Renard Marine “Finch” River / Coastal Tugboat:


The water, whether the ocean, the lake, or the river, was always a dangerous place. This has become even more so after the coming of the Rifts. This is in large part because of how dangerous the land has become but in part it is because much larger cargoes can be carried efficiently over water than on land.


Much of this is carried by barges of various kinds. Unpowered, they are cheap and easy to build. There is a wide variety of different kinds of barges; some designed for bulk cargo, warehouse barges, some fuel barges, some for containers, workshops, crane barges, and dredging platforms. A few individuals have even built that are in effect floating towns using barges. A surprising number of barges survive from before the coming of the Rifts although many companies also make new barges.


Tugboats haul these barges along the coasts, major lakes, and larger rivers. In a few places, canals even survive. Some of these tugboats date from before the coming of the Rifts but like with barges, several companies make new tugboats as well. Iron Heart Armament made tugboats before they were destroyed by the Coalition and Northern Gun makes them as well. Golden Age Weaponsmiths does not make tugboats but they do refit Pre-Rifts tugboats.


Renard Marine, on the Great Lakes, also builds tugboat designs. They mainly concentrate on river and coastal tugboats, making a relatively large Tugboat of around four hundred tons called the “Finch” and a much smaller tugboat of around eighty tons called the "Wren." All of their vessels have avian type names. In addition to tugboats, the company makes barges of various types, small cargo vessels, fishing boats, and even a few small patrol vessels. They are limited to how large a vessel they can build with barges build in sections and effectively being welded together.


The “Finch” is a fairly basic design with a top speed of around fourteen knots without a barge and abour ten knots when pushing or pulling a barge. The boats have a cycloidal drive for greater maneuverability. They are available with either a diesel electric propulsion system or a fusion reactor. The range on diesel electric is thirty-eight hundred nautical miles with the fusion power version having almost unlimited range. Neither the fusion reactor or the hybrid engine are produced by Renard Marine. Because the Great Lakes freezes during the Winter, these tugs are built with heavy bows for ice breaking. Because weight is not the issue as with the patrol boats, these boats are actually pretty well armored for their size.


Standard crew is around sixteen although can be operated by as few as around eight. One reason for the large crew is to man the weaponry. There are quarters for up to twenty-four and in some cases a small number of power armors will also be carried. Most common is around four if any are carried at all. The larger the crew and the more troops the tugboat carries, the smaller the profit margin after all. The vessel is well outfitted for long voyagesd when needed and is able to carry up to about two months worth of supplies.


Like virtually every water craft after the coming of the Rifts, tugs need to be armed. Usually, they are not as heavily armed as warships of the same size although those build by Iron Heart Armament were quite heavily armed for their size. The Finch though carries a similar weaponry to a Thrush Light Patrol Boat of little more than one tenth the mass. Main weaponry is a combination mount containing a 30 mm Wellington auto-cannon and a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. Mounted on the bow, this is enough to dissuade many pirates. In addition, the tugboat has a pair of short range missile launchers for protection against incoming missiles. Neither of the weapon systems are manufactured by Renard Marine. As well as common weaponry, most crews will have a variety of small arms for protection of the boat. Fusion powered models have energy clip recharging ports.


These vessels lack some of the combat systems carried on the patrol craft manufactured by Renard Marine. It lacks an air search radar system, electronic warfare suite, as well as hull sonar. Instead has a relatively short range radar with a range of around thirty miles. Thermal imaging and light amplification is carried because of it being extremely useful in many situations. The boat is equipped with a total of four powerful spot lights. Like the weaponry and engines, none of the electronic systems are built by Renard Marine.


Model Type: TB-12 “Finch” Coastal / River Tug
Vehicle Type: Ocean & Waterway, Tugboat
Crew: 16; 2 officers, 2 Chief Petty officers, and 12 enlisted (Has a high degree of automation - can be operated easily by a crew of 6 to 8)
Troops: 4 pilots for Power Armors (If any) - Can carry a total of 24 between crew and embarked passengers / troops although extremely cramped.


