The RN Armando Diaz was a light cruiser belonging to the Condottieri class and the Luigi Cadorna subclass of the Royal Italian Navy. The subclass consisted of two ships. The cruiser was named after Marshal Armando Vittorio Diaz. She was laid down on July 28, 1930; launched on July 10, 1932; and entered service on April 29, 1933. From 1934 to 1935, the cruiser traveled to Australia and New Zealand. Following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the ship began military service in the western Mediterranean. In July 1940, she participated in the Battle of Calabria, in which she did not distinguish itself. In October, she escorted convoys to Albania. In January 1941, she was transferred to the direct command of the Navy headquarters to perform the same escort duties to Albania. However, in February, she was recalled to escort a convoy to Tripoli. During this operation, the ship was torpedoed by a British submarine and sank, taking 484 lives.

The RN Armando Diaz was introduced in Update 2.53 "Line of Contact", in her 1941 state. The cruiser boasts powerful main-caliber guns, versatile secondary weapons, and excellent mobility. However, her main caliber's rate of fire is subpar, her protection and survivability are average, and her anti-aircraft battery is mediocre.