3 Demands, One Chassis

In 1939, Italy fields only light tankettes, the CV-33/L3, outmatched by French and British medium tanks. The Fiat-Ansaldo design office is working on a medium tank capable of holding its own in the future Mediterranean and North African theaters.

But every ton counts. A more powerful gun and thicker armor add weight to the vehicle, reduce its speed, and drive up its production cost, at a time when Italian industry lacks steel and powerful engines.

The engineers must decide: prioritize a single dominant quality, or seek a balance that makes the tank excel in no single area but renders it suitable for mass production.