Northern Gun PTF-III-NG Modified “Osprey” class Patrol Boat:


Northern Gun produces a number of patrol boats but they also upgrade a number of Golden Age Weaponsmith designs. These upgraded vessels are far less expensive that Northern Gun's own designs and are extremely popular as a result. Northern Gun will also upgrade vessels to this standard for customers. These upgrades include multiple facets with propulsion, sensor systems, and weapon systems all being upgraded. There are some comments that the only part which is original is the hull of the vessel.


One of the most popular designs for upgrade is the Osprey class. It is a relatively large vessel although still capable of operating in shallow water conditions such as costal water, lakes, and large rivers. The design is based on an older Pre-Rifts design. It is surprisingly tough built out of high strength composites although not as tough as the Northern Gun designs of the same basic displacement. The Coalition is not as threatened by these small vessels as they were by the larger vessels produced by Iron Heart Industries.


A fusion reactor replaces the diesel engines and gives the vessel virtually unlimited range. The reactor produces quite a bit more power although due to limitations of the vessel's transmission, while tweaked a bit for better performance, and top speed is only increased by around two knots. In relatively calm water, maximum speed is around forty-five knots. The boats are also upgraded so that the vessel is completely environmental.


One weakness the boats have compared to standard Northern Gun designs is that they require much larger crews. The fusion reactor and other upgrades does allow for a reduction of crew from nineteen to sixteen. These boat can carry up ten troops although four is more common with the provision to carry power armors for those troops. The vessels are not too cramped when only twenty are embarked but are extremely cramped with a full twenty-six embarked.


A longer ranged radar replaces the original system with a range of around one hundred mile and the ability to track and target multiple air targets. As well, a better general electronics package is added although there is no jamming systems. A short range hull sonar is fitted although no towed array system is available. Part of what allows the modest reduction of crew size is a more sophisticated autopilot system.


A pair of modified NG-H155 Howitzer rail guns replace the 30 mm Bushmaster II machine guns. These were originally developed for the NG-V7 Hunter Mobile Gun and later adapted to other designs as well. The mounts can angle upwards to ninety degrees to be useful against aircraft. While damage and range is similar to the original weapons, the weapons have a greater payload than the Bushmaster mounts. A pair of NG-202 Rail Guns are mounted with one on either side where the Golden Age version mounts either 20 mm Vulcan Cannons or 40 mm Automatic Grenade Launchers. These are version of the NG-202 carried on the Samson with a greater rate of fire. A payload of twelve thousand rounds per mount is carried.


The only original weapon system mounted is a pair of mini-missile launchers. On either side of the vessel, each launcher has a capacity of sixteen missiles for thirty-two missiles total. The mounts fire directly forward and can angle up to forty-five degrees. Unlike the other mounts, these are controlled from the pilot house. All other weapon systems are controlled by gun crews from the mounts themselves.


Model Type: PTF-III-NG Modified “Osprey” class Light Patrol Boat
Vehicle Type: Ocean & Waterway, Light Patrol Boat
Crew: Sixteen (16); 1 Officer / Chief Petty Officer, 3 Petty Officers, and 12 Enlisted
Troops / Passengers: Normal of four (4) - Maximum of ten (10).


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

4Flying Power Armors (2 Common)


M.D.C. by Location:

Bridge / Pilot House:200
[1] Spotlight (4):20 each
Howitzer Rail Gun Turret (2 - Forward and Aft):160 each
[1] Howitzer Rail Gun Barrel (in Turret):80 each
[1] NG-202 Light Rail Gun Mounts (2, Superstructure):75 each
Mini-Missile Launchers (2, sides):50 each
[2] Radar System (Superstructure):120
[3] Main Body:450


Notes:
[1] These are small and difficult targets to strike, requiring the attacker to make a “called shot,” but even then the attacker is -4 to strike.
[2] If radar is destroyed, all long range tracking ability is lost. There is no backup tracking system on the weapon mount themselves.
[3] Destroying the main body causes the vessel to lose structural integrity, causing the vessel to sink. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the boat.


