Federation Commander

junior · Captain Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 803

I played a Fleet Scale game last weekend that consisted of 2 Mongols (with fighters) and a Cuirassier on my side against three Fed FFBs and a CL on the other. Suffice to say that it could have gone better...

(End result by the end of turn three - scratch the Cuirassier and the CL, both Mongols damaged including one with no weapons operational, two FFBs in bad shape, and one FFB untouched. And no damage to the fighters at all. Fleet Scale FFBs are basically high speed Photon Platforms...)

In any case, I have a question. Is there a minimum duration that a Tractor Beam must remain established? The rules say that Tractors are applied and dropped during the Other Phase of the Impulse. Can they be dropped in the same Impulse that they are applied? Or do they need to remain up for one full impulse?

Kang · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:09 pm Post subject:

You can establish and drop a tractor all in the same Other Functions phase.

There's a Mike West post at the end of this thread that says it:

http://www.starfleetgames.com/federation/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=14624&highlight=#14624
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Davec_24 · Commander Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 596 Location: England

Ah that's interesting. I'd probably not have thought of using a tractor to break an enemy tractor on a friendly ship like that, but then I have to say I don't think I've actually used tractor beams for anything apart from drone-defence yet. I'll have to read up on the tractor rules sometime so I know them when I need them!

Kang · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:21 pm Post subject:

Davec_24 · Commander Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 596 Location: England

Yeah, but I know how to use other stuff too. Like ESGs... Wink

(thinking of your poor C7 there). Seriously though, I think I know how to use them, but I've just never actually tractored another ship yet. The rules seem way simpler for this than SFB, and this is a rule for which having baseline speeds really makes things easier!

Kang · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:39 pm Post subject:

junior · Captain Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 803

Even if you never use the tractors yourself, you should learn how to use them. Because sooner or later someone's going to use the tractor beams on you.

Razz

There are a lot of fun things you can do to an opponent that has exhausted their power, is sitting in the hex next to you, and can't run away. And that includes even when you're not playing the Feds or Hydrans.

Davec_24 · Commander Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 596 Location: England

Indeed... I just had a little re-read to make sure I understand how to use them, and just as importantly how other people can use them on me! It's not the best plan to be on the receiving end of a Gorn (or other plassie user) anchor either, especially if you have exhausted your power. It's not so much that I *would* never use the tractors myself as that I haven't had occasion to do so yet, as in there hasn't been a situation where it would have been particularly beneficial to me or there wasn't a better thing to do with the power. I think I'd use a tractor if there was a good enough reason, such as the fore-mentioned enemy in the next hex who has run out of power. That would serve him right for running out when he was right next to me. Smile