Mass Effect '5' speculation (Official Thread)

Since the reapers have been around for about 1 billion years, and each cycle takes place every 50 000 years, that means they have about 20 000 capital ships

I believe it was Casey Hudson or Patrick Weekes said that only a few destroyers are lost each cycle while one  capital ship is lost every few cycles.

I will use the number 3 to represent few.

That means that 6 667 capitals ships have been destroyed, if I use the 50 000 year cycle over 1 billion years and 60 000 destroyers have been destroyed in the last 1 billion years. 

So when the reapers arrive at the beginning of our cycle they have about 13 333 capital ships plus destroyers, processing ships and troop transport ships

Leviathan mentions that the intelligence directed the reapers to build the relays so the number from above could be lower. If the reapers have been around longer than 1 billion years, then the number above most likely would be higher. At the moment its just speculation until Bioware says how long the 50 000 year cycle has been happening

If using the 13 333 number from above, there is no way we have a chance to defeat them without the crucible. Had the reapers not been stupid in ME3, the crucible wouldn't have been built. With that number the reapers have, the only way to defeat them is to find the plans for the crucible, build it and then use it before the reapers enter the galaxy

All the reapers had to do is send some capital ships to the Citadel. What if the arms are closed? Who cares? The reapers just remain outside of the station destroying any ship that approaches. The other thing is they can post a few reapers at each relay to prevent anyone leaving the system, and destroy any that enter the system through the relay. Reapers win.