Providence Fight Club: HED-GP 28.4.2015

HED-GP system, Catch region. On the 28th of April, at 21:00 EVE Standard Time, Pandemic Legion and Providence Bloc clashed in a minor skirmish in the system, leading to no less than a 120 ship losses.

The battle began when Providence Bloc forces, divided to an Augoror Navy Issue Cruiser fleet, approximately 70 pilots strong, a Cerberus Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet, 40 pilots large and a Stealth Bomber wing, came to the HED-GP system with the intent of provoking a response from Pandemic Horde.

Seeing their system camped and their enemies fielding an overwhelming force that they could not help to contend with, Pandemic Horde called their parent alliance, Pandemic Legion, for help. Pandemic Legion answered the call with a 60 pilot Ishtar Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet, which raced to the besieged system.

Entering through the SV5-8N system, the Pandemic Legion fleet waited on their in-gate, when the Providence Bloc fleets landed near them. Quickly, Pandemic Legion’s forces anchored up, dropped drones and started the fight.

One by one, the Providence Bloc ships melted under the drone damage, while unable to return fire, as the Ishtars kitted out of their range. The Cerberus fleet made attempts to close in on the Ishtars only to sustain losses and be driven away.

The exchange continued with Pandemic Horde and WAFFLES(dot) bringing in reinforcements in the form of tackle and e-war Frigates as well as Interdictors.

As the battle raged on Providence Bloc’s bomber wing started to make its presence felt, forcing the Ishtars a couple of times off the field and destroying their drones.

However, re-stocked with drones in the station, the Ishtars returned once more to the grid and continued fighting. Finally, Providence Bloc’s forces were shattered, beating a hasty retreat to the Keberz gate and into the relative safety of High Security Space, ending the fight.

The Battle from Providence Bloc’s Perspective, Courtesy of Mangraa Dementia

Battle report for the HED-GP system can be found here.

The tally stands at 63 losses to Pandemic Legion, mostly Pandemic Horde and WAFFLES(dot) tackle and e-war Frigates, as well as a few Ishtars who were either not anchoring or fell victim to bombing runs. Providence Bloc lost 66 ships, mostly Augoror Navy Issue Cruisers. Total ISK lost is estimated at around 8 Bil ISK for both sides.

Local did not exceed 300 pilots at the peak of the fighting, with Time Dilation being non-existent

Special thanks to Mangraa Dementia of Blue Tridents, Sev3rance for providing video footage

News: HERO Coalition Fleet Destroyed in V-3YG7

V-3YG7 system, Catch region. On the 14th of March, at 18:00 EVE Standard Time, a HERO Coalition fleet was annihilated en route to capture the FAT-6P system.

The HERO Coalition fleet, a Tengu Strategic Cruiser fleet of around 190 pilots strong, un-docked from the GE-8JV station, HERO Coalition’s staging system, and warped to the V-3YG7 Gate, in order to travel down the pipe and reach the FAT-6P system, which HERO Coalition has been attempting to conquer from Northern Coalition(dot).

Pandemic Legion, though, was aware of the fleet’s goal and had Interdictors prepared in advance. Once the Tengu fleet jumped through the V-3YG7 gate, the Interdictors jumped after them, launching interdiction probes and trapping them on the GE-8JV gate. This allowed Pandemic Legion to catch up to them with a 90 pilot Proteus Strategic Cruiser fleet, which bridged into the GE-8JV system and quickly followed through.

The two fleets engaged immediately at close range, with the Tengus attempting to pull range but being webbed down by the Proteus. The Pandemic Legion fleet slowly chipped away at the strength of the HERO Coalition fleet, able to tank the incoming damage. However, due to a miscommunication, Triage Carriers were brought to the field on Pandemic Legion’s side.

HERO Coalition attempted to do away with the Triage Carriers, by bringing in 3 Dreadnoughts on top of them. As they were attempting to destroy the Archon Carriers, Pandemic Legion’s Interdictors had the Dreadnoughts bubbled and a cynosural beacon was lit, ushering in a Pandemic Legion super-capital wing, of several Titans and Mothership support.

The newly arrived force quickly dispatched the HERO capitals, while at the same time, the Tengu fleet attempted to de-aggress and jump back into the GE-8JV system. However, their plan was foiled by Pandemic Legion reinforcements, who were waiting for them. The Tengus tried to burn away from the V-3YG7 gate but were quickly bubbled. Only a handful managing to extract and reach the safety of their station.

Pandemic Legion’s Titans Clearing HERO Coalition Dreadnoughts on the GE-8JV Gate

Pandemic Legion cleared the field of any remaining hostiles, then proceeded to safely extract its super-capital force, followed quickly by its Proteus fleet.

