Editing Tractor Beam

{{bothversions}}
{{ComponentInfo
|type = Core
|class = Commercial
|techbranch =  Logistics
|staticsizehs =  10
|staticsizetn =  500
|partcost  =    100
|ducost    =    25
|mecost    =    75
|crewreq   =    10
}}

The '''Tractor Beam''' (known in [[VB6]] as the '''Ship to Ship Tractor''') is a ship [[component]] that projects a tractor beam capable of attaching one ship to another. These are commonly employed to create Tugs, which are dedicated ships that help guide large ships and [[space station]]s to their work site, such as: [[Jump gate]] constructors, [[terraforming]] stations, [[Orbital Mining Module]]s, and/or [[Sorium Harvester]] platforms. 

Tugs are also the only way to move [[shipyards]] between colonies. (However, note that you must bring it all the way to a new colony - stopping the tug partway through will permanently destroy the shipyard.)
  
==Towing==
You only need one tractor component to be able to tow, and ships are limited to one tractor beam each. 

* Open the Naval Organization window {{key|F4}} (or, in VB6, the Task Groups window {{key|F12}}).
* In the Orders tab, ensure that the "Fleets" (or "Task Groups") box is checked, so you can select fleets as targets for orders.
* Select the fleet containing the ship you wish to tractor. 
* In Actions Available, select "Tractor Specified Ship" or "Tractor Any Ship in Fleet". If you want to specify a ship, select the ship you wish to tractor.
* Double-click, or click "Add Move", to queue the order.
* Select your destination or route as you normally would for transit.
* Once your route is plotted, choose the Release Tractored Ships option to deactivate the tractor beam.

Tractored ships are automatically moved from their fleet into the fleet of the tractoring ship or ships. Multiple ships may be tractored in one set of orders as long as multiple tractoring ships are present. Upon release, tractored ships automatically form their own fleet as if they were split under the Special Orders / Organization tab.

Shipyards may be selected similarly to the process above, with the initial target being the planet currently hosting the shipyard rather than a fleet. 

Ships may be transported normally through [[Jump Gate]]s using tractor beams.

==Uses==
Ships built to utilize a tractor beam tend to have a disproportionately large engine and fuel allotment relative to other ships of their size, to account for the increased load of the towed ship. If engines are present on the ship being towed, they will be used as well during the towing. Overall the Tug speed is calculated as <code>(SumOfEnginePowers)/(SumOfMasses)</code> of the two ships. 

:Tip: military engines will offer more speed, but they will chew more fuel then you can imagine. Better to go full size max civilian power engines and put more on there instead.

Tugs can act as "rescue" ships for refueling stranded ships. Additionally, Terraformers, sorium harvesters and asteroid miners tend to be ships that move only rarely, so building engine-less designs which will be towed into place by dedicated tugs greatly reduces build cost for these types of ships. Other more creative uses are also possible, such as a towed point defense pod intended to protect commercial convoys. By collecting the military equipment into a separate towed module, the ship may remain commercially-classed and the military module is spared the maintenance costs for the engines and functional modules aboard the commercial vessel.

{{Components}}
[[Category:Components]]