Recently I had the opportunity to interview Tridgit – executor to Iron Armada – about the recent changes on the front lines of Fountain. Together with Feign Disorder and Wild Hunt, the Heathens Coalition has secured a strong footing in the south of Fountain in the last two months.
Could you tell us what Iron’s objective was moving into Fountain, knowing that The Culture would be one of your neighbors?
Having a home, taking it by force, and not being handheld was one of the things that Iron simply needed to do at that point in time. We spent some time projecting out of Black Rise fighting Pandemic Horde while we scoped out the area in Fountain, and decided that TC were not as scary to us as they seem on paper, or would be to an EUTZ alliance.
We are well versed in defensive sov warfare, and we were confident in our ability to repell any attempts that TC would take in eviction. Goal-wise, we intentionally chose Fountain due to its geography, and the riches held within.
Other than the obvious presence of TC, have any of the other Fountain residents posed a tactical or strategic threat to Iron Armada?
Surface level only. The FCORE crew was in a spell of inactivity, and both of TC’s allies (Pixels and Relax) were not a threat. There is always the ever present threat of roams, blops, cloaky camping etc, but not serious threats.
We saw the opportunity to strike in and plant flags quickly in a region that was left to fallow.
Sorta. Due to its geography it’s a pain in the ass of a region to work with. It’s why goons haven’t held the region and have allowed TC to live in the northern side of it.
The south of Fountain has been largely empty because it takes a certain type of group to live there. If someone connected to NCdot or PanFam (or whoever) was to try to move into the area, then that would be a threat to which goons would be forced to respond.
Iron though? We are tiny in comparison to these massive coalition blocks, so its not a threat to them. And before you ask why don’t more people do what we did? Too many people are wrapped up in their ‘eve politics’ or to skittish to risk failure. Our staging is beside an NPC unconquerable station by design.
If we had failed, or in future if a bigger fish comes, we have already planned for it. We came to the region with no friends and punched everyone in the face as much as we could.
I’ve heard that Iron is growing pretty quickly. What do you attribute the growth to?
Given the unique culture of Iron, is there anything other than what you’ve stated which is in that mix which you think sets you apart from other corporations and alliances in the same size?
What’s next for Iron, given the apparent evacuation of The Culture from Fountain?
Any parting thoughts on the state of EVE and the political or military landscape? Who’s getting it right, who’s not?
Thanks for your time.