Starships and Tow cables

[Savaad]

I as wondering if someone would like to give me an idea about tow cables on starships. I was thinking that maybe they are just like a standard on starships or would cost very little to install one on your ship.
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[garhkal]

From what little i have seen/read up on ships in the sw universe, i don;t even know if they would need them, what with ships having tractor beams..
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[scott2978]

Salvage vessels probably have cables to connect to large pieces of junk and debris to pull them towards the ship. Towing other ships while in space though... probly done with tractor beams.

[Ray]

Reti had a tow cable in Star Wars Starfighter.

Good game.

[Pel]

From what I can dig up, it looks like towing is done exclusively with tractor beams. Having said that, there's always plenty of room for a few house rules.

One could certainly install some type of mechanical towing device on a ship (cables, clamps, etc.) or possibly use existing devices for towing, although it might be a bit interesting. The first thing that sprang to my mind was using the landing claws to clamp onto another object, just like the Falcon did when it hid on the Avenger. Those claws are probably rated to at least a few times the ship's mass to hold it in place.

For a more conventional installation, I'd say the hull should be reinforced around the towing point(s) and possibly an engine upgrade as well to provide more thrust, if not more speed. The cables are probably cheaper than a tractor beam, even with the hull modifications, but perhaps not as powerful, and probably not as long-ranged. Other than that, I'd treat it similar to a tractor beam for actual usage.
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Aha!

[jmanski]

I believe one of the Zahn books had Luke's X-wing towed behind the Falcon with a tow chain, but I think it was just mentioned in passing.
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[scott2978]

I like Pel's ideas. I'd say that the towing ship's sublight engines would move the two ships slower, factored by the mass of the towed vehicle.

I'd also say that the towing ship would need to modify it's hyperdrive to tow a vehicle in hyperspace. Something like a moderate repair roll to make a temporary modification. I'd stress that unless the ship puts into a spacedock for permanent modifications the towing ability will be temporary lest the stresses damage the ship.

[CmdrDarmic]

Just remember, things have no weight outside of a gravity well, but they still have mass. This makes tow cables a rather chancy proposition. You may be able to get that starship/other object you are towing started moving and be unable to stop it. Of course, that's just physics...don't let that get in the way of a good game. (Lucas never does! )

[Dan Solo]

[Ray]

Oh man... I just had the image of the Tow Truck Driver from Men In Black showing up to a PCs ship after a Hyperspace Mishap.

Backing his Tow-Ship up to the nose of the Frighter, and attaching Chains.

[Pel]

*LOL*

Yup. That tow's gonna cost ya. hehe
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Aha!

[Ray]

"Well, it only says it'll cost 3 cents per mile." "Sir, we're twenty lightdays away from the nearest planet." "Oh... Oh boy, I hope the company has a credit card with a big balance on it!"