Borg Assimilation question

Playtesting & Rules Development
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aelius
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Borg Assimilation question

Post by aelius »

Hi all, new to the forums. I posted this in the Officers Lounge before I realized this would be the appropriate forum. Forgive the double posting.
I have been looking at the Menagerie rules and wished to create a species like the Borg.
So far I have Cybernetic (of course) and Adaptable, for 3 points.
I also gave them Hivemind for 0 points
I have Xenophobic and Superiority Complex, for -3 points.
That leaves me 2 points open which I plan to use for Assimilation.
That's what I wanted opinions on.
I was thinking that you would treat it as Extermination in game mechanics but have it cost 15 or 20 points per Census and instead of killing them they become Borg. Like enslaving the populace only worse. And more efficient. No revolts. But it would have massive negative diplomatic consequences. Not that the Borg would care about that, what with being superior Xenophobes and all.
Whatcha think? Should I make the Assimilation ability cost 2 points or raise it to 3 and drop the Adaptable? Also any comments on the Assimilation ability itself would be welcome. I think it is as close to Borg Assimilation as i am going to get within the framework of a playable race in VBAM.
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Chyll
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Re: Borg Assimilation question

Post by Chyll »

aelius wrote:Hi all, new to the forums. I posted this in the Officers Lounge before I realized this would be the appropriate forum. Forgive the double posting.
I have been looking at the Menagerie rules and wished to create a species like the Borg.
So far I have Cybernetic (of course) and Adaptable, for 3 points.
I also gave them Hivemind for 0 points
I have Xenophobic and Superiority Complex, for -3 points.
That leaves me 2 points open which I plan to use for Assimilation.
That's what I wanted opinions on.
I was thinking that you would treat it as Extermination in game mechanics but have it cost 15 or 20 points per Census and instead of killing them they become Borg. Like enslaving the populace only worse. And more efficient. No revolts. But it would have massive negative diplomatic consequences. Not that the Borg would care about that, what with being superior Xenophobes and all.
Whatcha think? Should I make the Assimilation ability cost 2 points or raise it to 3 and drop the Adaptable? Also any comments on the Assimilation ability itself would be welcome. I think it is as close to Borg Assimilation as i am going to get within the framework of a playable race in VBAM.
Others may have tried something similar, but I have not so I have no experience to draw upon.

Without playtesting, this appears to be a pretty basic and workable. I'd probably say every two census can be converted to one borg, just to reflect the violence and breakage during resistance of the assimilatee population.

3 points sounds better, but as a unique ability/race, you could get away with calling it 2 points and be done with it.
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Emiricol
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Post by Emiricol »

To be in-theme, it might be worthwhile to spell out what happens when a non-Borg race conquers a Borg populace.

The Assimilation thing sounds good as-is. I'd leave it 2 points as it has severe consequences, and they won't necessarily have the total tech advantage they had in the shows. If they DO have the tech advantage, that would be a separate racial bonus with costs I assume.
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aelius
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Post by aelius »

No, they don't have the overwhelming tech advantage.
I am looking to use them in a solo campaign as bad guys the starting race could encounter.
Although since I came here and found out about 2E I am thinking about waiting to start until it is out.
Thanks for the feedback, Its nice to know people don't think its too outrageous. :)
As for what happens to a captured Borg census... I don't know. What happens to Hive Mind census that gets occupied?
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