9-KWXC system, Geminate region. On the 29th of May, 19:00 EVE Standard Time. Pandemic Legion [-10.0] forces ambushed an Imperium fleet mainly consisting of Circle-Of-Two [CO2} and RAZOR Alliance [-RZR-] in the system, resulting in what can be described as a one sided massacre.
The Imperium fleet was around 150 pilots strong Tengu Strategic Cruiser fleet making its way towards the Drone Lands to participate in a fight over a station timer. [-10.0] forces had intelligence about the fleet’s movements, and utilizing a wormhole, managed to get ahead of it in a Proteus Strategic Cruiser fleet of around 110 pilots. The [-10.0] force quickly set up on the 9-KWXC gate in the 3USX-F system, which the Imperium fleet had to take in order to reach the fight.
However, the Imperium fleet managed to scout the [-10.0] fleet in advance, and decided to anchor up at range of the 3USX-F gate, daring the [-10.0] fleet to jump into it. Knowing the Imperium fleet had the advantage in numbers and in position, the [-10.0] fleet decided to double back, hoping to lure the Imperium fleet into the system. This turned out to work quite well, as the Imperium fleet jumped in as the [-10.0] force left the system.
Pandemic Legion’s Fleet Awaiting the Enemy, Courtesy of Paul Trier
Unknown to it though, was the fact [-10.0] had Interdictors on the gate cloaked and ready. Bubbles went up, the [-10.0] fleet jumped back into the system and warped to the gate. The Imperium fleet was in disarray, and decided to retreat, burning back to the gate and jumping into 9-KWXC. There, it was met by more Interdictors who jumped with it, bubbling as they went along. [-10.0] was also a short distance from the gate and burned towards it, jumping after the Imperium fleet.
For the Imperium’s part, the Tengus decided to anchor near the gate while the Logistics wing sat on the gate at zero. As [-10.0] forces jumped in and regrouped, this allowed them to basically annihilate most of the Logistics wing. With their Logistics in shambles, the Tengu’s turn came next. The Proteus had points and webs fitted, and quickly tackled a large part of the Tengu fleet. One by one the Tengus went down, as they tried to burn away from the bubbles and warp off.
The Two Fleets Engage in 9-KWXC, Courtesy of Paul Trier
Finally most of what remained of the Tengu fleet managed to free itself of the bubbles and warped to the P-E9GN gate, jumping in with [-10.0] in hot pursuit. There, the Tengus did not even try to regroup, but rather attempted an escape. A few were nabbed, but the rest got away. [-10.0] camped the gate for a few minutes, clearing stragglers before safely extracting from the system.
Footage of the Battle from Pandemic Legion’s PoV, Courtesy of fin1712
Battle report for the 9-KWXC system can be found here.
The system saw nearly 300 pilots at the peak of the fighting, with Time Dilation not reported during the fight. All told the fighting lasted close to half an hour.
The butcher’s bill stands at 21.6 Bil ISK lost, almost all of it by the Imperium, in the form of 62 ships, 35 of which were Strategic Cruisers. [-10.0] for its part lost only 6 ships, mostly tackle, totaling at 400 Mil ISK.
This battle represents once more the importance of intelligence in the New Eden universe. The use of information, planning and scout work enabled the execution of an almost perfect ambush, resulting in such great losses.
Special thanks to the following: Wrik Hoover, of Hoover Inc. Pandemic Legion [-10.0] for granting an interview, Paul Trier, of Hoover Inc. Pandemic Legion [-10.0], who supplied the screenshots and fin1712, of Hoover Inc. Pandemic Legion [-10.0] for supplying the video footage.
Salivan Harddin writes for The EVE Scribe, Providence Bloc’s News Portal. When he isn’t busy writing articles, he usually gets jammed by ECM drones during fleet fights.
