During the war each Alpini battalion raised a skiers platoon from its ranks. Starting on 9 January 1917 the army began to combine these platoons in twelve skiers battalions (Battaglione Sciatori) of two companies and one train unit each. Each company had 18 dog sleds: six configured to carry wounded and twelve to carry the company's six Villar Perosa submachine guns with their ammunition. Each company also fielded a machine gun section with two Fiat-Revelli Modello 1914 machine guns. Until the end of March 1917 twelve battalions and two autonomous companies had been formed and numbered from West to East. However already on 15 May of the same year ten of the battalions were disbanded or their men used to form seven regular Alpini battalions. Only the I and II Skiers battalion continued to serve on the glaciers of the Adamello-Presanella Alps and Ortler Alps. Ultimately both battalions were reformed as Alpini battalions in spring 1918. Until the end of the war a total of nine battalions were raised with men and companies of the former skiers battalions and their companies were numbered: