Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (game)
Encyclopedia
Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (ACtA) is a tabletop miniatures
boardgame released in September 2004 by Mongoose Publishing
, designed initially as an expansion to their Babylon 5: The Roleplaying Game, it is a complete game in its own right. Babylon 5: A Call to Arms is based upon the sci-fi television series Babylon 5
and draws heavily on material from the television show and the boardgame Babylon 5 Wars
. The game's popularity exceeded Mongoose Publishing
's initial expectations and has expanded to include new rules supplements and new miniatures; a second edition of the game was released in August 2007. Mongoose Publishing announced on their website in February 2008 that all production of miniatures for the line would cease as of March 2008. Mongoose have indicated they will continue to support the game however through supplements and articles in their in-house magazine Signs and Portents.
ACtA won a Gamers' Choice award at Origins Award
s 2004 and continues to be one of Mongoose Publishing
's leading brands.
, Minbari
, Centauri
, Narn
, Interstellar Alliance
, Shadows
, Vorlons, Raiders and League of Non-Aligned Worlds
, as well as cardboard counters that could be used in place of miniatures to represent the ships. Some of these lists were extremely limited in options but most ships from the show were represented, including the iconic White Star but not the Babylon 5
space station.
With the help of feedback from players there were three Rules Supplements released in the following year, each providing a range of new units, rules and points of discussion. Rules Supplement 1 concentrated on new fighter rules, new missions, addressing several FAQ and finally releasing rules for space stations and Babylon 5
itself. Rules Supplement 2 included rules for fleet carriers and revised fleet lists for the Vorlons and the Shadows
. Rules Supplement 3 included an expanded set of fleet lists for the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
and new Refits and Duties tables for campaign play.
This was all part of the ongoing design and development process for what was essentially still a new game and Mongoose Publishing
decided to publish in September 2005 a more comprehensive update for the game in the form of the book Sky Full of Stars (SFoS). This supplement not only pulled together all of the threads from the Rules Supplements but added more detail to certain sections of rules (particularly the campaign rules) and completely overhauled every fleet list. SFoS was a large expansion for the game both in terms of rules and in terms of the miniatures available. Soon after this there was a revised edition of the main boxed set to reflect any rules changes (although not the updated fleet lists).
Over the next year there were numerous articles in Mongoose
's Signs & Portents magazine, and smaller supplements to cover the Earth-Minbari War
, fleets for the Dilgar
and Drakh
. October 2006 saw the next significant release for the game with the hardback supplement Armageddon released. This supplement provided further rules updates, new ships for many races and new fleet lists for three different Earth Alliance
eras, the Shadows
, the Vorlons and the Ancients. This supplement has been the most controversial, with issues including the introduction of a new (Armageddon) priority level and Mongoose's
problems with moulds for many ships collapsing.
Since then, there has been the release of the pak'ma'ra
fleet followed by the release of the 2nd edition of the Call to Arms games in Aug 2007. This edition introduced new playable fleet list including the Gaim and Psi Corp as well as additional individual ships such as the Hurr Gunship, Technomage Pinnacle and the Ipsha Warglobe.
In Feb 2008 Mongoose Publishing announced on their website that;
'"After a very successful number of years producing miniatures for our Origins award-winning game A Call to Arms, Mongoose Publishing is announcing today that we will cease production of this range of models with effect from March 31st 2008. The increasing costs associated with this range combined with its sheer breadth means that production of miniatures is no longer commercially viable at this time. As a result we have reduced our prices on the miniatures by 20%, which will continue until March 31st 2008, when they will be removed from our catalogue. So, if you have been thinking about that new Shadow fleet or want to bolster the defences of the ISA, now is the time! We will still continue to support A Call to Arms through Signs & Portents and book releases."
The announcement came as a surprise to members of the Mongoose forums given the relatively active release schedule for new models and the short time after the release of the 2nd edition of the game. Speculation that the decision to cease miniature production was prompted by problems in extending the necessary license from Warner Bros to produce B5 miniatures was dismissed as false by Matthew Sprange, co-founder of Mongoose Publishing.
Mongoose Publishing purchased the license from Warner Bros following the demise of Agents of Gaming in November 2002 who had previous held said license to market and sell the Babylon 5 Wars game using many of the ship models as the current A Call to Arms line.
Play is divided into turns where each player gets to perform actions with each of his ships and using dice to determine the outcomes of these actions. In each turn there is a Movement Phase, Attack Phase and an End Phase. Each phase has a defined set of rules that limit the options available to each player and the stats in the fleet lists determine the abilities of the individual units.
Rather than a traditional alternating sequence of play (where a player makes actions with every unit before his opponent goes), each player gets to make one action with a ship before his opponent makes an action, and so on. There is a wide variety of scenarios to play and each presents a different set of challenges to the player.
Victory is determined by the scenario-specific Victory Conditions and may range more commonly from the highest scorer of Victory Points to completing a specific mission objective.
was formed in 2075 following the formation of their first offworld colony and eventually led to the formation of a global (and interstellar) unifying government. As the Earth Alliance
expanded and came into contact with more extraterrestrial races, there was an increasingly pressing need to build a navy for the protection of the Earth Alliance's
sovereign interests. Early conflicts with the Koulani and Ch'Lonas set up an atmosphere of confidence and when the Dilgar
came onto the galactic stage as a threat to many nations, the Earth Alliance
decided that it was time to flex their muscle on a greater stage and used the Dilgar War as a means to announce their presence to the other major nations. After a successful conflict from 2230 to 2232, the Earth Alliance
became increasingly belligerent and when confronted with the Minbari
suffered their greatest defeat and came within one battle of being completely annihilated.
Earth Alliance
ships from this era are solid and rely heavily on plasma and pulse weaponry. Railguns and missiles are also seen but beam weaponry only really came in during the Earth-Minbari war
when the Narn
s sold Centauri beam technology in an attempt to make money and implicate the Centauri during a conflict they wanted to otherwise stay out of. Earth Alliance
ships are generally slow and cumbersome with solid defences, including innovative interceptor grids, and one of the best dogfighters in the galaxy - no mean feat for one of the newest major races. The Aurora Starfury
is an unusual design and succeeds in being one of the premier fighters, coming second only to Minbari
designs. An unsubtle fleet but one full of power and no lack of impetus to defeat even the most determined of foes.
The Minbari
are the oldest of the 'young' ones and it was not until after the second Shadow War
that any of the other younger races could match their ships. They were a mysterious race to all but the Vorlons - who were their mentors. And it is not until they started to form the Army of Light that they revealed themselves to talk and help other races, instead of unleashing their rage as they had done so before. Even after this there were still numerous secrets and mysteries surrounding them, some of which even most Minbari
did not know of. A re-occurring theme of the Minbari
species is the idea of '3' and its multiples. They have three castes, several religious artifacts are triangular and the Grey Council
- the leading body of the Minbari
consists of nine Minbari
; three from each caste. The caste system usually works well, and is the main reason for the Minbari
being so advanced. However, there was once a war between castes which nearly cost the Minbari
as a race dearly.
The Minbari
are a very advanced race who have developed complex engines for their ships. Most of their weapons are beam weapons which can literally cut hulls cleanly and easily into two. However, it is their defense system which makes them so hard to defeat. All their ships, and even their fighters, have complex stealth systems which simply stop the enemy from targeting their ships. This is why the Minbari
have lower hull scores than most - as there is rarely a weapon aimed at them that actually hits; but this does mean that if the enemy finds a way of penetrating the stealth they will find the Minbari
ships easier to destroy than they might expect, but this is easier said than done and the Minbari
will normally have killed several of the other fleet before this happens.
were known as the Lion of the Galaxy and for good reason. The great Centauri Republic was an empire to be feared and respected by all but the oldest of races. A Roman
style senate
leads the Centauri
people and is directed by the Emperor
. This system of government oversaw a vast galactic empire that the Centauri
carved out for themselves over centuries. Although not fully gone, the Centauri Republic at the time of Babylon 5
was a shadow of its former glory. Many saw the beginning of the decline as the Centauri
withdrawal from the Narn
occupation of the 22nd Century. From this point many smaller nations including the Narn
and Drazi have claimed former regions of Centauri
territory and due to political infighting and disunity there has been no concerted effort to reclaim these lost territories. With the arrival of the Shadows
the Centauri Republic once again made a bid for expansion that ultimately collapsed as enemies of the Shadows
united against the Ancients and drove them out of the galaxy.
