F-EM4Q system, Wicked Creek region. On the 14th of June, 20:00 EVE Standard Time, a massive fleet fight between the Red Menace Coalition (Red Alliance [RA] and its allies}, Test Alliance Please Ignore [TEST] and Pandemic Legion [-10.0] took place in the system, leading to no less than 85 Bil ISK lost, including many Capital ships.
[TEST] and the Red Menace Coalition (From here on referred to as RMC) have been engaged in a war for the last couple of weeks, with both sides reinforcing sovereignty structures and towers around the region. The fight in F-EM4Q system itself was over an R64 moon belonging to [RA], which was exiting reinforced mode.
RMC formed for the timer, bringing a Dominix Battleship fleet. The fleet arrived in the system and set up next to the tower. [TEST] organized its own fleet, consisting mainly of a Maelstorm Battleship wing, which warped at range of the tower and engaged the RMC fleet.
[-10.0] were contacted by [TEST] before the fight and formed for the timer, bringing a Proteus Strategic Cruiser fleet. The plan was for the fleet to bridge into the system once [TEST] forces engaged the RMC fleet and assist [TEST].
However, that plan changed once it was found out the [TEST] Fleet Commander leaked it to his fleet members. This not only put the plan in jeopardy, but could have caused the RMC forces to stand down, if they had spies in the fleet which would mean no fight and a complete waste of everyone’s time. Thus, the [-10.0] Fleet Commander decided to teach [TEST] a lesson.
[-10.0] forces bridged into the system as planned and warped on top of the RMC forces, joining the fray. A long and grueling battle developed as the three fleets engaged on the tower, the Strategic Cruisers slowly breaking the Dominix Battleships who in turn volleyed off Maelstroms. This continued for a few minutes, before the tower left reinforced mode and [TEST], confident of their position with [-10.0] forces occupying the RMC fleet, brought in a Capital squadron to remove the tower.
It was the moment [-10.0] was waiting for. [-10.0] forces quickly disengaged, warping to a perch then back down again near the RMC Dominix fleet and the [TEST] Capitals, the [TEST] Maelstroms anchoring close by. [-10.0] quickly lit a cynosural beacon and brought a full Dreadnought squadron of its own to the field, while quickly tackling the [TEST] Capitals as the sub-capitals chased away the RMC and [TEST] fleets. The [-10.0] Dreadnoughts targeted the [TEST] Capitals, who melted under their fire, the sub-capitals done with chasing off the other fleets adding their firepower to the mix.
While some [TEST] Capitals managed to escape, the majority didn’t make it and were destroyed to the last. Once the massacre was complete [-10.0] safely extracted from the system, leaving [TEST] and RMC to continue fighting over the moon. [TEST] did manage to finally hold the moon but at a great cost, as the two forces clashed nearly 2 full hours afterwards before [TEST] could claim victory.
The Initial Fight from Pandemic Legion’s PoV, Courtesy of fin1712
With this, hostilities in the F-EM4Q system came to an end.
Battle report for the F-EM4Q system can be found here.
All told, during the height of the fighting the system hosted close to 650 pilots with Time Dilation being noticeable, reaching to the soul crushing 10% at one point. The battle from start to end lasted 3 whole hours, with the main part taking approximately an hour with continued skirmishes and fights taking place from then onward.
[TEST] suffered the majority of the losses, 14 Capitals and 39 Battleships, as well as many assorted ships for 61.6 Bil ISK of damage. RMC lost 51 Battleships and many assorted ships, for 21.1 Bil ISK of damage. [-10.0] lost 7 ships, only 1 of which was a Strategic Cruiser, for a negligible 1.5 Bil ISK.
[TEST] did manage to secure the strategic objective of holding the moon, but at a very high price. While RMC has been defeated, the victory came mainly through [-10.0]’s intervention, which as can be seen, is a double edged sword.
The war over supremacy in the East of New Eden between [TEST] and RMC continues as the two sides square off, with [TEST] relying ever more greatly on [-10.0]’s help. However, this reliance has come back to bite [TEST], whose misplaced pride has brought on it the ire of [-10.0] Fleet Commanders. Perhaps this lesson will remind [TEST] of the importance of operational security, though history begs to differ.
Special thanks to Annu, of Reikoku, Pandemic Legion and fin1712 of Hoover Inc., Pandemic Legion for supplying video footage of the fight.
Salivan Harddin writes for The EVE Scribe, Providence Bloc’s News Portal. When he isn’t busy writing articles, he usually DCs during fleets.
