Cathul Thuku
Admiral, Therapy Command
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
After the invasion of Ossus by the First Order, where large-scale use of asteroids was made by the First Order, a means to tow or repel objects at long ranges quickly became necessary, especially for those towing operations where the safe distance needed by the tug is longer than for typical tractor beams. So it can keep the towed object within a certain distance of the tug, such as would be the case in an asteroid field. Improved collimation allows the beam to maintain coherence up until the edge of long-range turbolaser range, and hence to be able to use the tractor beam up to that distance. By reversing the polarity one can instead repel objects. However, as with all tractor beams, it is subject to the limitations of the relative size of the acting ship and target ship. This means that, while the Eri is turret-mounted, its traverse and elevation rate is constrained by the mass of the item being tractored: a heavier object will be slower to move around, and even potentially be moved around by the target.
However, due to the size of the power generator attached to the weapon, it is not practical to mount an Eri unit on a ship smaller than a cruiser, nor is it practical to mount more than one on a ship under 1 km. On the other hand, a destroyer may mount two units, a battlecruiser may mount three units and a flagship may mount four or five units, depending on its size.
Important note: the Eri heavy long-range tractor beam is worth 20 turbolasers for starship construction
Strengths:
- Intent: To provide a tractor beam capable of towing objects at long ranges, such as planet-killing asteroids and other large-sized threats
- Image Source: N/A
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: N/A
- Primary Source: Tractor beam
- Manufacturer: Ringovinda Systems
- Model: ER-8 "Eri" heavy long-range tractor beam
- Affiliation: Open-Market
- Modularity: Can be mounted on a variety of turrets/emplacements.
- Production: Minor
- Material: Standard tractor beam components.
- Classification: Tractor beam
- Size: Stationary or Ship-Mounted
- Length: 20m
- Weight: 75 tons
- Ammunition Type: Power Cell
- Ammunition Capacity: Effectively unlimited
- Effective Range: Long-range turbolaser standard
- Rate of Fire: Heavy long-range turbolaser standard
- Polarity reversal: it allows to repel objects
After the invasion of Ossus by the First Order, where large-scale use of asteroids was made by the First Order, a means to tow or repel objects at long ranges quickly became necessary, especially for those towing operations where the safe distance needed by the tug is longer than for typical tractor beams. So it can keep the towed object within a certain distance of the tug, such as would be the case in an asteroid field. Improved collimation allows the beam to maintain coherence up until the edge of long-range turbolaser range, and hence to be able to use the tractor beam up to that distance. By reversing the polarity one can instead repel objects. However, as with all tractor beams, it is subject to the limitations of the relative size of the acting ship and target ship. This means that, while the Eri is turret-mounted, its traverse and elevation rate is constrained by the mass of the item being tractored: a heavier object will be slower to move around, and even potentially be moved around by the target.
However, due to the size of the power generator attached to the weapon, it is not practical to mount an Eri unit on a ship smaller than a cruiser, nor is it practical to mount more than one on a ship under 1 km. On the other hand, a destroyer may mount two units, a battlecruiser may mount three units and a flagship may mount four or five units, depending on its size.
Important note: the Eri heavy long-range tractor beam is worth 20 turbolasers for starship construction
Strengths:
- Allows the mount ship to maintain safe distance for hazardous towing operations
- Ability to both attract and repel objects
- Ability to change the target object's direction of motion
- High energy drain: can cause shields to short out around the hardpoint if used for too long in a row
- A tractor beam's use is constrained by the relative mass, thrust and structural integrity of the acting ship and target ships: in other words, don't expect a light freighter to be towing a battlecruiser
- Can only fit one Eri unit per kilometer on a ship (rounded up)
- Cannot be mounted on frigates or smaller ships (as a corollary, it cannot be mounted on orbital stations below 500m in size)
- Vulnerable to shrouds
- Easier to escape beyond standard turbolaser range