T.W. Sea Demon class Destroyer:


Built just a decade before the world was remade, the Marion was a beat up pre-Rifts merchant ship but even thought it had been patched many times, the hull was still sound and the engines had recently been rebuilt. It would not be surprising if the vessel could operate for another couple of centuries. She had went through the hands of several dozen captains and crew.


Still, the world was a strange place after the coming of the Rifts. Monsters now swam the oceans and pirates once again raided the sea. As such, the ship has several weapon systems added and some armor had been added around the bridge. Most pirates were in relatively small so her weapons were enough to drive more of them away. Still, the crew kept a constant watch.


Suddenly, eight torpedoes raced toward the cargo ship. They were not huge torpedoes but the Marion was not built as a warship. Suddenly, out of the mist was the black silhouette of a vessel. It was small, not much larger than a corvette or maybe a small destroyer. The torpedoes hit within moments of each other, destroying the old ship’s rudder and propeller.


As the attacker got closer., the watch could make out more of the vessel. On either side was a skull and crossbones but they were different. They were not the symbol of the Coalition. This was somebody else. The ship also appeared to have been formed of bone. Behind the bridge were three smokestacks billowing out dark smoke. The vessel looked like something from a nightmare.


The gunners on the merchant ship opened fire. Around the attacking ship seemed to rise up fire and none of the shots seemed to do anything to the pirate ship. The pirate ship itself opened fire on the bridge of the Marion. These were not the light mounts carried on the merchant ship. They shredded the additional armor almost as if it were made from paper.


The Captain of the Marion ordered his gunners to cease fire. They had no choice but to surrender. Without the rudder or propeller, they were dead in the water no matter what.



The basic style of the destroyer is that of a World War One type destroyer. In some ways it is similar to the Tempest class destroyer but there are significant changes. It is just a bit larger than the other vessel and is a three stack design instead of a four stack design. The biggest difference in appearance though is that the ship appears to be constructed from bone. The appearance can be quite scary in appearance. It does not seem to mimic an exact vessel in its basic lines although it seems to borrow features from several different designs. The bow is raised as well as being a bit longer than any World War one destroyer design with the superstructure set further back.


Whomever builds these destroyers is unknown although the design definitely combines technology and techno-wizard enchantments. Between the two, the ship is far more powerful than it might be otherwise. It appears that only a handful of these vessels have been built. Most who have tried to research these vessels think that only two or three of these destroyers have been constructed. This is likely for the best with some of infamous attacks of these vessels.


While slightly larger than the Tempest, the Sea Demon is also slightly less expensive. Part of this is due to the actual “Tempest” propulsion system extremely expensive. As well, the ship lacks a fusion reactor. Instead, the ship has techno-wizard enchanted propulsion system with enchanted boilers. A three shaft design, the top speed is thirty-six knots and range between magical charges is five hundred nautical miles.


Even though the ship appears to have been made from bone, the hull is constructed from normal composites and alloys. It is far cheaper than magical materials would have been. The ship requires a crew of around four dozen with two of the crew normally techno-wizards. As well, the ship is designed to embark two dozen marines usually using mystic power armors. Other power armors can also be carried. The reason for such a large marine compliment is due to needing to board and raid other ships.


Instead of being designed primarily as an escort like the Tempest, the ship is designed mainly for raiding and attack roles. The main gun of the vessel is a five inch gun mounted on the bow. The weapon is the same as was mounted on many pre-rifts United States naval vessels and are pulled from destroyed ancient ships. Longer ranged than the flack cannons carried on the Tempest, payload for the gun is five hundred rounds. There are also are four lighter mounts. Two are Gatling type telekinetic machine gun mounts with one either side of the vessel. These will effect targets which are impervious to energy and are charged through magical enchantments. There is also a pair of flame cannons with one on either side of the vessel. As well, the vessel has two launchers designed to be able to fire either medium range missiles or torpedoes. These fire forward and are similar to the mounts of the Piranha attack vessel. Behind the main gun mount, just forward of the superstructure, is a short range missile launcher and the ship also mounts a short range missile launcher on the fantail. Both have twenty-four missile cells and mainly are used for anti-missile defense of the vessel.


