Proving Grounds is a Borg storyline mission in Star Trek Fleet Command where you answer a distress call from Starbase 80 and fight three assimilated ships in a row. It can be picked up at warp 1 and needs warp 23 to finish, and every fight happens in Xerxes. You also donate 800,000 Tritanium toward the starbase’s defenses. The reward is 800 Ultra Recruit Tokens, 16 3★ Uncommon Refined Crystal and 280 each of 3★ Battleship and Interceptor Parts, and it unlocks Echoes of Torana.
Proving Grounds objectives
The story line is “Respond to a distress call from a Federation starbase and test the proficiency of the task force.” There are six objectives and no choice split:
- Respond to the distress call on Starbase 80. Location: Xerxes.
- Defeat the Assimilated K’t’inga. Location: Xerxes. Enemy strength is roughly 293,839.
- Defeat the Assimilated Valdore. Location: Xerxes. Enemy strength is roughly 296,419.
- Defeat the Assimilated Kelvin. Location: Xerxes. Enemy strength is roughly 305,058.
- Donate 800,000 Tritanium to repair the Starbase’s defenses.
- Return to your Station.
The three assimilated ships are one from each major faction: a Klingon K’t’inga, a Romulan Valdore and a Federation Kelvin. They come in rising order of strength, from about 294,000 up to about 305,000, and all three are in Xerxes. After the fights, the donation step asks for 800,000 Tritanium, and then you head home.
Where and what warp
Xerxes is the only system you need to reach. The mission can be accepted at warp 1 but needs warp 23 to complete, which is what it takes to get to Starbase 80 in Xerxes.
The mission data lists a recommended level of 1. Three back-to-back fights near 300,000 strength and an 800,000 Tritanium donation are the real measure of when you are ready.
Proving Grounds rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ultra Recruit Token | 800 |
| 3★ Uncommon Refined Crystal | 16 |
| 3★ Battleship Parts | 280 |
| 3★ Interceptor Parts | 280 |
Completing Proving Grounds also unlocks Echoes of Torana.
Proving Grounds and Echoes of Torana compared
Proving Grounds comes after Empire of Ashes and leads straight into Echoes of Torana, the next step in the Borg story.
| Mission | Warp to complete | Fights | Donation | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proving Grounds | 23 | Three assimilated ships in Xerxes, about 294,000 to 305,000 | 800,000 Tritanium | 800 Ultra Recruit Token, 16 3★ Uncommon Refined Crystal, 280 3★ Battleship Parts, 280 3★ Interceptor Parts |
| Echoes of Torana | 22 | 8 hostiles in Roda Beta, then a Borg Cube at about 344,145 | None | 58,000 Dilithium, 250 3★ Explorer Parts |
Echoes of Torana pays the explorer parts that Proving Grounds leaves out, so running both covers all three hull types.
Tips
Stockpile the Tritanium before you set out. The donation comes after all three fights, and 800,000 Tritanium is a big ask; having it ready means you can finish the mission the moment the Kelvin goes down.
Plan your repairs around the Kelvin. It is the last and strongest of the three fights, so a ship that is already damaged from the K’t’inga and the Valdore is at the most risk there.
The 800 Ultra Recruit Tokens are the most valuable part of the reward. If you are saving tokens for recruitment, this mission is a large single boost. For the rest of the Borg storyline and other missions by level, see the mission guide.
