Toggle menu
Toggle preferences menu
Toggle personal menu
Not logged in
Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits.

Basestar (TRS): Difference between revisions

From Battlestar Wiki, the free, open content Battlestar Galactica encyclopedia and episode guide
fix parentheses; move image to left; display one of the launch images
Joe Beaudoin Jr. (talk | contribs)
m Text replacement - ""," to ",""
 
(264 intermediate revisions by 62 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
''This article is about the Re-imagined Series Basestar. For the [[Battlestar Galactica (TOS)|original]] version, see [[Basestar (TOS)]].''
{{disline|This article is about the basestars as seen in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TRS)|Re-imagined Series]]. For the {{TOS|Battlestar Galactica|Original Series}} version, see [[Basestar (TOS)]].}}
[[Image:Basestar.jpg|thumb|right|A Cylon basestar]]
==Description==
In the re-imagined series, '''Cylon basestars''' (also referred to as "baseships" or "Cylon battlestars") are by far the most prominent example of [[Cylon]] presence.  They easily dwarf a Colonial [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestar]] and appear to be technologically superior in every way, including no visible means of sublight propulsion as well as being able to release wings of hundreds of [[Cylon Raider]]s at the same time according to the number of launch "slots" located along each of the spires the basestar. (A basestar can release as many as 792 [[Raiders]] as seen in the following images: [[:Image:Bsraidersrelease1.jpg|1]], [[:Image:Bsraidersrelease2.jpg|2]], and [[:Image:Bsraidersrelease3.jpg|3]].)


Beyond this, not much is known about the interior operations or command structure of a basestar.  A basestar's size would suggest that they have a large crew complement, although there is ample evidence to suggest their operations are largely automated, or that the basestar itself is a Cylon. There has also been no evidence to suggest that a basestar has a central autonomous commander as done on battlestars and their command hierarchy.


A basestar's weapons complement indicates missiles on a similar principle to the United States' VLS system, which is capable of launching coventional or nuclear missiles. In "scream and leap" ambushes commonly used by basestars, the use of nuclear attacks against capital targets such as ''Galactica'' appears prohibited to minimize capital fighter losses to the Cylons or damage to the basestar itself.


Two basestars were torn apart by the kinetic guns of battlestars ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' and ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' in a joint mission to destroy a Cylon [[Resurrection Ship]]. It would seem that that basestars rely heavily on their Raiders for close-range defense through sheer numbers of fighters. Since a basestar does not appear to have batteries (the primary offensive/defensive weapons on battlestars), basestars appear quite vulnerable to battlestars in close-range combat ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).
A '''basestar''' (known interchangeably as a "baseship") is the most prominent example of the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] military presence. As the capital ship of the Cylons, the basestar appears in four forms in the [[Re-imagined Series]].


== Encounters with the Colonial Fleet ==
== Cylon War-era basestars ==
[[Image:TheEnemysGateIsDown.jpg|thumb|left|A basestar under attack]]
The Cylons had deployed three different variants of Basestars during the First [[Cylon War]].


* As part of an annual offering of diplomacy, the [[Colonial Fleet]] staffs the [[Armistice Station]] in the hopes that the Cylons will attend, but it goes unfulfilled for forty years. Suddenly, without any warning or detection, a Cylon basestar arrives over the station, and dispatches a [[Cylon agent]] to the station. This agent says nothing, but accosts the [[Armistice Officer]] as the basestar launches a salvo of missiles and obliterates the station.
=== First Variant ===
{{Ship Data
| image=Tauron.png
| title= Basestar, 1st variant
| race= [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]]
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes
| propol= Unknown
| crew= * [[Cylon War-era Centurion|Cylon Centurion]]s
| role= * Command and control <br /> * Carrier / battleship
| arm= * Nuclear and conventional missile tubes <br />
| def= * Raider screen
| aircraft= * 100+ Raider compliment
| facilities= * Central hangar deck
| status= Presumed retired
| img= Y
}}


