The Twelve Colonies (FT, FACTBOOK)

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The Factbook of the Twelve Colonies

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Stellar Cartography- The Cyrannus System

The Twelve Colonies are found within the star system Cyrannus, located some 2,000 light years from Kobol, where humanity first evolved. In total, Cyrannus is a vast and complex system, comprised of four stars: Helios Alpha, Helios Beta, Helios Gamma, and Helios Delta. Each star is orbited by its own share of planets and other astronomical bodies. The stars come together to form two binary systems (Alpha/Beta and Gamma/Delta). Both pairs of stars then orbit each other around a third, central barycenter every 546,892 years. Both binary systems are separated by .16 light years or 10,091 SU.

Helios Alpha

Helios Alpha is a main sequence star of spectral class G2V and has a mass of 1.0 kg, and was the first system settled by the Colonials after the exodus from Kobol, having first set foot on Gemenon. It shares its orbit with Helios Beta at a distance of 63 SU (In this case, 1 SU being equal to the average distance between Helios Alpha and the barycenter of the Caprica-Gemenon system, a rough 150 million km). The pair complete an orbit once every 373 years.

Planets and Other Astronomical Bodies

Icarus - A small planet located close to the star. It has a molten surface which makes mining and exploration impossible.

Picon

Caprica and Gemenon - These two colonies are twin planets.

Erebos asteroid belt

Tauron - One of only three colonies to feature a moon, named Minos, and it is the only moon with a ring. It is home to several mining and scientific outposts.

Zeus - A gas giant located at the outer edge of the system. This gas giant is the largest planet in the four systems, with a diameter of 153,000 km at the equator. The planet has 74 moons, the largest of which are Nike and Hebe. Constant upper atmosphere lightning creates an aurora effect that can be seen with the naked eye.

Persephone - Classified as a dwarf planet, Persephone is the last planet in the system and features an inclined and eccentric orbit. Colonial scientists believe this planet could be an escaped moon of Zeus.

This system is unique in the fact that Caprica and Gemenon share an orbit around a common barycenter. According to the Colonial map, the planets orbit each other once every 28.2 days, and are separated by a distance of 493,000 km.

Helios Beta

Helios Beta is a main sequence star of spectral class K1V and has a mass of 0.79 kg. It is the second system settled by the Colonials after the exodus from Kobol. It shares its orbit with Helios Alpha at a distance of 63 SU. The pair complete an orbit once every 373 years.

Planets and Other Astronomical Bodies

Troy - A small, metal-rich planet, mined extensively by Virgon and Leonis since the founding of those two colonies.

Leonis

Ouranos asteroid belt

Virgon - One of only three colonies to feature a moon, named Hibernia, and the only naturally habitable moon in the 12 Colonies. It was settled several centuries ago by the Celtans, an ethnic group opposed to Virgon rule.

Hera - A gas giant, approximately 75,000 km in diameter, and the third largest planet in the Cyrannus system. It has 29 moons, the largest of what are Iris and Eubora.

Pallas - A small world with an inclined orbit once believed to hold a life sustaining atmosphere. It is no longer tectonically active. However, the Colonials have set up at least seven small colonies and a military research station on the planet. Efforts to kobolform the planet have failed.

Helios Gamma

Helios Gamma is a main sequence star of spectral class G9V and has a mass of 0.89 kg. It is presumably the third system settled by the Colonials. Helios Gamma shares its orbit with Helios Delta at a distance of 70 SU, and completes an orbit once every 456 years.

Planets and Other Astronomical Bodies

Thanatos - A small planet with a corrosive 'sulphur' dioxide atmosphere. This planet is tidally locked to the star, and aptly named for the god of death.

Acheron asteroid belt

Scorpia - Home to the Scorpia Fleet ship yards. The planet features a half ring, thought to be a moon that broke apart nearly 100,000 years ago.

Sagittaron

Libran - Features two small moons, Herse and Pandrossos, which are thought to be captured asteroids. The moons orbit so close to each other, they periodically swap positions.

