Editing Battle for the Tylium Asteroid

{{Battle Data
|image=Cylonminegoboom_110_1080i.jpg
|description=[[Lee Adama|Apollo]] flying away from the Cylon tylium mine as it begins to explode 
|conflict=[[Cylon Attack|Second Cylon War]]
|date=[[Re-Imagined Series Timeline|Day 36]]
|place=[[Sector_Delta_9#Sector_J23R7|Sector J23R7 ]]
|result=Colonial victory <br /> Resupply of [[tylium]] ore for fuel reserves.
|combatant1=Remnants of the [[Colonial Fleet (TRS)|Colonial Fleet]]
|combatant2=[[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]]
|co1=Commander [[William Adama]] <br /> Lieutenant {{callsign|Starbuck}} <br /> Captain {{callsign|Lee Adama}}
|co2=Unknown †
|strength1= ''[[Galactica]]'' <br /> ~19 {{RDM|Viper}}s <br /> 2 [[Raptor]]s <br /> 3 civilian transports
|strength2=140 [[Raider|Raiders]] <br /> Fixed anti-aircraft emplacements
|shiploss1=At least 4 Vipers
|shiploss2=Complete destruction of Cylon forces
|casualties1= ~6 pilots dead ([[Fireball]],[[Stepchild]],[[Donald Perry]] and 3 other pilots)
|casualties2=Unknown, high
|prev=[[Skirmish over the Red Moon]]
|next=[[Battle of Kobol (RDM)|Battle of Kobol]]
|series=RDM
}}
The '''Battle for the Tylium Asteroid''' takes place when ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'' attacks a Cylon [[Cylon Refinery|tylium ore refinery]]. It marks the first time that ''Galactica'' makes an offensive strike against Cylon forces in nearly forty years.

==Background==
After exhausting much of its fuel reserves fleeing from Cylon forces, ''Galactica'' sends [[Raptor]]s to outlying star systems in search of [[tylium]], a fuel source used by all ships in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]]. They locate an asteroid saturated with the mineral, but also occupied by Cylons and fortified with [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Raider]] squadrons. Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] decides to take the asteroid with a daring plan, utilizing the unconventional thinking of Lieutenant {{callsign|Starbuck}} to draft the attack strategy and Captain {{callsign|Lee Adama}} to implement it {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.

==Battle==
''Galactica'' pulls a double-feint; using a cargo freighter to lure away patrolling Raiders, the battlestar deploys a Viper squadron to approach the unprotected asteroid. The Cylons deduce the freighter to be a diversion and turn their fighters on the approaching Viper squadron. Additionally, they release all of their base's reserve Raiders to make a run at ''Galactica''. With all Cylon craft engaging either the Vipers or ''Galactica'', a second squadron of Vipers emerges from inside the cargo freighter and heads for the now unguarded Cylon base.

As the squadron reaches the surface of the asteroid, guided anti-aircraft missiles are launched and [[Fireball]] is killed in his Viper - while {{callsign|Kat}} and [[Stepchild]] launch their guided missiles, a powerful jamming signal appears and causes the Colonial missiles to lose guidance and veer away from the refinery

Captain Adama determines that any attacks they attempt will have to be completed manually. For that to be possible they must be able to approach the base at a close range - something which the anti-aircraft artillery makes unattainable. 

As the remaining four Vipers approach the refinery, they encounter heavy anti-aircraft fire that destroys two more Vipers, including {{callsign|Chuckles}} in [[Viper 4267]] and [[Stepchild]] in her assigned [[Viper (TRS)|Viper]].

Captain Adama orders the other fighters to pull back as he searches for an alternative way of approaching the refinery. He finds a conveyor duct that runs from an undefended canyon adjacent to the base, and ends below a tank storing highly unstable tylium precursor. After successfully maneuvering [[Viper 2220]] through the duct, Adama detonates a pair of explosive charges underneath the tank, then makes his escape. 

The ignition of the tylium-precursor results in a chain-reaction that destroys the refinery with a force equivalent to that of a three kiloton nuclear warhead yet leaves the underlying tylium unaffected. Moreover, the force of the explosion heavily disorients the overflying Raiders, leaving them unable to re-arm or refuel. With no means by which to escape the space surrounding the asteroid, the scattered fighters are destroyed by ''Galactica'' and its Vipers {{TRS|The Hand of God}}.

==Aftermath==
Shortly after ''Galactica's'' victory over the enemy, ships from the civilian fleet mine a large quantity of tylium from the asteroid (gathered by the mobile [[mining ship]]s and processed on a [[refinery ship]]).  The mining yields enough tylium reserve to last the Fleet for several years.  
 
