Techno-Wizard Avalon Submersible Carrier:

History has many stories about wealthy men creating irrational concepts based on only their dreams. Some of these include the Spruce Goose by Howard Hughes and King Ludwig's Castle is Bavaria. The name of the billionaire is lost in history but the later part of the Twentieth Century, just before the coming of the Rifts, a billionaire decided to create a giant submersible ocean liner which tourists could explore the oceans onboard. The name of the submarine was the Avalon and it would allow them to see first hand the wonders of the reefs, the Arctic oceans, and many other strange and beautiful underwater areas.

By far the largest civilian submarine ever built, about the size of an old Russian Oscar submarine, the insides of the submarine were extremely luxurious with virtually every amenity which could be imagined and had windows all around the vessel including a huge viewing area in the bow. The submarine even had a large casino for those who wanted to gamble. Not as fast as most military submarines, it could still travel at speeds of up to twenty knots and was extremely well streamlined for a civilian design. Sonar was not up to military standards but was extremely good with a chin mount and several side arrays. The submarine even had six embarked "mini-subs" which would allow for separate exploration. The were embarked on the lower decks below the main suites in small bays. The Avalon cost vast amounts of the fortune of the owner but interest in the underwater cruises were not as expected and it is likely that the billionaire would have gone broke if not for the coming of the Rifts. Nothing is known ab out what happened to him. The submarine was lost with the coming of the Rifts and it was over a century later that it was rediscovered.

The Avalon had sat for over a century on the bottom of what had once been called the Gulf of Mexico before being rediscovered. A group of techno-wizards who had been exploring for wrecks discovered the lost vessel. It was amazing how intact the vessel was. It had settled at a relatively shallow depth and only the main shaft alley and most of the mini-sub compartments had flooded. In general, the submarine was in extremely good shape because of being constructed from high strength alloys and composites. While not as tough as military submarines, it was still extremely strong and had weathered the time quite well. What happened to the submarine is a mystery because while the belongs of the crew and passengers were found, there were no bodies found onboard. As well, all of the life boats were intact. There is some speculation on what might have happened with few of the theories being very plausible. The most likely seems to be that the vessel was caught in something like a ley-line storm which caused everybody onboard to simply disappear. There are problems with this theory as well but this is the best that anyone has been able to come up with.

A large barge was used to recover the submarine and take it to shore. Then the true work began. While the submarine was virtually completely intact, it still required a large amount of work due to over a century of neglect. The fusion reactor had scrammed safely but it required extensive repairs before it would be operational again. As well, the electronics needed to be replaced or completely rebuilt. Many new electronic systems were added including a towed array sonar system and the hull sonar was improved. Finally, the submarine was completely unarmed and weaponry had to added to the vessel so it could survive in the Rifts Earth oceans. This included the addition of torpedo tubes, missile batteries, and short range defensive weapons.

As a result of the extensive rebuilding, it took several years before the submarine was ready to sail the oceans again and was a very different vessel than when it first entered the water. While the name "Avalon" remained, gone were most of the extraordinarily luxurious staterooms although some touches still remain. Instead of wealthy passengers, marines are carried. While many of the windows looking out into the ocean have been replaced, many still remain including the incredible ones which lined the bow. As with many other techno-wizard designs, techno-wizard enchantments have been added to the vessel which makes the submarine extremely dangerous. One of these was the addition of magic which makes the submarine not "Virtually" silent but "Completely" silent. Also, six Shadowray flying submarines replacing the mini-submarines. With that, the techno-wizards decided to consider the vessel to be a submersible carrier.

Since entering back into service, the submarine has been through some interesting adventures including several battles against pirates and against creatures from Atlantis. Her fighters have fought Coalition fighter and she herself has had several run-ins with the Coalition Navy. Her soldiers have fought several intense battles, some underwater and others on land. After being reborn, the Avalon has found herself a new life as a warrior where before she was simply a toy for the rich.

