Base Star

Name: Base Ship also referred to as Base Star
Type: Heavy Carrier
Registration: Cylon Military
Specifications: Length: 5,100'
Raider Wing:  "Estimated to be capable of carrying more than 400 raiders"
Defenses: "Excellent perimeter defenses imply sophisticated sensors

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).

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).  

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.

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.

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.

This basestar belongs 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 becomes seriously damaged after the other three models wanted them wiped out and destroyed all but one basestar, which has become refuge to the surviving Twos, Sixes and Eights (The Ties That Bind).

The basestar is later found by the Demetrius and her crew, who have been searching for Earth, and they send the basestar to the fleet, where they form an unsteady alliance to destroy the Resurrection Hub, and hence lose the Cylons' ability to resurrect. However, the basestar becomes the only ship to make it there, after the Hybrid jumps without the fleet, but later 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 returning to the fleet in a succesfully mission, they join the fleet 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).

It has since joined the fleet completly, even getting it's own representation in the new Quorum of Ship's Captians and being slated to act as the new flagship under Admiral Adama's command once Galactica is scrapped for parts (the Cylons offered that to Admiral Adama).

Name: Raider
Type: Fighter
Registration: Cylon military
Specifications: L: 29.34' W: 18.33' H: 5'
Target profile: Slim profile makes them difficult for Viper pilots to target.
Raider strike: Raiders can carry a wide variety of ordnance. Preferred tactic is a massive fire strike

Description: Information is scarce about this ubiquitous Cylon fighter. The Raider is extremely fast and as maneuverable as the Viper. Another trait this dangerous craft shares with the Viper is the ability to operate within various atmospheres. It packs a serious punch, too; its standard armaments include armor-piercing and high-explosive projectile weapons, and tactical nuclear ordnance for strategic bombing. Colonial pilots have confirmed that Raiders can execute hyperlight jumps and seem to be highly accurate at rapid jump calculations that exceed the capabilities of Colonial technology.

The new Raider is found to be biomechanical in nature, incorporating a number of large organs in its design, including a biomechanical brain. The Cylon Raider's intelligence level is less than that of a Humanoid cylon; it is more like a trained animal.

Description: The main armament of the Heavy Raider seems to consist of a barbette of six cannons mounted under the cockpit area of the vehicle. These cannons are capable of an extremely high rate of fire . They are also capable of launching missiles. Not much

is yet known about this craft. The Heavy Raider is likely autonomous, as evidenced by the Raider-style head. While Centurions have been seen exiting Heavy Raiders, there is not proof that they piloted it.