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Orion was a world that traded with the Twelve Colonies of Man.
Siress Belloby owns an old energizer from this world. Starbuck also has currency checks he held from this world (TOS: "The Magnificent Warriors").
When Starbuck is competing in a triad match with Ortega, Cassiopeia comments that Starbuck ends up looking like a "black and blue Orion hasher" after said matches, presumably a reference to an Orion dish (TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star").
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| Orion class battlestar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| [show/hide spoilers] Spoilers hidden in infobox by default only. | |||
| Race: | Colonial | ||
| Type: | Military | ||
| FTL: | Yes | ||
| Propulsion: | * 4x main sublight engines * maneuvering engines. | ||
| Crew: | 150, minus pilot complement | ||
| Capacity: | |||
| CO: | {{{co}}} | ||
| XO: | {{{xo}}} | ||
| Role: | Battleship, carrier, stealth reconnaissance | ||
| Weapons: | {{{weapons}}} | ||
| Armaments: | * 12x primary guns * ~32x missile CIWS * ~4x missile tubes | ||
| Defenses: | * Flak * DRADIS absorbent hull plating | ||
| Aircraft: | * Small Viper Mk. III detachment * Small Raptor detachment | ||
| Aviation facilities: | * 1x flight deck * 18x Viper launch tubes | ||
| Fate: | {{{status}}} | ||
| Emblem: | [[File:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]] | ||
| Other Images: | Gallery | ||
| Dimensions | |||
| Length: | {{{length}}} | ||
| Width: | {{{width}}} | ||
| Height: | {{{height}}} | ||
| Weight: | {{{weight}}} | ||
| Wingspan: | {{{wingspan}}} | ||
| Other: | {{{otherdi}}} | ||
| Game Information | |||
| Cost: | {{{construction}}} | ||
| Construction Time: | {{{construction}}} | ||
| Hull Size: | {{{hull size}}} | ||
| Hull: | {{{hull}}} | ||
| Mobility | |||
| FTL Cooldown: | {{{ftl cooldown}}} turns | ||
| Speed: | {{{speed}}} m/s | ||
| Turn Rate: | {{{turn rate}}}°/turn | ||
| Armor Sum | |||
| Armor Total: | {{{armor total}}} | ||
| Armor Left: | {{{armor left}}} | ||
| Armor Right: | {{{armor right}}} | ||
| Armor Front: | {{{armor front}}} | ||
| Armor Rear: | {{{armor rear}}} | ||
| Armor Top: | {{{armor top}}} | ||
| Armor Bottom: | {{{armor bottom}}} | ||
| Armament | |||
| DRADIS Range: | {{{dradis range}}} m | ||
| Processing Power: | {{{processing power}}} | ||
| Munition Slots: | {{{munitions}}} | ||
| Munition Cooldown Period: | {{{munition cooldown}}} turns | ||
| Squadron Slots: | {{{squadrons}}} | ||
| Squadron Size: | {{{squadron size}}} | ||
| Special Abilities: | {{{special abilities}}} | ||
| Additional Information | |||
The Orion class battlestar was first developed and deployed sometime before or during the First Cylon War. Also known as a "pocket battlestar," "half-pint," or grimly as "one-way wonders," the class was specifically designed for special operations and covert missions.[1] These vessels were approximately quarter the size of full battlestars like Galactica and incorporated the latest stealth technology available during the First Cylon War (TRS: "Blood and Chrome").
The Orion class appears to be among the smaller ships in the Colonial Fleet, dwarfed even by the Valkyrie type. It may be the smallest known battlestar class to see service during the First Cylon War.
The Orion class was developed for missions deemed too dangerous for larger, more valuable battlestars. Their nickname "one-way wonders" reflected the grim reality that these ships were often assigned to extremely hazardous operations with low survival expectations.[2] The design philosophy emphasized functionality and stealth capabilities over crew comfort, resulting in vessels that could operate deep in enemy territory but at the cost of habitability.
The Orion class featured a distinctive submarine-like design that was long, dark, and forbidding. Unlike bigger battlestars, the class did not share the same layout and design principles, instead being built into one main, streamlined body with torpedo-like tubes for launching Vipers positioned in the bow.[3]
The Orion class features very little in the way of creature comforts, and suffers from dark, cramped, wet, and humid conditions. Numerous exposed pipes line the halls and CIC, which leave little standing and sitting room, leaving many of the crew to work in tight spots. This cramped design reflected the Colonial Fleet's adaptation to prolonged warfare and resource constraints during the later stages of the First Cylon War.
At least one Orion class ship, Osiris, was outfitted with a unique reflective metallic hull which acts as an inhibitor to Cylon DRADIS, and can operate in "stealth mode" within detection range for a short period without being seen. However, as soon as the ship powered its weapons and launched its fighters, the ship immediately became visible to enemy scanners, with the corresponding DRADIS signatures giving away the ship's position.[5] It is not known if this is a standard feature, or a special, one-off design.
The Orion class features four main sublight boosters, two of which are housed in separate cowlings off the aft upper section. The class also features RCS thrusters at key points along the fore and aft hulls. These sublight engines are further augmented with an FTL engine capable of 12-league jumps.[6] The overall propulsion design, together with the small size of the Orion class ships, makes the class highly maneuverable, an important aspect of its defensive abilities.
