Battlestar Galactica Arrives in...

[General Mung Beans]

What if the Battlestar Galactica (the new series) arrived in the following settings being chased by the Cylons?

1. Real World (2010)
2. Draka (2010)
3. Legacy of the Altadenta (2010)
4. Halo (2553)
5. Star Wars (0 ABY)
6. Star Trek (2379)
7. Starship Troopers (at end of novel)
8. Duneverse (as Leto II becomes Emperor)
9. Warhammer 40000 (current setting)

[NecronLord]

It's been done, but what the hell.

What if the Battlestar Galactica (the new series) arrived in the following settings being chased by the Cylons?

1. Real World (2010)

We're fucked by the cylons.

2. Draka (2010)

The Draka are probably fucked by the cylons.

3. Legacy of the Altadenta (2010)
4. Halo (2553)

The cylons are fucked.

5. Star Wars (0 ABY)

The Cylons die.

6. Star Trek (2379)

The cylons are forced to negotiate or die.

7. Starship Troopers (at end of novel)

Pretty sure the cylons die.

8. Duneverse (as Leto II becomes Emperor)

Honestly not sure there's anything really calc-able about Dune's space capability. Only read the first three books. I'm informed it's quite strong, though.

9. Warhammer 40000 (current setting)

Poor fucking cylons. I'm assuming they arrive near Earth. I forsee Battlefleet Mars chasing them down with great delight.

[Stark]

I forsee Battlefleet Mars chasing them down with great delight.

Chasing them how? And why? They're more likely to just be boarded and captured. The biggest fleet in 40k is just as unable to chase a nBSG ship as the smallest escape pod. Luckily the crew will be so pleased to have reached Earth they'll be overcome quickly.

[Traveller]

1) We would be defeated. Totally helpless from any attack from space(besides know something was comeing before all our sats went dark), on the ground we actually would stand a chance, but if the cylons pull there patented, nuke-the-planet-from orbit, were done.

2) The Draka have energy weapons, orbital defence platforms, nuclear pulse-drive warships. The typical Draka pilot, solider, etc is far more capeable than any colonial . Draka computers are also not based on our open-source model, more like very powerful firmware-like system that are much more robust(if less flexible) than ours. Possibly harder to corrupt. Draka could also offer logistcal, repair and supplies to the BSG with little difficulty. This one is hard to call.

3) Not familar with

4) Cylon Defeat

5) Cylon Defeat

6) Strategically, the cylons are in there own way, as inept as the luxury-liner\whatever starfleet is. But the cylons clankers are shown to be deadly killing machines if they board your ships. Since S:T has no ground forces and basically dont know how\dont want to fight hand-to-hand, if the clankers get onboard the federation's cruise-ships, it over for them. If they stick strictly to ship-to-ship combat, it would likely end up in stalemate. Mutually-assured-Idiocy would be the order of the day.

7) I dont know about this one. Its been a while since I read the book, but are the Terran forces ships mostly fairly lightly armed troopships? I dont recall if they have a lot in the way of pure space warships as such? Overall the Terran Federation is highly organized and proficent force at least equal in many respects to the cylons. As long as suitable weapons systems are in place to counter cylon base-ships. I would guess Cylon Defeat.

The largest ships in the Dune-verse are interplanetary frigates,outside of guild liners which of course, dont fight. Nowhere near as large or probably well-armed as a battlestar\baseship? But space battles have been fought before so clearly they have some space-based capability. Dune space warships likely carry las-cannon and certainly nuclear weapons like the cylons do. Also the fact that Dune uses NO computer technology of any kind, means they cannot play that card at all. Space based or ground based, defences could not be corrupted by any means available to the cyclons. This would rob them of a key advantage. I would guess cyclon defeat.

9) Not familar with

[Teleros]

Chasing them how? And why? They're more likely to just be boarded and captured. The biggest fleet in 40k is just as unable to chase a nBSG ship as the smallest escape pod. Luckily the crew will be so pleased to have reached Earth they'll be overcome quickly.