Centauri
war doctrine follows similar martial codes to the fights demanded by their system of family honour. Despite highly advanced beam technology, the Centauri
make extensive use of the more explosive ion cannon and matter cannon technologies. These weapons sacrifice range for destructive power and many Centauri
hunt in packs of lightly armoured but heavily armed ships, aiming to swarm larger enemy vessels before they can pick off the Centauri
targets. The larger Centauri
capital ships such as the Primus are dissimilar to the larger ships of other races in that they tend to provide support for their packs of smaller vessels rather than be equipped to directly take on the lead enemy ships.
are an aggressive, expansionist race with strict codes of personal honour and fervent religious beliefs. The Narn were historically an agrarian society with little or no interest in the universe around them and lacked the technology to travel beyond their own planet. This changed with the Centauri
invasion early in the 22nd Century followed by 100 years of oppression and slavery until finally the Centauri
wearied of Narn resistance and withdrew. This left a bitter enmity of the Centauri
and led to the Narn
s rapidly carving out an empire for themselves, initially using scavenged ships but later integrating the fruits of their numerous dealings with other worlds. Governed by the Kha'Ri, this strategy of background dealings served them well until the Centauri
backed by the mysterious Shadows
invaded them for a second time in 2259. Eventually breaking free from this occupation the Narn
emerged weakened but keen to retake their rightful place in the galaxy and were one of the founding members of the Interstellar Alliance
Narn
fleets are built around brute force, being powerful yet unsubtle. A favoured tactic is the long-ranged bombardment of an enemy with energy mines before closing with their beams and arrays of lighter weapons. Narn
ships are built solidly, with few active defences, relying instead on weathering the punishment inflicted on them directly. This leads to Narn tactics of long-ranged beam and energy mine salvoes followed by pushing into the centre of an enemy position if possible. Poor speed and manoeuvrability of Narn
ships often prevents this and many enemies attempt to stay out of range of the multiple Narn
secondary weapons. The lighter Narn
ships excel at bringing large amounts of firepower to bear on targets and any ship targeted by a Narn
fleet rarely survives for very long.
are a semi-aquatic race with a matriarchal and deeply pacifist society. The Abbai
themselves are amphibious and build much of their planet's infrastructure at least partially submerged underwater. They are fully capable of acting normally on dry land and in space too, being as physically resilient as most other species. Their history of peaceful coexistence has allowed them to develop their technology to advanced levels without the disruptions war brings about. This has also led to their adopting an approach of diplomacy over open warfare and are a stabilising influence over the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
and later the Interstellar Alliance
.
Their fleets reflect their society and Abbai
ships are as a result almost impregnably tough due to their advanced armour, shielding and particle impeders but lack the heavy weaponry other fleets possess. Although less manoeuvrable than other races' ships, Abbai
ships have weapons with great coverage so are rarely outflanked and work best in a close fight where the enemy has to face guns in every direction. Lacking the support of a good fighter or heavy firepower, the Abbai
often form a coordinated fleet with other races in the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
. With the advent of the Drakh War the Abbai declared a holy war
on the Drakh and unleashed the distinctly un-Abbai Juyaca Dreadnought - a ship with the sole intention of destruction of enemy fleets and ending the Drakh
threat.
Most Raider fleets consist of large numbers of fighters, backed up by a few larger support ships. Most of their ships are undergunned and slow but can prove surprisingly durable. Given their commitments and limited resources, most Raider fleets succeed best when they hit suddenly, using their faster fighters, then retreat quickly before attrition cripples their expensive motherships. This tactic works well with smaller engagements although due to a lack of warships, Raider commanders would do well to avoid larger conflicts.
are a secretive race and were dedicated servants of the Shadows
until they left the galaxy in 2261. After this time, they took it upon themselves to continue the Shadows'
work and to take revenge upon those whom they saw as responsible for forcing the Shadows
away. Their plans were on two main levels, one an underground campaign of infiltration on Centauri Prime and the other, a more open war on the Earth Alliance
and the Interstellar Alliance
. They attempted to unleash a Shadow
Planet Killer on Earth itself but were foiled at the last moment (see Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (movie)
and instead unleashed a deadly Shadow tech plague. Their legacy continues and their secretive nature makes them a very difficult opponent to defeat.
Drakh
ships are based upon Shadow
technology and are highly advanced. Their hulls may not be as tough physically as those of other races' ships but this is more than compensated for by a combination of high-powered gravitic energy grids and nimble Raiders. Their ships carry deadly beam weaponry that causes great damage but generally lack the range of other fleets. However, their strength lies in numbers and it is a common sight to see Drakh
carriers unloading hordes of Raiders to swarm and overwhelm their enemy. Individually these ships may be weak, but in packs a wise enemy must scatter the Drakh
forces before they can form up and present an impenetrable wedge of ships.
Miniature wargaming
Miniature wargaming is a form of wargaming that incorporates miniature figures, miniature armor and modeled terrain as the main components of play...
boardgame released in September 2004 by Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing is a prolific British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games, actively publishing material since 2001...
