Editing Mercury class battlestar

{{disline|For the unnamed original class, to which ''[[Galactica (TRS)|Galactica]]'' belongs, see [[Galactica type battlestar|''Galactica'' type battlestar]].}}
{{Ship Data|
|image= Pegasus High Res.jpg
| title= ''Mercury'' class battlestar
| race= Colonial
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes
| propol = * 8x sublight engines <br /> * Maneuvering thrusters
| crew= Approx. 2,500
| length={{Feet2Meters|5872}}<ref>[http://darthmojo.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/how-big-was-the-colony/#comment-2193 Blog comment] by [[Adam "Mojo" Lebowitz]].</ref>
| role= Carrier / Battleship 
| arm= * 34x [[KEW|primary batteries ]] (30x twin turrets, 4x fixed twin mounts) <br /> * Numerous [[KEW|point-defense cannons]] <br /> * [[missile tubes|Missile tubes]]
| def= * Electronic countermeasures <br /> * Flak
| aircraft= * Full Viper Mk. VII compliment <br /> * Full Raptor compliment
| facilities= * 2x flight pods <br /> * 4x flight decks <br /> * 80x Viper launch tubes <br /> * 2x Raptor launch tubes <br />  * Viper construction facilities
}}

'''''Mercury'' class battlestars''' are advanced Colonial capital warships/carriers of the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]], top-of-the-line vessels at the time of the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].

==Overview==
Apparently introduced some years after the First [[Cylon War]], the ''Mercury'' class was designed to replace the aging ''Galactica'' type battlestars. It featured newer technologies, more automation, and could carry more Viper and Raptor support ships than its older predecessors. Despite the increase in capabilities, the Colonials seem to have more interest in producing the smaller ''Valkyrie'' types over the ''Mercury'' class, relegating the Mercury to a flagship/command role. 

==Layout==

Generally speaking, this class compares to the older ''Galactica'' type battlestars in terms of overall specifications.

===Main hull===

* '''The fore section''': Also known as the "alligator head," contains much of the living -and crew areas, including the [[CIC]]. 

* '''The mid section''': Contains the main flight decks, and aircraft service areas.

*'''The stern section''': Contains the ship's engine pods, FTL drives, and engineering facilities needed to maintain the ship's propulsion. 

===Flight pods===

:''Main article: [[Flight pod]]''

The ''Mercury'' class sports four flight pods of a newer and more advanced design. Two dorsal, and two ventral pods, with advanced gravity systems keeping them in sync. Vipers and Raptors are able to land both "right side up" and "upside down" in relation to the ship. The dual pods allow for greater Viper recovery during combat. The ships' hangar deck and launch tubes are located in between the "right side up," and "upside down" flight decks, and feature the same layout and design as seen on the older ''Galactica'' type battlestars. Despite advancements, these pods are still able to launch older Vipers, such as the Mk. II's. The Mercury-class also possesses Raptor launch tubes alongside its Viper launch tubes, enabling faster launch of scout craft compared to older battlestars.

The pods are also kept stationary and do not retract into the hull, allowing these vessels to jump out of a battle zone faster than their older counterparts {{TRS|The Captain's Hand}}.

===Orthographics===
<gallery perrow=5>
Image:Mercury Fore.jpg
Image:Mercury Aft.jpg
Image:Mercury Side.jpg
Image:Mercury Top.jpg
</gallery>

==Specifications==

===Propulsion===

:''Main article: [[Propulsion in the Re-imagined Series]]''

''Mercury'' class ships are equipped with 8 sublight engines attached to the outer hull, and group into clusters of four along the ventral and dorsal surfaces of the ship. These ships also feature maneuvering thrusters placed at key points on the ship, including two main thrusters on the forward section of the alligator head. 

===Computer systems===

:''Main article: [[Computers in the Re-imagined Series]]''

Unlike their older counterparts, the ''Mercury'' class features advanced computer systems, including the [[Command Navigation Program]] developed by computer scientist Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]]. Designed to assist in advanced navigation techniques, the program was uploaded to all ships of this class sometime before the Fall of The Colonies. During the attacks, the Cylons were able to gain command privileges over the battlestar's functions and shut them down through a backdoor placed in this program.