Battle report for the V-3YG7 system can be found here.

All told, Time Dilation proved to be a non existent factor for the battle. During the fighting, in both systems, the local population did not exceed 400 pilots. HERO Coalition suffered a devastating defeat, losing a large bulk of their Tengus, a loss that is summed not only in ISK, but Skill Points as well.

221 ships were lost in the fighting, for a sum of 30 Bil ISK in damages, almost all of it done to HERO Coalition.

In the wake of the battle, there have been dissenting voices heard in HERO Coalition about the management of the war, as evident in their Middle Management Meeting.

Video of the Fighting, from the Perspective of Pandemic Legion’s Logistics

Whether HERO Coalition can continue and withstand the pressure applied to it by Pandemic Legion, or is on the verge of collapse, will be seen in the next few weeks as the conflicts continues.

Special thanks to fin1712, of Hover Inc(dot), Pandemic Legion, for the video of the fighting and Helena Shun, of Brave Newbies Inc(dot), Brave Collective, for the screenshot.

Providence Fight Club: Nightmare in V-3YG7 13.3.2015

V-3YG7 system, Catch region. On the night of the 13th of March, Providence Bloc forces met Pandemic Legion and HERO Coalition in a decisive battle on the GE-8JV gate, which proved disastrous.

Providence Bloc rolled its Nightmare Battleship fleet, 100 pilots strong, and made its way to GE-8JV system, HERO Coalition’s staging system, in order to provoke a fight. HERO Coalition had a 60 pilot Caracal Cruiser fleet roaming at the time, but it declined to engage the Providence fleet on the 3-OKDA gate, jumping into the system instead, followed closely by Providence Bloc.

A short battle ensued in 3-OKDA system, with Providence Bloc melting away the Caracals, who were forced to quickly disengage and warp away, abandoning the field. By this time, Pandemic Legion gathered reports of the fighting, and organized its own fleet, a 90 pilot Proteus Strategic Cruiser fleet.

Providence Bloc made its way to the V-3YG7 system, waiting near the GE-8JV gate, possibly for HERO Coalition to form a larger response fleet, when Pandemic Legion bridged into the system and warped on top of Providence Bloc. Fighting erupted immediately, with Providence Bloc managing to annihilate the Logistics wing of the Pandemic Legion fleet, who melted away under the laser fire of the Nightmares.

However, at the same time, the Proteus fleet managed to cling to the Nightmares, spreading points and effectively barring any attempt to escape. The Proteus fleet was able to overcome the Logistics of Providence Bloc, destroying 2 Nightmares before losing its last remaining Logistics. This quickly forced Pandemic Legion to jump in Triage Carriers to replace its Logistics wing.

Providence Bloc and Pandemic Legion Tangle on the GE-8JV Gate

With the Triage on field, Pandemic Legion was able to tank the incoming damage, and set to the task of destroying Providence Bloc’s remaining Nightmares. Providence Bloc, for its part, tried to destroy the Triage Carrier, but was losing ships fast. With a second Triage Carrier on the field and not enough damage, the order to retreat was given. The remnants of the Nightmare fleet made their escape to the B-3QPD system, and then the long track home.

HERO Coalition only showed briefly during the second fight, quickly shooting Providence Bloc’s Nightmares before retreating again in a Caracal fleet, estimated at 90 pilots strong.

Battle report for the 3-OKDA system can be found here.
Battle report for the V-3YG7 system can be found here.

Time Dilation was not a noticeable factor in the fight, with local staying at the range of 300 pilots at the peak of fighting in the V-3YG7 system. No complaints were registered by pilots regarding server performances.

All told, Pandemic Legion lost 17 ships, mostly Logistics, While Providence Bloc lost 41 ships, almost half of their fleet. HERO Coalition lost 53 ships, mostly to Providence Bloc, but also some to Pandemic Legion. The death toll summed reaches 111 ships, but for a total ISK damage of 28 Bil ISK, most of it caused to Providence Bloc.

News: Pandemic Legion and HERO Coalition Clash in 4M-HGL

4M-HGL system, Catch region. On the 11th of Match, 22:20 EVE Standard Time, Pandemic Legion and HERO Coalition clashed in the system over the first Infrastructure Hub reinforcement timer.

Pandemic Legion brought a 70 pilot Tempest Fleet Issue Battleship fleet, with Triage Carrier support, against HERO Coalition’s Tengu Strategic Cruiser fleet, some 140 pilots strong.

