Great Cylon Turkey Shoot: Difference between revisions

Great Cylon Turkey Shoot
	Powered down Raider fleet being massacred by Galactica's Vipers
	Powered down Raider fleet being massacred by Galactica's Vipers
Summary
Conflict:	Second Cylon War
Date:	Roughly two weeks after Day 84
Related Episode(s):
Place:	Interstellar space, specific location unknown
Result:	Decisive Colonial victory
Combatants
Remnants of the Colonial Fleet	Cylons
Commanders
Commander William Adama	Unknown (no Basestars present)
Strength
Galactica,; 34-42 Vipers	Over 200 Raiders; Dozens of Heavy Raiders, exact number unknown;
Materiel Losses
None	Complete destruction of entire Cylon force
Casualties
None	Complete destruction of entire Cylon force
Battle Chronology

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VisualWikitext

Latest revision as of 05:08, 21 February 2024

The Great Cylon Turkey Shoot takes place after Galactica disables a Cylon attack-fleet using the enemy's own computer virus.

Several weeks after leaving Kobol, Galactica begins to suffer various system failures and ship-wide malfunctions. Lieutenant Gaeta and Dr. Baltar suspect that the Cylon virus which infected Galactica ^{(TRS: "Scattered")}, and downed ship functions for a time ^{(TRS: "Valley of Darkness")}, has returned. They hypothesize that the virus had a latent component that hid itself, slowly emerging throughout ship computers, then testing and probing for system vulnerabilities.

Lt. Karl Agathon shows a printout of the virus to the incarcerated Caprica copy of Sharon Valerii, who concludes that this logic bomb is a prelude to a Cylon attack. Gaeta determines that the virus can be removed by erasing all ship computer hard drives, then reloading the computers from backups made before the war. However, this will leave the ship completely vulnerable for several minutes, giving the Cylons a perfect opportunity to do away with Galactica. Yet if they do not proceed with this course of action, the logic bomb could "detonate," likely taking control of the battlestar and turning it against the Fleet.

Reluctantly, Commander Adama elects to have Sharon aid them in combating the enemy. She interfaces with the ship's mainframe and communication systems—using a fiber-optic link placed within her left forearm—and prepares an electronic attack to ward off the Cylons.

Just then, a Cylon fleet consisting of hundreds of Raiders, descends upon Galactica. As the battlestar deploys all combat-ready Vipers, and Gaeta erases the ship's hard drives, Sharon copies the logic bomb's code onto herself, alters it, and transmits the re-programmed virus to the enemy. In a poignant turn of events, the entire Cylon fleet is disabled by the virus - much like Colonial warships were during the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.

Though many Raiders are wrecked by crashing into one another, Colonel Tigh orders Galactica's Vipers to open fire on the crippled enemy. Apollo jubilantly relays the weapons free order to his fighter group, and the Vipers proceed to tear through the jumbled Cylon formations, destroying the disproportionately larger Cylon force in its entirety ^{(TRS: "Flight of the Phoenix")}.

The presence of numerous Heavy Raiders within the attacking Cylon fleet, suggests that the Cylons intended to board Galactica—and possibly other Colonial ships—after the virus had rendered the battlestar helpless.

