Golden Age Weaponsmiths Los Angeles class Fast Attack Submarine:


Along with destroyers and other surface ships, Golden Age Weaponsmiths has converted a number of submarines built prior to the Great Cataclysm for further service.


Developed during the first Cold War, the Los Angeles class was a large class of fast attack submarines that formed the backbone of the United States submarine forces for many decades. A number of new technological innovations were introduced in later boats. When they entered service, the Los Angeles class submarines were the most advanced submarines in the world and could be considered the model for the later Virginia class.


When there was a revolution in super strong materials in the Twenty-Thirties, a number of the sixty-two strong class still remained in service. These were of the later improved versions with improved silencing, improved sensors, and additional weaponry. While it was decided to decommission these vessels, it was decided that a number would be retained in order to serve future needs.


They were have required extensive refitting and they never returned to service. Eventually they were stricken and over the years most were scrapped. Still, a handful were somehow able to survive until the coming of the Great Cataclysm. Even in the second half of the Twenty-First Century, scrapping a nuclear submarine was an incredible involved process and it was decided to delay scrapping them due to the costs involved. These survivors were virtually forget about.


Along with a number of other submarine classes, Golden Age Weaponsmiths were able to find a handful of survivors. Of these, the company has been able to refit one by cannibalizing other submarines. While they found a second submarine in good enough condition to also repair and refit, it was not in as good condition and is taking longer than planned.


Even though not quite as capable as refitted Sea Wolf and Virginia class submarines, the Coalition purchased the first Los Angeles class submarine refitted by Golden Age Weaponsmiths in order to expand their submarine forces. Originally the U.S.S. Hartford (SSN-768), the Coalition gave the submarine the name Thresher. As far as the Los Angeles class submarine still under refitted, it was the U.S.S. Montpelier (SSN-765) and it is believed that both the Coalition and Free Quebec are looking at acquiring the submarine.


The Coalition is working on their own submarine design known as the Orca class but has run into a number of development issues. Probably the most serious issue was at the insistence of Karl Prosek, the emperor of the Coalition. He insisted that a skull designed would be the bow of the submarine. This bow created enormous water turbulence and rendered the submarine incredibly noisy. After a very short sea trial, it was decided to return the Orca to the shipyard and replace the bow with a conventional submarine bow. In order to placate the emperor, the plan is to simply paint the bow with the skull design. Still, this has put the entire class far behind.


While nowhere near as capable as later United States Navy submarines, especially those still operated by the New Navy, the Los Angeles class submarines are still surprisingly capable. Even though little was lost in terms of weapon systems, the technology behind the most advanced sensor systems before the coming of the cataclysm was largely lost. This is especially true when it comes to sonar systems.


When the Coalition first decided to develop their own submarine forces, they attempted to purchase advanced sonar systems from Triax. Unfortunately for the Coalition, the government of the New German Republic decided that they were not ready to share that technology. As a result, the new Orca class mounts modified versions of sonar systems from recovered submarines although from the Virginia not Los Angeles class.


One of the biggest issues was that these submarine was constructed out of steel which could not withstand the abuse from most weapons in the post cataclysm environment. As described previously, this was also one of the issues which caused the United States navy never to return these submarines to services. In order to solve the issue, the submarine is refitted with new high strength ceramic and plastic armors. Because the hull is not actually constructed out of these new materials but instead just basically clad by them, the submarines maximum depth was not drastically increased.


Maybe even more of an issue was the fact that the submarine used a conventional fission type reactor. Compared to modern fusion reactors, the reactor was more dangerous and required a much larger crew. In addition, while the submarines had not been scrapped, they had been defueled. The new fusion reactor produces slightly greater power although top speed is considered to be essentially unchanged with a top speed of about thirty-two knots.


While the warheads of modern weaponry are far more powerful than those when these submarines first entered service, the basic designs and concepts are little changed from when these submarines were build. The main weaponry are four flank mounted twenty-one inch torpedo tubes that fire torpedoes that can be used against both surface targets and submarines. In later service, a variety of anti-ship missiles could be launched from the torpedo tubes using canisters. Early flights of the Los Angeles class submarines did not mount any vertical launch missile tubes but later submarines had the ability to carry up to twelve Tomahawk cruise missiles behind the sonar dome. These were refitted to be able to fire most cruise missiles.


