Starships may be fitted with Tractor Emitters, a new gimmick. These emitters focus an electromagnetic beam interspersed with charged particles, which, when targeted at another vessel, create an almost unbreakable bond. A tractor beam can then operate in one of three ways: pull a target towards the ship, push one away, or maintain the distance between the two craft. The emitters include failsafe mechanisms so that a more powerful craft targeted by the tractor cannot pull the smaller craft operating it. Instead, the emitter automatically adjusts the strength of the beam in order to maintain the proper distance between the two vessels. Tractors are often employed to capture rogue vessels or tow disabled ones, and can also function on objects, such as asteroids and debris, roughly the same size and mass of the starship. Tractors only operate at point blank and short ranges, and are activated in the same manner as energy weapons such as laser cannons. Supralight speeds are not conducive to tractors, and in the event of a successful targeting operation at these speeds, sheering forces would rip the two ships apart. They are also non-functional in ion storms and nebulae. Just because a ship has successfully locked its tractor beam on another vessel, it does not mean that the target is immobilized. A successful speed-based piloting task is required to tow a vessel that is resisting the effects of the tractor. The base difficulty value is equal to the difference between the targeted craft’s and targeting craft’s frame ratings (target frame rating– tractor frame rating) and affected by normal environmental modifiers, including the target’s speed rating. The difficulty is also increased by a value equal to the targeted ship’s current shields rating. A successful hit with the tractor beam reduces the target ship’s shields rating by one. Tractor power can also be increased (-2diff) at the expense of gaining one grade of mechanical stress.