Notes

According to Ronald Moore's podcast for "Flight of the Phoenix," this battle was specifically inspired by the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" of World War II. This page is named in light of that reference.
The number of Cylon Raiders present was given on the Scifi.com official site's episode description.
Visually, there are at least 42 Vipers on screen, but there is a strong possibility that this is a visual effects mistake: Apollo states in "Act of Contrition" that there are only 40 Vipers left. On top of this, several Vipers have been lost since then. The current count leaves only 34 Vipers: 1 lost in "Act of Contrition," 4 lost in "The Hand of God," and 1 lost in "Final Cut". This doesn't take into account Tyrol's retirement of un-serviceable craft, worn down by wear and tear. Furthermore, Galactica is severely limited by the number of pilots they have on hand; in this episode, no more than 22.
- Ron D. Moore admitted in an interview (Flight of the Phoenix) that this was probably a visual effects gaffe. The number of Vipers is likely no more than 34.
Interestingly, the Blackbird appears in the Great Cylon Turkey Shoot, yet the Blackbird has not been finished by the time the Cylons are disabled. Producer and writer Bradley Thompson acknowledges this as a visual effects mix-up, as the Blackbird's lack of guns or sufficient maneuverability would make it a poor fighter, nor has the ship made its maiden flight before the Cylon fight.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{| border=1 width=300 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 align=right style="margin-left:1em;margin-bottom:1em"
+{{Battle Data
-|+ Battle before: [[Battle of Kobol]] <br>Battle after: ''Not yet determined''
+|image=Stuffsgonnasplode.jpg
-|colspan=2|
+|description=Powered down Raider fleet being massacred by ''Galactica''{{'|s}} Vipers
-|-
+|conflict=[[Cylon Attack|Second Cylon War]]
-!colspan=2 bgcolor=#aaaaee|Great Cylon Turkey Shoot
+|date=Roughly two weeks after [[Re-Imagined Series Timeline|Day 84]]
-|-
+|place=Interstellar space, specific location unknown
-|Conflict||[[Cylon Attack|Second Cylon war]]
+|result=Decisive [[Colonial]] victory
-|-
+|combatant1=Remnants of the [[Colonial Fleet (TRS)|Colonial Fleet]]
-|Date||[[Re-Imagined Series Timeline|Day 89]]
+|combatant2=[[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]]
-|-
+|co1=Commander [[William Adama]]
-|Place||Interstellar space, specific location unknown
+|co2=Unknown (no Basestars present)
-|-
+|strength1=''{{RDM|Galactica}}'',<br>34-42 {{RDM|Viper}}s
-|Result||Decisive Colonial victory
+|strength2=Over 200 [[Raiders]]<br>Dozens of [[Heavy Raider]]s, exact number unknown<br>
-|-
+|shiploss1=None
-|colspan=2|
+|shiploss2=Complete destruction of entire Cylon force
-{| border=1 width=300 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0
+|casualties1=None
-|-
+|casualties2=Complete destruction of entire Cylon force
-!colspan=2 bgcolor=#aaaaee|Combatants
+|prev=[[Skirmish at the Farm]]
-|-
+|next=[[Standoff Between Galactica and Pegasus]]
-| width=50%|Remnants of the [[Colonial Fleet]]
+|series=RDM
-| width=50%|[[Cylon]]s
+}}
-|-
-!colspan=2|Commanders
-|-
-|Commander [[William Adama]]
-|Unknown
-|-
-!colspan=2|Strength
-|-
-|[[Battlestar]] [[Galactica]]<br>
--42 Vipers<br>
-|Over 200 [[Raiders]]<br>
-dozens of [[Heavy Raider]]s, exact number unknown<br>
-|-
-!colspan=2|Casualties
-|-
-|None whatsoever
-|Complete destruction of entire Cylon force
-|}
-|}
+The '''Great Cylon Turkey Shoot''' takes place after ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'' disables a [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] attack-fleet using the enemy's own computer [[Cylon computer virus|virus]].
-Battle in which [[Battlestar]] ''[[Galactica]]'' turned the Cylon's own [[logic bomb]] computer [[virus]] against them to completely power down a massive fleet of hundreds of [[Raider]]s and [[Heavy Raider]]s in a reverse of the Cylon's use of it in the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].
+Several weeks after leaving {{RDM|Kobol}}, ''Galactica'' begins to suffer various system failures and ship-wide malfunctions. Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] and Dr. [[Gaius Baltar|Baltar]] suspect that the Cylon virus which infected ''Galactica'' {{TRS|Scattered}}, and downed ship functions for a time {{TRS|Valley of Darkness}}, has returned. They hypothesize that the virus had a latent component that hid itself, slowly emerging throughout ship computers, then testing and probing for system vulnerabilities.
-''Galactica'' began to suffer system failures and malfunctions throughout the ship. Watch Officer Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] and Dr. [[Gaius Baltar]] determined that the Cylon virus which infected the ship shortly after the fleet reunited ([[Scattered]]) and downed several ship functions for a time ([[Valley of Darkness]]) had returned. Apparently the virus had a latent element that hid itself, slowly emerging throughout ship computers, testing and probing for weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
+Lt. [[Karl Agathon]] shows a printout of the virus to the incarcerated [[Sharon Agathon|Caprica copy of Sharon Valerii]], who concludes that this [[logic bomb]] is a prelude to a Cylon attack. Gaeta determines that the virus can be removed by erasing all ship computer hard drives, then reloading the computers from backups made before the war. However, this will leave the ship completely vulnerable for several minutes, giving the Cylons a perfect opportunity to do away with ''Galactica''. Yet if they do not proceed with this course of action, the logic bomb could "detonate," likely taking control of the battlestar and turning it against the Fleet.
-Gaeta and Baltar determined that this logic bomb may be a prelude to a Cylon attack. They determined a way to remove the bomb by erasing all ship computer hard drives, then reloading the computers from backups made before the war. The complication was this would leave the ship completely vulnerable for several minutes. If the logic bomb was "detonated", the virus would turn ''Galactica'' against itself and her fleet.
