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All Combat Fleets,Whether they be Seafaring or Spacefaring, Rely heavily on their Supply Chains; Without Ammunition, Fuel, Food, and Other Vital Supplies, Ships are pretty much useless in War, For they can't just run back to Port whenever They run out of Something.
This is A Fact The Colonial Fleet almost found out The Hard Way in The First Cylon War; To keep Colonial Military Vessels supplied with Everything They needed to keep The Cylons at bay, Numerous Civilan Cargo Ships were pressed into Service to support the War Effort.
Sadly, Too Many of These Commercial Ships were not Designed, Much less built, to operate in or near Combat Zones; Many were lost, along with Their Civilian Crews.
The Colonial Minisrty of Defense ordered the Design and Construction of Specialist Military Cargo Freighters that would be able to Support Military Vessels with Vital Supplies and be able to operate near Combat Zones.
By Combining A Huge Cargo Carrying Capability with The Limited Armor of A Battlestar, Leonis Shipbuilding Ltd. presented the Demeter Class ReplenishmentstarThe Demeter Class,Named for The Godess of The Harvest, Has The Capacity to supply an Entire Battlegroup for One Standard Year; It has Storgage for both Perishables and Non-Perishables, And A Vast Loading Dock with Eight Large Cargo Doors; It also has an Expanded Topside Flight Deck,Meaning She can supply Multiple Ships at once using Multiple Modes of Transfer; At the Stern are Four Large Tanks for transferring Potable Water:
The Bow and Engine Sections are Modules from the Valkyrie 2/Posiedon Class Battlestars,Of which Thousands have been constructed to Build and Modify Various Military Vessels of All Types, Some for Combat, Others for Special Support Roles; These Ships have A Limited Weapons Capability strictly for Self-Defense.
In Combat Situations, A Replenishmentstar,Along with The Fleet's Other Support Vessels, Would hang back out of A Combat Zone,Protected by either Corvettes or Viper Squadrons,While the Combat Ships Conduct Operations.
The Design of The Demeter Class was So Impressive, A Non Armed Freighter Version for The Civilian Market was in development.Some Demeter Class Replenishmentstars were to be Assigned to Major Fleets/Battlegroups,While Others were to Operate Independently to supply Individual Military Ships Operating in Certain Sectors.
THE CLASS:
The Standard Compliment of The Replenishmentstar is about 3,500 Personel and an Expanded Detachment of Colonial Marines.
The Propusion Systems are One FTL Drive, Six Sublight Engines which are Enhanced with More Powerful Components to help move that kind of Bulk,And Extra Thrusters, Including 16 Lift Thrusters on The Bottom to Help the Ships Ingress/Egress to/from Ground Based Port FacilitiesStandard Self -Defense:
28 KEW Turets
250 Point Defense Guns
2 Ship/Ship Missile Batteries
Plus Full ECM Suite
Auxilliariy Ships:
30 Standard Shuttles and 2 Raptor Detachments20 Demeter Class Ships were Planned,With The Option for More,And the Possible Civilian Verson; Eight Wre Built and Three were Under Construction at the Time of The Second Cylon Invasion .
SHIPS IN SERVICE/STATUS:
Demeter (RPLR-550) Was Originally to be Assigned to BSG-75 before the Announcement of the Decommissioning of Battlestar Galactica; The Demeter's Last Known Location was on Gemenon,Attempting to Evacuate Survivors.
STATUS: Unknown
Themiscyra (RPLR-556) Raven Battle Group. STATUS: Unknown/PresumedActive
Nike (RPLR-592) BSG-44, Fifth Fleet STATUS: Unknown/Presumed Active
Hera(RPLR-570) WSG-05, Fifth Fleet STATUS: Unknown/Presumed Active
Cassiopea(RPLR-575) BSG-01, First Fleet STATUS: Destroyed at Picon
Andromeda (RPLR-576) Third Fleet STATUS: Unknown
Zehuti (RPLR-577) Seventh Fleet STATUS: Unknown
Sephora (RPLR-578) BSG-200 STATUS: Reported Destroyed
THE MODEL:
If The Center Secton of the Ship looks Familiar, It Should; It's Part of MPC's 1/48 Scale Eagle One Transporter from 'Space 1999'; After Looking at all other Ship Designs,Along with Models Avaliable on the Market, I figured this would be The Best Place to start.
