So, low p.s beam can move a dangerous high p.s. Ship to range 1 and then team can fire at it with lower agi, after the high p.s. Ship had its chance to shoot.

Sorry talon bane, now you're range 1 and 1 agi. Whoops, you wanted to use autothrusters for defense Poe, but now you're in range 2. Haha, your autoblaster turret had no shot! Oh dear corran, you wanted a double tap with your fcs setup, now you have no shot.

Seems like there are reasons for lower p.s. Tractors. The only true key is your beam is equal to or higher than the bulk of the rest of your squadron. Sure, hitting someone before they fire can be good too. Decoy combos well in some squads!

Clever designers only allowing shifts, and not facing changes!

Yeah, that they disallowed the banking boosts is a big deal. Makes pointing people at the edge of the board much less straightforward.

It might be notable that a generic Mist Hunter is going to be PS3. A tidy number to be at when helping a Scummy horde of generics get their shots, don't you think? Assuming it comes in at 23pts (+1pt over a Blue Squadron B-wing in return for a better dial and +1 PS is not unlikely), adding the title means you can throw in one of these things for the price of a pair of Z95s.

Spending further on them will need to be done very cautiously, but there's a lot of potency in that frame.

T-beam is now ******* perfect

the -agility is just icing; imagine the shenanigans you can pull off with the forced actions!

Quad Blue Squadron, Quad FCS, Quad Tractor Beam FTW.

I think people are overlooking the opertunity cost of doing a no damage attack. If this hits top level play on anything but the misthunter (for the title) and maybe titled defenders I would be shocked.

I can see BroBots getting some use out of it, particularly Mangler/Predator builds that tend to have a point spare anyway. You can move opposing Autothruster ships closer to your second Bot; you can put regenerating ships you can't do meaningful damage to onto obstacles to set them up for next turn; you can move generics away from you so they don't get arc. You won't be using it every turn, but it will have uses.

You just wasted an attack that hit the target to give your other ship a better chance to attempt to hit the target, think about that.

I think it will work well on Brobots lists with IG-88B, FCS, and more damaging cannon. Take your first unmodified shot with the Tractor Beam. It puts your opponent in the position where they need to decide whether to let the Tractor Beam hit them or risk an HLC shot with Target Lock.

I think people are overlooking the opertunity cost of doing a no damage attack. If this hits top level play on anything but the misthunter (for the title) and maybe titled defenders I would be shocked.

I can see BroBots getting some use out of it, particularly Mangler/Predator builds that tend to have a point spare anyway. You can move opposing Autothruster ships closer to your second Bot; you can put regenerating ships you can't do meaningful damage to onto obstacles to set them up for next turn; you can move generics away from you so they don't get arc. You won't be using it every turn, but it will have uses.

You just wasted an attack that hit the target to give your other ship a better chance to attempt to hit the target, think about that.

I think it will work well on Brobots lists with IG-88B, FCS, and more damaging cannon. Take your first unmodified shot with the Tractor Beam. It puts your opponent in the position where they need to decide whether to let the Tractor Beam hit them or risk an HLC shot with Target Lock.

It will also fill the range 1 Gunner hole you get with the HLC. If you the miss with the primary, switch to the Tractor and make your wingman's life easier.

Alright this is going to either sound truly brilliant or a raving mad idea with no chance of working... you all have been warned.

Is there anything in the rules that says that says you can only attack your opponent with a device?

Could you do an attack on a friendly ship in order to push it into better range of an opponent, or out of the firing arc of an enemy that hasn't gone yet? Yes, the friendly ship would have to roll defense against the Tractor Beam attack and lose an agility die if it failed for the turn, but the benefit would be like get an extra movement for the ship.

Using it to pull a TLT Ywing out of formation and into range one of your ships. Rexlar with title, VI, tractor? Then let The Inquisitor/Vader/Fel (whomever) tear it to pieces.

You can't attack your own ships, tractor beams are no exception.

So love the tractor beam mechanics, should be fun for all sorts of shenanigans; however, fluff wise it's a little odd as tractor beams were always about pulling the target closer to you/slowing it down. Some relative vectors will achieve this, but this appears to be a combined tractor and repulsor beam!

Armada has the true beamers

So love the tractor beam mechanics, should be fun for all sorts of shenanigans; however, fluff wise it's a little odd as tractor beams were always about pulling the target closer to you/slowing it down. Some relative vectors will achieve this, but this appears to be a combined tractor and repulsor beam!

Tractor is not the same as Attractor.

Tractor means just "Mover" so it even when its usual application was to move ships closer (attract them), you should actually be able to move them to any direction.

FFffffuuuuuuuuuu

but the meta won't shift from arc-aces and tlt's :C

Might have to give the following a go at some point.

Ten Numb + Adaptability + Tractor Beam

Etahn A'baht

3 x Bandit Squadron

I'm sure I won't have been the first person to think of this, but this was my first attempt at a tractor beam squadron.

