The Battle of Vak'Atioth was the major engagement of the Amarr-Jove War. It was fought in 23216 AD in the system of Vak'Atioth, now known as Atioth, between two hundred ships of the Amarr Navy and a detachment of Jove ships headed up by a Jovian Mothership. The battle was a massive defeat for the Empire and had far-reaching consequences. It was, for a time, the largest battle in New Eden's history.
Historical Background
By 23216 AD, the Amarr had not enslaved a large population since its conquest of the Minmatar began almost 800 years prior. Starved for a new source of slaves, the Empire was eager to Reclaim one of the other races it had recently encountered. The Gallente Federation was considered too powerful to assault and it was determined to be undesirable to attack the Caldari State as it provided a counter to the Federation. The Jove Directorate, however, appeared to be weak and susceptible to invasion to the leadership of the Empire.
At the time, the full technological capabilities of the Jove were unknown to the Empire, who only saw the lesser numbers of the Jove and viewed them as vulnerable. The Empire decided to strike first in the system of Vak'Atioth, a border system which contained only a small Jove research station, as a show of might. For weeks beforehand they broadcasted messages of Imperial dominance and the Amarr position as God's chosen.
Meanwhile, elements were working against the Amarr Empire. A Jove named Grious obtained the full battle plans of the Amarr fleet from a Naval Admiral named Faus Akredon. Faus, who had begun to lose his faith in the Empire, was covertly working with Grious to aid the Minmatar in planning their rebellion and believed if the Empire were to be successful at Vak'Atioth, the rebellion would ultimately fail.
Battle
Forewarned, the Jove were able to meet the Amarr fleet with a perfect counter. The Amarr fleet was composed mostly of battleships and heavier cruisers. Its support was light, leaving the fleet sluggish and unguarded.
The Jove countered with small wings of frigates. While the Amarr scored the first kill, destroying a stationary Jove ship, the Jove frigates quickly reached full speed and were able to pin down the Amarr vessels. It was then that a Jovian Mothership was brought onto the field. An ancient vessel of a size nearly unmatched throughout New Eden, it had been equipped with the latest and most devastating of Jove weaponry. Each shot was capable of destroying an Amarr battleship entirely.
The Amarr, finding their ships pinned by the Jove frigates and being picked apart by long-range cruiser fire and the Mothership's doomsday weapon, fell into chaos. Their lines of communication were broken and Amarr battle doctrine refused surrender or retreat.
The entire battle lasted just under six hours and ended with the majority of the Amarr ships lost, while the Jove had lost only a third of their vessels.
Aftermath
The Empire was shocked by the complete loss to the Jove. It quickly regrouped and planned a second assault, using different tactics that would be capable of countering the Jove frigates. The Jove, meanwhile, withdrew from their border systems and regrouped for a more concentrated defense.
The second battle never came, however. Shortly after, the Minmatar took the opportunity to rebel, aided by the actions of Grious and sympathetic elements within the Gallente Federation. The Empire quickly turned its eyes on the Minmatar and entered into a hasty peace treaty with the Jove.
The Amarr were unsuccessful in containing the Minmatar Rebellion, in part because of the morale blow suffered by the loss to the Jove. The Jove, on the other hand, achieved a reputation of invincibility that spared them any further assaults from the Empire or the other races.