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Black Swan Class Battle Cruiser (U.W.W.):

While the United Worlds Warlock navy does not use battleships, they do use what they considered to be battlecruisers. Some think it might be better to consider them to be light battleship. While the Black Swan class only exist in small numbers, they are considered by some to be the backbone of the U.W.W. fleets. They are respect by enemy captains as both powerful and dangerous opponents. Often the captains of these warships are also the best that the United Worlds Warlock navy has to offer.

he appearance of the Black Swan Battle Cruisers are very unusual and no two ships of the class look completely identical. The appearance of the ships are much like contemporary battleships and are reminiscent of starships in Japanese animation. Some ships look like First World War Dreadnoughts in their superstructure and gun designs while others look like the much like the more sleek Fast Battleships of the Second World War. In comparison to Dwarven Iron Ships, these vessels are far more artistic and stylistic.

The ships propulsion is a combination of magic and technology. The ship uses a relatively conventional contragrav drives to propel it in normal space but uses a Rifts Jump Drive to travel from system to system. In terms of acceleration, these ships do live up to being battlecruisers in that they have greater acceleration than the Dwarven Iron Ship. Although it can jump the ship twenty light years each time it is activated, the rifts jump drive requires a large amount of magical energy and can only be operated once every four hours. As with the propulsion system, the ship’s power plant is a combination of conventional fusion and techno-wizardry.

While the ships look like ancient battleships, they are quite well armed and capable of taking on all comers. They are armed for relatively close combat with a heavy energy weapon battery. Similar to other large United World Warlock warships, the nose of each starship houses a Rift Projector Cannon. It is a powerful but potentially dangerous weapon system. Even so, it is considered worth the risks involved.

Otherwise, the ship’s more conventional main battery consists of four multi-barrel large turrets. In each turret is a triple barrel mounting of sixteen inch magical flame cannons. On the upper part of the battlecruiser are three turrets with two forward of the main superstructure and the final aft of the superstructure. In addition, the ship has a single turret in the center bottom of the ship. A common tactic when the battlecruiser engages a target is to swing to one side to bring its entire broadside to bear on an enemy vessel.

Unlike the main battery, the secondary battery are medium lasers, not magical weaponry. The five inch lasers are mounted in casemate style mountings on the ships with an older First World War look and in light turrets with those designed to look more like World War II fast battleship. In either case there are four mountings with twin laser mounted in each. In design, the lasers are identical to those mounted on the Dwarven Iron Ship. While lighter than the secondary battery of Consortium warships, they have a greater rate of fire.

For close range defense, the battlecruiser mounts sixteen sub particle accelerator cannons and the same number of twin heavy telekinetic machine guns. Many consider this battery to be too light to deal with massed missile volleys however and the battlecruiser often have to rely on escorts and fighters to deal with massed missile volleys. Over the years, some captains have mounted additional point defense on their warships.

The missile batteries of the battlecruiser are not conventional but are instead bottle demon launchers. A total of eight of these launchers are mounted. There are many issues surrounding the weapon system with many crews and officers not particularly liking the system. However, the missiles are greatly feared due to how relentless they are and the missiles have in effect infinite range. Only if the target disappears will the missiles stop. Otherwise, the missiles have to be destroyed in order to stop chasing the target.

Being built slightly later than Dwarven Iron Ships, these battlecruisers are made from modern composites and alloys. This reduces the cost of construction while the ships are still extremely tough. Using more modern materials also makes the warships easier to repair than they might otherwise be. In addition these ships have a powerful enchanted “Armor of Ithan” force field. Depending on the captain, many of these warship also have additional techno-wizard enchantments with “Shadow Meld”, “Impervious to Energy,” and “Invisibility” being common. These are among the largest which can mount they kind of enchantments.

With regards to the fighter compliment, these battlecruisers carry twice the fighter compliment of the Dwarven Iron Ship. In addition, a full squadron of the fighters are the Black Widow II heavy starfighter, similar in size to the Consortium Proctor class heavy fighter and also fitted with faster than light engines. Otherwise, many captains and crews have issues with the Naruni fighters often issues. Unlike the Dwarven Iron Ship, the Black Swan class are fitted for ground assault roles as well. As such they carry eight hundred troops with half of them in power armor. In addition the warship carries a number of assault shuttles and tanks.

