N.G.R. Type 2000 Poseidon class Submersible Carrier:


How life loves irony. The New Navy submarine Archerfish in many ways was repeating what her World War Two namesake had done. In November 1944, the U.S.S. Archerfish sunk the I.JN Shinano, the then largest carrier in the world. Until the Great Cataclysm, the I.JN Shinano had remained the largest warship even sunk by a submarine.


In common with the World War II Archerfish, the New Navy submarine was stalking a carrier. However, it was not attempting to sink the carrier but instead gather intelligence on it. They were hunting the rumored New German Republic submersible carrier to try to get more information about it. A number of tantalizing rumors had reached the leaders on the New Navy and after much debate they had decided to send a submarine to gather more information.


Fighting her own nervousness, Commander Malvina Kehl stood on the Coon looking over the shoulders of the sonar operator to his displays. She was somewhat unusual in the New Navy where most commanding officers were Sea Titans. It was had to complete with them but she somehow managed to win the command of a Swordfish class fast attack submarine. In fact, she was considered one of the best that they had.


Prior to being pulled for this assignment, she had already spied on the Coalition Navy on multiple occasions. The New German Republic Navy was a completely different opponent however. While the Coalition sensors were little better than old Cold War submarines such as the Los Angeles class, the New German Republic was far more advanced and was considered to have almost as good sonar as the New Navy. In addition the German submarines were extremely quiet and could just as easily sneak up on the Archerfish as she could on them.


This had not been the first time that New Navy submarines had entered New German Republic waters. One of the reasons why they were being extra careful was that there were concerns that the submarine Silversides had actually been detected. Even if the submarine had not been detected, it had been a near miss. At least it had not resulted in a firing incident.


Just barely traveling at steerage speed, the New Navy submarine was as close to a hole in the water that it could be. The Archerfish slowly crept along one of the routes that the New German Republic carrier was suppose to use out from the naval base she operated from. Tensions was high with all of Archerfish’s sonar operators watched their displays and listened for the slightest noise indicating that they were not alone.


Commander Kehl considered for a moment what was rumored about the New German Republic submersible carrier. It has been referred to by the name Poseidon, presumably the Greek God of the Ocean. It was suggested to be extremely large, second only to the Ticonderoga, the flagship of the New Navy. Problem was that many of the rumors appeared fantastical and even contradictory.


“Commander, I am picking up a sonar contact at the edge of sonar range,” Daniel Dallas, the senior sonar petty officer on the boat stated in almost a whisper. “Whatever it is, the target is huge.”


“Do you have a course and speed yet?” Commander Kehl asked.


“No, ma’am,” the petty officer responded. “At this range it will be at least a few minutes.”


It was a long few minutes but finally Petty Officer Dallas spoke up, “I have a rough course and speed. Course appear to be two-seventy-five degrees, almost due west, at about fifteen knots. It is reasonably quiet for a vessel for its size but still not to hard to track. If she has any escorts, they will be much harder to hear.”


The commander considered the probable course for the submersible carrier. It would come fairly close to the Archerfish but still the New Navy submarine would need to alter its position slightly in order to get a bit closer. There was some risk because the Archerfish would have to increase its speed a bit in order to make an intercept but there was not much choice.


“Helm, bring us to course three-four-two and bring up to ten knots,” the commander ordered. There was some additional risk of being detected at the higher speed but still would be minimal. It would however bring them far closer to an intercept of the submersible carrier.  


After a run of just a little over an hour, the Archerfish was able to settle back down to being a hole in the water. The sonar continued collecting data on the New German Republic submersible carrier. A specific concern was that it was suggested that up to five of these submersible carriers were operational. While that seemed fantastical when even the United States Navy could only complete one submersible carrier prior to the Great Cataclysm. Still the leaders in the New Navy wanted evidence one way or the other.


Each vessel, submarine or surface ship, has their own individual noise signature. Even between different vessels of the same class there were subtle differences that a skilled sonar operator could detect. Each and every detection had supported that the sam boat was being tracked each time. As more data was gathered, it appeared as if this boat was the same one which had been tracked previously. It seemed most likely that the New German Republic had only a single submersible carrier operational.


