New Horizons

Reluctantly, I tendered my resignation from The Water Margin (-TWA-) and by extension, the Federal Defence Union (FDU). The militia war would continue but my own objectives had changed throughout the conflict. The fascists had 'captured' all the available bunkers that were held by the FDU and had declared victory. The FDU showed, once again, their disdain for the fascists position and continued to fight the pilots directly rather than contest bunkers that guarded non-essential environments.

However, I wanted something else and realised that my experience in the whole Faction Warfare was down to the presence of a few corporations and pilots and now, many were taking their leave of the FDU and moving on; taking pilots with them. Dark-Rising [-DARK] was one such corp and having flown with and under many of their pilots in my time at the -TWA- / FDU - I decided to follow and now found myself in Minmatar space. They have decided to join up with the Tribal Liberation Force (TLF) - and fight the Amarr slavers; so Dark-Rising and their pilots are not sick of Faction Warfare just the grind of the Gallente/Caldari war. Personally, I think Dark has their own reasons for switching and it is part of a longer term plan. I am not privvy to it but we're changing one bunch of fascists for another and I don't mind a bit.

Luckily, I worked a lot in the Heimatar region before coming back into Empire space and had many ships and equipment stored in this region of low-sec space. Moving into the new home system of Taff was relatively straight forward if not back-breaking: I don't have any jump freighters handy and had to do it manually. Very dull.

Have moved most of my gear and began to refit my ships according to the prescribed fleet setups that Mitch Taylor has laid down. Plenty of T2 goodness I see.

Anyway, a new chapter becomes - my colleague Votrian Gamma is looking after Union Aerospace though many of my dearest friends have long since left New Eden. All except TFAce who I have asked to come in and join us here at -DARK. Like I said, a new chapter and I look forward to the next installment.

Losing some ground, gaining in others

Due to illness and injury I had to take a step back from the ongoing skirmish (I can't call it war as it doesn't feel like it) - and on returning, I find that OMS and Tama are now 'captured' by the Fascists and they're moving into Placid region at the moment. Checking the kb, nothing has changed much; The Gallente are still killing the squiddies in PvP engagements while the Squiddies continue to roll through and 'capture' system after system.

Well, at least we don't have to wait long until all of contested space is 'captured' by the Fascists...then what?

The War so far.

After almost two months of faction warfare, I have been promoted to Aegis Commander and the Gallente have supposedly, lost influence in Verge Vendor. The split between how the Caldari and Gallente view faction warfare is as far apart as ever and it's doubtful if both sides can ever meet in the middle.

On the one hand, the Caldari has grabbed 'control' over Verge Vendor - flipping the system and ensuring a semi-permanent presence of Caldari Navy and Caldari Militia pilots. However, nothing else has changed: the stations are still there, services and transport remain unimpeded and apart from the little change in the status of the system map, there is no evidence of any Caldari influence.

In fact, the 'capture' of Verge Vendor didn't even make the news, not even the regional news such is the non-impact of this happening though there was some bandwidth over in the GalNet forums amongst some of the capsuleers involved. While, I am 100% against the fascist Caldari state and their mad dictator, Tibus Heth, I think the lack of any recognition to the 22nd Black Rise, PERVS and CAIN (to name three) Caldari Faction Warfare corporations for their hard work is a tad unfair though not unexpected. Afterall, the leader of the Caldari State is the mad fascist, Tibus Heth. What do they expect?

However, this reflects the odd situation where the Caldari state has asked pod pilots to take the fight into low-security space and then try to secure it by attacking selected military installations and complexes. No effort is made to capture major systems and planets or even the star gates. The war, if one can be called that, operates with specific battlefield areas. The prize being a change in sovereignity on a map and nothing more. It is almost like ritual warfare.

