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As I'm sure many of you know, lots of South Italians were not huge fans of Mussolini and fought along side the Italian Royal Army and Allied forces to help take Italy, although I am not sure about their North African Campaign if they even fought in one. However, I do know that at some point in the war the Soviets fought the Italians in the North at one point. I was thinking of starting a communist Italian army as the Italians have the cheapest box set and I don't really want my first army to be axis. I was wondering if:
a) It would be legal to throw in a T-26 or three along with my other tanks, or even maybe some Strelkovie teams with my Bersaglieri.
b) Does anyone know if, in fact, the Soviets did supply the Italian communist resistance? I do know throughout history the Soviets have assisted other communist resistance groups, but I don't know if they made it to Italy.

Thank you all very much!
If you do know if it is legal or not to throw in a couple of foreign units in with a different country, I would really like to know as soon as possible please! I have to know by noon tomorrow because I have to make an offer for a $100 1500 point Italian army by noon tomorrow!

Is it in an army list put out by Battlefront?

No?

Then it isn't legal.

That isn't to say you won't find someone to play with you, its just not legal.

And I can't think of one situation where the Italians and the Soviets fought side by side. Unless it was during an Italian retreat from the Don and both armies just happend to be moving in the same direction.

If you want Soviets, play Soviets. However, $100 for a 1500pt FoW army is still a steal.

I can't imagine that the Soviets provided much physical support to the Italian communists during the war -- it would have been quite challenging logistically.

I am not sure if the Italian Communists were really organized for open fighting rather than sabotage -- they may have been but I have never heard of it.

Yeah, I kinda thought so, but it was worth a try. I was going to go for a http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=1622 (Polish resistance) kinda thing with some Partisans and Polizei characters, the $100 Italian army box, and some Soviet tanks I found for $10 at my FLGS. Was going for an army under $150, which would be ridiculous. Might still do it just 'cause of the price, then just not play in tourneys and use my imagination, or just start Soviets. Any suggestions on what might be best?

No direct soviet help for Italian communists existed to best of my knowledge.
Italian resistance units were quite big in certain terotories, numbering up to few hundred combatants. They were mostly communists, anarchists or socialists, usually not mixed in the same unit though I have some booklets bout Italian resistance if yo uare looking for more details.
hope that helps.