Many early reports with respect to the displacement of the submersible carrier had been off considerably. They were believed to have been from non naval sources. They gave her a length a bit over one and a half that of an old Nimitz class carrier and a displacement also just one and half times that of the same class. The reports probably came from somebody in the Coalition who only knew about the old carriers, which the fledgling state had managed to salvage one, but not realizing that when you double a ships length, the displacement is not simply double but often tripled or even quadrupled. This does not even include the fact submarines tended to have large displacements for their length compared to surface ships.


An interesting feature of the New German Republic submergible carrier was the fact that it appeared to have a retractable superstructure. Underwater, an off center sail would both vastly increase the noise signature as well as making it almost impossible to keep a steady course. A centerline sail however would interfere with aviation operations. It was an elegant solution only possible through the use of high strength composites and alloys. Most sources indicated that the New German Republic was slightly more advanced than the New Navy in terms of material science. Even then it must have been an engineering nightmare.


One concern was with respect to the top speed. Some intelligence sources indicated that the submersible carrier had a top speed of around forty-five knots. The target seemed to be going at what might concerned the maximum speed where it could move relatively quietly. There was not much likelihood of the New German Republic vessel open up but prior tracking had tracked it at thirty-six knots. Current thinking was that the vessel had a maximum speed of right around there.


There was no sign of escorting submarines. Commander Kehl knew that there almost had to be one or more fast attack submarines escorting the submersible carrier. The problem is that any noise that they might be producing was drowned out by other noises. The submersible carrier had launched a wing of transformable aircraft known as the Dragonwing. They could operate under water in a similar fashion to the New Navy Manta Ray but made considerable noise underwater. It was commonly believed that the submersible carrier had a considerable compliment of them of the transformable aircraft along with power armors. Both the Dragonwings and various power armor had been launched when the submersible carrier was still under water. The submersible carrier was also known to launch a number of different mini submarine types including one with the ability to transform.


It was likely that the New German Republic submersible carrier, similar to the Ticonderoga, also had a considerable compliment of purely air breathing aircraft. Quite possibly the ship also carried at least a moderate troop and ground vehicle compliment as well. While there was some available intelligence on troop compliment, the numbers were considered fairly unreliable. Unlike the New Navy, the New German Republic seemed to operate large numbers of robot vehicles. Roles that would be filled by conventional tanks and armored vehicles were often filled with robot types. It was also considered likely that this vessel has full medical facilities including full bionic and cybernetic faculties, one area where the New Navy was far behind the New German Republic. There was no real way for the Archerfish to determine the actual makeup of the submersible carrier’s compliment however.


Nobody aboard the Archerfish really wanted to find out first hand about the weaponry of the submersible carrier. As with everything with the New German Republic navy, there were a number of myths in this regard. One was that it was armed with depth charges. Intelligence from Coalition sources seem to give every design depth charge launchers in spite of the fact that modern smart torpedoes were far more effective against underwater targets. It was probably a case of projecting where many Coalition designs still mounted depth charges and they expected others to be similarly armed.


There had been a number reports where both missiles and torpedoes had been launched. At issue was that the detections of weapon fire had been at some distance. It was almost impossible to know whether the submersible carrier had fired them however or one of the escorts. Again, the Archerfish did want to have front line seats with regards to any weaponry that the submersible carrier might have.


Author’s Notes: The suggests using this writeup in the place of the Poseidon in Rifts: Underseas. There are a number of issues with the writeup of the vessel that simply is completely impractical. Tonnage does not make sense for its size for example.


Model Type: Type 2000 class Submersible Carrier.

Class: Ocean, Submersible Carrier.

Crew: Ships Crew:1,850 (160 officers, 170 chief petty officers, and 1,520 enlisted [Has a high degree of automation]).

Air Wing: 1,350 (580 pilots / air crews - Includes X-200 Dragonwing pilots, 120 flight deck officers, and 650 enlisted flight deck crew.)

