Was Italy's Second Fleet meant to absorb enemy fire?

Were the old ships of Italy's Second Fleet intended mainly to absorb damage for the modern fleet?

No. They were expected to follow the First Fleet and add enough numbers to defeat the enemy forces that remained.

A viewer asks whether the Second Fleet's old ships were supposed to act as sponges that protected Italy's more capable units. They were intended as a follow-on force. Modern ships would conduct the main action, after which the older battleships and armored cruisers could reinforce the fight and overwhelm whatever enemy strength remained. Piemonte's continued service therefore belonged to a numerical battle plan, not simply to passive preservation or deliberate sacrifice.