Cracks on the Surface is a Borg storyline mission in Star Trek Fleet Command where you tour the three faction blockades and destroy an assimilated ship at each one. It can be picked up at warp 1 and needs warp 20 to finish, with stops in P’Jem, Rator and Phelan. The three fights sit between roughly 415,000 and 432,000 strength. The reward is a mix of refined gas, refined ore and 3★ ship parts for all three hull types, and completing it unlocks Part of Something Bigger.
Cracks on the Surface objectives
The story line is “Help reinforce faction blockades and push back advancing Borg forces.” There are six objectives, in pairs, and no choice split:
- Rush to the Federation blockade in P’Jem. Location: P’Jem.
- Defeat the assimilated Federation ship. Location: P’Jem. Enemy strength is roughly 431,670.
- Meet Tuhellen at the Romulan blockade. Location: Rator.
- Defeat the assimilated Romulan ship. Location: Rator. Enemy strength is roughly 418,676.
- Go to the Klingon blockade in Phelan. Location: Phelan.
- Defeat the assimilated Klingon ship. Location: Phelan. Enemy strength is roughly 415,226.
Each blockade follows the same pattern: arrive, then destroy the assimilated ship of that faction. The Federation ship in P’Jem is the strongest of the three, and the fights get slightly easier as you move on to Rator and then Phelan. There is no return-to-station step; the mission ends with the Klingon fight.
Where and what warp
Cracks on the Surface can be accepted at warp 1 and needs warp 20 to complete. The route runs through one system from each major faction’s space: P’Jem for the Federation, Rator for the Romulans and Phelan for the Klingons.
The mission data lists a recommended level of 1, which undersells it. Three fights at over 415,000 strength each call for a ship built for combat at the level where warp 20 is comfortable.
Cracks on the Surface rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| 3★ Uncommon Refined Gas | 7 |
| 3★ Uncommon Refined Ore | 7 |
| 3★ Interceptor Parts | 120 |
| 3★ Explorer Parts | 120 |
| 3★ Battleship Parts | 120 |
Completing Cracks on the Surface also unlocks Part of Something Bigger.
The ship parts are the bulk of the reward: 360 in total, split evenly across interceptors, explorers and battleships. The refined gas and ore are small in number but come in matched sevens, which is useful if you have a building or research step waiting on both.
Tips
Repair between blockades if your ship is struggling. The three fights are spread over three systems with a travel step before each one, so there are natural breaks to check your hull before moving on.
Start with your best ship, since P’Jem is the hardest fight. If your ship handles the assimilated Federation ship at roughly 431,670, the two remaining fights at around 418,676 and 415,226 should not surprise you.
Think about which hull you are upgrading. The 120 parts per hull type go furthest if you fly more than one type; if you only use battleships, for example, only a third of the parts go straight into your main ship.
Cracks on the Surface follows A Fate Worse Than Death and continues into Part of Something Bigger. For more missions in this Borg storyline and elsewhere, see the mission guide.
