Basestar (RDM)

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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 main warship of the Cylons, the basestar appears in three forms in the Re-imagined Series.

Contents 1 Modern basestar 1.1 Command and Control 1.2 Armaments 1.3 Notes 2 Cylon War-era basestar 3 Guardian basestar 4 Related Imagery 5 References

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}}}
Status	{{{status}}}
Other Images	More images...
Dimensions
Length	{{{length}}}
Width	{{{width}}}
Height	{{{height}}}
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 ^[1]. 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).

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 amount of Raiders serve 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

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

A basestar is capable of launching conventional or nuclear missiles from "turrets" mounted throughout the hubs and central axis that rotate to allow the basestar to fire in any direction^[2]. 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^[3], not counting fighters in repair or otherwise off-line.

This tactic, along with the massive amounts 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^[4], it seems quite vulnerable to battlestars in close-range combat when fighter support is not prominent (Resurrection Ship, Part II).

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}}}
Status	{{{status}}}
Other Images	More images...
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^[5] (Razor Flashbacks).

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	Possible missile tubes, Raiders
Armaments	{{{arm}}}
Status	{{{status}}}
Other Images	More images...
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.

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.

Related Imagery

Raiders being released (Scattered).	Basestar launching missiles (Miniseries).	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).

References