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Derro

2019-08-20T09:10:41Z

2601:1C0:5C80:28EF:C034:5C03:CFB:A8F7:

[[File:Derro 1e.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Crazy, evil midgets from the depths of the earth!]]

The '''Derro''' are a race of insane and evil [[dwarf]]-like humanoids that inhabit the [[Underdark]] in various [[Dungeons & Dragons]] settings. They differ from the similar [[Duergar]] in that they are far crazier and more malevolent in nature. First appearing in the [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1e module "[[The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]]", they were subsequently reprinted in the Monster Manual II. They were updated to 2nd edition in the Greyhawk modules "Greyhawk Ruins", "Flames of the Falcon", and "From the Ashes", followed by the Monstrous Manual. [[Dungeon Magazine]] #81 introduced a variety of derro mutants, including multiple-armed ones, derros with eyestalks, and derros conjoined with [[grimlock]]s. They went on to reappear in 3e's Monster Manual 1, 4e's Monster Manual 3, and the 5e adventure [[Out of the Abyss]].

Derro were based upon the ''Dero'', a race of sunlight-averse, psychic, sadistic, degenerate aliens that the legendarily insane pulp sci-fi writer Richard Sharpe Shaver asserted were secretly in control of the world. You will note then that this means that they do not fit under the Open game license the way other creatures are so you do see Derro pop up in other media.

Derros are considered fucking hilarious by Australians, because 'Derro' is another word for "Bogan cunt" or “deadbeat” (from “derelict”) down here. (Bogan being the far more [[Manly Marines|manly]] and [[Angry Marines|badass]] equivalent of a Hoodlum or [[Britfag|Chav]])

==[[Greyhawk|Oerth]]==
As the Lost Caverns of Tosjcanth took place in the [[Greyhawk]] setting, and Greyhawk-sans-serial-numbers was basically the default setting of 3e, one can consider the Oerthian Derro to be the "standard" derro for the first three editions of the game.

Derro are small, dwarf-like humanoids, standing around 4ft tall, with skin "the color of an iced-over lake" (white with bluish undertones), hair that is sickly pale yellow or tan, and creepy staring white eyes that lack visible pupils. Their features have certain traits of both [[human]]s and [[dwarves]]; in the 1993 Monstrous Manual, it's explicitly noted that they remind [[dwarves]] of [[human]]s and [[human]]s of [[dwarves]], whilst [[Dragon Magazine]] #241 would finally expand upon what that entails. The physical stature of a derro is predominantly [[human]], but with short, thick limbs and dexterous fingers, more like a [[dwarf]]. The head is somewhat disproportionate, seemingly oversized, with high foreheads, thick and hairless brows, and receding hairlines being common. A derro's face has a small and hairless chin (although males do grow moustaches, and often wear them long and thick), protruding cheekbones, small round ears, and distinctively egg-like eyes that are solid white in color.

The Monstrous Manual also describes them using [[human]] slaves as breeding stock. In issue #241 of [[Dragon Magazine]], it's finally explicitly stated that derro are the degenerate descendants of forced [[Half-Dwarf|human/dwarf interbreeding]], a project enacted by the [[Suel Imperium]] to create a superior strain of slave laborers. Weirdly, this same issue claims that derros mating with [[dwarves]] produce only sterile male derro of superior strength.

It... didn't work out well. Whilst the wrath of the angered gods [[Fortubo]] (who saw the use of the "dwur-rohoi" as a blasphemy of his principles), [[Moradin]] and [[Berronar Truesilver]] was certainly terrible, the truth of the matter is that derro spent generations as the Imperium's slaves, until it was destroyed in the Rain of Colorless Fire; thanks to their being hidden in deep subterranean mines, the derro survived this cataclysm, and indeed see it as a divine blessing that set their race free.

