In the years before the Age of War began, the military industrial complex of the Terran Hegemony spent their time preparing for the conflict they knew would come. Too many star systems were merging to form tiny little states, obstinant in their independent thoughts and too stubborn to realize they belonged to Terra. They knew the time would come when Terra would return and rule them all, but to do that they would need more ships. When scientists created the first IndustrialMechs, the military industrial complex recognized how valuable they could be and instantly began putting them to use in the space ship construction yards.
         The standard YardMech rarely sees the surface of a planet, instead remaining in the yard it works at as long as it works. Multi-directional jets in the torso can move the YardMech in a null-gee environment, allowing it to quickly move from position to position to perform its work. Advanced manipulators include many tools that can perform almost any task needed, and welders can be used to attach anything from armor plates to simply melting a control run into place. Cargo bays in the torso can be used to carry anything from building materials to extra air to fuel for the jets.
         Though the Succession Wars and the Jihad destroyed most of the YardMechs, not to mention the yards themselves, of the Inner Sphere, the remaining YardMechs continue to do their work as they have for centuries. New production of the YardMechs in the last several decades has greatly expanded the production potential of the Human Sphere, helping to make spacecraft far more common than they were during the depths of the Succession Wars.