The war was not going badly, it was just going. The semi supported war between the Minmatar Republic and the Amarr Empire has been going on for years. Systems are “conquered” daily, only to ping-pong back again the next day. Seeing as CONCORD only recognises the sovereignty of the original occupants, it doesn’t really make very much difference. The Warzone is simply a more active rendition of pirate lowsec with a little more organisation.
Our fleet was out completing a batch of objectives handed down from the Tribal Liberation Force offices. We had a scattering of Amarrian convoys, structures and field commanders to take care of. Myself and Andie were piloting a pair of Stealth Bombers while showing some of the newer members how things work in the militia. Most of the other ships were Rifter-class frigates, cheaply fitted and expendable. We also had a few Irregulars allow to boost our threat value, a Navy spec Osprey-class cruiser, Navy spec Hookbill-class frigate and another Stealth Bomber.
Things were looking very smooth. The first 3 objectives were completed in short order with the fourth almost complete. Our target convoy was down to its last transport when the fleets scout reported a small gang had entered the system to defend their unarmed brethren. Two Navy issue Slicer-class frigates and a single Kitsune-class Electronic Attack frigate.
Every capsuleer has the ability to instantly access a huge database of information through his implants and capsule interfaces. Inside this verdant realm of information freedom it doesnt take long to formulate how the engagement will go down.
A Kitsune EA frigate can jam the targeting systems of 3-4 other ships almost permanently, causing those ships to either withdraw from combat, or to rely on their squad mates to take down the Kitsune so that targeting can resume. This one ship could neuter the abilities of our four main ships, leaving the younger players in the weaker ships to deal with the Kitsune. However the Slicer frigates are perfectly designed to dispatch these weaker ships in great numbers without endangering themselves. By the time the Stealth Bombers can get target locks on anything, most of our squadron will be destroyed. Bombers cannot operate without escorts. This is the theory anyway.
A typical cat-and-mouse game unfolded for the next 40 minutes. Each fleet needing to catch a single ship from the outer while also keeping its friends busy. Finally we bugged out moving onto the next objective. This is where I made a mistake that proved exceptionally fruitful.
As I was watching the local communications channels so intently for signs of enemy reinforcements, I accidentally broadcast our next destination to everyone in the system (including our enemies). After cursing myself, and receiving a round of laughter from my fleetmates, I ordered all of our younger players to head for the destination I had given anyway, then to “bounce” between the planets there to keep our opponents busy.
Minutes later it became clear that two of the enemy ships were intently following a single one of our ships, while the third enemy ship stayed to watch what the rest of us were doing, no small feat when your trying to monitor three cloaked Stealth Bombers. I recalled the others to this system and quickly completed one more objective.
The textbook entrapment scenario involves the hunter fleet waiting on the exit point of an Acceleration Gate so that the prey cannot see the disposition of your fleet. Instead our fleet was ordered to hold position on the entrance point of the gate.
The trap was sprung after we attempted to complete the earlier failed objective. The system is called Arayar and is behind the Amarrian border. Should the prey take too long, or realise what we are up to and call reinforcements, we could be quickly overrun. I guess seeing a group of weak ships enter system and warp to the entrance point must have been too much for our opponent. He warped to the gate in pursuit. When he arrived only a few of our Rifters had emerged from warp, loitering around the gate itself. Instead of slipping through the gate as he would have expected, they instead turned and engaged even tho outclassed. Once the Slicer had committed himself to battle the rest of us joined in.
8 to 1 odds seems like the battle should have been a pushover. Moving into range while cloaked I had a perfect opportunity to watch the battle unfold. Our opponent expertly changed targets to Andies Manticore-class Bomber as it emerged from cloak, forcing him to withdraw before his targeting computers could fire a single torpedo. As I was still cloaked he began to work on the Rifters.
This must be where the Slicer gets its name. Wikkedly fast and outclassing the Rifters in range, it was able to take wide arcs through the fray. Each time its engines would be disabled by our propulsion jamming, and every time coasting out of range due to momentum, and then burning out to make another pass as its engines game back online. Its manoeuvrability so high that missiles detonating nearby inflicted a fraction of their total payload. Seeing as a majority of our weaponry was missile based, and the Rifters autocannons were struggling to stay in range, it seemed unlikely we could succeed.
As I de-cloaked and began to lock the Slicer, one of our new recruits armor gave out, his structure yielding easily to the high tech Conflagration Pulse Lasers. The first salvo was already leaving the launch tubes as my computer completed the firing solution. Slow, but powerful enough to worry battleship class targets, my torpedoes were not designed for such a nimble target. Luckily the advanced systems of my Stealth Bomber augmented my normal interception routines and the Torpedoes could be detonated in front of the target. Massive energy wavefronts began to blossom from the near target, marking his path through space better than my tracking wetware ever could.
Realising his time was up, the Slicer began aligning for the nearest moon to escape. Having the speed and manoeuvrability advantage this is rarely a problem. As his craft slowed to enter warp, a salvo from each of the Hookbill, Osprey and my Hound-class Bomber collided with the craft. Coupled with the autocannons of a Rifter the damage was enough to finish him. I imagine half the wreckage was scattered through the system as it was accelerated to warp speeds.
Our final objective was completed without hassle and our fleet returned to Dal victorious.
Of course, fate would see my bomber being destroyed by a smart-bombing Hyperion-class Battleship, camping the gates out of Amamake. Some things in the warzone never change.
The Killmail
