The third 'Mech in the Marauder series, the Maelstrom did not make it off the drawing board and into production before the fall of the Star League. As more of the Gray Death memory core was decoded, manufacturers across the Inner Sphere gradually re-learned the Star League's technological secrets. Armed with this new technology, GM moved ahead with plans to produce the three remaining 'Mechs in the Marauder series.
         Having little room left at its Kathil plant to manufacture the Maelstrom at the time, GM sold licensing rights to Norse-Storm Technologies. Norse-Storm built the Maelstrom at its new factory on Solaris VII. In 3064 GM expanded the Kathil plant to build it and many Kathil Maelstroms fought during the Civil War, often against Solarian Maelstroms. Norse-Storm's factory of course fell to the Word and did not survive the Jihad, but they rebuilt during the 3080s and, along with GM, have continued producing the effective design to this day.

         The two manufacturers build them with different systems. Because of this, Solarian and Kathil Maelstorms have some minor differences in capabilities. Often a MechWarrior that pilots a Solarian Maelstrom will refuse to pilot a Kathil Maelstrom because "it doesn't feel right" or a myriad of other complaints. The reverse most often applies as well.
         Their base benchmarks are comparable though, allowing a single document to approach them as a single design. Both Maelstroms are similar to the Marauder and improve on it in some ways. They use an extra light engine, either Pitban or GM, which gives the 'Mech a top speed of 86 kph. To help the pilot stay in combat longer, the designers used double heat sinks to help dissipate the excess heat generated by the 'Mech's impressive state-of-the-art weapons.
         The primary weapon is a Defiance 1001 or Johnston High Speed extended-range PPC, which gives the Maelstrom excellent range and striking power. Coupled with the ER PPC is a RAMTech 1200X or BlazeFire Sweetshot extended-range large laser. Two RAMTech 800P or Intek medium pulse lasers and a Defiance B3S or another Intek small laser round out the Maelstrom's arsenal. The BattleMech also has excellent armor protection--fourteen and a half tons of Durallex Heavy or Kallon Royalstar Heavy Type K armor are spread across the Maelstrom's frame. Finally, CherrySeed Bullseye or Garret Mole Target Acquistion Gear enables it to act as an artillery or guided missile spotter.

         Kathil Maelstroms see heavy use in the Federated Suns Mercenary Command and rarely has a Maelstron failed to leave an impression. Norse-Storm markets their Solarian Maelstroms to the Solaris Irregulars and to any mercenary unit in the Allied Mercenary Command. Units outside the AMC sometimes acquire them as well, but Norse-Storm does not officially market them outside approved channels. Interestingly, the design was first produced and used by the Draconis Combine during the height of the Inner Sphere's cooperation against the Clan invaders, hence the "K" designation. The Combine's factory did not survive the Jihad though, and almost all of their Maelstroms followed it into extinction.