The two sides met on the 3-OKDA gate, where Pandemic Legion bridged their fleet, and HERO Coalition was already perched.

Fighting started immediately, with both sides exchanging few losses. HERO Coalition forces kept at a moderate distance from the Pandemic Legion Battleships, able to tank the incoming volleys most times, while unable to break the tank of the Tempest Fleet Issues.

The fight continued this way for almost half an hour, with Pandemic Legion managing to snag a kill here and there, but no decisive fighting occurring, as the two fleets maneuvered around each other. Finally, Pandemic Legion managed to get a good warp in on the Tengu fleet, using both Interdictors and Heavy Interdictors to trap it while spreading points.

With the Tengus trapped, Pandemic Legion’s Battleships set to the task of wiping them out, destroying a sizable number before the HERO fleet could retreat. With the HERO fleet in disarray and the field won, Pandemic Legion brought in their Motherships, and sent them to push the Infrastructure Hub into its second reinforcement timer, while the sub-capital fleet remained on standby just in case.

With reports of HERO Coalition re-grouping on the 3GD6-8 gate, the Battleship fleet made its way there, landing just as HERO forces jumped out of system. Giving chase, Pandemic Legion managed to catch more of HERO’s fleeing Tengus in the 3GD6-8 system, while the rest of their fleet seemed eager to retreat and not stay and fight.

Pandemic Legion’s Fleet en route to Fight HERO Coalition on the 3GD6-8 Gate

After destroying what enemy ships remained on the 4M-HGL gate, Pandemic Legion extracted both its Mothership and sub-capital fleet safely from the system.

Battle report for the 4M-HGL system can be found here.
Battle report for the 3GD6-8 system can be found here.

The battle lasted a whole hour. Time
Dilation was not a factor in the fighting, with the system holding no
more than 350 pilots at the peak of it, though some pilots have reported
slow downs and module lag during the course of fighting. In total, HERO Coalition lost 110 ships in the engagement, for 12 Bil ISK damages, while Pandemic Legion lost only 8, for 1.7 Bil ISK damages in comparison.

This battle continues a worrying trend of HERO Coalition unable to field large enough numbers to defend its systems, considering the overwhelming numerical superiority it holds over Pandemic Legion.

Criticism has also been levied at Pandemic Legion for its use of Mothership assets, yet it is important to note that in all recent fights, the Mothership fleets were directed at structures only, and came into play after the sub-capital fight was already won.

News: Pandemic Legion Re-Caputres F4R2-Q

F4R2-Q system, Catch region. On the night of the 8th of March, at 23:40 EVE Standard Time, Pandemic Legion forces engaged HERO Coalition over the control of the system, in a battle that proved to be short and one sided.

Pandemic Legion organized a Tempest Fleet Issue Battleship fleet, with Triage Carrier support, some 130 pilots strong, with a WAFFLES(dot) support wing of Svipul Strategic Destroyers, 40 pilots large.

Against them, HERO Coalition assembled a Tengu Strategic Cruiser fleet, of equal size, with Harpy Assault Frigate wing and an Electronic Warfare wing comprised of Crucifier Frigates. All told, HERO Coalition’s force was estimated at around 250 pilots number.

CFC forces were also present in the system, in a Harpy and Claw Interceptor fleets, 120 pilots combined.

Pandemic Legion’s Fleet en-route to the F4R2-Q System

The fighting began when Pandemic Legion’s fleet entered the F4R2-Q system through the ZXIC-7 gate. HERO Coalition was already in position, with its Tengu fleet perched more than 120 km away from the gate, and its E-war wing spread around the gate at a similar distance. The Pandemic Legion force de-cloaked at once and anchored, volleying off HERO ships. At the same time, WAFFLES(dot) set to the task of clearing the E-war wing. CFC and HERO Harpy fleets, in the meanwhile, were occupied in low level skirmishing around the grid.

After a few minutes, HERO Coalition started to pull range, unable to break any of the mainline ships’ tank nor do anything about the Triage Carriers present on field. Losing much of their E-war wing, and being constantly harassed by the CFC Harpies, who changed targets from the HERO Harpy fleet to the Logistics wing of the Tengu fleet. Pandemic Legion took this opportunity and warped its fleet to the station, as it was coming out of reinforce mode.

With the reinforcement timer ticking its last few minutes, and HERO Coalition seemingly unable or not wanting to further engage the Pandemic Legion force, a cynosural beacon was lit by the Pandemic Legion, allowing a Mothership wing to jump into the system.