Flagship Staff (When acting as a Flagship): 60 personnel (8 officers, 10 senior enlisted, and 42 enlisted.)

Troop Capacity: 340 power armor pilots, 140 robot vehicle pilots (does not include X-2700 Dragonwing pilots), 160 hover vehicle crew members, 40 submersible (non-transformable) crew members, and vehicle crew members, and 2,400 soldiers (including cyborg troops). Can accommodate another 600 people reasonably comfortably, more than that causes cramped and stressful conditions.


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

Power Armor Compliment:

 

20

T-21 Super Trooper Power Armors.

 

120

TXD-100 Ultra Deep Sea Power Armors.

 

120

X-10A or X-10B Predator Power Armors.

 

40

X-535 Jager / Hunter Power Armors.

 

20

X-545 Super Jager / Hunter Power Armors.

 

20

X-1000 Ulti-Max Power Armors.

Robot Vehicle Compliment:

 

30

X-622 Bug Robot Vehicle.

 

20

X-821 Landcrab Robot Vehicle / APC.

 

120

X-2700 Dragonwing Ground / Air Robot.

 

40

X-6000 Transformable Submarines.

Fighter/Aircraft Compliment:

 

10

XM-180 “Dragonfly” Power Armor / Robot Airborne Transport.

 

16

XM-270 “Mosquito” VTOL Aircraft - Transport variant.

 

8

XM-270E “Mosquito” VTOL Aircraft - Airborne Radar variant.

 

12

XM-270F “Mosquito” VTOL Aircraft - ASW variant.

 

4

XM-270G “Mosquito” VTOL Aircraft - Jamming variant.

 

20

XM-275 “Lightning”VTOL Combat Transport.

 

10

XM-280 Fighter Jets (Non VTOL.)

Hover Vehicle Compliment:

 

20

MZ-10 Wilderness Crusader Hover Craft.

 

10

XM-330 “Phantom” Hover Tanks.

 

10

XM-330-A2 “Phantom” Hover Tanks.

 

10

XM-330-A3 “Phantom” Hover Tanks.

 

10

XM-335 “Spectre” Missile Hover Tanks.

Submersible Vehicle Compliment:

 

20

XS-10 Sea Mite Mini-Submarine.

 

20

XS-24 Sea Bat Mini-Submarines.


M.D.C. by Location:

 

TX-LR-100U 100 mm Heavy Laser Barrels (2, 2 per turret):

250 each.

 

TX-LR-100U 100 mm Heavy Laser Turret (1, aft above rear flight deck):

800 each.

 

Retractable Single Mount Blue-Green Laser Cannons (8, sides of forward hull):

200 each.

 

533 mm (21 inch) Torpedo Tubes (8, bow of submarine):

240 each.

 

Vertical Long Range Missile Batteries (8, front of submarine):

350 each.

 

[1] SMART-8U Retractable Rotating Active Phased Array Radar System:

150.

 

[1] APAR-14U Active Phase Array Radar Systems (4, retractable superstructure):

225 each.

 

[2] Retractable Superstructure / Command Tower):

2,800.

 

Forward Hangar Doors (2):

2,600 each.

 

Rear Hangar Doors (2):

2,400 each.

 

Power Armor Release Hatches (8, forward):

450 each.

 

[3] Aft Flight Deck (rear):

5,000.

 

[4] Bow Planes (2):

1,200 each.

 

[5] Pump Jet Propulsors (2):

1,500 each.

 

Outer Hull (per 40 foot / 12.2 meter area):

100.

 

[6] Main Body:

20,000.


Notes:

[1] The Poseidon class submarine mounts both a retractable rotating active phased array radar system as well as a four panel active phased array radar on the superstructure. Destroying both will eliminate the vessel’s main fire control systems against air target but the vessel has backup systems with a shorter range (Equal to robot vehicle sensors.) Note that the submersible carrier does not need to surface in order to use the SMART-8U radar system but only the rotating radar array had to be brought above the surface.

[2] Destroying the superstructure will not reduce vessel’s performance due to main bridge / control room being inside of the main hull of the vessel. However, destroying the superstructure will reduce flight operations.

