Venom

The Venom was built in direct response to losses suffered by the Draconis Combine during the Clan Invasion and to boost sales for Nimakachi Fusion Products Limited. The company, which at the time was producing only the Spider, was forced to comply with an order by Coordinator Takashi Kurita himself that 'Mech manufacturers make up for the losses suffered by the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery. Their need was particularly great on account of the lack of salvaging opportunities during the Invasion, however Nimakachi decided that with their limited resources a simple increase in Spider production might backfire on them should the fighting slow down. Instead the company chose to develop a larger version of the Spider, one which replicated the mobility of the smaller 'Mech while utilizing as much new and recovered technology it could get from the Combine.

The DCMS was so pleased with the final design they ordered large numbers of Venom 'Mechs from Nimakachi, and the first production models rolled off the assembly line in January 3050. These first Venoms were deployed along the Periphery border to defend against pirate attacks, but soon the 'Mech spread throughout the DCMS until examples could be found in nearly every line regiment. With its reputation as a deadly light 'Mech, the Venom continued to serve prominently in the DCMS for many years, new variants continually improving its longevity in the face of competition.

Weapons and Equipment
At five tons heavier than the Spider, the Venom nevertheless perfectly replicates its progenitor's excellent mobility, including a cruising speed of 86.4 km/h and eight Jump Jets split between the rear side torsos for a total jumping distance of 240 meters. It also improves upon the Spider's firepower by mounting four Tronel XII Medium Pulse Lasers, two each in either side torso, which allow the 'Mech to strike an enemy with a blistering barrage of lasers when in close combat. This was achieved through the use of an eight-ton 280-rated XL fusion engine, which freed up space for these improvements while giving the 'Mech its only downside. When combined with a relatively light three and a half tons of Ferro-Fibrous Armor, any solid penetration of the side torsos is likely to result is destruction of the engine and the 'Mech itself. Ideally though the 'Mech should be capable of using its maneuverability to compensate for this, outrunning any 'Mech it does not wish to engage while hunting down other light recon 'Mechs.

Variants

 * SDR-9KA : The 9KA variant of the Venom is a simple modification that intends to increase the 'Mechs protection at the cost of firepower. Introduced in 3056 it does this by removing one of the medium pulse lasers and replacing it with an additional two tons of armor, increasing the total armor protection to five and a half tons. BV (1.0) = 677, BV (2.0) = 865


 * SDR-9KB : The 9KB variant of the Venom is a modification, introduced in 3057, intended to increase both the 'Mechs protection and its anti-infantry capabilities. This is done by removing one of the medium pulse lasers and replacing it with a single Machine Gun with a half ton of ammunition. The remaining ton has been used to increase the 'Mechs armor. BV (1.0) = 638, BV (2.0) = 769


 * SDR-9KC : A radical refit of the Venom introduced in 3066, the 'Mech has been modified to use an Endo Steel chassis, mounts eleven double heat sinks, and removes one of the medium pulse lasers. The 'Mech uses the saved weight to mount a single C3 Slave unit, making the Venom capable of sharing targeting telemetry. Leftover weight is used to mount an additional armor for a total of seven tons. BV (1.0) = 702, BV (2.0) = 842


 * SDR-9KE : Intended for extended recon missions and deep strikes, this 'Mech carries a single ER Medium Laser and ER Flamer for weapons. It uses a Partial Wing to move great distances, and is also equipped with Remote Sensor Dispenser and Mine Dispensers.

Design Quirks
The Venom has the following Design Quirks:
 * Nimble Jumper
 * Difficult Ejection

Related Battlemechs

 * Spider - The Venom was essentially an upgrade to the Spider, based on the same chassis.