, designed initially as an expansion to their Babylon 5: The Roleplaying Game, it is a complete game in its own right. Babylon 5: A Call to Arms is based upon the sci-fi television series Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
and draws heavily on material from the television show and the boardgame Babylon 5 Wars
Babylon 5 Wars
Babylon 5 Wars is a science fiction tabletop miniature wargame, produced by the gaming company Agents of Gaming. Play centers on miniature figurines based the TV show Babylon 5. In 1999, it was nominated for the Origins Award for Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures Rules...
. The game's popularity exceeded Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing is a prolific British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games, actively publishing material since 2001...
's initial expectations and has expanded to include new rules supplements and new miniatures; a second edition of the game was released in August 2007. Mongoose Publishing announced on their website in February 2008 that all production of miniatures for the line would cease as of March 2008. Mongoose have indicated they will continue to support the game however through supplements and articles in their in-house magazine Signs and Portents.
ACtA won a Gamers' Choice award at Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
s 2004 and continues to be one of Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing is a prolific British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games, actively publishing material since 2001...
's leading brands.
History
Since its initial release in 2004, A Call to Arms has gone though several significant changes, with the release of supporting material and supplements. Initially the main boxed set contained the basic rules set and fleet lists for the Earth AllianceEarth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
, Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
, Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
, Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
, Interstellar Alliance
Interstellar Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Interstellar Alliance is a fictional interstellar government of civilizations in the Babylon 5 universe.Formed in 2261 AD in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth and the Shadow War, the Interstellar Alliance was formed between the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, the Earth Alliance and the...
, Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
, Vorlons, Raiders and League of Non-Aligned Worlds
League of Non-Aligned Worlds
The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a fictional collection of races in the Babylon 5 universe.The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a loose confederation of independent worlds and minor species, most of whom had endured subjugation under the Centauri Republic at its height...
, as well as cardboard counters that could be used in place of miniatures to represent the ships. Some of these lists were extremely limited in options but most ships from the show were represented, including the iconic White Star but not the Babylon 5
Babylon 5 (space station)
Babylon 5 is a fictional space station and the primary setting in the television series Babylon 5. Its design is a variation of an O'Neill cylinder....
space station.
With the help of feedback from players there were three Rules Supplements released in the following year, each providing a range of new units, rules and points of discussion. Rules Supplement 1 concentrated on new fighter rules, new missions, addressing several FAQ and finally releasing rules for space stations and Babylon 5
Babylon 5 (space station)
Babylon 5 is a fictional space station and the primary setting in the television series Babylon 5. Its design is a variation of an O'Neill cylinder....
itself. Rules Supplement 2 included rules for fleet carriers and revised fleet lists for the Vorlons and the Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
. Rules Supplement 3 included an expanded set of fleet lists for the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
League of Non-Aligned Worlds
The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a fictional collection of races in the Babylon 5 universe.The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a loose confederation of independent worlds and minor species, most of whom had endured subjugation under the Centauri Republic at its height...
and new Refits and Duties tables for campaign play.
This was all part of the ongoing design and development process for what was essentially still a new game and Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing is a prolific British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games, actively publishing material since 2001...
decided to publish in September 2005 a more comprehensive update for the game in the form of the book Sky Full of Stars (SFoS). This supplement not only pulled together all of the threads from the Rules Supplements but added more detail to certain sections of rules (particularly the campaign rules) and completely overhauled every fleet list. SFoS was a large expansion for the game both in terms of rules and in terms of the miniatures available. Soon after this there was a revised edition of the main boxed set to reflect any rules changes (although not the updated fleet lists).
Over the next year there were numerous articles in Mongoose
Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing is a prolific British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games, actively publishing material since 2001...
's Signs & Portents magazine, and smaller supplements to cover the Earth-Minbari War
Earth-Minbari War
The Earth–Minbari War is a fictional war that formed a major part of the back story of the science fiction television series, Babylon 5. The war was fought between the Earth Alliance and the Minbari, an older alien race that overwhelmingly outmatched Earth in terms of technology and weapons...
, fleets for the Dilgar
Dilgar
The Dilgar War is a fictional war that forms part of the back story of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Background:Until the early 23rd Century the mighty Centauri Republic controlled a vast empire. When the Centauri became decadent and corrupt their empire began to decline and the...
and Drakh
Drakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
. October 2006 saw the next significant release for the game with the hardback supplement Armageddon released. This supplement provided further rules updates, new ships for many races and new fleet lists for three different Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
eras, the Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
, the Vorlons and the Ancients. This supplement has been the most controversial, with issues including the introduction of a new (Armageddon) priority level and Mongoose's
Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing is a prolific British manufacturer of role-playing games, miniatures, and card games, actively publishing material since 2001...
problems with moulds for many ships collapsing.
