compiled overview of the 55
ton Dervish 'Mech, from various
BattleTech novels and game sourcebooks:
Long the
plodding workhorse of
Successor States' ground forces, the DV-6M
Dervish has become the focus of a great deal of attention as it is the last
'Mech designed to serve the
Star League in large numbers. Its role on the battlefield is as a
poor man's
Archer. Its LRM-10s and SRM-2s allows it to provide quick
fire-support where needed, freeing larger
'Mechs for other duties. The
Dervish's
jump jets make up in mobility for what the
'Mech lacks in
armor.
Commissioned in the last days of the
Star League, the
Dervish received only one major change over the years, the replacement of the
270 GM engine with the present-day
275 Core Tek to boost its maneuverability. Most
Dervishes were made before the dissolution of the
Star League and so have served in all corners of the universe.
The most recent version of the
Dervish, the DV-7D, contains several noteworthy features of earlier
Dervish models, as well as a few innovations. The DV-7D continues to utilize the
embedded torso-mount configuration for its twin
Federated 10-Shot LRM racks, an arrangement that provides the racks with excellent protection from enemy fire. Another
Dervish design trademark, hand-mounted SRM racks, is continued with the DV-7D's new twin
Federated SuperStreak Dual-SRM launchers; the hand-mount arrangement enables a
Dervish pilot to aim the
'Mech's
SRM racks without turning the machine's torso.
The DV-7D's
Dorwinion Standard 55TES endo-steel internal structure,
StarGuard CIV ferro-fibrous armor, and
Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment
represent the most notable innovations incorporated in the updated
Dervish. The DV-7D's new
endo steel skeleton provides the
'Mech with structural strength superior to that of earlier
Dervishes, and the new
ferro-fibrous armor provides a noticeable improvement over the mediocre armor protection of earlier versions.
Though the
Dervish is primarily a
fire-support 'Mech, it can hold its own in a physical fight against lighter
'Mechs. Though much maligned as a dull fighting vehicle, the
Dervish does possess several noteworthy features. The two sets of LRM-10s are deeply embedded in the
'Mech's torso (rather than exposed as on the
Archer or
Crusader), which ensures good protection for the missile systems and controls. The
Dervish can carry twelve rounds for each LRM missile system, which is adequate for all but the most protracted battles.
The small SRM-2s are completely self-contained, along with their fifty rounds of ammunition, within the
'Mech's paddle-like hands. This placement allows the
SRM to be aimed quickly without having to move the entire
'Mech. In the event that the pilot does run out of ammo for his missiles, the
Dervish's two medium
lasers ensure that he will always have something to fight with.
The
jump jets, originally an
afterthought, have also proved their worth
time after time, giving the
Dervish the mobility to exploit the surrounding terrain and the capability of closing quickly with an opponent. The jump jets also allow the
Dervish pilot to jump out of tight situations.
The
Dervish's major drawback is its light
armor. It is well-armored enough to handle the attacks of small to medium weapons, but cannot cope with the increasingly lethal weapons found on today's battlefield. There have been many attempts to upgrade the armor, but they have all compromised the
'Mech's simple design.
No other event in the distinguished history of the
Dervish can compare with the
Whirling Dervishes' defense of
New Rhodes in 2796.
An unremarkable world,
New Rhodes held little strategic importance in its own right. However, the world lay directly in the path of a major
Kuritan drive toward the
Davion capital of
New Avalon. As the
Draconis Combine forces approached the planet, the officers of the defending
Seventeenth Avalon Hussars decided to send most of the planet's troops to the defense of
New Avalon, leaving only a small guerrilla force led by
Captain Conrad Warrent's
Whirling Dervishes to defend
New Rhodes.
Taking to the thick forests surrounding the planet's capital city, the
Whirling Dervishes concealed themselves and waited as elements of
Kurita's
Second Sword of Light dropped onto
New Rhodes and proceeded to destroy the undefended city. Three days later, Warrent and his fighters slipped into the large river bordering the city's airport, intent on raiding a
Kuritan ammunition dump along the city's edge. Unfortunately, Warrent's
'Mech emerged from the river only a few hundred yards from a Kuritan military parade. Realizing his own plans were now upset, Warrent quickly explained to his unit the odds of achieving its original goal and gave each member the chance to
retreat. In reply, his men simply punched their jump buttons, setting the river water churning violently. Breaking clear of the river, the
Whirling Dervishes charged in among the piles of supplies.
The Dervishes went wild. Firing salvo after salvo, they aimed at piles of ammunition, choosing to ignore the approaching enemy for the moment. As one ammunition pile after another blew sky-high, the population scattered and cheered. Again and again, a
Dervish would emerge from the flames, fire a salvo of missiles at an enemy
'Mech, then disappear back into the smoke and heat. It took Lord Kurita's force ten hours to track down and kill the four
Dervishes and two
Enforcers.
This valiant attack cost the Sword of Light more than a thousand tons of ammunition and thousands of spare parts. But more important, the valiant action boosted morale on
New Rhodes and on
New Avalon, where tapes of the battle were smuggled in and
broadcast.
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