Speed:
Surface: 52 mph (45 knots/ 83 kph)
Range: Effectively Unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 20 years and requires maintenance as well). Vessel carries about two week of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:
Length: 85.30 feet (26.0 meters) at waterline / 94.49 (28.8 meters) overall
Draft: 6.89 feet (2.1 meters) fully loaded
Width: 22.97 feet (7.0 meters)
Displacement: 80 tons standard and 105 tons fully loaded
Cargo: Can carry 4 tons (3.62 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Most of the vessel's spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.
Power System: Nuclear Reactor, average life span is 20 years
Black Market Cost: 80 million credits


Weapon Systems

  1. Rapid Fire Howitzer Rail Guns (2): Mounted on the bow and stern of the vessel and although an anti-aircraft design, it is also a very effective combat weapon against other boats. The cannon is controlled by the gunner. It is identical to the NG-H155, with the exception of a slightly different turret and external barrel, from the NG-V7 Hunter Mobile Gun. The turret can angle 90 degrees up and 30 degrees down and has 360 degree rotation.
    Maximum Effective Range: 6,000 feet (1,828 meters).
    Mega Damage: Short Burst of 40 rounds: 1D6x10. Long Burst of 80 rounds: 2D6x10.
    Rate of Fire:Equal to the pilots combined hand to hand of gunner (usually 5 or 6).
    Payload: Carries 8000 (200 short burst or 100 long bursts) rounds in a drum magazine each. The cargo area has up to two (2) additional drums. Reloading is done inside the vehicle and takes two melee rounds (30 seconds) for two crewmen or passengers and six melees (90 seconds) if only one person is involved or the people aren't trained in the reload procedure.
  2. NG-202 Light Rail Gun Mounts (2): These mounts are on either side of the vessel. The weapons ares located in what is effectively a mini-turret, and has a 360-degree rotation of fire and can elevate 90 degrees so the rail gun can engage aerial targets. Like the cannon on the Samson Power Armor, this cannon has been modified for a higher rate of fire.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet ( 1,200 meters)
    Mega-Damage: A burst is 60 rounds and inflicts 1D6x10 M.D. One round does 1D4 M.D.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to number of combined hand to hand attacks (usually 4-6) of the gunner.
    Payload: 12,000 round drum, that's 200 bursts! Up to eight (8) drums can be carried by the vessel. Reloading the drum takes 15 minutes if done by hand, 5 minutes if done with robots and special equipment.
  3. Mini-Missile Launchers (2): The vessel can mount a pair of large mini-missile launchers with one on either side of vessel. Both launchers are linked together and are controlled from the pilot house. The launcher is mounted to fire directly forward although can angle five degrees to each side and at an angle of up to forty-five degrees. Weapon mounts are effective against other vessels as well as a bombardment weapon. Normal missiles used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation mini-missiles.
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or sixteen (16), or Thirty (32 - All.)
    Payload: Each launcher carries Sixteen (16) mini-missiles for Thirty-Two (32) missiles total.


Special Systems:
The vessel has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:



[ Altarain TM, Bandito Arms TM, Brodkil TM, Chipwell Armaments TM, Coalition States TM, Cyber-Knight TM, Federation of Magic TM, Free Quebec TM, Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, Horune TM, Iron Heart Armaments TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kydian TM, Larsen’s Brigade TM, M.D.C. TM, Mechanoids TM, Mega-Damage TM, Megaversal Legion TM, Millennium Tree TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Naut’Yll, New Navy TM, New Sovietskiy TM, NGR TM, Nog Heng TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, Psyscape TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Shemarrian TM, Splugorth TM, Stormspire TM, Sunaj TM, Tolkeen TM, Triax TM, Wellington Industries TM, Wilk’s Laser Technologies TM, Xiticix TM, and Zaayr TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]


Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2010, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


Return