RE: [FT] SUS - Tractor Beams

In message <A8877251964B294BAB5BA1FC58B43FED613838@molly.tas.csiro.au>
	  Beth.Fulton@csiro.au wrote:

> G'day,
> 
> > There have been a number of implementations of Tractor Beams, 
> > a 'staple' in SF, posted on the Web over the years, 
> > but for some reason, they've
> > been missed out of the WDA...
> 
> How did that happen? ;)
> > Simple Tractor Beam Rules
> > =========================
> > For the sake of utility, any 'tractor beam' is also a 'Pressor Beam'
> 
> Makes sense.
> 
> > Tractor Beams are 'fired' during the Launch Ordnance phase: Tractor
> > beams have full strength out to a range of 6 mu, and half strength
> > (round down) out to a range of 12 mu, each further +6 mu halves the
> > strength again.
> > 
> > Roll a number of D6s equal to the Tractor Beam strength (modified
for
> > range), resolve the D6s as beam dice, but without re-rolls. The
total
> > number of 'hits' inflicted is the 'pull' applied
> 
> Good idea.
> 
> > Summary of effects
> > tractee < 1/2 MASS tractor then tractee moves 2xpull toward tractor
> > tractee >= 1/2 MASS and <2xMASS tractor then both move pull toward
each
> other
> > tractee >= 2xMASS tractor then tractor moves 2xpull toward tractee
> 
> So this is why Voyager never tried to tractor the Borg ;P ;)
> 
> Given that the distance between the two ships closes by 2xpull
regardless of
> result, was there some firm decision on this point or was it a happy
> accident? In vector I wouldn't imagine a lot of defence in the overall
end
> result (though it would be helpful in gravity wells I'll grant you) is
there
> a subtly I'm missing in cinematic?

It's a quick'n'dirty approximation, I'm trying to have the tractor beam
alter the velocity of the affected ships, rather than simply moving the
closer together (or further apart). The relative motion is the same,
regardless of the MASSes of the ships, but the relative motion between
these ships and any others in play is not.
> 
> > In Cinematic..if...through...(F) arc, it is
> > added to the ship's current speed...
> > If...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...
> 
> Now that is a pretty impressive turn!

In response to comments from Noam, I've removed this 'turning' ability.
> 
> > A Tractor Beam requires MASS equal to 5% of that of the carrying
ship,
> > per rating, and has a cost of 5 points per MASS. It has a 
> > single arc of fire, for 50% extra cost, and can cover 2 arcs, and
for 
> > double the MASS and cost, it can be increased to 3-arc coverage.
> 
> Ahh let me see if I got this right.
> 1-arc = 5% per level
> 2-arc = 7.5% per level
> 3-arc = 10% per level
> 
> ????
Yes - is this too much, do you think? (or not enough).
> 
> Couple of questions.
> 1) does the tractor hold in FTL? If yes you should probably note you
need
> either 3-arc tractors or level2 tractors to do it otherwise no-one
will ever
> bother buying an FTL tug again ;)

I'd say No, - you need a FTL-tug to do this.

> 2) How about ships how try to anticipate/break a tractor lock by
"burning"
> off in the opposite direction (assuming their engines hold-out)? You
could
> have something like 
> 
> a) If a ship in tractor lock burns at full thrust along a coarse
directly
> opposite to the tractor beam path then at the end of movement it
checks
> range to tractor ship and rolls a D6. Range 0-6 a 6 is needed to break
free,
> at 6-12mu they need a 5+, at 12-18 a 4+, 18-24 a 3+, 24-36 a 2+, a
roll of 1
> always fails. If the roll fails an engine threshold is caused. Is the
roll
> succeeds the tractor lock is broken and the tractor ship must roll for
that
> tractor on the current threshold level.
> 
> OR
> 
> b) If a ship in tractor lock burns along a coarse directly opposite to
the
> tractor beam path with MD > the pull rolled by the tractor ship then
the
> lock is broken.

Of the 2, I'd prefer the second, OTOH, the tractor beam I've described
does not so much 'lock', but rolls for effect each turn.
> 
> > Kinetic Suppression Beam
> > ========================
> > This reduces the velocity of the target ship.
> > Summary:
> > Target < 1/2 MASS of tractor ship, target drops speed by 2D6 mu.
> > Targets >= 1/2 MASS and < 2xMASS of tractor ship, drop speed by 1D6
mu.
> > Targets > 2xMASS drop speed by 1 mu.
> > Targets > 4xMASS or more are unaffected.
> 
> I know its a different system, but is there any reason that this
4xMASS
> threshold doesn't apply to tractor beams too (if I were captaining a
hug
> lumbering vessel I may not want a bunch of little ships tractoring me
so
> they could hitch a ride!)

Well, I couldn't see any reason to apply such a limit to tractor beams
- more detailed tractor rules could take into account the 'drag' factor
of tractored ships - using Noam's 'tractor tug' rule?
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Beth
>
Thanks,

Charles