Pandemic Legion’s Mothership Wing Present on the Station Grid

With the Mothership reinforcements, Pandemic Legion quickly took ownership of the station, as well as destroying the Territorial Claim Unit of HERO Coalition. By this point, HERO Coalition’s morale seem to have been broken, and their fleet evacuated the system.

With the station safely in its hands, and a Territorial Claim Unit of its own in the process of activating, Pandemic Legion quickly extracted its Motherships, and then its sub-capital fleet from the system without further incident.

At 8:33 EVE Standard Time, the system of F4R2-Q was officially claimed by Pandemic Legion.

Battle report for the F4R2-Q system can be found here.

The F4R2-Q system housed at the peak of the fighting 630 players, with Time Dilation being unnoticeable. The fighting itself proved to be short, lasting only 36 minutes from start to the loss of the HERO Coalition Territorial Claim Unit, which signaled the end of fighting.

HERO Coalition lost the majority of ships, 139 in total, for almost 2.5 Bil ISK of damages. On Pandemic Legion’s side, almost no ships were lost, except for some support and the WAFFLES(dot) wing, which tangled with the CFC forces, losing 13 ships for 1.7 Bil ISK damages. As for the CFC, who came as a third party to the battle, it lost 32 ships, for nearly 1.5 Bil ISK of damages.

With Pandemic Legion continuing its operations in Catch, one can only guess which system will be targeted next, and whether HERO Coalition can muster enough force and resolve to re-create some of the victories it was able to pull in the previous clash between the two entities.

Providence Fight Club: V-3YG7 8.3.2015

V-3YG7 system, Catch region. On the the evening of the 8th of March, Providence Bloc forces engaged a Pandemic Legion‘s fleet, in what quickly became a bloody exchange between the two entities.

The fighting started after Pandemic Legion’s forces, who were roaming the Catch region, received reports of Providence Bloc’s fleet making its way towards HERO Coalition’s staging system of GE-8JV. The force was reported at a 100 pilots strong, mainly in Naga Battlecruisers.

The Pandemic Legion fleet at the time was a small Machariel Battleship gang. Realizing it could not take on Providence Bloc with its current numbers, a call was made for reinforcements, and in a few minutes, the fleet’s size swelled to 50 pilots.

With their forces bolstered, Pandemic Legion made its way to intercept the incoming Providence Bloc force, finally catching up to it in the V-3YG7 system, on the GE-8JV gate. Providence Bloc’s fleet was positioned above the gate, while Pandemic Legion’s forces remained close to it.

The fight started when the Naga fleet warped down to the GE-8JV gate. Hesitating, thinking the Providence Bloc fleet was attempting to retreat, Pandemic Legion’s ships maintained their position around the gate, which turned to be a mistake. Quickly, the Naga fleet opened fire on the dis-organized Pandemic Legion’s fleet.

As the first Machariel was volleyed off, Pandemic Legion’s force quickly regained its composure and anchored up, burning away from the gate and the Naga fleet while returning fire. After a few harrowing minutes of intense volleys, with both sides exchanging losses, it seems Pandemic Legion came out on top, as its fleet finally managed to hold repairs, preventing any more losses.

Providence Bloc’s fleet, on the other hand, was in complete shambles, losing ship after ship, with most of its Nagas decimated. While Pandemic Legion was clearing the field of the remaining Providence Bloc ships, A HERO Coalition Harpy Assault Frigate fleet entered the fray, some 80 pilots strong.

The Harpy fleet warped around the battlefield for a while, attempting to land close to the Pandemic Legion Logistics wing, but to no avail. With Providence Bloc’s fleet retreating, Pandemic Legion turned its attention to the Harpy fleet. After a couple of warp ins, it finally managed to land on top of the Harpies. Interdiction probes quickly trapped most of the fleet, allowing the Machariels to use their smartbombs to destroy the helpless Frigates.

With their entire Logistics wing annihilated as well as a fair number of their mainline ships, the HERO Coalition fleet bid a hasty retreat, allowing Pandemic Legion to claim the field.

Battle Report for the V-3YG7 system can be found here.

In total, 163 ships were destroyed in the engagement, for 11 Bil ISK of damages, with Pandemic Legion losing 13 ships, for a total of 5 Bil ISK, Providence Bloc losing 72 ships for an equal value, and HERO Coalition losing 72 ships for 1 Bil ISK of damages. During the fight no Time Dilation was recorded, though local numbers remain unknown, presumed, at the peak of fighting at 300-400 pilots.

Providence Fight Club: GE-8JV 3.3.2015

GE-8JV system, Catch region. On the evening of the 3rd of March, Providence Bloc forces collided violently with HERO Coalition’s, in a bloody engagement that saw many ships destroyed.