Hopefully the Cylons will be sensible and jump the hell away as soon as they realise that the solar system they've appeared in is brimming with vast amounts of trouble waiting for someone to happen to. Their best bet at surviving in the 40K galaxy is to overwhelm some poor dirt-ball agri-colony or similar, and use the tech they find there to upgrade their own technology.

Of course, given that Cylon and Imperial technologies are almost certainly totally incompatible (and the latter is lightyears ahead in most respects too), Cylon chances aren't exactly good...

6) Strategically, the cylons are in there own way, as inept as the luxury-liner\whatever starfleet is. But the cylons clankers are shown to be deadly killing machines if they board your ships. Since S:T has no ground forces and basically dont know how\dont want to fight hand-to-hand, if the clankers get onboard the federation's cruise-ships, it over for them. If they stick strictly to ship-to-ship combat, it would likely end up in stalemate. Mutually-assured-Idiocy would be the order of the day.

It'd really come down to how powerful Cylon nukes are, because otherwise I can just see their space forces spending lots and lots of bullets shooting at shields, before a few photon torpedoes and / or phasers screw them over. If they jump away and go hide they can probably survive though, but joking aside Starfleet is a much tougher opponent than the Colonials.

[Stark]

Hopefully the Cylons will be sensible and jump the hell away as soon as they realise that the solar system they've appeared in is brimming with vast amounts of trouble waiting for someone to happen to. Their best bet at surviving in the 40K galaxy is to overwhelm some poor dirt-ball agri-colony or similar, and use the tech they find there to upgrade their own technology.

Of course, given that Cylon and Imperial technologies are almost certainly totally incompatible (and the latter is lightyears ahead in most respects too), Cylon chances aren't exactly good...

Doesn't really answer how the 'mars megawank fleet' is going to chase a ship that just disappears, leaving the Imperial Starfleet gaping stupidly and saying 'where'd he go' and 'praise the machine lord the ghost radar has no shades of ken within our gloom of knowledge lord chancellor'. Sure they'll run out of fuel, but it's not impossible they'd work something out for a while; especially since they won't be obstructed by warp silliness (although I imagine their range is pretty terrible galaxy-wise).

[NecronLord]

Poor fucking cylons. I'm assuming they arrive near Earth. I forsee Battlefleet Mars chasing them down with great delight.

Chasing them how? And why? They're more likely to just be boarded and captured. The biggest fleet in 40k is just as unable to chase a nBSG ship as the smallest escape pod. Luckily the crew will be so pleased to have reached Earth they'll be overcome quickly.

Chasing the cylons back to their colony to kill them. And given that most of BSG features relatively modest jump distances, I would be unsurprised if it's possible. As for the humans, assuming they're not splattered by the local defences they're obviously going to be debriefed, welcomed and proletysied.

[NecronLord]

Doesn't really answer how the 'mars megawank fleet' is going to chase a ship that just disappears, leaving the Imperial Starfleet gaping stupidly and saying 'where'd he go' and 'praise the machine lord the ghost radar has no shades of ken within our gloom of knowledge lord chancellor'. Sure they'll run out of fuel, but it's not impossible they'd work something out for a while; especially since they won't be obstructed by warp silliness (although I imagine their range is pretty terrible galaxy-wise).

For the record, Battlefleet Mars is AKA Battlefleet Solar. It's not around Mars, it's throughout the entire core of the Imperium. As for how they'd find them, this does depend on the cylons not doing the sensible thing and hiding under their beds forever. Fortunately, the cylons rarely do the sensible thing.

[Uraniun235]

6) Strategically, the cylons are in there own way, as inept as the luxury-liner\whatever starfleet is. But the cylons clankers are shown to be deadly killing machines if they board your ships. Since S:T has no ground forces and basically dont know how\dont want to fight hand-to-hand, if the clankers get onboard the federation's cruise-ships, it over for them. If they stick strictly to ship-to-ship combat, it would likely end up in stalemate. Mutually-assured-Idiocy would be the order of the day.

