Tractor Beam

Tractor Bean in Star Trek

Tractor beam or stabilizing beam was an attenuated linear graviton beam used by starships and space stations to control the movement of external objects. The use of tractor beams in combat is minimal and there are only examples from alien adversaries such as Vger or the Fesarius in the Corbomite Maneuver. Most usage comes from TNG and DS9 where it is used for towing and rarely for combat in DS9: The Way of the Warrior.

Tractor Beams in Full Thrust

Using a tractor beam requires a dedicated Fire Control, which may not be used for anything else that turn. Tractor beams are activated during fire resolution phase, although the effects do not take place until the following movement phase.

Class Strength Cost Mass

A 18 15 3

B 12 10 2

C 6 5 1

Subtract the range to target (in inches) from the tractor’s strength; also subtract 1 for every 10 points of shields the target has currently. The result (x”) is the effective strength of the beam. On the following movement phase, both ships are moved normally in accordance with their written orders, and then the tractor drag is applied as follows.

If the two ships are the same size, both are dragged 1/2 x” towards each other. If the size difference is one class, the smaller ship is dragged x” and the larger ship is dragged 1/4 x”. If the size difference is two classes, the smaller ship is dragged 2x” and the larger ship is not dragged. (Note that it makes no difference whether the grabbing ship is the larger or smaller of the two.)

Example

A capital ship with a class-B tractor is trying to seize an escort that is 7″ away; the escort’s shields currently have 8 points. Subtracting 7 for range and 1 for shields gives the tractor an effective strength of 4. On the next turn, both ships are moved in accordance with their written orders; the escort is then dragged 8″ towards the capital. The capital is not dragged. Had the target ship been a cruiser, it would have been dragged 4″ and the capital 1″. If both ships had been capitals, they would each have been dragged 2″.

Note that range, effective strength and arc are determined before any ships are moved; if a ship’s written orders take it temporarily outside the tractor’s range or arc, the tractor lock is not broken. (The effect of the beam is continuous, after all.) On the next turn, effective strength and arc are determined anew, based on the new positions.