The battle started when Providence Bloc’s fleet, a 114 pilot strong Phantasm Cruiser fleet, entered the GE-8JV system through the V-3YG7 gate, where Pandemic Legion and HERO Coalition forces were skirmishing. With the arrival of Providence Bloc, both forces disengaged, while HERO Coalition promised to return with a better fleet.

This proved true, as a few minutes later, while Providence Bloc forces were setting on the V-3YG7 gate, a HERO Coalition Moa Cruiser fleet warped at range, some 120-140 pilots strong.

Providence Bloc’s fleet burned straight into the Moas, and the two fleets started exchanging fire, keeping close range to each other. Quickly, ships on both sides were volleyed off, and the fighting became an intense exchange of ships. However, as the fighting continued, Providence Bloc’s position worsened, as the HERO fleet managed to pull range and kite their enemies, who kept burning in regardless.

After mounting losses, with HERO Coalition continuously re-shipping and applying pressure on them, Providence Bloc decided to concede the field, trying to beat a hasty retreat by warping to the sun, and then hoping to warp back to the V-3YG7 gate. However, the HERO Coalition Moa fleet was not ready to give up, and chased the Providence Bloc fleet there.

Unknown to Providence Bloc, an interdiction probe managed to intersect the warp path of the fleet, allowing the HERO Coalition force to land on top of it. As the remaining ships scrambled to warp back to the V-3YG7 gate, HERO Coalition managed to nab a few more stragglers.

At this point, Providence Bloc’s fleet exited the system, allowed to retreat by HERO Coalition forces, who made no attempt to pursue.

Battle report for the GE-8JV system can be found here.

The Battle from HERO Coalition’s Perspective

The Battle from Providence Bloc’s Perspective

All in all, 176 ships were lost in the exchange, with Providence Bloc taking the burnt of the ISK damage, 11.38 Bil, while HERO Coalition suffered only 1.6 Bil in return. Local reached its peak of 425 pilots, with Time Dilation not being noticeable in the fight, spiking momentarily to the region of 10-20% before quickly subsiding. The entire fight lasted half an hour in total.

Both parties agreed that it was a pleasant exchange, and though Providence Bloc lost, in the end, the fight was enjoyable throughout for both sides.

Special thanks to Jin’taan, of Pentag Blade, Curatores Veritatis Alliance and Mangraa Dementia, of Blue Tridents, Sev3rance for interview and materials.

News: HERO Coalition Saves HED-GP

HED-GP system, Catch region. In the early hours of the 9th of December, HERO Coalition and Pandemic Legion [-10.0] clashed for a third time in the system, to determine its sovereignty.

Pandemic Legion forces brought a hundred pilots strong Tengu Strategic Cruiser fleet, supported by forty WAFFLES. [N0MAD] bombers. The Pandemic Legion fleet lacked Logistics, using an Interdiction Nullified variation of the Tengu, nicknamed “Slippery Pete”. As usual, Pandemic Legion forces were first in the system, ready for HERO Coalition’s arrival.

HERO Coalition for its part, brought a full Eagle Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet, with a robust electronic warfare wing in the form of Maulus Frigates, anti bomber support wing of Harpy Assault Frigates and a Test Alliance Please Ignore [TEST] Ishtar Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet. All told, HERO Coalition’s forces numbered around seven hundred pilots in sub capital ships.

The two forces met in HED-GP on the station, both positioning themselves on the station grid, exchanging short bursts of fire and then warping off. HERO Coalition’s forces decided after a while to dock up in the station, while Carriers were brought in to start repairs.

Early fighting on the station grid

This proved to be a mistake by HERO Coalition as attempts to leave the station were countered by WAFFLE. bombers who promptly forced the fleets to dock up time and again. By the third attempt, HERO Coalition’s fleets finally managed to get out and engaged Pandemic Legion’s fleet head on, who for its part continued a pattern of hit and run attacks, warping in and out of the grid and not lingering too long.

WAFFLE. bombing run on the undocking HERO Coalition forces

As the battle continued, news of HERO Coalition Dreadnoughts located on the Keberz gate filtered in. A force containing nearly twenty Dreadnoughts was in the process of removing the Sovereignty Blockade Unit on that gate, while Pandemic Legion’s fleet was occupied on the station grid. With the Capital ships confirmed on the gate, Pandemic Legion’s Interceptors and Interdictors burned in for the tackle.

The trapped HERO Coalition Capitals

Managing to trap a small group. Pandemic Legion’s fleet arrived on grid alongside WAFFLE. bombers and engaged the Capital ships. The combined force made short work of several of the trapped Capitals, however, due to lack of Interdictors, the majority of Dreadnought managed to escape. This left only five Dreadnoughts to be destroyed by Pandemic Legion forces: Three Naglfars, a Moros and a Pheonix, resulting in fourteen billion ISK damages.

