Techno-Wizard Converted Destroyer "USS Seaman" (DD-791)

Almost one hundred Gearing class destroyers were build during World War Two and just after. One of the last completed was the USS Seaman. She was named for Lieutenant Commander Allen L. Seaman, a naval aviator who was awarded two Navy Crosses for service in the Pacific War. He was declared dead as of May 1 1944. Built at Todd Shipyards in Seattle Washington, the destroyer was delayed and almost canceled. As a result, the destroyer was not completed until after the end of the war. The destroyer was sponsored by his widow in 1946.

The destroyer served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. It earned five battle stars during Korea and one during Vietnam. Like most Gearing class, the destroyer was FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization) updated in the early Nineteen-Sixties. Designed to extend ship's life by at least eight years, the rebuilding was extensive with the ships almost torn down to the hull and almost all systems replaced. Even the engines and hull were rehabilitate during this time.

During the mid Nineteen-Seventies, the destroyer was transferred to the Hellenic (Greek) Navy. During the Sixties, Seventies, and Eighties, many United States World War II destroyers were transferred to allied navies. While in service of the Hellenic Navy, the destroyer served in two conflicts with Turkey where Gearing class destroyers served on the other side as well. In turn, the destroyer was replaced in the early Nineteen-Nineties by a Charles Adams class destroyer. The Charles Adams class were retired from the United States Navy at the end of the Cold War. While she was retired at this point, she was initially retained. It was not until almost ten years later that the Hellenic Navy decided to disposed of her.

Originally, it was planned to scrap her but a group of retired sailors who served aboard her and sister ships were able to fight her scrapping. After some restoration, the group was able to bring her back to the United States under her own power. She was made a museum ship but was kept operational although she rarely sailed. Her weaponry was restored to a standard FRAM configuration although her weapon systems were modified to not be operational. Towards the end of the Twenty-First Century, it became increasing hard to maintain her but it was managed somehow.

Surprisingly well maintained, the old destroyer survived until the coming of the Rifts and somehow hung on after the apocalypse which turned much of the world into wreckage. Events conspired to bury the former USS Seaman which is probably a large part of what enabled it to actually survive until it was rediscovered. A group of techno-wizards discovered the old destroyer and decided to rebuild and upgrade it. Several other ships have been restored in a similar manner by techno-wizards. It required a huge amount of labor, several years, but eventually they were able to completely restore it. Most of the technological upgrades were purchased from Golden Age Weaponsmiths.

Through the use of spell of "Mend the Broken," the techno-wizard team to restore most of the damage that the destroyer had taken from the coming of the Rifts and not being maintained for many years. The hull was enchanted by spells to enable it to withstand the damage of modern weaponry. The superstructure was largely aluminum and instead of being enchanted, much of the superstructure was rebuilt with new alloys and composites. Not many other techno-wizard design combine both enchantment and high tech materials in the design although most use modern systems.

Replacing the engines with a fusion reactor was considered but eventually rejected. It would have required completely stripping the ship and rebuilding it. It is not as easy to replace the steam plant as gas turbines are to replace. Instead, the four boilers were modified to run on magic energies instead of fuel oil. While range is far less than she originally could travel between being refueled, only five hundred nautical miles, it is comparatively easy to recharge. As long as a spell caster continues to recharge the engines, the ship has almost indefinitie range. Top speed is unchanged with a top speed of about thirty-four and a half knots. Related to the engines and boilers, the stacks are modified so that the destroyer can create a magical cloud of steam to hide the vessel.

Originally the Gearing class destroyers had three mounts of twin five inch guns, multiple forty and twenty millimeter anti-aircraft guns, ten torpedoes, and multiple depth charge launchers. During the FRAM rebuild, all of the weaponry except the two hull five inch gun mounts are removed. In their place, two three tube lighter 324 mm anti-submarine torpedo tubes, an ASROC anti-submarine rocket launcher, and a hanger and flight deck for a for a drone anti-submarine helicopter called "DASH." The drone helicopter was never considered successful. New radar and sonar were also fitted with the SQS-23 hull sonar and the SPS-29 long range air search radar.

While in Hellenic Naval service, the destroyer mounted a rapid fire OTO Melara three inch gun above the twin five inch gun mount on what had been the flight deck. As well, the destroyer carried, while serving Greece, four Harpoon missile canisters on the flight deck forward of the three inch gun mount. As a museum ship, these weapon systems were removed to restore her back to the original FRAM configuration.