* Days later, the Cylons begin their genocidal campaign against the Twelve Colonies. In all likelihood, several basestars and their support craft arrived at each Colonial world and deployed nuclear missiles, airbursting them to annihilate the populace. Several basestars are seen orbitting the ruined planet of [[Caprica]] as [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]] guided her [[Raptor]] to an emergency landing on the planet during the attack. The shattered hulk of a battlestar is also seen ([[Miniseries]]).
The basestars in service during the 12-year Cylon War consisted of two flattened cones connected at the center by a thick pylon, giving them a conical saucer-like appearance<ref>This basestar design seen in the [[Miniseries]] and later in "[[Razor]]" is an obvious homage to the {{TOS|Basestar|basestar}} seen in the [[Original Series]]. However, its weaponry (if not also its [[Imperious Leader|command structure]]) is markedly different than its 1978 counterpart per the "realistic" goals of [[Ron Moore]]'s essay on [[Naturalistic science fiction]] in ''Battlestar''.</ref> {{TRS|Razor Flashbacks}}.


* A substantial Cylon force consisting of no less than two basestars and several hundred fighters and other small craft converge on [[Ragnar Anchorage]] in an attempt to flush out and destroy the fugitive ships led by the battlestar [[Galactica (RDM)|''Galactica'']]. After transferring as many armaments and supplies as possible from the munitions depot, ''Galactica'' departs the station's surrounding EM storm and presents itself as a shield, allowing [[The Fleet (RDM)|the fleet]] to slip out and make [[FTL|Jumps]] away. The entire contingent of civilian ships escapes, as does ''Galactica'' after she and her [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]] endure a [[Battle of Ragnar Anchorage|thorough pounding]] ([[Miniseries]]).
Much like its modern counterpart, this model utilized chemically-propelled missiles (with both nuclear and conventional warheads) as the main form of offensive weaponry. Raiders were deployed from access points (totaling 8 in number) throughout a basestar's hull to provide defense. This design, as with later iterations, was capable of operating within an atmosphere {{TRS|Blood and Chrome}}.


* Basestars pursue ''Galactica'' and the Colonial Fleet for five full days after the escape from Ragnar. ''Galactica'' spurs the Fleet to stay on the move, executing [[FTL|FTL Jump after Jump]], only to see the Cylons reappear at each location 33 minutes later ([[33]]). The Cylons had apparently infiltrated the ''[[Olympic Carrier]]'', a civilian starliner, and were able to track it through each successive [[FTL|Jump]]. Following the 239th Jump, the ''Olympic Carrier'' doesn't immediately rendevous at the jump coordinates, and it is feared the ship is lost. She reappears later, but several indications hint that she has been overtaken by Cylon forces, and the Colonials have no recourse but to destroy the liner. As soon as the liner is destroyed by ''Galactica's'' [[Viper (RDM)|Vipers]], the basestars arrive on the scene, and the Colonial Fleet executes their 240th Jump. The Cylons do not follow.
The origins of the initial basestars are unclear. However, as [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons were a creation of man]] in the early days before the war, it is probable that man himself (through the efforts of various [[The Twelve Colonies of Kobol|colonies]]) designed the various ships and weapons used by the Cylons for the use in intra-colonial wars prior to the [[Articles of Colonization]].


* The fleet eludes further contact with the Cylon forces for several weeks. The planet [[Kobol]] is discovered by a single [[Raptor]] on a probing reconnaissance mission, and a follow-up mission is planned. This team of three Raptors is surprised to see a basestar now in orbit over Kobol, and the screening Cylon Raiders obliterate one Raptor while shooting down another and forcing it to crash land on the planet below. The remaining Raptor escapes back to battlestar ''Galactica'', relaying the shocking news. [[William Adama|Commander Adama]] devises a plan to eliminate the basestar, using a Raptor fitted with a [[Cylon Transponder]] to stealthily deploy a nuclear warhead inside. [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]] is asked to undertake the mission, accompanied by new ECO [[Margaret Edmonson|Lt. Margaret "Racetrack" Edmonson]]. En route, the transponder works exactly as it is designed to, and despite high anxiety at being found out, the pair infiltrate the basestar. The view they are afforded is overwhelming, with a basestar's interior as a vast, cavernous void of bio-mechanical componentry lacking a distinctive floor or ceiling. Surfaces appear organic &ndash; fleshy if they were to be touched &ndash; resembling the interiors of a Raider. During the deployment of the nuclear warhead, Boomer exits the Raptor and removes her helmet, indicating that the interior space is indeed pressurized and oxygenated, more than likely controlled by ventricle-like airlocks evident during the Raptor's entrance. The pair extricate themselves from inside the basestar, and once outside, detonate the warhead. The annihilation of this basestar represents the first time since the [[Cylon Attack]] that Colonial forces had successfully destroyed a basestar ([[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]).
A model of this basestar design is displayed over 40 years later on ''Galactica'', as part of its [[Galactica Museum|planned museum]] {{TRS|Miniseries, Night 1}}.


