Civilization Decline

The Sid Meier’s Civilization series is reaching its inevitable end

In previous drafts of this article I apologized for the clickbait headline but this time I decided not to. Partly because my childish mind finds it clever in a ‘13 year old’ kind of logic. Partly because I keep writing and deleting this article. What should have been a simple write up turned into a hellish week and a half of multiple drafts.

The difficulty comes from the subject matter. It took me several writing attempts to come to terms with what really bugged me with the Sid Meier’s Civilization series, and how that feeling came to be. In a way, it was shocking. The sort of revelation that had it occurred in a different field of my life would be life altering. However since it revolved around an aging and frankly, dying, computer game franchise had little importance.

The main problem the series always had was a lack of personality. I know that sounds a tad ludicrous. A turn based strategy game having “personality”? Sounds silly, I know. In reality though, games do have personality. It is born from a combination of factors such as graphics, art style (do not confuse the two!), dialogue, story, characters, voice acting, actual game mechanics and so forth. All of these come together to create the game’s “personality”. It is this personality that made me fall in love with Starcraft and Total Annihilation to name a few. It was the complete lack of it that made me drop long time series like Command and Conquer and its spin off Red Alert (why are the third installments always so horrendous?).

The Civilization series has always lacked a personality. In the past, that didn’t really matter since it had little to no competition. After all, the Civilization series was a trail blazer in its inception, putting turn based strategy on the map along with few other games. As time went on though, the Civilization series remained more or less the same while the landscape around it shifted and changed.

I am not going to sit here and claim the series itself hadn’t changed as well. It has certainly polished and further developed its mechanics, making leaps and bounds between certain entries. Graphics had certainly improved, so did the strategic depth to some degree. Tactical gameplay was even added with the removal of the dreaded “death stacks” (the ability to pile many units on the same tile and just demolish everything in their path) and unit upgrades. On the whole the series is far better mechanically and graphically than its previous iterations, but that is a given.

In a way, modern Civilization games remind me of an Ikea showroom or a trophy display case. Cold, alien and really boring. Sure it is well constructed and can be even impressive to watch when its all set in place like in the catalogue. Yet once you try to actually live in it or mess with it a bit, thats when things pretty much fall apart.

It wouldn’t have mattered much to me that current Civilization games are so mediocre, had it not been for Mandalore gaming’s review of Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri. Alpha Centauri is pretty much, hands down, the best game ever to come out of the Civilization series. A spin off published in 1999 which was revolutionary for its time. It is a game I still play from time to time to enjoy good story telling, characters and an imaginative world.

I am not going to review the whole game, instead I’ll add a link below to the original review by Mandalore. Of course, seeing an old review wasn’t really what brought me to re-evaluate the entire Civilization series. It was the tacked on review of Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth. If you are an Alpha Centauri fan, you would understand the hype that surrounded the game. We had been starving for years for a continuation, or at least an overhaul, of the original Alpha Centauri game into the modern mechanics of Sid Meier’s Civilization V. Civilization: Beyond Earth looked just like that. In the end though, all that hype led to disillusionment and anger at that product we were sold. It was no Alpha Centauri, just a re-skin of Civilization V with the barbarians changed into aliens and everything else being generic to the point of maddening.

Mandalore’s review (highly recommend)

Remembering that colossal failure really brought home just how generic and bland the Civilization series had become, or perhaps had always been. That sort of crystallizing moment where everything falls into place and you finally grasp the bigger picture. Civilization games had always been soulless, mechanical creations devoid of personality. Whatever fun features they had (like the palace that morphed with player achievements) were sandblasted away to deliver the most generic, safe experience. I can’t find real fault with Civilization V or Civilization VI’s core gameplay, but nowadays I can’t find any reason to play them either.

Its a scary thing, to outgrow a series you loved as a kid and as a teen, but it seems like Civilization has nothing really to offer me or any of my friends. We’ve moved on to games that either have more personality or are more mechanically complex. I’ve spent more time playing Paradox Interactive games or re-visiting older iterations such as Alpha Centauri. It is a sign of the times that I couldn’t bring myself to play more than an hour of Civilization V for the purposes of this article. As for purchasing a copy of Civilization VI, I couldn’t justify that to myself. Thankfully I had played a bit on a friend’s copy but overall it just didn’t capture my attention the same way Stellaris or Hearts of Iron IV do these days.

So why the anger, I asked myself? Why am I angry that these games that I loved no longer measure up to present standards? Why am I attacking their character, exposing them as nothing but mechanical constructs lacking a soul? Why am I so bitter about all of this? Well the answer had been provided a few paragraphs before. Because Alpha Centauri exists.

