Shafrak system, Aridia region. On the 19th of December at 18:45 EVE Standard Time, forces belonging to Northern Coalition. [NC] clashed with LowSechnaya Sholupen [-LSH-] and their allies in the system over towers in the region.
The battle was sparked over three towers in the neighboring Nalnifan system which were previously reinforced by Northern Coalition. as part of their campaign to take over the region’s moons in preparation for the winter holidays. The towers were set to exit reinforced mode around 19:00 EVE Standard Time and both sides were gearing up for a major fight.
Northern Coalition. formed a Machariel battleship fleet with five triage carriers in support as well as two dreadnought squadrons intended for removing the hostile towers and deterring any attempt at a counter capital escalation. The entire fleet reached 160 pilots as it made its way towards the target system.
In defense of the towers, LowSechnaya Sholupen called allies to bolster its numbers including The Afterlife. [D3ATH]. Together they formed an estimated 140 pilot Loki strategic cruiser fleet. This force quickly set up on the Defsunun gate in the Shafrak system, the most likely route for Northern Coalition. forces to travel through to their destination.
Northern Coalition. forces jumped into the Shafrak system only to be greeted by the Loki fleet sitting on their in gate at zero. The Northern Coalition. fleet quickly de-cloaked and anchored up as the two sides opened fire, starting the fight.
The battle was a brutal exchange from the start. The Lokis’ artillery cannons bombarded the armor of the Machariels who retaliated with rapid auto-cannon fire which quickly overwhelmed the Lokis’ shields. The amount of damage poured by both sides was staggering. Neither side’s logistics wing could cope with the hail of shells and rounds exchanged, leading to many Loki and Machariel losses as both sides hammered furiously at each other.
While the Machariels attempted to draw a bit of range from their opponents, the Lokis flew into their formation, the two fleets quickly tangling up. This was done in the hopes of reducing the Machariels auto-cannons’ tracking, which turned to be ineffective.
As losses mounted on both sides, it seems the Northern Coalition. fleet was the first to stabilize, aided by its triage carriers. As the number of Lokis dwindled, so did their ability to volley the Machariels. Unable to break the enemy fleet and suffering continued losses, the Loki fleet quickly retreated, a few of its members caught by the many heavy interdictors present in the ranks of the Machariel fleet and subsequently destroyed.
The Battle on the Defsunun Gate in Shafrak from the Perspective of the Northern Coalition. Fleet
Having won the field, the Northern Coalition. force then proceeded to the Nalnifan system and started removing the hostile towers. However, the Loki fleet was not done yet. Rallying its forces, the Loki fleet entered the Nalnifan system and started a series of hit and run attacks on the Machariel fleet, warping at maximum range from the hostile force and firing a few salvos before warping off again.
Northern Coalition. forces were unable to respond at first to the attacks, losing a few ships with every attack. And yet, a counter was quickly found with the Machariels switching to artillery cannons. When the Loki fleet warped again in order to prey on the hostile fleet, its artillery fire was soon answered with a devastating barrage. In rapid succession Loki strategic cruisers were annihilated as the artillery shells overwhelmed shields and shredded the fragile hulls.
Unable to sustain the damage, the Loki fleet finally retreated, conceding the field to the Machariel force. This allowed Northern Coalition. to remove the last of the hostile towers without opposition. Having secured the moons, Northern Coalition. forces then extracted from the system, bringing hostilities to a close.
Battle report for the Shafrak and Nalnifan systems can be found here.
All told the battle on its various parts lasted an hour with a few long interludes. Time Dilation was reported but seems to have had no major impact on the course of the battle with the system of Shafrak hosting approximately 320 pilots at the start of the fighting.
Northern Coalition. forces lost 21 ships including 15 battleships for a total of 10.28 billion ISK damage. LowSechnaya Sholupen and their allies lost 61 ships including 48 strategic cruisers for a total of 27.76 billion ISK damage.
Salivan Harddin is a member of Reikoku, Pandemic Legion, and covers battles across New Eden
