Built in 10 units (the eleventh, Ascaro, ordered from China, will be purchased by the Regia Marina in 1912) from the Ansaldo shipyard in Sestri Ponente, the "Soldato" destroyers were a derivation of the "Nembo" and differed from them due to a greater displacement ( about 70 t), for the arrangement of the engine and armament on four 76/40 guns and three 450 mm torpedo launchers. The destroyers of this class were under construction when the Russo-Japanese war occurred in the Far East which, due to its naval aspect, marked a starting point for further evolution and for a more modern construction and use concept of the ship. torpedo, with a greater exaltation of speed (30-32 knots) and of the armament (pieces of the caliber 102 mm and torpedo launchers of 533 mm), from which the “Soldato” were excluded. The contractual speed of 28,5 knots was reached by all the units in the tests (with the exception of the Artigliere) carried out at normal load (395 t), but at full load (415 t) the "Bersagliere" never exceeded 24 knots .
Even within the limits of their characteristics and undoubtedly inferior to contemporary foreign constructions, the “Soldato” proved to be good marine boats and their maneuverability proved to be excellent. The Bersagliere and the Grenadier were set up in July 1905, on the 11th and 24th respectively, and launched in October 1906, on the 2nd and 27th.
Source: Military Navy