===Armament===
[[File:PegasusForeBatteries.jpg|thumb|right|''Pegasus'' firing its main battery {{TRS|The Captain's Hand}}.]]
[[File:Pegaus taking a beating.jpg|thumb|right|The flak field from ''Pegasus''{{'|s}} batteries {{TRS|Exodus, Part II}}.]] 

:''Main article: [[Weapons in the Re-imagined Series]]''

*34 automated antiship [[Battery|gun turrets]] (mounting 2 guns apiece).
:[[Battery|Gun batteries]] on the ''Mercury'' class are distributed all over the ship {{TRS|The Captain's Hand}}, with the greatest concentration of large turrets found along the side of the ship, within the valley created by the upper and lower halves of the hull, and along the flight pods. Four are mounted on the underside of the upper hull on the ship's bow, below which sits four non-turreted large guns; these form the main forward batteries. Six turrets are mounted on each underside of the alligator head, grouped in pairs. There are also three turrets on the side of each flight pod, and two more turrets are mounted on the front and back of each flight pod. This amounts to a total of thirty-four main gun batteries. The turreted guns of the ''Mercury'' class have a higher rate of fire than ''Galactica''{{'|s}} main guns when operating in flak mode, as demonstrated during a skirmish with [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon War-era raiders]] {{TRS|Razor}}. However, unlike Galactica, the Mercury class possesses no dorsal or ventral batteries, requiring it to angle its broadsides to the enemy in order to maximize the use of its firepower.

*Numerous smaller point-defense turrets, located in between hull plates. 

*Numerous missile tubes.

*Electronic Counter-Measure (ECM) defense systems {{TRS|Resurrection Ship, Part II}}

*Numerous [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] space superiority fighters.
:An example of this class, ''Pegasus'', carries a complement of 50 Raptors and 200 [[Viper Mark VII]] fighters (8 squadrons and two reserve squadrons color coded blue, red, green, yellow, orange, purple, black, white, and reserve squadrons gold and silver) <ref>Intelligence Debrief: Cylon Basestar, "Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine," June/July 2006, page 56.</ref>.
:The ''Mercury'' class battlestar has production facilities to build new [[Viper (RDM)|Viper Mark VIIs]] from basic resources {{TRS|Scar}}.

*Numerous [[Raptor]] multi-role vehicles.

===Crew===
The standard crew complement of a ''Mercury'' class battlestar is in excess of 2,500 ([[TRS]]: "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]," "[[Razor]]"). Advancement in Colonial technology have made many positions manned on older vessels (such as gun batteries) automated, increasing response time and efficiency (though said batteries can be manually operated in the event of systems failure). ''Mercury'' class ships may be bigger than these older vessels, but they only need half the crew to operate then ''Galactica'' type battlestars during the First Cylon War. 

{{clear}}
== Ships In Class ==
{|class="messagebox sortable" style="width:100%" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" align="center"
|- class="infoboxheader"
! Name                                             !! Number                      !! Status   !! Last Seen
|-
| ''[[Pegasus (TRS)|Pegasus]]'' || 62 (BSG 62) || Destroyed, [[Battle of New Caprica]], YR03 (3 ACH) || (TRS): "[[Exodus, Part II]]". 
|}

== Notes == 
[[File:Pegasus-Comparison.png|right|thumb|Comparison of [[Battlestar (TOS)|original series battlestar]] and ''Mercury'' class]]
The shape of the ''Mercury'' class resembles the {{TOS|Battlestar Galactica|Original Series}} [[battlestar (TOS)|battlestar]] closer than the Re-imagined Series' ''[[Galactica (TRS)|Galactica]]''. It has eight engine pods, compared to ''Galactica'''s six. The pods aboard the ''Mercury'' class battlestar appear more directly integrated with its rear section, and its flight pods share the original angular shape. 

The visual effects artist of the re-imagined ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'', Jose A. Perez, has commented that, "The new design was somewhat of a cross between the look of the [[TOS|original-series]] [[battlestar (TOS)|battlestars]], and yet with elements of the [[Galactica (TRS)|new one]]. Aside from that, it has mostly hull plating (to absorb more damage), as opposed to the ''[[Galactica (TRS)|Galactica]]'' which shows more ribbing."
Mr. Perez also commented that, "The harder edges (of the ''{{RDM|Pegasus}}'') were intentional as well, to match the interior style of the sets more."

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{sourcebox|Correspondence with Jose Perez}}

{{Ships}}

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