I even believe that the Tractor Beam effects initially only had the move component, and then FFG added the -Agility one because it felt so lackluster. Then they reduced the price to the minimum.

Sure, it sounds dangerous. Sure it sounds disruptive. But even when it disturbs one of the core aspects of the game (positioning), it doesn't do any direct damage (that is how games are won anyway), and the victim still has its whole dial available next round. You cannot even change the current bearing of the victim, only shift it a bit. For 2 points more, the Ion Cannon deals damage and removes the dial for one entire round. And how many use Ion Cannons today? And the Ion Cannon even affects Large and Huge ships in some way, while the Tractor Beam does little to Large Ships, and nothing to Decimators, VCX-100s, or Huge ships.

Also, most of the ships able to equip it are currently in need of a little boost (except the Aggressor) due to recent changes in the meta (or inherent shortcomings of the ships themselves), or they are so expensive that your realistically will face one at the same time, or they are easily outflown, or several of these conditions at the same time.

I expect it to be popular for a couple of months, for the novelty, then it will fade and be seen as often as the Ion Cannon, or slightly more due to it's cheap price, or TIE/D Defenders or "Mist Hunter" G-1As. Still, I think TIE/Ds will sport a Ion Cannon whenever possible, and only the Tractor Beam when the Ion Cannon doesn't fit.

Blue Squadron Pilot (28) x 2

B-Wing (22), Ion Cannon (3), B-Wing/E2 (1), Tactician (2)

“Leebo” (44)

YT-2400 Freighter (34), Predator (3), Tractor beam (1), "Zeb" Orrelios (1), Outrider (5)

You are using almost half of your squad points for a ship that can't do direct damage with its weapon.

After thinking it over for a day or two, I was hoping to play for one more wave but I think that's the card that I just don't want to ever see on a table at its day of preview. It's design is just a pile of crap!

High Pilot skill becomes even more important. Since you'll want to get your shots off before they get mucked with.

You never want to take actual rocks from here on in. When debris will be so much easier to cope with a stray tractor. Ooh wait I'm sorry there are the tiny itty-bitty rocks that are so good at blocking... Wait...No they're not.

Large ships are big again as they are for some ungodly reason immune to half the effect. Fun fact the only ship in the original trilogy that ever gets hit by tractor beams is the Falcon as I recall. But in game right now it is immune except for the first half of the effect. Go figure that one out. So first of all tractor beam should read thematically 'any ship that is your size or smaller' or have a size reference off of the number of tokens or SOMETHING to do with that.

Forced maneuvering kills the idea of formation flying. At least with restrictive maneuvering, like ion, you can plan for it. And usually work around it. But this just says no to that. Abilities that mess with the boundaries of those formation style bonuses are cool, but out right destroying the formation flying concept is just no fun.

Add to that the potential to set up auto kills off of leaving the board, which forces you to play in the highly dangerous obstacles in the center, so great, there's no real safe zone against it.

It doesn't just screw the one guy over for potentially two turns, it screws up anyone that you might have had flying nearby if they suddenly have to fly around their ill tractored buddy. Yay? Woo! Here's our balanced game that is built on maneuvering! Bzzzzt! Tractored into block your own mini Swarm the following turn. Well, so much for that idea.

Then there's the problem where you can't really play around it. It would have been something at least if arc dodgers or say any ship with Boost or Barrel Roll could fight to keep their position by jinking out of the beam by saying look, I've already done a Barrel Roll and a Boost, you'll have to just shoot me. But nope can't do that.

Then there's the timing. Tractor beams were not fast. At all. Rebels recently had a few episodes where tractor beams were present and they take time. They can reach their immobilizing effect quickly, but to actually make progress moving the target is a fairly slow procedure. Not to mention it could be dragged out by the ship attempting to resist the effects with its own power. So if it was at the end of the round or modified your next move out whatever, that would be reasonable. Immediately? We're they high? Even Han solo took a couple seconds to realize the Falcon had been tractored, because it's effects are so slow.

