Guide: How to Use the Tractor Beam

[Ramage]

well you can push a station through a jump gate literally it goes right through, or you can just leave it half way through the jump gate too.

It looks cool to because as you fly through the jump gate it appears that you are flying at insane speeds right to the heart of the station. Just as you cover your eyes in expectation of a catastrophic collision, but of course you leave a small crack between your fingers and you catch a glimpse of the faces of the people in the station view ports. You can just make out a look of sheer panic on there faces and some already running in the direction of the escape pods;)... The station fades and you appear in the next sector! Obviously the people on the station did not read the large yellow letters that appear on the first page of The Guide "DON'T PANIC!".

anyway...

The problem is the station doesn't cause a jump event so the station just passes through to other side of jump gate!

It looks cool, I took screen shots:

here they are

edit:

Oh yeah great guide by the way I made up my complex in no time by pushing all of my stations together thanks RavenIII!!

[somneleda]

I prefer the front tractor beam slots. I line it up and hook up as usual then reverse as most ships reverse at up to 10 which I don't want to exceed anyhow. I use F2 for exterior view to see where I am going. Spinning when the asteroid starts to turn will also stabilize it sometimes enabling seta 10 for me.

[kmiller1610]

Here's my report on tractor beam usage.....

I am using a Hydra with a front mounted tractor. I have approached both silcion and ore mines and moved them by maintaining a steady speed of -4. It is very slow, but I just watch TV or a movie while doing the moves. If I get any spin, I just re-attach the tractor. This allows me to find the settle point of the roid's mass.

This approach has now become routine. I am mid plot and have 7 complexes running. Moving roids and creating large complexes is the first really "new" thing I've done in the X games for quite some time and I am finding it quite enjoyable.

[NavyAICS]

Are there any freighters (TS) other than the TLs that will mount the TB?

No, only the M6.

I sure do wish I would have read this before spending about 20 mil credits on my TL Split Elephant. I was told that I needed a TL in order to use a TB. Now I find out that I need a M6. I guess I'll have to buy an M6 although I won't have much use for it afterwards. My TL does everything I need it to do. The hangar bay is full of fighters too!

Edit - Thanks Raven (and everyone else that contributed) for the guide, very helpful!

[apricotslice]

The TL will do the job. Its just a bit bigger, and thus a bit more vulnerable.

[NavyAICS]

The TL will do the job. Its just a bit bigger, and thus a bit more vulnerable.

I tried that. My Split Elephant won't let me put it in any slots. I've tried front, right, left and back slots. If there's a trick to it, please help me out! This is rather aggrevating!

[lt_wentoncha]

How do you tow roids? I'm trying to move that 90 Ore roid in Antigone memorial; I shoot the tractor beam at it and nothing happens. Also, how do you "unhook" once you have TB lock?

Thanks.

[Nyax]

You can't tow asteroids until you put a mine on them.

To disengage the tractor beam, just fire it again

[unmarkedhelicopter]

I think that this will need updating in line with v2.0.2
I've towed roids at 80m/s but NOT consistently, still get a LOT of broken locks.

[blackfire83]

Yes, it'd be nice to see an update on what people have been able to do with the Tractor Beam since 2.0. I was going to tow asteroids, but noticed that most larger asteroids are so big that you cannot get within 1.6km of them in order to get the tractor beam to lock on. I presume if I put a mine on it, I can move it then, but if the goal is simply to move the asteroid out of the way, I guess it'd be better just to blow it up...

-blackfire83

[Benchdog]

I placed my PHQ in an area that was close to some roids. After playing for a couple of days I decided I didn't like the location but didn't want to go back in my game saves.

It tows. Takes a bit to get used to. If you start towing it too fast the station starts spinning pretty wildly.

[L_B_P]

Using my M7 with 2 tractor beam in each side in back of the ship.

Flying to the station and turn my back to the station. First using the first tractor beam in midle of the station where you have the mark then the other 1. Going to outside view and speed up to around 20 and use seta for few seconds so my station start moving. This way I can now moving my station aound with a speed of 80 and seta 10x. Didnt take me long time to reorganize my whole sector with all the station there.

[unmarkedhelicopter]

Last time I heard using two tractor beams cuased major wobble, must have changed things for 2.0.2.
What about if you are still building your empire and still need to move mines ? (i.e. you haven't got the Hyperion yet)
Also Alingnment is also an issue as towiing by the docking ring doesn't seem to be as predictable as it once was

[western]

Hope this helps, I've just towed a silicon mine 110 km's across Mines an Opportunity to join with another to make a Chip Fab (14 Chip plants keeps your HQ supplied!)

Anyway, I think I've found the secret to it all.

Once you've put your mine on the asteroid, swop over into your towing ship, I used a Centaur, and nose up to the docking port about 1.5 km away, turn around and face the rough direction in which you need to go, view from the rear turret and fire and attach the tractor beam to THE DOCKING PORT.

Return to the cockpit, I really must clean up in here, beer cans, fag ends, half eaten Yorkie bar, I digress, and start off SLOWLY, 5-8kms, return to the rear turret to check everything ok, yes, back to the cockpit, oh ****, whats that I've just sat in, yeuch!, and slowly increase your speed, increments of about 3-5 kms works ok, about every 20-30 secs.

You can use SETA quite comfortably and I ended up doing 80 kms quite easily, didn't lose connection once.

When you get near where you want you need to start to slow down in pretty much the same way that you accelerated but you can do it in larger steps, 10-12 kms is ok.

DONT stop suddenly or you'll have 200,000 tonnes of silicon mine up your a**e-end, and good though these ships are constructed, the crumple zone at the back of a Centaur wont absorb that little lot. Fun filling in the insurance form though, Direct Mine Insurance wouldn't believe you.

To finally position the mine, you can rotate it as required, but again lock-on to the mine structure itself - NOT the asteroid, because it doesn't appreciate being tugged about, it is a delicate little thing after all.

Attach to the mine structure and manoeuver like a satellite going round in an arc, but this time, go very slowly, 3-4 kms is fast enough. And ALWAYS save before you make any adjustments, just for peace of mind, if you save, everything goes fine, if you don't, you're garanteed to make a pigs-ear of it.

It's really quick and easy, you can also turn, but again, do it slowly, 10-15 degrees turn at a time.

Hope this helps all you budding tuggers!

[NightPrince]

By the way, help me get this clear. You can tow ships through gates, but you can NOT tow asteroids and mines through gates can you?

[western]

I have never tried but led to believe that is NOT possible.

[Ramage]

I tried pushing a station through in 1.4 and it just ended up pushing right through to the other side of the gate no jump event was triggered.

BUT I have not tried it in 2.0.2

[Antti]

Is reporting Failure in 2.0.02

Location: Ore belt
Target : Silicon mine L

Failure pull station throught N gate with fallowing ships

Orca
Nemesis
Centaur

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What want test sometime is

A) Acidently push station to pirate base
+ little fire power for escord ships.


B) Block Xenon sector "output" gate, with cheap station.

( C) Block some pirate sector to restrict trade lines. )


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[Nelween]

Hi there,

I am doing to Bala Gi mission and i used the tractor beam to pull the yacht to the first gate with the nemesis. Once there, i tried to pull it through the gate or push it through the gate but nothing worked. I always ended up alone on the other side of the gate...

I tried to find solutions on the forum but no luck.

Can anyone tell me how i have to do? Is it bugged?

Thx for your help,
Nel

[Ramage]

You pull it, but it takes a minute for it to come through just keep going at 80 kps and it will follow but it does take a little while.