Scorpion Fleet Shipyards
the cradle of the Colonial Fleet
The Scorpion Fleet Shipyards were a vast orbital shipbuilding installation above Scorpia, a principal builder of Colonial warships from the First Cylon War until they were destroyed in the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
The Scorpion Fleet Shipyards were a large orbital installation above the colony of Scorpia and one of the principal builders of warships for the Colonial Fleet. Established before the first Cylon War, they grew across the long interwar period into a sprawling complex capable of constructing the fleet's largest battlestars, and they were among the most essential of all Colonial installations by the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies, in which they were destroyed.
The First Cylon War#
The Scorpion Shipyards were built in orbit of Scorpia sometime before the start of the Cylon War, taking advantage of the planet's mineral-rich rings and its industry geared toward shipbuilding. The installation was divided into two main parts: a static orbital shipyard complex and a mobile shipyard, Daidalos, under the command of Rear Admiral Lucinda Cain.
After the Colonial Fleet headquarters on Picon was destroyed in the first year of the war, Rear Admiral Cain detached the mobile shipyard and assumed command of the entire Colonial Fleet. With Daidalos gone, the situation at the Scorpion Shipyards grew more dire than ever, and under pressure from the fleet to complete development of the Viper Mark II, the yard requested assistance from Daidalos and its fleet group.
The interwar expansion#
Across the forty-year interwar period, the shipyards were transferred fully to the Colonial Fleet, renamed the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards, and greatly enlarged. They grew from a single installation, too small to accommodate the newly built Jupiter-class battlestars, into four separate complexes built close together and able to hold even the larger post-war Mercury-class. The yards remained a major builder for the fleet and a centerpiece of Scorpia's economy, which was built around mineral extraction and orbital construction.
The Fall of the Twelve Colonies#
By the fortieth anniversary of the Cylon War's conclusion, the shipyards had become one of the most essential Colonial installations, and when the Cylons launched their unprecedented offensive, the yards were among the most critical military targets in the Cyrannus Star System.
The first wave of nuclear-armed Cylon Raiders jumped in and caught the Colonial Navy completely by surprise. Multiple nuclear hits along the battlestar row inflicted significant damage on the Battlestar Pegasus and jammed the DRADIS of every moored ship. The shipyard itself took at least three direct nuclear hits, instantly vaporizing five ships, two of them battlestars.
With DRADIS down on both sides, the second Cylon wave switched to conventional weapons, exploiting a weakness in the Valkyrie-class design to destroy further vessels. The interference from the nuclear detonations kept the Cylons from realizing that the Pegasus was merely damaged rather than destroyed. When they discovered their error, the Pegasus broke from the battlestar row and spooled its FTL drive; the nearest nuclear-armed Raider fired two more missiles, but the Pegasus executed a blind FTL jump seconds before detonation, an act that caused significant damage to Complex A. The shipyards, a builder of the Colonial Fleet for half a century, were destroyed in the attack.
Frequently asked questions
- What were the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards?
- The Scorpion Fleet Shipyards were a large orbital shipbuilding installation above the colony of Scorpia and one of the principal builders of warships for the Colonial Fleet. Established before the First Cylon War, they grew into a sprawling complex capable of constructing the fleet's largest battlestars.
- Who commanded the Scorpion Shipyards during the First Cylon War?
- The installation was divided into a static orbital shipyard complex and a mobile shipyard called Daidalos, both under the command of Rear Admiral Lucinda Cain. After Colonial Fleet headquarters on Picon was destroyed in the first year of the war, Cain detached Daidalos and assumed command of the entire Colonial Fleet.
- How did the Scorpion Shipyards expand during the interwar period?
- Across the forty-year interwar period the shipyards were transferred fully to the Colonial Fleet, renamed the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards, and greatly enlarged. They grew from a single installation, too small for the Jupiter-class battlestars, into four separate complexes able to hold even the larger post-war Mercury-class.
- How were the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards destroyed?
- During the Fall of the Twelve Colonies the yards were a critical Cylon target. The first wave of nuclear-armed Raiders scored at least three direct hits that vaporized five ships, two of them battlestars, and the shipyards, a builder for the fleet for half a century, were destroyed in the attack.
- How did the Battlestar Pegasus survive the attack on the shipyards?
- Interference from the nuclear detonations kept the Cylons from realizing the Pegasus was only damaged rather than destroyed. When they discovered their error, the Pegasus broke from the battlestar row and executed a blind FTL jump seconds before a missile detonation, an act that caused significant damage to Complex A.
Gallery
Images via Battlestar Wiki
Sources
- WikiScorpion Fleet Shipyards — Battlestar Wiki entry
- WikiScorpia — Battlestar Wiki entry
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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