Build:Tractor Beams
8.16 Tractor Beams
Starships sometimes have to manipulate large objects (such as other ships or asteroids) at a distance from the ship. Examples include towing a derelict or damaged vessel, stopping an enemy ship from fleeing, and clearing a path through an asteroid belt. To do this, they use tractor beams.
Tractor beams use emitters to project superimposed subspace/graviton force beams onto a target object. This places spatial stress on the target, and manipulation of these stress patterns allows the ship to push the target away, pull it closer, or hold it in place. Main tractor emitters must be mounted directly to a ship’s primary structural framework to resist the stress and inertial potential imbalance created by tractor
beam use.
8.16.1 Standard Tractor Beams
Cost: Varies
Available: 2105
The accompanying tables detail the amount of mass a particular class of tractor beam can move at various ranges, as well as the SU cost for the various models and their accuracy at range. For example, if a ship with a Class Delta tractor beam needed to move a mass of 100,000 metric tonnes at a range of 100 kilometers, it would have to set its tractor beam at 9. If a particular mass or distance is not listed on the tables, round up to the next highest category.
However, a tractor beam’s effective range depends upon the mass of the object being moved, and how quickly the user wants to move it. The parameters listed on the accompanying tables assume a delta-v (change in velocity) of approximately five meters per second squared. To double that speed, halve the effective movable mass or distance; at half that speed, a tractor can move either twice as much mass or move the listed mass at twice the listed distance.
Additionally, characters can improve the performance of a tractor beam by using the beam more effectively. In addition to assuming a delta-v of five meters per second squared, the accompanying tables also assume a Routine (3) Difficulty for any Shipboard Systems (Tractor Beam) Tests involved in moving the object (this is a separate roll from the roll to latch onto the object, which depends on the range to the object and the model used). For every increase in Difficulty category (Moderate (6), Challenging (9), and so on), a character can double the delta-v at which a given mass is moved at a given range, double the amount of mass moved at standard delta-v at a given range, or double the range at which a given mass can be moved at standard delta-v.
The larger tractor beams on a ship are referred to as its “main” tractor beams. These usually include one aft ventral (for towing ships and so forth) and at least one forward for moving objects in front of the ship. In addition, ships have “secondary” tractor beams in its shuttlebays to help maneuver incoming craft. Typically secondary tractors are, at best, Class Alpha or Beta; main tractors are usually Gamma- or Delta-class, but this depends on the size of the ship. Many ships have Class Alpha tractors in their shuttlebays to help shuttles make smooth landings.
(Taurhai: The Taurhai, with their mastery of subspace and gravitic technology, have tractor beams which are stronger and more efficient than Romulan or Starfleet tractors. When making a Test to improve the performance of Taurhai tractor beams (Spacedock, page 56), reduce the Difficulty of the Test by 1.)
Tables
| Str | 1 km | 10 km | 50 km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt |
| 9 | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt |
| 8 | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt |
| 7 | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt |
| 6 | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg |
| 5 | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg |
| 4 | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg |
| 3 | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg |
| 2 | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg |
| 1 | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg |
| Str | 1 km | 10 km | 50 km | 100 km | 1,000 km | 2,000 km | 4,000 km | 8,000 km | 14,000 km | 20,000 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg |
| 9 | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg |
| 8 | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg |
| 7 | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg |
| 6 | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg |
| 5 | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg |
| 4 | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg |
| 3 | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg | 0.5 kg |
| 2 | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg | 0.5 kg | 0.25 kg |
| 1 | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg | 0.5 kg | 0.25 kg | 0.1 kg |
| Str | 1 km | 10 km | 50 km | 100 km | 1,000 km | 2,000 km | 4,000 km | 8,000 km | 14,000 km | 20,000 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1,000,000 mt | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg |
| 9 | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg |
| 8 | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg |
| 7 | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg |
| 6 | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg |
| 5 | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg |
| 4 | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg |
| 3 | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg |
| 2 | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg | 0.5 kg |
| 1 | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg | 0.5 kg | 0.25 kg |
| Str | 1 km | 10 km | 50 km | 100 km | 1,000 km | 2,000 km | 4,000 km | 8,000 km | 14,000 km | 20,000 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5,000,000 mt | 1,000,000 mt | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg |
| 9 | 1,000,000 mt | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg |
| 8 | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg |
| 7 | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg |
| 6 | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg |
| 5 | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg |
| 4 | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg |
| 3 | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg |
| 2 | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg |
| 1 | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg | 0.5 kg |
| Str | 1 km | 10 km | 50 km | 100 km | 1,000 km | 2,000 km | 4,000 km | 8,000 km | 14,000 km | 20,000 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 7,500,000 mt | 5,000,000 mt | 1,000,000 mt | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt |
| 9 | 5,000,000 mt | 1,000,000 mt | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg |
| 8 | 1,000,000 mt | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg |
| 7 | 500,000 mt | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg |
| 6 | 100,000 mt | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg |
| 5 | 50,000 mt | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg |
| 4 | 1,000 mt | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg |
| 3 | 100 mt | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg |
| 2 | 10 mt | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg |
| 1 | 1 mt | 500 kg | 250 kg | 100 kg | 50 kg | 25 kg | 10 kg | 5 kg | 2.5 kg | 1 kg |
8.16.2 Multiphase Tractor Beam
Cost: +1 to regular tractor beam
Available: 2368
Multiphase tractor beams allow warp engine power to be channelled to the tractor beam more effectively. A multiphase tractor costs +1 SU more than a normal tractor beam. One drawback to multiphase tractors is that they have a tendency to short out other systems on the ship. When one is used, roll 2d6. On a 2, roll on the Hit Location Table and determine which system malfunctions. The system may be repaired in the usual manner; treat it as if at only 10% of its SUs for repair purposes.