If you watched Mandalore’s review, you’d have seen that Alpha Centauri has the thing Civilization games lacked – Personality. The game oozes it. From the design of the factions, the datalink monologues which are superbly voice acted, the secret project’s (wonder equivalent) videos and base buildings, all of it creates it. Add to it the monument view, an actual story and the alien lifeforms being more than just mere nuisances, and you get a game that earns its place in gaming’s hall of fame. That game came out 20 years ago and seemed to promise not just a new direction for the series, but revolutionary features (such as complex unit customization).

I wrote before that Alpha Centauri was revolutionary for its time, and it certainly was. Sadly though,it didn’t prove to be the series’ French revolution, but rather the 1848 revolution (high brow history joke). In all seriousness, Alpha Centauri’s features never seemed to translate back to the rest of the series, which quickly abandoned it to focus on sandblasting every unique feature so it would all be smooth and easy to learn and generic.

In a conversation with my brother he highlighted that fact to me. Playing a civilization in Civilization V or Civilization VI is meaningless because outside of a couple of unique units, a unique building and a bonus or two, they are all interchangeable. What separates say Russia from Egypt? Egypt can build wonders faster while Russia gets more strategic resources. Compare that to the difference between the Spartans and the University in Alpha Centauri. Each faction had an ideology behind it which could be felt through the datalinks entries and secret projects. You knew what each stood for and how these ideologies came to be. You knew their leaders. Compare that to Civilization where there is no real difference between George Washington and Rahmsas II.

In my eyes, Civilization games became safe and homogeneous so as to appeal to everyone. As pointed out by friends and family, Civilization V was an easy jump in point for newcomers and veterans alike. It had new mechanics and enough changes in the formula to entice old players while proving very friendly to new players who had little to no experience in the turn based strategy genre. Couple it with the graphics and comfortable user interface and you got a very appealing game, for a while. Yet in terms of complexity or feeling, there really is nothing there. Completely soulless.

I pointed before that the series had been a trial blazer. That said, once a path had been established, others would come following through to stake their own claims. In the last decade, crowdfunding and medium sized publishers had been helping to nurse back turn based strategy games. After a long drought, we’ve seen a large boom in the genre with no signs of slowing down. Sure, not every game is a hit, and the Civilization series still dominates the market, but there is more competition which is willing to do what Civilization is too afraid to do: Take big risks.

Endless Legends is one of those competitors. I have my gripes with the game but I have to admit it has many of the strengths Alpha Centauri possesses. It has a narrative, unique factions, style and heaps of personality. Of course it is let down by its awful combat mechanics and laughable unit customization but it still tried. Yes, it faltered in some areas but it still made up for it in many others. On the whole I find it a much more memorable, much more replayable game than Civilization V is.

This was just one example of many, not to mention hybrid games which have taken advantage of advances in computer technology to bring new experiences to life. In this whirlwind of innovation and experimentation, the Civilization series is being rapidly left behind.

The worst part though, is that I know it could do better. 20 years ago the studio behind Civilization released a gem into the market in the form of Alpha Centauri. 9 years ago it overhauled many of the series’ core features. It has the people, the funds and ability. Yet when it tried to re-do Alpha Centauri, it failed spectacularly to the dismay of us all. I think that is the point that sticks with me the most. How could the minds behind Alpha Centauri be so unimaginative and boring 15 years later.

In the show “Misty”, the protagonist Go Hye-ran berates a co-worker that tried to steal her spot as the news anchor. The colleague bemoans Go Hye-ran’s iron grip on the anchor’s chair, saying she doesn’t have that much time in it either way due to her age. Go Hye-ran replies that she will keep that seat because unlike her competitor, she has known real hunger. Not that of the physical kind, but the hunger for the next scoop, the next scandal. Her competition may be younger, but it doesn’t possess the same hunger as her which is why she lost. As I wrote this article, that exchange popped back into my head. How fitting I thought to myself.

Civilization had cemented its spot at the top, but in doing so had become fat and lazy. It became corporate and safe, making that reliable cash but in return, forgot the very hunger that won it that spot. Now younger, hungrier studios are seeking to take its spot and considering the reception for Civilization VI, it may be losing that grip already.

I think that is the greatest tragedy of the Civilization series, its wasted potential. Maybe that is what angers me most. Or maybe I just want Alpha Centauri II…

Story Time

The real issue with lack of story in computer games

I have a habit of watching old reviews on YouTube. I either put them as background noise while playing strategy games, or watch them while eating. I enjoy listening over and over to the way different people analyze a game and present their opinions. The focus on certain aspects, the consistency or lack thereof in a series, the style of presentation, I find them all fascinating. I say this because I have recently watched several reviews of various Call of Duty and Battlefield titles.

