Approved Vehicle M-3 Snowcrawler

[Brakkus]

M-3 Snowcrawler
Ando Mining Collective

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Super-heavy mining platform/refinery based upon existing Sandcrawler vehicles.
Image Source: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/D1doG
Canon Link: Sandcrawler
Permissions: Not Applicable
Primary Source: Not Applicable


PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Ando Mining Collective
Affiliation: Ando Mining Collective, Confederacy of Independent Systemss
Market Status: Open-Market
Model: Not Applicable
Modularity: Yes
Production: Mass-Produced
Materials:

Durasteel ​

Glasteel ​

Lead ​

Trimantium​

Electrical wiring ​

Telecommunication array ​

Nuclear fusion reactor ​

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Classification: Sandcrawler
Role: Mobile mining and refinery platform
Size: Very Large
Weight: Very Heavy
Armaments: Low

Twin light blaster cannons x4 ​

Heavy flamer​

Rocket pod ​

Defenses: Very High
Maneuverability Rating: Very Low
Speed Rating: Very Low
Propulsion: Tracks
Minimum Crew: 50
Optimal Crew:
Without refinery and mining team: 150
With refinery and mining team: 500+
Passenger Capacity: 750
Cargo Capacity: Very Large


SPECIAL FEATURES

Thermal shielding ​

Rad-dampening shielding ​

Industrial heating unit ​

Geophysical imaging ​

Mineral mining and refining ​

STRENGTHS

• Self-Sufficiency - Like previous generations of Sandcrawler-type vehicles, the M-3 Snowcrawler is built to operate in remote, hostile environments far from civilization. It is fully self-sufficient, capable of independently producing food, water, and essential supplies required to sustain its crew over extended periods. Its onboard reactor is engineered to run continuously throughout the vehicle's operational lifespan without needing internal maintenance or refueling.
• Environmental Protection - As with all M-series vehicles, the M-3 features advanced dual-redundancy environmental shielding. Energy-based thermal protection is paired with conventional ceramic heat shielding, providing robust defense on high-temperature worlds. Rad-dampening energy fields and a lead-lined superstructure protect personnel and electronics from ionizing radiation. In cold climates, a powerful industrial heating system maintains habitable conditions for the crew.
• Defensive Armament - Unlike its unarmed predecessors, the M-3 Snowcrawler comes equipped with defensive weapons. Twin blaster cannons provide side coverage, while a front-facing flame turret covers a narrow arc. A central rocket pod offers 360-degree targeting, including anti-air capability. While modest relative to the vehicle's size, these weapons are primarily intended to deter or eliminate aggressive native fauna rather than engage in large-scale combat.

WEAKNESSES

• Size and Weight- The M-3's immense size and mass restrict where it can safely operate. Although designed for subzero worlds, it is often too heavy to safely traverse frozen lakes or rivers, as the ice may collapse under its weight. Its colossal frame also results in sluggish speed and extremely limited maneuverability. It is among the largest—and slowest—ground-based vehicles in operation.
• High Cost - As the largest and most complex vehicle in the Ando Mining Collective's fleet, the M-3 carries an equally massive price tag. Functioning as a mobile refinery, mining platform, and autonomous support system, it combines multiple roles into one integrated machine. Its sheer scale increases logistical costs, as it must either be assembled on-site or transported whole from orbit—requiring a transport vessel with a hangar large enough to accommodate its full footprint.
• Crew Requirements - Even in its most basic operational mode—excluding refinery and mining functions—the M-3 requires an optimal crew of at least 150 personnel to maintain peak system performance, including those managing its hydroponic farms. When operating at full capacity with both refinery and mining systems engaged, this number increases to over 500+. The Snowcrawler can support up to 750 crew members through shared bunks and 24-hour rotating shifts.

