Source: Daemon93, EU WoWS Supertester
Tier V: Condottieri I – da Giussano
Story
The da Giussano-class is the first badge of the most numerous class of cruisers built by Italy. The project started as an answer to the new French destroyer developed in the mid ’20s. This class was designed to be fast: their machinery was the most powerful in the whole Italian fleet at that time and their length to beam ratio was above 10(like in case of the destroyers). Armament was adequate, based on eight 152 mm guns in four twin turrets(although the spacing between guns was absent). The main weakness of this class was the armor, or the lack of it. Four ships of this class were built: da Giussano, da Barbiano, Bande Nere and Colleoni. All four were lost during WWII: Colleoni on 19/7/1940 during the battle of Capo Spada, da Giussano and da Barbiano on 13/12/1941 during the battle of Capo Bon and Bande Nere on 1/4/1942 by a British submarine. Before WWII however there were plans to convert this class to AA cruisers, with two different designs proposed. The main difference between these two project is in the armament:
-16×1 90/50, 10×2 20/65
-2×2 135/45, 12×1 90/50, 4×2 37/54, 8×2 20/65
Technical data
Standard displacement: 5170 tons
Full load displacement: 6844 tons
Length: 160 m(water line), 169.3 m(overall length)
Beam: 15.5 m
Draught: 5.3 m
Installed power: 95.000 hp
Maximum speed: 36.5 knots
Armor: 24+18(belt), 20 mm(bulkheads), 20 mm(decks) 23 mm(turrets), 40 – 25 mm(CT)
Armament: 4×2 152/53, 3×2 100/47, 2×1 40/39, 2×2 533 mm TT
Refits:
-early 1930, all: -2×1 40/39; +4×2 13.2/76
-1938/1939, all: +4×2 20/65
Condottieri II – Cadorna
Story
The Cadorna-class is a modified da Giussano, built for better seaworthiness. There were also other changes like a newer main artillery mount(the turrets were more spacious while the guns remained the same), new positioning of the catapult(between the second funnel and turret number 3), better starting AA and better protected conning tower. These changes made the Cadorna-class a bit more successful than the previous one although it was the last of the kind totally devoted to speed as main protection. Two ships of this class were built: Cadorna and Diaz. Diaz was sunk on 25/2/1941 by a british submarine while on an escort mission. Cadorna was at Taranto on 8/9/1943 and sailed to Malta with the fleet. She remained under Italian control even after WWII and served as training ship until 1951.
Technical data
Standard displacement: 5232 tons
Full load displacement: 7080 tons
Length: 160 m(water line), 169.3 m(overall length)
Beam: 15.5 m
Draught: 5.5 m
Installed power: 95000 hp
Maximum speed: 36.5 knots
Armor: 24+18(belt), 20 mm(bulkheads), 20 mm(decks) 40 mm(turrets), 70 – 25 mm(CT)
Armament: 4×2 152/53, 3×2 100/47, 2×1 40/39, 4×2 13.2/76 2×2 533 mm TT
Refits:
-1938, both: -2×1 40/39, 4×2 20/65
-late 1943, Cadorna: -4×2 13.2/76; +4×1 20/70 Oerlikon
-1944, Cadorna: -2×2 533 mm TT
Tier VI: Condottieri III – Montecuccoli
Story
The Montecuccoli-class is the first Italian light cruiser with a balanced approach in mind. Sea whorthiness and protection were improved at the expense of increased displacement. To maintain a high maximum speed a more powerful machinery was installed making this class even marginally faster compared to the older designs. Other important difference is in the anti aircraft armament: instead of the couple of 40/39 eigh 37/54 were installed(in four twin mounts) and the catapult was moved amidship between the funnels. Two ships of this class were buit: Montecuccoli and Attendolo. Attendolo was sunk during an aerial bombardment of the port of Naples on 4/12/1942 while Montecuccoli was still in service during the Armistice and remained under Italian control(she was with the main group of the fleet at La Spezia). She served under the MMI as training ship until 1964.