Model Type: TW-SSV-50K
Vehicle Type: Ocean, Magical Fast Attack Submarine
Crew: 98 with at least 4 techno-wizards and 4 other spell casting types.
Troops: 200 (120 pilots for Mystic Power Armors, 80 soldiers in body armor)

Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:

	120	Mystic Power Armors
	6	Shadowray Flying Submarines

M.D.C. by Location:

	21 inch (533 mm) Torpedo Tubes (8 - Sides of submarine):	80 each
	Vertical Long Range Missile Launchers (24, Bow & Aft of Submarine):	40 each
	Retractable Telekinetic Gatling Cannons (4, Superstructure):	125 each
	Shadowray Flying Submarine Launch Bays (6, Sides):	300 each
	Main Sail / Bridge:	1,000
	[1] Bow Planes (2):	200 each
	[2] Propeller (1):	500
	[3] Main Body:	2,500
	[4] "Armor of Ithan" Force Field (Three Times per Day):	1,000

Notes:
[1] Destroying the submarines bow planes will reduce the submarines ability to change depths but will not eliminate it. It also makes it difficult for the submarines crew to control the submarine giving a penalty of -25% to all piloting rolls.
[2] Destroying the submarines propeller causes serious problem. The submarine will no longer be able to use forward momentum and the bow planes to keep the submarine level. It is recommended that ballast takes are immediately blown so submarine comes to surface.
[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the submarine's structural integrity, causing it to sink. If the submarine is underwater, the entire crew will die unless protected by environmental armors that can withstand the pressure that the submarine is under. If on the surface, there are enough flotation devices and inflatable life rafts to accommodate everyone aboard.
[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: 18.4 mph (16 knots /29.7 kph)
Underwater: 23 mph (20 knots /37.1 kph)
Maximum Depth: 1.5 miles (2.4 km)
Range: Effectively Unlimited but need to be refueled every twenty years. The submarine carries eight months worth of supplies on board. Life support is conventional and has effectively virtually unlimited duration.

Statistical Data:
Length: 525.6 feet (160.2 meters)
Draft: 34.4 feet (10.5 meters)
Width: 74.8 feet (22.8 meters)
Displacement: 30,500 tons submerged
Cargo: Submarine is cramped, 200 tons (181.4 metric 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 ships spaces are take up by extra torpedoes, weapons, and engines.
Power System: Nuclear; average energy life of 20 years.
Black Market Cost: Not for Sale, would likely cost several billion credits if sold.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. Four (4) Retractable Telekinetic Gatling Cannons: Weapons are mounted on the lower deck of the superstructure and the deck was originally meant for passengers when the submarines was on the surface. Mounts have been enchanted by a series of spells so the cannons act as a more powerful version of the Telekinetic Machine gun. Each mount is retractable inside of the ships hull for when the submarine is diving. This increases the weapons 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 each
   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.
2. Eight (8) 21 inch (533 mm) Heavy Torpedo Tubes: On the sides of the submarine are four torpedo tubes each side which fire forward. Tubes are 21 inches (533 mm) wide and torpedoes can be used against both surface ships and submarines. For warheads, heavy torpedoes should be treated as having long missiles warheads. Along with standard torpedoes, launcher can also fire missiles in special canisters, rocket boosted ASW torpedoes, and even naval mines. There are also special techno-wizard torpedoes available. Submarine carries sixty reloads for torpedoes.
   Maximum Effective Range: 40 miles (64 km)
   Mega Damage: By Heavy torpedo warhead type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes), can fire missiles (Long Range or Cruise) in special canisters as well (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two (2), three (3), four (4), six (6), or eight (8) Reloading takes one full melee round.
   Payload: Eight (8) Total (Has 60 torpedoes for reloads)
3. Twenty Four (24) Vertical Launch Long Range Missile Launchers: In the front of the submarine but behind the torpedo tubes and behind the engine room, the submarine has twelve vertical tubes for launching missiles for a total of twenty-four launchers. Missiles are launched in special canisters that enables the missiles to be used in depths down to 300 feet (91.44 meters.) Most missiles normally carried are fusion warheads (Also smart missiles - Two attacks per melee with +5 to strike and +3 to dodge). In some cases, sea skimming missiles are carried instead of standard missiles.
   Maximum Effective Range: As per long range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Mega Damage: As per long range missile type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table.)
   Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volley of two (2), four (4), eight (8), twelve (12), or twenty four (24 - all) and can be fired at multiple target at the same time.
   Payload: Twenty-Four (24) missiles total. Submarine carries no reloads
4. Noisemakers: The submarine carries noisemakers to decoy torpedoes. They are most effective against normal torpedoes and less effective against "smart" torpedoes. The noisemakers are launched from the middle of the submarine. Most captains / crews consider the noise makers to be effectively useless due to the magical silence enchantment.
   Effect: 50% of decoying normal torpedoes and 20% of decoying smart torpedoes.
   Rate of Fire: Two (2) at a time (Can be reloaded in one melee)
   Payload: 40 Noisemakers
5. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The Avalon 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.
   Special Features:
   Shadow Meld (8th Level) 40 PPE or 80 ISP
   Impervious to Energy (8th level) 80 PPE or 160 ISP
   Invisibility-Superior (8th Level) 80 PPE or 160 ISP

