Osiris
the pocket battlestar
The Osiris was an Orion-class "pocket battlestar" of the Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War. Part of the secret Ghost Fleet, she sacrificed herself to destroy a Cylon basestar over the ice moon Djerba.
The Osiris (0913) was an Orion-class "pocket battlestar" in service of the Colonial Fleet during the Cylon War. Officially reported destroyed in an earlier engagement, she was secretly kept in service as part of a covert Ghost Fleet. Thanks to her battlestar weaponry and small size, roughly a quarter the size of Galactica, she was called a "pocket battlestar." Her final action came over the ice moon Djerba, where she destroyed a Cylon basestar at the cost of her own destruction. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
History#
The Osiris served in a secret Colonial fleet hidden in Cylon-held space, which the admiralty had been assembling for more than a year. It was made up of Colonial ships that had been badly damaged and officially reported destroyed in engagements during the First Cylon War, when in reality the vessels had been repaired and their crews assigned to a covert formation known as the Ghost Fleet. Personnel joining it even witnessed their own death certificates. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
The ship was tasked with delivering Dr. Becca Kelly to a Marine recon team already on the ice moon Djerba, a Cylon outpost deep in enemy territory, on a classified mission billed as key to the war. As she came around the moon, the Osiris ran into a basestar, and Commander Ozar chose to engage rather than abandon the Marines and the deploying Raptor. Hits from the opening exchange jammed the ship's missile bay doors, so she could not launch her nuclear weapons. With her Vipers outnumbered ten to one, Commander Ozar charged the enemy basestar and detonated the warheads by hand. The blast destroyed the Osiris, the basestar and the Raiders pursuing the mission team. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
Armament#
The Osiris mounted twelve primary gun turrets, a battery of point defence guns and nuclear missile launchers. That was enough to threaten smaller Cylon ships and fighters, but not to win a slugging match: against the basestar over Djerba she lasted only a few minutes before taking critical damage. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
Defenses#
Point defence guns could throw up flak against incoming Cylon fighters, but the ship's real protection was not to be seen at all. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
The Osiris had a reflective, DRADIS-absorbent hull that let her run in stealth mode within detection range of a Cylon basestar for a short time. Once she powered her weapons or launched her fighters, the Cylons could see her on DRADIS, and whether the stealth hull was standard for the Orion-class or unique to Osiris is never made clear. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
Fighter complement#
For the Djerba mission the Osiris carried ten Mark III Viper fighters, prepared for atmospheric insertion and launched through forward tubes in the bow, along with a Raptor. Ships of the class usually took on their fighters from other battlestars. Lacking flight pods, the pilots had to land on a short deck directly behind the engines, where coming in too slow or too fast could be fatal. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
Computer systems and crew#
The Osiris needed a crew of only about 150, excluding pilots on detachment. Inside she was dark, cramped and humid, her halls lined with exposed pipes, more akin to a submarine than to the larger battlestars of the war, and her CIC was lit by dim blue lights. Supplies were short enough that Ozar told the pilots they were low on ammunition. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
Propulsion#
The Osiris had four main sublight engines at the stern, two of them housed in separate nacelles, along with thrusters along the hull. She was fitted out for a twelve-league FTL jump to reach Djerba, and lost her starboard engine nacelle in the battle. (Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome)
Frequently asked questions
- What was the Osiris?
- The Osiris (0913) was an Orion-class "pocket battlestar" of the Colonial Fleet during the First Cylon War. Officially reported destroyed in an earlier engagement, she was secretly kept in service as part of the Ghost Fleet.
- What was the Ghost Fleet and how was the Osiris involved?
- The Ghost Fleet was a secret Colonial force hidden in Cylon-held space, assembled over more than a year from ships officially reported destroyed. Its crews even witnessed their own death certificates. The Osiris was part of it.
- What was the Osiris's mission at Djerba?
- The Osiris was tasked with delivering Dr. Becca Kelly to a Marine recon team on the ice moon Djerba, a Cylon outpost deep in enemy territory, on a classified Priority 1 mission. While rounding Djerba, the ship ran into a Cylon basestar.
- How was the Osiris destroyed?
- Commander Ozar engaged the basestar to cover the mission, but hits from the opening exchange jammed the Osiris's missile bay doors so she could not launch her nuclear weapons. With her Vipers outnumbered ten to one, Ozar charged the basestar and detonated the warheads by hand, destroying the Osiris, the basestar and the Raiders pursuing the surface team.
- Who commanded the Osiris?
- The Osiris was commanded by Commander Ozar, who decided to press on with the mission over Djerba and made the final charge that destroyed both ships.
Sources
- EpisodeBattlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, Web series and television film (2012)
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry
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