In particular the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 reviews had weighed down on my mind. The game, the latest installment in a… somewhat(?) venerated series had launched without a single player campaign, which rubbed certain reviewers the wrong way. Now, I myself had not played a Call of Duty game ever since the first Modern Warfare title whose story was good, not great. I also understand, by watching reviews and reading comments, that the series’ main campaigns had been getting sillier and sillier with each installment. With many people playing Call of Duty for its online portion only, axing the single player campaign seems quite fine. Like removing a vestigial tail. So why were people angry?

This question gnawed at me for a while and when I finally sat down to ponder it, it didn’t take long to reach a conclusion. There are several things wrong with removing a component of a long standing franchise. I may have found the Call of Duty series a pandering mess (just reading the synopsis of some of the titles is enough to induce a migraine) but many people do like these stories and buy the games for the single player aspect (those mad bastards!).

Another issue is the trend chasing. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has sacrificed its single player campaign for a few cooperative missions and a battle royale mod. With so many battle royale games saturating the market already, its no wonder some long standing fans were turned off from the franchise as they felt abandoned by it. After all, if there is one thing Call of Duty was known for was its fast pace, twitch reflex combat. Sidelining it for some battle royale mod, no matter how well implemented, feels like a betrayal of the very core foundation of the series. I know that feeling well considering Battlefield V had a battle royale mod announced for it close to release and as a lifelong Battlefield fan I voted with my wallet and said “no”.

However it wasn’t until Apex Legends that the full answer came to me. See, all the things I detailed above are important. They are core component of what makes Call of Duty basically Call of Duty. It is the reason people pay 60$ at least for the basic game, not to mention season passes, expansions and cosmetics. Angry Joe said it best when he stated that they basically removed a third of the title’s value. That is what at the heart of the removal of a single player campaign; expectations.

It is always about expectations. The computer games industry had conditioned us that certain titles, priced at certain values, will contain a set amount of content. In first person shooters, that content may vary by franchise, but most often its a single player campaign and a multiplayer component. When you purchased Call of Duty you bought a story and an online component. That is why you paid 60$. For a while, that was seen as a reasonable price but with the rise of free to play games and independent titles gaining more mainstream appeal, that pricing point has become tenuous at best.

Thus, when Call of Duty basically threw away one of its key selling points and added a mod that, while I understand functions well, is still anathema to the core experience of the series. So much so that it lost much of its identity and advantage over its competition. This forced fans to ask themselves if they are still willing to support such a title when there are alternatives elsewhere, much cheaper yet just as good. After all, you don’t see anyone going after Apex Legends or Counter Strike: Global Offensive for having no single player story or experience. In fact, both titles are enjoying huge popularity, with the latter being a staple of online first person shooters for decades and the former threatening to unseat Fortnie as most popular battle royale game with its monstrous growth in popularity.

Of course, there are other factors in play here as well, such as Activision-Blizzard’s nickel and diming of its player base, but up until now, that base was fine with some of it so long as the core experience remained the same. Get a new title, play an over the top, cliche laden campaign, have some online matches then move to the next release. Rinse, repeat. Messing with this formula by removing a key component had thrown the whole equation off. How can you justify buying the same title for the same price when it has less to offer you than before? A new battle royale mod is nice and all, but it is still part of the online experience. Merely a new multiplayer mod to add to the rest. It is no substitute for the single player experience.

Activision-Blizzard is not alone in basically gouging out core features that had been the standard in computer games only to sell them back later on or just ignore them completely. We as consumers already lost cosmetics, full game on release, demos, betas and the list goes on. Now we are losing story as well. Just read Electronic Arts’ line on the single player campaign being a mistake or the fact that their first Star Wars: Battlefront game launched without a single player campaign either and the second one included one only due to fan backlash. The reason for the backlash? The pricing.

I pointed to expectations previously and I’d like to repeat it. When we purchase a 60$ game, we expect a certain experience. In major published first person shooters, it is the campaign feature. Regardless of the overall quality and length (a discussion for a separate article), we expect a single player story. It is how first person shooters had slowly evolved. Heck, Call of Duty’s entire success as a franchise to eclipse Battlefield was thanks to the first Modern Warfare’s title blowing everyone’s minds. Having such a poignant story showed everyone that gaming can tackle mature, adult themes while having fun gameplay.

Taking it away is removing a third of the experience. A battle royale game in the Call of Duty series is not a bad thing altogether, and as I mentioned before it seems Blacklight (Black Ops 4’s name for its battle royale mod) is quite a fun experience. However I don’t think, and as comments and reviewers have demonstrated, its worth 60$. There is a reason why Fortnite and Apex Legends are thriving, and that is due to be a free to play experience. I enjoy playing Apex Legends immensely. If it was sold at 30$ I may have bought it. As a full priced release though, I’d hesitate immensely because my expectations of a 60$ title differ greatly from a 30$ or a free to play game.