And lastly why have it work in three directions, but not backwards? Why can't the beam force a reverse boost, but can force a forward one? What's up with that? Like some one said way earlier, is also a repulsor beam already, so you'd think it could do this.

You know, I expected so much better out of FFG. Honestly, I've never seen such a ramshod design out of one of their teams. To get me to rant this much is a first by a looooong shot for them. Hell, I don't think Wizards ever had me so flabbergasted.

Edit: ooh lord did it get edited. Ranting on phones is hard.

About your complaints about escaping the tractor beam, you always get a chance to dodge it and most small ships have at least 2 agility.

Evolve or perish!

everybody who panics and thinks "tractor beam is the devil":

yes, it is. stop playing while you can. oh, and donate your collection to the rest of us.

sorry for being sarcastic, but it's one more of those "the sky is falling..!"-moments. if you think they are too good: grab a list with 4-5 of them and blast the rest of us to smithereens. it is your destiny...! feel your anger and smash us with those overpowered new tractor-thingies..

okay, I'll stop here, since the sarcasm is (too?) strong in this one, today.

Yeah on vessery it's awesome you put VI on him get his highly accurate fire to ensure tractor beam hits, he`ll then strip a few shields and leave the target open for the rest of the squad.

If generics are accompanying him ruthlessness is great last night I shot keyan farlander and stripped two shields off a t70.

On a b-wing no it's just not that great your spending 22+ points to do no damage, without the defenders double tap your actually losing effectiveness.

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

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

Tarkin Doctrine: Rule through the fear of force, rather than through force itself.

Even the risk of being forced to fly yourself off the board will keep people from taking certain maneuvers. Where you might fly towards an edge, knowing a 1 hard will work, now it MIGHT not, so they will fly differently. Staying far away from asteroids.

Head games. Love 'em

All I know is that I am now seriously looking at Scyks for Scum support. Which is just, crazy.

Double Tractor Beam Scyks with 3 Khiraxz as your heavy hitters sounds fun.

I like the idea of the Tractor beam on Moralo Evol. It's cheap and I wouldn't use it all the time, but having the potential to use it on 180 degree arc makes it even more stressful on arc-dodgers. 1 point mind game. Then throw on your 3 Kihraxz Fighters for fun...

All I know is that I am now seriously looking at Scyks for Scum support. Which is just, crazy.

Double Tractor Beam Scyks with 3 Khiraxz as your heavy hitters sounds fun.

I think one with Ion Cannon and one with Tractor Beam would be better. Just more tools. I do want to try it, though.

All I know is that I am now seriously looking at Scyks for Scum support. Which is just, crazy.

Double Tractor Beam Scyks with 3 Khiraxz as your heavy hitters sounds fun.

I think one with Ion Cannon and one with Tractor Beam would be better. Just more tools. I do want to try it, though.

something like....

In a previous thread about Imperial Veterans. Here is the Defender list I am planning to abu...er use.

The "DVD"

Vessery (TIE/D, Ruthless, Tractor Beam)

Delta (TIE/D, Ion Cannon)

Delta (TIEx7)

Think about it. :-)

?

"Moo", says the space cow.

I don't know why, but that is one of the funnest things I've read this week... And this is a week that I've been reading the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, so that's saying something.

I now want to make a 3d model of a Shuttle, but do it Disney Car's style with a face and all, going mooo.

Yes, I think DVD is going to be a thing.

Yes, I think DVD is going to be a thing.

depending on cost of the generics with EPT's i can see it even being x3 of those with either ruthlessness or wired.

[i now want to make a 3d model of a Shuttle, but do it Disney Car's style with a face and all, going mooo.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ3n_D1zBrg

No shuttle, but still very well done.

I think tractor beam, much like our glorious overlord electronic baffle is a great situational upgrade that you get your points back for if you use it even just 1x per game. Pack it on a shuttle or bwing that isn't using the cannon slot already and if you get that perfect disruptive shot fire away and earn the 1 point you spent. I think the wrong way to use these powerful upgrades is trying to force them every turn instead of using them a few times a game to add powerful tricks to your arsenal.