Condottieri-class cruiser

The Condottieri class was a sequence of five, different, light cruiser classes of the Regia Marina (Italian Navy), although these classes show a clear line of evolution. They were built before World War II to gain predominance in the Mediterranean Sea. The ships were named after military commanders (condottieri) of Italian history.

Each class is known after the first ship of the group:

Giussano-class cruiser:
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Alberto da Giussano
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Alberico da Barbiano
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Bartolomeo Colleoni
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Giovanni dalle Bande Nere

Cadorna class:
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Luigi Cadorna
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Armando Diaz

Montecuccoli class:
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Raimondo Montecuccoli
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Muzio Attendolo

Duca d'Aosta class:
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Emanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Eugenio di Savoia

Duca degli Abruzzi class:
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Duca degli Abruzzi
 * ITALIAN CRUISER Giuseppe Garibaldi

Evolution
The first group, the four Di Giussanos, were built for speed, with virtually no armour and a large power plant - equivalent to that of the heavier Trento class. The two Cadornas retained the main characteristics, with minor changes.

Major changes were introduced for the next pair, the Montecuccolis. Heavier ships, with significantly better protection, and uprated power-plants to maintain the required high speed. The two Duca d'Aostas continued the trend, thickening the armour and increasing the power plant again.

The final pair, the Duca degli Abruzzis completed the transition, sacrificing a little speed for further armour and extra guns for main and secondary batteries.