* Scant moments after this victory, another basestar ambushes ''Galactica'', causing the crew to perform yet another immediate FTL Jump. This haphazard Jump separates the battlestar from the rest of the Fleet, and a few hours are spent developing a course of action. The decision is made to jump back to Kobol to recalculate the Jump coordinates, and upon doing so, the battlestar and the basestar square off in a vicious engagement. During the recalculation, a Cylon [[Heavy Raider]] manages to crash-land on ''Galactica's'' starboard flight pod ([[Scattered]]). After the battlestar jumps away, the basestar too departs the area after sending a detachment of [[Cylon Centurion|Centurions]] to Kobol.
=== Gallery ===
<gallery perrow="8">
File:Basestar 3.png|A first variant Basestar hovering over Caprica City.
File:Operation Raptor Talon.jpg|[[Operation Raptor Talon]] at the end of the first Cylon War {{TRS|Razor}}.
</gallery>


[[Image:Bsraidersrelease2.jpg|thumb|right|A basestar launching [[Raiders]]]]
{{clear}}


* Upon the reunion of the Colonial Fleet with the assumed-lost [[Mercury-class Battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'', Admiral [[Helena Cain]] reveals that a Cylon fleet, consisting of two basestars and a mysterious unknown ship, has been following ''Galactica'' ([[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]). By way of a bold reconnaissance mission in the Colonial [[Blackbird]], the commanding officers discover the identity of the mysterious vessel to be the Cylon [[Resurrection Ship]] ([[Resurrection Ship, Part I]]). The Colonials concoct an aggressive, intricate plan using stealth, deception, and sheer brute force to [[Attack on the Resurrection Ship|eradicate]] the Resurrection Ship, as well as its escorting basestars. In a brilliant display of firepower, the two battlestars make short work of the two basestars, suffering minimal damage in return ([[Resurrection Ship, Part II]]).
=== Second Variant ===
{{Ship Data
| image=Blood and Chrome Basestar.png
| title= Basestar, 2nd variant
| race= [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]]
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes
| propol= Unknown
| crew= * [[Cylon War-era Centurion|Cylon Centurion]]s
| role= * Command and control <br /> * Carrier / battleship
| arm= * Nuclear and conventional missile tubes <br />
| def= * Raider screen
| aircraft= * 100+ Raider compliment
| facilities= * Central hangar deck
| status= Presumed retired
| img= Y
}}


* Over a month later, and now devoid of their Resurrection Ship, the Cylons begin employing basestars in new tactical fashion. Two Raptors from ''Pegasus'' are lured away from their reconnaissance training mission near a [[Wikipedia:Binary star system|binary star cluster]], the crews dispatched, and then set adrift. In his zeal to retrieve the Raptors, newly-promoted [[Barry Garner|Commander Barry Garner]] disregards both [[William Adama|Admiral Adama's]] orders and [[Lee Adama|Major Lee Adama's]] advisement and Jumps to the last known location of the missing craft. ''Pegasus'' deploys two more Raptors which scan the drifting craft and report that the crews are indeed already dead. Seconds later, three basestars pounce upon the Colonials and immediately engage by launching salvos of nuclear missiles &mdash; the first time they've done so since the destruction of the Colonies. ''Pegasus'' reels under heavy damage, and only through the heroic self-sacrifice of Commander Garner, the sound direction of Major Adama, and the unwavering support of ''Pegasus's'' Vipers (led by [[Kara Thrace|Captain "Starbuck" Thrace]]) the battlestar survives. As a means of buying time until the disabled FTL drive was repaired, Adama directs the battlestar's forward gun batteries to barrage the closest basestar, focusing on the core of it until it is forced to withdraw. ''Pegasus'' indeed survived [[Battle of the Binary Star System|this encounter]], albeit with a substantial amount of damage, but it heralded a less brashly aggressive, more subversively calculative approach by the Cylons ([[The Captain's Hand]]).
A second variant Basestar was deployed by Cylon forces sometime before the 10th year of the War. This class represents a small evolutionary step from the 1st variant to the Guardian Basestar, suggesting it wasn't a one-off design. This line of Basestars can then be linked to the modern design seen after the fall of the Colonies.