In AD&D, the derro are defined mostly by being evil; having been slaves their whole existence, their culture now revolves around their burning desire to attain power and vengeance, which to them is synonymous with the ability to inflict as much suffering, degradation and sorrow upon denizens of the surface as possible. They are ruthless, sadistic, abusive and violent, with a certain racial propensity towards aimless paranoia and mob mentalities. Their first great racial drive is to enslave, torture and murder their enemies, which is most everybody who isn't a derro, but especially surface races and humans in particular. Their second great racial drive is the pursuit of magical knowledge; unlike dwarves, they couldn't care less for gold, but magic? That's valuable to them - which may stem from their Suloise ancestry, or at least so surmises Dragon #241.

Such is their hatred of other races that derro regularly declare "Uniting Wars", which are massive, pointless conflicts in which derro rise up en-masse throughout the Underdark and attack ''everything'' around them that isn't another derro, battling until their numbers have been reduced to the point they have to give it up and go back to survival. The savants don't believe these Uniting Wars will ever actually ''succeed'', but they purge the weakest of their numbers and terrorize other races, and that's good enough justification to declare them, as far as they're concerned.

In 3rd edition, though, derro went from just being strongly inclined towards evil (like the [[duergar]] and the [[drow]]) and gained the trait of being absolutely batshit crazy as a race as well, with mental illness running rampant throughout their species. According to 3e's Monster Manual, this madness most commonly manifests as a combination of delusions of grandeur, sadism, and murderous impulses that they struggle to control.

Regardless of edition, derro live in violent tribal groups, which bow to the whims of the strongest derro present or else to the savants; derro [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|sorcerer]]-[[cleric]]s who wield potent magical abilities. Their loyalty to their savants is absolute; derro revert to fawning and cringing like abused slaves around those stronger than them anyway, but will leap to obey the most suicidal order a savant may give without the slightest hesitation. When fighting, they favor the use of daggers, light repeater-crossbows (usually stocked with poisoned quarrels), spiked bucklers, and a hooked shortspear that they use to drag victims from their feet.

The savants draw their power from a minor deity called [[Diirinka]], who is said to have ascended to deity-hood by stealing magical lore from [[Ilsensine]] and abandoning his twin brother [[Diinkarazan]] to the [[illithid]]-god's wrath. He is an uncaring god, and so long as they preach for the derro to fear and respect him, he lets them have free reign in their lives.

Derro are even more strongly allergic to sunlight than their drow and duergar neighbors; sunlight physically hurts them, burning their tainted flesh, and will actually kill them with prolonged exposure. Ironically, their ability to see in the dark is surprisingly poor; a mere 30ft Infravision in AD&D (which was misprinted as ''3''ft in the Mosntrous Manual!) and no darkvision at all in 3rd edition - instead, they compensate through their keen sense of hearing, which gives them the ability of Blind-Fighting in either edition.

==[[Forgotten Realms|Faerun]]==
As with most things, the Faerunian take on the Derro is pretty much the "generic" Derro fluff with some setting-unique names to their places of residence. At least, this was the case until the 5e update, seeing as how 5th edition basically uses the Realms as the "default" setting.

These new, uniquely Faerunian derro are stated to be a [[dwarf]] offshoot species, once enslaved by the [[Illithid]]s before they managed to violently free themselves from the yoke of their captors, but not before the gruesome experiments and exposure to the brain-twisting [[psionics]] of their masters had left the race's collective psyche scarred, and afflicted them with incurable madness. Every single derro is insane in some fashion, and this has made the race into one of second-class citizens; stripped of the ability to function in large groups without savants or other charismatic figures to rally behind, they don't establish their own settlements and instead either infest the cities of other [[Underdark]] races like vermin, or are kept as slaves by the greater powers of the Underdark - the [[drow]] and the [[duergar]]. "Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes" makes it explicit that derro were once part of the [[duergar]] dwarf clan, but responded particularly badly to the [[illithid]] experiments, such that when [[Laduguer]] freed his people, he abandoned them as beyond saving.