That is the heart of the matter. As time went by, we as consumers have been getting diminishing returns for the same dollar price. While people argue about inflation and how games should cost more, the consumers have been getting less and less at a time where development costs have remained more or less stable as profits soared. Now they’ve gouged out a major component and sold us the same title, banking on previous installments’ reputation to purchase an inferior version. Its not just insolent, its downright depressing.

It is depressing because people continue to purchase these titles. It is depressing because for all the cost saving, corner cutting measures major publishers deploy, there are still good stories waiting to be told that never get the option or platform to do so. If it weren’t for the stories of the Call of Duty and Battlefield series, we wouldn’t have gotten an amazing title such as Spec Ops: The Line. Now with the story component erased, what is the point of a new installment? To re-do progression? To have a slightly more polished version even though current online connectivity allows patching and overhauls? What differentiates previous Call of Duty titles outside of a reskin? Well, the fact that they offer us less for the same exact price.

This is the ultimate problem with removing story experiences from major titles. It is the exposure of the underlying greed which turns us into cynics and nihilists. What else would publishers strip from their flagship titles? I don’t wish to speculate for fear I’d be giving these people ideas. What is for sure, is that the games we once cherished as complete packages have become a threadbare affair, not worth their asking price. Pour one out for Soap Mactavish.

News: Providence Bloc and Phoebe Freeport Republic Clash Head On in D-GTMI

D-GTMI system, Providence region. On the 11th of July at 22:00 EVE Standard Time, forces belonging to Phoebe Freeport Republic [PFR] and Providence Bloc clashed in the system over a Sovereignty Blockade Unit.

The
fight began as an event for [PFR]’s academy, which was celebrating a
graduation cycle and wished to fight Providence Bloc, choosing an
Amarrian motif for its fleet. 57 pilots assembled in an array of Amrrian
ships, with 3 Triage Archon Carriers and a Fenrir Freighter filled with
spirits. The fleet made its way from the 4-CM8I system in Scalding Pass to the D-GTMI system in Providence without an incident.

The Original Post for the Event

The
Fleet Commander for [PFR] attempted to arrange a fight with Providence
Bloc, but was ignored and subsequently banned from the diplomacy channel
of Providence Bloc by moderators. Attempts by other fleets members
resulted in the same pattern. This caused the [PFR] fleet to attempt and
draw Providence Bloc’s attention in another way. Since D-GTMI had
defensive Sovereignty Blockade Units already present in the system, the
[PFR] fleet decided to shoot the station, hoping to alert Providence
Bloc and cause it to form.

After a while though, with no apparent
response, the [PFR] fleet moved to the Sovereignty Blockade Units on the
T-RPFU gate and started applying damage to it, hoping to at least have a
killmail out of it. However, by this time Providence Bloc had already
formed, a 60 pilot mixed Cerberus Heavy Assault Cruiser and Caracal
Cruiser fleet. The force quickly made its why towards the system,
swelling its ranks as it burned forwards.

Deciding not to jump
head long into the [PFR] force, the Providence Bloc fleet took a detour,
attempting to enter the system through FSW-3C.
And yet, the [PFR] force may have had a spy on the Providence Bloc
force, as their fleet relocated to the FSW-3C gate. Luckily, the [PFR]
force was quite a way from the gate, allowing the Providence Bloc fleet
to enter safely and start the fight.

The two sides fought for a
while, the [PFR] fleet completely outgunned and out ranged by the
kitting Cruisers, who ripped apart the Amarrian ships with their missile
salvos. Even with the prevalence of Triage Carriers on the field, the
damage proved too great. Another factor that went against the [PFR]
fleet was the Providence Bloc Stealth Bomber wing, which accompanied the
main fleet and carried bombing runs on the [PFR] fleet.

The Fighting over the FSW-3C Gate

With most
of their sub-capital support gone, the Providence Bloc fleet went to
work on the [PFR] Carriers, taking down the cynosural field mobile
inhibitor and bringing their own Capitals into the system. One after the
other, the [PFR] Carriers were destroyed, the entire [PFR] fleet
decimated.
With no more hostiles left to fight, the Providence
Bloc fleet returned to its staging system, having secured the system
once more.

Battle report for the D-GTMI system can be found here.

The
Battle lasted 40 minutes, with local seeing around 200 pilots at the
height of the battle and Time Dilation not reported as a major issue.

[PFR]
lost nearly the entirety of its fleet, 58 ships including 3 Triage
Carriers and a Freighter, for a total of 12.63Bil ISK damage. Providence
Bloc losses were only 12 ships, mostly Stealth Bombers and Interdictors
totaling at 600Mil ISK damage.

It seems both sides managed to
achieve their objectives, with Providence Bloc defending its sovereignty
while [PFR] getting the fight it wanted, though not in the format it
wished for.

