WarMachine
October 14th, 2005, 03:18 PM
NOTE: What follows applies only to the "Fields of Iron" interpretation of BSG and other stories absed on it, and should not at present be considered "official" in any way.
Battlestar Galactica is variously copyrighted to Glen Larson Productions, and Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
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Blasters/Lasers - The main weapons of the BSG universe, these energy weapons fire a slug of magnetically-accelerated plasma along a laser-ionized pathway, striking the target with around 10,000 joules of energy in small hand-held weapons, and 1,000 times that figure in Vipers.
Battlestar - A massive vessel, Battlestars are the frontline combat vessel of the Colonies of Man. They carry a wide array of offensive weapons to fight other capitol warships, and a large defensive array of heavy lasers cannons.
The "Columbia"-class Battlestars were laid down six hundred yahren ago, and have remained the standard design ever since. The Columbia class carries a total of one hundred one-man Viper strike fighters, and twelve "Dromon"-class shuttlecraft(q.v.); there are typically a Detachment of 40 Colonial Infantry aboard for use as ceremonial troops and the occasional landing party.
Attack Transport - One of the Colonies' biggest handicaps at the beginning of the Thousand Yahren War was their lack of a combat transport. Colonial infantry were previously packed randomly onto Battlestars, or were ferried to battle by leased commercial vessels, which, in addition to being prohibitively expensive, destabilised the Colonial economy. Designed three hundred yahren ago, the "Hoplon"-class was the answer to the problem.
While the Hoplon is dimensionally similar to the Columbia class, it is almost three time as massive. The Hoplon, however, is capable of actually landing on a planet.
The Hoplon is fitted with a pair of landing bays that are somewhat larger than those of a Battlestar; while it carries only thirty-two Vipers, it carries a total of thirty-six "Falcon"-class Assault Shuttles.
The Hoplon classes main reason for existance is its massive troop bay. The Hoplon can carry and support up to 3,000 troops for up to ninety days of combat; it also carries and supports a total of six Landrams, six Battlerams, twelve Assaultrams, and seventy-two Chimerarams(q.v.).
Finally, there is one system unique to the Hoplon vessles. Running down the centerline of the ship is a one-meter diameter mass driver. This terrifying weapon(terrifying to humans, at least) accelerates roughly-shaped boulders to very high speeds, which are directed at targets planetside.
Destroyer - When the Hoplon-class was first deployed in action, it was found that it often required fire-support from Battlestars to suppress Cylon defenses. Seeing how wasteful of resources this was - since the Battlestars were better-employed defending against Cylon Basestars - the concept of lighter, capital-grade ships was revived.
The "Blade"-class, named for ancient Colonial bladed weapons, is a sleek design, with a heavy armor jacket and a powerful weapons suite of bombardment missiles and point-defence laser mounts.
Corvette - Small and fast, there is no one standard Colonial Corvette design. All ships classed as 'Corvettes' share similar characteristics: they are typically small, carrying a 40-person crew; they usually have a very high thrust-to-weight ratio; they are capable of landing on a planet; they do not carry weapons to fight capitol ships; and they have a heavy(for their size) suite of defensive laser turrets.
Corvettes are typically used for reconnaisence of uncharted system by the Colonial military.
Basestar - The main Cylon battlcruiser, these massive engines of war began to appear three-hundred yahren ago. They appear as two cone-shaped hulls, joined at the smallest point. They carry thousands of Cylon Centurion troops, and at least three hundred Raider fighter craft.
They are known to be armed with a wide array of offensive missiles and possess a large suite of defensive lasers, but it's main armament consists of four powerful "mega-pulsar cannons"(q.v.), which are capable of pummeling Battlestar into junk. We know very little of their operation.
Additionally, we know very little about the internal arrangements of a Basestar; none have been captured, and we have only the most cursory of penetrating scans.
