The Conte di Cavour class as originally built

The original design combined a 21.5-knot machinery plant with a secondary battery, torpedo tubes, and varied protection for the belt, deck, turrets, barbettes, and conning tower. Twenty-four boilers drove four shafts, while a 4,800-nautical-mile range at ten knots suited Mediterranean operations. The armament and armor scheme were tailored to expected fighting conditions instead of an abstract global standard. An armored conning tower made more sense for close-range Adriatic combat than for long-range battles where commanders needed the visibility of exposed upper positions.