With FozzieSov around the corner and the so-called
impending invasion of the Imperium to the region, this may have been the
last “fun” big fight in the region for the near future.

News Bulletin: corebloodbrothers, State of the Region, Looming Imperium Invasion

Since the departure of Northern Coalition(dot) [NC] from the area, things have calmed down in the Providence region. Thus, not much has transpired during the passing week, giving Providence pilots a much needed breather after nearly two months of constant fighting. The things that did happen, were either unimportant enough to merit their own post or were already covered by other major news outlets.

The EVE Scribe has gathered all of the events into one news bulletin to keep the pilots of Providence up to date with the occurrences in the region.

corebloodbrothers Resigns his Seat on CSM X

In a move that surprised all, corebloodbrothers announced his resignation from the Council of Stellar Management 10, also known as CSM X. corebloodbrothers cited demands on his time and an inability to balance them with his work on the CSM X as the main reason for choosing to quit the council.

With his resignation, Providence Bloc loses its voice on the council, with the candidate most likely to succeed his seat being a representative of High Security space interests,Lorelei Ierendi. The full resignation letter can be found on EVE News 24.

State of the Providence Region

On the 2nd of July, the G-5EN2 system, the first system conquered by [NC] during its campaign, was finally re-claimed by Providence Bloc forces. This marked the official end of the war between the two entities, with all systems in the region once more safely in Providence Bloc’s control.

With [NC]’s departure, large scale conflicts have subsided in the region, allowing its residents to re-build and resume their peaceful activities. With Pandemic Horde [REKTD] and Spectre Fleet otherwise engaged, it seems Providence Bloc will enjoy the peace for a few more weeks at least.

Pending Imperium Invasion

Only recovering from one war, and already reports are coming in of the Imperium’s preparations to invade the region. The residents of Providence had been reporting increased Imperium activity as well as spikes in border systems, such as Esa in the Tash-Murkon region.

The system’s close proximity to the Providence region and the Amarr system in Domain which serves as an important trade hub for the South of New Eden, makes it an ideal staging area for sub-capital operations. The station in the system has historically served as the home base for several anti-Providence groups.

As the sovereignty mechanic changes, termed FozzieSov, will probably be implemented next week, bar no further delay, Providence Bloc may face a full scale invasion of its space, as Imperium forces hope to study and perfect the new system in order to protect their holdings in the future, using the region as their testing ground.

This may mean that the coming weeks may make the past two months look like a picnic in comparison. Only time will tell.

The EVE Scribe will keep you posted.

Lorelei Ierendi

News: Northern Coalition(dot) Re-Deploys, Drops Sovereignty in Providence

Providence region. Northern Coalition(dot) [NC] announced its new deployment, moving away from the Providence region and to the system of Litom in the Curse region. While [NC] assets haven’t moved yet, sovereignty dropped in several systems, allowing Providence Bloc to grab them.

On the 29th Providence Bloc managed to re-gain BK4-YC system. The system was left undefended by [NC] forces, allowing Providence Bloc to capture it without a fight.

On the 30th, [NC] ceded sovereignty over KBP7-G and Y-MPWL systems, which Providence Bloc was quick to re-claim.

The only system in Providence currently remaining in [NC]’s hands is the G-5EN2 system, which was the first to fall in the campaign. Its eventual re-capture will symbolize the end of the war between [NC] and Providence Bloc.

Providence Bloc forces have kept an eye on the situation, but no major action has been taken against [NC] assets in the region so far. It seems Providence Bloc leadership is awaiting the [NC] convoys to leave Hasateem, thus ensuring [NC] has actually re-deployed.

The news of the deployment came as no big shock, with the entire conflict growing stale as time went on. The question is what does [NC] expect to achieve with its move to the Curse region, which operates as an important junction from which both the East, South East and North East of New Eden can be accessed.

While no comment was given by [NC], Providence Bloc leadership had stated that [NC] proved to be a strong and tough opponent, whose tight fleet compositions, professionalism, commitment and experience proved to be an immense challenge. Providence Bloc had fought hard, and lost a lot, but also manged to win against the odds at times. In summary, it was a war where both sides showed respect for each other, and afterwards come new challenges and new enemies.

News: Providence Bloc and Northern Coalition(dot) Continue to Fight over KBP7-G

KBP7-G system, Providence region. On the 28th of June, at 19:00 EVE
Standard Time, Providence Bloc and Northern Coalition(dot) [NC] clashed once
more over the fate of the KBP7-G system.

Providence Bloc
went on the offensive in a bid to reclaim its lost systems. BK4-YC,
Y-MPWL and KBP7-G systems were put into reinforced mode by Providence Bloc, with the KBP7-G Infrastructure Hub coming out of reinforced on the 28th.