Basically, I built the Center Section, Without the extra equipment, And Added Resin Bow and Engine Sections of the Valkyrie2/Posiedon Battlestar supplied by Mel Kraley at Starfighter Shipyards; Then, I covered The Body with Evergreen #4530 Metal Siding, Then Evergreen Strips...LOTS of Theml; Then The MPC Kit gave me the Water Tanks at the Rear, Added Plastruct 1/4 Open Truss Secrions above the Cargo Doors; The MPC Kit gave me A Few Extras here and there; Spare Pegasus Flight Deck Decals, Gun Turrets from The Spares Box;Finally, Name Decals from Downen Scale Replicas added the Final Touch; All Painting and Weathering was done with Acrylics.
All in All, It turned out better and faster than I had anticipated; I Intend to build Two More for My 5th Fleet; And Three of the Smaller 1/72 Scale MPC Eagle Ones will be Munitionstars.
Colonials,
Happy New Year, fellow Galactica enthusiasts! As we bid farewell to another incredible year, we can't help but reflect on the amazing adventures we've shared in the Battlestar Galactica Fanclub and with our flagship chapter, Battlestar Raven-BFC 002.
We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt appreciation for each and every one of you who has made this community an absolute joy to be a part of. Your passion, creativity, and unwavering love for all things Galactica continue to inspire us beyond measure!
In this new year, we encourage you to embrace the spirit of adventure and boldly go where no fan has gone before. Dive deeper into the captivating universe of Battlestar Galactica, connect with fellow fans, and let your imagination soar to new heights!
Speaking of new heights, this community would not be where it is now in the BSG community if it were not for each and every one of its members, the hard-working staff, and you, THE FANS.
Remember, it's the connections we forged that make this journey truly special. Let's celebrate the friendships we've formed and create even more meaningful bonds as we venture into this new year together. As the staff and leadership of the Battlestar Galactica Fan Club, we're committed to bringing you exciting content, engaging discussions, and endless opportunities to celebrate our beloved series. Stay tuned for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights and thrilling updates that will keep the Galactica fire burning bright!
So, raise your glasses to a year filled with laughter, epic battles, and memorable moments that will forever be etched in our hearts. May this New Year be your most extraordinary one yet, filled with incredible experiences and dreams that surpass the stars themselves!
We can't wait to embark on this next chapter with you, dear Galactica fans. Let's make 2024 our most stellar year yet! Together, we'll continue to celebrate the timeless brilliance of Battlestar Galactica and forge a future that's as unforgettable as the series itself!
Keeping the Faith Alive: So Say We All!!
In Service,
DragonLady
BFC President
Colonials,
Because of the failure of the Valkyrie Mk. 1 as A Special Operations Platform, The Fleet Admiralty came to the Conclusion that A more specialized and efficient Ship Design was needed for that particular mission.
They finally settled upon the Banshee Class Design, A more streamlined and stealthy design perfect for Counterinsurgency and Counterintelligence, Two things that might make the difference in Any Future Conflict with the Cylons, or Any Foe that would Threaten the Security of the Colonies.
With certain Design Features, The Stealth Battlestar, or 'Stealthstar', Can penetrate Enemy Space undetected and conduct Special Operations and Intelligence Gathering Missions either independently, or in advance of A Major Fleet Operation.
The Stealthstar Banshee (SSR-001) was the Test Bed; It proved the Efficiency and Efficacy of the Design Mission; However, It also shown that Improvements in Compatible Systems and Equipment were needed; Fortunately, Such Improved Technology was just coming on line.
The Second Ship, The Lelantus (SSR-002), Was built with the Advanced Improvements and designated Banshee Mk. 2; The Banshee was refitted to Lelantus Specifications.
One of the Integral Features of the Mk.2 was an Advanced Copy of The Standard Cylon IFF(Identification Friend or Foe)Device, Which will allow the Stealthstar to Approach Cylon Fleet Formations and Anchorages without being detected.
Another is the Low Visibility Armor and Composite Paint which is said to absorb DRADIS Waves instead of reflecting them back; All External Ports can be sealed up to also prevent DRADIS Waves from bouncing back.
