Star Trek: Armada III begins with the first stirrings of the Dominion War and allows players to take command of five unique factions, the United Federation of Planets, the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire, the Cardassian Union/Dominion Alliance, and the Borg Collective. Explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and boldly go where no one has gone before.
When a Dominion fleet poured through the Bajoran wormhole in early 2373 the Alpha Quadrant braced for an immediate attack. Starfleet was surprised, however, when the Dominion fleet turned and headed, unchallenged, into the Cardassian Union, and the entire Quadrant was rocked by the news that the Cardassians had, in secret negotiations, agreed to become part of the Dominion. Now with a substantial foothold in the Alpha Quadrant, the Dominion's proximity caused a state of near panic throughout the interstellar community, with many species and smaller powers immediately signing non-aggression pacts in a desperate plea to remain neutral. The Federation's list of allies grew thinner throughout the year until a breaking point was finally reached, when the Romulan Star Empire declared its neutrality. Knowing that it was getting weaker as the Dominion grew stronger, the Federation, feeling war was now inevitable, decided to mine the entrance of the wormhole, preventing further Dominion reinforcements from entering the Alpha Quadrant.
The Dominion's response was swift and fierce, committing a fleet to capture the space station Deep Space 9 at the mouth of the wormhole. As the Dominion began their assault, a joint Federation-Klingon fleet attacked and destroyed the Dominion shipyards at Torros III, scoring an important early victory, and beginning the Dominion War.
The war initially went very poorly for the Federation and the Klingons. Retreating on almost every front, Starfleet and the KDF suffered heavy losses. With the possibility of victory in serious doubt, hope was finally rekindled when a bold counterattack against the Dominion was successful, retaking DS9 and costing the Dominion dearly. With the Dominion's relentless advance halted, the Federation drew a line in the sand as Starfleet forces finally began to hold their own.
As the war entered its second phase however, one thing was clear - the Federation and its allies were holding, but could not do so forever.