A spacesub is a stealthy warship that typically hides within the atmosphere of a gas giant. Spacesubs fire missiles out of missile tubes (Rt) which can be devastating as long as the missiles hold out. Spacesubs are stealthy: 50% of all DF energy is diverted into a "sump" which is installed aboard the ship at the time of construction and the rest is diverted into extremely narrow field to the rear of the vessel (which cannot be detected). Note: the sump sucks in energetic emissions like radar and lidar as well. Spacesub hulls are very expensive as a result of their stealthy outer coatings. They are also gas giant capable and one of their favorite tactics is to hide in a GG and “pop-up” and fire their missiles at warships. A modified combat information center (the CICm) is a mandatory system aboard a spacesub since to fire the (Rt) you need to be able to target the enemy vessels from within a gas giant. The CIC also helps with stealth operations, adding to the ships hiding capabilities. Information drones can keep a spacesub informed about what is happening outside of a gas giants' atmosphere but they need a control system (ACS) aboard to operate. Some interesting anti-sub/GG tactics are to leave light warships in orbit of every GG to suppress subs, or 1-2 GB-equipped warships that launch Gunboat patrols.
HULLS
NAME HS Torp Launchers Rt Silos I per MP HS Size SLBM
cost Max # Max # Silos Max
SSK 6 3 6 x1 15 3
SSN 7 4 8 x2 20 5
SSBN 8 6 12 x3 30 8
NAME MINUS TO HIT MAX SPEED TL
SSK -3 6 5
SSN -2 5 7
SSBN -1 4 9
TECH SYSTEMS
Automated Weapon Control System(ACSx): Effect: Controls a number of IDEW, MF patterns, BattleSats, SLBM, and SBMHAWKs, according to the table below. Disadvantage: The advanced nature of higher tech levels allows a no minus to hit for all drone weapons. In reality, androids or humans control these weapons by remote control, or robotic brains installed on board the drone. Also, any targeting enhancements (Mix, etc) only give 1/2 effectiveness when used. ?2 reduces effectiveness by another point if either the drone or its controller is in range.
Hull spaces is 5 and can control up to 10 SLBM per unit. Cost is 10MCr and the TL is 5.
CIC, modified(CICm): A two hull military system, the CICm allows a space sub to target long-distance objects that otherwise would be impossible to strike. Cost is 50, +2 to evade and +2 to initiative (spacesubs only).
Pressurized Hull (PH): This system allows a ship to enter the atmosphere of a gas giant, and hide there - they can be detected only at 10% of the usual range, not at all if the enemy in unfamiliar with the technology and has not previously encountered gas giant life forms! Must be placed inside armor, after datalink but before all other systems. It can be jury rigged on a 1-8, but that has a 5% failure chance, cumulative per day when in use - failure destroys the ship! Size is one HS, 10% hull cost TL 5, and can be combined with Stealth Hull.. (SM note: This tech is basically to allow ships to hide inside gas giants, and thus is ideal for ambushes, hiding ships behind enemy line, etc. Kinda expensive, but can be very powerful if used right).
Missile Tubes(Rt): Missile tubes are a unique military system, basically an XO rack inside the hull, and they can fire a unique missile ordinance: the drone missile. Missiles within the Missile tubes must be charged by an external power source before launch (Rt has no internal power source and thus has to "steal" power from another system). Any offensive weapons (including T, Pb, Ti, and G, not including Rt), may be used to power Rt using their onboard power systems. For simplicity, that other system is defined as any other weapon system (ie, a ship with 2 R (any size), 1 F and 1 T can launch 4 (normal) missiles from any Rt it mounts. If it wants to launch more, those missiles have to have the drone (-d) modification). However, Drone Missiles (-d) fired from missile tubes have a one-shot onboard power supply making them independent of external power supplies. Each Rt holds 8 load points of missiles (ie a single Rt can hol dup to 8 SM or 4 CM) and drone missiles are free. Other fighter weapons require 2 extra load points but then are considered turret mounted. Missile tubes collapse like V but the missiles will not detonate within their chambers even if damaged (such damage destroys the missile held within). Rt are 1 hs in size, cost 8MCr each, and start at TL1.
Space, Large Ballistic Missile(SLBM): These are strategic, stealthy
weapons (-4 to be hit cause they are huge and can actually take a lot of damage)
that are similar to SBMHAWKs (targeted as SBMHAWK1
and detected as them as well). They can only be fired at long-range fixed
points in space and always target the largest vessel upon arrival.
They cannot be detected until they are 30TH away from their intended target
and are not warp capable. Very long range weapons (range is 15 system
hexes or 15 days endurance, at SBMHAWK1 speed).
TYPE TL COST WARHEAD DAMAGE
D1 5 fusion 3
D2 6 fusion, advanced 6
D3 7 plasma 8
D4 8 ADM or HET varies
D5 9 Antimatter 12
The launch tubes for SLBM are three hull spaces in size and can only be reloaded aboard a SS using MS or SY. A SLBM wave can cause titanic damage when fired in unexpected barrages at planetary targets but at TL9 the SBMHAWK shows up, making them ineffective by comparison.
Stealth Hull(StH): A stealthy hull design available only to spacesubs, the StH enables a space sub to hide in GG or in deep space without revealing its’ location. The hull absorbs any radiation the ship produces and allows a low level drive field (which is virtually undetectable until your right on top of it) to be formed. Cost varies at different tech levels. Any spacesub equipped with this hull cannot be detected on normal sensors beyond 90 tH. Cost is 10% of the basic hull (do not add in -PH modifications when figuring this cost).
Sump(**): A critical system within a spacesub, the sump is small (1hs) but the vessel mounting it cannot function in stealth without it being operation. The sump is a energy sump that allows a vessel to dump its’ drive field emissions into a negative energy space held within the sump. If damaged by enemy action the sump has a 50% chance of detonating, utterly destroying any sub it is mounted in. Cost is 15 MCr.
Torpedoes, Spacesub(Tsb): A slow, fat ungainly weapon, a spacesub torpedo cannot be shot down by D-series weapons (Dc can shoot them down however) because they are heavily armored. When a torpedo is fired from a spacesub it cannot be tracked until it reaches 10 tH of its’ intended target. A torpedo can maneuver like a fighter and when it gets to within 5 tH of a warship it fires its’ warhead, usually a plasma round (10 points of damage). All torps can home in on a specific vessel or loiter for 50 turns before blowing up; range is 90 tH. Cost is 3 MCr each.
*Note: Spacesubs are built just like warships, using a control sheet.