This question came up after a play test today - I'm running a Sphere with a tractor beam. I move first because of captain skill and use my action to lock a tractor beam on Voyager ( obviously within range 1). Voyager disables shields and gets the token. However, when Voyager reveals it's move it is a straight 6, which violates the rules of the tractor beam which say you can't move more then 2. But the movement was placed before the tractor beam was engaged.

Does Voyager move 6 and possibly end up outside of range 1, breaking the tractor beam or does it only move 2? We played it that the beam was "dodged" and the original movement (straight 6) was in effect, but I wanted to double check.

Hmm, I don't have the text of the actual tractor beam token rules, but this is what the previews has:

It sounds like you did it right. Since Voyager didn't choose the maneuver after the tractor beam was locked, that 6 straight was perfectly fine. Voyager rotated shield frequencies and slipped free, just weakening the shields. If Voyager had just chosen a one forward or something, then it would be caught and next turn could only choose a 2.

Sounds like it'll be really difficult to keep a tractor lock, but at least it drops cloaks and shields a little. And that sounds like a good defensive move on the part of anyone battling the sphere - go to full impulse when they get too close.

I was able to get the lock on later in the game, and it wasn't that bad at all to keep it - it was just a matter of anticipating where the Voyager player would move to try and shake it and moving into that place, which was pretty easy with the Sphere's movement. What stunk was a really bad cutting beam roll which hardly did any damage.

The tractor is a finesse upgrade.
It still disables two of their shields and if they are cloaked, knocks them out of that. Not bad for a simple action with the benefit of possibly shutting down future movement.

The key is to snag them when they either have an Aux token and you know they will be doing at most a 3 forward, or before the joust, rush them with the sphere and snag them in the tractor beam. That 6 or even a five forward are uncommon and you probably won't see too many ships that can instantly get away from their first maneuver. And once you have them, your back 2-3 will keep them held when they can only do 2 maneuvers.