The Borg vs. The Culture

[Yukaphile]

I don't know if the Culture even has time travel. Assuming they could analyze and use it instantly, sure. But as a general rule, I'm pretty confident they don't. The only chance they have is going back hundreds of thousands of years and wiping them out before they exist. Though this is the Borg, I think they'd much prefer having access to the awesome technology like Gridfire and how fast their computers can analyze than actually retgonning them. You're also forgetting that that applies only to the post-First Contact Borg, not the pre-First Contact Borg which are part of this debate.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Seems like they could choose to do it however they wanted in First Contact.

Wow. Headcannon much?

[Jonathan101]

Given how we saw them use it, there doesn't seem to be any reason they couldn't have pulled it out anytime. I mean, their entire Cube exploded and they could STILL use it.

Honestly, if we go by FC, it looks like the Borg resorted to time-travel as a solution rather quickly- they had only encountered the Federation a handful of times and their "invasions" were just sending single Cubes to mop the floor with Starfleet, and both times they nearly succeeded. It really seems like they went "skirmish...skirmish...rewrite history...eh, leave them alone for now".

Don't see any reason they couldn't go this route again.

As for pre-FC Borg...yeah, they'll probably be crushed.

[Yukaphile]

The only problem is... well, I'm skeptical of the time travel theory, now. The only reason they knew 2063 was such an important date was by assimilating various Alpha Quadrant species, which included those among the Federation - remember we see various Borg who were assimilated at Wolf 359 later during the years, despite how illogical it is, but just go with it. But through that knowledge of gaining information by assimilation, they knew they could travel to 2063 and prevent the Federation from forming. To gain such knowledge about the Culture, they'd have to assimilate at least one being with a passing familiarity with their history. Is it even possible they could do it? Now I'm really doubting whether they can. Even with the FC retcon in place.

[Jonathan101]

I did mention that though- that they could do it so long as they assimilated some first.

I don't think this is totally implausible, because the Culture is an anarchy where people freely go as they please, so all they need is an unlucky straggler. Also might depend on what universe this fight is taking place in- if it's actually in the Culture-verse, they could assimilate one of the other races that are inferior to the Culture but are reasonably knowledgable of their origins.

Although even then, travelling back in time to some distant past and hoping that the Culture is either weaker or non-existent is still a decent enough plan for a faction as patient as the Borg.

[Yukaphile]

Would the Borg strategically assimilate a single person to do so for a whole culture?

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

I'm cognizant of my statements, just messing around. But really though, we don't see how easy it was for them to do it exactly. That along with the fact that it's the only time we've seen them do it, and if they can do it, you would think that they would more effectively.

I like the pointing to the fact that it was likely a last ditch effort, which gives room to speculate why they might not do it, though it seems you guys are finding reasons that would really be useful for them in spite of that.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Would the Borg strategically assimilate a single person to do so for a whole culture?

It feels like on the forum we speculate whether the Borg would do something like time travel, namely in the interest of assimilation and expansion of their species.

[Yukaphile]

Well, I think this means the pre-First Contact Borg would lose, because they only assimilate cultures and ships, not individuals - and that the Enterprise gave them a hard time initially, so... yeah.

[Jonathan101]

Well, the Borg did in fact strategically assimilate Picard (and that was pre-FC, so it applies to both), so it is certainly an option, but they would probably pick up anyone they could.

I don't think they regard a single person as representative of an entire culture, but it gives them an insight regarding who and how many of that culture they need to take next.