Battle of Gamoray

Battle of Gamoray
	Battle of Gamoray
	Battle of Gamoray
Summary
Conflict:	Escape from the Cylons
Date:
Related Episode(s):
Place:	Gamoray, Krillian Star System
Result:	Colonial victory
Combatants
The Colonial Fleet	Cylons
Commanders
Commander Adama ; Commander Cain	Imperious Leader ; Count Baltar
Strength
Two battlestars (and their complement of Vipers)	Four squadrons of Cylon Raiders, three basestars and Gamoray planetary defenses
Materiel Losses
Possibly Pegasus, unknown number of Vipers	Two basestars, unknown number of Raiders
Casualties
Unknown, high	Unknown, high
Battle Chronology

The Battle of Gamoray is a Colonial offensive to secure fuel for the Fleet from the Cylon base on Gamoray.

Battle

The battle begins with a daring commando raid to disable the anti-assault batteries on Gamoray. Once the planetary defenses are defeated, Galactica and a small group of Vipers move in to secure the base on Gamoray and begin the refueling operation. Pegasus is sent away from Gamoray towards the three basestars in the area, theoretically to draw the attack forces away from the currently vulnerable fleet.

Just as Galactica begins to assault Gamoray, Baltar prepares to launch an assault against Galactica. Combined with the fighter squadron on Gamoray, Baltar has the firepower of four basestars worth of Cylon Raiders at his disposal and plans to press his advantage. When Baltar receives word that Galactica has left the fleet undefended, he orders his Raiders to take advantage of the opportunity and destroy the civilian fleet.

Lucifer informs Baltar that the Imperious Leader is on Gamoray, as part of a delegation to dedicate a new facility. Baltar quickly redirects his Raiders towards Gamoray, hoping to curry favor with the Cylon leader by rushing to his defense. On the way to Gamoray, Baltar's Raiders encounter Pegasus. Commander Cain combines his force of Vipers from both battlestars into a spearhead that cuts through the Raiders. Cain's ship sustains heavy damage before Baltar suspects that Pegasus is being used as a decoy, and orders his Raiders to ignore the battlestar and head directly for Gamoray.

Once Pegasus makes it past the Raider forces, Cain heads directly for the three basestars. The act confuses both Commander Adama (because it wasn't part of the plan) and Baltar (as one battlestar is no match for three basestars). Cain orders all wounded and non-essential personnel into shuttles, escorted by all the remaining Vipers on Pegasus. The shuttles headed towards the fleet, while Pegasus rushes towards the basestars at full speed.

Baltar determines that Cain is coming after him, and orders all Raiders to return to defend him (before they reached Gamoray). Galactica is spared as a result and finishes the refueling operations. Starbuck and Apollo break off from the shuttle escort when they determine the Raider force will not intercept the shuttles in their course back to the basestars.

When it becomes apparent that Pegasus will reach him before the Raiders can return, Baltar orders his basestar to withdraw, allowing the other two basestars to defend him. Cain plots a course between the two basestars as Apollo and Starbuck quickly close from behind. The basestars are in such close proximity to each other that they cannot fire on the Vipers without hitting each other. The Vipers disable the flank missile launchers on the basestars. Pegasus reaches the point between the two basestars and fires all of her missiles at point-blank range.

The resulting explosion blinds Apollo and Starbuck. When they were able to see again, there is nothing left but debris. With the Raiders inbound, Apollo and Starbuck retreat back to the Fleet (The Living Legend).

Notes

It is suggested at the end of the episode that Pegasus may have survived the explosion, escaping out into deep space and maintaining radio silence in order to prevent giving away their position. Pegasus and Cain do have a history of this (Battle of Molecay).