Basestar (RDM)

This article is about the basestars as seen in the Re-imagined Series. For the Original Series version, see Basestar (TOS).

A basestar (known interchangeably as a "baseship") is the most prominent example of the Cylon military presence. As the capital ship of the Cylons, the basestar appears in three forms in the Re-imagined Series.

Modern basestar

Modern basestar
Race:	Cylon
Type:	Military
FTL:	Yes
Propulsion:
Crew:	Humanoid Cylons, Cylon Centurions, the Hybrid
Capacity:
CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Carrier / battleship hybrid
Weapons:	Nuclear and conventional missiles, Raiders, Heavy Raiders
Armaments:	{{{arm}}}
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	{{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities:	{{{facilities}}}
Fate:	{{{status}}}
Emblem:	[[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images:	Gallery
colspan="3" class="infoboxheader hiddenStructureTemplate:Roundup feet (Template:Roundupm)Template:Roundup feet (Template:Roundupm)" | Dimensions
Length:	{{{length}}}
Width:	Template:Roundup feet (Template:Roundupm)
Height:	Template:Roundup feet (Template:Roundupm)
Weight:	{{{weight}}}
Wingspan:	{{{wingspan}}}
Other:	{{{otherdi}}}

The modern basestars, seen some 40 years after the end of the Cylon War, are approximately the same size as a Colonial battlestar but appear to be more technologically advanced . The shape of the newer basestar reflects its name, with two Y-shaped hulls attached at their centers by a single pylon, the warship has a distinctive "star" shape.

They are equipped with a superior jump system and no visible means of sublight propulsion, lacking any engine pods or nacelles, but remain capable of chasing down a battlestar (Exodus, Part II). They can rotate their upper and lower halves into a tandem-Y configuration for entry into a planetary atmosphere (The Plan).

Basestars operate a fleet of small fighters, known as Raiders, and are capable of deploying hundreds of these ships simultaneously (see Related Imagery). The enormous number of Raiders serves as a basestar's primary defense system.

Like the Raiders, the basestars are partially organic, which is particularly evident in their landing bays (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II). When severely damaged, they can sustain large, fleshy "wounds" (Faith). Moreover, Natalie mentions that their damaged baseship can heal itself (Guess What's Coming to Dinner?).

The baseships possess several conventional rooms and hallways, which are sleek but generally bland. Lighting plays a large role in the aesthetics and some rooms are furnished with clearly human objects, such as beds and couches. Humanoid Cylons project different surroundings to navigate ship corridors more easily, and to provide them with an individually pleasing environment (such as a lush forest). Data and other functions (such as analyzing visual information) are handled within a liquid computer interface that resembles a stream of water flowing over a luminous glass surface. Cylons can interact with the main computer by placing their hands in these basins (Torn).

Command and Control

Baseship control room (Torn).

A basestar is operated by many humanoid Cylons. Up to all seven models of them issue commands for the basestar from a central command and control center. Consensus amongst models is the typical procedure, as such the process of deliberation and voting on decisions may cause the basestar to react more slowly than a battlestar's command and control in a CIC.

A basestar's functions are managed by a partially humanoid Cylon incorporated into the ship, known as a Hybrid. The Hybrid, for all respects of identity and control, is the basestar. The ship is an extension of her body and she is the ship's mind. The Hybrid, despite its humanoid appearance, is not a considered a fellow humanoid Cylon and lacks voting power as other agents have in Cylon affairs.

A basestar has a datastream, or computer network, which interfaces with the Hybrid and all aspects of the basestar's operation.

Armaments

Basestar launching missiles (He That Believeth In Me).

A basestar is capable of launching conventional or nuclear missiles from 220 turret launchers mounted throughout the arms and central axis that pivot to allow the basestar to fire in any direction. Basestar-launched nuclear strikes against Colonial ships are usually carried out before Raider deployment. One example of a Cylon nuclear attack involved three Cylon basestars that ambush the battlestar Pegasus. They open their attack firing several nuclear missiles before deploying Raiders and switching to a non-nuclear salvo (The Captain's Hand).

