Cylon War

For articles relating to wars relating to the Cylons throughout the various continuities, see: Cylon War (disambiguation).

Operation Raptor Talon, the final battle of the Cylon War

The Cylon War (or "First Cylon War") was a major conflict that ended over forty years prior to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies and caused the death of thousands if not millions of civilians.

The war began when humanity's robotic creation, the Cylons, turned on their "parents" after years of slavery. During the course of the conflict the Cylons used Raiders and basestars, while the Colonials developed the first battlestars and the renowned Viper Mark II.

The conflict lasted for approximately twelve and a half years (4,571 days), and was waged amongst the stars as well as on Colonial soil. Known engagements include the boarding of the Brenik by Cylon Centurions (Valley of Darkness), combat involving the Colonial Marines in the jungles of Medra (Maelstrom), the Cylon attack on Tauron (Razor) and Operation Raptor Talon on the final day of the war (Razor Flashbacks).

Veterans of the war include William Adama, Commander Nash and Socrata Thrace.

Aftermath

Unbeknownst to the Colonials, the final five members of the Thirteenth Tribe had traveled to the Colonies following the destruction of Earth to warn them to treat their artificial lifeforms well. Seeing that the Cylons were attempting to develop humanoid bodies with little success, the Five agreed to help the Cylons on the condition that they end the war (No Exit). This agreement resulted in an armistice (the Cimtar Peace Accord), and the Cylons left Colonial space in the middle of the last battles in order to establish a "world" of their own (The Colony). The Colonials built the Armistice Station to maintain diplomatic contact, but this overture was ignored by the Cylons.

Also at this time the Guardians escaped being shut down after taking the First Hybrid on a new type of basestar and leaving the planet where the Hybrids were developed. This basestar, along with the Guardians, is destroyed by Pegasus four decades later, nine months after the Fall of the Colonies (Razor).

Given that the Articles of Colonization 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, which may have been separate entities prior to the conflict. The impact of the war may have been the initiative required by the Colonial government to create the Case Orange emergency succession procedures in the event of another catastrophe.

Furthermore, the conflict resulted in a ban against research and development into artificial intelligence (Miniseries).

The Cylons viewed their slavery and the subsequent atrocities of the war with mankind as justification for wiping out the Colonies 40 years later.

In the second war, humanity was mostly destroyed. Only Galactica, Pegasus and a fleet of civilan ships survived the destruction of the Colonies and engaged in battles with the Cylons while on the run. The second Cylon war ended when the Cylons are destroyed by the Galactica in a massive battle. Some humanoid Cylons survive as they have come to ally with Galactica and her fleet and they go on to co-exist peacefully with the Colonials on New Earth. Their Centurions are given their freedom to find their own destiny, and while its possible that the Centurions could rebuild and come back again, it is believed that giving them their freedom would break the cycle of violence for good.

Active ships

• 
  Galactica-type battlestar
• 
  Viper Mark I
• 
  Viper Mark II
• 
  Raptor
• 
  Cylon basestar
• 
  Cylon Raider

See also

• Articles of Colonization
• Cylon War-era Uniforms