"Iron Gauntlet" Modified Dwarven Iron Ship (UWW):
Dwarven Iron ships have formed the backbone of the United Worlds Warlock
Fleet since virtually its inception. There are a little over three thousand
(3,137) of these ships in the service of the Warlock Navy. Recently, naval
leaders have been embarking on a program of replacing these ships. The
"Morgana" and "Mandrake" class cruisers are planned as the replacement
for the aging vessels. Even so, it will likely be decades before all Dwarven
Iron Ships are moved from Warlock Navy service. Presently, there are only
around one hundred Dwarven Iron Ships serving outside the Warlock Navy
but this is expected to greatly increase with their replacement by newer
vessels. Some owners of Dwarven Iron Ships have looked for relatively inexpensive
upgrades for their vessels to keep them combat capable. Because of this,
several Techno-Wizard Engineers have been working on improvements to the
old ships with a ship named the "Iron Gauntlet" being the first ship modified.
Almost twenty of the independent Iron Ships have been modified. The engineers
have attempted to get interest in their upgrades by the Warlock Navy but
the military has shown little interest.
Keeping costs down was one of the important goals by the Techno-Wizards
who developed the upgrade for the vessel. As a result, as much of the features
of the original design were retained. Otherwise, it would simply be cheaper
to build new ships. The hulls of Dwarven Iron Ships are covered with riveted
metal plates are covered with enchantments signs and circles of protection.
While these plates are almost as strong as the best M.D.C. alloys, they
are very expensive to rebuilt and replace. Because of this, owners will
simply replace damage armor plates with high tech alloy armor plates. The
engineers who upgraded the Iron Gauntlet simply added several extra belts
of high tech armor to reinforce the ship retaining the original armor under
it. The magical "Armor of Ithan" force field is also retained. The engines
would have been very expensive to replace and both Sublight and Rifts Jump
Drive are retained.
Many of the ideas for upgrading Dwarven Iron Ships came from the design
for replacement vessels although this is somewhat restricted by availability.
Primary example of this is that the Iron Gauntlet has four cruise missile
launchers around the Rift Cannon to give additional firepower but the "Cruise"
version of Bottle Demon Missiles is not available outside of the Warlock
Navy. These cruise missile launchers are identical to those carried on
the Wolfen Hunter class destroyer and many of them are military surplus.
The position of the torpedo launchers increases the resemblance of the
ship to an old Twentieth Century submarine. Payload of cruise missiles
is limited but still can be a very effective weapon. While the standard
Bottle Demon Missile launchers are retained, they have been modified to
be able to fire normal mini-missiles as well. Many crews have completely
removed Bottled Demon Missiles due to the greater safety of normal missiles
and due to the extremely high cost of Bottle Demon Missiles. The point
defense particle beams are retained but are backed up by a Mini Death Cloud
Cannon mounted on the superstructure / sail of the starship. All other
energy weapons are retained unmodified.
While most Dwarven Iron Ships carry three squadrons of Shadow Bolt fighters,
some owners have experimented with other types of light fighters. As well,
many fighter pilots prefer Bushido fighters such as the Katana over Naruni
designs. The new FTL booster for the Katana allows the fighter to make
long range patrols although crews have to be careful. The crew of the ship
was increased due to additional equipment and both marine compliment and
passenger quarters have been reduced. Twenty Warlock Combat Power Armors
are still carried.
This starship design uses modified starship speed and ranges. See
Revised Starship
Rules for Phase World for more details.
Model Type: UW-C15 (Upgrade)
Class: Space Cruiser (techno-wizard)
Crew: 275, including a magic team of 20 techno-wizards (levels 2-6).
Troop Capacity: 40 Marines (Typically 20 stay on board for ship
defense), 50 fighter pilots, 20 Warlock Combat Armor pilots, and can carry
up to 10 passengers in addition.
Vehicles:
Power Armors & Robots:
| 12 | W-1 Warlock Combat Armors |
| 8 | W-F1 Flying Warlock Combat Armors |
Fighter Compliment:
| 36 | Light Starfighters (WF-F15 Shadow Bolt Strike Ship) |
| 12 | Naruni NE-SF10 Broadsword or FB-49 Fire Eater Fighters |
M.D.C. by Location:
| Rift Projector Cannon (One, in front): | 1,500 |
| Flame Cannons (2, one on each side) | 900 each |
| Medium Laser Cannon Turrets (4): | 800 each |
| Mini-Death Cloud Cannons (1): | 200 |
| Cruise Missile Launchers (4, front): | 1,000 each |
| Bottled Demon Missile Batteries (4): | 600 each |
| Particle Beam Cannon Turrets (8): | 100 each |
| [1] Main Bridge: | 12,000 |
| [1] Auxiliary Bridge: | 12,000 |
| [2] Main Body: | 36,000 |
| Hangar Bay: | 2,000 |
| [3] Magical Armor of Ithan Force Field: | 10,000 |
Notes:
[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon
to hit the bridge through the ships armor. This ship also has an auxiliary
bridge. Even if both bridges are taken out, 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 MDC of the main body will put the Cruiser 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 1000 P.P.E. and require one minute ( 4 melees) of spellcasting to
restore the force field.
