NCGR-Q, Vale of the Silent - Earlier today the Southern Coalition [SC] successfully destroyed a Northern Coalition [NC] starbase, diplomatic sources confirmed. The tower served as a jumpbridge for Northern Coalition fleets, but the NC were able to inflict heavy losses on the attacking forces.
In the early hours of this morning, an estimated 130 pilots from Southern Coalition alliances including ATLAS, IT, Gentlemen's Club and Against All Authorities, jumped into the system and began their attack on a starbase belonging to Majesta Empire. The starbase was positoned at NCGR-Q V - Moon 16 and provided a jumpbridge service to Northern Coalition's vessels.
The Northern Coalition responded to the attack by fleeting forces from Majesta Empire, RAZOR Alliance, Mostly Harmless, Morsus Mihi and allies. As soon as the Southern Coalition's attack began, NC forces immediately intercepted.
According to Imperian of Morsus Mihi (a Northern Coalition alliance), NC forces expected the tower to be attacked and had prepared an ambush. "We had a trap set up, waiting with a capital fleet to jump on them with their pants down and our plan worked. They killed the tower but we managed to get some Supercarriers tackled with 'Dictors and Heavy Interdictors... Once their whole capfleet was commited to the fight we jumped in our remaining capitals including some titans and our own supercarriers."
Frobond, who acted as Fleet Commander for Southern Coalition's forces, admitted he suspected a trap but he was confident at the time that his fleet was prepared to match their opponents. "[They] jumped in, I would say, about 15-20 caps to kill our 4 that had been tackled... They jumped in quite a few [motherships] and [titans]."
Before they managed to escape, with what Frobond described as "luck," the SC forces lost an estimated 53 Dreadnoughts, 11 Carriers, 36 Battleships and 4 Interdictors.
Northern Coalition's forces, as well as losing the starbase, lost an estimated 23 Dreadnoughts, 3 Battleships, 6 Interceptors and 9 interdictors. The starbase was later rebuilt and the jumpbridges services re-enabled.
Imperian gave his point of view on the Southern Coalition's campaign. "The attacks are getting heavier now with more and more of their friends being forced to join the fight since it appears that every single try to inflict damage to our Vale infrastructure failed so far."
"I think, right now, it is a war of attrition and whoever runs out of ships and ISK first will start showing the strain. Right now we have 2 very rich and powerful entities going at it," said Frobond.
This latest skirmish may not have a sizable impact on the war that is raging between the Northern and Southern Coalitions, but both sides can take a moral boost from it - the SC for their successful destruction of the tower and the NC for the heavy ship losses they inflicted.
GalNet References
Atlas Killboard
Morsus Mihi Killboard
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