Heldannic Warbirds: Uhuboote
by Bruce HeardUhuboote-Class Warbird
Tonnage: 64 tons
Hull Points: 45 Hull; 6 Sail
Armour Class: 7
Lift Capacity: 70 tons
Cargo Capacity: 5 tons
Air Speed: 360' (120')
Mov. Factor: 1/2
Length: 60' (incl. tail)
Beam: 90' (incl. wings)
Depth: 20'
Hull: mostly wood (wings/tail made of canvas over a wooden
frame)
Crew: 20 (1 Knight Bachelor, 1 Prior, 3 brother knights, 10 brother
squires, 1 brother chaplain.)
Weaponry: One blight belcher (light), two ballistae.
Defences: Darkness.
Description: The Uhuboote (owl ship, night owl) is a dedicated
night- fighter. It is built to look like a flying owl, and painted
in dark grey or black colours. Much simpler than the larger
warbirds, it includes triangular outer deck (60' base, 30' deep
forming the back and shoulders of the "owl"), a hull with one lower
deck (40' long, and 20' wide and deep, giving the "owl" its body),
and the bridge located inside the large owl head at the ship's bow
(20' diameter). A single mast with a square sail stands in the
middle of the upper deck. The tips of the wings and the tail are
made of canvas stretched over a light wooden frame as
ornaments.
One ballista is located at the port and starboard tips of the
upper deck. A blight belcher is kept on the lower deck, underneath
the bridge, or can be moved to a porthole facing aft underneath the
owl's tail. Crew quarters are on the lower deck, while cargo
remains secured on the upper deck, underneath a heavy canvas canopy
stretching from the back of the owl's head to the aft edge of the
upper deck. The ship's chapel is part of the bridge and includes
the helm as well, inside the owl's head. The ship is light enough
to be able to land on its legs, the tail frame acting as a landing
keel.
The Uhuboote has the ability to conceal itself inside a sphere of
darkness once per day. The spell is broken when a physical object
or magical attack crosses through the sphere. It is a "one-way"
darkness that does not affect vision aboard the owl. Infravision
ability is otherwise available from the bridge, with a range of 300
yards. The owl's combat tactic is to ambush other ships at night
and escape after its attack. Its ballistae normally fire javelins
with both strike and silence spells. Some have been used with
delayed blast flamestrike. Owls are recent additions to the
Heldannic fleet (AC1016 or later), and are otherwise used as long
range recon and spy ships. They sometimes act in owl packs when a
specific target needs to be dispatched rapidly.