The development and adoption of artillery pieces particularly suitable for use in mountain areas largely depend on geographical conditions under which armies foresee to operate. This fact explains why the best mountain howitzers were studied and developed in the Austro-Hungarian empire and produced by the Czech firm Skoda.

Austro-Hungarian armies firstly deployed their highly effective 7.5 cm Gebirgeschutze M.15 in 1915 (mainly against Italian army); this weapon could be taken to six (seven for the Italian version) pieces, easily transportable by mules and horses.

After the end of the First World War and the defeat of the Habsburg empire, Italy requisitioned many such howitzers as a war booty. They were re-named ”Obice da 75/13”.

The Obice da 75/13 was assigned to Alpini artillery units and infantry units stationed near to the national borders. It was usually transported or towed by mules, by trucks, and occasionally by the sturdy Alpini troopers themselves.

Firstly employed in Ethiopia (1935-36) and Spain (1936-39) its good firing qualities convinced the High Command to re-start its production in Italy under Skoda licence. During the Second World War the Obice da 75/13 fought on almost every front: France (1940), Balkans (1940-41), Russia (1942-43), Tunisia (1943). The post-war Italian Army employed it well into the Fifties (when it was substituted by the 105/14 howitzer). It should also be remembered that this howitzer was employed by Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Jugoslavia, Romania and Turkey in the inter-war period.

Italian 75/13 howitzers were painted gray-green or with a three-tone camo (sand yellow, rust and green) during the war; olive green after the war. Austrian howitzers were in gray (somewhat darker than Federal Standard 30372).