Techno Wizard “Grey Fox” Heavy Gunboat:


It is believed that this class of boats are loosely based on the British Royal World War II steam gun boat design however these vessels are quire a but larger. Many believe that the vessel Grey Falcon was studied extensively before building these gunboats. As far as known, this one of only a few techno-wizard naval vessel designs built in the British Isles. However, the actual location where these boats are build is a closely guarded secret. It might due to concerns of the minion of Splugorth attacking the facilities.


So far, it appears as if a total of a half dozen of these small techno-wizard boats have been built

although it is believed that the techno-wizard creators plan to build much large numbers of these boats. Due to the relatively small size and simple construction, these boats are comparative inexpensive. As a result, these boats sell extremely well and often it is extremely difficult to beat out all of the other interested customers in able to be able to purchase on of these gunboats.


In appearance, these heavy gunboats look more like small destroyers than a patrol boat. In addition, they are considered to be extremely handsome vessels. Their profile is quite similar to the World War Two design which inspired these vessels. There were some changes in the hull form to enable the boat to travel faster than the design which inspired it.


As a relatively simple design, the Grey Fox gunboat design is small and quite fast vessel yet still mounts considerable firepower. Still, it actually displaces around four hundred tons, almost twice that of the original World War II Steam Gun Boat. In comparison to other the Grey Fox is between the techno-wizard P.T. Boat and the Sorceress class Missile Boat designs in size. One of the advantages of being a larger vessel compared to the P.T. Boat is that it is much more sea worthy.


For their size, these gunboats are surprisingly tough. Instead of using enchanted materials, the builders opted to use modern high strength composites and alloys. These modern materials are both cheaper and easier to replace than enchanted materials would have been. To further improve survival, critical locations have been reinforced with additional armor. For additional protection, these gunboats have an “Armor of Ithan” force field which can be activated up to three times per day.


While the Grey Falcon simply had her steam plant converted into a mystical propulsion system, it was decided to use a pair of powerful electrical motors for the Grey Fox class instead. While it was relatively simple to find powerful electrical motors, steam plants powerful enough to propel the boat would have to be built from scratch. Instead, it is relatively simply to simply convert the electric motors to run on mystical energies.


In comparison to the original steam plant, these engines produce far more power, enabling the boat to reach upwards of forty knots even though the Grey Fox is far larger. On a single electric motor, the vessel can still reach thirty-two knots. Range before needing to be recharged is around one thousand nautical miles. Engines are recharged through the casting the spell of “Call Lightning” into each engine. An advantage of the electric engines is that the boat is extremely quiet.


With regards to weaponry, the Grey Fox is heavier armed than the original steam gun boat design. Mounted forward and aft of the superstructure are Triax TX-862FC flack cannon mounts. These twin mounts have both excellent range and firepower. Can even be used as short range artillery. Payload for each mount is increased from eight hundred to twelve hundred rounds per mount. While more effective with a gunner, these mounts can also be operated on automatic. On each side of the superstructure on raised mounts are twin telekinetic machine guns. Unlike the flack cannons, these guns have effectively unlimited payload however they need to be recharged with a number of spells each month.


In addition to carrying a powerful gun battery, these boats have a powerful missile array. On each side of the superstructure are box launchers with six long range missiles in each launcher. It was decided to mount missiles tubes instead of torpedoes because they are far longer ranged. Rocket launched torpedoes can be fired from the missile tubes although are rarely carried. In front of the aft flack cannon is a lightweight box launcher for short range missiles with a payload of thirty-six short range missiles. Often air defense missiles are carried to give the boats a measure of self defense against missile attacks.


The electronic suite is reasonable however it is not as advanced as most modern naval vessels. It has an older active phased array radar system which has been upgraded in a number of ways to be more efficient while still a relatively simple system. So that the gunboat does not have to transmit itself, it has an electronic warfare detection suite of its own. For some ability to detect underwater targets, the gunboat has a relatively short range hull sonar. The boat also has a relatively modern communication suite.


The boat has a number of mystical additional otherwise. To power these various systems, the boat is equipped with a mystical energy battery. The battery will not recharge on its own normally however it will siphon magical energies from ley lines and ley line nexus. In addition, the battery can be recharged by spell casters focusing their own energies into the battery themselves.