HERO Coalition halfheartedly attempted to free the Dreadnoughts, who were probably written as a loss from the start, but was quickly forced back by both Pandemic Legion’s fleet and WAFFLE. bombing runs, deciding instead to re-group at the station.

With the Sovereignty Blockade Unit destroyed, the station was saved from Pandemic Legion’s aggression, and a large Carrier task force was set to repairing the armor and shields of the station. And yet, the battle between the sub-Capital fleets continued to rage in the system unabated. The fight moved from the station and Keberz gate to the SV5-8N gate where the last Sovereignty Blockade Unit was removed by HERO Coalition. A few attempts to harass the force at work were made, but nonetheless the Sovereignty Blockade Unit was destroyed.

Fighting on the SV5-8N gate

The fight then rolled back and forth between the different celestials in the system, as HERO Coalition attempted to destroy a Pandemic Legion tower which was suspected as a WAFFLE. bomber staging base, managing to reinforce it, while being continuously harassed by the Pandemic Legion Tengus and WAFFLE. bombers.

By this point the station was fully repaired and the Carrier force extracted safely from the system. Sporadic fighting continued, but as the fight reached its third hour, it became apparent that both sides were exhausted. Both forces extracted in the end without further incident, with Pandemic Legion deploying new Sovereignty Blockade Units and reinforcing the station once more.

During the peak of the fighting, the system hosted more than one thousand pilots, with Time Dilation playing a significant factor as it fluctuated, reaching up to thirteen percents at times. All in all three hundred and eighty-three ships were destroyed during the fight, for thirty-five billion ISK of damages.

Both Pandemic Legion and HERO Coalition managed to suffer only minor losses to their respective main battle fleets, but losing a great deal of support ships.

Pandemic Legion lost only four Tengus as well as ten tackle ships, with the rest of the losses being WAFFLE. bombers, representing forty-four ships destroyed for five billion ISK in dmages.

HERO Coalition lost only ten percent of its main battle fleet, but also a great deal of tackle, electronic warfare and anti bomber support, as well as a quarter of the [TEST] Ishtar fleet. All told, HERO Coalition lost three hundred and thirty-eight ships, for sixteen billion ISK in damages (Excluding the Dreadnoughts losses).

Bomber activity was moderate, with WAFFLE. bombers dominating the battle and inflicting the majority of the losses.

Fixed Battle Report for the HED-GP system can be found here.

It is important to note that Pandemic Legion did not choose to escalate further during the fighting, unlike in previous engagements. One may speculate as for the reason for this.

All told, the battle of HED-GP is still far from over, with this being only another skirmish in a long series over the system. History has shown that the loss of HED-GP was the death blow for any entity that lived in the Catch region. Should HERO Coalition fail in keeping the defense of this system, one could easily imagine that it would spell its doom. Only the coming days will tell.

News: Pandemic Legion Conquers F4R2-Q

F4R2-Q system, Catch region. On the 23rd of November, 22:00 EVE Standard time, HERO Coalition and Pandemic Legion [-10.0] clashed for the third and final time over the control of the system.

Pandemic Legion fielded a hundred and fifty pilots Tengu Strategic Cruiser fleet, supported by a WAFFLES. [N0MAD] bomber wing of thirty pilots. As in previous fights, Pandemic Legion were first in the system, setting, as before, on the ZXIC-7 gate, the main entry way for HERO Coalition forces.

HERO Coalition, for its side, brought three hundred pilots divided into several fleets, in a mix of Harpy Assault Frigates and Merlin Frigates, supported by a robust Electronic Warfare wing of Maulus and Crucifier Frigates.

The WAFFLE. bombers for their part attempted to land a bombing run on the ZXIC-7 jump bridge, as HERO Coalition forces jumped into the system, netting only a few kills, before retreating to the F4R2-Q system, with HERO Coalition’s forces right behind them.

Both sides were quickly poised on the gates, and held there for a few minutes, as the tension was building, while the WAFFLES. bombers were scrambling to get into positions around the ZXIC-7 gate. Then, HERO Coalition’s fleets jumped into the system.

As HERO Coalition’s ships uncloaked and started to anchor, WAFFLES. bombers delivered a devastating bombing run. Four squadrons’ worth of bombs landed on the unsuspecting HERO Coalition force, decimating almost half of it within a single moment. Badly bruised from the start, HERO Coalition, regardless, attempted to rally back and fight Pandemic Legion’s fleet, bringing more reinforcements and continuing the engagement on the ZXIC-7 gate.

