why don't the Borg cloak?

[cwl]

they know about cloaking technology, why not sneak up on earth.

 

[JiNX-01]

they know about cloaking technology, why not sneak up on earth.

Because they don't need to.

"They are relentless."
-- Q

 

[cwl]

you say that but they can't take out little ol' earth.

 

[brian577]

It's like how they ignore people who aren't a threat to them, they have a singular goal and any other concern is irrelevant.

 

[Paul Weaver]

you say that but they can't take out little ol' earth.

The borg have never tried. 1 ship isn't trying (and even then they were only defeated because of their unique attempt to use an "ambassador" to ease the process. If they hadn't attempted to use Locutus, their scout ship from BOBW would have wiped out Earth)

 

[C.E. Evans]

Cloaks are irrelevant. You will be assimilated.

 

[F. King Daniel]

But they are wearing a cloak! A cloak of the most splendid--

...oh wait.

 

[plynch]

That's really a good question. If they wish to achieve their goal, they'll use whatever it takes. Maybe then they really would be invincible. End of series. Thus their vulnerability, for drama's sake?

 

[doubleohfive]

Why would the Borg need to? Apart from the Federation and Species 8472, have there been any other races they've encountered (that we know of) where a cloaking device would be needed?

 

[SFRabid]

Put me in the catagory of "they don't need to" responders. From there view, why waste the energy it would require to cloak those giant ships when they are already more powerful?

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

you say that but they can't take out little ol' earth.

Using one ship out of millions isn't trying. It's the tiniest gamble in the universe. Wagering a penny in a bet is probably a bigger expenditure, relativley speaking.

 

[Sci]

they know about cloaking technology, why not sneak up on earth.

I doubt it would ever occur to them. After all, if your targets comply, simply announcing your presence and instructing your victims to surrender and be assimilated would be a much more efficient use of resources than cloaking. And if the targets resist, well, hey, resistance is futile whether you're cloaked or not.

 

[Timo]

If they wish to achieve their goal, they'll use whatever it takes.

Or, more exactly, they use whatever it takes and nothing more.

When they were attacked via transporter in "BoBW", their adaptation was not to raise shields. It was to erect a special transporter-blocking field, which our heroes could still penetrate with their shuttlecraft.

Also, despite encountering Starfleet hand phasers multiple times, the Borg always start out not wearing a phaserproof shield.

Despite such obvious failures of the doctrine, the Borg seem to persist with it. Never prepare. And always only adapt as much as you really have to.

The Borg do have a desire to remain unseen, or else they wouldn't be the Bigfoot of the Trek universe. But they can meet that goal simply by staying in the deep, distant woods and not making much noise. Invisibility would be overkill, and the Borg never overkill.

Infiltration doesn't appear to be a Borg mission. Confrontation is. If it becomes possible to get a Drone or a Cube into the midst of the enemy, it's always best to reveal it to the enemy, to provoke a confrontation, and to learn from the results. Losses are insignificant - and giving the enemy time to prepare is a strategically important goal, because it's these very preparations that the Borg are after! A successful surprise strike would be a failure by the Borg definition.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Saquist]

That's really a good question. If they wish to achieve their goal, they'll use whatever it takes. Maybe then they really would be invincible. End of series. Thus their vulnerability, for drama's sake?

That's really what it comes down too.
it's not that it would be the end of the series but it certainly is the end of the writers imaginations...

 

[Paradon]

They don't need to... They probably traveled to all corners of the universe and haven't come across a species that are a real threat to them. If they want some technologies, a fleet of Borg ships could easily overwhelm any civilizations defense. They only attack when they considers something to be a real threat to them or it's something they really want. That's how the Borg thinks.

 

[Yevetha]

Maybe their ships are to large to have cloacking devices.

 

[Newspaper Taxi]

Don't they technically give an oppourtunity to be assimlated peacefully if you just surrender and just let them do it? Perhaps from their point of view they're just ambassadors of perfection and being cloaked would be deceptive. Of course, if you deny their offer, you get assimlated anyway, at which point they've already announced their intentions and have no real need to be cloaked.