Vessery

Tractor Beam
TIE/D

Outmaneuver

Twin Ion Engine Mk2

Epsilon Squadron Pilot x4

see.. with imp.vets being previewed, I was happy to have my tie/d on the table and not being punished for it.

with the t-beam seen, without the rules, I was even happier.

now, I can't ever play a single game with them.. the constant on my face would get me to the looney-bin once people realise it's there to stay

Its probably a fringe benefit, but outmanoeuvre becomes slightly better. Tie /d and tbeam, theoretically you could drag someone out of their arc (and maybe into range one for extra evil). Not sure it's worth the cost of not having vi or predator or anything really.

But could be fun.

I'm sure I won't have been the first person to think of this, but this was my first attempt at a tractor beam squadron.

Vessery

Tractor Beam

TIE/D

Outmaneuver

Twin Ion Engine Mk2

Epsilon Squadron Pilot x4

Outmaneuver is cool, but I'm really curious about Ruthlessness on this guy. It basically shuts down both Biggs, Jonus and Howlrunner (and Serissu, who might actually see some play now, being a PS8-10 Tractor Beamer), and is a nuisance to Rebel HWKs, Chaser, Garven Dreis, and anyone using Swarm Tactis, Squad Leader Decoy or Fleet Officer.

Come to think of it, I'm really looking forward to using Tractor Beam against Lone Wolves ("move a little closer now!").

I'm sure I won't have been the first person to think of this, but this was my first attempt at a tractor beam squadron.

Vessery

Tractor Beam

TIE/D

Outmaneuver

Twin Ion Engine Mk2

Epsilon Squadron Pilot x4

Outmaneuver is cool, but I'm really curious about Ruthlessness on this guy. It basically shuts down both Biggs, Jonus and Howlrunner (and Serissu, who might actually see some play now, being a PS8-10 Tractor Beamer), and is a nuisance to Rebel HWKs, Chaser, Garven Dreis, and anyone using Swarm Tactis, Squad Leader Decoy or Fleet Officer.

Come to think of it, I'm really looking forward to using Tractor Beam against Lone Wolves ("move a little closer now!").

Ruthlessness would also be cool, although it's situational on the R1 shot and you could end up being forced to sting your own ships if you're not careful.

Outmaneuver seems like a good fit because it not only makes the Tractor Beam more reliable, it's also probably going to set up the second shot for some serious pain. And then the mini swarm can finish off the target with impunity.

Its probably a fringe benefit, but outmanoeuvre becomes slightly better. Tie /d and tbeam, theoretically you could drag someone out of their arc (and maybe into range one for extra evil). Not sure it's worth the cost of not having vi or predator or anything really.

But could be fun.

Speaking as a huge fan of Outmaneuver, I can say it is highly worth it. Especially with TIE/D combos present, can you imagine dragging Poe into range 1 and completely denying him any evade dice at all?

Question about the Decimator and R3 shots with the Tractor Beam.....

If I hit a Decimator at R3 with the Tractor Beam, does it get any defense dice for the rest of the turn?

Tractor Beam reduces Agility to 0, which it already is. Decimator gets 1 green die from range.

Someone local was saying that getting 1 green die from range isn't getting an Agility and it's Agility already is zero.

Question about the Decimator and R3 shots with the Tractor Beam.....

If I hit a Decimator at R3 with the Tractor Beam, does it get any defense dice for the rest of the turn?

Tractor Beam reduces Agility to 0, which it already is. Decimator gets 1 green die from range.

Someone local was saying that getting 1 green die from range isn't getting an Agility and it's Agility already is zero.

its the similar wording to shooting obstructed shots, its a bonus green dice (IIRC) so it cant be removed by tractor because its not agility. i would be curious to find out how it would work with kenkirk (but thinking about it its a non-issue because it cant deal damage ala ruthlessness and tractor effect to the same person)e

the -bonus- die is just that; you reduce agility; so it can't be cancelled away by all things reducing agility. deci at r3 throws still 1die, r3+roid is 2 dice etc.

Thanks on that.

I am thinking that a single Scyk with Tractor can work. Works best if the rest of the list is the same PS or lower. That's why 3 Kihraxz Fighters and 2 Scyks (one with Ion and one TB) would be pretty effective...I think.

I can see Laetin worth it at 21 pts w/ Tractor Beam. Yes, he doesn't have PTL, but he's also only 21 pts. He will last longer than a regular Scyk and have a higher PS for the rest of your list. Just a tool in the toolbox for Scum.

Question about the Decimator and R3 shots with the Tractor Beam.....

If I hit a Decimator at R3 with the Tractor Beam, does it get any defense dice for the rest of the turn?

Tractor Beam reduces Agility to 0, which it already is. Decimator gets 1 green die from range.

Someone local was saying that getting 1 green die from range isn't getting an Agility and it's Agility already is zero.

That person is probably thinking of 'adding and reducing values', which this is not. You simply "roll one additional defense dice" at range 3 vs a primary weapon.

Another thought...

Is it worth putting a tractor beam on a firespray along with Gunner?

Trying to decide if the cheapness of the tractor beam makes up for the expense of gunner. Could make for a nice combo, if not quite as brutal as on the defender.