* The most recent appearance of basestars comes at the [[Fall of New Caprica|fall of New Caprica]] to Cylon occupation. Several basestars emerge from the planet's shrouding nebula, and in the face of overwhelming strength and numbers, an understaffed Colonial Fleet makes a reluctant Jump away, and the Cylons take the planet without firing a shot.
This configuration features two y-shaped hulls in tandem alignment, with a 1st variant-like top and bottom hull. Missile launchers are located in between the arms of the ship, along the central axis ("[[Blood and Chrome]]").  


== See also ==
=== Gallery ===
<gallery perrow="8">
File:Basestar 1.png|A second variant Basestar over the ice moon [[Djerba]].
File:Basestar 2.png|A second variant Basestar launches Raiders.
</gallery> 


* [[:Image:Bsmissiles.jpg|Basestar launching missiles]]
{{clear}}
 
=== Third "Guardian" Variant ===
{{Ship Data
| image= guardian_basestar.jpg
| title= Basestar, 3rd "Guardian" variant
| race= [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]]
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes
| propol= Unknown
| crew= * [[Cylon War-era Centurion|Cylon Centurion]]s <br /> * [[First Hybrid]]
| role= * Hybrid research <br /> * Carrier / battleship
| arm= * 36 twin nuclear and conventional missile tubes <br />
| def= * Raider screen
| aircraft= * 100+ Raider compliment
| facilities= * Central hangar deck
| status= Destroyed, [[Battle of the Guardian Basestar]], circa YR2 (2 ACH)
}} {{mainarticle|Guardian basestar}}
Towards the end of the first Cylon War, the Cylons built a prototype basestar that had roughly the same shape as the modern basestar. The [[First Hybrid|first hybrids]] were developed for use with this model.
 
It is explained by [[Sharon Agathon|Athena]] that a group of Centurions calling themselves [[Guardians]] fractured from the Cylon majority with such a basestar. The belief is that they escaped to the far reaches of space to avoid being shut-down in favor of their modernized, non-sentient [[Cylon Centurion|successors]] {{TRS|Razor}}. The only basestar of this type known to exist was destroyed by Colonial forces shortly after its discovery.
 
=== Gallery ===
<gallery perrow="8">
File:Gardian basestar.jpg|Escaping the [[ice planet]].
</gallery>
 
{{clear}}
 
== Modern basestar ==
{{Ship Data
| image= Modern Basestar.jpg
| title= Modern basestar
| race= [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]]
| type= Military
| ftl= Yes
| propol= Unknown
| crew= * [[Humanoid Cylon|Humanoid Cylons]] <br /> * [[Cylon Centurion]]s <br /> * The [[Hybrid]]
| role= * Command and control <br /> * Carrier / battleship
| arm= * 220 nuclear, conventional, and ballistic missile tubes <br />
| def= * Raider screen
| aircraft= * ~434 Raiders <br /> * Heavy Raider compliment
| facilities= * Central hangar deck <br /> * 434 Raider storage bays
| status= Unknown
| width={{Meters2Feet|1030.69}}<ref>The following was posted by [[Lee Stringer]] on StarshipBuilder.com forums, which are no longer available: "Width: 1030.69m Length: 856.1m (two arm side) + 1039.87m (single arm side) Height: 132.586m (Each Piece), 265.172m Total". Because of its ratio to the stated width, the overall length must have been measured on one of the three-arm pieces, meaning the full ship is slightly longer.</ref>
| height={{Meters2Feet|265.17}}
}}
 
=== Design ===
Modern basestars, built sometime before the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]], are the same size as a Colonial battlestar, but are considered by the Cylons to be weaker than battleships in the Colonial Fleet. The shape of the newer basestar reflects its name, with two offset Y-shaped hulls attached at their centers by a single pylon, the warship has a distinctive "star" shape, which can rotate into a tandem-Y configuration for entry into a planetary atmosphere {{TRS|The Plan}}.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmAEmuwZY5Q From 1:49 to 2:04]</ref>
[[File:Basestar Plans.jpg|thumb|left|General layout of a Cylon basestar.]]
The most unique aspect of a modern baseship is its organic nature. Composed of [[Cylon organic resin|organic resin]], and a large flesh-like interior, the baseship could be considered an individual organism in itself, and just like any other "injured" organism, the basestar is able to heal its wounds (battle damage) over time ([[TRS]]: "[[Guess What's Coming to Dinner?]]"). The organics are all connected the the ship's "brain," known as a [[Hybrid]], which can control the ship's functions from firing weapons, down to performing an [[FTL]] jump.
 
