Valkyrie-class
the light strike battlestar
The Valkyrie-class was one of the oldest classes of battlestar in Colonial service, a small and versatile warship believed to have served as a light strike and reconnaissance vessel from the Cylon War until the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
The Valkyrie-class was a type of battlestar operated first by the individual colonies before unification and subsequently by the Colonial Fleet. Among the oldest known classes of battlestar, it was a comparatively small warship believed to have served in a light strike and reconnaissance role. First deployed during the Cylon War, the class proved versatile enough that many ships remained in active service right up to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
Role and service#
The Valkyrie-class began as a warship of the individual colonies before unification and passed into Colonial Fleet service thereafter. Alongside the Artemis-class, it ranked among the oldest known classes of battlestar. Much smaller than the Jupiter-class, it is believed to have filled a light strike and reconnaissance role. The class first saw deployment during the Cylon War and proved highly versatile, with many vessels remaining on active duty until the Fall.
Flight I and Flight II refits#
The class spawned at least one significant refit. Some time before the Fall, Colonial shipyards began rolling out an updated design, designated Flight II, which was nearly identical to the original but distinguished by a spoiler-like winglet above the upper engine assembly. The specifics of the update are unknown, though the changes are presumed to have been cosmetic and internal. The new design appears to have been relatively recent or unpopular within the fleet, as only a handful were seen during the Fall, and many original Flight I ships were never brought up to the new standard.
Known ships#
Recorded ships of the class include the Battlestar Valkyrie, BSG-41, and the Battlestar Yashuman, both destroyed over Caprica. Further Valkyrie-class vessels, both Flight I and the rarer Flight II, were lost at the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards during the Fall.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Valkyrie-class?
- The Valkyrie-class was a type of battlestar operated first by the individual colonies before unification and later by the Colonial Fleet. It was a comparatively small warship among the oldest known classes of battlestar, believed to have filled a light strike and reconnaissance role.
- When did the Valkyrie-class enter service?
- The Valkyrie-class first saw deployment during the Cylon War. It proved versatile enough that many vessels remained on active duty right up to the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
- What was the Valkyrie-class Flight II refit?
- The Flight II was an updated design that Colonial shipyards began rolling out some time before the Fall. It was nearly identical to the original Flight I but distinguished by a spoiler-like winglet above the upper engine assembly, with the changes presumed to be cosmetic and internal.
- Why were so few Valkyrie-class Flight II ships seen during the Fall?
- The Flight II design appears to have been relatively recent or unpopular within the fleet. Only a handful were seen during the Fall, and many original Flight I ships were never brought up to the new standard.
- What known ships belonged to the Valkyrie-class?
- Recorded ships of the class include the Battlestar Valkyrie, BSG-41, and the Battlestar Yashuman, both destroyed over Caprica. Further Valkyrie-class vessels, both Flight I and the rarer Flight II, were lost at the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards during the Fall.
Sources
- WikiValkyrie-class — Battlestar Wiki entry
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Related entries
Battlestar Valkyrie
The Valkyrie (BS-41) was a Valkyrie-class battlestar of the Colonial Fleet. A relic of the Cylon War kept in service through repeated upgrades, she was commanded by William Adama and destroyed in the opening hours of the Fall.
Battlestar Yashuman
The Yashuman was a Valkyrie-class battlestar of the Colonial Fleet that led Caprica's orbital defense patrol at the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. She detected the incoming Cylon basestars but was crippled by the Command Navigation Program exploit before she could mount her attack run.
Jupiter-class
The Jupiter-class was a line of battlestar that served the Colonial Fleet for nearly its entire history. Uniquely built around un-networked computers, the class was largely immune to Cylon infiltration, and one of its number, Galactica, was the last to survive the Fall of the Twelve Colonies.
Caprica
Caprica was a planet in the Cyrannus star system and the cultural, economic and military center of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. Birthplace of the first Cylons, it became the capital of the United Colonies and was devastated in the Cylon assault that ended colonial civilization.
Colonial Fleet
The Colonial Fleet was the naval arm of the military of the United Colonies of Kobol, founded during the Cylon War to unite the forces of the Twelve Worlds. At its height it numbered some 120 battlestars, yet a single Cylon exploit reduced it to two ships in the opening minutes of the Fall.
Cylon War
The Cylon War, also called the First Cylon War, was a twelve year interstellar conflict between the Cylons and the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. It began when the Cylons rose against their human creators and ended in a sudden Armistice that held for over forty years.
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Battlestar
The battlestar was a class of armored battleship and carrier hybrid in service with the Colonial Fleet. First built during the Cylon War as a counter to Cylon hacking, battlestars relied on unnetworked computers, carried hundreds of fighters, and were armored to survive nuclear blasts.
Battlestar Valkyrie
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Battlestar Yashuman
The Yashuman was a Valkyrie-class battlestar of the Colonial Fleet that led Caprica's orbital defense patrol at the time of the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. She detected the incoming Cylon basestars but was crippled by the Command Navigation Program exploit before she could mount her attack run.
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