The DERVISH camouflage system is a pre-War technology used in Hidden Valley.
Background[]
Mentioned in the bunker's datastore terminal, the DERVISH camouflaging system is a cloaking mechanism, serving to protect the self-sustaining shelter. It was part of the Hidden Valley project's overall goal of creating a location for high-ranking VIPs, serving as a safehouse to preserve their command structure in times of crisis.[1]
Characteristics[]
The bunker itself is located several hundred feet below the surface, utilizing the system's visual and electronic interference to prevent such airborne or long-range enemy weapons from targeting the facility.[1] The normal soil around Hidden Valley has been supplemented with a combination of aluminum and various silicates, dispersed using a widespread network of industrial fans to blanket the area in a cloud of chaff.[2]
In the event that the location was threatened, the bunker's DERVISH camouflage system would make targeting the site impossible for automated systems, forcing aggressors to rely on guesswork.[2] Combined with the electronic countermeasures of the nearby array at Black Mountain, the bunker at Hidden Valley would be impossible to target.[2]
The system was only intended to be used in case of emergencies.[3] However, the Brotherhood of Steel's extended occupation of the facility has put stress on the systems over the last few years, which were not designed to accommodate such long-term usage.[3] The group relies on the defensive system to mask its patrols leaving and entering the area at night.[4] Elder McNamara explains that the air filtration system is unable to process the quantity of particulate it has been forced to cope with.[3] As a result, the air quality has started to decline slowly, leaving only a few months left before it shuts down completely, rendering the air in the bunker impossible to breathe.[3]
Appearances[]
The DERVISH camouflage system is mentioned only in Fallout: New Vegas.
Behind the scenes[]
The name Dervish seems to be in reference to Sufi whirling or whirling Dervish who are known for spinning in circles, similar to the way the camouflage system works by spinning chaff in the air.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hidden Valley bunker terminal entries; Terminal (restored), Project goals: Hidden Valley
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hidden Valley bunker terminal entries; Terminal (restored), Systems overview
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Courier: "Go on."
Elder McNamara: "The device that creates the sandstorms above, that masks our comings and goings, was only intended to be used in case of emergencies. It was never meant to be used with any regularity, and the other systems here were not designed to accommodate such usage. In particular, the air filtration system simply cannot handle the quantity of sand and grit that it's been forced to cope with these last few years. As a result, the system is failing, albeit slowly. I'm told we have scant few months before it shuts down completely. Should that happen, it will quickly become impossible to breathe here in the bunker. Already the air quality begins to slightly worsen."
(Elder McNamara's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "What is with that crazy sandstorm on the surface?"
Elder McNamara: "That is this base's defensive system. It serves as camouflage and masks all entry and exit from the bunker. We use it to hide our patrols and supply runners, though we still send such out at night to be extra safe."
(Elder McNamara's dialogue)