While the short range missile battery is designed to shoot down incoming missiles, the gunboat also has a mystical “fireworks” chaff and flare system. The boat also has several more conventional techno-wizard enchantments. These include the spells of “Impervious to Energy,” “Invisibility - Superior,” and “Sustain.” The “Sustain” enchantment is especially valuable because the crew is protected from gas attacks as well as the spell taking care of most of the basic needs of the crew. While each of the above requires magical energy from the battery or the crew, the ship does have optics fitted with the spell of “See the Invisible” which are always active and do not require energy from the mystical battery.


Standard crew for the heavy gunboat is sixteen. With many of the systems automated and the energies powered by mystical energies, the boat requires a much smaller crew than might otherwise be expected. It is expected that at least one or two of the crew are techno-wizards or other spell casting types. There is space to embark four additional crew members or passengers. Still, theses boat do not have any real provision for troops although in most cases the crew will be armed with various small arms.


Model Type: Grey Fox class Techno-Wizard Heavy Gun Boat.

Vehicle Type: Ocean, Magically Enchanted Gun / Torpedo Boat.

Crew: 16 (2 officers). Usually at least one techno-wizard or other spell casting type (two is preferred.)

Troops: None (Has space for four passengers / extra crew.)


M.D.C. by location:

 

Triax TX-862FC Flack Cannon Turret (2, forwards and aft):

180.

 

[1] Twin Telekinetic Machine-Guns (2, sides of bridge):

60 each.

 

Long Range Box Launchers (2, sides of superstructure):

150 each.

 

Short Range Missile Launchers (1, aft):

150.

 

Bridge (Superstructure):

200.

 

[1] “Fireworks” Magic Chaff and Flare Dispensers (2):

20 each.

 

[2] EADS 3D TRS-16 (SPS-75) Phased Array Radar System:

120.

 

[3] Main Body:

850.

 

[4] “Armor of Ithan” Force Field (three times per day):

200.

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] Destroying rotating phased array radar system will eliminate the ability to effectively track airborne targets. Some weapon systems have their own internal tracking systems however.

[3] Destroying the main body causes the boat to lose structural integrity, causing the vessel to sink. There are enough life preservers and inflatable life boats to accommodate everyone on the vessel.

[4] As per the spell “Armor of Ithan” - Magic, fire, lightning, and cold all inflict one-half damage. Each activation lasts for thirty (30) minutes.


Speed:

Surface: 46.0 mph (40 knots/ 74.1 kph) on both engines. The vessel will operate at approximately three quarter speed (32 knots) on a single engine.

Range: 1,000 nautical miles (1151.5 miles / 1853.2 km) for each full recharge (requires 30 P.P.E.) Charge a single engine gives a range of 500 nautical miles (575.8 miles / 926.6 km.)

Life support is “Sustain” spell and has effectively virtually unlimited duration (Requires 24 P.P.E. or 48 I.S.P. and has a duration of five days per activation.) The gunboat normally carry supplies for crew for four weeks although can be increased up to six weeks. (The spell “Sustain” provides all food requirements however.)


Statistical Data:

Draft:    6.2 feet (1.89 meters).

Length:  154.5 (47.09 meters) overall.

Width:   22.0 feet (6.71 meters).

Displacement: 410 tons full load.

Cargo: Can carry 25 tons (22.68 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Vessel’s officers have more space for personal items. Most of the boat’s spaces are taken up by extra ammo, armor, weapons, and engines.

Power System: Techno-Wizard Electrical Engine Conversion (Powered by “Call Lightning” spell).

Black Market Cost: Very rare and expensive, normal cost is about 60 to 80 million credits but often will costs much more.


WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. Two (2) TX-862FC Recoilless Anti-Aircraft Flack Cannons: The cannons are mounted in open mounts forward and aft of the superstructure. These mounts are modified TX-862FC mounted in an open mount with a payload of eight hundred rounds. The cannon turret can rotate 360 and the barrel can tilt up to 90 degrees. It is normally used for anti-aircraft purposes but also works as excellent but fairly short range artillery.

    Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 feet (3,048 meters).

    Mega Damage: Single Round: 4D6 M.D.C., Two Rounds: 1D6x10 M.D.C., and Six Rounds: 3D6x10 M.D.C.

