Editing Operation Raptor Talon

{{Battle Data
|image=Operation Raptor Talon 2.jpg
|description=
|conflict=[[Cylon War|First Cylon War]]
|date=[[Timeline (RDM)|Day 4,571]] of the [[Cylon War]]. Approximately 40 years prior to the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]]
|place=[[Ice planet|Unnamed ice planet]]
|result= Default Colonial victory, armistice signed, [[Guardian basestar]] and [[First Hybrid]] escape
|combatant1=[[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies of Kobol]]
|combatant2=[[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]]
|co1=''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' commanding officer<br>''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]'' commanding officer
|co2=Unknown
|strength1=''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'', ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]'', unnamed [[Galactica type battlestar|''Galactica'' type battlestar]], associated [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]]s and [[Raptor]]s
|strength2= At least 2 [[basestar (RDM)|basestar]]s, 3 [[Raider (RDM)|Raider]] wings, ground forces
|shiploss1= ''Columbia''
|shiploss2= Various Cylon Raiders
|casualties1= All ''Columbia'' crew (presumed)
|casualties2= Unknown
|prev=[[Ghost Fleet Offensive]]
|next=[[Battle of Tauron]] (concurrent) & [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]]
|series=RDM
}}
'''Operation Raptor Talon''' was a [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|military]] operation that took place on the 4,571st day of the [[Cylon War|First Cylon War]]. The [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestars]] ''Galactica'' and ''[[Columbia (RDM)|Columbia]]'' were among the Colonial vessels taking part in the mission.

==Battle==
The objective was to attack an [[ice planet|unnamed "ice planet"]], that was rumored to house a [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] superweapon. According to intelligence on hand, the Cylons had three [[Raider (RDM)|Raider]] wings, ground forces, defensive batteries and nuclear weapons ([[TRS]]: [[Razor Flashbacks]], Episode 1). Additionally, the Cylons had at least two [[basestar (RDM)|basestar]]s defending the planet from orbit (TRS: Razor Flashbacks, Episode 3). 

[[Raptor]]s from [[Raptor Squadron 2]] were the first Colonial vessels to be launched in the operation, but were ambushed by Cylon forces soon after. Among the casualties of this skirmish was [[Jaycie McGavin]], who was severely injured when a console exploded on board her Raptor ([[TRS]]: Razor Flashbacks, Episode 2).

During an orbital engagement with the enemy, ''Columbia'' was destroyed by incoming missile salvos. Presumably, all crew members were killed at this time ([[TRS]]: [[Razor Flashbacks]], Episode 3). 

Shortly after ''Columbia'' was destroyed, [[William Adama]] pursued two Raiders into the atmosphere of the ice planet. He managed to destroy one but suffered a collision with the other, sending him plummeting toward the planet's surface. 

On the planet below, Adama discovered a facility where human civilians were imprisoned. After speaking to a survivor on the planet, he discovered that the Cylons were experimenting on humans for reasons then unknown to him. He attempted to free the prisoners, but was forced to leave when the facility began to shake. Exiting this facility, he saw a [[Guardian basestar|new kind of basestar]] leaving the planet. When establishing wireless contact with ''Galactica'', he learned that the Cylons had signed an armistice, thus ushering the end of the first Cylon War ([[TRS]]: Razor Flashbacks, Episodes 4 through 7).

==Aftermath==
In the aftermath of the battle, the Guardians escaped with the [[First Hybrid]] aboard their basestar and roamed the galaxy for forty more years.  Modern Cylons were aware of them, but weren't sure if they were real or not.  After the Guardians capture a science team for further experimentation and an encounter between the battlestar ''Pegasus'' and forces from the basestar, the ''Pegasus'', under the command of Commander [[Lee Adama]] and now Admiral [[William Adama]] engaged the [[Guardian basestar]] in the [[Battle of the Guardian basestar]] and finally destroyed it and the First Hybrid, finishing what the Colonials had started here with trying to stop the Cylon experiments.

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[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Battles]]
[[Category:Colonial Battles (TRS)]]
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[[de:Operation Raptor Talon]]