Traveller: AN-72 Construction Mech

When you’ve been around as long as JBE has, you look at your older work and can be proud of what you did for your level of experience but can’t help but see how you can do things better. Creatures of Distant Worlds is a prime example of this. The MGT 1e version of the book was a solid monster book, but it was a struggle to produce even that little book and we were limited by the fact we had enough of an art budget to buy one stock art pack and make creatures around that. So when we produced the 2e version—Foreven Worlds: Creatures of Distant Worlds—we had had 10 years of previously commissioned artwork as a library we could draw upon as well as a budget to commission new art when we felt it appropriate.

The same can be said for Mech Tech ‘n’ bot: Mech Squadrons. While we are proud of our first book that went to distribution, it also was developed years before there were vehicle rules; every vehicle inside was made as a small ship. Now that we’re creating Solomani Worlds: Vehicles from the Rim, we’re making these vehicles with, obviously, the vehicle creation rules. Next, we’re not limiting ourselves to just mechs. Mechs are cool and all, but you gotta love grav ships flying around. (I am making no comments on whether or not I make my own sound effects of grav ships flying around.) But to circle back to mechs a moment, I still love some of the artwork and ideas behind some of those early mechs. While all the mech stats are new there are some that take their design cues and even one from the artwork of those days gone by.

Enter the AN-72 Construction Mech. I still believe that a mech with two arms can replace many specialized vehicles. Why have a giant vehicle with a cutting blade when you can give a two-armed mech a giant electric saw. Why have an excavator when you can give the two-armed mech a giant excavator-like tool. Think of it as a Bobcat but with two legs, can bend over, climb up the side of the scaffolding, and can dribble. I mean, imagine a giant mech basketball team. Let’s see Bobcat do that. :p

Speak of giant mech basketball, you can play just such a character with the Athlete (vehicle sports) career, found in Foreven World’s Careers: Beyond the Claw. Download this book today exclusively at DriveThruRPG.

Name AN-72 Construction Mech
TL 12
Skill Drive (walker)
Agility +2
Speed (Cruise) Medium (Slow)
Range (Cruise) 450 km (675 km)
Crew 1
Passengers 0
Cargo 0.5 ton
Hull 18
Shipping 4 tons
Cost Cr. 188,550
Equipment/Traits
Autopilot (Improved),Communication System (Improved, Increased Range), Computer/2, Control System (Enhanced), Fire Extinguishers, Manipulator Arm (Advanced, 2), Navigation (Basic), Sensors (Basic), Structural Reinforcement

AN-72H Hostile Construction Mech (Short Term Life Support) Cr. 340,100
AN-72C Corrosive Construction Mech (Short Term Life Support) Cr. 385,100
AN-72V Vacuum Construction Mech (Short Term Life Support) Cr. 385,100
AN-72I Insidious Construction Mech (Short Term Life Support) Cr. 745,100

Autopilot (skill level) 1
Communications (range) 5,000 km
Navigation (Navigation DM) +1
Sensors (Electronics (sensors) DM) +0, 1 km
Camouflage (Recon DM) —
Stealth (Electronics (sensors) DM) —

Armour
Front 35
Rear 35
Sides 35