TRO: 3087 - Dervish

3087 is a Battletech alternate universe where The Jihad never happened. Instead, political fracturing continues in the wake of the technological and military upheavals of the 3050's. Its history is told through the pages and designs of TRO: 3087. With any luck this series will be the last anyone hears about 3087.

This entry is number twenty-four out of forty-seven, making it the halfway point of TRO: 3087. Thanks for sticking with it.

DVO-10T Dervish
Overview
Of the four ‘Mechs and one JumpShip that originally comprised the Hellfire Pirate Band, only Chram “Hellfire” Tait’s Dervish survived the war to create the Federated Hellfire Territories.
In 3079, his model was upgraded to an omnimech, based on prototypes The Word had been providing to Tait’s ilk. Four years later, the Archenar plant on New Avalon was retooled to produce a similar model, touted as one of Tait’s most successful rebuilding efforts after taking the world.
 The new model is deployed almost exclusively in The Federated Hellfire Territories, which is rather protective of the design. Those models which are salvaged by the Davions are often targeted first by Federated Hellfire Territiories Common Army soldiers. Raids on Davion worlds gravitate towards those whose defenders are known to have models in their ranks.

Capabilities
The Dervish acts as it did in many armies throughout The Succession Wars, as a mobile fire-support platform. Thanks to advancing technologies, recent upgrades have carried more missiles, allowing them to act as hit and run forces, moving ahead to down or soften up enemy units before strikers like the Kangaroo or Slaughtermech move in to finish them off.
The ubiquity of the unit, its impressive firepower, and its omni abilities see it in almost every battlefield role.
The new Dervish is very rare in garrison forces. The unit’s price and omni technologies demand it be placed in front-line units which see more action.

Battle History
Now the President For Life  of the Federated Hellfire Territories, Tait began his career as a pirate commander leading the closest band of mercenary rabble. His capture in 3064 was an opportunity for him to build the reputation of “Hellfire,” an indomitable pirate riding in a Dervish the color of a setting sun and accented black with the smoke and scorches of combat. Tait’s escape from the prison and subsequent exploits made him a hero of the people in the dissatisfied Davion outback.
Over the years, his Dervish has been a reliable command ‘Mech, keeping him away from the thick of fighting and giving him the mobility to run if things wrong. Upgraded to an OmniMech unit after the Battle of Chirikof, it was also the prototype for the line unit produced today. Tait still pilots Fuck Me for parades and occasional battlefield maneuvers.
What would become The Federated Hellfire Territories relied heavily on ‘Mechs like the Dervish during their campaign against The Federated Suns. An end run against their supply lines during the Battle of Chirikof almost gave The Suns a victory. Instead, it forced the Word of Blake into tipping its hand and dropping three regiments and the Blake Ascendant onto the battlefield to gain victory. The battle, and its revelations about the Word was a loss for everyone involved, except for Tait and his Territories.

Variants
The Dervish often uses its pod space to supplement its missile compliment, using light autocannons, extended range lasers, or more missiles to optimize it for its fire-support roles. The prime configuration broadens the Dervish’s mission role. An extended range large laser gives solid ranged firepower to back up the missiles while a trio of smaller lasers help it with infighting. It has a tendency to run hot, so a pair of machine guns were added so it can still fire while cooling down.
Those heat problems were the main concern of the A configuration. It carries an additional pair of heat sinks with only a small laser to add to the heat load. A small autocannon is carried in the center torso to extend its reach by 14%.
The final main variant is the B, which dedicates the platform entirely to fire support. Additional short and long range missiles with three tons of extra ammunition give it the ability to deliver overwhelming numbers of missiles to a target.
One interesting deviation from the norm is a “switch hitter,” which makes the most of the new missiles’ lack of minimum range to maximize its city fighting potential. 
The Fear variant used by Tait’s Rabid Cobra terrorist unit carries advanced electronics suites and missiles loads to both cause fires and maximize building damage. Flamers and medium pulse lasers are intimidating back up weapons.
The -6M line model with no upgraded equipment is still produced on New Avalon and exported to all buyers. That and the Dervish’s long history ensure that it remains a common sight on battlefields across the Inner Sphere.

