Borg Adaptation

[Doug Taylor]

Under the Species Ability "Adaptation" it's pretty clear that only the first shot counts, and that after that it's random, and eventually each weapon - even if it's remodulated - can't harm them.

How would one "remodulate" their weapon, though?

It also seems like the Federation - especially after the attack at Wolf 359 - would have made this SOP, to have a way to simply (and quickly) remodulate each phaser if one runs into the Borg.

Can you tell I'm going to be having the Borg in my next adventure?

[The Tatterdemalion King]

It's possible that the standard remodulation, if used enough, would lead to all phaser frequencies being blocked by the Borg. Essentially, killing or even just attacking the Borg with anything is to cause them to devote attention to it in an attempt to evolve a response. They're essentially life which rapidly evolve in response to natural stimuli, drawing on millions of years of biology and technology in potential mutations in response. You have to think laterally in order to render them harmless without causing significant problems to you down the road.

I have a list somewhere of theoretical approaches to anti-Borg weapons or tactics I was considering for BTFF... A focus on Shelby's Borg-busting think-tank referred to in BoBW. I should dig that up.

[somaticon]

Might I recommend Mass Drivers or Gauss weapons.

[Dan Gurden]

Might I recommend Mass Drivers or Gauss weapons.

You might, but surely non-energy attacks reliant on kinetic energy are likely to already be on the list of defences from Borg Adaptations... Holographic tommy guns worked... And are probably now adapted...

[somaticon]

Borg shields seem to work by adapting to the frequency of the energy weapon used against them this includes torpedoes. Kinetic based solid slugs should mess up any target I think even the Borg would struggle against that of course your main problem then is size of shot ammunition space and the size and density of the Borg vessels.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

Kinetic weapons would just require an artificial gravity well surrounding the ship to deflect them around the hull; think a cloaking device, but instead of deflecting light (or along with) the slugs would fall into the gravity furrow and travel around it.

The biggest problem with that might be inadvertently convincing the Borg to adopt technology which prevents their detection.

[somaticon]

hmm interesting point TDK. I wonder why the borg never adapted clocking devices before.

[C5]

My guess is that cloaking a ship takes a lot of energy, and that cloaking a cube would require the whole output of its energy source.
Or maybe the Borg have simply decided that hiding was less interesting that being nigh invulnerable.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

hmm interesting point TDK. I wonder why the borg never adapted clocking devices before.

Do you put on bug spray every single day?

[Doug Taylor]

Interesting discussion all around. My immediate concern is more for personnel combat, rather than ship stuff (in my upcoming adventure). I'm going to have Borgs without having a Borg cube (or other vessel) via an Iconian Gateway.

And no matter how effective the Borg are at adapting to energy weapons/attacks, how well will they respond to Unarmed Combat and even Armed Combat (like with a bat'leth)? I've not seen anything that would hint that they can adapt to those kinds of attacks. And even if they adapted to the damage, they could still be rendered ineffective by being thrown to the ground, for example.

I still am wondering how (specifically) a character would remodulate their phaser. Does doing so require an action? Are there a finite number of choices (like there are for the power settings)?

[somaticon]

In STO you have to replicate and equip a remodulator device so as to counteract the borg. The downside is it only gives you two to three shots before you have to remodulate again. It's a bulky device about the size of an old style tricorder.

[Fugazi Grrl]

I don't think Borg shielding can protect against Armed Combat weapons (like a Bat'leth) based on Worf using a Klingon knife to chop a Borg's arm off, after the drone had already adapted its shielding to match Worf's remodulated phaser-fire.

So, maybe attacking a Borg with a battle-axe is a more reliable way of fighting them than trying to carry about a big remodulating unit.

It is possible to get in pretty close to them undisturbed if one does not make them self a clear and present threat to the Borg.

Remodulating would probably be an Energy Weapons skill test (since it involves using the controls on the weapon), maybe with an affinity from Systems Operations.

That's one of the things I really like about CODA - it seems to me that it is easy to find an appropriate skill, or reaction for just about anything that can happen in a game.

Like the commercial for the iPhone, or the Android, or something - There's an App for that ! Well, in CODA it should be There's a mod for That. You can figure the right mechanic for a particular in-game action a lot easier than in other systems.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

And no matter how effective the Borg are at adapting to energy weapons/attacks, how well will they respond to Unarmed Combat and even Armed Combat (like with a bat'leth)? I've not seen anything that would hint that they can adapt to those kinds of attacks. And even if they adapted to the damage, they could still be rendered ineffective by being thrown to the ground, for example.

They would probably be able to repair themselves within a short time-frame, though. They're space zombies, after all, and those severed arms still have batteries in them. Characters wielding a bat'leth wouldn't be trying to hit major organs, they'd have to aim for likely exposed power packs or connection ports. If I were running it, I'd have them do minimum damage unless they were specifically trying to hit an important part—parts which are different on each drone. This would be a good place to throw in Engineering or Science rolls to identify 'weak points' in each design.

If a small group is isolated from a cube and/or the larger subspace Borg network, they might start developing adaptions which would prevent the energy drain constant repair would require, though. Stuff like enhanced muscles or some sort of armouring to block blows, although I would probably go with some sort of physical shockwave to push back anyone within 6 feet. Mechanically: A stun grenade effect (you might want to assimilate them, after all) centred on the Borg drone, along with a strength vs. toughness test to avoid getting shoved back (and possibly injured).

They throw Worf around a few times, though. A drone is already pretty tough.

I still am wondering how (specifically) a character would remodulate their phaser. Does doing so require an action?

I'd say yes.

Are there a finite number of choices (like there are for the power settings)?

I believe it was specifically referenced as being finite. Pretty sure it was TNG or FC. There's only six Borg episodes in TNG anyway, you might as well just re-watch them all : P

[Doug Taylor]

I've been re-watching them, as a matter of fact, though I've been watching a lot of Voyager episodes with the Borg lately.

Great points all around, and it really does help me firm up my thoughts on this. I've been planning on re-watching First Contact, too, though - like Best of Both Worlds - I've seen it many times.

Borgs really are space zombies, though I can't recall anyone calling them that before (I just described them as being zombie-like to my son yesterday when we both watched the Dark Frontier two-parter/telemovie).

One of my troubles in getting cool weapons like bat'leths into the scene, though, is that I want to make the crew's discovery of the Borg to be a surprise. That and it will happen deep underground, where transporting will be seriously inhibited. It's not like the crew is going to carry their big Armed Combat weaponry on a typical away mission, even though the Captain and First Officer are proficient with a bat'leth and the Security Chief can handle a lirpa.

[selek]

Kinetic weapons would just require an artificial gravity well surrounding the ship to deflect them around the hull; think a cloaking device, but instead of deflecting light (or along with) the slugs would fall into the gravity furrow and travel around it.

Considering that according to the Next Generation tech manual, a starship's shields are essentially a series of nested graviton fields, methinks this is already accounted for.

One might also consider that the Borg do not adapt merely by changing their technology, but also by altering their tactics.

As far as the remodulation goes, I'd always assumed that post-First Contact, all Starfleet-issue phasers had been specifically modified to automagically randomize their settings after each shot.

Manually modifying them further would be an extended test measured in minutes, if not hours.