When the techno-wizards restored the vessel to fighting shape, all of the weapon systems had to be restored to operational status. It was decided to retain the two twin five inch guns and the torpedo tubes. The ASROC launcher was removed at this time and replaced with a weapon system considered to be more effective. A number of new weapon systems were also added at this time.

Of all of the weapon systems on the destroyer, the techno-wizards were most determined to retain the five inch gun mounts. While comparatively slow firing, new ammunition types make the twin five inch guns extremely effective. This includes extended rocket propelled rounds. There are four hundred and twenty-two rounds per gun in the magazines and fifty rounds in the mount. The main problem was that the guns required a crew of twenty-seven per mount. Much of the modification was to reduce the crew required for the gun mounts.

To augment the five inch guns, it was decided to restore the three inch gun carried on the destroyer while in Hellenic Navy service. Instead of mounting the gun mount on the flight deck, it was decided to mount it on the raised deck behind the forward twin five inch gun mount. Far rapid firing than the five inch gun mounts, the weapon system is extremely effective with modern ammunition and can even track and target missiles. A total of six hundred rounds are carried for the three inch gun mount with eighty rounds ready to fire.

On either side of the destroyer's bridge, twin barrel telekinetic machine-guns are mounted. These machine-guns are enchanted by a series of spells and need to be recharged each month. Even though relatively short ranged, these mounts have limited fire control systems to enable them to target and track small targets such as incoming missiles.

It was extremely important to increase the missile battery of the destroyer. A medium range box launcher with twelve missiles ready to fire. Launcher appears similar to a Pre-Rifts Sea Sparrow box launcher. There are twenty-four additional missiles carried for reloads in what had been the magazine for additional ASROC rockets. Unfortunately, the missiles have to be manually reloaded. While the missiles are smaller, anti-submarine rockets can be still be fired from the launcher.

On the helicopter deck of the destroyer, it was decided to mount four long range missile canisters similar to those for the Harpoon missiles which were originally carried. Usually sea skimming missiles, mostly used for anti-shipping roles, are carried but other missiles can be carried. These tubes can be easily jettisoned. In addition, a short range box launcher is mounted with twenty-four missiles ready to fire and one set of reloads for the launchers. Unlike the medium range launchers, the missiles have an automatic reload system. Normally fast firing anti-aircraft missiles are carried. In many ways, the launcher is similar to the Pre-Rifts RAM missile launcher.

The other "original" weapon system which was retained was the triple 324 mm torpedo tubes for anti-submarine warfare on the raised platform forward of the bridge where the three inch gun was relocated to. Considered still generally effective, the techno-wizards simply replaced the original torpedoes with modern advanced torpedoes. The original SQS-23 hull sonar is retained but a new towed array sonar system is mounted in the stern. Similar to the Pre-Rifts SQR-19 system although smaller, it is not as effective as more advanced Pre-Rifts towed array sonar systems but still far more effective against than the hull sonar system.

One of the less noticeable but still extremely important was the upgrading of the electronics including the electronics warfare suite. Modern computer systems replace all of the older systems and new fire control systems replaced the older systems. The original SPS-29 radar is replaced by a more modern system. Based on the pre-Rifts SPS-49 system although much smaller, it is both longer ranged and has improved tracking capabilities. A full electronic warfare suite is mounted which can both detect other electronic signals and can jam radar systems including missile guidance systems. Of course, communication systems were also part of the refit.

As a techno-wizard vessels, enchantments are an important part of the design. A "Fireworks" decoy system is mounted on either side of the superstructure, mostly for the decoying of incoming missiles. "See the Invisible" optics are carried for the crew's use. For additional protection, there is an "Armor of Ithan" force field. This enchantment can be activated three times per day. There is also the techno-wizard enchantments of "Impervious to Energy" and "Invisibility Superior." There is a techno-wizard magic energy battery to power the various enchantments aboard the vessel. This battery recharges on ley Lines and Ley Line Nexus.

