L-C3O7 system, Fade region. On the 28th of January at 17:00 EVE Standard Time, a squadron of Imperium super capitals was caught moving, leading to an impromptu battle between Imperium forces and a half a dozen entities over the tackled ships.
The chain of events that led to the incident started with a Hax. [HAX.] gang roaming the Fade region. As the force moved through the region, it encountered a squadron of Imperium titans and supercarriers moving via gates in the C4C-Z4 system. Without any sub-capital support, the super capitals were easily tackled by the lone interdictor with the force on the L-C307 gate, while pings were quickly sent for potential allies to help as Hax. and The OSS [OSS] organized a more fitting fleet.
One of the first to respond was WE FORM V0LTA [GLHF] who brought additional interdictors and support as the super capitals attempted to escape by jumping into the L-C3O7 system with the Hax. and WE FORM V0LTA interdictors following suit. However several of the super capitals had smartbombs fitted, and managed to destroy the interdiction probes around them before initiating an emergency jump out of the system. Still, approximately 2 titans and 7 supercarriers were still held captive, with enemies pouring into the system.
The Tackled Imperium Super Capitals on the C4C-Z4 Gate in L-C3O7 System
Though exact numbers are uncertain, Hax. and The OSS brought an Oracle battlecruiser fleet, Project.Mayhem. [16-13] and allies had a Gila cruiser fleet while Out of Sight. [OOS] came in a Cerberus heavy assault cruiser fleet. Pandemic Legion [-10.0] arrived in a Sleipnir command ship fleet after a joint Machariel battleship fleet comprised of Snuffed Out [B B C], Psychotic Tendencies. [TISHU] and Suddenly Spaceships. [CYN0U] among others landed on top of the tackled super capitals.
While most of the fleets maintained range from the behemoths, warping to perches and maintaining a healthy distance from the enormous ships, the Machariel fleet landed on top of them. However before the assembled forces could start the slow and arduous task of breaking the tank of the gigantic ships, Imperium reinforcements started arriving in the system, in the form of a Hurricane battlecruiser fleet which jumped straight into the Machariels.
With the supercarriers landing their fighters’ support, the Hurricane fleet was able to break the tank of the Machariels, inflicting several losses to the fleet though suffering many in return. Regardless, the Machariel fleet was in a bad position and losing mainline ships. Quickly, it chose to withdraw, leaving the other assembled fleets to fight the Imperium on their on.
Pandemic Legion’s Sleipnirs, backed by the other fleets on grid, quickly descended on the Hurricane fleet. After a quick exchange, the Hurricane fleet was annihilated, torn to shreds by the assembled hostile fleets which overwhelmed its logistics wing and simply volleyed the battlecruisers. However, by this time the few cynosural inhibitors which were deployed on the field by the allied fleets were destroyed by both the Hurricane fleet and the tackled super capitals, allowing one of the supercarriers to light a cynosural beacon. Thus, an entire Imperium capital fleet managed to enter the field, effectively saving the super capitals.
Imperium Reinforcements Jumping in
With the tackled Imperium super capitals now saved by the presence of an entire carrier fleet, the allied fleets knew they could not break, or even attempt to fight the gathered Imperium force. Quickly, the fleets increased their distance from the assembled Imperium force, hoping to pounce on any unlucky super capital or carrier that might bump off the mass of ships.
However, as time went by and no Imperium capitals or super capitals bumped, and with news of more Imperium sub-capital fleets en-route, the different fleets decided to extract. One by one, the different fleets withdrew from the system, allowing the Imperium to safely escort its super capitals back to its staging, ending the fight.
The Battle from the Perspective of the Tackled Super Capitals
Battle report for the L-C3O7 system can be found here.
All told the battle lasted an hour with the system hosting 400 pilots at the peak of a fighting and no Time Dilation reported.
Imperium forces lost 65 ships including 27 battlecruisers for a total of 11.7 billion ISK damage.
Allied forces lost 72 ships including 10 battleships, 1 command ship, 2 battlecruisers and 1 heavy assault cruiser for a total of 25.09 billion ISK damage.
Salivan Harddin is a member of Reikoku, Pandemic Legion, and covers battles across New Eden