DESCRIPTION

Introducing the newest and largest member of the Ando Mining Collective's Mining-Series (M-series): the M-3 Snowcrawler. Unofficially dubbed the "Sandcrawler II" (a name Ando Mining does not endorse due to copyright concerns), the M-3 is a fully self-sufficient, mobile mining and refining platform designed to operate for extended periods on some of the galaxy's most desolate and hostile worlds. Built for longevity, the Snowcrawler is capable of functioning independently for over five years without external support. It achieves this through integrated life-support, hydroponic agriculture, and in-house manufacturing capabilities.

The M-3 generates its own food, water, and essential materials during routine operation. Food production is handled by advanced hydroponic farms managed by trained cultivators, while additional nutrition is supplied through fungiculture in the lower decks. These mushroom farms thrive in the dark, humid conditions of the vehicle's lower superstructure and provide a fast-growing, nutrient-rich supplement to hydroponic crops.

Water is recycled continuously, with collection systems harvesting rainfall, snowfall, or icefall depending on the planetary environment. Spare parts for nearly all critical systems are stocked in abundance, but on especially long missions, parts can be replicated using onboard fabrication systems. Full blueprints are stored in the workshop, and replacement components can be cast using the foundry connected to the onboard refinery. The M-3 is powered by a sealed fusion reactor engineered to operate for over a decade with minimal maintenance and no refuelling. The reactor is inaccessible to crew during normal operations due to safety concerns but is designed for uninterrupted, long-term energy output.

Crew safety remains a cornerstone of M-series design. The M-3 features advanced dual-redundancy environmental shielding. Energy-based thermal shielding is paired with ceramic composite plating to resist extreme temperatures, while rad-dampening fields and a lead-lined frame protect against ionizing radiation. An industrial-scale heating system, powered by excess heat from the fusion core, maintains internal temperatures in sub-zero conditions. The entire vehicle is fully pressurized and equipped with a robust life-support system, supplying breathable air even in toxic or atmosphere-thin environments.

Although not built for combat, the M-3 is equipped with basic defensive weaponry to repel native wildlife and prevent interruptions to mining operations. Remote-controlled twin blaster turrets cover each flank, while a front-facing flamethrower serves dual purposes: melting obstructive ice and deterring threats. A centrally-mounted rocket pod offers 360° targeting and limited anti-aircraft capability. These weapons are deliberately minimal and are not intended for offensive use. In the event of a sustained engagement with a trained or heavily-armed force, the M-3's defences would be quickly overwhelmed.

The Snowcrawler serves as a mobile command centre and processing hub for mining teams. Its colossal storage capacity allows it to house heavy mining equipment, raw ore, refined minerals, gases, and liquids. Most storage compartments are mounted externally in reinforced modular containers. The M-3's upper deck features multiple landing pads, enabling freighters to dock directly with the vehicle for fast and efficient cargo transfers. Heavy-lift equipment, including a gantry crane and two ring cranes (one at the front, one at the rear), assist with the loading and unloading of supplies and processed materials.

The M-3 utilizes an eight-track configuration, granting it impressive terrain-handling capabilities. It can crush forests, climb steep inclines, and ford shallow bodies of water—albeit at very low speeds. The track system distributes the vehicle's immense weight, minimizing (though not eliminating) the risk of ground collapse. While repulsorlift systems offer greater maneuverability, tracked propulsion ensures durability and consistent performance in rough or unstable terrain.

​

 

[MANIAC]

Brakkus

Very cool sub! However it has several Extreme or larger rating, because of these, it can be only Unique or Semi-Unique. I would like to ask you to modify the production scale or the rating:

6. Extreme ratings require justification and elaboration in the main body of the submission.
7. Extreme ratings must be submitted as Semi-Unique or Unique.

You can find this in the Factory rules (General Submission Guidelines section)

And there are several discrepancies in the template and pre-made fields, I would like to ask you to fix them as well.

 

[Brakkus]

Thanks!

it has several Extreme or larger rating, because of these, it can be only Unique or Semi-Unique. I would like to ask you to modify the production scale or the rating:

I have downgraded all Extreme ratings on the submission.

All discrepancies between the template and pre-made field have also been corrected to the best of my knowledge— if I have missed any, just give me a shout!

 

[MANIAC]

Brakkus

Thank you!

Approved.