Re: [FT] SUS - Tractor Beams

In message <B09B73A9-B4FC-11D6-88E7-000393071770@jhuapl.edu>
	  Noam Izenberg <noam.izenberg@jhuapl.edu> wrote:

> CST quoting AD:
> 
> >> Most of the ideas about tractor beams give a thrust rating on the
> >> enemy ship opposed to it's movement. However, I've never seen
> >> tractors as being so subtle. The idea of tractors seems to me to be
> >> to grapple an opponent and drag them closer.
> 
> This is incomplete, IMO. Tractors are used to 2) hold an opponent at 
> bay, 3) tow a friendly, and in some genres 4) push an object away or
5) 
> force it to change orientation.
> 
> Re concept 1:
> 
> I much prefer MASS of the firing and target ship to be the defining 
> factor of the tractor power and ability. And, this concept ignores 
> functions 2-5 mentioned above.

Actually, I assumed that Tractor beams are always also pressor/repulsor
beams (for reasons I outlined), which covers functions 2), 3) (in
conjunction with the tractor function), and 4).
> 
> Re concept 2:
> 
> I agree with Charles	that this is an 'relative inertia sink' rather 
> than a tractor beam.
> 
> Re: Charles' rules:
> 
> > Each Tractor Beam has a rating, which is the amount of 'thrust' it
can
> > apply to a ship of the same mass as the ship mounting the Tractor
Beam,
> > at close range.
> 
> This I like.
> 
> > If it is applied through the FP or FS arcs, then half of the pull is
> > added to the ship's current speed, and the ship makes a 2-point turn
> > towards the tractoring vessel (in addition to any MD and manoeuvres
in
> > the written orders).
> 
> Forcing the target to turn should be an additional "attack" of the 
> tractor beam, not a given, especially in Cinematic. Or apply the 
> "tractor points" rolled on attack to forcing the ship to turn (scaled
by 
> mass. 1 point : 1 clock facing if the target is < 50% mass of
tractoring 
> ship	2:1 if	 50%<ratio<200%, 3:1 or 4:1 if	ratio < 200%.

The reason for tractor beams forcing a turn if applied though a side arc
_in_cinematic_movement_ is an attempt to have a tractor beam that
affects the velocity of the ship, rather than a (less realistic IMHO)
one-off pull/push effect.

Note that, in _vector_ movement, this turning does not occur, and the
movement vector caused by the tractor beam is added to that of the
affected ship.
> 
> You could alternately PSB the tractor beam as a Projected Gravitic 
> Drive. The cost and mass look right - the same as a main drive. This 
> also solves the "towing" concept as well:
>   A ship with a tractor can tow inert masses (dead or willing ships, 
> asteroids, etc) Add the total mass (M) of the tractoring ship plus 
> target mass. Dtermine the total mass (T) of Main Drive + Tractor Beam.

> Divide T/M by .05 and round fractions down (i.e. - without math - 
> determine how much thrust a Main drive of mass T can give a ship of
Mass 
> M)

Hmm.. how would this be applied in the game?, enable the tractoring ship
to write orders for its target? (IIRC, one of the suggestions in the
UFTWWWP uses this mechanic).
> 
> Kinetic Supression Beam is wacky, but looks OK.
> 
> Tractor Shears:
> I think an opposed tractor beam should work as a tractor shear. It
rolls 
> defensively just as the attacking tractor rolls offensively. If you
want 
> defense to be easier than offense, make the defensive roll 2 dice per 
> point of Tractor strength.

Tractor shears are inspired by those in the Lensman books - but weaker
(the Lensman version seemed to impart immunity to tractor beams).
> 
> Spinner Beams - I think this should be an alternate function of
tractors 
> -as noted above.
> 
> Icon (silly): A U-magnet (top/bottom = white/black.
> Icon (serious) An open V in facing arc with a double arrow pointing
into 
> and out of the V.

I think I prefer the latter - I'll try and draw one :-)
> 
> Alternate use of Tractor as weapon: Tractor Repulsor Beam:
>	Same range bands as tractor beam.
>	Same dice as tractor beam
>	Screens hav no effect.
>	Damage application 1 to Armor (if any), then 1 to hull for each 
> damage row, then repeat, to represent the effect of the entire ship 
> being shaken apart.
>	Mass issues: Target <50% Mass of attacker: Damage to target as 
> tractor dice roll
>			     50%<Target <100% Damage to target = half
tractor dice roll
>			     100%-200% Damage to Target  = half tractor
dice roll; 
> Damage to Attacker = 1/4 dice roll.
>			      200%+ Damage to target = 1/4, Damage to
attacker = 1/2
>			
>
As used by:

SFB Andromedeans

Starfire Capital Force Beams use this principle as well IIRC.

And at least one other SF book whose name I forget, IIRC, these were
actually designed for agricultural purposes, and were hastily converted
into rather nasty weapons.

> Noam
> 
> 
> "Ah! An impregnable Zero!"   (Noam Raphael Izenberg)
> 
>
Charles