[3] If the aft flight deck is destroyed, non VTOL aircraft can be launched but are unable to land. In addition, VTOL aircraft will be at -15% to piloting when attempting to land.

[4] Destroying the submersible carrier’s bow planes will reduce the submersible carrier’s ability to change depths but will not eliminate it. It also makes it difficult for the submersible carrier’s crew to control the submarine giving a penalty of -25% to all underwater piloting rolls.

[5] Destroying both of the submersible carrier’s pump jet propulsors cause serious problems. The submersible carrier will no longer be able to use forward momentum and the bow planes to keep the submersible carrier level. It is recommended that ballast tanks are immediately blown so submersible carrier comes to the surface. Destruction of one pump jet propulsor reduces the submersible carrier’s top speed by one quarter.

[6] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the submersible carrier’s structural integrity, causing it to sink. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the ship. If the vessel sinks below 13,125 feet (4,000 meters), the pressure will crush it, killing everyone inside - no survivors!


Speed:

Surface: 36.8.4 mph (32 knots/ 59.3 kph).

Underwater: 41.4 mph (36 knots /66.7 mph).

Maximum Depth: 6,562 feet (2,000 meters).

Range: Effectively unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 25 years and requires maintenance as well). Boat carries twelve (12) months of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:

Height:  150 feet (45.7 meters) with rotating phased array extended.

Width:   320 feet (97.5 meters).

Length:  1,600 feet (487.6 meters).

Weight: 324,000 tons surface and 379,000 tons submerged.

Cargo: While less cramped than most smaller submarines, the Poseidon is still quite cramped compared to most surface ships. Can carry an additional 18,000 tons (16,330 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Enlisted crew members and passengers have lockers (4x4x4 feet/1.2x1.2x1.2 meters) for personal effects. Boat’s officers have a bit more space for personal items although still cramped. Most of the boat’s spaces are taken up by embarked craft, extra torpedoes, weapons, and engines.

Power System: Nuclear fusion; average energy life of 25 years. Normally refuels every 15 years.

Black Market Cost: Not available and considered Top Secret. The submersible carrier is believed to have cost 8.5 billion credits to build. Only a major government could afford to operate the submersible carrier. Cost does not include embarked craft and power armors.


Weapon Systems:

  1. One (1) TX-LR-100U 100 mm Twin Barrel Heavy Laser Cannon Turrets: Twin mount is centerline above the aft flight deck. Modified to be able to fire underwater as well as on the surface. Because it is a conventional laser it has limited range underwater. One of the most powerful and effective laser weapons developed by Triax but previous sources have had wildly incorrect data on the weapon system. While primarily designed to engage surface targets, it is also considered effective against surface targets. The twin turret can rotate 360 degrees and have a 90-degree arc of fire. A pair of gunners operates turret.

    Maximum Effective Range: In Atmosphere: 12 miles (10.4 nautical miles / 19.3 km). Underwater: 3 miles (2.6 nautical miles / 4.8 km).

    Mega-Damage: 3D6x10 M.D. per single blast or 6D6x10 per double blast.

    Rate of Fire: Eight (8) single shots or four (4) double blasts per melee round (per turret).

    Payload: Effectively unlimited.

  2. Eight (8) Retractable Blue Green Laser Cannon Single Mounts: Modified single barrel versions of the weapon systems mounted on the Type 1100 and 1200 class submarines. They are still fully retractable so that they do not disrupt water flow at high speeds or add to the noise of the submarine. The laser cannons are useful both on the surface and underwater at low speeds [5.8 mph (5 knots / 9.3 kph) or less]. As a blue-green laser, they have a greater range underwater than they would otherwise. The weapon system is used mainly as close defense and against aircraft when on the surface. It can also be used to engage incoming torpedoes. The mounts are controlled by a separate gunner and can rotate 360 degrees and had a 90 degree arc of fire.

    Maximum Effective Range: In Atmosphere: 6,000 feet ( 1,828.8 meters). Under Water: 3,000 feet (914 meters).

    Mega-Damage: 5D6 M.D. per single blast. More than one mount can engage the same target but they cannot fire simultaneously.

