9UY4-H system, Providence region. On the 14th of November at 20:00 EVE Standard Time, Providence Bloc forces clashed with Spectre Fleet in the system.
Spectre Fleet organized a 180 pilot Raven battleship fleet in the system of Esa in the Tash-Murkon region. Providence Bloc was not blind to this, and assembled its own forces before Spectre Fleet could move out, reaching approximately 150 pilots in assorted shield battlecruisers. The force moved to the H6-CX8 system, where it set up on the 9UY4-H gate.
However, as Spectre Fleet forces moved towards 9UY4-H, a The Gorgon Empire [-GE-] mixed fleet of Tempest battleships and Drake battlecruisers, estimated at 50 pilots, entered 9UY4-H as well and quickly set up on the H6-CX8 gate. Providence Bloc decided to engage it first, rather than risk being sandwiched between two hostile fleets, and jumped into 9UY4-H.
The two fleets started exchanging fire on the H6-CX8 gate. The engagement started at close range but The Gorgon Empire fleet quickly pulled range, putting more distance between it and Providence Bloc. Both sides managed to volley mainline ships, turning the exchange into a brutal trade of ships as Spectre Fleet forces raced to the system.
Providence Bloc and The Gorgon Empire Exchanging Fire on the H6-CX8 Gate in the 9UY4-H System
Providence Bloc, having scouts on the other side, saw the Spectre Fleet force arriving and decided to disengage as it entered the system. With Providence Bloc forces withdrawing, Spectre Fleet quickly anchored up and attempted to engage The Gorgon Empire fleet. However, after a bruising exchange Spectre Fleet forces found out they could not break the tank of The Gorgon Empire battleships.
And yet, The Gorgon Empire decided to retreat, possibly concerned about a return of Providence Bloc’s fleet to the field. Its fleet swiftly warped to a celestial, prompting Spectre Fleet to give chase, but to no avail. Providence Bloc used the opportunity of both fleets being off grid to return to the H6-CX8 gate. Once its forces were on the gate it jumped out and set up on the other side.
Providence Bloc Forces Set Up on the 9UY4-H Gate in the H6-CX8 System
Spectre Fleet forces returned to the gate grid, their hunt for The Gorgon Empire fleet unfruitful. Learning that Providence Bloc forces jumped out and were prepared on the other side of the H6-CX8 gate caused Spectre Fleet forces to hesitate and consider their options, thus lingering on grid. It was the moment the Providence Bloc stealth bomber squadron waited for, executing a bombing run on the dazed Spectre Fleet force. Having lost quite a bit of support ships, the bombing run was enough to convince Spectre Fleet to engage Providence Bloc.
The force quickly warped to the gate and jumped in to H6-CX8. Once it loaded grid. the Spectre Fleet force aligned to the D61A-G gate and started exchanging fire with the Providence Bloc fleet which remained on the 9UY4-H gate itself. While the logistics wing of Spectre Fleet burnt ahead, the Ravens used their microjumpdrives to create a gap between themselves and the Providence Bloc fleet, though a few were tackled and swiftly destroyed before making the jump. Now the battle became a long range affair, with the two sides exchanging missile, artillery and rail gun fire.
During the fighting, a Thanatos carrier jumped in the middle of the battlefield, catching both sides by surprise. Quickly, pilots from both fleets concentrated fire and took down the carrier before engaging each other once more. However it quickly became quite apparent to the Spectre Fleet fleet commanders that the exchange was going badly for them. For every Providence Bloc ship they took down, they traded 2, sometimes 3 in return. Added to that was the continued bomber activity and the dwindling of support. With The Gorgon Empire fleet still lurking around, it was time to cut losses short.
The Carrier Tackled and Taking Fire from Both Fleets
Spectre Fleet forces attempted to retreat, prompting a chase by Providence Bloc forces through several systems. In each system Spectre Fleet forces lost a few stragglers but managed to out run Providence Bloc and exit the region with more than half their fleet still intact. Providence Bloc forces, unable to chase the Spectre Fleet forces into high security space, turned their attention to The Gorgon Empire fleet which was still loitering in the region. A second chase led to The Gorgon Empire fleet fleeing as well.
With the region once more secure, Providence Bloc forces returned to their staging, ending large scale hostilities for the day.
Battle report for the 9UY4-H system can be found here.
All told the battle lasted an hour with local hosting around 400 pilots at the peak of the fighting and Time Dilation being barely noticeable and quickly dissipating.
Providence Bloc lost 42 ships including 15 battlecruisers for a total of 6.62 billion ISK damage. Spectre Fleet lost 114 ships including 24 battleships for a total of 11.87 billion ISK. The Gorgon Empire lost 6 ships for 739 million ISK damage.
Salivan Harddin is a member of Reikoku, Pandemic Legion, and covers battles across New Eden