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

4Power Armors (If carried - Most often SAMAS, Flying Titan, or TRIAX Predator)


M.D.C. by Location:

[1] Spotlight (4):20 each
[2] Short Range Radar Array:40
WI-99 Combination Chain Gun / Grenade Launcher Mount (1)120 each
WI-54S Short Range Missile Box Launchers (2, Retractable):40 each
Bridge / Superstructure:180
[2] Main Body:580


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] Missiles mount targeting systems function but system can no longer track and target multiple incoming missiles simultaneously.
[3] Destroying the main body causes the ship to lose structural integrity, causing the ship to sink. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the boat.


Speed:
Surface: Maximum speed is 16.1 mph (14 knots /25.9 kph) with no barges. Typical top speed with barges is 9.2 to 11.5 mph (8 to 10 knots / 14.8 to 18.5 kph)
Range: Conventional Hybrid: 4,380 miles (3,800 nautical miles / 7040 kilometers) Fusion Model: Unlimited due to fusion engines (needs to refuel every 10 years and requires maintenance as well).
Both versions of the vessel carries about two months of supplies on board.


Statistical Data:
Length: 106 feet (332.31 meters)
Draft: 12.25 feet (3.73 meters)
Width: 32 feet (9.75 meters)
Displacement: 400 tons fully loaded
Cargo: Can carry 45 tons (40.8 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies (10 tons / 9.07 metric tons for Conventional Hybrid Version.) Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ships officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship’s spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines. The Tugboat can push barges up to around 40,000 tons in displacement.
Power System: Two versions: Conventional, Diesel / Electric Hybrid and Nuclear Reactor (Average life span is 10 years)
Black Market Cost: Conventional Hybrid: 50 million credits. Fusion Model: 80 million credits.


Weapon Systems:

  1. One (1) WI-99 Combination 30 mm Chain Gun / 40 mm Grenade Launcher Mounts: Mounted on the bow of the vessel, the vessel carries a single which is the combination of a 30 mm chain gun (Wellington Bushmaster II) and an automatic grenade launcher (WI-GL21 Automatic Grenade Launcher.) Each turret can rotate 270 degrees and can elevate up to 60 degrees so the chain gun can fire at low flying aircraft. The 30 mm cannon fires heavy ramjet rounds with armor piercing warheads which inflict as much damage as most heavy rail guns.
    Maximum Effective Range: 30 mm Chain Gun: 6,000 feet (1,830 meters). 40 mm Grenade Launcher: 3,000 ft (914 meters)
    Mega Damage: 30 mm Chain Gun: 2D6x10 for a burst of 20 rounds, 3D6 for each round. 40 mm Grenade Launcher: 4D6 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 12 feet (3.6 meters) and 1D4x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 3 feet (0.9 meter), burst of 10 rounds does 2D6x10 for Fragmentation with a blast area of 40 feet (12 meters) and 3D6x10 for Armor Piercing with a blast area of 8 feet (2.4 meters.)
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the gunner's hand to hand attacks; each burst counts as one melee action.
    Payload: 30 mm Chain Gun: 1600 round drum magazine (80 bursts) each 40 mm Grenade Launcher: 800 Rounds each
  2. Two (2) WI-54S Short Range Missile Box Launchers (Retractable): Mounted on each side of the superstructure / pilot house are a pair of box launchers which retract when not in use and when reloading. The launchers can rotate 360 degrees and have a 90 degree arc of fire. The missile launchers reload extremely rapidly and are ready to be fire on the next attack. The system is designed to be able to target multiple incoming missiles simultaneously.
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies by short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega-Damage: Varies by short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4) missiles each launcher. Launchers retract and are ready to fire for next melee attack.
    Payload: Four (4) short range missiles each launcher for eight (8) total. The vehicle carries twenty-four (24) missiles as reloads for each launcher for a total of fifty-six (56) missiles total. If a launcher is damaged, those missiles cannot be accessed except manually. (Sometimes additional missiles are carried in the cargo hold for reloads)


Sensory Equipment:



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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2010, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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