Even though some do not consider the enchantments on the vessel to be as spectacular as the “Tempest” propulsion system, the fire aura of the Sea Demon is still quite spectacular. It gives the ship additional protection as well as being extremely intense and anything caught within the aura will catch fire. The magic protects the ship’s crew from the effects of the fire. Other enchantments include magical optics which can be used to see the invisible. As well, there is an enchantment which permits the ship to become invisible, blend with shadows, and also become impervious to energy weapons. Often these ships will appear from nowhere using the ability to blend with shadows or from being invisible. The ship also has the enchantment of “Breath Without Air” to compensate for the fact that the ship does not have a full life support system. The ship does mount a techno-wizard battery to power the various enchantments.


Conventional sensor systems include a long range radar system and a short range sonar system. While the radar system has relatively decent tracking abilities, the sonar system is mainly for self defense purposes and not serious anti-submarine warfare. The vessel lacks any kind of towed array sonar system. For detecting other radar systems, it does have an ESM system based on pre-rifts system.


Model Type: TW-DD-13
Vehicle Type: Ocean, Magically Enchanted Destroyer
Crew: 48 with usually at least 2 techno-wizard and 2 other spell casting types.
Troops: 24


Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

24Mystic Power Armors (Or other Light Power Armors)


M.D.C. by Location:

Five Inch (127) Barrel (1, Turret):80
Five Inch (127 mm) cannon Turret (Forward):200
T.W. Telekinetic Gatling Cannons (2, Side):100 each
T.W. Flame Cannons Mounts (2, Sides):80 each
Medium Range Missile/Torpedo Launchers (2, Sides):150 each
Short Range Missile Launchers (2, Front and Back):180
Bridge (Superstructure):325
[1] Long Range Radar System (Superstructure):80
[2] Main Body:1,050
Fire Aura (3 times per day):200


Notes:
[1] Destroying Search Radar Tower will eliminate long range radar system. The ship still has backup systems equal to those on robot vehicles.
[2] 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.


Speed:
Surface: 41.5 mph (36 knots/ 66.7 kph) The ship can operate at ninety percent speed (32.4 knots) on three boilers, three quarters speed (27 knots) on half boilers and can operate at half speed (18 knots) on one boiler.
Range: 500 nautical miles (575.8 miles / 926.6 km) for each full recharge (requires 100 P.P.E.) Each boiler can propel the ship for up 125 nautical miles (requires 25 P.P.E. each). Ship can carry supplies for crew for up to two months.


Statistical Data:
Length: 335 feet (102.11 meters) overall and 318 feet (96.93 meters) at the waterline.
Draft: 10.75 feet (3.28 meters)
Width: 33.5 feet (10.21 meters)
Displacement: 1,350 tons normal load and 1,780 fully loaded
Cargo: Can carry 200 tons of nonessential equipment and supplies. 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.
Power System: Magical Techno-Wizard steam system
Black Market Cost: Very rare and expensive, normal cost is about 180 million credits but often will costs much more.


Weapon Systems:

  1. One (1) MK 45 Single Barrel Five Inch (127 mm) Naval Gun: The ship mounts a five inch gun on the bow of the ship. The gun is very reliable although it fires at a relatively slow rate (20 rounds per minute). The gun was carried on many ship classes until well into the twenty first century. The guns can be used against other ships, against ground targets, and against aircraft. The weapon can use special artillery rounds, rocket assisted rounds, and can even fire Extended Range Guided Munitions.
    Maximum Effective Range: 12 miles (10.4 nautical miles/19.3 km) for standard projectiles, 20 miles (17.4 nautical miles/32.2 km) for rocket propelled rounds, and treat Extended Range Guided Munitions as medium range missiles (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega-Damage: Standard Projectiles: 2D6x10 to a blast radius of 25 ft (7.7 m) for High Explosive, 3D6x10 to a blast radius of 6 ft (2 m) for High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 4D6x10 to a blast radius of 25 ft (7.7 m) for Plasma. Rocket projectiles: 2D4x10 to a blast radius of 20 ft (6.1 m) for High Explosive, 2D6x10 to a blast radius of 4 ft (1.2 m) for High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 3D6x10 to a blast radius of 20 ft (6.1 m) for Plasma. Extended Range Guided Munitions: Treat as medium range missiles (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Use the statistics for 105 mm artillery warheads (Go to Battlefield Artillery for Rifts for more information - standard or rocket assisted as appropriate) when using artillery rounds.
    Rate of Fire: Normal Projectiles: Five shots per cannon per melee. Extended Range Guided Munitions can be fired at the rate of one shot per melee
    Payload: 500 rounds - Each Extended Range Guided Munitions round takes up space for 2 normal rounds. Ship normally carries usually carries 100 High Explosive, 100 High Explosive Armor Piercing, 80 Plasma, 40 Rocket Propelled High Explosive, 40 Rocket Propelled High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 40 Rocket Propelled Plasma rounds, and 50 Extended Range Guided Munitions. The ship will carry special rounds when employed in artillery roles.
  2. TK Gatling Cannons (2): The cannons are on either side of the forward superstructure. Mounts have been enchanted by a series of spells so the cannons act as a more powerful version of the TK Machine gun. This increases the weapon's damage and instead of being reloaded, the cannons must be recharged by the spell Telekinesis and 100 P.P.E. once per month. The cannon does full damage to targets that are impervious to energy. Additional optics and fire control have been added to enable the system to track and target aircraft and missiles.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
    Mega Damage: 12D6
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: Unlimited, although the spells (100 P.P.E. each cannon) on each must be renewed every month whether the cannon have been used or not.
  3. Heavy Flame Cannons (2): The cannons are on either side of the after superstructure. Each weapon is a converted heavy plasma weapon. The weapon must be recharged once a month using the spells "Fire Bolt", "Energy Bolt", and 100 P.P.E. Additional optics and fire control have been added to enable the system to track and target aircraft and missiles
    Maximum Effective Range: 3,000 feet (914 meters).
    Mega Damage: 1D6x10 per flame cannon
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
  4. Medium Missile/Torpedo Launchers (2): This system is very similar to that carried on the Piranha combination hydrofoil and submarine. Firing forward, these side-mounted launchers can fire either regular medium-range missiles or special amphibious missiles (can be used as missile or torpedoes, have the same damage as equivalent missile, double cost, but can travel to underwater targets and are +2 to strike). Missile speed underwater is 120 mph (192 km) and has a range of 20 miles (32 km).
    Maximum Effective Range: As per medium range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega Damage: As per medium 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), four (4), or eight (8) missiles.
    Payload: 96 total; 48 per missile launcher.
  5. Short Range Missile Launching Systems (2): Each launcher with one launcher behind the five inch gun mount and the other on the fantail. Launcher has the ability to launch 24 Short Range Missiles and automatically reloads every time a missile or missiles are fired. The launcher is fitted with multiple fire control systems and can target missiles on multiple targets. Normal missile mixture is 50% Armor Piercing Missiles and 50% Plasma missiles. Usually the faster surface to air missiles are fired from launcher.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per short range missile type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
    Mega Damage: As per 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), four (4), six (6), twelve (12), or twenty four (24) missiles.
    Payload: 48 short range missiles each launcher for 96 short range missiles total.
  6. Magical “Fire Aura”: The Sea Demon destroyer can produce an aura of fire up to three times per day. The crew can see clearly through the fire aura and is not effected. While this field is active, the ship is clearly on fire and cannot be concealed using the spells of Shadow Meld or Invisibility. The field is too close to the ship for ramming attacks although some pilots have tried. It is effective against creatures who try to grab the ship and attackers who try and board the ship. Missiles can be fired by the crew. See spell description for more details.
    Maximum Effective Range: 0.5 feet (0.15 meters) around vessel
    Mega Damage & Effects: 6D6 M.D.C. to any targets attempting to grab ship or board and has a 50% chance of catching combustible materials on fire. Fire Aura also gives a 200 M.D.C. Force field which damage must be subtracted from first.
    Payload: Three Times per day.
  7. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The vessel has the following Techno-Wizard Modifications built into the ship. These require P.P.E. or I.S.P. from the ships crew or the ship itself. 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:
      Shadow Meld (6th Level) - 10 P.P.E. or 20 I.S.P. (40 P.P.E. or 80 I.S.P.)
      Impervious to Energy (6th Level) - 20 P.P.E. or 40 I.S.P. (80 P.P.E. or 160 I.S.P.)
      Invisibility-Superior (6th Level) - 20 P.P.E. or 40 I.S.P. (80 P.P.E. or 160 I.S.P.)


Special Systems:
The ship can be considered to have all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:



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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 2009, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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