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

    Payload: Has a total of 1,200 rounds. That is 200 volleys of 6 rounds, or 600 two round volleys.

    Special Feature: The flack cannon has both and independent power supply and its own laser targeting and radar tracking system (especial useful if radar system is destroyed). The sensor has a range of 11,000 feet (3,353 meters). The system can also be set on automatic which gives it +1 to strike and three attacks per melee and will fire two round burst. Gives +2 when fired.

  2. Two (2) Twin Telekinetic Machine-Gun Mounts: These mounts are on either side of the boat’s superstructure. These are enchanted by a series of spells so the cannon acts as a more powerful version of the Telekinetic Machine-Gun. This increases the weapon’s damage and instead of being reloaded, the cannon must be recharged by the spell Telekinesis and 50 P.P.E. per barrel (100 P.P.E. total per mount) each once per month. The cannon does full damage to targets that are impervious to energy. Weapon mounts have advanced fire control to track and target missiles and other small airborne targets.

    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).

    Mega Damage: 1D6x10+10 total (6D6 per barrel).

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

    Payload: Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every month whether the cannon have been used or not (costs 50 P.P.E. per barrel / 100 P.P.E. for each mount.)

  3. Two (2) Long Range Missile Box Launchers: The launcher consists of a box which has six long range missile which one fitted on either side of the superstructure mounted behind the platforms where the telekinetic machine guns are mounted. Usually missiles are fired at other surface targets but aircraft can also be targeted and anti-submarine rocket launched torpedoes can also be fired (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    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 in volleys of two (2), four (4), or six (6) long range missiles between both launchers.

    Payload: Six (6) long range missiles each launcher for twelve (12) long range missiles total.

  4. One (1) Short Range Missile Launching System: Mounted on aft part of the boat forward of the rear flack cannon mount , the launcher has a payload of thirty-six short range missiles and fills a similar role to the Pre-Rifts RAM missile launcher. The launcher’s primary purpose is to shoot down incoming missiles and usually the higher speed surface to air missiles are used. Missiles are usually a fifty / fifty mix of armor piercing and plasma missiles.

    Note: SAM style missiles are missiles that sacrifice payload for higher speeds, see Chris Curtis’ modified missile table for specifics.

    Maximum Effective Range: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details - SAM style missiles normally.)

    Mega Damage: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details - SAM style missiles normally.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire short range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), six (6), or twelve (12) short range missiles.

    Payload: Thirty-Six (36) short range missiles in launcher with no additional reloads.

  5. Two (2) Magical “Fireworks” Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispensers: In many ways this system is similar to technological versions of the Chaff/Flare system. When the system fires, it looks like fireworks firing. The anti-missile system works by combining three spells. The three spells are Fire Bolt, Apparition, and Telekinesis. The physical effects of the system are similar to the Triax Anti-Missile chaff but instead of being reloaded, it is recharged by spells.

    Effects:

    01-35

    Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud - Missiles are all destroyed.

     

    36-60

    Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in wrong direction (May lock onto another target.)

     

    61-00

    No effect, enemy missile or missile volley is still on target.

    Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half.

    Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.

    Payload: 10 Uses before being recharged. Each launcher is recharged by the spells Apparition (20 P.P.E.), Fire Bolt (7 P.P.E.), and Telekinesis (8 P.P.E.). The cost for all launchers to be recharged is 70 P.P.E. All launchers must be activated at the same time to operate correctly.

  6. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The Grey Fox heavy gunboat has the following Techno-Wizard Modifications built into the vessel. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the boats crew or P.P.E. battery.

    Special Features: 

    Impervious to Energy (5th level)

    20 P.P.E. or 40 I.S.P. (40 P.P.E. or 80 I.S.P.)

     

    Invisibility-Superior (5th Level)

    20 P.P.E. or 40 I.S.P. (40 P.P.E. or 80 I.S.P.)

     

    Sustain (5th Level)

    12 P.P.E. or 24 I.S.P. (24 P.P.E. or 48 I.S.P.)

Special Systems:

The boat does not carry the standard sensor systems of a robot vehicle, unlike most vessels, and has more limited equipment.


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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2015 & 2017, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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