Arcane-X class Patrol Ships (United Worlds Warlock):

The United Worlds Warlock has recently begun introducing the new Mark IV version of the Arcane class patrol vessel. It was decided that a number of Mark I class vessels would be retired at the same time and their crews would be transferred to the new Mark IV vessels as they entered service. Soon after, it was decided to strip the retired vessels and sell them essentially as scrap. Several of the old patrol ship had been damaged and they were not considered worth repairing.

Excelsior Enterprises, a minor company in the United Worlds Warlock, managed to purchase most of the stripped vessels. Instead of actually scrapping the vessels as expected, the company decided to almost completely rebuild the ships. At an early stage, Excelsior Enterprises decided to partner with Thoth Industries in order to improve the patrol ships in a number of ways.

Greatly upgraded, these upgraded Arcane class patrol ships became known as the “Arcane-X” class. Since then, the company has continued acquiring older Arcane class patrol ships, often stripped, and upgrading them to the Arcane-X standards. Such vessels have been in high demand among operators of techno-wizard designs, including both system defense forces and techno-wizard mercenary companies. In addition, a number of clients have commissioned the company to upgrade their own patrol ships in a similar manner.

As described previously, several of the ships in the initial batch of patrol vessels had been damaged to a lesser or greater degree. In the process of repairing the damage, the engineers at Excelsior Enterprises found a number of ways which they might further reinforce the vessels. The reinforcements were so effective that the engineers then decided to add the same reinforcements to undamaged vessels as well as later upgraded vessels.

On most of the vessels, the “Armor of Ithan” force field were stripped from them. Instead of simply replacing the force field, a more powerful “Invincible Armor” force field is mounted in the place of the original force field. The only complain that some have had with respect to the force field is that it requires far greater mystical power in order to activate.

In smaller ships it is often easier to strip and replace systems than with larger vessels. In many cases the old systems also were already stripped or they were not operational. It would have required rebuilds that would cost as much as new systems. In the place of original techno-wizard fusion reactor, more efficient and smaller civilian units are mounted. At the same time, the original contra-grav propulsion systems is also replaced by a more efficient civilian contra-grav system. While it gives similar acceleration, the system requires a smaller crew and is slightly smaller.

It was decided to retain the original Rifts Jump Drives in those that they had not been stripped and the same basic system was put in those that had already been stripped of it. It would have been extremely difficult to mount a conventional contr-grav faster than light drive instead. The mystic energy generator is a similar situation where those that were retained are not replaced and similar units replaces the original in ships that were stripped of them.

As far as weaponry, most of the early ships were completely stripped with the weaponry often used to repair other ships. In some cases similar weapon systems replace the original systems. Four long range missile batteries replace the originals and the “Death Cloud” cannon replaces the original system. Payload for the long range missiles however is increased from just under a hundred per mount to more than one hundred and twenty-five each mount. In addition the ship carries five hundred additional missiles in deep magazines.

The other weaponry however is different than the original patrol vessel mounts. The most notable of this is the main battery. Instead of four 36 mm heavy point defense lasers, four “Annihilate” cannons are mounted in their place. Originally heavy weaponry than the heavy point defense lasers were suppose to be mounted but required too much energy. The “Annihilate” cannons, powered by mystical energy, do not have that problem. While not as effective against small targets such as missiles and fighters, the cannons are far more effective than most heavy anti-ship weaponry.

With respect to the point defense battery, most ships originally mounted eight lightning blasters. These are replaced by eight twin “Sub Particle Acceleration” mounts and four quad “Telekinesis” mounts. This both increases the point defense battery by fifty percent with respect to mounts and each mount is also far more powerful than the original mounts.

The original fighter hanger is retained and the patrol ship can embark up to four light fighters. In some cases Shadow Bolt fighters will be embarked but many operators have elected to replace them with less expensive fighter types although are still limited to light fighter types. The marine compliment remains the same as well although Warlock Power Armors are extremely rare and a number of different suits are substituted for them. As previously described, crew compliment is slightly reduced due to the propulsion system and fusion reactor requiring fewer crew to operate.