Providence Bloc organized a full scale attack in order to reclaim the system. It had assembled a
full Ishtar Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet with a Stealth Bomber wing and E-War Frigates, all
told around 300 pilots. The force made its way towards KBP7-G in order
to force the Infrastructure Hub into its second timer.

[NC] wasn’t
sitting idle either and organized a fleet of its own to defend the system, a Loki Strategic
Cruiser fleet reaching nearly 100 pilots. The force bridged into the
system before Providence Bloc’s arrival, settling on the XHQ-7V gate the only point of entry for Providence Bloc, in
anticipation of the incoming hostiles.

Providence
Bloc jumped into the system and the awaiting [NC] fleet, its bomber wing landing a Void bomb run, which drained
the capacitor of most of the Lokis, switching off their armor hardeners.
The Providence Bloc Ishtars then de-cloaked, dropped sentry drones and
anchored up, starting the fight.

At first, the Ishtars managed to volley
Lokis and Logistic ships, seemingly winning the battle. However as time
went on, this changed. The [NC] Lokis
started tanking better, their Logistics getting on the ball. Providence
Bloc on the other hand, was doing poorly. With all their fleet anchors
webbed, the Ishtars remained in close proximity to the Lokis, which
proved fatal

After a brief exchange with mounting losses the Ishtars finally managed to gain some distance from the [NC] fleet. Attempts to break the Lokis’ tank with fresh sets of drones proved futile, thus the
Providence Bloc Fleet Commander made the call to disengage, leading the
fleet to warp off to an asteroid belt then to the XHQ-7V gate.

[NC]
attempted to give chase, managing to snag stragglers but the main
Providence Bloc fleet managed to jump out of the system and dock up,
conceding the field. With Providence Bloc defeated, [NC] brought their
Super Carriers and quickly removed the Providence Bloc Sovereignty
Blockade Units in the system, securing it for themselves once more.

With this, both fleet safely extracted, ending large scale hostilities in the region.

The Battle from the Providence Bloc PoV, Courtesy of Mangraa Dementia

Battle report for the KBP7-G system can be found here.

All
told, the system saw 400 pilots in local, with Time Dilation reaching up to 40% during the fighting. From start to end, the
battle lasted 30 minutes.

Providence Bloc
lost 83 ships, including 31 Ishtars, for a total of 9.04 Bil ISK damage.
[NC] lost 9 ships, including 3 Lokis, for a total of 5.24 Bil ISK
damage.

After the battle it became apparent
that the [NC] fleet was prepared for Providence Bloc’s Ishtar fleet, as
the Loki fit was meant to counter the use of sentry drone damage,
specifically Bouncer and Curator sentry drones. This allowed the [NC]
fleet to tank the incoming damage from the Ishtar fleet and along with
webbing their anchors, forced Providence Bloc to fight close range at first, where
the Lokis had a clear advantage.

Reports from both fleets indicate that fire was split between targets, which allowed both Logistics teams to keep ships alive in their respective fleets far longer. This is another reason for the low damage output, especially on Providence Bloc’s side.

Though
Providence Bloc lost both the field and the strategic objective, with
talks of [NC] deploying to a different region of space, it may be able
to regain its conquered systems as [NC]’s Super Capital umbrella is
expected to vanish. Without it, Providence Bloc may be able to field
its main doctrines, which were abandoned due to the pervasive use of
Super Carriers by [NC] during their deployment, granting them an actual
fighting chance.

The EVE Scribe will continue to update on the situation as it develops.

Special thanks Mangraa Dementia, of Blue Tridents, Sev3rance, for supplying the video footage

News: Providence Bloc Defeated in 9UY4-H

Disclaimer: Due to scarcity of reports, the numbers in the article are evaluations only. The events transcribed are based on the few witness accounts given, apologies in advance for any and all inaccuracies.

9UY4-H system, Providence region. On the 26th of June, at 18:00 EVE Standard Time, forces belonging to Providence Bloc clashed once more with Northern Coalition(dot) [NC] in the system, leading to a ruinous defeat.

[NC] forces had deployed Sovereignty Blockade Units in the system, in an attempt to provoke a fight from Providence Bloc. This worked, as Providence Bloc organized an Ishtar Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet, estimated at 120 pilots.

The force arrived in the system and worked on removing Sovereignty Blockade Units from the gates, managing to destroy one before [NC] forces showed, bridging a Tempest Fleet Issue Battleship fleet into the 4B-NQN system next door, estimated at 60 pilots with Triage Carrier support.

The [NC] force jumped into the 9UY4-H system, the Triage Archons de-cloaking first before the rest of the fleet. The [NC] fleet however, was greeted by Providence Bloc, who had reports on it and already prepared in advance on the gate.

The battle started with Providence Bloc managing to volley off a couple of Battleships before the [NC] fleet could anchor up properly. Once it did, it managed to stabilize, the Triage Carriers doing their job properly.