DVO-10T Dervish
Type/Model:    Dervish DVO-10T
Tech:          Mixed / 3083
Config:        Biped OmniMech
Manufactured:  Federated Hellfire 
               Territories
Fielded:       
 Federated Hellfire Terr. (Common)
 Federated Suns (Singular)

Mass:          55 tons
Equipment:              Crits     Mass
Int. Struct.:              14     1.50
 (Loc: 2 LT, 2 RT, 5 LA, 5 RA) 91 pts
Engine:275    Fusion XL(IS)12     8.00
  Walking MP:   5
  Running MP:   8
  Jumping MP:   5
Jump Jet Loc: 1 CT, 2 LL, 2 RL    2.50
Heat Sinks: 10 Double (IS)  0     0.00
Gyro:                       4     3.00
Cockpit:                    5     3.00
Actuators:                 12     0.00
 L: Sh+UA       R: Sh+UA
Armor Factor:               0     8.00
  128 pts
       Internal Structure  Armor Value
 Head:                  3      9      
 Center Torso:         10     22     
 Center Torso (Rear):          5
 L/R Side Torso:        7    16/16
 L/R Side Torso (Rear):       4/4
 L/R Arm:               5    11/11
 L/R Leg:               7    15/15

Weapons and Equipment Loc  Crits  Tons
---------------------------------------
Fixed Equipment
(CL) LRM-20            RT   4      5.00
(CL) LRM-20            LT   4      5.00
(CL) SRM-6             RA   1      1.50
(CL) SRM-6             LA   1      1.50
@LRM-20 (6)            RT   1      1.00
@LRM-20 (6)            LT   1      1.00
@SRM-6 (15)            RA   1      1.00
@SRM-6 (15)            LA   1      1.00
CASE                   LT   1      0.50
CASE                   RT   1      0.50
 Crits & Tons Left:        10      9.50

Primary Configuration
(IS) ER Medium Laser   CT    1     1.00
(IS) ER Medium Laser   RT    1     1.00
(IS) ER Medium Laser   LT    1     1.00
(IS) ER Large Laser    RA    2     5.00
2 (IS) Machine Guns    LA    2     1.00
@MG (1/2) (100)        LA    1     0.50
 Crits & Tons Left:          2     0.0

A Configuration
(IS) Autocannon/2      CT    1     6.00
(IS) Small Laser       LT    1     0.50
@AC/2 (45)             RT    1     1.00       
(IS) Double Heat Sink  RA    3     1.00  
(IS) Double Heat Sink  LA    3     1.00
 Crits & Tons Left:          1     0.0

B Configuration
(CL) LRM-15            RA    2     3.50
2 (CL) SRM-6s          LA    3     3.00
@LRM-15 (8)            RT    1     1.00
@LRM-20 (6)            LT    2     1.00
@LRM-15 (8)            RA    1     1.00
 Crits & Tons Left:          2     0.0

Fear Configuration
Active Probe           HD    1     1.00
(IS) Md Pulse Laser    CT    1     2.00
Guardian ECM Suite     RA    2     1.50
(IS) Md Pulse Laser    LA    1     2.00
(IS) Flamer            LA    1     1.00
@LRM-20 (6) (Deci)*    RT    1     1.00
@LRM-20 (6) (Deci)*    LT    1     1.00
Upper Arm Actuator     RA    1     0.00
Upper Arm Actuator     LA    1     0.00
 Crits & Tons Left:          0     0.0


*Decimation Missiles are SRM and LRM specialty ammunition types which deal no damage to armored targets. Decimation missiles deal double damage to unarmored infantry, terrain, and  non-hardened buildings.