Note that even when a target is shrunk, the target can still cause damage to others (with a faster rate of fire but much reduced damage). Also, friendly units can be shrunk in order to make a quicker escape. It is interesting to note that in one of the Commander's Challenges in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3: Uprising, the effects of the beam were seen to be map-wide, affecting ALL units including infantry (but strangely however, not nanocores).