Pandemic Legion forces holding positions around the ZXIC-7 Gate

However, as the battle unfolded, WAFFLES. bombers went in for a second bombing run, managing to score another crippling hit. Though losing by this time almost half of their bomber wing, this blow proved fatal enough for HERO Coalition’s side, forcing it to concede the fight.

Pandemic Legion’s fleet, which remained mostly idle during these exchanges, except for its Interdictors, warped off field and towards the station. There, it safeguarded the Mothership squadron which was hard at work in flipping the station. With the station under Pandemic Legion’s control, the Spaceship Samurai [HONOR] Territorial Claim Unit was destroyed, and a new one was anchored and later activated by Pandemic Legion at a safe tower.

The destruction of the [HONOR] TCU

By this point, Pandemic Legion’s forces had safely extracted from the system, with HERO Coalition forces retreating as well, suffering continued harassment from WAFFLES. bombers. The only incident to be registered afterwards was HERO Coalition managing to steal a Sovereignty Blockade Unit on the ZXIC-7 gate, which was offlined and un-anchored by a Pandemic Legion Ragnarok Titan making rounds around the system to retrieve said equipment.

Battle report for the F4R2-Q system can be found here.

The battle proved short and one sided, and can even be described as a massacre, with HERO Coalition losing two hundred and nineteen ships, the vast majority of them to WAFFLES. bombers, for a total of four billion ISK of damages. However, it must be said that this was the cheapest exchange so far compared to the costs of previous battles.

For their part, HERO Coalition managed to destroy fifteen enemy ships, most of which belonged to the WAFFLES. bomber wing and equaling to six hundred million ISK in damages.

At the height of the fighting the F4R2-Q system hosted close to five hundred pilots, with Time Dilation being noticeable and effecting the fight.

Unlike the previous battle of F4R2-Q which showed HERO Coalition’s ability to fight toe to toe with Pandemic Legion, and even grasp a strategic victory over its better equipped and more experienced foe, this battle proved to be a far cry from a serious attempt to protect the system, and could only be interpreted as HERO Coalition throwing in the towel. One can only speculate if this will be the continued trend of the current conflict.

News: HERO Coalition Saves F4R2-Q Station

F4R2-Q system, Catch region. On the 16th of November, Pandemic Legion [-10.0] and HERO Coalition clashed for a second time over the system, at the final reinforcement timer of the station, which would determine who would control it.

Pandemic Legion brought a hundred and seventy pilot Tengu Strategic Cruiser fleet, supported by a thirty pilot WAFFLES(dot) [N0MAD] bomber wing. Being the first into the system again, Pandemic Legion set up on the ZXIC-7 gate at optimal with its Tengus, the same route HERO Coalition used before to enter the system. Meanwhile the [N0MAD] bombers spread around the gate, ready to deliver their payload at a moment’s notice.

HERO Coalition for its part, fielded a two hundred pilot strong Dominix Battleship fleet, with a robust Electronic Warfare wing, mainly Maulus Frigates. It was supported by a Test Alliance Please Ignore [TEST] Ishtar Heavy Assault Cruiser fleet, fifty pilot large. The two fleets then made their way to the F4R2-Q system, entering ZXIC-7 system and warping to the F4R2-Q gate.

At 23:05 EVE Standard Time, HERO Coalition forces jumped into the F4R2-Q system, and the two sides collided violently once more.

At first, the fight seemed to be merely a re-tread of the previous engagement, with minor variations. [N0MAD]’s bomber wing launched a bombing run as the HERO Coalition’s fleet uncloaked and anchored on the gate with the ensuing explosion destroying much of HERO Coalition’s Electronic Warfare wing.

Pandemic Legion’s fleet kept kiting and engaging the Dominix fleet at ease, while the HERO Coalition Battleships struggled in vain to break the Tengus’ tank. The [TEST] Ishtars attempted to engage the Pandemic Legion Scimitars with little success, while fresh reinforcements for HERO Coalition kept trickling in, with a Caracal Cruiser and a Harpy Assault Frigate gang entering the field, attempting to put more pressure on the Logistics wing of Pandemic Legion, as more Electronic Warfare Frigates and Cruisers were brought to the field.

However, Pandemic Legion continued to persevere, inflicting casualties upon the HERO Coalition forces while its [N0MAD] bomber wing dove for a second bombing run, this time on the [TEST] Ishtars who lost several support ships and drones, forcing them to warp off.

