The Borg took a great step from "models and ideas" to "balanced and playable" during the past few weeks. The Borg will feature, as already announced in the forums, a complete new set of models and a complete new playing style.

What are the first things that come in mind when thinking of a Borg vessel (besides cubic of course).. right, large and powerful! Its hard to balance these two aspects in a real time strategy game. A powerful and large vessel has to be expensive of course. But its no fun for a player to save an immense amount of resources and then has to wait for a long time until the construction is complete.
Fleet Operations will go another road. Borg vessels are no longer build like normal starships. They are composed of different modules which improve different aspects of a vessel. The player can choose between all available modules to construct specifically the vessel he or she wants for a certain purpose. An Assimilator for example might be tuned up to a very powerful assimilation unit or a heavy torpedo carrier, laying devastation to starbases.
Each chassis has a different number of free slots to build modules in and the maximum number of installed modules of a certain type might also differ from vessel to vessel. I want to show you a small preview of this unique module system by presenting the Sphere.


The Borg Sphere features a total of up to 4 modules slots. She may carry Beam, Torpedo, Regeneration and Holding-Beam Modules.


A Borg Sphere during construction




Beam Module
The Spheres primary module. The Sphere may carry up to 3 Beam-Modules. The Beam Module increases Offensive and Defensive Value by 8. Each Beam-Module will add an additional energy phaser and allows the sphere to simultaniously attack an additional target. up to 4 targets if three modules are installed.


Torpedo Module
The Sphere may carry one Torpedo Module. The module increases the Offensive Value by 15. Per default the Sphere is only equipped with one beam weapon and this module is the opportunity to add some additional offensive power.


Regeneration Module
Another very important module for the Sphere. Each module increases all attributes by 5 and the Sphere may carry up to three modules of this type. The module increases the repair rate by 10 percent for each Regeneration Module installed. The Regeneration special ability already known from previous releases will become available if you have at least 2 Regeneration Modules present.


Holding-Beam Module
The Sphere may only carry one Holding-Beam Module. The module will increase the Defensive Value by 5 and the System Value by 10. As probably guessed from the name this module grants access to the Holding-Beam special ability. As the Cube may install up to 3 Holding-Beam modules, the Sphere's Holding-Beam will be weaker, but its still a good choice to assimilate smaller units like Sabers or B'rels.


So, whats your choice? A multi-targeting sphere with 3 Beam and one Torpedo Module? A though and durable assimilation base with 3 Regeneration and one Holding Beam Module? Or something in between?
Thats the Borgy way to play! Adapt to your enemies strategies, customize your giant, expensive and powerful vessels! Crush fleets with just a hand full of units!

And never forget.. resistance is futile!