As with the Oerthian derro, those of Faerun also fight their Uniting Wars, but these serve predominantly to manage their population; unlike dwarves, derro are quite a fecund race, maturing and breeding with considerable speed, although it's unclear if this means closer to [[human]] or closer to [[goblin]].

In pre-5e lore, [[Diirinka]] and [[Diinkarazan]] were said to be outcast kin of the [[Morndinsamman]]. In 5e lore, it's mentioned that the derro still worship these two brother-gods, but they are not believed to be real deities by the scholars of other races.

==[[Dragonlance|Krynn]]==
On the world of Krynn, whilst the derro proper are absent, two of the Mountain Dwarf clans embody different aspects of the Derro family tree, although it's noted in Dragon #241 that these are not "true" derro, which migrated from their birthworld of Oerth to other worlds in the multiverse.

The ''Theiwar'' are based upon the Derro Savants; hideously ugly creatures, with huge bulging eyes of gray or watery blue color, pale tan or yellow hair, and bone-white skin with bluish undertones. Uniquely amongst the mountain dwarves (at least in AD&D), theiwar have an affinity for magic, which allows them to not only take levels in the [[Cleric]] class, but also grants them spell-like abilities.

The ''Klar'' are based upon the "common" Derro; often forgotten from the list of dwarves native to Krynn, Klar are noted for their large eyes, their aversion to sunlight, and their rampant racial propensity towards insanity.

==[[Nentir Vale]]==
In the Nentir Vale, derro are explicitly ''not'' dwarves, but rather are the stunted, degenerate descendants of a mad human empire that attempted to draw power from the [[Far Realm]]. Needless to say, this was a fucking terrible idea, and they were so dangerous that the [[Primal Spirits|Primal Spirit]] known as the World Serpent reacted by dragging the entire proto-derro empire from the surface of the planet and imprisoning them in the depths of the [[Underdark]].

Locked away in the dark, trapped with their Far Realm rifts, the derro devolved into stunted, crazy horrors. In fact, they're known for being so absolutely batshit insane that even '''[[drow]]''' find them horrifying and have a "kill on sight!" order about the whole race! Absolutely '''nothing''' humanoid will voluntarily work alongside a derro, and they exult in that fact. Rampantly insane, still in-thrall to Far Realm worshipping witch-priests called Savants, the derro pursue a life of deranged violence and suffering, seeking to enslave, kill, devour and experiment upon everything else with the vague ultimate goal of unleashing their [[aberration]] masters upon the world.

==[[Golarion]]==
When [[Pathfinder]] learned they could get away with bringing derros into their own game, they decided the best way to do it was to try and more explicitly use the themes of the original Dero stories, which is expanded upon in the sourcebook "Classic Horrors Revisted".

Derro on Golarion are actually corrupted fey, descendants of the same root-stock as the [[Pech]], but diverged from them centuries ago when they fled a civil war amongst their race that brought them towards the surface. A combination of starvation, struggle and addiction to the one source of nourishment they managed to find, the brain-altering and toxic fungus, cytillesh, caused them to mutate into their current forms, whilst also afflicting them with racial insanity and wide-spread infertility.

This keeps the derro a fairly rare race, and this is a mercy; obsessed with understanding why the residents of the "Overburn" are not affected by the sun's rays in the way that they are, the derro conduct a ceaseless campaign of experimentation, performing all manner of insane and unholy regimes of gaslighting, dissection, vivisection, grafting and other forms of [[fleshcrafting]] - worse, because of their insanity, derro do not pass on the fruits of their labors, meaning that the race's goal is impossible to achieve, as each generation dismisses the works of its predecessors and starts over from scratch. They conduct endless nocturnal raids on the cities under which they establish their lairs, covering up their depredations with crude brainwashing (surgical, [[psionics]], or both) and assassination. Vicious cannibals, the only races they typically interact with are [[grimlock|morlocks]] and [[mongrelfolk]], whose flesh they regard as inedible.