This starship design uses modified starship speed and weapon range rules. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

Model Type: UW-BC24.

Class: Fleet Battle Cruiser.

Crew: 645 (65 officers and 580 enlisted).

Troop Capacity: 400 Marines (Typically 200 stay on board for ship defense), 150 fighter pilots, 400 Warlock Combat Armor pilots, and can carry up to 120 passengers in addition.

Vehicles:

Power Armors & Robots:

Fighter Compliment:

Assault Shuttles:

Tanks & Other Vehicles:

M.D.C. by Location:

Notes:

[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ship’s armor. This ship also has both an auxiliary bridge and a flag bridge. Even if all three bridges are taken out, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.

[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the battlecruiser out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.

[3] Destroying the main engines reduces maximum sublight speed by half.

[4] This is not a variable force field, but a magical shield that must be completely depleted. Once the shield has been knocked down, it will cost 3,000 P.P.E. require one minute (4 melee rounds) of spell casting to restore the force field. Magic, fire, lightning, and cold all inflict one-half damage.

Speed:

Driving on the ground: Not Possible.

Water Surface: 60 knots (111.3 km/69.6 mph).

Underwater: 40 knots (73.6 km/46 mph).

Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.85 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is 200 mph (321.9 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight.

Star Drive: Rift Jump Drive; maximum safe jump distance of 20 light years every four hours (Jump costs 12,000 P.P.E. per activation.)

Range: Life support will keep crew alive for up to ten years, as long as the P.P.E. generators are kept in working order.

Statistical Data:

Height:  622 feet (189.6 meters).

Width:   390 feet (118.9 meters).

Length:  2496 feet (760.8 meters).

Mass/Weight: 7.5 million tons (6.8 million metric tons) fully loaded, plus up to 200,000 tons (181,440 metric tons) of additional cargo.

Power System: Combination Fusion & Techno-wizardry with 20 year life span. The battlecruiser also has a P.P.E. generator that produces 12,000 P.P.E. per hour / 50 P.P.E. per melee round (Activating the Rifts Jump Drive costs 12,000 P.P.E.) and can hold up to 48,000 P.P.E. in storage. This P.P.E. can be used to power the Rifts Jump Drive or can be used to power spells cast by the battlecruiser crew.

Cargo: Cargo holds can hold up to 200,000 tons (181,440 metric tons) of cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ship’s officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship’s spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, and weapons.

Market Cost: The battlecruiser costs 35 billion credits to construct. The ship is not for sale outside the U.W.W. armed forces (The ship will not even be sold to U.W.W. member worlds.) Cost does not include embarked craft.

Weapon Systems:

1. One (1) Rifts Projector Cannon: In the nose of the ship is large opening which is the main barrel of the cannon. The cannon creates a huge rift in front of the cannon that has a variable effect. This weapon can become a danger to the ship if it fails. The cannon has a 0.5% cumulative chance of failure (i.e., becomes 1% after two shots, 2% after four, and so on) if fired multiple times within a twenty four hour period. This cannon has penalties to strike small targets. For more information on the Rifts Projector Cannon, refer to page 155 of Dimension Book 2: Phase World (Except ranges are 1,000 times range in book in space.)

   Maximum Effective Range: 50,000 miles (80,000 km) in space and 50 miles (80 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega-Damage: Roll on table in Dimension Book 2: Phase World page 156.

   Rate of Fire: Can fire once per minute (4 melee rounds/ 60 seconds).

   Payload: Requires 1,000 P.P.E. each time fired.

2. Four (4) Triple Barrel Turrets with 16 Inch Flame Cannons (12 Cannons Total): While the cannons are virtually identical to those on the Dwarven Iron Ship, the heavy battery of flame cannons are mounted in triple turrets which can all engage a single target. Each top turret can rotate 270 degrees and has a 60 degree arc of fire upwards and 15 degree arc of fire downwards. The bottom turret can rotate 360 degrees and has a 15 degree arc of fire upwards and 60 degree arc of fire downwards. All the cannons in a turret can be fires as one or each barrel can be fired separately. The ship can fire three turrets forward, two turret aft of the ship, and can fire four turrets to the side of the ship. The ship will often engage attacking with the sides to increase the ships firepower. Firing giant fireballs, these cannons have enormous range in space. With regards to fire control, these cannons are not designed to lock onto any targets smaller than frigates. While these cannons are able to be used to bombard planets as well as well, they have comparatively limited range in an atmosphere.

