

Planets can now be colonized in order to accelerate the influx of new crew members, and ships' vital systems can now be upgraded in the late game. Trading stations allow for trading between players, as well as a secondary source of latinum via Ferengi cargo ships. Arsenals of all races have been vastly expanded with new ship types, stations, and special weapons. There are new resources: metal (gathered through planets) and latinum (gathered in latinum nebulae, useless to the Borg) Species 8472 harvests any resources to "bio-matter". There are two new playable races in addition to the original four: the Cardassians and Species 8472.

There are now only three singleplayer campaigns - Federation, Klingon, and Borg.

Meanwhile, a powerful rogue Cardassian force lurks to seek vengeance on other races. The Borg have managed to survive the cataclysmic Omega particle explosion and are once again invading planets deep in the Alpha Quadrant. Star Trek: Armada II is a real-time strategy game set six months after the events shown in the original game.
