Moonstone class Scout Carrier - Modified Arcane (United Worlds Warlock):

A much larger number of Arcane class patrol ships have ended up in independent hands than Dwarven Iron Ships. In fact, of various United Worlds Warlock naval designs, more Arcane class vessels have found their way into independent hands than any design other than the Werewolf class destroyer. While many have been Mark I, a number of Mark II have also ended up outside of Worlds Warlock Navy service.

Often when warships end up being retired from their original service, the new owners end up heavily modifying them. They might be converted to perform different roles than they original were designs for. In addition, the ships may be modified with different weapon system. The Arcane class patrol ship is no exception with a great many in independent service modified in various manners.

One of the more common modifications to the Arcane class is to modify it in order to perform in the role of an ultra-light carrier. Such ships are far smaller than light carriers with much smaller fighter wings. Still they are considerably faster than converted merchant ships and are generally better protected.

One of the more common designs for the Arcane class modified into a carrier is known as the Moonstone class scout carrier. It is a relatively simple conversions but is considered reasonably effective. There are several designs extremely similar to the Moonstone class and are often considered to be of the same class. Even though armed slightly differently, the name Moonstone is used for both conversions of the Mark I and II versions of the Arcane class.

Moonstone class scout carriers and similar conversions of the Arcane class can be found in both the forces of system defense navies and in the service of mercenary navies. Some officers in the United World Warlock navy have expressed an interest in these scout carriers but most consider the Moonstone class to simply be too small a carrier for their needs. At present, the United Worlds Warlock navy only has a handful of Arcadia class fleet carriers converted from Dwarven Iron Ships.

The main modification to the Arcane class when converted to the Moonstone class is the addition of a pair of small hangers with one on their side of the hull. Each hanger has space for eight light fighters and the vessel retains the original hanger of the Arcane class as well. In total, the Moonstone class can embark a maximum light fighter compliment of twenty fighters. Similar to similar tiny carriers, these converted patrol ships have minimal facilities for fighter maintenance.

The main light fighter in United Worlds Warlock naval service is the Shadow Bolt strike fighter. Most Arcane class patrol ships embark these light fighters as a result. In independent service, this is considerably more varied. If nothing else, the Shadow Bolt is extremely expensive while being only moderate in its performance. While many operating the Moonstone class also operate the Shadow Bolt, many operate other light fighter designs instead. This can include conventional designs with only minor techno-wizard modifications.

Marine compliment is slightly decreased in the Moonstone compared to the Arcane class with forty marines instead of forty-eight. They are all equipped with space power armors in most cases however. Many operators opt for designs with better space performance than the Warlock combat armor. These often include various knock off designs of the Silverhawk design. In most cases, operators will modify the armors with various techno-wizard modifications.

Even though the hangers increase the mass of the Moonstone compared to the Arcane class, space performance is little changed. The rifts jump range drive also is unaffected. There is more drag in an atmosphere and top speed in an atmosphere is slightly lower than the Arcane class. Even so, the Moonstone class is trans-atmospheric due to using contra-grav propulsion.

The weaponry on the Moonstone class remain the same as the standard Arcane class. On both those converted from the Arcane Mark I and Mark II models, this includes the Death Cloud cannon, four long range missile batteries, and four heavy point defense lasers. Light point defense on those converted from the Mark I is eight lightning rods and most of those converted from the Mark II have eight sub-particle acceleration cannons.

The original mystical “Armor of Ithan” force field from the standard Arcane class patrol ship is retained with those converted from the Mark I being less well protected than later vessels. In addition, the older vessels are less well armored than the Mark II.

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:	UWW-M-CV-I	Moonstone Mark I.
	UWW-M-CV-II	Moonstone Mark II.

Vehicle Type: Scout / Fast Escort Carrier.

Crew: 94, including a magic team of 2 techno-wizards (levels 2-6.)