All of the Internal Systems (FTL, DRADIS, Sublight, Computer ) designed for this Class are Classified; However, It's Weapons Compliment is as follows:
KEW Turret: 16
Point Defense Guns: 75
Ship to Ship Missile Batteries: 25
Nuclear Weapons: (Classified)
The Air Wing of the Banshee Class Consists of Two Squadrons of Stealth Fighters; The Older, Yet still useful, S-Star Mk. 1 is retained, Receiving Upgrades to it's Engines and Computer Systems.
Another Squadron is the More Advanced 'Blackbird', Borrowing some Design Features from the Viper Mk. 2 and 3, However, being wrapped in Composite Material; This was initially intended to replace the older S-Star when sufficient numbers were built; The Blackbird was intended to be the Standard Stealth Fighter in the Fleet, and some already built were distributed to certain Fleet Units already; There is an Unconfirmed Rumor that Chief Galen Tyrol of the Battlestar Galactica somehow obtained the Plans for the Blackbird and has actually built one aboard the Galactica.
Also, A Squadron of Raptors, Specially Coated in Composite Paint, Are assigned for Insertion/Extraction Missions.
In Addition, The Stealthstars would also be assigned A Company of Colonial Marines specially trained in Unconventional Warfare.
The Banhsee Class was being constructed at A Undisclosed Location somewhere within the Colonies; It is not known whether such Facility survived the Second Cylon Invasion.
THE CLASS
Because of the Clandestine Operational Intent of this Class, Not much is known at this point about which ones have been completed and which have survived; The Data We have is mostly based on Survivors' Accounts:
MK.1
Banshee (SSR-001) Refitted to Mk. 2 Specifications
MK.2 (Lelantus Subclass)
Banshee (SSR-001) Assigned First Fleet; Was in Orbit with the rest of the Battlegroup at Picon when the Cylons Invaded; Despite not having Networked Computers to be Exploited via Dr. Gaius Baltar's CNP Program, The Cylons were ably to Visually sight , target, and destroy the Banshee. Status: Destroyed
Lelantus (SSR-002) Conducted several Clandestine Missions beyond the Red Line into Cylon Space; No Enemy Detection reported; The Lelantus brought back Valuable Intel, Including Recon Photos, Of the Evolution of the Cylon Fleet ;It's last known Position was Several Days out of Ragnar Anchorage. Status: Unknown
Thespia (SSR-100) Assigned WSG-05, Fifth Fleet. Status: Presumed Active.
Solomon (SSR-101) Assigned Seventh Fleet. Status: Unknown
Bubo (SSR-102) Was Reportedly only 65% Complete at the Time of the Cylon Attack. Status: Incomplete/Destroyed
Shu (SSR-103) Reportedly only 30% Complete. Status: Incomplete/Destroyed
THE KIT
This is Another Creation from the Facebook Group Colonial Fleet Shipyards; I actually Campaigned for This Kit because it was A Unique Design I wanted to add to My Fifth Fleet.
The Ship Itself is in Six Resin Parts; Included are Options to have the Gun Turrets Stowed or Deployed
And, Here's the Big Plus: It actually comes with TINY Vipers and Raptors! I mean, I didn't think it was possible to make them THAT Small(We're talking 1/4015 Scale, the same as the Moebius Galactica and Pegasus)! And Painting Them? It would be like Trying to Paint Fleas! Well, They would like nice with other Ships of the Fleet, If anybody wants the Challenge.
I Decided to go with A Total ' Buttoned Up' Look and Installed Retractable Flight Deck Doors using Evergreen Corrugated Sheet.
For the Low Visibility Scheme, I sprayed Russian Green as A Primer, Then Airbrushed Uniform Grey for the Cloud Pattern; I made the Colonial Seal Decal from an Image; The Custom Ship Names are Courtesy of Downen Scale Replicas.
And there You have it, A Nice little Project which adds to My Fleet.
You can get one of Your own by Contacting Jack Burgin jr. in the FB Group Colonial Fleet Shipyards.
Colonials,
On behalf of Shore Leave Con, we make the following post:
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Battlestar Galactica miniseries that kicked off the new BSG series that aired in 2004.
SHORE LEAVE is delighted to announce the addition of both Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica, Hawaii Five-O) and Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica, Motherland Fort Salem) to our roster of guest stars making personal appearances at this year’s convention. Both actors will be taking part in Q&A sessions during the weekend, as well as making themselves available for autographs and photo opportunities as well.