A basestar's complement of Raiders is estimated as high as 792 fighters, not counting fighters in repair or otherwise off-line. It should be noted that there are a total of 864 Raider launch slots on the arms of a pre-retconned Basestar. In comparison, the retconned Basestar has only 434 Raider launch slots, a dramatic decrease from the previous version.

This tactic, along with the massive numbers of Raiders that a basestar can unleash, suggest a reliance on overwhelming force to destroy a foe. It is probable that basestars use nuclear weapons to destroy the bulk of the Colonial Fleet (using their CNP back-doors to compromise their defenses first) in the opening wave of their destruction of the Colonies.

After the Colonial commanders draw away their Raider wings, two basestars are torn apart by the kinetic guns of the battlestars Pegasus and Galactica in a joint mission to destroy a Cylon Resurrection Ship. It would seem that that basestars rely heavily on their Raiders for close-range gun defense. Since a basestar does not appear to have point-defense batteries, or heavy armoring, it seems quite vulnerable to battlestars in close-range combat when fighter support is not prominent (Resurrection Ship, Part II). From this, it can be theorized that basestars are designed primarily as carriers for the massive fleet of Raiders they carry, rather than as a front-line main battleship. Their reliance on long-distance attacks with missiles and their complement of Raiders, as well as their overall fragility seem to support this.

It would also appear that basestars possess an automated self-destruct system that triggers in the event that no living Cylons remain aboard (Torn).

Notes

• Beginning with the episode "Collaborators", a new exterior design is used for the basestars, bearing a sharper, more mechanical look than they previously had. This was apparently an upgrade by the visual effects crew to make the exterior reflect the interior design, which is seen for the first time in that episode.

Cylon War-era basestar

Cylon War-era basestar
Race:	Cylon
Type:	Military
FTL:	Unknown
Propulsion:
Crew:	Centurions
Capacity:
CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Carrier / battleship hybrid
Weapons:	Nuclear and conventional missiles, Raiders
Armaments:	{{{arm}}}
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	{{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities:	{{{facilities}}}
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 basestars in service during the 12-year Cylon War consisted of two flattened cones connected at the center by a thick pylon, giving them a conical saucer-like appearance (Razor Flashbacks).

A model of a Cylon War-era basestar on display in the defunct museum.

Much like its modern counterpart, this model utilized chemically-propelled missiles (with both nuclear and standard warheads) as the main form of offensive weaponry. Raiders were deployed from access points (totaling 8 in number) throughout a basestar's hull to provide defense.

During Operation Raptor Talon, the battlestar Columbia was destroyed by basestar missiles and Raider attacks as Galactica and another unnamed battlestar pressed their assaults.

The origins of the initial basestars are unclear. However, as Cylons were a creation of man in the early days before the war, it is probable that man himself (through the efforts of various colonies) designed the various ships and weapons used by the Cylons for the use in intra-colonial wars prior to the Articles of Colonization.

A model of this basestar design is displayed over 40 years later on Galactica, as part of its planned museum (Miniseries, Night 1).

Guardian basestar

Guardian basestar
Race:	Cylon
Type:	Military
FTL:	Yes
Propulsion:
Crew:	Cylon Centurions, the first Hybrid
Capacity:
CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Carrier / battleship hybrid
Weapons:	36 twin missile tube mountings , First Cylon War-era Raiders
Armaments:	{{{arm}}}
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	{{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities:	{{{facilities}}}
Fate:	Destroyed
Emblem:	[[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images:	Gallery
Dimensions
Length:	{{{length}}}
Width:	{{{width}}}
Height:	{{{height}}}
Weight:	{{{weight}}}
Wingspan:	{{{wingspan}}}
Other:	{{{otherdi}}}

Main article: Guardian basestar

Towards the end of the first Cylon War, the Cylons built a prototype basestar that had roughly the same shape as the modern basestar. The first hybrids were developed for use with this model.

