compiled overview of the 30
ton Spider 'Mech, from various
BattleTech novels and game sourcebooks:
The SDR-5V
Spider is the crowning triumph of
Newhart Interstellar Industries' long history of armament manufacture. The firm produced mostly aero-space fighters; the
Spider was their first and only entry into the
BattleMech market.
In 2650, the
Star League requisitioned a special
'Mech for its elite
commando forces.
Newhart Interstellar Industries responded so quickly that most of the other
'Mech manufacturing firms were left sitting in the dust. Newhart had, in fact, already designed the SDR series, which easily exceeded the minimum standards for a lightweight recon/attack
'Mech. They were already geared up for immediate production, and so the
Star League awarded Newhart the contract.
The
Spider got its name from its front armor alignment, which resembles a
Spiderweb. The seams between the armor plates are filled with a bright red fiberglass sealant, which emphasizes the pattern.
The SDR-5V was conceived as a fast-moving
'Mech with ample firepower and the ability to operate for an extended period of time without support. To fulfill the latter requirement, very reliable parts were used on the
Spider, which keeps maintenance cycles to a minimum. The
'Mech's firepower consists of two center torso-mounted
Aberdovey Mark III medium lasers. Though more expensive than the common
Martell medium lasers, they are considered the top quality available.
Jump capacity set this
'Mech above and beyond modified versions of the
Locust and other
recon 'Mechs. The
jump jet system was designed to make standard leaps and also to vary the leap trajectory by pivoting the jets in flight. The jump variables made possible by this design capability play
havoc with even the most sophisticated targeting systems.
The
Spider's only real design flaw is that its particular configuration of armor and sensors leave no room for a pilot escape system.
In case of emergency, the
Spider pilot is forced to manually reach the lower hatch to exit the
'Mech.
Very few SDR-5V
Spiders were left in the
Successor States after
the fall of Star League. When
House Marik discovered a supply bunker containing several functional
Spiders on the planet
Keystone in their sphere, they quickly absorbed the
'Mechs into their forces.
In the battle for
Styk within
House Liao space in 2934, units from
Marik's Militia attacked attached units of
House Fujita's Second Battalion. While defending the ruins of the city of
Devonshire, the Second found itself under attack by the Militia forces' several
Spiders. Using a series of close-combat attacks such as jumping, the
Spiders cut through
Liao's outer defenses, making it possible for
Marik forces to control the city for several hours,
looting it of supplies.
In 2970,
House Steiner made use of several
Spiders in a fast raid on the
Kurita-held world of
LaBlon. As part of the
Twelfth Star Guards, the
Spiders
moved in on the rear area of a
Kurita supply dump. As they hit one area, the other raiders struck in force from another location. This tactic allowed
Steiner to cut down the spread-out
Kurita troops, which could not rally in time to stop their attackers from taking the supplies to a waiting
DropShip.
House Davion was desperate to gain control of several
Spiders to supplement its own forces, as they were forced to scrap theirs for parts during the
First Succession War. In 3000,
House Davion's elite First Guards staged a
commando-style raid on a
'Mech repair facility on the
House Marik world
Sirius. Far from their own territory, the attacking forces dropped just outside of the facility and took what they came for, five
Spiders that had been brought in for research and
preventive maintenance. Despite heavy damage given by
Marik's support, the Guards took few losses and succeeded in getting the
Spider 'Mechs they had come for.
Another military unit reported to have possession of
Spiders is the elite
Wolf's Dragoons. Reports from various battlefields state that the Dragoons make use of an entire
lance of
Spiders, though these reports are not easily confirmed.
Note: Information used here was the domain of FASA before they split the rights between Wizkids LLC and Microsoft (table-top gaming and video games respectively). Copyright of the fluff text is in limbo, but names of persons, places, & things are without any doubt the property of Wizkids LLC. Use of any terms here related to the BattleTech trademark are not meant as a challenge to Wizkids LLC's rights.