Orion Class Battlestar

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Orion class battlestar
Orion class battlestar
Race: Colonial
Type: Military
FTL: Yes
Propulsion: * 4x main sublight engines
* maneuvering engines.
Crew: 150, minus pilot complement
Capacity:
CO: {{{co}}}
XO: {{{xo}}}
Role: Battleship, carrier, planetary defense
Weapons: {{{weapons}}}
Armaments: * 12x primary guns
* ~32x missile CIWS
* ~4x missile tubes
Defenses: * Flak
* DRADIS absorbent hull plating
Aircraft: * Small Viper detachment
* Small Raptor detachment
Aviation facilities: * 1x flight deck
* Viper launch tubes
Fate: {{{status}}}
Emblem: [[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images: Gallery
Dimensions
Length: {{{length}}}
Width: {{{width}}}
Height: {{{height}}}
Weight: {{{weight}}}
Wingspan: {{{wingspan}}}
Other: {{{otherdi}}}


The Orion class battlestar was first developed and deployed sometime before or during the First Cylon War. Also known as a "Pocket Battlestar" or "Half-Pint," the class appears to be among the smaller ships in the Colonial Fleet, dwarfed even by the Valkyrie type. It may be the smallest battlestar class to see service.

Layout and Design

Unlike bigger battlestars, the Orion class does not share the same layout and design principles. Instead, the class is built into one main, streamlined body.

  • The upper section: The upper section of the class features the main and secondary batteries, as well as a large conning tower, which features a forward looking viewing area. The class's engine room and sublight engines are housed in the back, above the landing bay. Two more sublight engines are housed in detached cowlings off the main boosters.
  • The lower section: The lower sections contain the main landing bay, Viper launch tubes, main communications tower assembly, fuel tanks, and houses another conning tower with forward facing viewing area.

The Orion class features very little in the way of creature comforts, and suffers from dark, cramped, wet, and humid conditions. Numerous exposed pipes line the halls and CIC, which leave little standing and sitting room, leaving many of the crew to work in tight spots.

At least one Orion class ship, Osiris, was outfitted with a unique reflective metallic hull which acts as an inhibitor to Cylon DRADIS, and can operate in "stealth mode" within detection range for a short period without being seen. However, as soon as the ship powered it weapons and launched its fighters, the ship immediately became visible to enemy scanners, with the corresponding DRADIS signatures giving away the ship's position. It is not known if this is a standard feature, or a special, one-off design.

Specifications

Propulsion

Main article: Propulsion in the Re-imagined Series

The Orion class features four main sublight boosters, two of which are housed in separate cowlings off the aft upper section. The class also features RCS thrusters at key points along the fore and aft hulls. These sublight engines are further augmented with an FTL engine. The overall propulsion design, together with the small size of the Orion class ships, makes the class highly maneuverable, an important aspect of its defensive abilities.

Endurance

Unlike larger battlestars, the Orion class is not intended to be used on extended duration missions without the aid of a corresponding battlestar group. The class features limited weapons, which restrict its ability to fight Cylon capital ships. The battlestar Osiris lasted only a few minutes in combat with a much larger basestar before taking critical damage.

Armament

Main article: Weapons in the Re-imagined Series

Ships of this class are moderately armed, with at least thirty-two point defense batteries, twelve primary gun turrets, and multiple missile vertical launch systems, along with Raptors and the potential for a handful of Vipers. The Orion class ships are not normally outfitted with planes, and usually take on a compliment from other battlestars. Compared with a basestar, the potential Viper complement is outnumbered ten to one by Raiders.

Crew

The typical crew compliment of an Orion class ship is about 150, excluding Viper pilots on detachment from other battlestars.

Ships In Class

Name Number Status Last Seen
Osiris 0913 (BSG 54) Destroyed, Battle of Djerba, YR58 (42 BCH) "Blood & Chrome".


Ships in the Re-Imagined Series, Caprica, & Blood & Chrome


Historical

Ancient Kobolian: Galleon


Colonial Military

Battlestar Classes: Mercury class | Galactica-type | Valkyrie-type | Orion class

Battlestars: Galactica | Pegasus | Valkyrie | Columbia | Archeron
Osiris | Yashuman | Triton | All Named | All Unnamed

Support Ship Types: Loki type | Berzerk type | Defender type | Catamaran type | Watersled type

Support Ships: Loki | Berzerk | Brenik | All Unnamed

Auxiliary Craft: Viper Mark II | Viper Mark III | Viper Mark VII | Stealthstar | Blackbird | Raptor | Atmospheric Shuttle

Colonial Stations: Armistice Station | Colonial Fleet Headquarters | Ministry of Defense | Ragnar Anchorage
Scorpion Fleet Shipyards


Colonial Civilian

Pre-Cylon War: Air Force Viper | Blackhawk | Graystone blimp | Jump ship | Phoenix

Virtual aircraft: Autogyro | Dreadnaught | Vintage Viper

Post-Fall Civilian Fleet: Astral Queen | Cloud 9 | Colonial One | Daru Mozu | Demetrius | Gemenon Traveler | Gideon
Olympic Carrier | Prometheus | Rising Star | Scylla | Zephyr | List of all civilian ships

Civilian Ship Types: Passenger liners | Mining ships | Repair ships | Tylium refinery ships | Research ships

Civilian Operators: Gemon Liners | Pan Galactic | Saggitarian Spaceways | Eversun


Cylon

Basestar Types: Cylon War Era basestars | Modern basestar | Guardian basestar | Rebel basestar

Support Ships: Resurrection Ship | Reconnaissance Drone | Freighter

Auxiliary Craft: Cylon War Era Raider | Modern Raider | Heavy Raider

Cylon Stations: Cylon Refinery | The Colony | Resurrection Hub Template:Navigation box end