In starship classification, a Borg assimilator was a Borg starship type used by the Borg Collective for assimilating hostile targets and their technology in the field. In the 24th century, the auto-assimilator aimed at the crews of ships and space stations, leaving the targeted vessel derelict. (ST video game: Armada)

In the 25th century, Borg assimilators had specialized equipment and on-board facilities for not only assimilating starships to prevent resistance, but also to begin an invasion an assimilation of an entire planet. (STO website: Unparalleled: Assimilate. It. All.)

Uses[]

Borg Assimilators are commonly tasked with establishing Collective control over planets, but their true specialization is in technology capture. Their Assimilation Probes and on-board processing facilities allow for rapid seizure, capture, and disassembly of enemy vessels. (Star Trek Online)

Assimilators can be used as a quick means of eliminating resistance on an enemy ship or station via use of a tractor beam which locks on to the target vessel and rapidly transports its crew aboard, where they are immediately assimilated into the Collective. (TNG video game: Armada)

History[]

During the incident with Species 8472, the original assimilator was replaced with a vastly different type of vessel acquired from the Liberated, which utilized decentralized technology that was more resistant to 8472's bioweapons. This decentralized technology was later utilized in other Borg vessels, including cubes and spheres. (TNG video game: Armada II, TNG novel: Greater Than the Sum)

In 2410, the Borg begin advancing on the Alpha and Beta quadrants after bouncing back from what appeared to be their final defeat in 2401. Assimilators were upgraded with the latest possible technology and used new methods of assimilation; they carried the new planetary assimilation probes. Once entering a star system and securing orbit over the targeted planet, Assimilators would deploy a series of Assimilation Probes from their hanger that would make their way down to the surface and begin assimilating the planet below through the release of nanites; meanwhile up in orbit, the Assimilator would begin breaking down and processing useful enemy technology to improve the Collective's Knowlege. (Star Trek Online)

All of the Borg assimilator vessels mentioned by designation in the first Armada game were also included in the sequel, however, all had different external appearances. The latter vessels resembled Lore's Borg ship seen in TNG episode: "Descent". This may be explained by the Borg's assimilation of Liberated technology as described in TNG novel: Greater Than the Sum.

Borg Assimilators were added to Star Trek Online in 2023 and are Borg battleships. A playable version of the starship allows the player to use the ship's planetary assimilation probes as combat craft, which are normally just stored inside and only deployed once an invasion of the surface has begun.

Subtypes[]

2376 Borg assimilator[]

This angular design, consisting of trapezoid and rectangular blocks, was a medium-sized vessel type deployed by the Borg Collective in the 2370s decade. The Borg assimilator was larger than a Borg sphere but smaller than a Borg cube. It was armed with an energy torpedo launcher and the auto-assimilator. The auto-assimilator deprived targeted vessels and fixed installations of their crews but could only operate if the Hive had developed this technology aboard a modification center in the sector. (ST video game: Armada)

In the year 2376, the Collective deployed this class from Unimatrix 001 in the Delta Quadrant to Sector 303 in the Gamma Quadrant to assimilate a Dominion cloning facility. (ST video game: Armada mission: "Resurrection")

On stardate 53551.3, ships of this type were part of the force attacking Federation Starbase 612 at the onset of the Borg Invasion of 2376. (ST video game: Armada mission: "Dark Omens")

2377 Borg assimilator[]

In 2377, the Collective deployed ships and stations with altered hull designs. The Borg assimilator of this year was a smaller version of the Borg type 03 vessel but fulfilled the same role. The same vessel designations from the 2376-era Borg assimilator appeared as the 2377-era assimilators. (ST video game: Armada II)

Either the Borg reused the ship names or the Borg assimilators of 2376 underwent a refit to the new configuration.