Since then, there has been the release of the pak'ma'ra
Pak'ma'ra
The pak'ma'ra are a fictional race of aliens in the Babylon 5 universe. They do not feature heavily in any storylines, partly on the pretext that other species avoid them because they are, for religious reasons, dedicated carrion eaters.Humanoid in form, the pak'ma'ra have tentacles around a mouth...
fleet followed by the release of the 2nd edition of the Call to Arms games in Aug 2007. This edition introduced new playable fleet list including the Gaim and Psi Corp as well as additional individual ships such as the Hurr Gunship, Technomage Pinnacle and the Ipsha Warglobe.
In Feb 2008 Mongoose Publishing announced on their website that;
'"After a very successful number of years producing miniatures for our Origins award-winning game A Call to Arms, Mongoose Publishing is announcing today that we will cease production of this range of models with effect from March 31st 2008. The increasing costs associated with this range combined with its sheer breadth means that production of miniatures is no longer commercially viable at this time. As a result we have reduced our prices on the miniatures by 20%, which will continue until March 31st 2008, when they will be removed from our catalogue. So, if you have been thinking about that new Shadow fleet or want to bolster the defences of the ISA, now is the time! We will still continue to support A Call to Arms through Signs & Portents and book releases."
The announcement came as a surprise to members of the Mongoose forums given the relatively active release schedule for new models and the short time after the release of the 2nd edition of the game. Speculation that the decision to cease miniature production was prompted by problems in extending the necessary license from Warner Bros to produce B5 miniatures was dismissed as false by Matthew Sprange, co-founder of Mongoose Publishing.
Mongoose Publishing purchased the license from Warner Bros following the demise of Agents of Gaming in November 2002 who had previous held said license to market and sell the Babylon 5 Wars game using many of the ship models as the current A Call to Arms line.
Overview
ACtA has two or more players bringing a fleet ships consisting of miniatures or counters and fighting out a battle using dice, rules and tactics. Each player has a certain number of Fleet Allocation Points (FAP) to spend on choices from one of many race-specific fleet lists. All ships are allocated a Priority Level that determines its value and these are (in ascending order): Patrol; Skirmish; Raid; Battle; War; Armageddon. Once a size of battle and the number of FAP to spend (and scenario) are chosen, each player selects his ships, splitting or combining the FAP to produce the desired fleet. The most common size of game is Raid Priority Level with 5 FAP to spend.Play is divided into turns where each player gets to perform actions with each of his ships and using dice to determine the outcomes of these actions. In each turn there is a Movement Phase, Attack Phase and an End Phase. Each phase has a defined set of rules that limit the options available to each player and the stats in the fleet lists determine the abilities of the individual units.
Rather than a traditional alternating sequence of play (where a player makes actions with every unit before his opponent goes), each player gets to make one action with a ship before his opponent makes an action, and so on. There is a wide variety of scenarios to play and each presents a different set of challenges to the player.
Victory is determined by the scenario-specific Victory Conditions and may range more commonly from the highest scorer of Victory Points to completing a specific mission objective.
Miniatures
A Call to Arms is a miniatures game and as such every unit may be represented by a miniature, although they may also be represented by a counter. Collecting and painting (and modeling) are integral parts of the game and a player may spend considerable time on this aspect of the hobby alone. There are a wide variety of fleet boxed sets that offer a mixture of ships for one race, along with a full range of ships that may be bought individually. This allows players to assemble a fleet that suits their preferences, whether they be aesthetic or tactical.Races
There are a wide variety of races available to play, all with differing styles and looks. Currently these are:- Earth Alliance (Early Years)
- Earth Alliance (Dawn of the Third Age)
- Earth Alliance (Crusade)
- Minbari
- Centauri
- Narn
- Interstellar Alliance
- Vorlons
- Shadows
- Abbai
- Brakiri
- Drazi
- Gaim
- pak'ma'ra
- Vree
- Raiders
- Dilgar
- Drakh
- Ancients
- Psi-Corps
Earth Alliance (Early Years)
The Earth AllianceEarth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
was formed in 2075 following the formation of their first offworld colony and eventually led to the formation of a global (and interstellar) unifying government. As the Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
expanded and came into contact with more extraterrestrial races, there was an increasingly pressing need to build a navy for the protection of the Earth Alliance's
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
sovereign interests. Early conflicts with the Koulani and Ch'Lonas set up an atmosphere of confidence and when the Dilgar
Dilgar
The Dilgar War is a fictional war that forms part of the back story of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Background:Until the early 23rd Century the mighty Centauri Republic controlled a vast empire. When the Centauri became decadent and corrupt their empire began to decline and the...
