Techno-Wizard Emerald class Light Cruiser:


The most common classes of techno-wizard warships are destroyers. They are relatively small and require far less in the way of resources to built than larger ships. Still, there are a handful of other types of ships. Some are converted pre-rifts warships and there is a carrier which is modified from a fast merchant hull.


Other than destroyers, the only techno-wizard vessels built from the hull up are light cruiser designs. One of these is the Aurora class scout cruiser. Looking much like a World War One type destroyer, they are a relatively large vessel. Generally an extremely interesting design, only a handful of these vessels have been built and they are extremely expensive.


Because of this, an independent group of techno-wizards decided to build their own techno-wizard cruiser class. They also wanted to create a design which was in many ways different than the Aurora class with efforts made to make the design more cost effective. The first light cruiser, the Emerald has been commissioned, and the second is presently under construction. The class is actually not that much cheaper than the Aurora class but is still a bit more affordable.


The Emerald looks more like a British cruiser design than the Aurora with heavier funnels although the Emerald looks similar to a World War One cruiser design although is a bit larger at almost six hundred feet in length. The vessel has three funnels although due to the nature of the vessel’s propulsion, they are there for little more than for aesthetic purposes. Along the hull of the cruiser are port holes to make it look more like an old cruiser type.


Compared to the Aurora class cruiser, the Emerald is a bit slower with a top speed of around thirty-three knots. Even though quite common, fusion reactors are quite expensive and would likely have increased the cost of the vessel by fifty million or more credits. Instead, the ship power source are four powerful electric motors with the engines converted over to Techno-Wizard “Lightning” power source. This gives a range of a thousand miles per change and can be charged extremely simply by casting lightning bolts into the engine. The other advantage is that the engines do not require a huge amount of batteries but are instead powered by magical energies.


For less expensive construction than magical materials, the ship is built using high strength composites and alloys. Unlike the Aurora class, this is back up by a protective “Armor of Ithan” force field although the Emerald does not have the “Shockwave” defense system which the other class mounts. The Force field can be activated up to three times per day. Additionally, the ship has the protection of the impervious to energy ability.


One feature that the Emerald has over the Aurora is that her electronic systems are more sophisticated. She has a single panel phased array radar system. While shorter ranged than the radar system on the Aurora, the system allows for the tracking of around three times the number of targets. The Emerald also has a better and more sophisticated hull sonar system. It does lack a towed array sonar system which limits is usefulness against submarines. The light cruiser mounts an electronic warfare system which includes both passive detection systems and a jamming array. While not originally fitted, being that the cruiser is extremely quiet, a sonar masking system was added to the cruiser.


In addition to the technological systems, the cruiser has the ability to become invisible. “See the Invisible” optics give the crew the ability to see invisible dangers themselves. A “Fireworks” decoy system helps to defend the vessel against incoming missiles and acts as a last ditch defense other than the protective force field. There is a techno-wizard magic battery to help power the various magic on the ship.


Main battery of the cruiser are four turrets each mounting twin 155 millimeter howitzers. While the hull design looks more or less like that of a World War One design, the gun mounts and their position look more modern and more like World War Two weapon mounts. Two mounts are forward of the main superstructure with two more aft on the fantail. These mounts are modified so that can fire against aircraft although are not nearly as effective as light mounts generally are. The weapons do have a longer range than the five inch gun mounts on the Aurora but due to being smaller than full Naval 155 mm rounds, only inflict about the same damage in most cases. Ship carries around a thousand rounds per mount for a total of around four thousand rounds. This is split between various rounds including often some special ammunition types.


In addition, the ship mounts four flack cannon twin mountings. Mounted with two to either side, these are identical to those carried on the Aurora as well as other classes. They are also modified versions of the Triax flack cannon mounts carried on the Hunter combat armor. These are far more useful than the main battery against aircraft with a sophisticated fire control system. The flack cannons have a payload of twenty-four hundred rounds per mount. On the upper superstructure are more light mounts with six “Lightning” blasters with three on the forward superstructure and four on the after superstructure. These need to be recharged once a month but otherwise have effectively an unlimited payload.


While the ship lacks in truly short range missile weaponry, it does carry extensive medium and long range missile payloads. It has a pair of thirty-two cell missile launchers actually concealed under the stacks. They actually fold open when the missiles prepare to fire. The stacks do give protection to the launchers when fighting in gun duels. Basically copies of the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System in extremely widespread use, each cell can hold a single cruise missile, a pair of long range missiles, or four medium range missiles. Usual payload is sixty four long range missiles and one hundred and twenty-eight medium range missiles. Usually, a small number of anti-submarine type missiles are carried. Otherwise, the cruiser is not heavily armed for anti-submarine warfare and weaponry mainly consists of three light torpedo tubes with three on either side. Cruiser carries sixty torpedoes as reloads although they have to be manually loaded.


