Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
Or Military or Army or whatever they call it...Why does it exist? I've been thinking about it, and it doesn't seem like there's ever any indication of another alien species out there who the Colonials fight against.
In the 40 years between Cylon wars, the population seemed to become totally complacent and convinced the Cylons were gone - so how could the government justify such an enormous military expenditure? I mean, they mentioned that there used to be 12 Battlestars, and that there were now - I can't remember, was it over 90 or over 100? Anyway, that's a vast increase over the years. And when exactly did they have one Battlestar for each colony? During the first Cylon war, or before then? If before the Cylons, who exactly were they afraid of? If after, that means since the Cylon war they increased the number of big-ass capital ships tenfold or more. Why?
Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged
Teh PW
Self Impossed Exile (This Space for rent)
Member # 1203
posted
12 Battlestars per TOSBSG, many, many dozens in NuBSG. Plus they were better organised as well...
posted
Well, I assume they might feel pirates or lawless citizens might be a problem That doesn't justify such a large naval force though.
I guess the best explanation for me is that there was always a deep-seeded fear of the Cylons to warrant a large Battlestar fleet to protect the Colonies. 12 planets is a LOT of space to cover and protect effectively, and a reserve of ships to go on the offensive or patrol will add to that too. Also, with 12 planets and interstellar capabilities, I think they could get enough resources to produce and maintain the fleet without much of an impact on the economy.
But that's just me =P
-------------------- "Its coming on. I just saw the wall move..."
Registered: Feb 2008
| IP: Logged
posted
Also, before the Cylons, the colonies mostly fought each other. I forget which episode suggested that, but the overall idea was that the unification of the colonies happened around the same time the Cylon War started.
In the years after the war, a decent patrol force for the solar system is still needed, and just because the fear of advanced technology was fading (re: Baltar et al) doesn't mean they were also ready to disband their defensive military.
And anyone of a similar bent to that ridiculous "Demand Peace" movement doesn't count.
I have to admit, though, one thing that never quite made sense: What do most ships need with FTL if the colonies are all in one system?
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
| IP: Logged
Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
I didn't get the idea that the fear of the Cylons was that deep-seated outside of the military, but maybe I was wrong.
Also, I'm fairly sure in the miniseries that they mentioned that there was originally only one Battlestar per colony, during a tour of the soon-to-be-decommissioned Galactica.
MinutiaeMan: They aren't. At least, not in the new series. Or at least, I didn't think they were...and it certainly doesn't make any kind of sense to have twelve rocky terraformable planets in the same system, never mind twelve already-habitable ones. I mean the twelfth planet out would be receiving hardly any sunlight; it might have a year centuries long.
Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged
posted
Yeah, it's been said by RDM that they're all in the same system.
In addition to the mention of the pre-unified colonies, there was something else mentioned in "Hero". I don't remember specifically what was said, but the Valkyrie had a cover mission that wasn't related to the Cylons. Something about renegades or something?
Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged
Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
Fabrux: Well to be fair, they terraformed a fair number of gas giant moons too...
Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged
posted
Well, the feeling I get from whenever we see Colonial politics, the Colonies aren't a particular peaceful society. They were definitely at war with eachother before the Cylon Wars (Wikipedia mentions background material (?) that says the original Cylons were used in the wars between the colonies).
The Colonial Government may very well be a mostly Caprican affair, with probably Tauron and Virgon as close allies. Then we have three established 'poor' colonies, with a lot of manual labor and orthodox religion: Saggitaron, Gemenon and Aerelon.
The large space fleet may really be there to 'enfore peace' between the colonies, or if you're a pessimist, they are there to pacify the resource-starved colonies.
posted
Can we turn this into a general BSG rant? Some of my same complaints from TOS are still around in NuBSG.
Caprica, Caprica, Caprica! There are or were 11 other colonies out there but the only one we ever really hear about is Caprica. You know, we have several large cities in the States/world. We don't spend most of our time talking about Washington DC as if the rest of the cities don't exist.
I think the original concept of the colonies was for them to be in separate star systems. (or was it separate continents on the planet Kobol?) That idea was definitely nixed by the time the Mini came about. 12 continents or 12 star systems would have been more realistic. On the other hand, 12 star systems would have been much harder to wipe out in a sneak attack.
Don't forget that Ragnar seemed to be in the same star system as everything else.
As for FTL - without FTL it would take a long time - weeks or months - to travel to another planet in the same star system.
Miniseries mentions the destruction of several (I think it was 30) battlestars in the opening attack. Definitely more than 1 per colony.
At least the Mini and NuBSG gave a better explanation as to how the rest of the Colonial Fleet was destroyed. In TOS it never made sense to me that there weren't any destroyers or frigates or other ships that also survived.
Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged
Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
Caprica, Caprica, Caprica!: No, but most of our TV shows talk about or are set in NYC or LA, or occasionally Chicago...
I thought they had to jump to Ragnar?
Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged
quote:Originally posted by HerbShrump: Caprica, Caprica, Caprica! There are or were 11 other colonies out there but the only one we ever really hear about is Caprica. You know, we have several large cities in the States/world. We don't spend most of our time talking about Washington DC as if the rest of the cities don't exist.
Actually, that's a rant of mine of movies/TV in general. It's always about NYC or LA. It would be nice to hear about the rest of the country for a change. (I'm only talking about US based stuff here.)
Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged
quote:Originally posted by Daniel Butler: Caprica, Caprica, Caprica!: No, but most of our TV shows talk about or are set in NYC or LA, or occasionally Chicago...
I thought they had to jump to Ragnar?
They did, but they Cylons were already in the system. Hence it's safe to conclude it was just a jump within the system.
From the Wiki:
quote:Ragnar is a gas giant planet, and the location of the Ragnar Anchorage munitions station located in the outer reaches of the Twelve Colonies. After the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, Commander Adama, assuming command of the Colonial Fleet after Admiral Nagala's death, orders all ships to Ragnar; President Laura Roslin's fleet is the only known assemblage of ships to make this rendezvous.
And also:
quote:The star system of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol has not been named [5].
Caprica, Scorpia (Razor), and Tauron (Razor) have been shown directly. No other descriptions are available of the other colonies in terms of their celestial type: Minor planet, moon, or major planet. However, in the Miniseries, Elosha states that the tribes settled onto "12 worlds." While the use of "worlds" is ambiguous, the Colonies are noted as independent celestial bodies.
Although Commander Adama and President Roslin mention leaving the star system, the series itself is ambiguous as to whether all colonies are located in one star system. However, Caprica, Virgon, and Ragnar (based on tactical data related by Lieutenant Felix Gaeta) [6] are (Miniseries). In a blog entry Ronald D. Moore states that all planets are situated within one system, in keeping with the Original Series.
The Twelve Colonies had approximately 20 billion inhabitants prior to the Cylon attack (The Resistance) [7] and maintained some minor observatories and listening posts in outlying star systems [8]. Economic activity, such as tylium mining also occurred outside of the immediate vicinity around the Colonies (Hero).
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic
