After first contact with the Borg at system J-25, Starfleet knew that it was only a matter of time before the Borg attacked the Federation. Their exposure to the Federation's most advanced starship would certainly have piqued their interests. Unfortunately, for much of the 18 months following the J-25 incident Starfleet's response was weak and directionless, with various admirals taking different stances on how best to prepare for a Borg attack. Eventually Starfleet Command started taking the issue seriously and began drawing up new defence plans. Unfortunately, by then it was far too late. When one of the Federation's outermost colonies was suddenly obliterated, an investigation quickly revealed that the Borg were in fact responsible and that an incursion into Federation space was underway. Starfleet veteran Admiral Hansen began assembling a task force to repel the invasion, while the Enterprise was assigned to intercept and delay the Borg if possible. The Enterprise was initially successful in delaying the Borg, but was eventually overwhelmed. When Captain Jean-Luc Picard was kidnapped and transformed into the Borg Locutus, the Borg's purpose in Federation space was revealed - the assimilation of Earth. A Federation fleet of 40 starships met the Borg Cube at Wolf 359. While ill-prepared to engage a technologically superior foe, Starfleet was confident that the strength of numbers would prevail. The Borg engaged the fleet with calculated efficiency. With the assimilated knowledge of Captain Picard at their disposal, Starfleet's tactics and weapons had little effect and the Borg smashed through each line with ease. The battle quickly dissolved into a desperate struggle, as Starfleet attempted to surround and overwhelm the Cube. It was to no avail. The Battle of Wolf 359 lasted mere minutes. By the end of it, all 40 Federation ships were lost, 11,000 Starfleet personnel were dead, and the Borg Cube proceeded towards Earth unopposed and completely undamaged.