I found this while rummaging through some ancient notes of mine for my ongoing convert-to-digital project for MTU. Amazingly cringe-worthy artwork accompanied it but I won't submit you to that. Anyway I think the original idea was sourced form some old article from God knows where so if I'm infringing I apologize in advance. But I do know I've refined it like so many house rules are to get it to work better IMTU so here you are:
Tractor / Pressor Arrays TL-10+
An extrapolation of repulse technology designed to attract as well as repel an object with a tightly focused beam instead of a “wall”. The array is first developed at TL-10 and further advances increase efficiency to allow for affecting larger masses. Ship mounted arrays are used by tugs, rescue craft, and some types of warships. Ground arrays are used to help landings of craft too large for normal in-atmosphere operations or in asteroid belts for mining operations.
Craft dedicated to use of these devices often have secondary and tertiary power sources to bring online if increased power if needed. When actively maneuvering while another object is held by the array’s beam the combined mass of both craft must be taken into account for determining maneuver G’s and agility. Secondary drives may be used to maintain maneuvering acceleration, but usually only tugs and rescue craft have this capability.
Because the array is more efficient with larger masses than smaller, the lowest size target that can be “hit” with the beam is 50 tons; anything smaller won’t allow the beam to “stick”. The maximum range of a beam is Short and the target will be moved at 1.5G (this is enough to lift the ship off most worlds safely as well as provide the resistance needed to land them on size 8 (-) without problems) while under the influence of the beam. Multiple arrays from multiple sources may be combined to increase the power of the beam in order to target masses larger than the individual beams would be rated for. For example 2 Code D Bays could be combined to affect up to 2000 tons, or 2 Code G ground facilities could be used to help land a 20,000 ton ship.
CODE Tonnage Turret/Bay? Max Mass Price (MCr) TL
A 5 Dual Turret 200 5.0 10
B 10 Dual 400 10.0 10
C 15 Triple 600 15.0 11
D 50 50 Ton Bay 1000 20.0 12
E 100 100 Ton Bay 5000 25.0 13
F 500 Ground Fac. 5000 100.0 12
G 1000 Ground Fac. 10,000 150.0 13
Energy Point cost:
Pulling (or holding locked in beam) = 5% of target mass x target’s acceleration
Repelling (or as landing cushion) = 10% of target mass x target’s acceleration
To hit = 8+ on 2D6 DM’s= difference in computer sizes
-target’s agility
(This to hit roll is only used for when the device is used in combat to capture an enemy craft...most commonly this is to "grab" and slow down a smuggler or some such ship trying to evade a revenue cutter and just shooting up the target isn't desired.)
When a turret size is indicated that means the entire turret is used for the single array, i.e., a triple turret is only going to have one Class C Array.
Tractor / Pressor Arrays TL-10+
An extrapolation of repulse technology designed to attract as well as repel an object with a tightly focused beam instead of a “wall”. The array is first developed at TL-10 and further advances increase efficiency to allow for affecting larger masses. Ship mounted arrays are used by tugs, rescue craft, and some types of warships. Ground arrays are used to help landings of craft too large for normal in-atmosphere operations or in asteroid belts for mining operations.
Craft dedicated to use of these devices often have secondary and tertiary power sources to bring online if increased power if needed. When actively maneuvering while another object is held by the array’s beam the combined mass of both craft must be taken into account for determining maneuver G’s and agility. Secondary drives may be used to maintain maneuvering acceleration, but usually only tugs and rescue craft have this capability.
Because the array is more efficient with larger masses than smaller, the lowest size target that can be “hit” with the beam is 50 tons; anything smaller won’t allow the beam to “stick”. The maximum range of a beam is Short and the target will be moved at 1.5G (this is enough to lift the ship off most worlds safely as well as provide the resistance needed to land them on size 8 (-) without problems) while under the influence of the beam. Multiple arrays from multiple sources may be combined to increase the power of the beam in order to target masses larger than the individual beams would be rated for. For example 2 Code D Bays could be combined to affect up to 2000 tons, or 2 Code G ground facilities could be used to help land a 20,000 ton ship.
CODE Tonnage Turret/Bay? Max Mass Price (MCr) TL
A 5 Dual Turret 200 5.0 10
B 10 Dual 400 10.0 10
C 15 Triple 600 15.0 11
D 50 50 Ton Bay 1000 20.0 12
E 100 100 Ton Bay 5000 25.0 13
F 500 Ground Fac. 5000 100.0 12
G 1000 Ground Fac. 10,000 150.0 13
Energy Point cost:
Pulling (or holding locked in beam) = 5% of target mass x target’s acceleration
Repelling (or as landing cushion) = 10% of target mass x target’s acceleration
To hit = 8+ on 2D6 DM’s= difference in computer sizes
-target’s agility
(This to hit roll is only used for when the device is used in combat to capture an enemy craft...most commonly this is to "grab" and slow down a smuggler or some such ship trying to evade a revenue cutter and just shooting up the target isn't desired.)
When a turret size is indicated that means the entire turret is used for the single array, i.e., a triple turret is only going to have one Class C Array.
