L-5JCJ system, Immensea region. On the 2nd of September at 23:49 EVE Standard Time, a capital brawl developed between Vanguard Coalition (VG) and Phoenix Federation (PF) forces.

The battle was instigated by Vanguard Coalition which had a 120 pilot Machariel battleship fleet reinforcing infrastructure in the region. The fleet included two full squadrons of dreadnoughts which were used among other to incapacitate jump bridges, thus slowing down and disrupting Phoenix Federation traffic in the region.

Phoenix Federation was occupied at the time with securing allied territory. By the time their fleet returned to its staging system, Vanguard Coalition had already managed to incapacitate one jump bridge and was busy disabling another. A quick ping was sent for more pilots, especially dreadnought ones, to join the fleet and it re-shipped to Abaddon battleships with four squadrons of dreadnoughts. All told Phoenix Federation had 140 pilots in fleet.

Phoenix Federation commanders knew they didn’t have much time before Vanguard Coalition managed to safe up

The Abaddon fleet quickly departed the system, burning via gate to Vanguard Coalition’s location while the dreadnoughts prepared to jump in once a cynosural beacon was secured. Unfortunately, Vanguard Coalition had incapacitated the second jump bridge and was preparing to extract, its dreadnoughts cycling down their siege mode. Thankfully a couple of Phoenix Federation interdictors managed to warp in and deploy warp disrupt probes around the dreadnoughts, buying time for their fleet to arrive on the scene. Still, as interdictors kept warping in to keep the dreadnoughts tackled, Phoenix Federation commanders knew they didn’t have much time before Vanguard Coalition managed to safe up its capital ships.

With the Abaddon fleet jumping into the system, Phoenix Federation managed to secure a cynosural beacon near the Vanguard Coalition dreadnoughts. Deciding not to wait, the beacon lit up and Phoenix Federation dreads entered the field. The Phoenix Federation dreadnoughts entered their siege cycles immediately and opened fire on their Vanguard Coalition counterparts. Vanguard Coalition returned fire and the two dreadnought forces locked horns at close range while Phoenix Federation sub capitals prepared to enter the field.

Suddenly, a new cynosural beacon flared up and Vanguard Coalition’s dreadnought reinforcements started flooding the field. Vanguard coalition hadn’t been blind to Phoenix Federation’s military build up and had called for reinforcements of their own. Phoenix Federation found itself quickly outnumbered and outgunned with four new dreadnought squadrons jumping into the fray.

The two sides started exchanging losses as dreadnoughts focused fire on one another. However, Vanguard Coalition targeted the ship lighting the cynosural beacon to deny Phoenix Federation further reinforcements before removing the Phoenix Federation capital commander. This last action aided in sowing confusion in the Phoenix Federation’s ranks and was greatly exploited by the Vanguard Coalition dreadnoughts who continued to hammer their opposition.

In the sub capital fight, the PF Abaddon fleet attempted to land at range of the cynosural beacon but was separated due to the many warp disruption probes blanketing the grid. It took them a long while to gather their forces as they continued to suffer harassment by Vanguard Coalition interdictors. By the time PF managed to assemble all their ships and warp into the fray it was too late for their capital wing.

The fairly even trade off at the beginning was becoming more and more lopsided in Vanguard Coalition’s favor.

Vanguard Coalition had managed to gain the upper hand in the capital exchange. The fairly even trade off at the beginning was becoming more and more lopsided in Vanguard Coalition’s favor. Every Vanguard Coalition loss was paid for by three, sometimes four and even five Phoenix Federation dreadnoughts. With Phoenix Federation dreadnought numbers diminishing, Vanguard Coalition was all set on winning the capital engagement.

The Abaddon fleet was whole once again and warped together into the fray. The battleships quickly exchanged fire with the Machariel fleet at close range, the two fleets brawling. This however proved to be a one sided engagement as the Machariels’ artillery cannons proved superior to the Abaddons’ auto cannons. What more, the Abaddon fleet lacked uniform fitting, with some battleships sporting auto cannons while others artillery cannons. In such close proximity to the hostile fleet, the artillery cannons had trouble tracking the fast moving Machariels and missed many of the shots, effectively nullifying part of the PF fleet’s overall firepower. In just a few minutes the Abaddon fleet was ripped apart, allowing Vanguard Coalition to dispose of the last remaining Phoenix Federation capitals with ease.

With Phoenix Federation beaten, Vanguard Coalition forces secured the field, extracting their capital ships while looting the field of anything of value. Once the last of their dreadnoughts was safe, the Machariel fleet withdrew as well, bringing the battle to an end.

The Battle from the Perspective of the Vanguard Coalition Fleet

Battle report for the L-5JCJ system can be found here.

All told the battle lasted 41 minutes with Time Dilation not reported and the system holding an estimated 350 pilots at the peak of the fighting.

Phoenix Federation lost 99 ships in the battle including 40 dreadnoughts and 28 battleships for a total of 147.06 billion ISK damage.

Vanguard Coalition lost 19 ships in the battle including 14 dreadnoughts and 1 battleship for a total of 44.84 billion ISK damage.

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