How would they board the ship in the first place? Starfleet ships aren't like Battlestars with huge gaping wide-open fighter bays. The shuttlebays could do, if the Cylons were able to identify them as such, but I rather doubt Starfleet would be launching shuttles against Basestars.

[Samuel]

2) The Draka have energy weapons, orbital defence platforms, nuclear pulse-drive warships. The typical Draka pilot, solider, etc is far more capeable than any colonial . Draka computers are also not based on our open-source model, more like very powerful firmware-like system that are much more robust(if less flexible) than ours. Possibly harder to corrupt. Draka could also offer logistcal, repair and supplies to the BSG with little difficulty. This one is hard to call.

Their computer systems make them impossible to corrupt, but also useless against scenarios they weren't programmed for. Also, I doubt the colonists and Draka would cooperate given the Draka are over the top evil.

But the cylons clankers are shown to be deadly killing machines if they board your ships. Since S:T has no ground forces and basically dont know how\dont want to fight hand-to-hand, if the clankers get onboard the federation's cruise-ships, it over for them.

They can erect forcefields in the interior and vent the shuttlebay when intruders board. Or shut power from the elevators and move using the jefferies tubes. Or turn off the artificial gravity in the affected areas and accelerate.

If they stick strictly to ship-to-ship combat, it would likely end up in stalemate. Mutually-assured-Idiocy would be the order of the day.

Starfleet might not be bright, but they have enough numbers to crush the cylons. Also, "interface with machines" might get them thrown in with the Borg on the Federations threat list, making them much more likely to get a hostile and violent reaction.

The colonists would probably be amazed at finding aliens, earth with an empire and Federation technology. Also not having to live in a cramped shit and being able to settle down and claim an entire planet.

Also the fact that Dune uses NO computer technology of any kind, means they cannot play that card at all. Space based or ground based, defences could not be corrupted by any means available to the cyclons. This would rob them of a key advantage. I would guess cyclon defeat.

It also means the Cylon ships have a much faster reaction time since they don't have to do everything by hand.

As for the humans, assuming they're not splattered by the local defences they're obviously going to be debriefed, welcomed and proletysied.

Although the "one true god" might put them off. Of course Imperial missionaries would try to draw parrallels with Ares and Artemis- their god, unlike that the cyclons worship is physically on Terra.

The really interesting thing in a Star Trek crossover would be how Kirk/Picard talks everyone down. Well, I guess we know how Kirk would handle them - seduce all the women!

Picard was willing to risk possible death to convince natives worshipping him he isn't a God. He has dealt with divine beings before and fought them. I think his most likely path is to challenge their God or try to show the cylons that its feats can be duplicated with technology.

What happens to the colonials in these situations? I have a hard time believing that some random ship showing up just magically gets one sided help in all scenarios.

1) We ask them for help.
2) Negotiations are... difficult. Maybe the colonials are offered a place in the new order.
3) Earth is rebuilding, help unlikely.
4) What, another religious energy who wants us extinct?
5) Welcome to the Imperial Department of Relocations. Your needs are very important to us and...
6) Gets planet. Competes with Ferengi and reintroduces capitalism.
7) Gets new planet.
No idea- but being hunted by machine life (especially ones that can look human) garners a LOT of sympathy.
9) Miraculously comes with parts needed for Golden Throne. Status Quo changed, trillions look on in awe. Also reintroduces aerodynamic wing.

[Uraniun235]

But given the huge superiority of Starfleet ships and the general attitude of that organization, I have a hard time seeing it ever coming to actual death.

Starfleet doesn't have jump engines; that's going to spook them as it badly complicates any defense planning. I foresee a lot of really intensive investigation to figure out where the Colonials and Cylons came from so that they can prepare to mount a retaliatory strike.