The ship is designed to be operated by a smaller crew than the Aurora class. This is done through advanced automation and simplification of weapon systems. Emerald requires a crew of around one hundred and eighty. Generally the ship needs about a dozen spell casters as part of the crew with at least half being techno-wizards. Crew spaces are actually quite comfortable although they are styled to look like those of historic vessels of the First World War. It might very well that decoration is a bit more lavish than they would have been historically because it is believed that a romance movie about a sunken liner played a primary role in this. In addition to the crew, the light cruiser can carry up to one hundred and twenty marines. About eighty of them usually are fitted with mystic powers. There is no embarked larger aircraft generally carried although something like a sky cycle might be squeezed on deck.


Model Type: TW-CL-66.

Vehicle Type: Ocean, Magically Enchanted Light Cruiser.

Crew: 188 with usually at least 6 techno-wizard and 6 other spell casting types.

Troops: 120 (80 pilots for Mystic Power Armors, 40 soldiers in body armor).


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

 

80

Mystic Power Armors.

M.D.C. by Location:

 

Twin Barrel 155 mm Cannon Turrets (4, Forward and Aft):

350 each.

 

155 mm Cannon / Howitzer Barrels (8):

80 each.

 

Twin Barrel Flack Cannon Turret (4 , sides):

280 each.

 

Lightning Blaster Mounts (6, Forward / Aft Superstructure):

50 each.

 

Strike Length 32 Cell Vertical Launch Missile Launchers (2):

250 each.

 

Smoke Stack Covers (Conceals Missile Launchers - 2):

200 each.

 

Medium Torpedo Launchers (2, sides):

45 each.

 

“Fireworks” Magic Chaff and Flare Dispensers (4, superstructure):

20 each.

 

[1] Advanced Active Phased Array Radar System:

500.

 

[2] Bridge:

525.

 

[3] Main Body:

2,600.

 

[4] “Armor of Ithan” Force Field (Three Times per Day):

1,000.

Notes:

[1] Destroying the phased array radar panel will destroy the ship’s main fire control systems but the vessel has backup systems with a shorter range (Equal to robot vehicle sensors.)

[2] If the control bridge is destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but with a -15% to piloting rolls due to using emergency controls. Communication and sensor equipment are not concentrated on the bridge to reduce the effectiveness of strikes against the bridge.

[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 ship.

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


Speed:

Surface: 33 knots (38 mph/ 61.2 kph) on all four engines. The vessel will operate at 22 knots (24.2 mph / 38.8 kph) on a single engine.

Range: 1,000 nautical miles (1,151.5 miles / 1,853.2 km) for each full recharge (requires four castings of “Call Lightning” for 60 P.P.E. due to size of engines.) Charging a single engine gives a range of 250 nautical miles (287.9 miles / 463.3 km) and costs 15 P.P.E. for a single casting of “Call Lightning.” Speed however is limited to 22 knots (24.2 mph / 38.8 kph) in such a case.

The cruiser normally carries six months of supplies on board although this can be stretched to eight months if needed.


Statistical Data:

Length:  578 feet (176.17 meters) overall and 566 feet (172.52 meters) at the waterline.

Draft:    16 feet 8 inches (5.08 meters) mean and 24 feet 6 inches (7.47 meters) under the sonar dome.

Width:   58 feet 4 inches (17.78 meters).

Displacement: 7,650 tons standard and 9,680 tons fully loaded.

Cargo: Can carry 600 tons (544 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. 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, weapons, and engines.

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

Black Market Price: Very rare and expensive, normal cost is about 500 million credits but often will costs much more. Cost does not include embarked vehicles or power armors.


WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. Four (4) Twin Barrel 155 mm Howitzer / Naval Guns: Actually not naval guns but converted ground artillery pieces. It fires standard artillery shells and is normally fired indirectly on the target but can be fired as direct fire if necessary. Fire control does allow engaging air targets as well. The cannon is loaded by a automatic shell loading device, which is fed from a onboard magazine. The magazine is fully automated and keeps stock of the amount and type of rounds still available. It can switch between rounds at will. While the cannon is original, it uses modern Rifts artillery rounds and can use both non rocket assisted and rocket assisted rounds. Due to cooling systems, rate of fire can be maintained.

    Maximum Effective Range: 18.6 miles (30 km) for non rocket assisted and 24.9 miles (40 km) for rocket assisted projectiles.

    Mega-Damage: By artillery round type (Go to Battlefield Artillery for Rifts for more information: Fragmentation 2D4x10, High Explosive 2D6x10, Armor Piercing 3D6x10, Plasma 4D6x10, and has a vast number of other type of rounds as well.)

    Rate of Fire: Four shots per barrel per melee (Firing both barrels counts as one attack - 8 rounds per turret per melee or 32 rounds total per melee round.)

    Payload: 4,000 rounds (1,000 rounds per weapon mount). Ship normally carries usually carries 250 High Explosive, 1,250 High Explosive Armor Piercing, 1,250 Plasma, 250 Rocket Propelled High Explosive, 500 Rocket Propelled High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 500 Rocket Propelled Plasma rounds. The ship will carry special rounds when employed in artillery roles.

  2. Four (4) Twin Recoilless Anti-Aircraft Flack Cannon Turrets: The cannons are mounted in twins mounts with two on either side of the vessel. Each cannon is identical to the TX-862FC with the exception that the weapon’s ammunition bins are larger and are mounted in pairs. The cannon turrets 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 (3048 meters).

