Borg adaptation

Adaptations are a variety of mechanisms by which the Borg defend themselves from attack.

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Spock transmitting the Reliant's Prefix Code

Shields

Adaptation is generally used in the context of shields, in particular, Borg cube shields.

The Borg alter their shield frequencies to provide more defense against incoming frequency-based weapons. At Federation power levels, this makes Borg cubes relatively secure from Federation starships. At higher power levels or against weapons with no frequency such as Species 8472's weapons, adaptation provides mediocre defense.

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Picard modifying a phaser

Frequencies

The most common meaning of adaptation in Star Trek is with frequency based weapons. Frequency based weapons such as phasers become ineffective when the Borg have adapted. In combat, Federation starships rapidly change the frequency of their weapons, to hinder adaptation. However, rapidly rotating frequencies is, at best, a delaying tactic. Federation hand phasers can also be programmed to rapidly change frequencies, allowing a security officer to disable or kill several drones before the Borg adapt and render his weapon useless.

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Q Who cube repairing itself

Repair

Adaptation appears in The Next Generation "Q Who" as a formidable self-repair mechanism. After hit by a photon torpedo, the Borg cube repairs itself. The Borg cube's outer hull is constructed of ductile material conductive to self-repair. It is unclear whether all Borg cubes possess this ability. Other Borg cubes have never shown this ability for rapid repair.

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Borg Tactical Cube

Projectile Weapons

In Star Trek: First Contact, Captain Picard fires a Thompson submachine gun at two Borg drones. The drones do not adapt and are killed. The Borg possibly "adapt" to projectile-weapon species with armored tactical drones and tactical cubes, seen in Voyager "Dark Frontier" and Voyager "Unimatrix Zero." However, no evidence indicates Borg drone shields are effective against kinetic penetrators.

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