[spcglider]

My I interject?

I had always thought the whole "gun emplacement" thing was a bit wonky too. Even if the gun was placed at the planets' pole, it could still potentially be avoided if the planet had any sort of "wobble" like our own Earth.

How about this: The "emplacement" on the mountain is only the generator for the beam. Otherwise the planet is basically swimming in armoured focusing satellites that can redirect the beam at any angle. I mean THOUSANDS upon thousands. The Galactica can't blow them all up at once, and if they tried, the planetary forces could redirect the beam with the remainder and destroy the Galactica. So it is decided that a "stealth" team infiltrate and blow up the main body of the device... cutting it off at the source in one definitive action?

Does that make sense? I think it allows for the three-dimensional space tactics and still addresses the need to send in a demolition force. It maintains the basic story, but handles the whole scientific end of things.

How did they get all those satellites? The clones built them! Why else would Ravashol need such a large, completely subservient work force?

-Gordon