This starship design uses modified starship speed and weapon range rules. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

Model Type: Modified UWW-ARC-I.

Vehicle Type: Light Patrol Ship / Escort.

Crew: 48, including a magic team of 2 techno-wizards (levels 2-6.)

Troop Capacity: 48 marines and 4 fighter pilots.

Vehicles:

Power Armors & Robots:

Space Power Armors (W-F1 Flying Warlock Combat Armors and / or Silver Hawk knock-offs).

Fighter Compliment:

Light Fighters (WF-F15 Shadow Bolt Strike Ship or others design.)

M.D.C. By Location:

	Magical “Death Cloud” Cannon:	400.
	Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	250 each.
	Turret Mounted “Annihilate”Cannons (4):	800 each.
	Twin Sub Particle Acceleration Cannons (8):	150 each.
	Quad Telekinetic Machine Gun Mounts (4):	225 each.
	Hanger Bay Doors (2)	400 each.
	[1] Main Bridge:	800.
	[2] Main Body:	3,600.
	[3] Magical “Invincible Armor” Force Field:	5,000.

Notes:

[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ship’s armor. This ship does not have an auxiliary bridge. Even if the patrol ship’s bridge is destroyed, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.

[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the patrol ship out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.

[3] This is not a variable force field, but a magical shield that must be completely depleted. Once the shield has been knocked down, it will cost 500 P.P.E. and require one minute (4 melee rounds) of spell casting to restore the force field. When knocked down, no additional damage beyond which destroyed the shield will be transferred to the patrol ship.

Speed:

Driving on the ground: Not Possible.

Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.8 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum speed is Mach 1.5 (1,142 mph / 1,838 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight.

Star Drive: Marks: Rift Jump Drive; maximum safe jump distance of 20 light years every four hours (Jump costs 2,000 P.P.E. per activation.)

Range: Life support will keep crew alive for up to ten years, as long as the P.P.E. generators are kept in working order.

Statistical Data:

Height: 70 feet (21.3 meters) main body and 90 feet (27.4 meters) including “Death Cloud” cannon.

Width: 120 feet (36.6 meters).

Length: 480 feet (146.3 meters).

Weight / Mass: 10,000 tons (9,071 metric tons) fully loaded.

Power System: Conventional Advanced Fusion 20 year life span. The patrol ship also has a P.P.E. Generator. This can be used to power the Rifts Jump Drive (costs 2,000 P.P.E.) or can be used to power spells cast by the patrol ship’s crew. The P.P.E. generator produces 500 P.P.E. per hour / 2 P.P.E. per melee round and can hold up to 2,000 P.P.E. in storage.

Cargo: Cargo holds can hold up to 200 tons (181.4 metric tons) of cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. 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 ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.

Market Cost: 650 million credits. Cost does not include embarked craft / power armors.

Weapon Systems:

One (1) Magical “Death Cloud” Cannon: This cannon is mounted on the ship near the rear of the vessel. The weapon release a massive amount of water that quickly freezes. While the ice is not a solid barrier, the particle density of the ice is great enough to eliminate missiles and inflict large amounts of damage to larger targets. The weapon can also be used to block heavy plasma weapons and can be used to hide a ship on sensors systems. The “wall” of ice has a virtually indefinite duration in space but does drift at the heading and speed of the ship launching the “wall” of ice. If used in an atmosphere, the weapon has only a momentary duration and reduced effects. The weapon system is useless underwater. The cloud of ice is -6 to dodge normally with the penalties for large ships used as well.

Maximum Effective Range: Can be accurately targeted up to 1,000 miles (1,600 km) with a diameter of 50,000 feet (30,400 meters) when used in space and 10 miles (16 km) with a diameter of 500 feet (30.4 meters) when used in an atmosphere.

