CNC-4V system, Catch region. In the early hours of the 19th of May, 7:00 EVE Standard Time, The Kadeshi [THOR] lost no less than 3 Super Carriers and their support fleet to forces belonging to Against ALL Authorities [-A-] and Pandemic Legion in the system.
Since the ejection of HERO Coalition the region of Catch has been in flux, with many alliances and coalitions seeking to lay claim to it. One of those powers seem to be the DARKeshi (DARKNESS. [DARK.] and [THOR]’s partnership), who have been hitting the BRP2-K constellation which is adjacent to their holdings in the Querious region. The constellation holds the most valuable ratting space in the region, and with the apparent weakness of [-A-], seemed an easy target.
However, Pandemic Legion has kept a close eye on the region, and in the past two weeks managed to destroy [THOR] assets as they traveled from their holdings in the East down to Querious, including a Titan, a Super Carrier and a few Rorqual Capital Industrials. It also disrupted several attempts by [THOR]’s sub-capital fleets of taking stations in the pocket. All of that did not seem to deter [THOR] though, and 3 Super Carriers supported by a Triage Archon Carrier and a Dominix Battleship fleet, perhaps 20 pilots strong, made way to the CNC-4V system in order to quickly grind it down, as the station was suppose to exit reinforce mode in the early hours of the morning.
The station timer did not go unnoticed, and though [-A-] didn’t attempt to contest previous attempts, it also saw the increased use of Super Capitals by [THOR]. Thus, the decided to try and lay a trap, hoping to catch [THOR] Super Capitals. They had the system scouted in advance, the safe tower put there by [THOR] bookmarked and Interdictors on the ready. Waiting patiently for [THOR] to come in, and keeping clear from the system, [-A-] looked for the notification of their sovereignty being jeopardized. Once the [THOR] Super Carriers started work on the station, the pings were received and the trap sprung. [-A-] burned the Interdictors into the system, sending one to cloak off the tower while racing for tackle on the station.
At first there was a moment of disappointment, as it turned out the Super Carriers managed to warp off the station grid, followed by joy as the lone Interdictor off the tower managed to deploy his bubble in time, dragging the three Super Carriers quite a distance from the safety of the shields. Quickly the other Interdictors rushed in to help deploy more bubbles while calling for allies to come to their aid, as the support fleet landed on grid as well and attempted to clear the Interdictors off the field.
The calls were answered and Pandemic Legion rage formed, sending squads of Interdictors ahead to reinforce while logging in Titans and Super Carriers, rushing them into jump distance of the system. Hard Knocks Citizens [HKRAB] who had an exit close by were called upon as well, asked to bring Interdictors and help keep the Super Carriers bubbled, as Pandemic Legion’s own Super Capital fleet filtered into the system.
The First Pandemic Legion Super Capitals Entering the System
At first it seemed one of the Nyx Super Carriers would make it into the tower’s shields, as it managed to burn close. All damage was focused on it, Interdictors attempting to futilely bump it away as Titans waited the cool down timers of their Doomsday weapons. Reaching the safety of the shields a second too late, the Nyx exploded as the Pandemic Legion Super Carriers refitted for maximum damage, its wreck and the pilot’s capsule, ironically, spawning inside the shields. The other Super Carriers were too far from the shields to worry Pandemic Legion of their ability to escape, and were dispatched with ease.
[THOR]’s sub-capital fleet was still skirting the edge of the fight, and was quickly bubbled as well. The Battleships attempted to use their Micro Jump Drives and escape the bubbles, only to be caught once again by other Interdictors, and quickly decimated by the swarm of Fighter drones deployed by the mass of Super Carriers now on field.
Once the field was properly looted, the Pandemic Legion fleet extracted safely from the system, ending the fight.
Battle report for the CCN-4V system can be found here.
The system saw less than a 100 pilots in local during the fight, with no Time Dilation reported. From the moment of initial tackle until final extraction, the battle took less than 20 minutes.
All told [THOR] lost 84 Bil ISK in ships, including 2 Nyx and 1 Aeon Super Carriers, 1 Archon Carrier and 5 Battleships as well as 2 Heavy Assault Cruisers. For [-A-] and Pandemic Legion, most losses were in the form of Interdictors, losing 16 ships for 1 Bil ISK of damages.
Apparently the [THOR] members were warned about the continued use of Super Capital assets in Catch, but did not listen, thinking themselves safe even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Perhaps after today’s events, they will heed future warnings.
Salivan Harddin writes for The EVE Scribe, Providence Bloc’s News Portal. When he isn’t busy writing articles, he usually fails to loot Super wrecks fast enough.
