The major battle at 9-4RP2 may be over. But the war drags on. On the 23rd of January, Imperium forces were turned back from the Keepstar. The loss was hardly devastating, but it was decisive. They retreated, and the Keepstar repaired. Sure, there were GSF structures in 9-4RP2 to clear up; but it was thought the action was over.
This was not the case. Initially, the Imperium did indeed leave the Keepstar alone. However, when Horde announced its move to Geminate, they sprang back into action. A quirk of mechanics means that if a structure is reinforced, then its unanchoring timer is canceled. This means that it cannot be removed safely.
Before Upwell 2.0, this wasn’t a concern. You just timed the unanchoring when the structure was not vulnerable. However, now that a structure’s shields can be attacked at any time, a determined effort can stop the unanchoring.
And the Imperium have put in a determined effort. Initiative. led the effort, using MJD Ravens. Though they suffered heavy losses, they succeeded in stopping the unanchor timer on the 15th of February. Heavy skirmishes have continued over the last few weeks.
The northern forces responded by deploying capitals and super capitals to clear Imperium structures in 9-4RP2. They intended to swiftly remove staging posts for Imperium members attacking the Keepstar. This has been relatively successful.
Meanwhile, some veteran players have voiced concerns over the current mechanic. Doomchinchilla, of PL, noted that this mechanic was problematic. It meant that a defender had to be on guard at all times. This problem was raised with Sort Dragon, of CSM 12, to see if an action could be taken.
However, these concerns have not been universal. Moomin Amatin, a writer at the Imperium News Network, noted that a Keepstar was a very valuable fortification. Therefore, that it should not be trivial to move it around. This narrative, perhaps unsurprisingly, has gained sympathy within various southern powers.
While, at the moment, the Imperium is not taking action in 9-4RP2, there is still risk to the Keepstar. Northern fleets stand ready to defend it. The action is still very much ongoing – and very much in doubt.
