[gurps] TL6? Sub Carriers

[Onno Meyer]

In a nutshell, WWII carrier tactics could be described as (1) move 
into strike range of the enemy, without detection if possible, (2) 
launch planes, (3) survive the enemy strike, which comes sooner if 
the approach was detected, later if the enemy has to launch on the 
bearing of the incoming strike, (4) repeat until one side withdraws 
or is sunk, (5) count losses and declare yourself a winner. 

Historical submarines with seaplanes used them like cruisers with 
seaplanes, for scouting or maybe for nuisance raids, but not like 
a real carrier. 

A submarine with more (and more capable) planes could try to fight
real battles. Being submersible could help with steps (1) and (3),
at the expense of capabilities for (2) and (4). 

To help with the undetected approach, it would be nice if the sub 
carrier could cover the difference between patrol plane range and
strike plane range submerged. Call it 800 miles for patrols and 
200 miles for strikes, so the sub needs 600 miles submerged range
(for a TL6 boat, that would be impressive even without aircraft).
After that, the sub surfaces and starts to fight like a carrier. 

To help against counterstrikes, submerged speed and range are less
relevant. The sub has to surface to launch or recover planes, i.e.
every few hours, and excessive moves just complicate the navigation
for homecoming planes. What counts here is a rapid transition from
submerged to surfaced ops. I don't think much of that is covered by
the rules, if our sub carrier has a flight deck and hangars for 
fully assembled, fueled and armed aircraft. That takes an awesome
volume ...

A sub carrier to do both would need a large payload space and a 
large battery room, which makes it incredibly large. And if you
can afford that, why can't you afford scores of conventional 
carriers to punch through the enemy defenses?