Battle of Carillon

Battle before: Battle of Cimtar
Battle after: Battle of Kobol

The tylium-rich planet of Carillon, before exploding.
Battle of Carillon
Conflict	?
Place	Carillon
Result	Decisive Colonial victory
Combatants The Rag-tag Fleet of Colonial Survivors Cylons Commanders Commander Adama Imperious Leader Strength Battlestar Galactica (and her complement of Vipers) 1 Basestar, Unknown number of Cylon Raiders Casualties Light casualties, unknown number of Vipers lost. All ships destroyed, Imperious Leader killed.

Ambush

Yet another ambush launched by the Cylons, who find the Colonials far better prepared this time. The battle began as Sire Uri believed he had all of the Warriors present at an award function on Carillon. He had hoped to use the ceremony as an occassion to call for a vote to disarm the military. The Ovions reported to the Cylons that all the warriors were present, and the Cylons seized their apparent opporunity. Fortunately Adama had actually sent down crewman and other personnel wearing the uniforms of the warriors, leaving the warriors on alert aboard Galactica. When the ambush struck, Galactica deployed her Vipers who managed to hold off the attack easily.

Starbuck and Apollo's Gambit

Starbuck and Apollo, who had actually been on Carillon during the start of the attack, set fire to the tylium mines beneath the surface before they fled. They escaped in their Vipers, deciding to make an attack run against the Cylon basestar. They set their communicators to Cylon frequencies, and pretended to be in communication with several other attacking squadrons (including squadrons that didn't exist like "Purple" and "Orange"). The Cylons were fooled by this, and the Imperious Leader ordered the basestar lower into the atmosphere to use the planet as a shield. By the time the Cylons recognized the deception, the tylium fires had spread throughout mines, detonating the planet (and taking the basestar with it). Apollo and Starbuck escaped the explosion unharmed, and returned to Galactica (Saga of a Star World).

Note

Not to be confused with the real life Battle of Carillon which is noted by some historians as a "classic example of tactical military incompetence" (Wikipedia:Battle of Carillon).