Among our other special guest stars this year will be Ben Browder (Farscape, Stargate SG-1), Claudia Black (Farscape, Stargate SG-1), Alaina Huffman (Stargate Universe, Supernatural), Robert Picardo (Star Trek Voyager, Stargate), Robert Duncan McNeill (Star Trek Voyager), Penny Johnson Jerald (Star Trek DS9, The Orville), Peter Macon (The Orville, Family Guy) and Bonnie Gordon (Star Trek Prodigy).
Colonials,
Over the holidays, the XO of Battlestar Raven-BFC 002, suffered a tremendous lost in his life when his son Tyler passed away. We kept it of the public’s eyes to give the family some privacy and time to deal with their lost. But as a parent, you can never really fully deal with the loss of a child. Even as time passes by, the hurt will still be there. Just not as fresh. All you can do is keep the memory of that child close to you.
Steve Tweed is my XO on Battlestar Raven and a friend. I do not call people a friend just like that. Many of my staff on Battlestar Raven, has been with me through thick and hard times since the group’s inception. That is how close and tight knit we are of a group. You do not have to be blood related to be a family. You just choose to do it because you feel it and act on it.
The reason for this post is that I would like for this community to come together for one of our very own and open their hearts into donating whatever you could spare, towards the memorial fund established in Tyler Tweed’s memory. Tyler was a diesel mechanic, and his scholarship will be for people who are interested in mechanics at Madison College. Tyler was a graduate of that program and loved working in the mechanical field. Tyler passed away on December 14th, 2022, at the age of 24 from complications from diabetes. All funds donated will be used to fund this scholarship.
He is a wonderful young man taken too soon from his parents and friend’s lives. Tyler maybe gone, but he will never be forgotten. Not by his immediate family and second family.
So Say We All!
V/R
DragonLady
Battlestar Galactica Fanclub President
CO- Battlestar Raven-BFC 002
Short Summary The Stranded Warrior
Are you tired of waiting for the TV and Movie producers to finally make a Classic Battlestar Galactica TV show or Movie? I know we were, so we decided to do something about it. We are Chris and Pete (aka The Tipsy Toaster and NY Pete) from the live Vodcast IFB Interfleet Broadcasting. Together as lifelong Battlestar Galactica fans (Galactica nuts really) we are going to make an outstanding fan film with your help.
Yeah, I know around every bulkhead is someone asking for cubits, or some used viper salesman haggling you. So what makes us so special? Well, glad you asked. Over the years (yahrens) of our live broadcasting, we have interviewed tons of fans like you, some going the extra mile, some just doing what they can to fuel the fandom. We have met so many talented and passionate people who want to help lend their expertise to this fan film. We have built a rag tag fleet of fans and recruited talent for this project. We are confident with the right number of cubits (open palm smacks viper fuselage) you can bring some relief to those old school Battlestar Galactica yearnings. And who knows, perhaps we can start a movement and show that the original 1978 Glen Larson Battlestar Galactica is still a viable product and has fans willing to watch. So, what do ya say? This thing only has 45 years (yahrens) on it, so let’s take it for a spin!
THE COSTS
How much will it cost? Well it depends. We are looking for $7500 cubits to do a 20-minute bare-minimum production that will make any BSG fan proud.
We can do the bare minimum at this cost because we have a lot of volunteers for one. [Actually, we’re lucky that everyone is a volunteer.] These are talented people who work for a meal and the exposure, which is fantastic. And we already threw in a couple of thousands of our own dollars to get the ball rolling. We also scaled our production to fit the budget. The more cubits we get, the higher the quality production. As you can see we are determined to do this but want to make the best product we can. We sure hope you can help us.
GOALS
But all said and done, we do have stretch goals That will increase the quality of the production.
Goal 01 $7500
Seven thousand five hundred Cubits is the bare minimum and gets us a two-day shoot on location at a large building in New York with real actors and 1080 cameras. Better than a Cellphone production in front of a sheet somewhere on the lower decks of the Galactica here! This also includes some costumes and props.
Goal 02 $9500
At nine thousand five hundred Cubits We can get a 20', and two 10' Green Screens backdrops to simulate inside of a Battlestar. (Renting a Battlestar or a building and constructing a set was way over our budget!)
Goal 03 $11,000
At eleven thousand we will be able to rent three professional cameras and lenses for a two day on location shoot. This will give us the ability shoot 6k and edit to 4k. We will also be able to rent audio equipment like lavalier mics, shotgun mics, recorders and boom pole.
