At approximately 0130 EVE time on March 1, a Fortizar belonging to Brave Collective <BRAVE> was due to come online in the Catch system of GE-8JV. Test Alliance Please Ignore <TEST> and Circle-of-two <CO2> were also there to help with security. Altogether TESCO and BRAVE fielded Nightmares, Maelstroms, Hurricanes, and a Proteus fleet, with both BRAVE and CO2 dreadnaughts on standby. This Fortizar was uncomfortably close to Delve, so the Imperium sprang into action, fomenting a battle that saw capital use on both sides, and resulted in nearly a quarter-trillion ISK in losses.
Hours earlier, Thomas Lear of GoonSwarm Federation <CONDI> had contacted KillahBee of Pandemic Legion <-10.0> (PL) with intel on the anchoring structure. “We didn’t plan on going to the timer, then Thomas asked me if we wanted to tag team it” Killahbee told INN, “Looking at who was forming for it, I figured that might even the odds.”
“I formed Maelstroms and Rokhs initially, but when the intel on what TEST / CO2 / BRAVE had came in I decided to reship into Carriers, Force Auxiliaries, and Dreadnaughts” Killahbee continued. Thomas Lear formed a Proteus fleet and also decided to bring along Force Auxiliaries on standby to support his strategic cruisers.
“It’s been a thing for a while in low security space that you can bring a Force Auxiliary to support T3 cruisers because the scope of the fight is small. I thought this was a good time to test out the effectiveness of that strategy on a larger scale” Thomas Lear said.
As the fight unfolded, Thomas Lear took the fight right to the BRAVE subcapital fleet. Maelstroms landed shortly after, but landed very close to the Imperium strategic cruisers. “It would have been much better for BRAVE if they wouldn’t have landed so close,” Thomas Lear said. It was the opportunity for Pandemic Legion was looking for. They jumped their carrier fleet right on top of the Maelstroms and began laying waste to them.
As CONDI and BRAVE battled back and forth, TEST Nightmares and BRAVE Hurricanes also joined the fight. PL did a bombing run, and BRAVE decided to bring a few dreadnaughts into the mix. This prompted Thomas Lear to bring in the first wave of Imperium force auxiliaries, and Pandemic Legion dropped in their own dreadnaughts and carriers. The presence of the Imperium force auxuliaries would be critical to the Proteus’ continued ability to function, as the defending forces destroyed all but a hanfful of the subcapital logstics. The arrival of the PL carrier fleet triggered a full escalation from CO2 to drop their own dreadnaughts, and the capital fight had begun.
“It was amazing to see how well the faxes did to keep the Proteus fleet alive,” according to an enthusiastic Thomas Lear. “There were saving all kinds of T3s around 10%-15% armor. The carriers were also just shredding subcapital ships. Many people think “oh, they can’t be that overpowered against subcaps” but they really are.”
By comparison, KillahBee was very nonchalant about the battle.
“We killed their dreads. We finished the remains of their maelstrom fleet and then started killing TEST Nightmares until CO2’s dreads jumped onto us which we killed too.” It seems like wiping out almost an entire dreadnaught fleet is just another day at the office for one of Pandemic Legion’s top Fleet Commanders. Along with all this carnage, the Fortizar was destroyed. CONDI’s strategic objective had been fulfilled.
Both Thomas Lear and KillahBee expressed their respect for the fight that BRAVE and TESCO put forth. Thomas Lear especially gave them props for reforming Hurricanes and fighting for as long as possible. Killahbee also wanted to give a shout out to BRAVE and TESCO for a fun brawl.
INN would like to thank all of those involved with putting this article together, from the interviewees, to the battle report compiler, to everyone involved in this fight. INN has reached out to Vily of TEST, as well as representatives of CO2 and BRAVE for comment, but has had no reply as of this time.
Cagali BraveCagali
funny, nobody asked me for comment!
March 2, 2017 at 12:17 AMCavin DeJordy Cagali BraveCagali
This is the author. Who are you?
March 2, 2017 at 12:28 AMDunk Dinkle Cavin DeJordy
You wrote an article about Brave, said you asked for Brave comment, and you don’t know who Cagali Cagali is…
Your punishment is to send me Skyline Chili & Glier’s Goetta.
March 2, 2017 at 2:21 PMRammel Kas Dunk Dinkle
Some of us DO remember Cagali, don’t worry. But why on earth build it so damn close to a wasp nest? Imperium have consistently glassed anything west of EX6 that’s bigger than a small the past few months. Also why not first toe in the water with Astrahauses?
March 3, 2017 at 6:04 AMKungfu Stu Rammel Kas
shud up nerd
March 3, 2017 at 11:46 AMRammel Kas Kungfu Stu
Oh… so Brave dropped the “stay classy” rule?
March 3, 2017 at 11:48 AMDunk Dinkle Rammel Kas
Well, we do have Astrahus & Raitarus. I think we could have handled the Goon fleet, between our sub-caps, cap fleet, and allies. Having 100 PL capitals arrive is a tough nut to crack.
March 3, 2017 at 4:55 PMRammel Kas Dunk Dinkle
Heh… nothing changed there then since Catch. PL are still Brave’s boogeyman. Unless you can finish the fight that Blue Ice didn’t I think they will keep thinking about Brave like a waifu pillow. At least that means spring won’t be fallow doesn’t it?
March 3, 2017 at 10:15 PMMack Warhammer Cavin DeJordy
You do live in a world of your own, right? Can I ask who did you contact from Brave?
March 3, 2017 at 7:53 PMTruth Hurts
It seems like Team Test are becoming the new Imperium of the old? See the problem with building up, while yes you want to be able to defend against Goons, you still have to try to avoid becoming a target of PL/HORDE/NC. One bad move and Honestly PL/HORDE/NC. could wipe them out if fully focused and committed. The Imperium could do damage, but have put plans in motion which soon will make them very elite on the battlefield. (Sorry will not disclose here even though it’s probably already public knowledge). Now if you combine the 2 forces, then you have an Eviction team that could undo Test Co months of hard work in little to no time…. Test Co probably know that PL and It’s allies are a hanging threat above their head, while The Imperium are in their face. What a headache! However if Test Co are not controlled, I do see them becoming a very powerful Power Block, comparable almost to BOB. The same thing that Horde could do, if molded and groomed, structured by PL. But then again… do you really allow the Hand to grow stronger then the Arm it’s attached to? Probably not.
March 5, 2017 at 12:18 PM