Cylon War

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This article discusses the first war between humanity and their robotic creations in the Re-imagined Series. For information on the generational war of the Original Series, see Thousand-Yahren War.
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 war lasted for approximately twelve and a half years (4,571 days), and was waged amongst the stars as well as on Colonial soil. Notable engagements include the boarding of the Brenik by Cylon Centurions (Valley of Darkness), combat involving the Colonial Marines in the jungles on Medra (Maelstrom), and Operation Raptor Talon on the final day of the war (Razor Flashbacks).

After both sides fought to exhaustion the war ended in an armistice (possibly the Cimtar Peace Accord), and the Cylons left Colonial space to establish a world of their own. 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 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 Cylons viewed their slavery and the subsequent atrocities of the war with mankind as justification for wiping out the Colonies 40 years later.[1]

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

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 Cylon catastrophe.


Active Ships

References

  1. Wizard Universe interview with Mark Verheiden (backup available on Archive.org) (in English). In a question, Verheiden describes the Cylon genocide attempt as "prompted" and "out of things that happened prior."