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"Ask Cryptic is a regular Q&amp;amp;A series from Cryptic Studios that addresses player questions on Star Trek Online and Champions Online. While previous Q&amp;amp;A's answered a random set of questions posed by the fans, the latest Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online is a bit more focused on one topic: ground combat. Unlike other sci-fi MMOs both on the market and in development, Star Trek Online will have those ill-fated away teams from the Star Trek IP. While things didn't always go smoothly on all those away missions in the shows and films, it could make for some fun gameplay. We're hoping so at least, and what the STO devs have explained about away teams gives us a better idea of what to expect.Away teams will be comprised of five members. These can be other player captains or your own Bridge Officers who beam down to the surface with you. If you're controlling Bridge Officers you can set them to different modes: aggressive (they'll pursue your enemies); defensive (they'll await your orders before fighting); and 'Target Your Target' (they'll focus fire on a selected enemy).   As a captain you'll be able to pack four special abilities, beyond your normal skills, into a Kit. A few examples of these abilities include force fields, stasis fields, and holographic soldiers, but there are nine Kit categories in total. That's three Kits for each profession in Star Trek Online -- Science, Tactical, and Engineer.  If you're interested in reading up on the game's ability combinations and how profession and rank come into the picture, plus your options in hand-to-hand combat, check out the latest Ask Cryptic on ground combat in Star Trek Online."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/03/cryptic-studios-devs-explain-ground-combat-in-star-trek-online/>