In common with other submarine class, Los Angeles class are considered extremely cramped. Officer share three person staterooms with the exception of the captain and executive officer. Enlisted quarters are even more cramped with the submarine not having enough bunks for the entire crew. Instead the crew has to share bunks, often called hot racking. They are actually even more cramped than the slightly later Sea Wolf and Virginia classes. There have been a number of issues with Coalition personnel adapting to these conditions.


Author Note: The author suggests that this writeup is used in place of the writeup done by Palladium Books in the Coalition Navy Source Book. This writeup is more complete and is based on greater research and a better general knowledge of the United States Navy by the author.


Model Type: Modified Improved SSN-688 Class.

Class: Fast Attack Submarine.

Crew: 153 total; 15 officers, 15 chief petty officers, and 123 enlisted crew.

Troop Capacity: None.


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

None.


M.D.C. by Location:

 

533 mm (21 inch) Torpedo Tubes (4, sides of submarine):

50 each.

 

Vertical Cruise Missile Launchers (12, bow of submarine):

65 each.

 

Main Sail:

300.

 

[1] Bow Planes (2):

100 each.

 

[2] Pump Jet Propulsor (1):

200.

 

[3] Main Body:

1,000.

Notes:

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

[2] Destroying the submarine’s pump jet propulsor causes serious problems. The submarine will no longer be able to use forward momentum and the bow planes to keep the submarine level. It is recommended that ballast tanks are immediately blown so submarine comes to the surface.

[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the submarine’s structural integrity, causing it to sink. If the submarine is underwater, the entire crew will die unless protected by environmental armors that can withstand the pressure that the submarine is under. If on the surface, there are enough flotation devices and inflatable life rafts to accommodate everyone aboard.


Speed:

Surface: 25.3 mph (22 knots/ 40.7 kph).

Underwater: 36.8 mph (32 knots /59.3 mph).

Maximum Depth: 1,500 feet (457.2 meters).

Range: Effectively unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 15 years and requires maintenance as well). Boat carries six (6) months of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:

Draft:    32 feet (9.75 meters).

Width:   32 feet (9.75 meters).

Length:  360 feet (109.7 meters).

Displacement: 6,080 tons standard and 6,927 tons submerged.

Cargo: Submarine is very cramped, 10 tons (9.1 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Boat’s officers have a bit more space for personal items although still extremely cramped. Most of the boat’s spaces are taken up by extra torpedoes, weapons, and engines.

Power System: Originally one pressurized-water S6G reactor, converted to more modern fusion reactor system (20 year duration).

Black Market Price: Not available but it is rumored that Golden Age Weaponsmiths sold the U.S.S. Hartford (SSN-768) / Thresher to the Coalition for a cost of 400 million credits.


Weapon Systems:

  1. Four (4) 533 mm Heavy Torpedo Tubes: On the sides of the submarine are four torpedo tubes with two on each side. Tubes are 21 inches (533 mm) wide and torpedoes can be used against both surface ships and submarines. 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. Submarine carries twenty-six reloads for torpedoes (in addition to four torpedoes in the tubes) and can carry up to fifty-two 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), or four (4) heavy torpedoes. Reloading takes one full melee round.

    Payload: Four (4) heavy torpedoes total [Has twenty-six (26) additional heavy torpedoes for reloads.]

  2. Twelve (12) Vertical Launch Cruise Missile Launchers (Mk 45 VLS): In the front of the submarine but behind the sonar dome, the submarine has a vertical launch missile system for launching missiles. Launchers are outside of the pressure hull. Missiles are launched in special canisters that enable the missiles to be used in depths down to around 150 feet (45.7 meters.) Most missiles warheads normally carried are fusion as well as being smart missiles. The launchers were originally designed to carry BGM-109 Tomahawk anti-ship missiles but were modified to fire all standard cruise missiles.

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

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

    Rate of Fire: Can fire cruise missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or six (6) cruise missiles and can be fired at multiple target at the same time.

    Payload: Twelve (12) cruise missiles total. Submarine carries no reloads.

  3. Eight (8) Decoys Drones: The submarine carries eight 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 13.8 mph (12 knots / 22.2 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.: 10.

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

    Effects: The decoy has an 65% chance of fooling ordinary non military sonars and non smart guided torpedoes, the decoy has a 35% chance of fooling military level sonars (like those of the Coalition), and the decoy has a 10% 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) decoys drones.

  4. 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 © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, & 2018, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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