During the Post World War II period, air conditioning systems were added to the destroyer to improve habitability. These were upgraded several times, these were further improved by the techno-wizards when they refitted the destroyer. Various modifications were made to the destroyer to reduce crew compliment beyong reducing gun crews. The ship is designed to be operated by a crew of around eighty compared to an original crew of greater than three hundred. Still, there should be at least four techno-wizards and four other spell casters as part of the crew. These make up the officer core of the destroyer. Due to the reduction in crew compliment, each crew member and officer has far more space than they would have originally. While the helicopter flight deck is unusable with missile launchers mounted on the flight deck, there is space for two sky cycles and up to thirty-six power armors to be embarked. Usually compliment is twenty-four mystic power armors and twelve more conventional flying power armors. These armors include Northern Gun designs, Flying Titan, SAMAS, and the Predator flying power armors.

[Author Note: In real life, USS Seaman (DD 791) was canceled while under construction at the end of World War II and was never completed and the hulk was scrapped in 1961. Some of the ideas are based on real life vessels and events however.]

Model Type: TW Converted DD-710 Gearing (FRAM) class Destroyer
Vehicle Type: Ocean, Magically Enchanted Destroyer
Crew: 80 with at least four (4) techno-wizard and four (4) other spell casting types.
Troops: 2 Sky Cycles Pilots, 24 Mystic Power Armor Pilots, and 12 Conventional Power Armor Troops.

Robots, Power Armors, and Vehicles:
Power Armors:
24Mystic Power Armors (Or other Light Power Armors)
12Conventional Flying Power Armors (Flying Titan, SAMAS, Predator, etc)
Fighter/Aircraft Compliment:
2Sky Cycles

M.D.C. by location:
Mk 12 Five Inch (127 mm) / 38-cal Barrels (4, 2 each mount):60 each
Mk 12 Five Inch (127 mm) / 38-cal Twin Mounts (2, Forward & Aft):220 each
Mk 75 Three inch (76-mm) / 62-cal (1, Forward):180
Telekinetic Twin Machine-Guns (2, Sides of Bridge):100 each
Long Range Missile Canisters (4 total, 2 per Side of "Flight Decks"):100 each
Medium Range Missile Box Launcher (1, Midships):200
Short Range Missile Launcher (1, Aft):180 each
Triple 12.75 inch (324 mm) Torpedo Launchers (2, Sides of Mk 75 mount):35 each
[1] Compact Long Range Air Search Radar (Superstructure):80
"Firework" Magic Chaff and Flare Dispensers (2, superstructure):20 each
Bridge:450
Outer Hull (per 40 foot / 12.2 meter area):60
[2] Main Body:1,400
[3] "Armor of Ithan" Force Field (Three Times per Day):500

Notes:
[1] Destroying Compact Long Range Air Search Radar will eliminate the ability to track air targets at long range. The ship still has backup systems equal to those on robot vehicles.
[2] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body destroys the ship's structural integrity, causing it to sink. There are enough flotation devices and inflatable life rafts to accommodate everyone aboard.
[3] As per the spell "Armor of Ithan" - Magic, fire, lightning, and cold all inflict one-half damage. Each activation lasts for 30 minutes (120 melee rounds.)