==Derro PCs?==
Stats for playing a derro appeared under the [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] ruleset in issue #241 of [[Dragon Magazine]], in the article "Legacies of the Suel Imperium". 3rd edition technically also features playable derro in the Monster Manual, but it's one of those races where the DM is left to reverse-engineer it from the statblock.

For the 2e statblock...
::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 3/17, Dexterity 12/19, Constitution 3/18, Intelligence 9/19, Wisdom 3/17, Charisma 3/18
::Ability Score Adjustments: +1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence, -1 Strength, -1 Wisdom
::Class & Level Limits: [[Fighter]] 10, [[Wizard]] 12 (13 if Specialist), [[Thief]] 15
::Multi-class Options: Fighter/Mage, Fighter/Thief, Thief/Mage
::Thieving Skill Racial Adjustments: Pick Pockets +5%, Open Locks +5%, Hide in Shadows -5%, Detect Noise +30%, Climb Walls -10%, Read Languages -15%
::Hit Dice: By Class
::Natural Armor Class: 10
::Movement Base: 9
::Infravision 30 feet
::Free Blind-Fighting Proficiency
::Magic Resistance 30%; this applies against beneficial spells and magic items as well as against spells cast on the derro doesn't prevent a derro mage from casting spells.
::Mage-Savant: A derro wizard can Comprehend Languages and Read Magic at-will.
::Stonecunning: As per the Dwarf ability.
::Sunlight Allergy: Derro suffer a -2 penalty to all c ombat rolls, defensive adjustments and saving throws whilst exposed to sunlight or to magic that duplicates prolonged sunlight. They also suffer 1 hit point of damage per hour exposed to sunlight, of which only 1 hit point will heal naturally per day.
::Bad Reputation: The legendary reputation of derro as sadistic, torturing, slavers from below means that a derro's Charisma is capped at 8 when interacting with non-Derro.
::Religious Enemy: Human, dwarven and gnomish priests of Fortubu will attack derro on sight.
::Mandatory Weapon Proficiency: Dagger.
::Unstable Psions: A derro may have [[psionics|wild talents]], but cannot take the [[psion]]icist class.

==Monstergirls==
[[File:Pathfinder Derro.jpg|thumb|right|300px|You're her most precious experiment...]]
{{Monstergirls}}

Surely, you're thinking, the derro can't have received the monstergirls treatment? Well, you'd be...somewhat disappointed. The idea of sexy derro-girls is uncommon, to say the least, but it does exist, and mostly because of that one entry in the Pathfinder Inner Sea Monster Codex, combined with Pathfinder making female derro look surprisingly fappable.

So, if you're okay with crazy [[shortstack]]s whose flaws can range from mere delusions of grandeur through sadism and into yandere, derro just might be for you.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
<center>
File:Derro AD&D Sketch.gif
File:Derro and Duergar 2e.gif|The derro contrasted against its kinsfolk, the [[duergar]]. Can you pick which is which?
File:Derro 3e.jpg
File:PF Derro Magister.jpg
File:PF Derro Brainwasher.jpg
File:Derro 4e.jpg
File:Derro 5e 1.png
File:Derro 5e 2.jpg
</center>
</gallery>

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Races]] [[Category: Monsters]] [[Category: Greyhawk]]

Chieftain

2019-08-20T08:55:03Z

2601:1C0:5C80:28EF:C034:5C03:CFB:A8F7: /* IRL */

{{British}}

[[File:Cheiftain model.png|300px|right|thumb|Fear Naught.]]
{{topquote|You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.|Margaret Thatcher}}

The '''Chieftain''' is among the first successful designs which would embody the modern concept of a main battle tank. Deployed in 1966, the Chieftain was a breakthrough of tank design. While contemporary designs like the Leopard 1 and T-62 placed a premium on mobility at the expense of crew protection, the Chieftain swung the focus onto firepower and survivability at the expense of mobility. Toting the rifled 120mm L11 gun, a cupola mounted 7.62mm machine gun and a co-axial 7.62mm machine gun intended for ranging the main gun, it was among the best tanks at the time. Even in 1985, the Chieftain remained an intimidating foe for Soviet armor, despite 19 years of aging. Updated with laser rangefinders, NBC protection and the Stillbrew Package (Additional armor for the turret ring and turret front, not a box of Earl Greys), it served as the backbone of the British Armored Divisions, alongside mechanised infantry.

