One Imperial-class Star Destroyer vs 5 Cylon Basestars

[NaruHina12]

What ship comes out on top? Do the Basestars or the Star Destroyer? And this is Reboot Galactica Basestars.

Edit: EU can be used for the Star Destroyer.

[StupidMoniker]

I don't think there are any canon feats with a Star Destroyer tanking nukes (assuming you mean movie Star Destroyers), so it should be an easy win for the Cylons.

[Matt]

BSG nukes are pretty low powered, relatively speaking. Dialogue places these around the 50 kiloton mark (iirc, the mini-series), though the MIRV like nukes the Cyclons used in bombing the Colonies were many times more powerful - dialogue had them at the 50 megaton mark (The Plan).

We saw Basestars get torn apart like paper by the Pegasus (Exodus pt II) and anti-ship nukes. They have rather weak armour (certainly nowhere in the same league as Battlestars) and no shields that we know of. Given time, they can self heal to a limited degree but this is generally not a factor in the length of time a battle would take.

We've seen Star Destroyers take hits in battles and ignore them, from small customised freighters to Rebel Capital Ships. They can certainly absorb a lot more damage than a Basestar. SD weaponry seems to be many orders of magnitude a) more prolific b) more powerful.

Basestars generally rely on their raider wings for offensive power. In this case, TIE fighters seem to outclass raiders substantially so they're almost a non-factor. Even if they manage to get through TIE defences ... the rather large amounts of light turbolasers would soon see them neutralised.

That leaves the 50KT anti ship missiles as the only other means of attack available to the Cylons. 50KT probably isn't going to be very effective in the least against a Star Destroyer - SD point defences combined with the relatively weak firepower ... yeah, not a huge threat as such.

Seems it's a bit of an easy win for the Star Destroyer.

From all the figures and things I've seen, Battlestar Galactica (tech wise; firepower, FTL travel, manoeuvrability, etc) is around the same level as Babylon 5. That places them below Star Trek and leagues below Star Wars.
Though I would argue that both B5 and nBSG are far superior series compared to both Trek and Wars from a writing/plot POV.

[Castel]

Easy win for the cylons.

[Gorthaur]

Matt's analysis seems about right. The Cylons are simply outgunned and outmatched.

[NaruHina12]

Originally Posted by Castel

Easy win for the cylons.

Despite having inferior tech. Despite having no shields. Despite what we know the Star Destroyer can do.

[Siriel]

Actually, I could see the Cylons winning:

"Quick, everyone, use the FTL to jump into their Destroyer!"

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Siriel

Actually, I could see the Cylons winning:

"Quick, everyone, use the FTL to jump into their Destroyer!"

I don't think this tactic was ever proposed let alone seen in Battlestar Galactica.

[Siriel]

Originally Posted by Matt

I don't think this tactic was ever proposed let alone seen in Battlestar Galactica.

A Raptor jumping while close to the Galactica caused major damage to it, and it was mentioned that if it had jumped while inside it, it would probably have ripped it in half.

When Boomer escaped in the last season.

[Matt]

Ah, I had forgotten about that scene.

But you need to remember that the Raider, IIRC, was leaving the Galactica and had the advantage of starting from an ideal position.

The proposed tactic has problems:
1) The SD has pretty close hull hugging shields. These shields can absorb gigaton range forces easily whereas the Galactica is in mortal peril when faced with a single 50 kiloton anti-ship nuke. What threatens the Galactica (as much as I love that bucket) is not necessarily any sort of threat to a Star Destroyer.

2) We've never seen a BSG craft jump into another vessel. Most likely because the jump technology isn't advanced for that sort of precision. If it was a viable tactic we would have most like seen Adama have a FTL capable but otherwise non-vital ship be ready to jump into a pursuing Basestar at some point, to either destroy it or let the Fleet have time to spool up and jump to safety.

3) No Cylon would commit suicide in such a way, especially since the scenario makes no mention of a Resurrection Ship being present. That was actually quite an interesting moment in the series; basically "We're not immortal anymore? ... oh, crap."

[Holacik]

Originally Posted by Siriel

A Raptor jumping while close to the Galactica caused major damage to it, and it was mentioned that if it had jumped while inside it, it would probably have ripped it in half.

When Boomer escaped in the last season.

The raptor was already in the ship though, I don't think the Base ships FTL drives are that accurate to jump to an exact location. I just don't see that working maybe if some of the cylon fighters get close maybe but the Tie fighters should hold them off.

[Holacik]

Originally Posted by Matt

3) No Cylon would commit suicide in such a way, especially since the scenario makes no mention of a Resurrection Ship being present. That was actually quite an interesting moment in the series; basically "We're not immortal anymore? ... oh, crap."

The Cylon fighters would they were only above animal intellegience, but they still have to get close.

[Siriel]

Originally Posted by Holacik

The raptor was already in the ship though

Nope. When it jumped, it was outside and still seriously fucked up Galactica.

Originally Posted by Holacik

I just don't see that working maybe if some of the cylon fighters get close maybe but the Tie fighters should hold them off.

Cylon Raiders have been shown to be able to use FTL in burst, so they can close the distance hilariously fast. And I don't remember the TIE having anywhere close to their numbers. Or having the firing rate of Vipers to keep up with said numbers.

[Sharpandpointies]

Question - I always get confused as to what's canon and what isn't. Where in the movies did the Star Destroyers demonstrate gigaton-level turbolasers?

If it's there, it's there. It's just been a loooong time since I've seen the movies. :)

[Siriel]

Originally Posted by Matt

But you need to remember that the Raider, IIRC, was leaving the Galactica and had the advantage of starting from an ideal position.

I never said it would be easy or that it would always work, I said I could see them winning.

Originally Posted by Matt

The proposed tactic has problems:
1) The SD has pretty close hull hugging shields. These shields can absorb gigaton range forces easily whereas the Galactica is in mortal peril when faced with a single 50 kiloton anti-ship nuke. What threatens the Galactica (as much as I love that bucket) is not necessarily any sort of threat to a Star Destroyer.

Do we have any actual evidence that the laser batteries have power in the gigaton range?

I honestly don't remember 4-5-6 that well.

Originally Posted by Matt

3) No Cylon would commit suicide in such a way, especially since the scenario makes no mention of a Resurrection Ship being present. That was actually quite an interesting moment in the series; basically "We're not immortal anymore? ... oh, crap."

Humanoid Cylons? Probably not.

Raiders? Sure.