In contrast, the Providence Bloc fleet was hemorrhaging ships. An attempt to warp off the field and back at zero on the [NC] fleet in order perhaps, to get below the Battleships guns and negating their tracking, miserably failed – Resulting in slaughter.

Quickly, the Isthar fleet decided to warp across the system, forcing the much slower Battleships to give chase, at the same time a Stealth Bomber wing was working diligently to remove one of the Sovereignty Blockade Units, thus securing the system.

To aid in buying time, Interdcitors kept the Triage Carriers under interdiction probes, sacrificing ships to force them to stay in place. Since the Triage Carriers were the backbone of the Logistics team of the [NC] fleet, this delayed their attempts to re-engage.

Managing to destroy the second Sovereignty Blockade Unit and thus secure the system, Providence Bloc retreated, conceding the field to [NC]. Thus, [NC] forces returned to the 4B-NQN gate in order to guard their last remaining Sovereignty Blockade Unit.

However, this was not the end of hostilities for the night, as the Providence Bloc fleet reshipped to Naga Battlecruisers and returned to the field. A second battle flared up, with Providence Bloc warping to the [NC] fleet on the 4B-NQN gate in close range an opening fire, managing to volley off Battleships but trading many Naga Battlecruisers in return.

As damage output decreased due to losses, Providence Bloc was unable to break the tank of the Battleships and once more retreated, leaving the field for [NC] to hold. Having gotten the fight they wished for, [NC] forces extracted safely, ending hostilities for the night.

Battle report for the 9UY4-H system can be found here.

The battle lasted nearly an hour, with the system hosting less than 300 pilots in local and Time Dilation not reported as a major issue.

Providence Bloc lost 84 ships including 29 Battlecruisers and 24 Isthars for a total of 12.38 Bil ISK. [NC] lost 13 ships including 4 Battleships for a total of 2.45 Bil ISK.

Providence Bloc managed to secure the system, its strategic objective, but at a cost. [NC], on the other hand, got the fight it wished for and managed to hold the field.

As the two entities continue to fight, it remains to be seen how this war concludes. The EVE Scribe will keep you up to date on developments.

Update: KBP7-G Status

KBP7-G system, Providence region. On the 24th of June, the system fell to Northern Coalition(dot) [NC] forces unopposed.

Providence Bloc fought [NC] every step of the way, but after the station was taken and the Territorial Claim Unit destroyed, had to concede the system.

Click for Killmail

While there may have been a chance to delay the [NC] Territorial Claim Units from reaching online status, [NC] had them deployed on a heavily fortified tower (Also known as a deathstar). At the same time, a timer was coming up for a station in the BK4-YC system, and the Providence Bloc Fleet Commanders decided to abandon the KBP7-G system in favor of wrestling BK4-YC back.

At this stage 3 of the 4 systems connection the Providence region to Empire space have been taken over by [NC], for what purpose none but [NC] can tell. Regardless, Providence Bloc continues to fight [NC] forces daily, resisting their advance. The EVE Scribe will keep you posted.

News: Providence Bloc and Northern Coalition(dot) Clash over BK4-YC

MVCJ-E system, Providence region. On the 24th of June, 21:30 EVE Standard Time, forces belonging to Providence Bloc and Northern Coalition(dot) [NC] clashed in the system in a brawl that showed much effusion of blood and destruction.

The fight began with Providence Bloc attempting to regain the BK4-YC system, which it lost a few days before. The station was leaving its first
reinforcement timer, and Providence Bloc forces were moving in to push
it into its second timer.

Providence Bloc brought a 150 pilot
Ishtar Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet, with a Stealth Bomber wing for
support. [NC] forces were aware of Providence Bloc’s attempts, and
decided to use the timer to get a fight, the system itself holding
little significance for them.

[NC] brought an estimated 70 pilot
Loki Strategic Cruiser fleet and set up on the 2-TEGJ gate in the MVCJ-E
system. The system is the only point of entry to the BK4-YC system, and
the 2-TEGJ gate itself was the most probable point of entry for the
Providence Bloc fleet, which was spotted in the 9UY4-H system clearing a hostile tower as it was slowly forming up.

Providence
Bloc made its way as theorized to the MVCJ-E system, their Fleet
Commander getting reports of the awaiting [NC] fleet. However, he made the decision to
jump into the system anyway, starting the fight. The Providence Bloc
Ishtars quickly anchored as they entered system, losing a few ships as
they pulled range. Sentry drones were dropped in large clumps, making it
hard for the [NC] Lokis to find a good spot to negate their tracking
and optimal range.

