Game is free now until 10 AM this saturday! It will be added to your library and this is NOT, I repeat, NOT one of those trial run weekends. This is "the game is on 100% discount yours for life".

Free is free.
And Free is good.

New season, new stuff.

-First of all we're getting a space balance pass. So start planning ahead if your builds are dependant on Beam: Fire at Will, because that's gonna be less effective.
-Next we have another new Rep centered around PvP/competative PvE. Honestly I think I'll only fill that one up for the Tetryon Omni and the ground set. On the bright side fed capes?
-New Lockbox coming as well, no idea what it will have.
-Potential for Data to be brought into STO based on the cutscene at the end of the current FE.
-T5 and T6 Escorts/Destroyers will eventually be getting a Heavy Weapon slot. If its got a Commander Tac station, its getting a big boomstick.

Also want to thank everyone who helped get our K-13 holding to max tier. If anyone's in our KDF fleet... PLEASE show it some love?

Hope to see people active again. I know its been a bit of a drag lately but with luck we can start getting things going into this new season, and maybe even be a coordinated fleet run of some of the new queues once we learn them.

Apparently WizKids is again partnering with STO for a promo thing.

http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/9958093-star-trek-online-wizkids-promotion-and-giveaway

Not only do participants get a code for a special tribble, there's a shot at free Star Trek Attack Wing goodies and a foam prop Bat'leth! The Attack Wing stuff might be limited to the US, but I'm pretty sure the Tribble can be claimed by everyone.

If anyone's already maxed out their spec trees, good news. NEW spec tree coming!

That's right folks, someplace to spend your saved up spec points! Its gonna be a brand new space Secondary that is tied to the new Threatening Stance ability that is replacing Abandon Ship with the skill revamp.

Wait... Abandon Ship is going away?

For anyone who doesn't know... with the upcoming skill revamp, they are removing the Crew mechanic from the game. Never really worked anyways. And since we won't have a crew stat, Abandon Ship becomes useless. It is being replaced with Threatening Stance, which is a toggle ability that increases your Threat Generation. Useful for tanks who want to draw fire away from others.

This new spec tree will apparently have different effects based on if Threatening Stance is active or not.

http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/9864563-star-trek-online%3A-strategist-specialization

Ladies and gentlemen! Its that time of year again. Q's Winter Wonderland is back.

This year I took the liberty to start a tip thread on the official STO forums for the PvE race.

http://www.arcgames.com/en/forums/startrekonline/#/discussion/1208491/rattlers-guide-to-fastest-game-on-ice

Feel free to add to it.

I will be throwing out a Fleet E-Mail about the hourly events later.

See you all in the snow!

-Rattler
Resident Kitsune