Mega-Damage: A ship or missile 4D6 x speed of target in percentage of light. For example, a ship traveling at 10% of the speed of light would have 4D6x10 inflicted on them. Larger ships will have greater damage inflicted on them. Destroyer sized ships (greater than 1,000 tons but less than 40,000 tons) have damage multiplied by 5, light cruiser sized ships (greater than 40,000 tons but less than 100,000 tons) have damage multiplied by 10, heavy cruiser sized ships (Greater than 100,000 but less 1 million tons) have damage multiplied by 20, and the truly huge ships like heavy cargo ships and battleships (1 million tons and greater) have damage multiplied by 100. Most missiles are automatically destroyed by the cloud of ice. If used in an atmosphere, the weapon will automatically knock missiles off course and anyone flying through the cloud of water will need to make a piloting roll at -6 /-30%. Optional: The speed of the ship launching the cloud may also be calculated but it is math intensive due to the fact that direction of travel and vectors will also effect the damage of the weapon.

Rate of Fire: Once (1) per melee round.

Payload: Weapon may be activated 10 times per twenty four hour period. Further activations require 500 P.P.E. from either onboard magicians or drawing on the ship’s P.P.E. generator.
Four (4) Long Range Missile Batteries: These missile batteries are mounted in turrets in strategic locations around the vessel. Missiles have a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and have an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship) in space. Whether missiles can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missiles. When drive goes dead, missiles will continue to travel in a straight line unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missiles, when unpowered, are at -25% to be detected.) Long range missiles do not have penalties to hit small targets, unlike cruise missiles, and are almost always smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.

Maximum Effective Range: Long Range Missile range is 3,400 miles (5,470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space.

Mega-Damage & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Fusion warheads inflict 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.)

Rate of Fire: Can fire long range missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), or eight (8) long range missiles per battery, per melee attack.

Payload: 128 long range missile per battery for 512 missiles total. An additional 512 missiles are mounted in deep magazines which require two minutes (8 melee rounds) to reload per turret through a robotic feed system.
Four (4) “Annihilate” Cannons: Mounted in turrets on the patrol ship and replace the 36 mm mounts cruiser, these cannons are extremely powerful and act as the secondary guns of the light cruiser. The cannon fires a black sphere which is magically contained anti-matter. They inflict incredible damage to the target although range is limited compared to heavy lasers. Weapons system, when used hit fighters and small targets, has half the normal penalties to hit due to sophisticated fire control. The barrels can be fired either forward or behind and can be rotated 60 degrees horizontally or vertically.

Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 miles (16,000 km) in space and 10 miles (16 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.

Rate of Fire: four (4) times per melee per cannon.

Payload: Needs 300 P.P.E. per day to function.
Eight (8) Sub Particle Acceleration Cannons in Dual Mounts: Mounted on top of the ship and along the sides of the ship’s hull in twin mounts. Cannon mounts can fire at up to a 90 degree angle up or down and can rotate up to 180 degrees side to side. The gun does not have penalties to strike small targets. Uses the spell of the same name from page 143 of World Book 16: Federation of Magic (although has far greater range.) The weapon pulls its energy from the elemental rift and does not need to be recharged.

Maximum Effective Range: 200 miles (320 km) in space and 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 2D6x10+20 (1D6x10+10 per cannon.)

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

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Four (4) Telekinetic Heavy Machine Guns in Quad Mounts: These cannons are identical to those mounted in the Shadow Bolt Starfighter but are in quad mounts. Mounted on the sides of the ship in quad mounts. Heavy machine gun mounts can fire at up to a 90 degree angle up or down and can rotate up to 180 degrees side to side. The gun mounts do not have penalties to strike small targets. Because the machine guns inflict damage by impact, they inflict full damage to targets that are using the spell “Impervious to Energy.” The spells must be renewed every two months (costs 400 P.P.E. and 20,000 credits per machine gun) but during the period the weapon can fire unlimited blasts.

Maximum Effective Range: 200 miles (320 km) in space and 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega Damage: 2D6x10+20 per burst (6D6 per heavy machine gun.)

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 two months whether the cannons have been used or not.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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