Ophion - A frigid gas giant with diameter of 51,000 km, and an inclined orbit. The planet has 14 moons, all smaller than 10 km in diameter. Studies on the planet have Colonial scientists thinking that Ragnar was originally a member of the Helios Gamma system, while Ophion was not. Scientists think that Ophion was a rouge planet that passed close to Ragnar and was caught by the star, pushing Ragnar into its current orbit around the entire Gamma/Delta system.

Helios Delta

Helios Delta is a reddish main sequence star of the spectral class K2V and has a mass of 0.74 kg. It is the last of the four systems to be settled by the Colonials. Helios Delta shares its orbit with Helios Gamma at a distance of 70 SU, and completes an orbit once every 456 years.

Planets and Other Astronomical Bodies

Phoebe - A small world with a high surface temperature and thin atmosphere.

Aeolus asteroid belt

Aerilon, Hestia, and Canceron - These planets share the same orbit.
-Hestia - The smallest gas giant in the Cyrannian star system, Hestia only has a diameter of 47,000 km. It has 17 moons, the largest of which, Kronos and Rhea, share the same orbit.

Aquaria

Styx -A small planet, with a dense, reducing atmosphere of carbon dioxide, and sulfides.
This system is unique in the fact that Aerilon, Hestia, and Canceron share the same orbit. The planets sit comfortably inLagrangian Points, meaning that the gravitational pull of Helios Delta and Hestia are balanced, allowing two smaller bodies (Aerilon and Canceron) to share the same orbit in a "fixed" position, maintaining the same distance apart at all times. Aerilon sits at the L4 point, and Canceron at the L5 point.

Ragnar - A gas giant with a diameter of 138,000 km, orbits the entire Helios Gamma and Delta system in a 899.75 year period. It sits about 110 SU away from the central barycenter. The Colonials use the planet as host to Ragnar Anchorage, an orbital refueling station and naval armory that distills hydrocarbons from the planet's upper atmosphere. It has one moon, Sigurd.

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The Colonial Defense Force

The Colonial Fleet

The Colonial Fleet is the primary armed service branch of the Colonial Forces under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol prior to the fall of the Colonies. The Colonial Fleet operates in tandem with other branches of the Colonial Forces, like the Colonial Marine Corps, and is augmented by a reserve. The Colonial Fleet Academy is the primary training faculty and commission source for the fleet's officers. A more senior War College exists for more extensive education. The training of new recruits is under the auspices of the Colonial Forces Training Command. Other Fleet installations include the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards, the Caprican Colonial Forces Veteran's Hospital, Ragnar Anchorage, and Armistice Station. The Colonial Fleet is based at Picon Fleet Headquarters.

The Fleet currently consists of 34 Battlestars, spearheaded by the Nova Class Battlestar Vendetta, as well as 86 supporting gunstars and multiple smaller craft.

Battlestar Classes

The Nova Class Battlestar is a new and experimental class of ship. Intended to be an upgrade from the Mercury class, Nova class Battlestars are fleet command ships. Nominally under the command of a Commander, they also serve as the flag ship for an Admiral. One third larger than a Mercury class Battlestar (to which the Pegasus belongs) they were designed to be used as fleet command and control ships while also serving as a one stop assault vehicle, capable of taking on two to four other capital class ships, or assaulting a major ground target, by itself.

Role: Capital Vessel (Battlestar) (Dreadnought/Carrier)
Race: Colonial
Type: Military
FTL: Yes (Olympus Class Jump Drive)

Length: 2,276m
Width: 920m
Height: 351m
Crew: 2,324 Officers and crewmen.
Armament:
8x NAC-10 Primary Kinetic Energy Weapons
78x NAC-5 Seconady Kinetic Energy Weapons
Numerous Point Defence Weapons
Conventional and Nuclear Missiles
Air Wing:
360x Mk VII Vipers (18x Squadrons (20 Vipers Strong))
75x Mk V Raptors
50x Mk I Scimitars

The Mercury class battlestar is an advanced Colonial capital warship/carrier that serves as the mainstay of the Colonial Fleet. They served as front ships of the line as well as command ships. Having been first introduced roughly twenty years following the end of the Cylon War, and while still considered top-of-the-line vessels, the fleet was just beginning the process of fazing the oldest examples out of service, in favour of the newer Block II's and the Nova Class, at the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.