Goal 04 $13,000
At Thirteen thousand five hundred cubits, we will fly the main character in to film on location and drive the necessary equipment and green screen down to record scenes at a warehouse with a Real 1 to 1 scale viper not a cardboard cutout!
Goal 05 $16,000
Sixteen Thousand cubits will give us the use of professional lights for the scenes and the green screen. Instead of using home made clamp lights and bulbs from the Cylon's garage.
Goal 06 $23,000+
Reaching this goal will give us a basic start for another 20+ minute part two of the Stranded Warrior. Further funding will make on location shooting possible. We will need to travel and find a western set or utilize the green screen we have from the first episode. This includes the backstory of Lacerta, Red eye and what happens to Martin!
Every cubit donated goes into the production, the more cubits donated the better the production. Being a fan film, NO ONE MAKES MONEY from this project! It’s a showcase of Classic Battlestar Galactica talent, just about every other franchise has a strong Fan Film representation, now it’s our turn to fuel the fleet!
What’s in it for you?
We promise you this: if we meet the goals outlined above, we will provide the best fan film possible, using really talented people and quality equipment. We included some perks so be sure to check those out. From the custom screen worn helmets to custom hoodies to uniform items and screen credits. Everyone who donates gets something.
Can’t Donate?
We understand that not everyone is in a position to donate but if you can’t, help out by spreading the word. Use those share tools provided here on Indiegogo and check out our progress on social media.
INDIEGOGO LINK - https://igg.me/at/StrandedWarrior/x#/
V/R
DragonLady
Battlestar Galactica Fanclub President
CO- Battlestar Raven-BFC 002
Holocron Fort Worth is proud to present their Galactic Alliance event, benefiting Jack Stauffer (actor, Battlestar Galactica), with help from theie friends at The Peter Mayhew Foundation and special guest Anne Lockhart! Jack has had some serious medical issues come about, so Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica fans alike are here to help! Their event will be Sunday, February 12th from 1-6PM. Special guests Anne Lockhart (Battlestar Galactica), GW Childs (Darth Nihilus), and Angie Mayhew (The Peter Mayhew Foundation) will be there signing autographs and taking photos. They will also have their friends in the costuming groups with the 501st and Rebel Legion there to take photos. They hope to see all of you there!
Holocron Fort Worth also would like to give a special thank you to Martin House Brewery for their donation toward the event!
Colonials,
The BFC’s Flagship Chapter Battlestar Raven’s collection is growing! Here is the latest addition to the fleet collection that just arrived at our doorstep! Stay tune for there is more to come!
Colonials,
Colonials,
On helaf of my whole entire family, BFC and Battlestar Raven Staff and Crew, we would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. 2022 is almost over. Let us welcome 2023 with open arms and may the new year bring us all good times. Stay safe and see all of you at a nearby convention soon.
Fleet is Family!!!
V/R
DragonLady
BFC President
People of the Fleet, Another Con in the Sandhills of North Carolina is in the Books.
And, A Good Turnout was Had; As Usual, Gunstar Trireme was there to Represent the BFC and Talk about our Mission.
And, Another Diverse Gathering of Guests: Actress/ Model Bai Ling:
Also, A Husband and Wife Cosplay Team known as the Bat and The Cat
In Addition, Tamiak from the Film the Last Dragon; Dimitrious Bistrevsky, Who donned the Darth Vader Armor in 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'; and Gigi Edgely from 'Farscape'.
And, Returning to Fayetteville: WWE Women's Champion Victoria.
(Hold Up...You Think She's A Cylon...?)
Let's not Forget: Tons of Toys and Collectables
And,Of Course, Comics!
And, I got to meet what many call the First Cosplayer: Karen Whitfield,Who Dressed up at the Bronze Age Batgirl and Did Promotional Tours with Adam West and Burt Ward
Now, I have been Personally Campaigning for the Producers to Book more BSG Stars to Our Show; The Guy in Charge told me about How I Could Help Him...Which might be Easy...
So, Let's just see if we can Make Things Happen! SSWA
I heard a couple of times that someone was re-doing B.S.G. again. Does anybody know if this is true, and what's up if it is?????
Been a member for a long time but other then checking the site I have never done much with it. What are some ways to be more involved?
Well, It seems that things are possibly turning the Corner in Terms of 'Normality' , Despite the Covid Pandemic Still Hanging around.
Even with hardly any Publicity this year, Fayetteville Comic Con has returned to the Sandhills of North Carolina with Fun and Geekdom across the Board.
The Spring Show made it's Debut this past June; I Decided to wait until the Fall Show, when Temperatures would not make Cosplay uncomfortable; And, it was worth the Wait! Noah Hathaway, Known to Us all as the Original Boxey, Joined the list of Guests to visit the All-American City; And, A Bonus! Con Organizers placed the Table for the Gunstar Trireme right next to His!
When Noah Arrived, I Personally Welcomed Him to Our Show; Of Course, He being all Grown Up was very eager to Meet and Greet the Fans; He mostly spoke about His Post-BSG Role in 'The Neverending Story'; Every now and then, He would Talk about how Dirk Benedict and the Late Richard Hatch would Argue between Takes, and, that Jack Stauffer was 'Safe Like Switzerland', Lol; Well, I never heard most of the Stories, But since the came from somebody who was actually there, then why question it? It was still great Fun All Around.
In addition to Noah, We had what many call 'Rasslin'' (Wrestling); An Amateur Org. Set up an Actual Ring and had Matches to Delight the Crowd:
Also, we had Wrestling Stars like Ryback and WWE Diva Victoria Meeting and selling Autographs; As Usual, We had Cosplay Everywhere, and, Wares to be Bought and Sold:
Also, We had Comics Legend Jim Shooter in Attendance, Autographing some Classic Covers; I was told He started in the Comics Industry at Age 14 ! Wow, many of Us could only Dream starting that Early!
On Day Two, Noah was interviewed by A Ten Year Old Girl on the Center Stage; And Noah Told A Few Stories about The Problems with Casting and Production He had endured as A Young Actor; Guess that proves when You're thrown into Show Business at A Young Age, It does have an Impact.
And, More Sights from Fayetteville Comic Con, Including Cold Blooded Guests!
Where were the Comics You say? Plenty of them!
And, More things to Buy
At the End of the Con, I Gave Noah A Trireme Patch in Sincere Appreciation for Everything He does for BSG Fans; He told Me He would be Happy to return if they got more of the BSG Cast down here one year; Well, I haven't met Dirk Benedict, Herbert Jefferson jr,, or Laurette Spang yet, so Fingers crossed that will happen in My Lifetime!
So, here's hoping We can finally put the Covid Pandemic behind Us and bring some REAL Star Power to Fayetteville!
I'm holding out Hope that We could have EJO, Arron Douglas, Lucianna Carro, Leah Cairns, and others from the RDM Cast someday.
So Say We All!
Cdr. K.A, 'Leonidas' Ranson
Gunstar Trireme, GSR-0201
"..All Ships prepare to jump to the Colonies.........Generals gather in
their masses........Prepare to transmit Shutdown Signal to all Colonial
Fleet Units........Just like Witches at Black Masses.....Prime all Nuclear
Weapons and prepare to deploy.......In the Fields the Bodies burning.....
All Heavy Raiders prepare to deploy Centurions for Planetary Mop Up
Operations.......As the War Machine keeps turning.......Alert Special
Fleet Group for Heavy Assault on Picon.......Day of Judgement God is
calling.......The Final Annihilation of the Life Form known as Man.....
On their Knees the War Pigs crawling........Let The Attack begin......
No More War Pigs have the Power, Hand of God has struck the Hour....
.....End of Line. "
After the Armistice,ending the First Cylon War,was Signed, The Ink was barely dry when the Colonial Fleet Admiralty saw the Data on the Two Marathon-Class Warstars,And they liked some Particular Trends;However,They soon realized that with the Losses the Colonies,and the Colonial Fleet took, they would need to go bigger and better...and fast.
They took A Hard Look at the Two Saturn-Class Warstars(Variant of the Mercury-Class Battlestars),and were not too impressed; They need to go Much Bigger;They needed A Ship large enough to carry and lay down Massive Quantities of Firepower in any Battle;A Ship befitting the Designation 'Warstar'.