They are equipped with a superior [[FTL|jump system]] and no visible means of [[sublight propulsion]], lacking any engine pods or nacelles, but remain capable of chasing down a battlestar {{TRS|Exodus, Part II}}. 
 
Baseships possess several conventional rooms and hallways, which are sleek but generally bland. Lighting plays a large role in the aesthetics and some rooms are furnished with clearly human objects, such as beds and couches. Humanoid Cylons [[Projection|project different surroundings]] to navigate ship corridors more easily, and to provide them with an individually pleasing environment (such as a lush forest). Data and other functions (such as analyzing visual information) are handled within a liquid [[Data-font|computer interface]] that resembles a stream of water flowing over a luminous glass surface. Cylons can interact with the main computer by placing their hands in these basins {{TRS|Torn}}.
 
===Command and Control===
[[File:Basestarcontol_306_720p.png|thumb|left|Baseship control room.]]
A basestar is operated by many [[humanoid Cylon]]s. Up to [[Torn|all seven models]] of them issue commands for the basestar from a central command and control center. Consensus amongst models is the typical procedure, as such the process of deliberation and voting on decisions may cause the basestar to react more slowly than a battlestar's command and control in a [[CIC]].
 
A basestar has a [[datastream]], or computer network, which interfaces with the Hybrid and all aspects of the basestar's operation.
 
<br />
 
=== Armaments ===
A typical Cylon basestar is moderately armed, and relies on unconventional means for military strength. Generally, a basestar is armed with 220<ref>[http://www.galacticabbs.com/index.php?autocom=gallery Season 3 (Collaborators) and onward]</ref><ref>[http://darthmojo.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/baseship_wallpaper.jpg]</ref><ref>[http://media.battlestarwiki.org/images/a/a3/Basestar_Weapon_Mod.JPG An image of one y structure. Two make up a basestar.]</ref> missile launchers located on the central spire, and on the arms of the vessel, which are capable of carrying nuclear or conventional tipped ship to ship, or long-range ballistic (with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle payloads) missiles to their targets. Ballistic missiles are able to strike planetary targets from high orbit {{TRS|The Plan}}. Ship to ship missiles are easily defended against by Colonial electronic countermeasures, which lends the Cylons to rely more on the basestar's Raider compliment for for both offensive and defensive purposes.
[[File:Basestar fires missiles, "He That Believeth in Me".jpg|thumb|left|A basestar launching missiles.]]
A basestar can carry up to (and maybe even more<ref>Intelligence Debrief: Cylon Basestar, "Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine," June/July 2006, page 56.</ref>) 434 Raiders, launched from storage bays located on each arm of the ship.<ref>[http://www.galacticabbs.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=149903 larger section, multiply by 2: 5 rows of 17 slots, and 2 rows of 7 slots]</ref><ref>[http://www.galacticabbs.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=131194 smaller section, multiply by 4: 59 total slots]</ref> Upon launch, they set out to swarm the enemy target (almost like insects), while the basestar covers them with an opening salvo of ship to ship missiles. This tactic, suggests a reliance on overwhelming force to destroy a foe, since a basestar does not appear to have point-defense batteries, or heavy armoring.<ref>Intelligence Debrief: Cylon Basestar, "Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine," June/July 2006, page 57.</ref> Cylon basestars appear quite vulnerable to Colonial battlestars in close-range combat when fighter support is not prominent {{TRS|Resurrection Ship, Part II}}. From this, it can be theorized that basestars are designed primarily as carriers for the massive fleet of Raiders they carry, rather than as a front-line main battleship. Their reliance on long-distance attacks with missiles and their complement of Raiders, as well as their overall fragility seem to support this ([[TRS]]: [[Miniseries]], "[[33]]," "''[[Razor]]''," "''[[The Plan]]''").
 
