Archeron

Archeron
[show/hide spoilers] Spoilers hidden in infobox by default only.
Race:	Colonial
Type:	Military
FTL:	Yes
Propulsion:	* 6x sublight engines * 40x maneuvering thrusters
Crew:
Capacity:
CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Carrier / battleship
Weapons:	{{{weapons}}}
Armaments:	* ~24x primary batteries * ~514x point-defense cannons * ~12x missile tubes
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	* Full Viper Mk. II/Mk. III compliment * Full Raptor compliment
Aviation facilities:	* 2x flight pods * 2x flight decks * 80x Viper launch tubes
Fate:	Destroyed, Battle of Sector 12, 42 BCH (58YR)
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

Archeron is a Galactica type battlestar in service with the Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War.

Service History

Ten years into the war, the ship is stationed in Sector 12 on a covert operation, waiting for Graystone Industries scientist Doctor Becca Kelly. Prior to her arrival, Archeron is engaged by the Cylons in what is now known as the Battle of Sector 12, and destroyed with all hands lost. Her hull is discovered to still be largely intact, and used as a hiding ground for several Cylon Raiders, waiting to pick off any additional Colonial units that may show up. No previous indication of an attack was received prior to the arrival of Raptor 909.

Archeron's hull is later used to ward off these Raiders after the Raptor scout carrying Kelly uses the ship's still active FTL pistons as an escape route ^{(TRS: "Blood and Chrome")}.

Design and Construction

As a Galactica type battlestar, Archeron shared the same basic design and specifications as her sister ships, Galactica and Columbia. The ship featured the characteristic dual flight pods, extensive armament, and heavy armor that defined the class during the First Cylon War era.

Like other battlestars of her era, Archeron was designed for both carrier and battleship roles, capable of launching and recovering large numbers of Vipers and Raptors while providing heavy fire support with her primary batteries and point-defense systems.

Battle of Sector 12

The Battle of Sector 12 marked Archeron's final engagement and represented one of the significant Colonial losses during the tenth year of the First Cylon War. The ship was conducting a classified operation, likely related to the broader intelligence mission involving Becca Kelly and her planned infiltration of Cylon networks.

Despite the catastrophic nature of the battle that destroyed the ship, Archeron's hull remained structurally intact enough to provide cover for ambushing Cylon forces. The fact that the ship's FTL drive remained functional even after the vessel's destruction speaks to the robust engineering of First Cylon War-era battlestars.

Strategic Significance

Archeron's destruction had significant implications for the Colonial Fleet's operations in Sector 12. The loss of a major capital ship in what was supposed to be a covert operation suggested either a security breach or sophisticated Cylon intelligence capabilities. The ship's destruction also forced the improvisation of alternative plans for Becca Kelly's mission, ultimately leading to the involvement of the ghost fleet and Osiris.

The engagement demonstrated the increasing tactical sophistication of Cylon forces during the later stages of the First Cylon War, as they were able to not only destroy a heavily armed battlestar but also utilize its wreckage as a strategic asset for follow-up ambush operations.

Notes

Behind the Scenes

Archeron was designed specifically for Blood and Chrome as a visual representation of the massive scale of destruction during the First Cylon War. The production team created extensive CGI sequences showing the ship's destroyed state, emphasizing both the brutality of the conflict and the engineering resilience of Colonial vessels.

According to Doug Drexler, the ship's classification as a "heavy cruiser" in dialogue was an error by the civilian character Becca Kelly, and Archeron is definitively a battlestar.

Design Elements

Unusually, the nameplate of the Archeron is rendered in the typeface used for the word "Galactica" in the series title card and on Colonial unit seals, rather than the font normally used for ship markings in the Re-imagined Series. This design choice may have been intended to emphasize the ship's significance within the First Cylon War narrative.

Nomenclature

The name itself is likely derived from Acheron, one of the rivers of the Greek underworld in classical mythology. This is in keeping with the Re-imagined Series' tradition of drawing ship names from mythological and historical sources, with the underworld connection being particularly appropriate given the ship's fate.

Gallery

• 
  The wreck of the Archeron.
• 
  The wreck of the Archeron is identified.
• 
  "There's no way anyone could have survived this..."
• 
  Archeron's FTL drive was still largely intact and working, following its destruction.