However, during the commotion, the Sovereignty Blockade Unit situated on the WLAR-J gate was destroyed by a HERO Coalition Capital squadron. As information from scouts was recieved, it soon became apparent that the HERO Coalition Dominix fleet was merely a distraction meant to occupy the Pandemic Legion force while the Capital fleet removed the Sovereignty Blockade Units in the system, thus removing the threat to HERO Coalition’s sovereignty.

Yet, it seems the mounting losses of the HERO Coalition Dominix fleet reached a critical point, as the Battleships used their Micro Jump Drives to clear away from the remaining interdiction probes deployed around the ZXIC-7 gate and warp off the field. This freed the Pandemic Legion fleet to pursue the Capital ships, who were in the process of removing another Sovereignty Blockade Unit on the VA6-DR gate.

The tackled HERO Coalition Aeon with its now dead escort fleet

The HERO Coalition Capital fleet was quickly tackled on the VA6-DR gate, with interdiction probes making sure none of the Capital ships could warp out, including an Aeon Mothership which accompanied the Capital fleet. Pandemic Legion quickly lit a cynosural beacon to allow its Titans to jump in, followed by supporting Motherships, while the Tengu fleet kept watch. One after the other, the newly brought Titans focused their Doomsday devices on the tackled Capitals and volleyed them. The Motherships, at the same time, let loose their Fighter Bomber wings on the tackled Aeon.

HERO Coalition’s Archon Carrier hit by a Doomsday device during the initial fighting on the VA6-DR gate

At this point, HERO Coalition managed to remove the Sovereignty Blockade Unit on the VA6-DR gate, effectively securing the system for their side, yet the tackled Aeon presented a problem. Deciding to sacrifice their Dominix fleet to apply pressure on the Pandemic Legion forces, they warped it on top of the Pandemic Legion Titan fleet and started engaging. At the same time, they lit a cynosural beacon of their own, jumping in more Dreadnaughts.

HERO Coalition’s Dominix fleet warping in to save the tackled Aeon

The HERO Coalition Dreadnaught fleet turned its entire attention to the nearest Ragnarok titan, managing to bring it down to half armor before the Motherships’ Remote Repairer cycles caught up. At the same time, the Pandemic Legion Titans cycled their Doomsday devices again on the newly arrived Capitals, adding to the slaughter.

It seems in all the commotion the Aeon managed to clear the interdiction probes around it, as Pandemic Legion tackle was pre-occupied with the Dominix and Dreadnaught fleets, and able to warp out to the station. From there it safely extract from the system. The remaining Capitals though, did not share its luck, and were destroyed to the last, alongside many Dominix Battleships.

Pandemic Legion’s fleet close to the end of the battle

With the Aeon safely out of system, and the system itself secured, HERO Coalition forces disengaged, leaving Pandemic Legion forces to loot the field and clear the wrecks.

Battle report for the F4R2-Q system can be found here.

During the height of the battle the system hosted almost a thousand pilots, with Time Dilation being a noticeble factor, peaking to twenty-two percent during most of the fighting. Bomber activity was strong at the start of the battle, with [N0MAD] bombers in particular, but dropped severely as the fight moved to the VA6-DR gate. More than one hundred and forty-five billion ISK of damages were incurred during the fighting, with three hundred and forty-eight ships destroyed. The fight was over in ninety minutes from its start.

Pandemic Legion lost the strategic objective, but won the field, suffering twenty-three losses for two billion ISK in damages, most of them either tackle or bombers, with one Tengu destroyed due to the pilot disconnecting.

HERO Coalition won both a strategic and a moral victory, but at a great cost. Managing to save the system and the Aeon, HERO Coalition sacrificed no less than twenty-seven Dreadnaughts and ten Carriers and fifty-one Battleships. Including all the losses incurred during the fighting, HERO Coalition lost two hundred and ninety-seven ships, for a total of one hundred and thirty-six billion ISK.

According to sources within HERO Coalition, the second Dreadnaught fleet was supposed to jump on top an Erebus titan that was bumped away from the main Pandemic Legion fleet, allowing HERO Coalition to snag a Titan kill to offset their losses. It is however, unclear as to what exactly went wrong.

Further more, the Aeon was apparently a bait for the Pandemic Legion fleet, with the plan to jump the Dreadnaughts on top the Motherships and Titans brought to the field. However, Pandemic Legion’s Titan fleet exceeded expectations (Reaching to almost a hundred Titans and Motherships).

With the F4R2-Q secured once again by HERO Coalition, one must wonder whether by winning the system, HERO Coalition lost the war, or whether this will represent a turning point in its struggle against Pandemic Legion.