   Maximum Effective Range: 20,000 miles (32,200 km) in space and 20 miles (32.2 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: 1D4x1000 M.D.C. each cannon and all three cannons in a turret can be combined for a total of 3D4x1000.

   Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee per cannon (A total of 24 individual blasts or 8 triple blasts).

   Payload: Needs 1000 P.P.E. per day to function.

3. Eight (8) 5 inch Double Mount Laser Cannons (16 Cannons Total): On the older appearing versions (Look like dreadnoughts before fast battleships) of the ship class, the guns are in double mounts in Casemates. Weapons in casemate mounts have a 150 degree rotation and a 60 degree arc of fire. The newer appearing vessels (Look like fast battleships) of the class have the lasers in three turrets on each side of the deck and two turrets on the bottom, however. These deck mounts can rotate 360 degrees and have an 80 degree arc of fire down. In any case, these are a modern weapon system that are powered by the ships reactor. The cannons are not quite as powerful as the cannons on the CAF classes but have a higher rate of fire. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets for large starship weaponry. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

   Maximum Effective Range: 16,000 miles (25,000 km) in space and 16 miles (25 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: 1D6x100 M.D.C. each or both cannons in a turret can be combined for a total of 2D6x100.

   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

4. Sixteen (16) Sub Particle Acceleration Cannons in Single Mounts: Mounted on top of the ship along the sides of the ship’s hull in turrets. Cannons turrets can fire at up to a 90 degree angle up or 55 degree angle down and can rotate up to 360 degrees side to side. The gun does not have penalties to strike small targets. Uses the spell of the same name from page 143 of World Book 16: Federation of Magic (although has far greater range.) The spells must be renewed every two months (costs 400 P.P.E. and 20,000 credits per cannon) but during that period the weapon can fire unlimited blasts.

   Maximum Effective Range: 200 miles (320 km) in space and 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: 1D6x10+10 per cannon.

   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (Usually 4 or 5).

   Payload: Effective Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every two months whether the cannons have been used or not.

5. Sixteen (16) Twin Heavy Telekinetic Machine Guns Turrets: These heavy machine-guns are identical to those mounted in the Shadow Bolt Starfighter but are in twin mounts. Mounted on the sides of the ship in turrets. Heavy machine gun mounts can fire at up to a 90 degree angle up or down and can rotate up to 180 degrees side to side. The machine guns do not have penalties to strike small targets. Because the machine guns inflict damage by impact, they inflict full damage to targets that are using are using the spell “Impervious to Energy.” The spells must be renewed every two months (costs 400 P.P.E. and 20,000 credits per machine gun) but during the period the weapon can fire unlimited blasts.

   Maximum Effective Range: 200 miles (320 km) in space and 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: 12D6 per burst for both machine guns a turret (6D6 per heavy machine gun.)

   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

   Payload: Effective Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every two months whether the machine guns have been used or not.

6. Eight (8) Bottled Demon Missile Batteries: On each side of the hull the Battlecruiser has four bottle demon missile batteries. The missiles are literally demons summoned and bottled into a missile and are an aggressive and intelligent guidance system. The evil demons will continue to chase its target until destroyed (50 M.D.C. to the missile.) Bottled demons are slightly larger than mini-missiles and require special launchers. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration.) Missiles are super smart and have +4 to strike and +5 to dodge. Unlike normal missile, the bottled demon does not explode and keeps striking at its target over and over. If the target is destroyed or vanishes, the missile disappears. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each.

   Maximum Effective Range: Effectively Unlimited! Once fired, the demon controlled and powered missile will fly and pursue the designated target until its target or the missile is destroyed (or the target vanished from sight, jumps away, or gets away by another means.)

   Mega-Damage: 3D4x10 M.D. of magical energy every time the missile strikes (3% chance of releasing the demon every time it hits.)

   Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), three (3), four (4), or eight (8) missiles per battery.

   Payload: Thirty two (32) missiles per battery for a total of 256 bottled demon missiles.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 1998, 1999, & 2016, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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