Extraordinarily, this battle was prophesied in the [[Sacred Scrolls]], which mention a victory "led by serpents numbering two and ten" (the twelve Vipers). The scrolls warn, however, that "though the outcome favored the few, it would lead to a [[Battle of Kobol (RDM)|confrontation]] at [[Kobol (RDM)|the home of the gods]]" {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.

== Production ==

=== Development ===
The battle sequence was conceived by writers [[Bradley Thompson]] and [[David Weddle]] as part of their response to an urgent request from executive producer [[David Eick]] for story ideas in the middle of ''Battlestar Galactica''{{'|s}} first season.<ref name="companion_origin">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=81|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref> Eick had asked for "a big combat show," explaining that he thought they needed to remind viewers why the show was called ''Battlestar Galactica''.<ref name="companion_big_mac">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=81|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>

Thompson and Weddle drew inspiration from the real-life [[w:Battle of Midway|Battle of Midway]], deciding to propel ''Galactica''{{'|s}} Viper pilots on a mission to steal fuel from a Cylon base.<ref name="companion_midway_inspiration">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=81|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref> The writers wanted to create "a space battle that had some thought behind it and was unlike anything people had seen before," developing what became the first layer of attack and pitching it to [[Ronald D. Moore]] and Eick. When told "The plan's not good enough. It has to be trickier," Thompson and Weddle took a walk along the Universal backlot and conceived the Trojan Horse strategy of hiding the Vipers inside a freighter.<ref name="companion_trojan_horse">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|pages=81-82|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>

The episode was initially planned as a "radio show" with viewers following the battle by listening to pilots and watching models being moved around in the operations room, similar to [[w:World_War_II|World War II]] movies like ''[[w:Sink_the_Bismarck|Sink the Bismarck]]'', ''[[w:Tora!_Tora!_Tora!|Tora! Tora! Tora!]]'' and ''[[w:Midway|Midway]]''.<ref name="companion_radio_show">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=82|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref> The writers had a very limited number of effects shots and were saving them for the final moment of the attack, hoping the audience would experience the same sense of frustration [[Kara Thrace]] was feeling in the Operations Room.<ref name="companion_limited_effects">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=83|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>

The episode was assigned to director [[Jeff Woolnough]], whose credits include installments of ''[[w:Smallville|Smallville]]'', ''[[w:Stargate_SG-1|Stargate SG-1]]'' and ''[[w:Dead_Like_Me|Dead Like Me]]''.<ref name="companion_woolnough">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=83|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref> As the episode took shape, both Woolnough and visual effects supervisor [[Gary Hutzel]] felt it would benefit from additional effects footage. After discussing with Eick, Hutzel enlisted Vancouver-based effects company [[Atmosphere Visual Effects|Atmosphere]] to visualize the bulk of the action-packed attack sequence.<ref name="companion_atmosphere">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=83|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>

Hutzel described the episode as "a fun 'ship show' that provided a chance to break all the rules," noting that [[David Eick]] and [[Ronald D. Moore]] were initially concerned it would be too slick and break from their usual documentary style, but ultimately supported the approach.<ref name="companion_hutzel_ship_show">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=83|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>

The episode also incorporated innovative musical elements courtesy of [[Bear McCreary]]. The producers requested choir, bagpipes and drums for the final celebration, which McCreary wove into the rest of the score, including the bombastic battle scene on the asteroid.<ref name="companion_mccreary_music">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=83|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>

=== Reception ===
Following its completion, "The Hand of God" became widely regarded as one of the obvious highlights of ''Battlestar Galactica''{{'|s}} first season. The show's viewers and makers alike embraced its blend of strong character drama and dazzling visual effects.<ref name="companion_reception">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=83|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref> Writers Bradley Thompson and David Weddle watched the final mix on a huge screen at Universal and felt they had "wrote a movie," with Weddle noting that while it wasn't as long as a movie, "it's got everything a movie would have."<ref name="companion_writers_reaction">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=83|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>

==Impact==

Without the replenishment of the tylium, it is highly probable that the Cylons would have caught up with the Fleet and destroyed it. Nearly three years later, tylium ore was still in supply {{TRS|Dirty Hands}}, suggesting that success in this battle may have removed what would have been a major concern for the Fleet for several years. 

== Notes ==
* The design of the vessel secretly carrying [[Lee Adama|Apollo]]{{'|s}} Viper squadron was based on one of the original series' fleet ships.<ref name="companion_original_series_ship">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=80|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>
* [[Tylium]] fuel powered the ships in the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' as well, providing continuity between the series.<ref name="companion_tylium_continuity">{{cite book|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|first=David|last=Bassom|page=80|publisher=[[Titan Books]]|year=2005}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Battles (RDM)}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Battles]]
[[Category:Colonial Battles (TRS)]]
{{indicator|TRS}}[[Category:TRS]]

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