Ship to Ship Tractor

The ship to ship tractor, researched through the Logistics / Ground Combat section, enables one ship to tow another or even a shipyard. Once researched, tugs can be built - these tend to parallel real world tugs: lots of fuel and engines and little else.

Note that fuel consumption is slightly buggy in v5.60. It will be fixed in 6.00.

For example:

Scania class Tug    13,750 tons     320 Crew     1033.5 BP      TCS 275  TH 3125  EM 0
11363 km/s     Armour 1-51     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 1     PPV 0
MSP 47    Max Repair 100 MSP
Tractor Beam     

Magnetic Confinement Fusion Drive E0.6 (10)    Power 312.5    Fuel Use 6%    Signature 312.5    Armour 0    Exp 1%
Fuel Capacity 300,000 Litres    Range 654.5 billion km   (666 days at full power)

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes

To tow other craft, select the Task Groups check box from 'System Location Display Options' on the left hand 'Task Group Orders' tab within the Task Group Section of the Task Group Window. In the left hand selection box, all the Task Groups in the current system will be added to the bottom. Select the required Task Group and 'Tractor Specified Ship' will appear in the list of available commands along with a list of vessels within that Task Group.

To move shipyards, just select the planet and a list of shipyards will become available.

It is possible to tow through a jumpgate.

Terraformers and Sorium harvesters tend to be ships that move only rarely. Why waste resources building engines for them when they can be constructed without and towed into position?

Of course, tractor beams can be used to create modular attachments as well. Taking a civilian vessel somewhere outside your military coverage? Why not use one of these as seen recently on the forums.

Auxiliary class Point Defense Module    3,000 tons     200 Crew     574.2 BP      TCS 60  TH 0  EM 0
1 km/s     Armour 1-18     Shields 0-0     Sensors 1/1/0/0     Damage Control Rating 2     PPV 4
Maint Life 7.35 Years     MSP 263    AFR 32%    IFR 0.5%    1YR 9    5YR 128    Max Repair 100 MSP
Magazine 688    Tractor Beam     


AM Missile Launcher (4)    Missile Size 1    Rate of Fire 5
Missile Fire Control FC20-R1 (2)     Range 20.7m km    Resolution 1
Mosquito IV AM Missile (688)  Speed: 80,000 km/s   End: 0.7m    Range: 3.4m km   WH: 1    Size: 1    TH: 1626 / 976 / 488

Active Search Sensor MR20-R1 (1)     GPS 87     Range 20.7m km    Resolution 1

Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s

This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes