How important was Italy's support to Germany? Was their support crucial or more of a dead weight?

How important was Italy's support to Germany? Was their support crucial or more of a dead weight?

''Had we been on our own, we could have emancipated the Moslem countries dominated by France; and that would have had enormous repercussions in the Near East, dominated by Britain, and in Egypt. But with our fortunes linked to those of the Italians, the pursuit of such a policy was not possible. All Islam vibrated at the news of our victories. The Egyptians, the Irakis and the whole of the Near East were all ready to rise in revolt. Just think what we could have done to help them, even to incite them, as would have been both our duty and in our own interest! But the presence of the Italians at our side paralysed us; it created a feeling of malaise among our Islamic friends, who inevitably saw in us accomplices, willing or unwilling, of their oppressors. For the Italians in these parts of the world are more bitterly hated, of course, than either the British or the French. The memories of the barbarous, reprisals taken against the Senussi are still vivid. Then again the ridiculous pretensions of the Duce to be regarded as The Sword of Islam evokes the same sneering chuckle now as it did before the war. This title, which is fitting for Mahomed and a great conqueror like Omar, Mussolini caused to be conferred on himself by a few wretched brutes whom he had either bribed or terrorized into doing so. We had a great chance of pursuing a splendid policy with regard to Islam. But we missed the bus, as we missed it on several other occasions, thanks to our loyalty to the Italian alliance!'' - Hitler,17th February 1945

Just a dead weight mostly. I think it was Rommel or another German who said something like "the Italians are not naturally bad soldiers but they lack good leadership and equipment". Italy could have done well had it been better prepared and had better generals and decision makers and Mussolini's personality, posturing and ego didn't help either.

Italy did a fantastic job, without them all of the allied forces that were fighting in Africa would've been able to invade Europe in 1942 an end the war way sooner.

Also Hitler was a muslim.

Why did the Allies not use the Swiss tunnels to invade Germany after the surrender of Italy?

Honestly in the long run the Nazis were more deadweight to Italian fascism.

Why you had to invade us Italy?
I thought we were cool

This, Italian fascism would be better off without the Nazis. Geostragically, Germany would have done better without the Italians too.

This.

Kept the Allies busy in Africa
kind of

Italy was the key of victory for the Allies.
Italy ""invades"" Egypt with enormous numerical superiority to take Suez and force the Brits to circumnavigate all of Africa for the supply cargos from the colonies and get crushed with operation Compas, germany must send help (I know not a lot of help but still) to mantain Lybia and gets stuck 2 years in the desert.
Italy invades Greece and after some ""victories"" the Greeks counter attack and now the fight is in the Italian Albania.
At the same time germans were preparing Operation Barbarossa but must move divisions and delay the attack of one month to help Italy in the Balkans (must also invade Jugoslavia cause the king won't let the germans pass trought it),thanks to the delay Guderian arrives in Moscow when the roads are inpraticable so the panzers cannot be manouvered in the proper way.
The occupation of Balkans and Greece will lead to one of the most furious war of resistance of history with partisans everywhere.
1943 Italy gets invaded,Mussolini is arrested the Germans have now another front to face (fug.exe)
After a year Italian resistance is getting stronger and even here they have to face guerriglia almost everywhere.
If Italy remained neutral Germany would have gained from Italy neutrality

t. Italianfag