The Ishtars started returning fire, managing to
break the tank both of the Logistics and the Lokis themselves. For a
while the two sides exchanged losses, Providence Bloc settling to an
alternating rhythm of Logistic ship, then Strategic Cruiser, while [NC]
busied itself with removing as many mainline ships as possible.

At
some point the [NC] fleet was getting dangerously low on Logistics
ships, and the call was made to bring Triage Archons. However, due to
the distance of the system from the [NC] staging, the Carriers had to
jump to a system a few jumps from the fight itself and make their way to
the battle.

At this point the Fleet Commanders’ opinions split.
According to the Providence Bloc Fleet Commander, [NC] brought the
Triage Carriers to the system via a cynosural beacon off grid, while the
[NC] Fleet Commander stated that they jumped via gate from
the LF-2KP system.

Regardless, both agree that the Triage Carriers arrived quite late in
the battle, thanks in part to Providence Bloc Interdictors which
deployed interdiction probes on them, preventing them to warp and join
the [NC] fleet for quite a while.

With the [NC] Triage on field,
the Lokis fared better, managing to stabilize, many saved entering deep
armor. Realizing they couldn’t be broken anymore, nor the Triage Archons
themselves and sustaining continued losses, Providence Bloc decided to
extract from the system, conceding the field to [NC] forces. [NC] itself
decided not to remove the Providence Bloc Sovereignty Blockade Unit or
repair the station, choosing instead to extract safely home, ending
large scale hostilities for the day.

Battle report for the MVCJ-E system can be found here.

During
the peak of the battle, the system saw less than 300 pilots in local,
with Time Dilation not reported as an issue. The fight itself took
nearly half an hour in total.

Providence Bloc lost 107 ships, 19
of which were Ishtars, for a total of 9.31 Bil ISK damage. [NC] suffered
28 losses, 12 of which were Strategic Cruisers, for a total of 11.37
Bil ISK damage.

Providence Bloc lost the field, but thanks to
[NC]’s decision to leave the BK4-YC station unprotected, managed to
later reinforce it, achieving the strategic objective. Special mention
has to be made of the Providence Bloc Stealth Bomber wing, whose Void
Bomb runs managed to help cap out Lokis, turning their shield off and
stopping them in their tracks.

With a new timer for the station,
it is quite possible the system will see further clashes soon by the two
sides, as the war in the Providence region continues. The EVE Scribe will keep you posted.

News: Providence Bloc Fights Northern Coalition(dot) over Final Infrastructure Hub Timer in KBP7-G

KBP7-G system, Providence region. On the 22nd of June, 16:30 EVE Standard Time, Providence Bloc and Northern Coalition(dot) [NC] forces clashed for the third time in the system, over the final Infrastructure Hub timer, in a battle that saw Providence Bloc defeated once again.

Providence Bloc brought a 90 pilot Ishtar Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet to the system and quickly positioned itself on the Dital gate. Having arrived before [NC] forces, the fleet quickly set up to take down the Sovereignty Blockade Unit, thus securing the system and the Infrastructure Hub from [NC]’s aggression.

However, as the Providence Bloc force was busy applying damage to the structure, a cynosural beacon was lit at the edge of the grid, and an [NC] Loki Strategic Cruiser fleet bridged into the system, estimated at 50 pilots. The force attempted to warp on top of the Providence Bloc fleet, but defensive interdiction probes launched beforehand allowed Providence Bloc to keep range.

The two fleets then engaged each other, Providence Bloc managing to destroy [NC] Logistics ships but losing Ishtars in return. As the battle raged on, both the Providence Bloc anchor and the Fleet Commander were volleyed off the field (Though by mistake, as was later confirmed by both sides). This led to the Providence Bloc fleet losing organization and allowing [NC] forces to burn closer. With the Lokis now at their optimals, the battle became a one sided affair, Ishtars being destroyed left and right.

After regaining composure, Providence Bloc forces decided to retreat rather than risk the complete annihilation of their fleet, warping off to the B-WPLZ gate and jumping over, regrouping on the other side of the gate. [NC] forces chose not to chase, and brought 24 Super Carriers instead which made short work of the Infrastructure Hub of the system.

Click for Killmail

With the Infrastructure Hub destroyed, both sides departed, ending hostilities in the system.

Battle report for the KBP7-G system can be found here.

All told the system saw less than 200 pilots in local, with Time Dilation not reported at all. From start to end, the battle lasted 10 minutes.

Providence Bloc lost 46 ships, 11 of which were Ishtars for a total of 4.92 Bil ISK. [NC] for its part lost 7 ships for 1.32 Bil ISK.

Providence Bloc lost both the fight and the strategic objective, which allows [NC] to push forward with its conquest of the system. As the Station in the system is expected to exit its final reinforcement timer soon, Providence Bloc is in danger of losing another system to [NC], unless something drastic happens. The EVE Scribe will keep you informed.