Mining Ship - Rather ungainly in appearance, the "Diggers" have been the lifeblood of interstellar travel for Humanity for over 700 yahren.
When their scanners detect a vein of Tylium, the ship either lands or attaches itself to an asteroid, and work crews(sometimes in pressure suits) set to work, scooping Tylium-laced ore from surface deposits. Once inside, the raw ore is processed into Tylium fuel pellets.
The crews of mining ships are a rough, lonely group, accustomed to long periods away from civilization; however, they are typically the most capable individuals you will meet.
Landram - A mid-sized al-terrain vehicle, th Landram is used for administrative tasks and reconnaisence on undeveloped worlds. It can carry up to eight humans inside the vehicle, and up to twenty, if they perch precariously to the runner boards.
While they are typically unarmed, Landrams can be equipped with a pair of laser cannons that are functionally identical to the cannons carried aboard Viper craft.
Battleram - The Battleram is one of a trio of vehicles that make up the core fighting strength of the Colonial Infantry.
The Battleram, Assaultram and Chimeraram all share a common chassis and drive train, greatly simplifying spare parts and other supplies.
The Battleram mounts a massive laser cannon, with a power output nearly eight times greater than a Vipers battery; it also has a remote pod(called a "blaster pod") mounted atop the hull with a 360° rotation. This pod fires a battery of infantry-support laser weapons, to protect the vehicle against Cylon infantry. It also mounts smoke grenade dispensors all around the vehicle for camouflage and screening.
The Assaultram mounts a blaster pod as its only armament; it is intended to deliver twelve infantrymen close to the battle. Its boat-shaped hull and auxiliary waterjet drive allow it to cross rivers and lakes with ease. It is not intended to see direct combat on its own.
The Chimeraram lives up to its name. Basically a flatbed platform on a chassis, the Chimeraram is used for anything from cargo transport to air defense(mating four Viper cannon to a fast-cycling laser generator) to an artillery vehicle(firing magnetically-accelerate explosive projectiles), the Chimeraram is a do-all vehicle.
Assaultram - See Battleram
Chimeraram - See Battleram
Battlestar Galactica is variously copyrighted to Glen Larson Productions, and Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
*********
Blasters/Lasers - The main weapons of the BSG universe, these energy weapons fire a slug of magnetically-accelerated plasma along a laser-ionized pathway, striking the target with around 10,000 joules of energy in small hand-held weapons, and 1,000 times that figure in Vipers.
Battlestar - A massive vessel, Battlestars are the frontline combat vessel of the Colonies of Man. They carry a wide array of offensive weapons to fight other capitol warships, and a large defensive array of heavy lasers cannons.
The "Columbia"-class Battlestars were laid down six hundred yahren ago, and have remained the standard design ever since. The Columbia class carries a total of one hundred one-man Viper strike fighters, and twelve "Dromon"-class shuttlecraft(q.v.); there are typically a Detachment of 40 Colonial Infantry aboard for use as ceremonial troops and the occasional landing party.
Attack Transport - One of the Colonies' biggest handicaps at the beginning of the Thousand Yahren War was their lack of a combat transport. Colonial infantry were previously packed randomly onto Battlestars, or were ferried to battle by leased commercial vessels, which, in addition to being prohibitively expensive, destabilised the Colonial economy. Designed three hundred yahren ago, the "Hoplon"-class was the answer to the problem.
While the Hoplon is dimensionally similar to the Columbia class, it is almost three time as massive. The Hoplon, however, is capable of actually landing on a planet.
The Hoplon is fitted with a pair of landing bays that are somewhat larger than those of a Battlestar; while it carries only thirty-two Vipers, it carries a total of thirty-six "Falcon"-class Assault Shuttles.
The Hoplon classes main reason for existance is its massive troop bay. The Hoplon can carry and support up to 3,000 troops for up to ninety days of combat; it also carries and supports a total of six Landrams, six Battlerams, twelve Assaultrams, and seventy-two Chimerarams(q.v.).