Special Systems:
The submarine has all systems standard on a robot vehicle plus the following special features:

• Extended Life Support: This submarine has an enhanced like support system when compared to most other vehicles because it is designed to operate underwater for extended periods of time. The submarine has an incredible air recycling system that allows the crew to recycle air for five months before the atmosphere is too stale to breath. The submarine also has a 96 hour supply of oxygen to support the recycling system.
• Magical "Globe of Silence" Submarine Silencing Feature: This system is always active and it is an application of a modified version of the spell "Globe of Silence". The hull, propeller, and all exterior features are protected by this spell which extends outward by 1 foot (0.3 meters). This blocks all interior noises as well. This renders the submarine completely undetectable using active sonars and can only be detected by passive sonar by trying to find an area which there are no sounds (close to impossible, 5% chance with an incredible sonar operator). Torpedoes have penalties of -10 to strike the submarine and lose all bonuses. If the enchantment is disabled, the submarine would be at only -10% to de detected.
• Hull Sonar System: Sonar system in under the subs hull and must be extended before it can be used. Sonar system has a range of around 24 nautical miles (27.6 miles / 44.4 km). This hull sonar system has both a passive and active system built in. Sonar system can track up to 16 targets at one time and has a +10% to read sensor and weapon system skill rolls.
• Towed Array Sonar: Mounted just before the submarines propeller. The system is basically a long and very sensitive sonar system carried behind the submarine on a long cable. Sonar system has a range of around 90 nautical miles (103.7 miles/166.7 km). This towed array Sonar is a passive only sensor system. Sonar system can track up to 32 targets at one time.
• See the Invisible Optics: The submarine has several special optical systems with see the invisible on them including the periscopes. Same as spell and used at will. The optics have a 2,000 feet (610 meters) range. Can see forces, objects, and creatures which can turn invisible, or are invisible. Can also see vaporous beings and astral bodies.
• ESM: This system is mounted in mounted in the superstructure and is extended in a similar manner to a periscope. The antenna is very hard to detect both visually and by radar. Can detect another radar system at 125% of the range of the transmitting radar.
• P.P.E. Battery: The ship has a special P.P.E. battery, unlike similar systems in Phase World, it does not generate magical energy but stores magical energy. The system will store up to 500 P.P.E. and can be stored by crew members and absorbs P.P.E. from Ley Lines and Nexus Points. It will absorb P.P.E. at the rate of 20 per hour on ley lines and 40 per hour on nexus points.

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By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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