Troop Capacity: 40 marines and 28 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:		Mark I:	Mark II:
	Magical “Death Cloud” Cannon:	400.	400.
	Long Range Missile Batteries (4):	250 each.	250 each.
	36 mm Heavy Point Defense Lasers (4):	300 each.	300 each.
	Lightning Rods (8 -Mk I):	100.	N.A.
	Sub Particle Acceleration Cannons (8 -Mk II):	N.A.	100 each.
	Centerline Fighter Hanger Bay Doors (2)	400 each.	500 each.
	Side Fighter Hanger Bay Doors (4):	300 each.	300 each.
	Side Hanger Bays (2):	1,000 each.	1,000 each.
	[1] Main Bridge:	600.	800.
	[2] Main Body:	3,200.	3,500.
	[3] Magical “Armor of Ithan” Force Field:	1,500.	2,000.

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 scout carrier’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 magical energy (150 P.P.E. for the Mark I / 200 P.P.E. for the Mark II) and require one minute (4 melee rounds) of spell casting to restore the force field. Magic, fire, lightning, and cold all inflict one-half damage.

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 1.2 (913.6 mph / 1,470.1 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight.

Star Drive: 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: 155 feet (47.2 meters).

Length: 480 feet (146.3 meters).

Weight / Mass: 12,200 tons (11,068 metric tons) fully loaded.

Power System: Combination Fusion & Techno-wizardry with 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: Conversion Cost: 100 million credits. Refitted Mark 1: 600 million credits. While the Arcane Mark I is no longer being constructed but may be found as surplus. Refitted Mark II: 650 million credits. Cost does not include embarked craft.

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: 96 long range missile per battery for 384 missiles total. An additional 400 missiles are mounted in deep magazines which require two minutes (8 melee rounds) to reload per turret through a robotic feed system.
Four (4) Heavy 36 mm Point Defense Lasers: Mounted on all versions of the patrol ship, these lasers are considered relatively powerful for point defense weaponry and are even effective to a limited extent against larger vessels. They are however comparatively short ranged. Unlike the other secondary weaponry, these lasers are purely conventional in design and draw weapon from the vessel’s fusion plant. Mounted in turrets which have 360 degree rotation and can angle up to 85 degrees.

Maximum Effective Range: 500 miles (804.6 km) in space and 5 miles (8 km) in an atmosphere.

Mega-Damage: 4D6x10 each.

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

Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
Light Point Defense Battery: As previously described, different Marks of the Arcane class patrol ships mount a different light point defense battery and is carried over on the Moonstone class scout carrier. The Mark I mounts eight “Lightning Rod” batteries. Some older Mark II also mounted the same battery although most have been upgraded. The Mark II mostly mounts eight “Sub Particle Acceleration” cannons instead.
1. Mark I:
  1. Eight (8) Lightning Rod Mounts: Cannon mounts can fire at up to a 90 degree angle up or 55 degree angle down and can rotate up to 360 degrees side to side. The guns do not have penalties to strike small targets. These fire magical blasts of electricity. The enchantment must be renewed every two months (costs 400 P.P.E. and 20,000 credits per cannon) but during that period, the weapons can fire unlimited blasts.
    
    Maximum Effective Range: 100 miles (161 km) in space and 1 miles (1.61 km) in an atmosphere.
    
    Mega Damage: 1D6x10 per cannon.
    
    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.
2. b Mark II:
  1. Eight (8) Sub Particle Acceleration Cannons in Single Mounts: Cannon mounts can fire at up to a 90 degree angle up or 55 degree angle down and can rotate up to 360 degrees side to side. The guns do 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 spells must be renewed every two months (costs 400 P.P.E. and 20,000 credits per cannon) but during that 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: 1D6x10+10 per cannon.
    
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (Usually 4 or 5).
    
    Payload: Effective Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every two months whether the cannons have been used or not.

[ Altara TM, Brodkil TM, Bushido Industries TM, CAF TM, Catyr TM, CCW TM, Consortium of Civilized Worlds TM, Coyles TM, Free Worlds Council TM, Gene Splicers TM, K-Hex TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kreeghor TM, Kydian TM, Machine People TM, M.D.C. TM, Mega-Damage TM, Metzla TM, M’Kri Hardware TM, Monro TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Noro TM, Paradise Federation TM, Phase World TM, Psylite TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Seljuks TM, Splugorth TM, Sunaj TM, Trans-Galactic Empire TM, Tri-Galactic Military Service TM, United Worlds Warlock TM, U.W.W. TM, Wolfen TM, and Zembahk TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Return