Talk:Barracuda

Perhaps some of the comments on the Interceptor would come handy, what do you say about that?--Trotsky 04:22, 9 July 2006 (PDT)

The Barracuda is a magical craft that runs on the hopes and dreams of mankind. This allows it to transcend human physics and travel at supersonic speeds underwater. In the hands of non Xcom parties, the craft refuses to use any of it's magical powers and is thus limited to speeds of around 50 kts, which is still faster than any modern submarines.

Still, this is sufficient for it to outrun most torpedoes (US Navy's Mark 48 torpedo has a maximum speed of 55 knots. This is the fastest torpedo in the US inventory...The Russian Shkval utilizes an encapsulating rocket to shield the torpedo behind a jet of hot gas from the drag effects of the ocean. Rocket nozzles on the nose point backwards to shroud the torpedo, while the thrust comes from the main engine at the stern. Run distance is in excess of 10km. Top speed is over 200kts, but both run distance and speed depend on depth, salinity, and water temperature. Guidance is claimed but no acoustic quidance would be possible at that speed due to self-noise.)

The Barracuda also extends it's magical powers to any weapons it fires, a torpedo to actually catch up to and hit a target submersible craft travelling at supersonic speeds.

All hail the magic of Xcom!

Jasonred 07:09, 7 April 2009 (EDT)

I noticed that the TFTD Notebook (pdf available at xcomufo) has some more info about the Barracuda, including this bit: "... the Barracuda is able to surface fly, or dive to 12,000 ft at 150 kts..." IMO that suggests the in-game speed is only airborne speed, and submerged speed is a less unreasonable 150kts. AMX (talk) 18:10, 9 July 2018 (CEST)