Cylon War

For the Cylon War from the Original Series, see Thousand-Yahren War.

The Cylon War (or "First Cylon War") was the conflict that ended over forty years prior to the events of the re-imagined Mini-Series and involved the early Cylons revolting against their role of servants to the Colonials. While the Cylons used Raiders and basestars, the Colonials developed the first battlestars, of which Galactica was one.

The Cylon War began as Humanity's bastard children, the Cylons, turned on their "parents" in a night of "blood and fire." Their rebellous acts caused the slaughter of countless thousands, if not millions.

Across the Twelve Colonies, the Cylons waged a war against their masters that lasted many years. This war was waged amongst the stars as well as on Colonial soil. There are no specific battles to indicate the turning of the tides of war, though it is known that the Cylons were expelled from the now-combined Colonies and left to the stars.

After both sides fought to exhaustion the war ended in an armistice and an attempt to maintain diplomatic relations with the Cylons. The Colonials built Armistice Station to maintain diplomatic contact, though this was ignored by the Cylons.

The first attack is depicted in a painting on the wall of Commander William Adama's cabin onbaord the battlestar Galactica.

Given that the Articles of Colonisation were signed fifty-two years before the Cylon Attack, it is possible that the Cylon War was what precipitated the unification of the Twelve Colonies.

Veterans of the War include William Adama and Saul Tigh.

A painting by Monclair celebrates a joint Caprica-Aerelon victory over Cylon forces.

How can Adama and Tigh be Veterans?

Information from the Mini-Series and episodes suggest that the war ends 40 years before the events viewers witness with the Mini-Series. If that were true, William Adama and Saul Tigh would be too young to fight, being only 10-15 years old.

But this assumes that the length of the war was short, and for Galactica's commanders to be veterans, the Cylon War likely lasted at least 15 years, suggesting Adama and Tigh were 10-15 years old when the war began, and were enlisted at 18 years or so.