Speed:
Driving on the ground: Not Possible
Water Surface: 40 knots (74.1 km/46 mph)
Underwater: 30 knots (55.6 km/34.5 mph)
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 200 mph (321.9 kph),
can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric
flight
Star Drive: Rift Jump Drive; maximum safe jump of 20 light years
every four hours (costs 4,000 P.P.E.).
Maximum Effective 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: 80 feet (24.4 meters) main body; 160 feet (48.8 meters)
from the bottom of the main body to the top of the bridge.
Width: 80 feet (24.4 meters)
Length: 800 feet (244 meters)
Weight / Mass: 132,000 tons (119,700 metric tons)
Power System: Combination Fusion & Techno-wizardry with
20 year life span. The Cruiser also has a P.P.E. generator that produces
6,000 P.P.E. per hour / 25 P.P.E. per melee (Activating the Rifts drive
costs 8,000 P.P.E) and can hold up to 20,000 P.P.E. in storage. This P.P.E.
can be used to power the Rifts Drive or can be used to power spells cast
by the Battlecruiser crew.
Cargo: Cargo Holds can hold up to 1,000 tons of additional material.
If all the ships ammo for was taken out, amount of cargo the ship is able
to carry would increase greatly. 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 ammunition,
armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.
Market Cost: The Dwarven Iron Cruiser would costs 22 billion
credits to construct. The ship is no longer in production or for sale.
Upgrade costs around 3.5 billion credits.
Weapon Systems:
- Rifts Projector Cannon:
In the nose of the ship is large
opening which is the main barrel of the cannon. The cannon creates a huge
rift in front of the cannon that has a variable effect. This weapon can
become a danger to the ship if it fails. The cannon has a 0.5% cumulative
chance of failure (i.e., becomes 1% after two shots, 2% after four, and
so on). This cannon has penalties to strike small targets. For more information
on the Rifts Projector Cannon on page 155 (Except ranges are 1000 times
range in book in space)
Maximum Effective Range: 50,000 miles (80,000 km) in space and
50 miles (80 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega-Damage: Roll on Chart in Phase World Book page 156
Rate of Fire: Can fire once per minute (4 melee rounds/ 60 seconds).
Payload: Requires 1,000 P.P.E. per shot.
- 16 Inch Flame Cannons (2 Cannons Total):
The heavy battery
of cannons gives the ship a very powerful punch. Each turret can rotate
360 degrees and has a 60 degree arc of fire upwards and 15 degree arc of
fire downwards. The cannons fires giant fireballs which can travel enormous
distances. The cannons fire control is not designed to lock onto targets
smaller than frigates but the cannons can be used to bombard planets as
well.
Maximum Effective Range: 20,000 miles (32,200 km) in space and
20 miles (32.2 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 1D4x1000 MDC each cannon
Rate of Fire: Maximum of Two (2) times per melee per cannon
(A total of 4 blasts).
Payload: Needs 1000 P.P.E. per day to function.
- Four (4) 5 inch Laser Cannons:
These weapons are in their
own turrets on the top, sides, and bottom of the ship. These are a modern
weapon system that are powered by the ships reactor. Each mount can rotate
180 degrees and have a 80 degree arc of fire up and a 45 degree arc of
fire down. The cannons are not quite as powerful as the cannons on the
CAF classes but have a higher rate of fire. Weapon has standard penalties
to hit fighters and small targets for a large starship weaponry. The weapon
system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at FTL velocities.
Maximum Effective Range: 16,000 miles (25,000 km) in space and
16 miles (25 km) in an atmosphere.
Mega Damage: 1D6x100 MDC each
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of
the Gunner (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
- Mini Death Cloud Cannons (1):
This cannon is mounted on the
ship's sail like superstructure. This weapon is very similar to the cannon
that is mounted on the Arcane patrol ship. 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. Each weapon releases
about 1/4 of the ice that the weapon mounted on the Arcane patrol ship
does. 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 25,000 feet (15,200 meters) when used
in space and 10 miles (16 km) with a diameter of 250 feet (152 meters)
when used in an atmosphere.
Mega-Damage: A ship or missile 1D6 x speed of target in percentage
of light. For example, a ship traveling at 10% of the speed of light would
have 1D6x10 inflicted on them. Larger ships will have greater damage inflicted
on them. Destroyer sized ships (greater than 1000 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. 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: Twice per melee per mini-death cloud cannon.
Payload: Each weapon may be activated 20 times per twenty four
hour period. Further activations require 100 P.P.E. from either onboard
magicians or drawing on the ships P.P.E. generator.
- Particle Beam Cannon Turrets (8):
These light particle beam
cannons are primarily anti-missile defense systems, but can also be used
against fighters and robots. Turret can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of
fire.
Maximum Effective Range: 2 miles (3.2 km) through atmosphere
and 200 miles (320 km) in space.
Mega-Damage: 1D6x10 per blast.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined number of hand to hand attacks
of the gunner.