+Reluctantly, Commander Adama elects to have Sharon aid them in combating the enemy. She interfaces with the ship's [[Computers in the Re-imagined Series#Battlestar Computers|mainframe and communication systems]]&mdash;using a fiber-optic link placed within her left forearm&mdash;and prepares an electronic attack to ward off the Cylons.
-Commander Adama elected to use the incarcerated Caprica copy of [[Sharon Valerii]] to aid them. She interfaced her body to the ship's mainframe and communication systems via a fiber-optic link placed inside her left forearm. A massive Cylon force arrived to attack, and all Vipers were scrambled. As ''Galactica'' erased her hard drives, Valerii apparently copied the logic bomb code into herself and began manupulating it. She released the altered code through the comm channels, transmitting it to the Cylon force. In an amazing turn of historic events, the entire Cylon fleet lost all power as Valerii's version of the virus shut them down in the same way that Colonial ships were shut down during the Fall of the Colonies.
+Just then, a Cylon fleet consisting of hundreds of [[Cylon Raider (RDM)|Raider]]s, descends upon ''Galactica''. As the battlestar deploys all combat-ready Vipers, and Gaeta erases the ship's hard drives, Sharon copies the logic bomb's code onto herself, alters it, and transmits the re-programmed virus to the enemy. In a poignant turn of events, the entire Cylon fleet is disabled by the virus - much like Colonial warships were during the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]].
-Many out-of-control Cylon ships were destroyed as they crashed into each other.
+Though many Raiders are wrecked by crashing into one another, Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] orders ''Galactica''{{'|s}} Vipers to open fire on the crippled enemy. Apollo jubilantly relays the [[weapons free]] order to his fighter group, and the Vipers proceed to tear through the jumbled Cylon formations, destroying the disproportionately larger Cylon force in its entirety {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix}}.
-Commander Adama and [[Colonel Saul Tigh]] then ordered ''Galactica's'' Vipers to kill each of the Cylon fighters.  ''Galactica's'' Vipers proceeded to tear through the jumbled Cylon formations, destroying the entire disproporationately larger Cylon force while not losing a single Colonial ship in the process ([[Flight of the Phoenix]]).
+The presence of numerous [[Heavy Raider]]s within the attacking Cylon fleet, suggests that the Cylons intended to board ''Galactica''&mdash;and possibly other Colonial ships&mdash;after the virus had rendered the battlestar helpless.
+==Notes==
+*According to Ronald Moore's [[Podcast:Flight of the Phoenix|podcast]] for "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]," this battle was specifically inspired by the "[[Wikipedia:Great Marianas Turkey Shoot|Great Marianas Turkey Shoot]]" of World War II. This page is named in light of that reference.
+*The number of Cylon Raiders present was given on the Scifi.com official site's episode description.
+*Visually, there are at least 42 Vipers on screen, but there is a strong possibility that this is a visual effects mistake: Apollo states in "[[Act of Contrition]]" that there are only 40 Vipers left. On top of this, several Vipers have been lost since then. The current count leaves only 34 Vipers: 1 lost in "Act of Contrition," 4 lost in "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]," and 1 lost in "[[Final Cut]]". This doesn't take into account Tyrol's retirement of un-serviceable craft, worn down by wear and tear. Furthermore, ''Galactica'' is severely limited by the number of [[List of Pilots|pilots]] they have on hand; in this episode, no more than 22.
+**Ron D. Moore admitted in an interview ([[Flight of the Phoenix#Official Statements|Flight of the Phoenix]]) that this was probably a visual effects gaffe. The number of Vipers is likely no more than 34.
+*Interestingly, the [[Blackbird]] appears in the Great Cylon Turkey Shoot, yet the Blackbird has not been finished by the time the Cylons are disabled. Producer and writer [[Bradley Thompson]] acknowledges this as a [[Battlestar Wiki:Official Communiques|visual effects mix-up]], as the Blackbird's lack of guns or sufficient maneuverability would make it a poor fighter, nor has the ship made its maiden flight before the Cylon fight.
+{{clear}}
+{{Battles (RDM)}}
+[[Category:A to Z]]
+[[Category:Colonial]]
+[[Category:Colonial Battles]]
+[[Category:Colonial Battles (TRS)]]
+[[Category:TRS]]
-==Notes==
+[[de:Großes Zylonen-Truthahnschießen]]
-*The "Turkey Shoot" scene was first mentioned by that name in installment five of David Eick's second-season [http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/bts/videoblog/ Video Blog]. With that in mind, the article title "Great Cylon Turkey Shoot" is a reference to the famous "[[Wikipedia:Great Marianas Turkey Shoot|Great Marianas Turkey Shoot]]" of World War II, a decisive and incredibly lopsided American victory over the Japanese carrier fleet, in which four Japanese planes were destroyed for ever one American plane.
-*Ron D. Moore's [[podcast]] for "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]" was delayed from being released when the episode aired due to technical mishaps; it was not released until a week ''after'' the episode aired.  As it turns out, Moore specifically referred to this battle as being inspired by the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" of World War II.  However, Battlestar Wiki developed the name of the battle independently of Moore; great minds think alike.
-*Number of Cylon Raiders present was given on the Scifi.com official site's episode description.
-*Visually, there are at least 42 Vipers on screen, but there is a strong possibility that this is a visual effects mistake: Apollo said in "[[Act of Contrition]]" that there were only 40 Vipers left. On top of this, several Vipers have been lost since then (see [[Galactica#Vipers|Galactica]]). The current count leaves only 34 Vipers: 1 lost in "Act of Contrition", 4 lost in "The Hand of God", and 1 lost in "Final Cut". This doesn't take into account Tyrol's  retirement of unserviceable craft, worn down by ware and tear. Furthermore, ''Galactica'' is severely limited by the number of [[List of Pilots|pilots]] they have on hand - in this episode, no more than 25.