The Mobile SHD Servers are portable servers designed by Ortiz Robotics. They are used by Division agents as a failsafe in case the SHD Network is compromised or they're operating in rural areas of the United States where the range of the SHD Network or a local ISAC node are spotty and can't be relied on.
History[]
Before the outbreak[]
After negative feedback from Calvin McManus in regard to deploying Warhounds for embedded Division agents, Ortiz Robotics worked on the Mobile SHD Server. Alexander Ortiz presented it to Cal, though the latter wasn't impressed, as it looked like a briefcase to him at first. Furthermore, Cal chews out at Alex as having a mobile SHD server in a leather briefcase with a Phoenix medallion would arouse suspicions for any embedded agents in the rural parts of the United States. He then requested to have the briefcase metallic, have the outside blank, and the Phoenix logo in a loading screen. The Ortiz couple followed through that feedback, realizing that it wouldn't make a "farmer looking like a lawyer". (Descent: Comm#4, Mobile Prototype)
Later on, the servers were used in the field tests in the Descent Combat Simulation Program. Cal was impressed by the results, and was even more impressed when Claire Ortiz informed him that Natalya Sokolova wasn't aware of this (at least not until later) and those servers are insurance policy against a potential coup. (Descent: Comm#5, Ordered)
At a later point, Ortiz Robotics had shipped the Mobile Servers to rural parts of the country, where Cal expressed it was overkill, but was convinced otherwise when the co-founder Alexander Ortiz told him that Sokolova ordered a lot of Warhound for a possibility of war, and those servers are insurance to prepare Division agents against such conflict. (Descent: Comm#25, Deployed)
Tom Clancy's The Division 2[]
While the SHD Network was going through the blackout, JTF Specialist Jack Arnold and her squad Proteus had a mobile SHD server with them while they were sent to Kenly College, so they could maintain contact with the agents. However, as revealed in comms from Year 5 Season 2, Jack and her squad were sent to Kenly by order from Agent Brian Johnson to bring the server, though they never got to meet him there. During their investigation of Kenly College, they were ambushed and killed by Outcast forces, leaving Jack Arnold as the only survivor. The Outcasts looted the supplies, including the Mobile SHD Server. Desperate, Jack sent a distress call before being captured by Outcasts. (Field Data: SitRep 19:00, SitRep 8:00)
After the SHD Network was restored, the Division intercepted the distress call and were sent to Kenly College to find survivors. During the fighting, they managed to disrupt the Outcasts' plans, recover the Mobile SHD server, and rescued Jack Arnold. (Expedition: Kenly College)
A while later, Jack Arnold was working maintenance on the mobile SHD server, then caught glimpse of recording files. She managed to back-up a few just in case, as the original files were removed after the server finished charging. She personally shared the recordings to Manny Ortega, which showed conversations between Calvin McManus and Natalya Sokolova, as well as The Recruiter. (Manhunt: Puppeteers, Comms#12/13/14, Transmission 1, Transmission 2, Transmission 3)
Reign of Fire[]
While the Division focused on Stovepipe and his Lieutenants, Natalya Sokolova used this distraction to launch an attack on the White House. After the agents survived the ambush at Coney Island, they were sent right outside the Base of Operations to counter the assault. It was thanks to the Mobile SHD Server that they were able to keep using their SHD tech as Black Tusk deployed a countermeasure that compromised the SHD Network. After the assault, the SHD Network got restored, though the fact that their enemy used a countermeasure that compromised their tech reeled them. (Take Back the White House)
Puppeteers[]
After Mari Singh was rescued from her custody, the Mobile SHD server suffered some setbacks. Around the same time, Agent Brian Johnson made his aappearance helping the Division in rescuing more civilians. In reality, however, he only worked with them to have his hands on the Mobile SHD Server.
During the Division's assault on Camp White Oak to rescue Birdie Malik, Johnson took the server from Pilot Torres, hoping to deliver it to Sokolova and end this conflict once and for all. However, thanks to Birdie's assistance, the agents managed to defeat Johnson and recovered the server. (Camp White Oak: The Recruiter)
After Birdie was sent to the Castle Settlement, she was debriefed by Manny regarding Sokolova's intentions with the Mobile SHD Server. Birdie revealed that Nat wanted the server, so she could improve Black Tusk's tech. (Manhunt: Puppeteers, Comm#25, Birdie)
Vanguard[]
During their investigation of Agent Kelso's missing trail in New York City, Division agents learned via notes left behind by Kelso about "The Key" that could compromise the tech used by Black Tusk and the Hunters. After their investigation of the Financial District, agents intercepted a found footage of Kelso in a safehouse, revealing a special SHD crate and an ECHO left behind by Rogue Agent Aaron Keener. However, due to lacking two-factor authentication, Kelso couldn't open the crate and was zapped and left unconscious. (Found Footage: ECHO)
In their assault against Black Tusk and True Sons forces in the Stranded Tanker to find Kelso, agents found the special SHD crate and attempted to open it, only to be shocked and put unconscious. Using this opportunity, Keener cloned ANNA to his watch, opened the crate revealing the "The Key" is a Mobile SHD Server. Taking the server with him, he left New York City via a van alongside Theo Parnell and (now Rogue) Kelso. (Stranded Tanker: Alani Kelso)
Burden of Truth[]
As it would turn out, the Mobile SHD Server that was shown at the end of Vanguard was Faye Lau's. At the end of Agent Kelso's trail, Division agents went to Roosevelt Island where they'd recover the server after eliminating the True Sons who were after the server as well.
After the True Sons were dealt with, the agents recovered the server and play a reconstructed ECHO, where it revealed President Ellis deliberately transferred his clearance for the Ark Protocol to Lau's watch before she killed him, as he didn't want Natalya to acquire it, knowing the danger it posed if she had it. (Roosevelt Island: Alani Kelso)
Design[]
The Mobile SHD Server's design is very similar to portable servers. At first, the briefcase was designed with leather. However, the briefcase's design was later changed to a metal one as seen in the game
In-game, the back of the server has the Strategic Homeland Division's phoenix insignia. On the front, it has a keyboard and the screen shows a loading screen with SHD's insignia alongside its motto and an orange background.
Given that Mobile SHD Servers are connected to the SHD Network, they are designed to be used by agents deployed in rural areas of the United States or in areas where there's no SHD nodes or the range of SHD Network is unreliable. This allows them to keep using their comms and skills as the SHD Network is the lifeline for Division agents on the field.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The Mobile SHD Servers also play a major part in the Operation Crossroads novels, as Maira and her fellow agents use one during their mission in Compromised to ensure their SHD tech work properly.