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
- Four (4) Cruise Missile Launchers:
The ship has four cruise
missile tubes under the ship. The launchers are copied from those carried
on a hunter class destroyer. Missile has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere
and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than
any starship). Since star ships will no longer engage at rock throwing
distances, whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed
of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will still
cruise 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 missile when dead at -25% to detect.) Cruise missiles have minuses
to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. While missile
are only launched at the rate of one at a time per launcher, the ships
computer has special software that allows all the missile to hit a target
at the same time for the purpose to make point defense of a target is more
easily overwhelmed. This is done by slowing down the acceleration of missile
and by setting some for delayed activation and target must be a least 30
seconds away. Missile are then considered to only have an acceleration
of 5% of light for the first turn. These launchers can also be combined
with pepper box launchers. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each
at the same time.
Theoretically, launcher can also fire a special larger version of the
bottle demon missiles although for safety purposes, only a few would likely
be carried on board. It has been said by many people that an escaped demon
is worse than a matter/anti-matter explosion. They can be launched at the
same rate as conventional cruise missiles, can use the same programming,
and although slightly smaller than a standard cruise missile they are fitted
into a collar that allows them to be used in the standard launchers. The
missiles accelerate at the same rate as conventional cruise missiles. Missiles
are super smart and have +4 to strike and +5 to dodge. Unlike normal missile,
the bottled demon does not explode and keeps striking at its target over
and over. If the target is destroyed or vanishes, the missile disappears.
The missiles are literally powerful demons summoned and bottled into a
missile and are an aggressive and intelligent guidance system. The evil
demons will continue to chase its target until destroyed (100 MDC to the
missile). Bottled Demon missiles are not available outside the United World
Warlock Navy but are listed incase they become available.
Optional: Because the super bottle demon missiles use a more powerful
demon and the missiles are still experimental, there is a 5% chance that
the missile will turn on the ship launching it.
Maximum Effective Range: Conventional Cruise Missiles:
Missile range is 8,000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000
miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) Bottled Demon Missiles:
Effectively Unlimited! Once fired, the demon controlled and powered missile
will fly and pursue the designated target until its target or the missile
is destroyed (or the target vanished from sight, jumps away, or gets away
by another means)
Mega-Damage & Properties: Conventional Cruise Missiles:
See Phase World Missiles
(Anti-Matter does 4D6x100 MDC).
Bottled Demon Missiles:
6D6x100 of magical energy every time the missile strikes (3% chance of
releasing the demon every time it hits)
Rate of Fire: One per melee attack (special software allows
4 to 8 missile to be launched as one volley depending on gunners hand to
hand attacks) per launcher. This allows total volleys of 16 to 32 cruise
missiles to be launched in one melee
Payload: Conventional Cruise Missiles: 40 cruise missiles
per launcher for a total of 160 cruise missiles. While Bottle Demon
Missiles are listed, they are not carried.
- Bottled Demon Missile Batteries (4):
On each side of the
hull the Cruiser has two bottle demon missile batteries. The missiles are
literally demons summoned and bottled into a missile and are an aggressive
and intelligent guidance system. The evil demons will continue to chase
its target until destroyed (50 MDC to the missile). Bottled demons are
slightly larger than mini-missiles and require special launchers. Missile
has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration
of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it
is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration). Missiles are super smart and
have +4 to strike and +5 to dodge. Unlike normal missile, the bottled demon
does not explode and keeps striking at its target over and over. If the
target is destroyed or vanishes, the missile disappears. Batteries can
launch on multiple targets each. The launchers have been modified so they
can fire standard mini-missiles. This is done mainly by fitting the mini-missiles
with a special sleeve that allows them to be fired from the launcher. This
allows the launchers to be used for point defense and targets not worth
a bottled demon. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same
time. Many ships do not carry bottle demon missiles and simply replace
them with conventional mini-missiles. In those cases, increase conventional
missile payload.
Maximum Effective Range: Bottled Demon Missiles: Effectively
Unlimited! Once fired, the demon controlled and powered missile will fly
and pursue the designated target until its target or the missile is destroyed
(or the target vanished from sight, jumps away, or gets away by another
means) Conventional Mini-Missiles: Missile range is 2 miles (3.2
km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space
Mega-Damage: Bottled Demon Missiles: 3D4x10 M.D. of magical
energy every time the missile strikes (3% chance of releasing the demon
every time it hits). Conventional Mini-Missiles: varies with mini-missile
type (See Phase World Missiles)
Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys
of two, three, four, or eight per battery.
Payload: Bottled Demon Missiles: 32 per battery for a
total of 128 bottled demon missiles. Conventional Mini-Missiles:
64 per battery for a total of 256 mini-missiles. If Bottle Demon missiles
are not carried, increase mini-missiles to 96 per battery and to a total
of 384mini-missiles.
- Techno-Wizard Modifications:
The "Iron Gauntlet" class Cruiser
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 (6th Level) 80 PPE or 160 ISP
Impervious to Energy (6th level) 160 PPE or 320 ISP
Invisibility-Superior (6th Level) 160 PPE or 320 ISP
[ Phase World TM, Naruni TM, Kreegor TM, UWW TM, and CAF TM are trademarks owned
by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and
Palladium Books Inc.]
By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).
Copyright © 2004, Kitsune. All rights reserved.
