V-3YG7 system, Catch region. On the 14th of March, at 18:00 EVE Standard Time, a HERO Coalition fleet was annihilated en route to capture the FAT-6P system.
The HERO Coalition fleet, a Tengu Strategic Cruiser fleet of around 190 pilots strong, un-docked from the GE-8JV station, HERO Coalition’s staging system, and warped to the V-3YG7 Gate, in order to travel down the pipe and reach the FAT-6P system, which HERO Coalition has been attempting to conquer from Northern Coalition(dot).
Pandemic Legion, though, was aware of the fleet’s goal and had Interdictors prepared in advance. Once the Tengu fleet jumped through the V-3YG7 gate, the Interdictors jumped after them, launching interdiction probes and trapping them on the GE-8JV gate. This allowed Pandemic Legion to catch up to them with a 90 pilot Proteus Strategic Cruiser fleet, which bridged into the GE-8JV system and quickly followed through.
The two fleets engaged immediately at close range, with the Tengus attempting to pull range but being webbed down by the Proteus. The Pandemic Legion fleet slowly chipped away at the strength of the HERO Coalition fleet, able to tank the incoming damage. However, due to a miscommunication, Triage Carriers were brought to the field on Pandemic Legion’s side.
HERO Coalition attempted to do away with the Triage Carriers, by bringing in 3 Dreadnoughts on top of them. As they were attempting to destroy the Archon Carriers, Pandemic Legion’s Interdictors had the Dreadnoughts bubbled and a cynosural beacon was lit, ushering in a Pandemic Legion super-capital wing, of several Titans and Mothership support.
The newly arrived force quickly dispatched the HERO capitals, while at the same time, the Tengu fleet attempted to de-aggress and jump back into the GE-8JV system. However, their plan was foiled by Pandemic Legion reinforcements, who were waiting for them. The Tengus tried to burn away from the V-3YG7 gate but were quickly bubbled. Only a handful managing to extract and reach the safety of their station.
Pandemic Legion cleared the field of any remaining hostiles, then proceeded to safely extract its super-capital force, followed quickly by its Proteus fleet.
Battle report for the V-3YG7 system can be found here.
All told, Time Dilation proved to be a non existent factor for the battle. During the fighting, in both systems, the local population did not exceed 400 pilots. HERO Coalition suffered a devastating defeat, losing a large bulk of their Tengus, a loss that is summed not only in ISK, but Skill Points as well.
221 ships were lost in the fighting, for a sum of 30 Bil ISK in damages, almost all of it done to HERO Coalition.
In the wake of the battle, there have been dissenting voices heard in HERO Coalition about the management of the war, as evident in their Middle Management Meeting.
Whether HERO Coalition can continue and withstand the pressure applied to it by Pandemic Legion, or is on the verge of collapse, will be seen in the next few weeks as the conflicts continues.
Special thanks to fin1712, of Hover Inc(dot), Pandemic Legion, for the video of the fighting.