came onto the galactic stage as a threat to many nations, the Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
decided that it was time to flex their muscle on a greater stage and used the Dilgar War as a means to announce their presence to the other major nations. After a successful conflict from 2230 to 2232, the Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
became increasingly belligerent and when confronted with the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
suffered their greatest defeat and came within one battle of being completely annihilated.
Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
ships from this era are solid and rely heavily on plasma and pulse weaponry. Railguns and missiles are also seen but beam weaponry only really came in during the Earth-Minbari war
Earth-Minbari War
The Earth–Minbari War is a fictional war that formed a major part of the back story of the science fiction television series, Babylon 5. The war was fought between the Earth Alliance and the Minbari, an older alien race that overwhelmingly outmatched Earth in terms of technology and weapons...
when the Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
s sold Centauri beam technology in an attempt to make money and implicate the Centauri during a conflict they wanted to otherwise stay out of. Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
ships are generally slow and cumbersome with solid defences, including innovative interceptor grids, and one of the best dogfighters in the galaxy - no mean feat for one of the newest major races. The Aurora Starfury
Starfury
The Starfury fighter is a fictional vessel used by Earthforce, the military branch of the Earth Alliance, in the science fiction television series Babylon 5...
is an unusual design and succeeds in being one of the premier fighters, coming second only to Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
designs. An unsubtle fleet but one full of power and no lack of impetus to defeat even the most determined of foes.
Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
are the oldest of the 'young' ones and it was not until after the second Shadow War
Shadow War
The Shadow Wars are a fictional series of wars involving the Shadows in the television science fiction series Babylon 5. There have actually been many Shadow Wars since ancient times in the galaxy. Roughly every thousand years, the Shadows begin a new Shadow War to promote chaos in the universe in...
that any of the other younger races could match their ships. They were a mysterious race to all but the Vorlons - who were their mentors. And it is not until they started to form the Army of Light that they revealed themselves to talk and help other races, instead of unleashing their rage as they had done so before. Even after this there were still numerous secrets and mysteries surrounding them, some of which even most Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
did not know of. A re-occurring theme of the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
species is the idea of '3' and its multiples. They have three castes, several religious artifacts are triangular and the Grey Council
Grey Council
In the Babylon 5 fictional universe, the Grey Council is the governing body of the Minbari Federation. Its members carry the title satai...
- the leading body of the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
consists of nine Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
; three from each caste. The caste system usually works well, and is the main reason for the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
being so advanced. However, there was once a war between castes which nearly cost the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
as a race dearly.
The Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
are a very advanced race who have developed complex engines for their ships. Most of their weapons are beam weapons which can literally cut hulls cleanly and easily into two. However, it is their defense system which makes them so hard to defeat. All their ships, and even their fighters, have complex stealth systems which simply stop the enemy from targeting their ships. This is why the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
have lower hull scores than most - as there is rarely a weapon aimed at them that actually hits; but this does mean that if the enemy finds a way of penetrating the stealth they will find the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
ships easier to destroy than they might expect, but this is easier said than done and the Minbari
Minbari
The Minbari are a fictional alien race featured in the television show Babylon 5. The Minbari characters of Delenn and Lennier figure prominently throughout the series; Neroon, Draal, and Dukhat are less prominent Minbari characters....
will normally have killed several of the other fleet before this happens.
Centauri
The CentauriCentauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
were known as the Lion of the Galaxy and for good reason. The great Centauri Republic was an empire to be feared and respected by all but the oldest of races. A Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
style senate
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
leads the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
people and is directed by the Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
. This system of government oversaw a vast galactic empire that the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
carved out for themselves over centuries. Although not fully gone, the Centauri Republic at the time of Babylon 5
Babylon 5 (space station)
Babylon 5 is a fictional space station and the primary setting in the television series Babylon 5. Its design is a variation of an O'Neill cylinder....
was a shadow of its former glory. Many saw the beginning of the decline as the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
withdrawal from the Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
occupation of the 22nd Century. From this point many smaller nations including the Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
and Drazi have claimed former regions of Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
territory and due to political infighting and disunity there has been no concerted effort to reclaim these lost territories. With the arrival of the Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
the Centauri Republic once again made a bid for expansion that ultimately collapsed as enemies of the Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
united against the Ancients and drove them out of the galaxy.
Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
war doctrine follows similar martial codes to the fights demanded by their system of family honour. Despite highly advanced beam technology, the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
make extensive use of the more explosive ion cannon and matter cannon technologies. These weapons sacrifice range for destructive power and many Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
hunt in packs of lightly armoured but heavily armed ships, aiming to swarm larger enemy vessels before they can pick off the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
targets. The larger Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
capital ships such as the Primus are dissimilar to the larger ships of other races in that they tend to provide support for their packs of smaller vessels rather than be equipped to directly take on the lead enemy ships.
Narn
The NarnNarn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
are an aggressive, expansionist race with strict codes of personal honour and fervent religious beliefs. The Narn were historically an agrarian society with little or no interest in the universe around them and lacked the technology to travel beyond their own planet. This changed with the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
invasion early in the 22nd Century followed by 100 years of oppression and slavery until finally the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
wearied of Narn resistance and withdrew. This left a bitter enmity of the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
and led to the Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
s rapidly carving out an empire for themselves, initially using scavenged ships but later integrating the fruits of their numerous dealings with other worlds. Governed by the Kha'Ri, this strategy of background dealings served them well until the Centauri
Centauri (Babylon 5)
The Centauri are a humanoid species in the fictional universe of the Babylon 5 television series. They were the first alien species to make open contact with the human race. Their homeworld is Centauri Prime, a small Earth-like planet consisting of two large continents and several smaller islands...
backed by the mysterious Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
invaded them for a second time in 2259. Eventually breaking free from this occupation the Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
emerged weakened but keen to retake their rightful place in the galaxy and were one of the founding members of the Interstellar Alliance
Interstellar Alliance
The Interstellar Alliance is a fictional interstellar government of civilizations in the Babylon 5 universe.Formed in 2261 AD in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth and the Shadow War, the Interstellar Alliance was formed between the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, the Earth Alliance and the...
Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
fleets are built around brute force, being powerful yet unsubtle. A favoured tactic is the long-ranged bombardment of an enemy with energy mines before closing with their beams and arrays of lighter weapons. Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
ships are built solidly, with few active defences, relying instead on weathering the punishment inflicted on them directly. This leads to Narn tactics of long-ranged beam and energy mine salvoes followed by pushing into the centre of an enemy position if possible. Poor speed and manoeuvrability of Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
ships often prevents this and many enemies attempt to stay out of range of the multiple Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
secondary weapons. The lighter Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
ships excel at bringing large amounts of firepower to bear on targets and any ship targeted by a Narn
Narn
The Narn are a fictional alien race in the universe of the Babylon 5 television series. Their homeworld is also called Narn.-Homeworld:Narn is the homeworld of the Narn and the Narn Regime. Its day is 31 hours long. Prior to the Centauri's first invasion, Narn was a healthy green planet. Now it...
fleet rarely survives for very long.
Abbai
The AbbaiCivilizations in Babylon 5
This article discusses fictional civilizations on the science-fiction television show Babylon 5.As the Babylon station was conceived as a political and cultural meeting place one of the show's many themes is the cultural and social interaction between civilizations...
are a semi-aquatic race with a matriarchal and deeply pacifist society. The Abbai
Civilizations in Babylon 5
This article discusses fictional civilizations on the science-fiction television show Babylon 5.As the Babylon station was conceived as a political and cultural meeting place one of the show's many themes is the cultural and social interaction between civilizations...
themselves are amphibious and build much of their planet's infrastructure at least partially submerged underwater. They are fully capable of acting normally on dry land and in space too, being as physically resilient as most other species. Their history of peaceful coexistence has allowed them to develop their technology to advanced levels without the disruptions war brings about. This has also led to their adopting an approach of diplomacy over open warfare and are a stabilising influence over the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
League of Non-Aligned Worlds
The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a fictional collection of races in the Babylon 5 universe.The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a loose confederation of independent worlds and minor species, most of whom had endured subjugation under the Centauri Republic at its height...
and later the Interstellar Alliance
Interstellar Alliance
The Interstellar Alliance is a fictional interstellar government of civilizations in the Babylon 5 universe.Formed in 2261 AD in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth and the Shadow War, the Interstellar Alliance was formed between the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, the Earth Alliance and the...
.