=== Notes ===
* Beginning with the episode "[[Collaborators]]," a [[:File:Change.jpg|new exterior design]] is used for the basestars, bearing a sharper, more mechanical look than they previously had. This was apparently an upgrade by the visual effects crew to make the exterior reflect the interior design, which is seen for the first time in that episode.
** This new design reduces the amount of Raider bays from 792 to 434, and also adds identifiable missile launch platforms. 
 
{{clear}}
 
=== Gallery  ===
<gallery perrow="8">
File:Baseship, hornet nest.jpg|[[Cylon Raider|Raiders]] being released {{TRS|Scattered}}.
File:Baseships over Caprica.jpg|Trio of basestars over Caprica ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II]]").
File:Dyingbasestar_306_720p.png|A basestar infected by a deadly [[Lymphocytic encephalitis|virus]] {{TRS|Torn}}.
File:Basestar Interior 1.jpg|Baltar and a Three in a room on a basestar ([[TRS]]: "Torn").
File:Basestar Interior 2.jpg|Baltar and a Three in a corridor {{TRS|The Passage}}.
File:Basestar Interior 3.jpg|A basestar's hangar bay ([[TRS]]: "Torn").
File:Cylon membrane hatch.jpg|A membrane covers a mechanical-looking hatch of a Cylon docking slip {{TRS|Faith}}.
File:Basestars Atmospheric Entry Configuration.png|Tandem "Y" formation assumed for atmospheric entries as seen in "[[The Plan]]".
File:Basestars Entering Caprica Atmosphere.png|Another view of tandem "Y".
File:Basestar Missle Launchers The Plan.jpg|Basestar Weaponary.
File:Closeup Basestar Missle Launcher.png|Closeup of missle launcher with MIRV mounted.
File:Retconned Basestar Raider Bays.png|Detail of primary raider bays. There are two per ship.
File:Cylon Basestar Secondary Raider Bay.png|Detail of the secondary raider bays. There are four per ship.
File:Rebel Basestar Arm Closeup.png|Arm detail.
File:New Cylon Basestar Zoic Style Shot.png|Angle shot.
</gallery>
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
 
{{Ships}}


[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Cylons]]
[[Category:Cylons]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Cylons (RDM)]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Cylon Craft]]
[[Category:Cylon Craft (RDM)]]
[[Category:Cylon Military]]
[[Category:Cylon Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:Ships]]
[[Category:Ships (RDM)]]
[[Category:TRS]]
 
{{featured article candidate previous}}
 
[[de:Basisschiff (RDM)]]

Latest revision as of 22:17, 20 February 2024



A basestar (known interchangeably as a "baseship") is the most prominent example of the Cylon military presence. As the capital ship of the Cylons, the basestar appears in four forms in the Re-imagined Series.

Cylon War-era basestars[edit]

The Cylons had deployed three different variants of Basestars during the First Cylon War.

First Variant[edit]

Basestar, 1st variant
Basestar, 1st variant
Race: Cylon
Type: Military
FTL: Yes
Propulsion: Unknown
Crew: * Cylon Centurions
Capacity:
CO: {{{co}}}
XO: {{{xo}}}
Role: * Command and control
* Carrier / battleship
Weapons: {{{weapons}}}
Armaments: * Nuclear and conventional missile tubes
Defenses: * Raider screen
Aircraft: * 100+ Raider compliment
Aviation facilities: * Central hangar deck
Fate: Presumed retired
Emblem: [[Image:{{{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 basestars in service during the 12-year Cylon War consisted of two flattened cones connected at the center by a thick pylon, giving them a conical saucer-like appearance[1] (TRS: "Razor Flashbacks").

Much like its modern counterpart, this model utilized chemically-propelled missiles (with both nuclear and conventional warheads) as the main form of offensive weaponry. Raiders were deployed from access points (totaling 8 in number) throughout a basestar's hull to provide defense. This design, as with later iterations, was capable of operating within an atmosphere (TRS: "Blood and Chrome").

The origins of the initial basestars are unclear. However, as Cylons were a creation of man in the early days before the war, it is probable that man himself (through the efforts of various colonies) designed the various ships and weapons used by the Cylons for the use in intra-colonial wars prior to the Articles of Colonization.

