The Italians had on the eastern border of their Italian Ethiopia -under the "Commander" General Guglielmo Nasi and with the support of the "Regia Aeronautica"- nearly 40,000 soldiers: the 40th Infantry Division Cacciatori d'Africa of General Giovanni Varda, the 65th Infantry Division Granatieri di Savoia of general Amedeo Liberati and 6 colonial brigades supported by 4 tank companies (mainly Fiat L3/35 tankettes) and by one Armored Car Company with Fiat 611 "autoblindo". 