    Rate of Fire: Five (5) blasts per melee round per mount.

    Payload: Effectively unlimited.

  3. Eight (8) 533 mm Heavy Torpedo Tubes: On the bow of the submersible carrier are eight torpedo tubes with three on each side. Tubes are 21 inches (533 mm) wide and torpedoes can be used against both surface ships and submarines. Torpedo tubes have a special automated reloading system to reduce noise. For warheads, heavy torpedoes should be treated as having long range missile warheads. Along with standard torpedoes, the launcher can also fire missiles (long range or cruise missiles) in special canisters and rocket boosted ASW torpedoes. Missiles are rarely carried however. Submarine normally carries one hundred and sixty reloads for torpedoes (in addition to eight torpedoes in the tubes) and can carry up to three hundred and twenty mines in place of torpedoes.

    Maximum Effective Range: 40 miles (34.8 nautical miles / 64 km) for torpedoes.

    Mega-Damage: By heavy torpedo warhead type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details), can fire missiles (long range or cruise missiles) in special canisters as well (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire heavy torpedoes one at a time or in volleys of two (2), three (3), four (4), six (6), or eight (8) torpedoes. Reloading takes one full melee round.

    Payload: Eight (8) heavy torpedoes total [Has one hundred and sixty (160) additional heavy torpedoes for reloads.]

  4. Eight (8) Long-Range Missile Batteries: These silo-style launchers are located in the front of the vessel and fire vertically. System has a rapid automatic reload system and is located within the pressure hull of the submarine. Anti-Submarine rocket launched torpedoes also can be fired from the launchers (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.) Designed to be able to engage one than one target at the same time. Long range missile batteries can be used on the surface or fired while the submarine is underwater with a maximum depth of around 150 feet (45.7 meters.)

    Maximum Effective Range: As per long range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Mega-Damage: As per long range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire long range missiles one at a time or volleys of two (2), four (4), six (6), or eight (8) long range missiles with all launchers operating together. Launchers can fire up to four (4) times per melee round and can be fired at multiple target at the same time.

    Payload: Thirty-two (16) long range missiles per battery for a total of two-hundred and fifty-six (256) long range missiles.

  5. Eight (8) Advanced Decoy Drones: The submarine carries four advanced decoy drones. They are a small automated vehicles that creates a false sonar image designed to mimic the submarine’s sonar signature. It has a small propulsion system that can simulate movement [has a maximum speed of 23.0 mph (20 knots / 37.0 kph)] and maneuvers. In addition to be able to be used to decoy torpedoes, they can sometimes be used to trick another vessel while the submarine moves into position. If decoys are not destroyed, they can usually be recovered and repaired if they can be retrieved. Rifts Earth decoys systems are assumed to not be effective against Phase World / Three Galaxies guidance and targeting systems due to technological differences.

    M.D.C.: 20.

    Range: Not applicable. Decoys do however have a duration of 30 minutes (120 melee rounds) once launched.

    Effects: The decoy has an 80% chance of fooling ordinary non military sonars and non smart guided torpedoes, the decoy has a 50% chance of fooling military level sonars (like those of the Coalition) and non “smart” torpedoes, and the decoy has a 25% chance of fooling advanced military sonars (Like those of the New Navy and Triax) and “smart” torpedoes.

    Rate of Fire: Boat can launch one decoy drone per melee round.

    Payload: Eight (8) decoy drones.

  6. Noisemakers: The submarine carries noisemakers in order to decoy torpedoes. They are most effective against normal torpedoes and less effective against “smart” torpedoes. Considered in many ways to be the last line of defense against incoming torpedoes and similar systems are carried on most submarines. The noisemakers are launched from the middle of the submarine.

    Effects: 50% of decoying normal torpedoes and 20% of decoying smart torpedoes.

    Rate of Fire: Two (2) noisemakers at a time (Can be reloaded in one melee round).

    Payload: Twenty (20) noisemakers.

Special Systems:

The submarine has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:



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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2018, Kitsune. All rights reserved.



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