Prairie Dog
This ancestor of the modern Heavy Gear is designed for prospecting.
Like many Terranovan walker designs, the Prairie Dog’s frame is based in part on the Hardhat modular vehicle system that was used by the early colonists. The Prairie Dog is slightly nimbler and faster than the Groundhog, another common commercial model, but not quite as strong. It also has a greater deployment range, a necessary feature considering it must move from one potential mining site to another, and is equipped with a superior sensor array to detect large dense masses and to analyze mineral compositions.
The Prairie Dog is semi-modular, which means that its regular pincertipped arms can be exchanged for whatever other tools are required by a relatively simple operation that only takes a one or two hours to perform. Common tools include specialized lift pads for heavy crates, power cutters for logging operations and trenchers for digging.
Usage
The standard machine is used for prospecting, but there are many other variants used for light construction, forestry work and heavy machinery repair. The military also uses a light engineering type equipped with a small crane and the other tools required for demolition and construction tasks. Parts are not as easy to replace as those of the Groundhog, and this, combined with the Prairie Dog's greater complexity, reduces its service life compared to its predecessor.
For the past two hundred cycles, Badlands rovers have been modifying Prairie Dogs for combat. The tools are replaced by stolen heavy anti-personnel weaponry, and some thick metal plates are welded and/ or bolted on top of the frame. The additional weight makes for a slow and clumsy, but sturdy weapon platform and offers a reasonable amount of protection.