T
thunderfoot
Deleted Due to Inactivity
Former MSFC Member
STO Newbies Captain's Primer - Ch 5: On Tractor Beams
This is something I started more for my own entertainment rather than to inform anyone or set myself as some sort of subject expert. For me, something isn't real until I write it down somewhere. This post and the others to follow consist of some things I've learned the hard way over the last few months. I'd like to prevent others from making the same fatheaded, fat fingered rookie mistakes I have. If what I've posted is incorrect, incomplete, or worse, wrong headed, please do not hesitate to add your own two cent's worth to the mix. My ego's not so big nor is my skin so thin I cannot tolerate being corrected in public. The idea here to allow people to play smarter, not harder. Makes the game more enjoyable for everyone.
She Thinks My Tractor's Sexay (Do. Not. Want.)
In STO, the AI controlled ships loove tractor beams. To the point where they'll tractor you even when they have better weapons or it creates a disadvantage for them. The Borg, Breen, and Rommies in particular cannot seem to fight unless they have you fixed in place. The Fed battleships like tractors almost as much. The Dominion will use a repulsor to send you away and this is nearly as bad. I dislike tractor beams. I suspect most players do as well. To be pinned firmly in place while that Mogai circles about to launch plasma torps is about as helpless as I've ever felt in a game in a long time. It took me awhile to develop effective counters to tractor tactics. And of course I learn soo much better the hard way. I am going to pass along to you, Gentle Reader, the things I've learned in the hope yo do not become ensnared like a fly in a web.
Stay out of range.
Tractors have an effective range of five klicks. So, as long as you stay at least six klicks away, you're good. Easy to do one on one. When attacking a group, this becomes a lot harder to pull off. There will always be one ship trying to flank you off screen and then turn on the magnet beam. Kill this one fast and do whatever you have to to keep yourself out of the middle ground. Because as soon as you wind up there at least two of the enemy ships will tractor you. If this means you need to break off an attack, so be it. Remember in previous posts how we talked about STO cycling back and forth from offense to defense? How offensive can you be while stuck? And how long will you last on that Borg Sector Invasion mssion? Go defensive here, clear the engagement envelope and try it again from a different vector. You'll live to fight another day.
Fight fire with fire
Use your tractor on the ship tractoring you. After all, it's lonely at Ground Zero. So grab some company and holler for help to one of your buddies. After about five to ten seconds, the enemy ship will turn off their tractor. Then, the both of you will be able to go your own way.
Tractor Beam by itself is only half a weapon. I like to use it in conjunction with either the Boarding Party or Eject Warp Plasma buff. I have watched AI controlled Borg Spheres run away very fast when I started leaking plasma from the nacelles. The Boarding Party buff has the advantage of messing things up other than the Tractor Beam as well. Disabled a player's weapons once for forty five seconds during a 1vs1 PvP event.
The Enemy Cannot Tractor what they Cannot See
This is probably my very favorite way of dealing with tractor beams. I use Jam Sensors or some other scrambling type buff just before I enter the five klick radius of the enemy. Any of the buffs which cleanse or drain drain Auxiliary power should also work well.
Vary these in timing and sequence and you stand a very good chance of avoiding the unpleasantness of sitting still as that STF Tactical Cube closes inexorably on you.
This is something I started more for my own entertainment rather than to inform anyone or set myself as some sort of subject expert. For me, something isn't real until I write it down somewhere. This post and the others to follow consist of some things I've learned the hard way over the last few months. I'd like to prevent others from making the same fatheaded, fat fingered rookie mistakes I have. If what I've posted is incorrect, incomplete, or worse, wrong headed, please do not hesitate to add your own two cent's worth to the mix. My ego's not so big nor is my skin so thin I cannot tolerate being corrected in public. The idea here to allow people to play smarter, not harder. Makes the game more enjoyable for everyone.
She Thinks My Tractor's Sexay (Do. Not. Want.)
In STO, the AI controlled ships loove tractor beams. To the point where they'll tractor you even when they have better weapons or it creates a disadvantage for them. The Borg, Breen, and Rommies in particular cannot seem to fight unless they have you fixed in place. The Fed battleships like tractors almost as much. The Dominion will use a repulsor to send you away and this is nearly as bad. I dislike tractor beams. I suspect most players do as well. To be pinned firmly in place while that Mogai circles about to launch plasma torps is about as helpless as I've ever felt in a game in a long time. It took me awhile to develop effective counters to tractor tactics. And of course I learn soo much better the hard way. I am going to pass along to you, Gentle Reader, the things I've learned in the hope yo do not become ensnared like a fly in a web.
Stay out of range.
Tractors have an effective range of five klicks. So, as long as you stay at least six klicks away, you're good. Easy to do one on one. When attacking a group, this becomes a lot harder to pull off. There will always be one ship trying to flank you off screen and then turn on the magnet beam. Kill this one fast and do whatever you have to to keep yourself out of the middle ground. Because as soon as you wind up there at least two of the enemy ships will tractor you. If this means you need to break off an attack, so be it. Remember in previous posts how we talked about STO cycling back and forth from offense to defense? How offensive can you be while stuck? And how long will you last on that Borg Sector Invasion mssion? Go defensive here, clear the engagement envelope and try it again from a different vector. You'll live to fight another day.
Fight fire with fire
Use your tractor on the ship tractoring you. After all, it's lonely at Ground Zero. So grab some company and holler for help to one of your buddies. After about five to ten seconds, the enemy ship will turn off their tractor. Then, the both of you will be able to go your own way.
Tractor Beam by itself is only half a weapon. I like to use it in conjunction with either the Boarding Party or Eject Warp Plasma buff. I have watched AI controlled Borg Spheres run away very fast when I started leaking plasma from the nacelles. The Boarding Party buff has the advantage of messing things up other than the Tractor Beam as well. Disabled a player's weapons once for forty five seconds during a 1vs1 PvP event.
The Enemy Cannot Tractor what they Cannot See
This is probably my very favorite way of dealing with tractor beams. I use Jam Sensors or some other scrambling type buff just before I enter the five klick radius of the enemy. Any of the buffs which cleanse or drain drain Auxiliary power should also work well.
Vary these in timing and sequence and you stand a very good chance of avoiding the unpleasantness of sitting still as that STF Tactical Cube closes inexorably on you.