Re: [FT] SUS - Tractor Beams

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.

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%.

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)

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.

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.

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


Noam