Soldati production, attrition, and competing construction

The Soldati programme raises questions about construction priorities and the number of ships available when war began. Of seventeen ships built overall, twelve belonged to the first batch; the account cites five losses within Italy's first fifty days of involvement in the war. The assessment treats the ships as capable vessels rather than blaming poor leadership for their losses. A complement of 187 was close to that of a Tribal, reinforcing the criticism of modest armament for the personnel and displacement committed. Soldati construction also competed with the Capitani Romani light cruisers, which are suggested as potentially better value for the same construction resources. The destroyers did provide useful flexibility: they could carry and use 34 depth charges, while a 48-mine capacity rose to 64 in some later ships. Those capabilities complicate the procurement judgment without removing the concern about surface firepower.