A model of this basestar design is displayed over 40 years later on Galactica, as part of its planned museum (TRS: "Miniseries, Night 1").

Gallery[edit]


Second Variant[edit]

Basestar, 2nd variant
Basestar, 2nd variant
Race: Cylon
Type: Military
FTL: Yes
Propulsion: Unknown
Crew: * Cylon Centurions
Capacity:
CO: {{{co}}}
XO: {{{xo}}}
Role: * Command and control
* Carrier / battleship
Weapons: {{{weapons}}}
Armaments: * Nuclear and conventional missile tubes
Defenses: * Raider screen
Aircraft: * 100+ Raider compliment
Aviation facilities: * Central hangar deck
Fate: Presumed retired
Emblem: [[Image:{{{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


A second variant Basestar was deployed by Cylon forces sometime before the 10th year of the War. This class represents a small evolutionary step from the 1st variant to the Guardian Basestar, suggesting it wasn't a one-off design. This line of Basestars can then be linked to the modern design seen after the fall of the Colonies.

This configuration features two y-shaped hulls in tandem alignment, with a 1st variant-like top and bottom hull. Missile launchers are located in between the arms of the ship, along the central axis ("Blood and Chrome").

Gallery[edit]


Third "Guardian" Variant[edit]

Basestar, 3rd "Guardian" variant
Basestar, 3rd "Guardian" variant
Race: Cylon
Type: Military
FTL: Yes
Propulsion: Unknown
Crew: * Cylon Centurions
* First Hybrid
Capacity:
CO: {{{co}}}
XO: {{{xo}}}
Role: * Hybrid research
* Carrier / battleship
Weapons: {{{weapons}}}
Armaments: * 36 twin nuclear and conventional missile tubes
Defenses: * Raider screen
Aircraft: * 100+ Raider compliment
Aviation facilities: * Central hangar deck
Fate: Destroyed, Battle of the Guardian Basestar, circa YR2 (2 ACH)
Emblem: [[Image:{{{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
Main article: Guardian basestar

Towards the end of the first Cylon War, the Cylons built a prototype basestar that had roughly the same shape as the modern basestar. The first hybrids were developed for use with this model.

It is explained by Athena that a group of Centurions calling themselves Guardians fractured from the Cylon majority with such a basestar. The belief is that they escaped to the far reaches of space to avoid being shut-down in favor of their modernized, non-sentient successors (TRS: "Razor"). The only basestar of this type known to exist was destroyed by Colonial forces shortly after its discovery.

Gallery[edit]


Modern basestar[edit]

Modern basestar
Modern basestar
Race: Cylon
Type: Military
FTL: Yes
Propulsion: Unknown
Crew: * Humanoid Cylons
* Cylon Centurions
* The Hybrid
Capacity:
CO: {{{co}}}
XO: {{{xo}}}
Role: * Command and control
* Carrier / battleship
Weapons: {{{weapons}}}
Armaments: * 220 nuclear, conventional, and ballistic missile tubes
Defenses: * Raider screen
Aircraft: * ~434 Raiders
* Heavy Raider compliment
Aviation facilities: * Central hangar deck
* 434 Raider storage bays
Fate: Unknown
Emblem: [[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images: Gallery
Dimensions
Length: {{{length}}}
Width: 3381.53ft (1030.69m)[2]
Height: 869.98ft (265.17m)
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


Design[edit]

Modern basestars, built sometime before the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, are the same size as a Colonial battlestar, but are considered by the Cylons to be weaker than battleships in the Colonial Fleet. The shape of the newer basestar reflects its name, with two offset Y-shaped hulls attached at their centers by a single pylon, the warship has a distinctive "star" shape, which can rotate into a tandem-Y configuration for entry into a planetary atmosphere (TRS: "The Plan").[3]

General layout of a Cylon basestar.

The most unique aspect of a modern baseship is its organic nature. Composed of organic resin, and a large flesh-like interior, the baseship could be considered an individual organism in itself, and just like any other "injured" organism, the basestar is able to heal its wounds (battle damage) over time (TRS: "Guess What's Coming to Dinner?"). The organics are all connected the the ship's "brain," known as a Hybrid, which can control the ship's functions from firing weapons, down to performing an FTL jump.