    Mega Damage: Single Round: 4D6 M.D.C., Two Rounds: 1D6x10 M.D.C., and Six Rounds: 3D6x10 M.D.C. Double weapons damage if the gun is firing both cannons simultaneously (1D6x10 for two rounds / 2D6 x 10 for four rounds/ and 6D6x10 for twelve rounds).

    Rate of Fire: Equal to the gunners combined hand to hand (usually 5 or 6) each (Firing both barrels counts as one attack).

    Payload: Total 1,200 for each barrel (2,400 total for mount). 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 (especially useful if radar system is destroyed). Sensor has a range of 11,000 feet (3353 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.

  3. Six (6) Heavy Lightning Blasters: Mounted on the vessel are six lightning blasters. These are mounted on to either side of the forward and after superstructure with one mount directly forward and one directly aft. Each one is controlled by a gunner and have a 360 degree rotation and 85 degree arc of fire. Additional optics and fire control have been added to enable the system to track and target aircraft and missiles The lightning blasters have a slightly better range and have an unlimited payload compared to hand held lightning blasters. The weapon must be recharged once a month using the spells “Call Lightning”, “Energy Bolt”, and 100 P.P.E.

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

    Mega Damage: 1D4x10+10 per electrical blaster.

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

    Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

  4. Two (2) Strike Length 32 Cell Vertical Launch Missile Launchers: Copy of the Pre-Rifts American designed Mk 41 launcher. The thirty-two cell launchers are mounted behind the forward superstructure and are hidden by the cruiser’s stacks which fold down when ready to fire. These are the longer strike version of the missile launcher and can carry the longer cruise missile. From the beginning, the launchers have been found to be very flexible and adaptable. The launcher was originally designed for the Tomahawk and Standard SM-2 Missile. In later service, the launchers have been adapted to hold one cruise missile, two long range missiles, or four medium range missiles per cell. Cruise missiles are usually used against hardened fixed targets, long range missiles are normally used against aircraft and other large targets, and medium range missiles are normally used against closer targets such as incoming missiles. Anti-Submarine rocket launched torpedoes also can be fired from the launcher (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details) - Usually eight are carried.

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

    Mega Damage: As per cruise, long range, or medium range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Each launcher can fire one missile at a time or in volley of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or sixteen (16) missiles per melee and can be fired at multiple targets at the same time.

    Payload: 32 missile cells in VLS launcher (Can carry a total of 64 long range missiles). One (1) cruise missile, two (2) long range missiles, or four (4) medium range missiles may be carried per cell. Ship carries no reloads (Common load out is 128 medium range missiles, 56 long range missiles, and 8 anti-submarine missiles).

  5. Two (2) Torpedo Launchers: There is one launcher on each side of the ship. Each torpedo launcher has three torpedo tubes and tubes are 12.75 in (324 mm) wide. Torpedoes are normally used against submarines but can be targeted on surface targets as well. Ship carries 60 reloads for torpedoes. For the most part torpedo warheads are equal to medium range missile warheads.

    Maximum Effective Range: 20 miles (17.4 nautical miles / 32 km) for standard torpedoes.

    Mega Damage: By medium torpedo warhead type (See revised Rifts torpedoes for details.)

    Rate of Fire: Can fire medium torpedoes one at a time or in volleys of two (2) or three (3) medium torpedoes per side, Reloading takes one full melee per tube.

    Payload: Three (3) medium torpedoes each launcher for a grand total of six (6) torpedoes (Has 60 medium torpedoes for reloads).

  6. Magical “Fireworks” Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser (4): 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.

    Effect:

    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 140 P.P.E. All launchers must be activated at the same time to operate correctly.

  7. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The Emerald has the following Techno-Wizard Modifications built into the ship. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the ships crew or P.P.E. battery. The P.P.E. and I.S.P. values listed inside of the parenthesis are if using higher P.P.E. costs for larger vehicles.

    Special Features:

    Impervious to Energy (8th level)

    20 P.P.E. or 40 I.S.P. (80 P.P.E. or 160 I.S.P.)

     

    Invisibility-Superior (8th Level)

    20 P.P.E. or 40 I.S.P. (80 P.P.E. or 160 I.S.P.)

     

    Shadow Meld (8th Level)

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

Special Systems:

The ship has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:●Advanced Single Array Phased Array Radar System: Radar system appears to be based on the Pre-Rifts British BAE Sampson radar system. Powerful and flexible radar system that is comprised of a single rotating array on top of the main mast. It was controlled by a powerful computer. If allowed by the horizon, the system can track out to 201.4 miles (175 nautical miles / 324.1 km) and can simultaneously track and identify up to 360 targets at one time. The system controls missile launched from the VLS launchers and the system tracks and guides each individual missile to a individual target for up to 120 targets. If a target is eliminated, missiles are automatically guided to a new target. The system can also control missiles launched from other linked vessels as well and can also act as fire control for gun mounts.


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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2010 & 2017, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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