Role: Capital Vessel (Battlestar) (Battleship/Carrier)
Race: Colonial
Type: Military
FTL: Yes (Celestus Class)

Length: 1,790m
Width:
Height:
Crew: 2,500 Officers and Crewmen
Armament:
4x NAC-10 (fixed forward mounts)
30x NAC-5
Numerous Point Defence Turrets
Conventional and Nuclear Missiles
Air Wing:
200x Mk VII Vipers (10 Squadrons of 20 Vipers)
50x Mk V Raptor

The Jupiter class Battlestars were laid down in the early days of the First Cylon War. There were originally twelve built, one representing each of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. They were heavily engaged in the war, and only three of the original twelve survived to see the armistice signed, ending the war. After the war, the surviving Battlestars remained in service, supplemented by additional ships under construction during the war. The class was continually upgraded and modified over the years, and several were still in service until the Cylon attack. Since then however due to both their relative cheapness compared to other ships, and the fact that they are still capable enough, the Jupiter Class has re-entered production and service. Only so much could be done, meaning that the Jupiter Class is less automated than newer ships, but still has additional modern technology.

Role: Capital Vessel (Battlestar) (Battlecruiser/Carrier)
Race: Colonial
Type: Military
FTL: Yes (Argos Class Jump Drive)

Length: 1,438m
Width: 536.84m
Height: 183.32m
Crew: 5,000 Officers and crewmen.
Armament:
24x NAC-5 Primary Kinetic Energy Weapons
514x Point Defence Weapons
12x Missiles Tubes (Conventional and Nuclear Missiles)
Air Wing:
80x Mk VII Vipers (4x Squadrons (20 Vipers Strong))
75x Mk V Raptors
50x Mk I Scimitars

The Odin Class Battlestar is an advanced class of light Battlestar in the Colonial Fleet at the time of the Cylon attack. The Odin is possibly the smallest class of Battlestar ever created. Measuring around 700 meters long, it's about the length of the Flight pod on a Jupiter Class Battlestar, and as a result is smaller than many Gunstars, however due to it’s ability to carry Vipers as standard, it is counted as a Battlestar.

Physically it is far more "jagged" then other ships, with lots of sharp edges but also plenty of curving lines. The hull is covered with guns, missile launchers and sensors, giving it a sharp and streamlined but functional look. The Class is far more compact then most others, with the pods closer to the main hull and the head being only a couple meters wider then the main hull.

In non-colonial ship classification, the Odin Class would probably fit into an unknown area between Heavy Cruisers and Battlecruisers.

Role: Capital Vessel (Light Battlestar) (Light Battlecruiser/Carrier)
Race: Colonial
Type: Military
FTL: Yes (Argos Class Jump Drive)

Length: 720 m
Width:
Height:
Crew: 1,200 Officers and crewmen.
Armament:
16x NAC-5 Primary Kinetic Energy Weapons
35x NAC-3.5 Secondary Kinetic Energy Weapons
Numerous Point Defence Weapons (Lower than a Jupiter Class)
6x Missiles Tubes (Conventional and Nuclear Missiles)
Air Wing:
40x Mk VII Vipers (2x Squadrons (20 Vipers Strong))
15x Mk V Raptors

The Colonial Marine Corps

The Colonial Marine Corps is the main combat service of the Colonial forces which serves as both the main security for Colonial vessels, as well as the main striking force for attacks on hostile worlds. The CMC is not assigned with the task of defending Colonial worlds, something which falls to the Colonial Army, whom also back up the CMC after initial planetary assaults. The Colonial Marine Corps has a close relationship with the fleet and has a number of support vessels of various types.