The Guardian basestar taking off from an ice planet (Razor Flashbacks).

It is explained by Athena that a group of Centurions calling themselves Guardians fractured from the Cylon majority with such a basestar. The belief is that they escaped to the far reaches of space to avoid being shut-down in favor of their modernized, non-sentient successors (Razor). The only basestar of this type known to exist was destroyed by Colonial forces shortly after its discovery.

Rebel basestar

Rebel basestar
Race:	Cylon
Type:	Military
FTL:	Yes
Propulsion:
Crew:	Humanoid Cylons, Cylon Centurions, the Hybrid
Capacity:
CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Carrier / battleship hybrid
Weapons:	Nuclear and conventional missiles, Heavy Raiders, at least 3 Raiders
Armaments:	{{{arm}}}
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	{{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities:	{{{facilities}}}
Fate:	Somewhere in space under the command of freed Centurions
Emblem:	[[Image:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images:	Gallery
Dimensions
Length:	{{{length}}}
Width:	{{{width}}}
Height:	{{{height}}}
Weight:	{{{weight}}}
Wingspan:	{{{wingspan}}}
Other:	{{{otherdi}}}

Main article: Rebel basestar

This basestar belonged to the rebel Cylon faction comprising of all Two, Six and Eight models apart from Boomer, as well as the last remaining Three copy later on. The basestar recieved serious damaged after the other three models attempted to wipe out and destroyed all but this basestar (The Ties That Bind).

The basestar was later found by the Demetrius and her crew, who had been searching for Earth. They return to the fleet with the basestar, where the Colonials and the Rebel Cylons form an unsteady alliance to destroy the Resurrection Hub, and hence destroy the Cylons' ability to resurrect. However, the basestar becomes the only ship to make it there, after the Hybrid jumps without the Galactica. Against all odds, the Baseship manages to destroy the Hub with the help of the Humans in the ship, as well as retreive the last Three copy (Guess What's Coming to Dinner?, The Hub).

After a brief standoff, the Cylons join the fleet in the final jump to Earth, only to find it in ruins. The basestar is later invited to join the fleet to find a new home afterwards (Sometimes a Great Notion).

Over time, the ship is integrated into the fleet, getting its own representation in the new Quorum of Ship's Captians and flying joint fighter CAP's with Galactica. Upon Admiral Adama's decision to abandon the battlestar, it is decided that the baseship would become the new flagship under Adama's command, since it is the only other warship remaining in the fleet.

When Galactica heads off to The Colony to rescue Hera, the baseship is left under the command of Admiral Hoshi to await Galactica's return. She later jumps to New Earth along with the rest of the fleet, where the Cylons turn control of the ship to the Centurions, allowing them to seek their own destiny as the human models settle on Earth with the rest of humanity.

Related Imagery

• 

  Raiders being released (Scattered).

• 

  Trio of basestars over Caprica (Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II).

• 

  A basestar infected by a deadly virus (Torn).

• 

  Operation Raptor Talon at the end of the first Cylon War (Razor).

• 

  Baltar and a Three in a room on a basestar (Torn).

• 

  Baltar and a Three in a corridor (The Passage).

• 

  A basestar's hangar bay (Torn).

• 

  A membrane covers a mechanical-looking hatch of a Cylon docking slip (Faith).

• 

  Tandem "Y" formation assumed for atmospheric entries as seen in The Plan.

• 

  Another view of tandem "Y".

• 

  Basestar Weaponary.

• 

  Closeup of missle launcher with MIRV mounted.

• 

  Detail of primary raider bays. There are two per ship.

• 

  Detail of the secondary raider bays. There are four per ship.

• 

  Arm detail.

• 

  Angle shot.

References

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