Borg Bashing

StarfleetCommand74656 · Captain Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 653 Location: On STV

Why don't the crew fight the borg with good ol' fashioned bullet-firing machine-guns after phasers are adapted to? Even bows and arrows would be an improvement.

Defiant · **Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:03 pm**

Primitive and unavailable technology?

John Luck Pickard · **Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:56 pm**

Primitive? Yes. Unavailable? Not with a replicator SC74656 brings up a good point. In the holodeck in First Contact (the movie), Picard was able to mow down to Borg with some sort of machine gun. It seemed that their sheilds we're only able to adapt to directed energy weapons.

Defiant · **Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:05 pm**

Yes, but that was a pre-programmed part of a specific holodeck simulation. That doesnt necessarily mean that they are available in the real world for use. That said, I seriously doubt that they wouldn't be able to, considering its just all mechanical and not anything terribly difficult.

Founder · **Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:50 am**

You actually believe the Borg can't adapt to bullets? Just because Picard mowed down TWO of them without them adapting means nothing. Usually, you only get two shots off before they adapt anyways.

The Borg have endured for centuries, conquering powerful and primitive worlds in their pursuit for perfection.

I'm sure, based off of ONE alien species they assimilated, they managed to learn how to block bullets.

Defiant · **Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:04 am**

My thinking on that subject would be that bullets are just the same as a baseball bat. There is no adapting to a baseball bat, except that they could try to learn to dodge or block or something, but their "adaptation" doesnt seem to cover such a thing, only modulations of energy weapons. I think that bullets would work well for a long time, but the Borg would easily adapt in a different way, by simply coming up with a solution. Basically, its not a matter of automatic adaptation (AKA the term we all know and love of "adapting"), but a matter of using their brains to analyze and adapt manually.

Founder · **Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:08 am**

Bullets are projectile weapons. The Borg have a shield that surrounders their body if they adapt. You can adapt to bullets. They could force the shield to destroy any metallic object that share the properties of bullets to be disentegrated upon hitting the shield.

As for bats, that is a different story.

Lord Borg · **Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:10 am**

The shields could act like forcefields maybe? Those can deflect solid objects

jonathan95 · **Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:22 am**

but then you have that sniper riffel seen on DS9 that materilises just before hitting the target with in the sheild, so they'd have to learn to block that as well.

lionhead · **Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:59 am**

yes, the Borg drones can adapt to bullets. it just a matter of energy, whether it be phaser or a solid object.

The shield of the borg adapt too energy readings they get and modulate the shields so that that specific energy is absorbed. When a bullet hit the drones body the shield try to absorb that energy as well, but i guess the bullet itself makes it a lot more difficult for the shields to get strong enough to block it. since the bullet is a solid object the shields need to stop the object from penetrating, with a phaser they just absorb the energy and they don't need to block anything. A baseball bat would be nearly impossible to adapt to since the amount of energy released is enormous they don't have enough energy to counter that. You don't see a Borg drone adapting to a Photon torpedo either.

lifeguide · **Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:06 pm**

I hate to disagree with you Lionhead but ENERGY AND BULLETS are two totally different things (if they were the same why does so many governments around the world have projects researching specifically for energy weapons).

The Borg's shields may only be able to adapt to directed energy weapons and if they were to say be exposed to a nuclear missile that could produce enough energy to obliterate a cube.

I think the question being posed here is a valid pone.

robbiewebster · **Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:16 pm**

robbiewebster · **Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:21 pm**

Debra · Sweetest Angel Joined: 26 May 2007 Posts: 444

Bullets harm borg? No way... they would adapt like everyone else is saying.. Bullets isn't going to pentrate the borg forcefield and harm them.

PrankishSmart · **Mon Dec 03, 2007 6:37 am**

I think it might work because riker in best of both worlds (TNG S3&4) was last chance going to engage warp into the borg cube... perhaps knowing that the cube would be destroyed as a result?

Thing is borg drones would adapt because they would use shield or forcefield tech to adapt. Undoubtly the pinnicle of federation technology in the 24th century is Zero Point Energy, which in principle is very widespead in application possibility including weaponry to defeat the borg and dominion (and in fact this was designed for these two foes). Look at first contact and you will see the cube taking a pounding until the quantum torpedo volley (which works on ZPE tech) finishes it off... same with the borg sphere. Quite a showcase if the technology was truly 'opened up' onto the dominion fleets, but which unfortunetly was too much in it's infancy.

Projectile weapons against the borg would not work in the long run. End of story.

lionhead · **Mon Dec 03, 2007 4:21 pm**

Joey · Rear Admiral Joined: 13 Jul 2001 Posts: 4708

So going by what you say, the borg, altough they never have for some reason, could adapt to say a punch, or say a sword, and stop them dead? They both release energy.

My thoughts on borg shielding was: its an energy shield, it blocks projected energy (thus allowing the borg to penitrate forcefields), a bullet, while projected with energy would still damage the borg, as they seem to not adapt to physical attacks. I could be wrong but I have yet to see a borg adapt to attacks of a physical nature ((not phasers))

lifeguide · **Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:30 pm**

That is a good point harry.

The episode I point to when someone says the Borg can block any form of attack is Descent part 1 when Data takes a hold of the Borg and lifts it up and throws it against the wall.

If the Borg shielding can stop physical attacks or projectiles then why doesn't the Borg being attacked initiate the shielding?

Joey · Rear Admiral Joined: 13 Jul 2001 Posts: 4708

Founder · **Wed Dec 05, 2007 1:09 am**

Good points all. I'm pretty sure the force-fields can block almost anything, but they can't block someone twisting their neck. It is probably only projectile weapons that they can block. Theoretically, they can probably block a punch or a phaser rifle butt to the chest, though.

lionhead · **Wed Dec 05, 2007 2:10 pm**

8 of 9 · **Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:23 am**

well just like lionhead said,
bullets would most likey go through objects, phaser just stop at the walls or wat ever it hits... cuz its a energy source, not a metal object...
i've thought of that way way long ago....
good ?'s. and good answers...
yes it worked with " first Contact "
but....... why take away the cool adaptin to phasers and such....

Ziyal · Captain Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Posts: 848 Location: Alaska :D

if forcefields can hold out junk in space (as seen on first contact for their 'window') why shouldn't they hold out bullets?

Omok · Lieutenant Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 170

Captain Dappet · **Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:07 am**

i'd love to smash drones up with a baseball bat. kickass.