Speed:
Surface: 39.73 mph (34.5 knots/63.94 kph). The ship can operate at three quarters speed on half boilers and can operate at half speed on one boiler.
Range: 575.4 miles (500 nautical miles / 926 km) for each full recharge (requires 100 P.P.E.) Each boiler can propel the ship for up 125 nautical miles (requires 25 P.P.E each). The ship carries six months worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:
Draft: 14 feet 4 inches (4.37 meters) under sonar dome
Length: 383 feet (116.74 meters) waterline, 390 feet 6 inches (119.02 meters) overall
Width: 40 ft 10 in (12.45 meters)
Displacement: 2,425 tons standard and 3,460 full loaded
Cargo: 100 tons (90.7 metric tons) of nonessential equipment and supplies. 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 aircraft, extra ammo, armor, troops, weapons, and engines.
Power System: Was original steam propulsion with four boilers and two shafts but has been converted to a Magical power supply.
Black Market Cost: Not for Sale. Such a vessel, if available for sale, would probably cost 120 or more million.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. Two (2) Mk 12 Double Barrel Five Inch (127 mm) 38 Caliber Naval Guns: These are original five inch gun mounts on the ship. One is mounted forward and one is mounted aft on the destroyer. One mount forward of the superstructure was removed during FRAM reconstruction. The barrels can be elevated up to 85 degrees and the mounts can rotate 360 degrees. They have been reinforced with mega-damage materials and are still quite useful. The guns can be used against other ships, against ground targets, and against aircraft. The five inch guns can also use rocket assisted projectiles for extended range.
    Maximum Effective Range: 12 miles (10.4 nautical miles/19.3 km) for standard projectiles, 20 miles (17.4 nautical miles/32.2 km) for rocket propelled rounds.
    Mega-Damage: Standard Projectiles: 2D6x10 to a blast radius of 25 feet (7.7 meters) for High Explosive, 3D6x10 to a blast radius of 6 feet (2 meters) for High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 4D6x10 to a blast radius of 25 ft (7.7 meters) for Plasma. Rocket projectiles: 2D4x10 to a blast radius of 20 feet (6.1 meters) for High Explosive, 2D6x10 to a blast radius of 4 feet (1.2 meters) for High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 3D6x10 to a blast radius of 20 feet (6.1 meters) for Plasma. Double weapons damage if the gun is firing both cannons simultaneously and for special purpose warheads use the statistics for 105 mm artillery warheads (Go to Battlefield Artillery for Rifts for more information - standard or rocket assisted as appropriate.)
    Rate of Fire: Four shots per barrel per melee (Firing both barrels counts as one attack)
    Payload: 1,888 rounds (944 rounds per weapon mount). Ship normally carries usually carries 470 High Explosive, 470 High Explosive Armor Piercing, 470 Plasma, 158 Rocket Propelled High Explosive, 160 Rocket Propelled High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 160 Rocket Propelled Plasma rounds. Ship will carry special rounds when employed in artillery roles.
  2. One (1) Mk 75 Three inch (76-mm) 62 Caliber Naval Gun: The ship mounts a rapid fire three inch gun on the front of the vessel on a deck above and behind the forward twin five inch guns. The gun is very reliable and fires very rapidly (About 85 rounds per minute). The barrel can be elevated up to 85 degrees and the mount can rotate 360 degrees. The main weaknesses of the gun are its relatively short range and the fact it cannot use rocket assisted projectiles. The gun was carried on many ship classes around the world until well into the twenty first century. The guns can be used against other ships, against ground targets, against aircraft and even against missiles.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4.9 miles (4.3 nautical miles/8.0 km) for standard projectiles
    Mega-Damage: High Explosive: 1D4x10 MDC with 10 ft (3 m) blast radius per single shot and 3D4x10 MDC with 20 ft (6.1 m) blast radius for three round burst. High Explosive Armor Piercing: 1D6x10 MDC with 4 ft (1.2 m) blast radius per single shot and 3D6x10 MDC with 8 ft blast radius for three round burst. Plasma: 2D4x10 MDC with 12 ft (3.7 m) blast radius per single shot and 6D4x10 MDC with 25 ft (7.6 m) blast radius for three round burst.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to Gunners Hand to Hand (Three round bursts count as one attack).
    Payload: 600 rounds. Ship normally carries usually carries 200 High Explosive, 200 High Explosive Armor Piercing, and 200 Plasma (eighty rounds are ready to fire.)
  3. Two (2) Twin Telekinetic Machine-Gun: Mounted in the sides the superstructure besides the bridge. These are enchanted by a series of spells so the cannon acts as a more powerful version of the Telekinetic Machine-Gun. This increases the weapon's damage and instead of being reloaded, the cannon must be recharged by the spell Telekinesis and 50 P.P.E. per barrel (100 P.P.E. total per mount) each once per month. The cannon does full damage to targets that are impervious to energy. Weapon mounts have advanced fire control to track and target missiles and other small airborne targets.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
    Mega Damage: 1D6x10+10 total (6D6 per barrel)
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the observer / gunner (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every month whether the cannon have been used or not (costs 50 P.P.E. per barrel / 100 P.P.E. for each mount.)
