The Axis player has a free choice as to when Italy enters the war, and up to 10 Italian combat factors (often including an air unit or the two small Italian armored corps) may be "lent" to participate for free in German offensives. Italy may declare war during the battle of France, allowing Italian air units to be lent to Germany or for German panzer corps to execute (or threaten) a thrust south of the Alps. In the 1981 and subsequent editions Italy may surrender (as in reality) once there are no Axis units in North Africa (Germany may thwart this by a sneaky invasion of Casablanca), and the Allies have the initiative, control Sicily (or both Sardinia and Corsica) and a foothold on the Italian mainland. Control of Italian hexes (other than ones the Allied player has taken control of) passes to the German player, along with the elite Italian Folgore paratroop unit (which can still stack for free but must now fight as ground troops) and a few (determined by a die roll) Italian naval factors. All other Italian units are removed from the game.