Contrary to US and German doctrine which placed an emphasis on anti-tank training in their Armored Corps, the Chieftain was expected to engage anything from [[BMP]]-mounted infantry to enemy [[T-72]]s. This is reflected in the force organisation of their battlegroups, whereby anti-tank capabilities were primarily entrusted to Anti-Tank Ground Missile(ATGM) equipped units. This is not to say that the Chieftain was ill-suited to fighting enemy armour; just that they served a far more general role to British military thinkers.

==In Team Yankee==
===United Kingdom===
[[File:Chieftain Stats.JPG|300px|left|thumb|The Stat Card]]
Despite being a generation behind the [[M1 Abrams]] and the [[Leopard 2]], the Chieftain mk.7/mk. 10 remains an excellent tank, with a cannon capable of turning tanks and entrenched troops inside out at the expense of mobility. For 6 points, you get a main gun with Stationary ROF 2, AT 22, 2+ Firepower, Laser Rangefinders, Smoke, Stabilizers and most importantly, BRUTAL. This rule sets the Chieftain apart as the only tank capable of effectively threatening infantry on the board, in addition to punching through NATO tanks with some luck. Canadian and ANZAC Leopard 1s are indeed cheaper and better at killing troops, but are dead in the water against the latest tanks: something the Chieftain giggles at, menacingly. It has the option to purchase Stillbrew for 1 point per tank, which bumps the Chieftain's front armor rating from a 17 to an 18, allowing it to survive BMP-1 missiles en-masse, and potentially saving a tank from a T-72 hit.

However, the Chieftain does not lack its weaknesses. In fact, it is the only NATO tank with moving ROF 1, making it a poor choice for the commander wishing to hit things with their sword. Lacking Chobham armour is another weakness of the tank, rendering it vulnerable to almost any side shots by anti-armor, with a pitiful side armor of 6 (10 vs HEAT with Bazooka Skirts). RPG teams, BMP-2 autocannons and anything heavier has a very high chance of bailing a Chieftain, if not killing it outright. Should the tank be outfitted with Stillbrew, it begins to suffer from a 3+ cross check, meaning that 1 in 3 Chieftains would bog down should you need to take a new firing position from that forest you just came out of. The lack of thermal vision also means that cunning Soviet commanders can simply blind the tank with smoke.

The decision to take stillbrew depends on your meta, rather than any tactical decisions on your part. Given that Chieftains are best suited to destroying the enemy from a fixed position, the 3+ cross check should not matter too much unless something has gone terribly wrong. Stillbrew would improve your chances against ATGMs and enemy tanks, but units like the Sturm, Hind and Frogfoot boast AT23 and AT27 missiles, easily killing Chieftains with or without Stillbrew. Even then, a flanking shot by these aircraft would automatically destroy them if hit.

TLDR: Good if your opponent cannot deal with stationary tanks, terrible otherwise. Also, these are amazing campers. Keep them as snipers if you bring Stillbrew.

The Chieftain comes in Troops of 2-3 vehicles, costing 6 points each. Stillbrew is +1pt per tank.

===Iran===
[[File:IRANCHEIFTAIN.jpg|300px|left|thumb|]]
Exported military hardware usually does not come with all the trimmings of same units deployed by the mother country. Such it is for the Chieftain exported by Great Britain to Iran. With but the basic layout, the Iranian Chieftain has no Stillbrew or Laser Rangefinder (although the latter is compensated for by the Accurate trait). It also has a less powerful engine, resulting in an even slower movement rate than the already underpowered British Chieftain. Most importantly, perhaps, is the lack of decent ammo, meaning that your 120mm cannon, which the Brits use to pulverise anything they meet, suddenly is hardly better than first generation tanks' ammo, struggling to damage any decent MBT.