Technical data
Standard displacement: 7405 tons
Full load displacement: 8853 tons
Length: 166.7 m(water line), 182.2 m(overall length)
Beam: 16.6 m
Draught: 6 m
Installed power: 106.000 hp
Maximum speed: 37 knots
Armor: 60+25 mm(belt), 40 – 20 mm(bulkheads), 30 – 20 mm(decks), 50 – 30 mm(barbettes), 70 mm(turrets), 100 – 40 mm(CT)
Armament: 4×2 152/53, 3×2 100/47, 4×2 37/54, 4×2 13.2/76, 2×2 533 mm TT
Refits:
-1943, Montecuccoli: -4×2 13.2/76; +10×1 20/70 Oerlikon
-1944: -2×2 533 mm TT; +2×1 20/70 Oerlikon
Condottieri IV – Duca d’Aosta
Story
The Duca d’Aosta-class is basically an enlarged Montecuccoli-class with small improvements. The improvements where primarily done to fix weaknesses of the previous class: the armor was improved(although marginally), the amount of anti aircraft guns was increased and the twin torpedo tubes were replaced by triple ones. Two ships of this class were built: Duca d’Aosta and Di Savoia (Principe Eugenio)(the samesake is the same of Austro-Hungarian battleship and the German cruiser Prinz Eugen). Both took part in numerous engagements with the British and stayed with the fleet the whole time. During the armistice they were at La Spezia and sailed to Malta with the fleet. After WWII Duca d’Aosta was given to the Soviet Union(as Kerch) while Di Savoia (Principe Eugenio) was given to Greece(as Elli).
Technical data
Standard displacement: 8610 tons
Full load displacement: 10672 tons
Length: 171.8 m(water line), 186.9 m(overall length)
Beam: 17.5 m
Draught: 6.5 m
Installed power: 110.000 hp
Maximum speed: 36.5 knots
Armor: 70 + 35 mm(belt), 50-30 mm(bulkheads), 35 – 30 mm(decks), 70 – 50 mm(barbettes), 90 mm(turrets), 100 – 25 mm(CT)
Armament: 4×2 152/53, 3×2 100/47, 4×2 37/54, 6×2 13.2/76, 2×3 533 mm TT
Refits:
-1943, both: -6×2 13.2/76; +10×1 20/70 Oerlikon
-1944, both: -2×3 533 mm TT; +2×1 20/70 Oerlikon
Tier VII: Condottieri V Duca degli Abruzzi
Story
The Duca degli Abruzzi is the final class actually built of this long line. Compared to da Giussano it’s a whole new beast: armor was increased even further, the main armament was modified totally with new gun and new turrets(granting better spacing between barrels) and the heavy anti aircraft armament was changed(with two twin turrets mounting 100/47 per side). The biggest change is, as it happened(too late) with the destroyers, the loss of importance of speed: Duce degli Abruzzi had a maximum speed of “only” 34 knots compared to the 36.5/37 knots of all previous classes. This drop is mainly due to the fact the displacement grew while the installed power dropped slightly. Two ships of this class were built: Duca degli Abruzzi and Garibaldi. Both served with the fleet for the whole war. After the Armistice they remained under Italian controlled and patrolled the Atlantic with the Allies. After WWII they served with the MMI. Duca degli Abruzzi was stricken on 1961 after being the flagship since 1956 while Garibaldi remained in service until 1971 after being refitted as missile cruiser(the first of its kind in a European fleet).
Technical data
Standard displacement: 9440 tons
Full load displacement: 11575 tons
Length: 171.8 m(water line), 187 m(overall length)
Beam: 18.9 m
Draught: 6.8 m
Installed power: 100.000 hp
Maximum speed: 34 knots
Armor: 100+30 mm(belt), 100+30 mm(bulkheads), 40+(15 – 10) mm(deck), 100 – 30(barbettes), 135 mm(turrets), 140 – 30 mm(CT)
Armament: 2×3 152/55, 2×2 152/55, 4×2 100/47, 4×2 37/54, 4×2 13.2/76, 2×3 533 mm TT
Refits:
-1943, both: -4×2 13.2/76; +4×2 20/65, 2×1 20/65
-1944, both: -2×3 533 mm TT; +2×1 100/47
Condottieri VI – Ciano
Ciano is basically an iteration of Duca degli Abruzzi with few improvements. The armor thickness was increased but marginally: 5 mm more on the deck and turrets. The main changes were on the anti aircraft armament: the old 100/47 were replaced by eight 90/50 in single mounts and the original eight 13.2/76 were replaced by twelve 20/65. The engine power was also increased from 100.000 to 115.000 hp to maintain the speed stable(the projected full load displacement was 12.000 tons). Two ships of this class were planned: Ciano and Rizzo(later on renamed Venezia). Since the differences are very marginal and all listed here i won’t write the technical data on this particular ship.
