What was the primary role of Italy in the WWII?

Nearly four million Italians served in the Italian Army
during the Second World War and nearly half a million Italians (including civilians)
died between June 1940 and May 1945.

Italy while
contributing troops to the Eastern Front (200,000) mainly served as Germany's ally in
securing the Mediterranean.  Most of the forces under Rommel in North Africa were in
fact Italian and not German, the Afrika Corps was a small part of the forces fighting
the British in North Africa.

The Italians contributed the
bulk of Axis naval units in the Meditterean, even after the British successful attack on
the Italian navy at Taranto in 1940.  The Italian navy did not attempt to confront
British capital ships with its own, but it did provide trouble for British convoys.
Italy required German help not only in North Africa, but also in Greece.  They did
successfully wrest British Somalialand from the British without German
aid.

After Italy's armistice with the Allies in 1943, some
Italians fought alongside the allies in combat and as support units in the Italian
Co-Belligerent army. Some 50,000 in combat and 200,000 in support.  Others given the
choice by the Germans to be interned (and used as slave labor) or fight with their old
allies chose to fight with Germany.  Over 90,000 chose this option.  Thousands of
Italian troops in the Balkans joined up with resistance fighters in 1943 and their was a
strong Italian resistance to the Germans behind the
lines.

The main problem for the Italians in WW2 as allies
of the Germans is that they were poorly equipped compared to their German allies and
their British opponents.  This no doubt had an effect on morale and fighting spirit as
well.  Italy entered the war in 1940 believing it was almost over and eager to grab some
spoils, but it was woefully unprepared and faltered even as the allies seemed on the
ropes, and as the war dragged on, these deficiencies became even more
pronounced.