ARES CLASS WARSTAR
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: THIS IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE BATTLESTAR ARIES,BSR-26)
The Admiralty finally stumbled upon A Proposed Variant of the Limited-Production Titan-Class Battlestar (Whose Manufacturing Infrastructure was still in place) and very much liked what they saw; Because of it's Distinctive Head-On Profile, The Admiralty took to calling it 'Warstar X ':
Eventually, They would christen the Class after The God of War,Whom with Hades,Lord of the Underworld,attempted to overthrow the Other Gods;Legend reveals that this lead to the Conflagration that forced the 13 Tribes to flee Kobol,never to return.
The Fleet Admiralty requested Approval for 12 of these Huge Ships(One for Each Colony,with an Option for Three more) to be built.
The Quorum of the Twelve would bring up the Eventual Question: Why does the Fleet need that many Massive( And Massively Expensive)Ships? The Quorum was showed Classified Intelligence,gathered by the Raven Battle Group ,along with other Clandestine Fleet Reconnaissance/Intelligence Gathering Assets,That clearly showed that the Cylons were not only evolving,improving,and upgrading Their Military Striking Power,They were building more of It at an Alarming Pace;If the Colonies were attacked again,Not even Current Fleet Doctrine would survive;The Colonies had to build more,bigger,and fast.
The Quorum, along with the President,Unanimously approved Production of the Ares,And several other Classes, Days Later, Because they knew the Clock was ticking....
THE CLASS
It was Intended to build one per year;It's More Modern Design was intended to benefit from New and Upcoming Technology,Including the New Fleet CNP Program,being developed by Dr. Gaius Baltar.
Two were completed,One was Under Construction when the Cylons struck.....Time had run out.
WARSTAR ARES, WSR-95
First Ship Completed; Assigned to Warstar Group Three (WSG-03), First Fleet;Was purported to be the Fleet Flagship in A Proposed Invasion of the Cylon Homeworld;Those Plans were dropped when Certain Details were Accidentally Leaked to the Media.
The Ares was in Orbit Above Fleet Headquarters on Picon when the Cylon Invasion Began; Almost immediately, the Ares was shut down...10 seconds later,the Reserve Energizers(not connected to the Main Computer)Kicked in;Unfortunately,The Ares could not manuver or escape,It could only Return Fire and maintain Life Support.
It took the Cylons at least 10 of their New Base Stars to surround the Ares; They had to resort to Ramming the Ship with A First War Base Star converted to A 100MT Nuke;The Massive Explosion scattered Debris all through the Cyrannus System;Most of it formed an Artificial Ring around Picon,To this day that Ring is called the 'Folly of Ares'.
STATUS: DESTROYED
WARSTAR PLATAEA,WSR-99
Second Ship Completed; Assigned to Warstar Group Five(WSG-05), Fifth Fleet.
Partnered with First War Veteran Warstar Marathon; The 5th Fleet was the Only Remaining Major Fleet Formation that did not have the New Fleet CNP Program Installed; It was Scheduled to be Installed upon the Fleet's Return to it's Home Port of Salamis Station, Tauron;Fleet was finishing it's Patrol of the Outer Periphery of the Cyrannus System and was prepping coordinates for the Jump Home when they received the Following Message:
TO ALL COLONIAL FLEET UNITS:
CYLON ATTACK UNDERWAY; THIS IS NO DRILL
Change of Plans,No Doubt;Shortly afterword,They picked up A Series of Strange Messages about Colonial Ships,Even Whole Fleets being shut down like 'Somebody just flipped A Switch'; Then, they Remembered that they had been Equipped with the New CNP Program...the Very same one They were supposed to get when they got Home.
Putting 2 and 2 together was almost easy.
So, What were they to do? Who was In Command of the Fleet? They received A Message that Bill Adama was taking Command aboard the Battlestar Galactica, And to Rendezvous at Ragnar Anchorage; But Wait,If the Cylons are using the CNP to shut down our fleet,can they use it to Tap In to Our Secure(even Scrambled)Communications?
Until they had A Clear Picture of the Situation,the Safe Bet was to maintain Subspace Silence.
The 5th Fleet is still out there..Somewhere...
STATUS: PRESUMED ACTIVE.
WARSTAR TROY,WSR-98
Was only 40% Complete when it,Along with the Ithaca Shipyards at Leonis was destroyed.
STATUS: INCOMPLETE/DESTROYED.
WARSTAR ALEXANDER,WSR-97
Keel was scheduled to be laid the Following Year.
