Balance of Terror is a Romulan combat mission in Star Trek Fleet Command. You pick it up in Kaikara, and both the start and the finish need warp 13. The game lists a recommended level of 1, but the mission sends you across four systems and through three scripted fights. It pays 40 3★ Survey Parts, 20,000 Tritanium and 60 Romulan reputation, costs you some Federation and Klingon standing, and unlocks Fallen Centurion. It is a solid early run for anyone leaning Romulan.
Balance of Terror objectives
The story has you launching a stealth attack on Federation colonies along the border of the Neutral Zone. There are seven objectives and no choice split:
- Escort the fleet to Outpost 1. Location: Medua.
- Destroy the Federation Defender. Location: Medua. Enemy strength is roughly 12,765.
- Join the Centurion on an attack run on Outpost 2. Location: Madra.
- Defend the Centurion while it bombs Outpost 2. Location: Madra. Enemy strength is roughly 17,996.
- Lead the attack on Outpost 3. Location: Atreig.
- Destroy the USS Lhotse. Location: Atreig. Enemy strength is roughly 17,801.
- Rendezvous with the Centurion at Outpost 4. Location: Ragnarr.
The pattern repeats three times. You travel to an outpost, then fight whatever is guarding it. The Federation Defender in Medua is the lightest of the three at about 12,765. The Madra and Atreig fights sit close together at roughly 18,000 and 17,800. The last step in Ragnarr is travel only, so once the USS Lhotse is down the hard part is over.
Where and what warp
The mission is accepted in Kaikara and needs warp 13 from the start. The finish also needs warp 13, so a ship that can reach Kaikara can reach every system on the route. The four systems are Medua, Madra, Atreig and Ragnarr, one outpost each.
The recommended level is listed as 1. In practice the bar is the warp 13 range and a ship that can win three fights of up to about 18,000 strength without a trip home to repair between them.
Balance of Terror rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| 3★ Survey Parts | 40 |
| Tritanium | 20,000 |
| Romulan Points | 60 |
| Federation Points | -26 |
| Klingon Points | -17 |
Completing the mission also unlocks the next one in the chain, Fallen Centurion.
How it leads into Fallen Centurion
The two missions are close in scale, and the second one is shorter. Current game data for both:
| Mission | Warp to complete | Fights | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance of Terror | 13 | Three, up to about 18,000 | 40 3★ Survey Parts, 20,000 Tritanium, faction points |
| Fallen Centurion | 15 | One, about 18,405 | 1 Latinum |
Fallen Centurion takes you to Midnight and Sorenle, asks for a 3,000 Tritanium ransom, and ends with an Outlaw Interceptor fight. The 20,000 Tritanium from Balance of Terror covers that ransom several times over.
Tips
Mind the faction swing before you start. The mission adds 60 Romulan Points but takes 26 from the Federation and 17 from the Klingons. If you are working toward a Federation or Klingon reputation tier, weigh that loss against the Romulan gain.
Take a combat ship with room to spare. None of the three enemies is large, but they come back to back across different systems, and damage from the Medua fight carries into Madra and Atreig. A ship that clears 18,000 strength comfortably will finish the run in one trip.
Survey Parts are used for survey ship upgrades, so the payout is useful even though no survey hull should go near these fights. Other missions sorted by level are on the mission guide.
