Cylon War

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

A painting by Monclair giving a stylized depiction of the Cylon War, hanging in William Adama's quarters.

The Cylon War (or "First Cylon War") was the conflict that ended over forty years prior to the events of the re-imagined Miniseries 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 rebellious 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 (possibly the Cimtar Peace Accord) 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 onboard the battlestar Galactica.

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.

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?

It appears that the Cylon war began 52 years ago, concurrent with the unification of the Twelve Colonies under the Articles of Colonization, and ended twelve years later. Adama and Tigh's ages are unclear, but they could easily have entered service in the war's final years and still be in their late 50s/early 60s at the time of the series.