[Manus Celer Dei]

No idea- but being hunted by machine life (especially ones that can look human) garners a LOT of sympathy.

Yeah- at the time of Leto II ascending to the throne the attitude towards the Cylons would be an immediate and nearly unanimous "OHFUCKKILLIT". Even thousands of years later when the Ixian computers are used for space navigation there's still a strong reflex against thinking machines amongst humanity at large; at that earlier point in history they'd be pretty much unified against the sudden appearance of an apparently hostile machine race.

Less sure about their attitude towards the human survivors; their own computer systems might skirt the boundaries of the Butlerian Jihad. Their comparatively cavalier use of atomic weapons would certainly raise a few eyebrows, I think.

[spartasman]

Well, I guess we know how Kirk would handle them - seduce all the women!

I would love to see him attempt to seduce Starbuck, but somehow I think he would be out of his league.

[Skylon]

Well, I guess we know how Kirk would handle them - seduce all the women!

I would love to see him attempt to seduce Starbuck, but somehow I think he would be out of his league.

If Gaius Baltar could get Starbuck in bed, James T. Kirk can.

[Srelex]

Well, I guess we know how Kirk would handle them - seduce all the women!

I would love to see him attempt to seduce Starbuck, but somehow I think he would be out of his league.

Pshaw. A ripped shirt is all that's needed to do that. And wipe out the entire Cylon armada in the process too.

[Marcus Aurelius]

Well, I guess we know how Kirk would handle them - seduce all the women!

I would love to see him attempt to seduce Starbuck, but somehow I think he would be out of his league.

Pshaw. A ripped shirt is all that's needed to do that.

Don't forget the small but still visible pot belly. Since all young men in nBSG are typical modern Hollywood actors with firm bodies, she would probably find Kirk's pot belly cute.

[NecronLord]

Don't forget the small but still visible pot belly. Since all young men in nBSG are typical modern Hollywood actors with firm bodies, she would probably find Kirk's pot belly cute.

Chief Tyrol got a cylon. I think Kirk would do just fine.

A bigger problem is that Kirk is long dead by this point. It'd be captain Riker. Snrk.

[Shroom Man 777]

Hopefully the Cylons will be sensible and jump the hell away as soon as they realise that the solar system they've appeared in is brimming with vast amounts of trouble waiting for someone to happen to. Their best bet at surviving in the 40K galaxy is to overwhelm some poor dirt-ball agri-colony or similar, and use the tech they find there to upgrade their own technology.

Of course, given that Cylon and Imperial technologies are almost certainly totally incompatible (and the latter is lightyears ahead in most respects too), Cylon chances aren't exactly good...

Doesn't really answer how the 'mars megawank fleet' is going to chase a ship that just disappears, leaving the Imperial Starfleet gaping stupidly and saying 'where'd he go' and 'praise the machine lord the ghost radar has no shades of ken within our gloom of knowledge lord chancellor'. Sure they'll run out of fuel, but it's not impossible they'd work something out for a while; especially since they won't be obstructed by warp silliness (although I imagine their range is pretty terrible galaxy-wise).

I thought nBSG ships needed, like, XYZ-minutes to recharge their batteries before jumping into FTL? Maybe while they're doing so, Battlefleet Grimdark can blow them all to hell?

[Temujin]

What happens to the colonials in these situations? I have a hard time believing that some random ship showing up just magically gets one sided help in all scenarios.

1. Real World (2010): they die along with all of us.

2. Draka (2010): I'm not that familiar the Draka, but probably they die with the Draka.

3. Legacy of the Altadenta (2010): Not familiar enough to say

4. Halo (2553): Earth finds their technology quaint and lets them settle someplace.

5. Star Wars (0 ABY): Same as above.

6. Star Trek (2379): Despite the Federation's overall technology advantage, I think they would find the jump drives interesting tech. And again they get to relocate somewhere.