At the same time, this is still a battle tank with stationary ROF 2 and brutal. When used as a stationary firebase, a platoon can do far more damage than a [[T-72]] against soft-skinned vehicles like BMPs and infantrymen.

Another major difference is the quality of the crew. With significantly lower stats than the Brits, the Iranians are obviously less trained; the Skill of 5+ as opposed to the Brits' 3+ is a prime example. However, the Iranians do have a better Morale, Courage, and Counterattack, suggesting a zealous, zero-fucks-given mentality in battle.

As such the Iranian Chieftain is an entirely different beast. The subpar ammo, as well as the crew's poor Skill, means you'll be less likely to hit targets, so this is no longer the excellent armoured sniper the Brits can field. Also, you're MUCH more likely to suffer from enemy hits, with your Eastern Bloc-style 'Is Hit On 3+' and a glaring lack of Stillbrew.

Of course, these drawbacks mean that you can field more units for the same points.

{{clear}}

==IRL==
[[File:B94b92cf9e4cec89287c6b8fa4121d33.jpg|300px|right|thumb|A Berlin Brigade Chieftain, cleverly blending into the grass.]]
[[File:Chieftain-tank.jpg|300px|right|thumb|"I'm the boogeyman, and I'm coming to getcha!"]]
The Chieftain has served from 1966 to 1995 in the British Army as part of the Royal Armored Corps, with its successor; the Challenger 1 borrowing many of the core concepts laid out by the Chieftain. A revolutionary design for its time, it introduced a reclining position for the driver which not only reduced the hull profile, but also greatly improved protection against enemy fire and is used in virtually all main battle tanks today. Contrary to contemporary designs like the T-62 and Leopard 1 which emphasized mobility and firepower (to a smaller extent), the Chieftain focused on protection and firepower at the expense of mobility leaving it as an unreliable, 60 tonne monster with the largest gun of the day. Doctrine of the time relied on Defence in Depth and Dynamic defense, resulting in NATO forces leapfrogging away from the Soviets along a series of defensive positions, giving them ground but making them pay dearly for it. Unlike the Patton and the Leopard 1, the Chieftain was far better suited to a stand-up tank on tank engagement due to its excellent armor. To make up for the chieftain's mobility issues the British saw fit to rethink their defensive fall backs and opt for more aggressive counter attacks. These flank attacks would be mobilized in such a way that NATO assaults would strike at the Soviet's heavily centralized command structures. Essentially cutting off the head of a snake as Soviet doctrine specifically forbid independent initiative.

Today, the Chieftain is considered obsolete, (it took on T72s in Iraq without suffering a single loss) having been replaced by the Challenger but is deployed by some Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan. It's design is still capable of taking on many of the Middle East's older Soviet platforms though.

By the way: about the challenger? Team Yankee starts in 1985, and the Challenger 1 was introduced in: 1983. While hardly a mainstay vehicle at that point It's quite likely we will get some Challengers as an expensive option at some point. 19 front armor. Period. The turret of the Chally was extra thicc. There were no guns at the time that would penetrate it.
The Challenger has been succeeded by the Challenger 2. A contemporary of the [[Leopard 2]] and the [[M1 Abrams]]. Considering how expensive the Challenger 2 is. Any replacement during the 2040s is likely to be a foreign platform.

As a fun fact: the reason so many British tanks name start with "C" is because there Main Battle Tanks are descended from there WWII era "Cruiser Tanks" whose name all start with C as a short hand for, cruiser (the Churchill was an exception).

{{British Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iranian Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Team Yankee]]
[[Category:Vehicles]]