They are equipped with a superior jump system and no visible means of sublight propulsion, lacking any engine pods or nacelles, but remain capable of chasing down a battlestar (TRS: "Exodus, Part II").

Baseships possess several conventional rooms and hallways, which are sleek but generally bland. Lighting plays a large role in the aesthetics and some rooms are furnished with clearly human objects, such as beds and couches. Humanoid Cylons project different surroundings to navigate ship corridors more easily, and to provide them with an individually pleasing environment (such as a lush forest). Data and other functions (such as analyzing visual information) are handled within a liquid computer interface that resembles a stream of water flowing over a luminous glass surface. Cylons can interact with the main computer by placing their hands in these basins (TRS: "Torn").

Command and Control[edit]

Baseship control room.

A basestar is operated by many humanoid Cylons. Up to all seven models of them issue commands for the basestar from a central command and control center. Consensus amongst models is the typical procedure, as such the process of deliberation and voting on decisions may cause the basestar to react more slowly than a battlestar's command and control in a CIC.

A basestar has a datastream, or computer network, which interfaces with the Hybrid and all aspects of the basestar's operation.


Armaments[edit]

A typical Cylon basestar is moderately armed, and relies on unconventional means for military strength. Generally, a basestar is armed with 220[4][5][6] missile launchers located on the central spire, and on the arms of the vessel, which are capable of carrying nuclear or conventional tipped ship to ship, or long-range ballistic (with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle payloads) missiles to their targets. Ballistic missiles are able to strike planetary targets from high orbit (TRS: "The Plan"). Ship to ship missiles are easily defended against by Colonial electronic countermeasures, which lends the Cylons to rely more on the basestar's Raider compliment for for both offensive and defensive purposes.

File:Basestar fires missiles, "He That Believeth in Me".jpg
A basestar launching missiles.

A basestar can carry up to (and maybe even more[7]) 434 Raiders, launched from storage bays located on each arm of the ship.[8][9] Upon launch, they set out to swarm the enemy target (almost like insects), while the basestar covers them with an opening salvo of ship to ship missiles. This tactic, suggests a reliance on overwhelming force to destroy a foe, since a basestar does not appear to have point-defense batteries, or heavy armoring.[10] Cylon basestars appear quite vulnerable to Colonial battlestars in close-range combat when fighter support is not prominent (TRS: "Resurrection Ship, Part II"). From this, it can be theorized that basestars are designed primarily as carriers for the massive fleet of Raiders they carry, rather than as a front-line main battleship. Their reliance on long-distance attacks with missiles and their complement of Raiders, as well as their overall fragility seem to support this (TRS: Miniseries, "33," "Razor," "The Plan").

Notes[edit]

  • Beginning with the episode "Collaborators," a new exterior design is used for the basestars, bearing a sharper, more mechanical look than they previously had. This was apparently an upgrade by the visual effects crew to make the exterior reflect the interior design, which is seen for the first time in that episode.
    • This new design reduces the amount of Raider bays from 792 to 434, and also adds identifiable missile launch platforms.


Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. This basestar design seen in the Miniseries and later in "Razor" is an obvious homage to the basestar seen in the Original Series. However, its weaponry (if not also its command structure) is markedly different than its 1978 counterpart per the "realistic" goals of Ron Moore's essay on Naturalistic science fiction in Battlestar.
  2. The following was posted by Lee Stringer on StarshipBuilder.com forums, which are no longer available: "Width: 1030.69m Length: 856.1m (two arm side) + 1039.87m (single arm side) Height: 132.586m (Each Piece), 265.172m Total". Because of its ratio to the stated width, the overall length must have been measured on one of the three-arm pieces, meaning the full ship is slightly longer.
  3. From 1:49 to 2:04
  4. Season 3 (Collaborators) and onward
  5. [1]
  6. An image of one y structure. Two make up a basestar.
  7. Intelligence Debrief: Cylon Basestar, "Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine," June/July 2006, page 56.
  8. larger section, multiply by 2: 5 rows of 17 slots, and 2 rows of 7 slots
  9. smaller section, multiply by 4: 59 total slots
  10. Intelligence Debrief: Cylon Basestar, "Battlestar Galactica: The Official Magazine," June/July 2006, page 57.