Another successful day besieging the unfortunate residents of the Malcor system

Boldly go where no-one has gone before. Then boldly blow up the things that live there. Engage!
Ben Morris

Birth of the Federation puts you in charge of a race of intergalactic explorers and challenges you to create and defend a vast galactic society against numerous other space fiends who roam the cosmos. Based on the hugely popular Star Trek: The Next Generation universe, this naturally involves a little more finesse than simply smashing your enemies into submission.

A combination of diplomacy, strategic skills and resource management makes up the job description. ST: BotF is very similar to the strategy great, Civilisation, in many respects. You must terraform planets for your colonists to live on, build structures to provide energy and food and construct mighty ships in order to expand.

You take control of one of five races - the Federation, the Klingons, the Romulans, the Ferengi or the Cardassians. Not only does this choice affect which units are at your disposal but also the way in which you play the game. Your own success hinges on the temperament of the populace you control. The members of the Federation will, for example, react favourably to a successful diplomatic treaty, whereas the war-like Klingon empire will be overjoyed at the slightest hint of a galaxy-panning battle. Judge their mood badly and you could be on the arse end of civil unrest and planetary revolt.