OTHER SHIPS ORDERED( No Registries Assigned)
Warstar Hector, Warstar Tutankhamun, Warstar Artemis, Warstar Hermes,Warstar Jupiter,
Warstar Orion, Warstar Cerebus,Warstar Zeus
Other Possible Ships:
Warstar Heracles,Warstar Shazam,Warstar Galactica
ARES CLASS SPECIFICATIONS:
Air Wing:50 Viper Squadrons,10 Raptor Squadrons,20 Shuttles
Crew: 20,000(standard)
One Colonial Marine Brigade (with Attached Marine Landing Flotilla)
Drive Systems: 2 Primary FTL Drives,1 Secondary
16 Sublight Engines
Weapons: 500 Point Defense Guns
55 Ship to Ship Missile Launchers
21 Nuclear Weapon Silos ( 8 Horizontal,12 Vertical, 1 Rear-Firing)
2 Super Heavy Cannons Under Bow
7 Heavy Turrets
6 Medium Turrets
144 Type 2 KEW Turrets
THE MODEL
This,Quite Frankly,is the Biggest Model Kit I have built so far;Can they get any bigger?
This Kit is Courtesy of Jack Burgin jr.'s Facebook Group Colonial Fleet Shipyards; This was originally to have been cast in Polyurethane Resin, with the Starting Price Tag of $300 USD; I ordered this Kit back in October 2016 with the Thought: Will anybody else actually produce this ship in Moebius Scale? Kind of Academic, since Moebius lost it's Licence to Produce BSG kits..what A shame.
Then...3D Printing Tech came just in time! It's still Big, however, the Parts are lighter,and For those who want to add lighting to the ship,It should be easy; The Best Part: It reduced the Price Tag by about $65(Confirm with Jack about the Price,for it hasn't been exactly set in stone yet).
The Head and the Engineering Sections are Printed into Four Parts Each;The Center Section is one Hollow Piece;The Four Flight Pods are in Two Halves each,and the Pod Support Arms are 16 Solid Pieces.
Strongly recommend using Gorilla Glue(the Foaming Kind) for the Major Sub-Assemblies,along with Regular CY,or Super Glue; Coat Hanger Wire and Wire from expended Sparklers will add strength when joining Halves.
When putting the Major Body Parts together,I used Scrap PVC Piping,Secured with Gorilla,for Added Strength.
The Kit does come with Gun Turrets,But not Enough of Them.
This is where DownenScaleReplicas.com comes in! Troy Downen produces some very fine Gun Turrets in Many Styles,whether Manned or Automatic,Two Barrels or Four,even Heavy Turrets and Turbo Lasers! He's got A lot of good things for Us BSG Modelers, Including Custom Decals,with more coming in the Future!
The Initial Paint Color was Rattle Can Uniform Grey from TheArmyPainter.com; Then,after Running out of Model Master Canada Voodoo Grey,Humbrol Matt Grey 147 saved the day! Weathering with Acrylics and Dullcote finished it off.
The Display stand was basically A Shelving Board from Lowe's Hardware,then Cut and Beveled by My Friend Greg at Hobby Town USA;The Grecian Columns are the same ones you find on Fancy Wedding Cakes,and Available from Walmart or Amazon :
Now, Only one Ares-Class Warstar Remains,and the Cylons Fear It.
They know well the Consequences should the Warstar Plataea,Along with the Rest of the 5th Fleet,should ever One Day show up on the Doorstep of Their Home World:
" We can't let them Go.."
-Doral
" If We do,They'll return One Day and seek Revenge.."
-Leoben
" It's in Their Nature.."
-Six
The Cylons are sending whatever They can spare to hunt down and destroy the 5th Fleet.
This is A Task They would have Preferred to give to Cylon Model Zero and Her Fleet;But now,She is locked into Her Pursuit of the Raven Battle Group......Then,There is the Pursuit of the Battlestar Galactica and the Fleet of Civilian Ships under Her Protection,In search of A Long-Distant Planet known as Earth.
The Cylons may have A Plan and the Technology,but they do not have Enough Resources to go around......
The Plan is Flawed.....
The Plan is Vulnerable....
If there was anything the Colonies had close enough to A Death Star(Or, at least A Super Star Destroyer), Then this would be it!
If Mercury-Class Battlestars can be called 'Beasts', Then, with some Legitimacy, The Ares-Class Warstars could be called
MONSTER