The Borg type 03 vessel of the 2360s was a massive, asymmetrical vessel larger than a Federation Galaxy-class starship. The USS Enterprise-D encountered one such vessel operated by a rogue faction, separated from the Collective. (TNG episode & novelization: Descent)

Compared to the original Borg type 03, the Borg assimilators were smaller and had their fore/aft orientation reversed. (ST video game: Armada II)

The Borg Invasion of 2377 commenced with an attempt to set up base in the Regula Badlands on stardate 54522.2. Starfleet encountered the modernized Borg vessels, including the Type 03 assimilators. (ST video game: Armada II mission: "Invasion")

Following the loss of contact between the Borg in the Alpha Quadrant and Delta Quadrant, these assimilators were initially the largest surviving Borg vessels beyond the Borg Queen's Borg diamond. (ST video game: Armada II mission: "Werewolf Pack")

Ships of this type were part of the joint Federation-Borg counter-attack on Species 8472 in fluidic space. (ST video game: Armada II mission: "Rifts")

25th century[]

In the 25th century, the Assimilator-class was a large battleship used by several Borg nations across the multiverse. They were equipped with planetary assimilation probes and operated at a size intermediate between Borg spheres and Borg cubes. Ships of the class saw battle against the species now called the Undine in fluidic space. The prime universe Borg Collective deployed ships of this class. (STO - Task Force Operation mission: "Royal Flush")

The Borg Cooperative, a faction of liberated Borg in the primary universe, operated the original Borg type 03 as liberated Borg command juggernaut and the Assimilator-class as a dreadnought carrier in the 2410s. Due to cultural preferences in their naming conventions, the Cooperative referred to some the Assimilator-class vessels as well as a smaller, rearranged Borg type 03 variant, as Borg acculturators. (STO - Patrol mission: "Aftermath")

Following a major victory against the Borg Queen in the Hive, many Borg drones disconnected from the Collective. In an attempt to reassert her control from another unimatrix, the Queen forced the liberated Borg ships, including disconnected assimilators, to return to the Collective for re-assimilation. The Cooperative, operating from Seven of Nine's sphere, directed a Khitomer Alliance task force in uploading a virus that returned control of the disconnected ships to the liberated Borg aboard, who then warped away. Disconnected vessels that the Collective successfully reassimilated became reconnected assimilators that then turned on Seven of Nine's task force. (STO - Task Force Operation mission: "Borg Disconnected")

The Cooperative Borg shared the liberated Borg command juggernaut with the Khitomer Alliance in 2411. (STO website: Legacy: Command the Borg Juggernaut!)

The Alliance also acquired the Assimilator-class dreadnought carrier. (STO website: Unparalleled: Assimilate. It. All.)

In the mirror universe, Borg assimilators were used by the Borg Kingdom. In 2411, Borg Kingdom assimilators attacked Starbase 1. (STO - Task Force Operation mission: "Defense of Starbase One")

In an alternate reality where the Borg had merged with the Section 31 artificial intelligence Control, Control assimilators operated as battleships in the war between the Control Borg and the Iconian Alliance. (STO - Kings & Queens mission: "Situation Under Control")

Borg assimilator classes[]

class name	ship type	original faction	native universe	service period	ship image
Assimilator-class	Borg assimilator	Borg Collective	prime universe	2376
Borg type 03	Borg assimilator	Borg Collective	prime universe	2377
Assimilator-class	Borg assimilator (mirror)	Borg Kingdom	mirror universe	2411
Assimilator-class	Control assimilator	Control Borg	alternate reality	2411
Assimilator-class	Cooperative acculturator/assimilator	Borg Cooperative	prime universe	2410
Assimilator-class	Disconnected assimilator	Liberated Borg	prime universe	2410
Assimilator-class	Reconnected assimilator	Borg Collective	prime universe	2410

Known assimilators[]

A571-05616 A571-06546 A571-06841 A571-11658 A571-14681 A571-16811 A571-18415 A571-44561 A571-48500 A571-48910 A571-56168 A571-60636

A571-61615 A571-61861 A571-68120 A571-68410 A571-74681 A571-78161 A571-78165 A571-81561 A571-84161 A571-84614 A571-98412 A571-98425

Borg starship classes
	assembler • assimilator • collector • colony ship • command ship • cone • cube • detector • diamond • fusion cube • harbinger • harmonic defender • hypercube • interceptor • obelisk • pyramid • rectangle • scout • sphere • tactical cube • tactical fusion cube • torus • wedge • workbee