and formally declared sovereignty from the Papal States. Immediately upon being issued, Venice, Genoa, Milan, and Bologna ratified the manifesto and joined forces. In the south, a few number of smaller, uncentralized blackshirt movements also sprung up, primarily in Naples and other smaller towns in Calabria and Apulia.

As promised, the Novus Ordo organized an SS volunteer force as part of the newly formed 1st Italian SS, 2nd Italian SS, and 3rd Italian SS under the command of SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer Gary Peters. The divisions arrived and have been supplying the blackshirts with firearms, artillery, and tanks.