Submarines

Overview
Submarines are medium sized, sleek, flat, enclosed stealth ships. Though they can move at full speed while cloaked their true value is their ability to turn intangible by entering "underspace".

Underspace is the term used to describe an alternate universe slightly out of sync with our own. It is a white void, devoid of all features and sounds that poisons any living thing with high levels of radiation and blinding light. Ships in underspace can use special sensors to read normal space and ships in normal space can use special  sensors to detect ships in underspace (this is standard on all capital ships, scouts, and on the explorer cruiser). Objects in underspace are intangible but visible, though faint and transparent, in normal space. A submarine is not well armored so it often cloaks while in underspace, a tactical called "running silent".

A submarine can "dive" into underspace for about 12 hours at a time before they need to resurface. It puts a huge strain on the ship to go any longer and once it exits it needs to recharge for an equal amount of time before it can re-enter underspace.

Most of the time submarines act on their own on long-range missions that keep them away from their fleet for weeks or months at a time. A submarine can go for 6 months before having to resupply and are commanded by a Catal or higher. Submarines are a rare addition to fleets as they are expensive and require special training for their 20 man crew to operate. Most small fleets do not have them or they may have a single Uboat to aid them. Larger fleets will have 1-5 on hand to strike at vital targets, soften the enemy up, partake in stealth recon, and to deliver special ops teams deep behind enemy lines.

Variants
Submarines have three variants: the attack submarine which is a independent harrier that strikes at valuable targets with a missiles then slips away, the uboat that is more a combat vehicle with stealth capabilities, and the cruiser submarine which is designed as a long-range craft. Unless otherwise noted subs have light shielding.

Attack Submarine
Attack submarines are designed to slip past enemy lines and strike at guarded, high-value, targets. They have special equipment that allows them to peform a unique maneuver called an "underspace flicker" where the sub becomes tangible for 1 minute before instantly returning to underspace without having to recharge (though it can only do this once between each recharge). Attack submarines have 40 long range missile batteries and 5 small caliber, turret mounted, short range, rapid firing, energy cannons. Attack subs have combat grade shielding.

Uboat
Rather than partake in long-range surgical stealth strikes, a Uboat (or "fleet sub" as they are sometimes called) protect the fleet and partake in head to head battles. They typically patrol the outskirts of the fleet while cloaked and act as a first line of defense. Unlike other submarines uboats have much heavier armor (like a destroyer) but can only stay in underspace for 1 hour at a time. They have 2, medium caliber, turret mounted, medium range, rapid firing, energy cannons and 5 small caliber, turret mounted, short range, rapid firing, energy cannons and 2 long range missile batteries.

Cruiser Submarine
Designed to suffer the dangers of underspace better than others, cruiser subs are long-range vessels that can go for 2 years without a resupply. They can stay in underspace indefinatly and always only require 24 hours to recharge before they can do it again. They have far less weapons, only sporting 1, medium caliber, fixed, medium range, rapid firing, energy cannon and 10 long range missile batteries. Cruiser subs are also far more stealthy, only able to be detected by explorer cruisers and tactical battleships while cloaked or in underspace (and then- it takes a good eye to catch it)

Statistics

 * Size 2
 * Speed 4
 * Power 4
 * Rank 2
 * Value 3
 * Type: Auxiliary