7. Starship Troopers (at end of novel): See 4 and 5.

8. Duneverse (as Leto II becomes Emperor): Their ship technology and general aversion to AI will probably make them very useful to the Emperor.

9. Warhammer 40000 (current setting): Nothing good!

[Solauren]

Actually, the Real World and Battlestar Galactic together might do very well against the Cylons.

Consider

#1 - We didn't see the Cylons use Nuclear Weapons against the Colonials for a considerable amount of time prior to the series finale. It's possible they didn't have any, and were not making them for some reason. I'd be willing to bet that after wiping out the Colonies, they only had a few left over, and used those up fighting the Pegasus and the Galactica.

It's entirely possible, when the Cylons arrive, they won't be able to Nuke the planet.

#2 - Unlike the Colonials, we have LOTS of Nuclear Weapons. We also have alot of military hardware that could be used to fight the cylons.


With enough lead time (the Cylons had trouble locating the Colonial fleet after the escape from New Caprica, as all the Cylons models active at the time had been exposed), we could arm the Colonial fleet with some new weapons.

i.e Imagine what the Colonial fleet would do to the Cylons if every ship and Viper was armed with Nuclear weapons. Just take them up in loads using Raptors and landing capable ships, and you could nuclear arm the Colonial fleet very quickly.

Overall, Colonial technology doesn't appear that much more advanced then we are. Please note, I said "appears". If this is indeed the case, it might not take much to update our existing airforce for space combat around the Earth.

If that's the case, the Cylons just walked into a suddenly augmented, nuclear armed, defense fleet.

Now, these are all long shots, but are worth considering...

I also have this funny image of Colonial ships covered in modified tanks acting as Artillery cannons firing on Cylon Basestars, but that's kinda wacky....

[Mayabird]

They needed some time to calculate a new jump (doesn't seem they can do that ahead of time) and also pass on the numbers to the fleet. It's possible that one ship blind-jumping could do several jumps in sequence with little time in between, but they did always note the danger of doing a blind jump which was why they always calculated it ahead of time. And a fleet wouldn't be able to do that as they'd immediately lose all the other ships.

[Ford Prefect]

I thought nBSG ships needed, like, XYZ-minutes to recharge their batteries before jumping into FTL? Maybe while they're doing so, Battlefleet Grimdark can blow them all to hell?

Cylons have way better FTL than the Colonials do. Raiders need less than a minute to spool back up for a jump, and the action is almost reflexive for Baseships. I'm pretty sure the space between jumps for the rebel baseship on the way to the Hub was really small too, and that thing was totally wrecked.

[Feil]

I stopped watching nBSG after a couple seasons - but don't the Cylons all stay in constant communications contact with one another, as seemed shown by the episode where all the Cylons got sick, and Helo fucked over the human race to save his robot girlfriend by destroying the computer virus thing that would kill all the Cylons because information security in GRITTY REALISM is "throw out all the computers and use old telephones"? Wouldn't chasing down the Cylons be as simple as triangulating their ftl space radios?

[Gramzamber]

Given that arriving at Earth has a curious universal stupifying effect where the normally diverse and opinionated Colonials will unanimously agree to change their lives forever*, I foresee no difficulty in the 40k Imperium converting all of them to the way of the God Emperor.


*No. I will never get over the series finale. Ever.

[Crazedwraith]

I thought nBSG ships needed, like, XYZ-minutes to recharge their batteries before jumping into FTL? Maybe while they're doing so, Battlefleet Grimdark can blow them all to hell?

Cylons have way better FTL than the Colonials do. Raiders need less than a minute to spool back up for a jump, and the action is almost reflexive for Baseships. I'm pretty sure the space between jumps for the rebel baseship on the way to the Hub was really small too, and that thing was totally wrecked.

Odd, though how Raiders despite this proven capacity. (like jumping around the fleet constantly in an early episode) never use it in tactical situations. Like in every Galactica planned fleet op ever. Where the Raiders get drawn off by some lure while Battlestars FTL to their real objective.