Finally, there is one system unique to the Hoplon vessles. Running down the centerline of the ship is a one-meter diameter mass driver. This terrifying weapon(terrifying to humans, at least) accelerates roughly-shaped boulders to very high speeds, which are directed at targets planetside.
Destroyer - When the Hoplon-class was first deployed in action, it was found that it often required fire-support from Battlestars to suppress Cylon defenses. Seeing how wasteful of resources this was - since the Battlestars were better-employed defending against Cylon Basestars - the concept of lighter, capital-grade ships was revived.
The "Blade"-class, named for ancient Colonial bladed weapons, is a sleek design, with a heavy armor jacket and a powerful weapons suite of bombardment missiles and point-defence laser mounts.
Corvette - Small and fast, there is no one standard Colonial Corvette design. All ships classed as 'Corvettes' share similar characteristics: they are typically small, carrying a 40-person crew; they usually have a very high thrust-to-weight ratio; they are capable of landing on a planet; they do not carry weapons to fight capitol ships; and they have a heavy(for their size) suite of defensive laser turrets.
Corvettes are typically used for reconnaisence of uncharted system by the Colonial military.
Basestar - The main Cylon battlcruiser, these massive engines of war began to appear three-hundred yahren ago. They appear as two cone-shaped hulls, joined at the smallest point. They carry thousands of Cylon Centurion troops, and at least three hundred Raider fighter craft.
They are known to be armed with a wide array of offensive missiles and possess a large suite of defensive lasers, but it's main armament consists of four powerful "mega-pulsar cannons"(q.v.), which are capable of pummeling Battlestar into junk. We know very little of their operation.
Additionally, we know very little about the internal arrangements of a Basestar; none have been captured, and we have only the most cursory of penetrating scans.
Mining Ship - Rather ungainly in appearance, the "Diggers" have been the lifeblood of interstellar travel for Humanity for over 700 yahren.
When their scanners detect a vein of Tylium, the ship either lands or attaches itself to an asteroid, and work crews(sometimes in pressure suits) set to work, scooping Tylium-laced ore from surface deposits. Once inside, the raw ore is processed into Tylium fuel pellets.
The crews of mining ships are a rough, lonely group, accustomed to long periods away from civilization; however, they are typically the most capable individuals you will meet.
Landram - A mid-sized al-terrain vehicle, th Landram is used for administrative tasks and reconnaisence on undeveloped worlds. It can carry up to eight humans inside the vehicle, and up to twenty, if they perch precariously to the runner boards.
While they are typically unarmed, Landrams can be equipped with a pair of laser cannons that are functionally identical to the cannons carried aboard Viper craft.
Battleram - The Battleram is one of a trio of vehicles that make up the core fighting strength of the Colonial Infantry.
The Battleram, Assaultram and Chimeraram all share a common chassis and drive train, greatly simplifying spare parts and other supplies.
The Battleram mounts a massive laser cannon, with a power output nearly eight times greater than a Vipers battery; it also has a remote pod(called a "blaster pod") mounted atop the hull with a 360° rotation. This pod fires a battery of infantry-support laser weapons, to protect the vehicle against Cylon infantry. It also mounts smoke grenade dispensors all around the vehicle for camouflage and screening.
The Assaultram mounts a blaster pod as its only armament; it is intended to deliver twelve infantrymen close to the battle. Its boat-shaped hull and auxiliary waterjet drive allow it to cross rivers and lakes with ease. It is not intended to see direct combat on its own.
The Chimeraram lives up to its name. Basically a flatbed platform on a chassis, the Chimeraram is used for anything from cargo transport to air defense(mating four Viper cannon to a fast-cycling laser generator) to an artillery vehicle(firing magnetically-accelerate explosive projectiles), the Chimeraram is a do-all vehicle.
Assaultram - See Battleram
Chimeraram - See Battleram