Submarines don't have to be all work and no play. They don't even have to stay in the water if you don't want them to! And so we'd like to share with you some of the things that are possible, if you have the time and money!
While you're here, enquiry as to what we can do your vehicle to make it into a submarine...
So, you like flying, but you also like the water. No problem! Simply get one of these kits and transform your sub into a plane at will!
Body cost *2, +1/3 body weight, loses 1/4 of the subs spaces. Only available for one man, mini and two man subs which must have a larger propeller than normal (+1 DP, double cost and 1.5 times weight of the standard propeller) which will be used to fly the craft.
In the water, the craft functions as a standard sub, but once on the surface it functions much like a Hoverplane. The gear gives the sub pop out wings (taking two turns and counting as a firing action) which allows the sub (when on the surface) to take off and function like a microplane with an HC of 1 and a stall speed of 40 mph (to account for the subs better handling and aircraft like abilities).
The wings are treated as standard microplane wings with no potential for mounting weapons or armour and having DP depending on the size of the sub (one man subs have 4 DP, Mini subs have 6 DP and Two man subs have 8 DP). WIngs also mean that the sub may not mount side mounted EWP's.
They may mount retractable undergear if they wish to land on the ground (and function as taxiing aircraft).
The subplane will have two different sets of speeds and acceleration values, and must have enough power to legally take off as per the microplane rules. When they take off, they are treat as true seaplanes.
So you're a ground hugger, that's okay, no ones perfect. But we can help you to take to the waves and still have the ground, now isn't that the best of both worlds?
Car Subs: For car bodies only. They need to be made amphibious (at $6,000, 200 lbs, 2 spaces and 4 DP), have an air supply/filter installed (+$200, 75 lbs, 1 space, gives an air supply of 6 hours), must have their weapons and turrets made waterproofed, and must install a proper boat sized propeller (the size depending on the powerplant of the car - small car plants are treated as mini boat plants, medium car plants are treated as small boat plants, large and super car plants are treated as medium boat plants and sports, thundercat plants are treated as large boat plants, these full sized propellers take an additional space within the vehicle when not in use). They may use normal car power plants or boat plants, but not ICE engines.
They may be made into sub planes as the 4* costs, normal weights and space lost (in addition to the modifiers for being a Carsub). Compact cars will have 4 DP wings, midsized and sedan cars will have 6 DP wings, while luxury and larger cars will have 8 DP wings.
Acceleration and top speeds are worked out as per boats, and the car has an HC 1. Maximum dive depth is worked out as for subs, but the car is treated as having a CA frame, and if it really does have a CA frame, then its dive depth is halved.
Unlike subs, cars do not have neutral buoyancy, and thus if they ever stop moving under their own power, they will sink at 1/4" per turn until they hit the bottom or implode due to the depth. This means that they cannot just 'hover' or float in water. Carsubs may travel on the surface as if it were a normal sub.
And now you can bring your friends along too! Let everyone enjoy the action under the seas!
Hoversubs: For hovercraft bodies only. Like carsubs, they need to be made amphibious, and must have an air supply installed. No propeller is necessary as the hovercraft will it's own thrust fans. All turrets and weapons must be waterproofed. Turbofans will add their benefits to the submarine statistics, and having more or less thrust fans will increase or decrease the subs HC. Pontoons are recommended if the sub is to float, for like carsubs, a hoversub is not neutral buoyancy, and thus simply floating on the sea surface will actually cause the hover to sink.
When in sub mode, the vessel will act like a sub, and not a hovercraft. The lift fans and skirts will not be of any use until the craft decides to go back into hovercraft mode, and cannot be used underwater. When getting into sub mode, the lift fans and turned off. If the hover is at not moving, then there is no penalty, and the following turn the sub will be at sea level and able to operate as a submarine. If the hover is moving though, then the lack of the lift fans will cause the hover to collide with the water, which is a D3 hazard, and causes 1D damage to all skirts, and 1D3 damage to the underbody armour. Speed drops by 30 mph each turn until the sub is underwater and the thrust fans can provide forward speed. If for any reason, the hover turns the lift fan off when over ground, then it takes normal skidding damage.
Getting back into hovercraft mode is done by either beaching onto ground and switching on the lift fans, or getting to sea level, floating and switching on the lift fans.
A hoversub may be made into a hoverplane by paying all the penalties for being a hoverplane and for being a hoversub. Full details of being a hoverplane can be found in Aeroduel or the Uncle Albert's catalogue from Hell.