Their fleets reflect their society and Abbai
Civilizations in Babylon 5
This article discusses fictional civilizations on the science-fiction television show Babylon 5.As the Babylon station was conceived as a political and cultural meeting place one of the show's many themes is the cultural and social interaction between civilizations...
ships are as a result almost impregnably tough due to their advanced armour, shielding and particle impeders but lack the heavy weaponry other fleets possess. Although less manoeuvrable than other races' ships, Abbai
Civilizations in Babylon 5
This article discusses fictional civilizations on the science-fiction television show Babylon 5.As the Babylon station was conceived as a political and cultural meeting place one of the show's many themes is the cultural and social interaction between civilizations...
ships have weapons with great coverage so are rarely outflanked and work best in a close fight where the enemy has to face guns in every direction. Lacking the support of a good fighter or heavy firepower, the Abbai
Civilizations in Babylon 5
This article discusses fictional civilizations on the science-fiction television show Babylon 5.As the Babylon station was conceived as a political and cultural meeting place one of the show's many themes is the cultural and social interaction between civilizations...
often form a coordinated fleet with other races in the League of Non-Aligned Worlds
League of Non-Aligned Worlds
The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a fictional collection of races in the Babylon 5 universe.The League of Non-Aligned Worlds was a loose confederation of independent worlds and minor species, most of whom had endured subjugation under the Centauri Republic at its height...
. With the advent of the Drakh War the Abbai declared a holy war
Religious war
A religious war; Latin: bellum sacrum; is a war caused by, or justified by, religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to...
on the Drakh and unleashed the distinctly un-Abbai Juyaca Dreadnought - a ship with the sole intention of destruction of enemy fleets and ending the Drakh
Drakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
threat.
Raiders
Raider is the name given to many groups of pirates, bounty hunters and smugglers of varying nationality. Most Raider groups consist of just a few dozen fighters and their pilots, occasionally with a small supply ship to back them up. However, some bands gain sufficient wealth and notoriety so as to purchase a large mothership and many fighters and attract larger numbers of pilots to help. Sometimes with their purchasing information such as shipping routes and being a large enough force, they can even cause significant threats to the local governments and military. Many of these groups don't survive long as there is no real system of trust or fellowship but this doesn't stop them inflicting significant harm on trade routes. The largest groups may even receive indirect support from League governments interested in disrupting local, rival nations.Most Raider fleets consist of large numbers of fighters, backed up by a few larger support ships. Most of their ships are undergunned and slow but can prove surprisingly durable. Given their commitments and limited resources, most Raider fleets succeed best when they hit suddenly, using their faster fighters, then retreat quickly before attrition cripples their expensive motherships. This tactic works well with smaller engagements although due to a lack of warships, Raider commanders would do well to avoid larger conflicts.
Drakh
The DrakhDrakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
are a secretive race and were dedicated servants of the Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
until they left the galaxy in 2261. After this time, they took it upon themselves to continue the Shadows'
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
work and to take revenge upon those whom they saw as responsible for forcing the Shadows
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
away. Their plans were on two main levels, one an underground campaign of infiltration on Centauri Prime and the other, a more open war on the Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
and the Interstellar Alliance
Interstellar Alliance
The Interstellar Alliance is a fictional interstellar government of civilizations in the Babylon 5 universe.Formed in 2261 AD in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth and the Shadow War, the Interstellar Alliance was formed between the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, the Earth Alliance and the...
. They attempted to unleash a Shadow
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
Planet Killer on Earth itself but were foiled at the last moment (see Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (movie)
Babylon 5: A Call to Arms
A Call To Arms is the fourth feature-length film set in the Babylon 5 universe . It was written by J. Michael Straczynski, directed by Mike Vejar, and originally aired January 3, 1999.-Summary:...
and instead unleashed a deadly Shadow tech plague. Their legacy continues and their secretive nature makes them a very difficult opponent to defeat.
Drakh
Drakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
ships are based upon Shadow
Shadow (Babylon 5)
The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
technology and are highly advanced. Their hulls may not be as tough physically as those of other races' ships but this is more than compensated for by a combination of high-powered gravitic energy grids and nimble Raiders. Their ships carry deadly beam weaponry that causes great damage but generally lack the range of other fleets. However, their strength lies in numbers and it is a common sight to see Drakh
Drakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
carriers unloading hordes of Raiders to swarm and overwhelm their enemy. Individually these ships may be weak, but in packs a wise enemy must scatter the Drakh
Drakh
The Drakh are a fictional alien race in the Babylon 5 universe. The Drakh were dark servants for the race of First Ones known as the Shadows. They appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Babylon 5 as well as the television movie, A Call to Arms...
forces before they can form up and present an impenetrable wedge of ships.