  4. Four (4) Long Range Missile Launcher Tubes: These launchers are special canisters that are located on the aft part of the ship - originally the flight deck. These canisters were virtually copied from Old United States Harpoon canister launchers. While the launchers are reusable, they are still inexpensive and are easily jettisoned. While any long range missile type can be carried, usually special surface skimming missiles will be carried in launchers and are used against surface targets only.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per long range missile type (Surface skimming missiles have 25% less range than normal long range missile, See Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Mega Damage: As per long range missile type (See Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Rate of fire: One at a time or in volleys of two (2) or four (4 - All launcher operates together)
    Payload: One missiles each launcher for a grand total of four long range missiles (Has no missiles in storage for reloads).
  5. One (1) Medium Range Missile Battery: Mounted amidship, this battery replaces the ASROC anti-submarine rocket launcher. Originally, a bank of twenty-one inch torpedo tubes was located in this position. The mount is in the form of a twelve cell box launcher similar to the Pre-Rifts Sea Sparrow box launcher. The systems can launch up to twelve simultaneously each on multiple targets but there is no automatic reload system and has to be manually reloaded. In addition to standard missiles, the launcher can use a vast variety of missiles including surface skimming missiles and rocket propelled torpedoes.
    Maximum Effective Range: As per medium range missile type (See Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Mega Damage: As per medium range missile type (See Revised bomb and missile table.)
    Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two (2), four (4), six (6), or twelve (12 - all.) Reloading launcher requires six minutes (30 seconds per missile); twice as long if the crew is not familiar with the loading procedure.
    Payload: Twelve (12) medium range missiles in each launcher with Twenty-Four (24) medium range missiles for reloads - manual reloads.
  6. One (1) Short Range Missile Launching System: Mounted on the after part of the ship on what was originally the drone helicopter flight deck. Launcher has the ability to launch twenty four short range missiles and automatically reloads every time a missile or missiles are fired. Magazine for additional short range missiles are under the flight deck. The launcher is fitted with multiple fire control systems and can target missiles on multiple targets. Normal missile mixture is fifty percent armor piercing missiles and fifty percent plasma missiles.
    Note: SAM style missiles are missiles that sacrifice payload for higher speeds, see Chris Curtis' modified missile table for specifics.
    Maximum Effective Range: Varies by short range missile type (See Revised bomb and missile table - SAM style missiles normally.)
    Mega Damage: Varies by short range missile type (See Revised bomb and missile table - SAM style missiles normally.)
    Rate of fire: One at a time or in volley of two (2), four (4), six (6), twelve (12), or twenty four (24)
    Payload: 48 short range missiles total.
  7. Two (2) Triple 12.75 inch (324 mm) Torpedo Launchers: There is one launcher on each side of the ship. Each torpedo launcher has three torpedo tubes and tubes are 12.75 inch (324 mm) wide. Torpedoes are normally used against submarines but can be targeted on surface targets as well. Ship carries thirty-six reloads for torpedoes. For the most part torpedo warheads are equal to medium range missile warheads.
    Maximum Effective Range: 20 miles (32 km)
    Mega Damage: By Medium torpedo warhead type (See Revised Rifts Torpedoes.)
    Rate of Fire: One at a time or in volleys of two (2), or three (3) per side, Reloading takes one full melee
    Payload: Three (3) torpedoes each launcher for a grand total of six (6) torpedoes [Has thirty-six (36) torpedoes for reloads]
  8. Two (2) Fireworks Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispensers: In many ways this system is similar to technological versions of the Chaff/Flare system. When the system fires, it looks like fireworks firing. The anti-missile system works by combining three spells. The three spells are Fire Bolt, Apparition, and Telekinesis. The physical effects of the system are similar to the Triax Anti-Missile chaff but instead of being reloaded, it is recharged by spells.
    Effect: Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half.
    Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
    Payload: 10 Uses before being recharged. Each launcher is recharged by the spells Apparition (20 P.P.E.), Fire Bolt (7 P.P.E.), and Telekinesis (8 P.P.E.). The cost for all launchers to be recharged is 70 P.P.E. All launchers must be activated at the same time to operate correctly.
  9. Cloud of Fog Generator: This system is built into the ships smoke stacks and unlike most magical systems, does not require magical from a spell caster and instead uses the steam from the ship's engines to produce the cloud of fog.
    Maximum Effective Range: 6,000 feet (1,830 meters) in all directions
    Effect: Produces a fog bank that obscures vision. Visibility is reduced to 60 feet inside the cloud and even with thermal sensors, a penalty of -2 to strike parry and dodge
    Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
  10. Techno-Wizard Modifications: The "Seaman" 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. The PPE and ISP values listed inside of the parenthesis are if using higher PPE costs for larger vehicles.
    Special Features:

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

[Golden Age Weaponsmiths is a trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

Image drawn and copyrighted by Colosseum, Darth Panda, and Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune.)

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2011, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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