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Description
The Italian army was extremely effective before the war and well into 1941. The Italian army invaded Ethiopia and Albania and crushed the defending armies.

However this was against countries with outdated tech, small armies and horrible leadership.

So the Italian army, with more modern technology and better leadership (than the defenders at least) proved the Italian army to be a formidable opponent. Of course this was against nations that were significantly weaker than the Italian Army.

Against militaries with equal strength, the Italian army was possibly the worst in combat.

Compared to the other belligerents, the Italian army had outdated technology, most being designed or purchased around the early 1930’s, horrible leadership and insufficient support or intelligence.

For example, the Italian army’s first confrontation with a real enemy was in Africa against the British.
While the Italians did okay at the start, the British Army decimated the Italians.
To add some context, in 1940, the British army was in horrible shape, with outclassed technology and abysmal infrastructure (compared to the Germans). However, the British had better leadership and better technology so the British won many victories in the desert against the Italians.

A good example is when an Italian tank brigade got lost, drove around in circles for days, ran out of fuel and surrendered to the British forces.
Later into the war, the Italians engaged in a naval battle with the British, and had about the same result.
The Italians got demolished.
The British navy was far more advanced than the Italian navy (which was partially built by the Germans) and the Italians had poor leadership.

This horrible combination lead to the Italian defeat and even Hitler was pissed at the Italians.

Later in the war, Mussolini wanted to invade Greece to expand his territory (and to prove to Hitler that he wasn’t totally useless) and it failed miserably.

The Greeks not only halted the Italian advance, but pushed back the Italians into Albania.
Of course the Nazis stepped in and the Greeks were eventually defeated.

While the Greek army was supported by the British navy, it had a strong chain of command which is what primarily lead the Greeks to victory.

Description
The Italian army was extremely effective before the war and well into 1941. The Italian army invaded Ethiopia and Albania and crushed the defending armies.

However this was against countries with outdated tech, small armies and horrible leadership.

So the Italian army, with more modern technology and better leadership (than the defenders at least) proved the Italian army to be a formidable opponent. Of course this was against nations that were significantly weaker than the Italian Army.

Against militaries with equal strength, the Italian army was possibly the worst in combat.

Compared to the other belligerents, the Italian army had outdated technology, most being designed or purchased around the early 1930’s, horrible leadership and insufficient support or intelligence.

For example, the Italian army’s first confrontation with a real enemy was in Africa against the British.
While the Italians did okay at the start, the British Army decimated the Italians.
To add some context, in 1940, the British army was in horrible shape, with outclassed technology and abysmal infrastructure (compared to the Germans). However, the British had better leadership and better technology so the British won many victories in the desert against the Italians.

A good example is when an Italian tank brigade got lost, drove around in circles for days, ran out of fuel and surrendered to the British forces.
Later into the war, the Italians engaged in a naval battle with the British, and had about the same result.
The Italians got demolished.
The British navy was far more advanced than the Italian navy (which was partially built by the Germans) and the Italians had poor leadership.

This horrible combination lead to the Italian defeat and even Hitler was pissed at the Italians.

Later in the war, Mussolini wanted to invade Greece to expand his territory (and to prove to Hitler that he wasn’t totally useless) and it failed miserably.

The Greeks not only halted the Italian advance, but pushed back the Italians into Albania.
Of course the Nazis stepped in and the Greeks were eventually defeated.

While the Greek army was supported by the British navy, it had a strong chain of command which is what primarily lead the Greeks to victory.