Unlike larger battlestars, the Orion class is not intended to be used on extended duration missions without the aid of a corresponding battlestar group. The class features limited weapons, which restrict its ability to fight Cylon capital ships. The battlestar Osiris lasted only a few minutes in combat with a much larger basestar before taking critical damage, demonstrating the class's vulnerability when faced with superior firepower (TRS: "Blood and Chrome").[7]
Ships of this class are moderately armed, with at least thirty-two point defense batteries, twelve primary gun turrets, and multiple nuclear missile vertical launch systems, along with Raptors and the potential for a handful of Vipers. The Orion class ships are not normally outfitted with planes, and usually take on a complement from other battlestars. Compared with a basestar, the potential Viper complement is outnumbered ten to one by Raiders.[8]
The Orion class was designed to operate specialized Viper Mark III fighters equipped for both space combat and ground air support missions. These Mark III Vipers were sleeker than standard models, with bigger wings designed specifically for the class's special operations role.[9]
The ship's aft landing bay posed significant operational challenges. The flight deck was positioned directly behind the engines and was notably short, requiring precise timing and skill from pilots. Incoming craft risked becoming "ramp roast" if they came in too slow, or smashing into the reinforced bulkhead if they came in too fast. The bay was equipped with magnetic arrestors to help stop incoming Raptors and Vipers.[10]
The typical crew complement of an Orion class ship is about 150, excluding Viper pilots on detachment from other battlestars. The cramped conditions meant that operations were more constrained than on full-sized battlestars, with crew members often working in tight spaces with limited amenities.
During the later stages of the First Cylon War, at least some Orion class vessels were incorporated into the Colonial Fleet's secret "ghost fleet"―ships that were officially reported as destroyed but continued to operate covertly in Cylon-controlled space. This fleet was assembled over more than a year as part of an effort to strike at the Cylons when and where they were least expecting it.[11]
The ghost fleet concept involved taking Colonial warships that had been heavily damaged but could be salvaged, then officially declaring them destroyed while secretly repairing them for covert operations. Personnel assigned to ghost fleet vessels witnessed their own death certificates, emphasizing the complete secrecy of their operations and their official non-existence (TRS: "Blood and Chrome").[12]
| Name | Number | Status | Last Seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osiris | 0913 (BSG 54) | Destroyed, Battle of Djerba, 42 BCH (58YR) | "Blood & Chrome" |
In the pre-production script for Blood and Chrome, the Orion class vessel is referred to as Reliant rather than Osiris, and contains significantly more detail about the class's design philosophy, operational limitations, and crew conditions than appears in the final production.[13] The script emphasizes the class's role as expendable assets for high-risk missions, reflected in their grim nickname "one-way wonders."
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| Orion | |||
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| [[File:{{{image}}}|275px|Orion]] | |||
| [show/hide spoilers] Spoilers hidden in infobox by default only. | |||
| Race: | Colonial | ||
| Type: | Military | ||
| FTL: | Yes | ||
| Propulsion: | |||
| Crew: | Unknown approx 2000 to 5000 (considering the number of crew on other battlestars) | ||
| Capacity: | |||
| CO: | Commander Halsey (At time of loss) | ||
| XO: | Unkown | ||
| Role: | Capital battleship/carrier | ||
| Weapons: | Unkown | ||
| Armaments: | {{{arm}}} | ||
| Defenses: | {{{def}}} | ||
| Aircraft: | {{{aircraft}}} | ||
| Aviation facilities: | {{{facilities}}} | ||
| Fate: | Destroyed over Caprica city at the Fall of the Twelve Colonies | ||
| Emblem: | [[File:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]] | ||
| Other Images: | Gallery | ||
| Dimensions | |||
| Length: | {{{length}}} | ||
| Width: | {{{width}}} | ||
| Height: | {{{height}}} | ||
| Weight: | {{{weight}}} | ||
| Wingspan: | {{{wingspan}}} | ||
| Other: | {{{otherdi}}} | ||
| Game Information | |||
| Cost: | {{{construction}}} | ||
| Construction Time: | {{{construction}}} | ||
| Hull Size: | {{{hull size}}} | ||
| Hull: | {{{hull}}} | ||
| Mobility | |||
| FTL Cooldown: | {{{ftl cooldown}}} turns | ||
| Speed: | {{{speed}}} m/s | ||
| Turn Rate: | {{{turn rate}}}°/turn | ||
| Armor Sum | |||
| Armor Total: | {{{armor total}}} | ||
| Armor Left: | {{{armor left}}} | ||
| Armor Right: | {{{armor right}}} | ||
| Armor Front: | {{{armor front}}} | ||
| Armor Rear: | {{{armor rear}}} | ||
| Armor Top: | {{{armor top}}} | ||
| Armor Bottom: | {{{armor bottom}}} | ||
| Armament | |||
| DRADIS Range: | {{{dradis range}}} m | ||
| Processing Power: | {{{processing power}}} | ||
| Munition Slots: | {{{munitions}}} | ||
| Munition Cooldown Period: | {{{munition cooldown}}} turns | ||
| Squadron Slots: | {{{squadrons}}} | ||
| Squadron Size: | {{{squadron size}}} | ||
| Special Abilities: | {{{special abilities}}} | ||
| Additional Information | |||
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Orion is an Astral Queen-type civilian ship captained by Arvin Tyler, who owns the ship with his ex-wife, Sora Tyler. Orion undertakes missions of an illegal nature, such as smuggling and theft.
It is piloted by three modified Cylon Centurion Model 0005s, presumably with limited artificial intelligence, and contains at least one drop ship, called Sword.
The ship is crewed by the following people:
On its last mission before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, its crew stole a truck consisting of highly priced medical supplies from Aquaria, and picked up five civilians for a trip to Caprica—two of them being members of the Children of Erebus terrorist organization—and is briefly intercepted by the Ghost Squadron of the battlestar Therion (Battlestar Galactica: Ghosts 1)
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Orion was a Colonial battleship, upon which Jen Kassia was born (2003 Video Game).
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