In 1936, the Italian Regia Marina placed an order for twelve examples of a new destroyer design, the Soldati class.

[1] The ships' powerplant, with two geared steam turbines driving two shafts and generating 48,000 shaft horsepower (36,000 kW), and with one large funnel, was similar to that in the Oriani class and was sufficient to propel the destroyers to 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph).

Five ships (Carabiniere, Granatiere, Fuciliere, Legionario and Velite) had the aft set of torpedo tubes replaced by two 37 mm (1.5 in) 54 cal.

[5] The Germans captured Squadrista incomplete in September 1943, and transferred the ship, renamed TA33, to Genoa for completion as a fighter direction ship carrying a long-range Freya radar and German 105 mm and 20 mm guns, but she was sunk by Allied bombing in 1944.

[6] The two destroyers remaining in Italian service after the war were rebuilt as anti-submarine escorts in 1953–1954, with their torpedo tubes removed and the anti-aircraft armament changed to six 40 mm/39 pom-pom guns.