Of course, if capturing systems (I use the word loosely) is the goal of a corporation; then the achievement of this by a corporation is a reward in itself. This is the goal of the 22nd, PERVS and CAIN - they want to change the colour of the map to be more Caldari blue and they're achieving it. In contrast, the Gallente are not as interested in map changes and I know many a Gallente pilot, for example, in Oulletta (which 'fell' to the Caldari Fascists) happily living and shopping and flying in what is now classed as hostile space. There is no discernible change in environment. Not even the service charges of stations change to reflect the will of the fascist provosts.

So what now?

Oddly, there is a call by the Gallente Federation for a concentrated campaign into Black Rise, and this recognition by the Federation has galvanised some sections of the the Gallente Militia into relocating into Black Rise and start seizing Protectorate assets. However, will we do enough to change the map? Probably not. Will the majority of the Gallente militia care? Nope.

I, however, will move to a system in Black Rise and see what I can do.

The war so far

The war continues and after the euphoria of retaking Alsavoinen, The Gallente Militia lost another nine systems. The list is sobering: Ladistier, Costolle, Hevrice, Muetralle, Jovainnon, Vifrevaert, Melmaniel, Murethand and Iges. The Squiddies, much emboldened, are now pushing onto Old Man Star and Heydialies. Two core systems for the Gallente Militia. However, this has actually delighted the majority of the Gallente Militia rather than shock. To many, it means the targets are closer with less need to travel the long distances!

Thus the fundamental difference between the individualist, idealist and self-centered Gallente versus the fascist, drone-like attitude of the Caldari State Protectorate. The GalMil are still fixated on killing the enemy fascist capsuleer, the fascists however are bent on Lebensraum. Yes, the Caldari are fascists. While I have friends and acquintances who are horrified at the lurge and lurge of their Caldari State to the right; the once-noble Caldari have largely embraced the authoritarian, single-party, dictator-led state apparatus of Tibus Heth. Him and his jackbooted Templis Dragonaurs are now making a mockery of the traditional Caldari characteristics of serving the state and loyalty and hard work.

Now, defending and retaking territory is important to the war effort now. It should be important to the GalMil because it is important to the fascist squids. We should be (and have been) re-focusing on this as it affects the Squids more. The squids are determined, organised and focused on gaining ground and taking our systems. They are taking immense delight at the land grab while the average Gallente pod pilot, slouched languidly on a chair with a limp Gauloise cigarette in his hand merely shrugs and asks, "Where are the targets?"

As I ruminated last time, there are now many more GalMil pilots coming round to the fact that fighting the squiddies for our systems actually brings the fights. The fights that the GalMil so crave.

I joined a 'plex fleet around 00:00 EVE Time and was racing around re-securing the capture points, bunkers and facilities around Old Man Star and Heydiales - after a concentrated effort by the squiddies to take them during the week. Each time, our frigates engaged and destroyed or chased off the fascists; much to their chagrin. On more than one occasion, all we could hear on the GalNet channel was the fascist wailing at us to leave this system, so he could continue to capture the facilities and resources. We laughed and chased him off - what did he think we were?

Within the four hour operation, I had killed a brutix, caracal, blackbird, a couple of punishers and a few more frigates. In one memorable encounter, our fleet of eleven had taken on a fleet of twelve and destroyed their ships, for the loss of one frigate. The pod fascist fleet commander had asked, rather comically, 'we lost all twelve - how many did you lose?' to which we answered 'one....and he was already in half armour and felt sorry for you'. The quality and tactical decision making of the fascist needs some improvement when they're engaging us. However, they have been able to absorb the kills and continue to hammer away at our systems. Their goals are to take space and hold them....and this is what they're doing.

I wonder if the pod-fascists understand that ultimately, they're being used by Tibus Heth and his Templis Dragonaurs as canon-fodder? The occupation of the system doesn't (yet) alter the defensive structure of the system. Apart from near-worthless 'promotions' and medals for their work - what have they gained? The Gallente are a bit more realistic and blase about this and see the bigger picture as unless the fascists capture and control the stargates and planets; they have nothing. Meanwhile, we keep giving them a spanking and we keep losing more systems to them.

Status Quo.

As an addendum, I love the ishkur for this factional warfare. It's the best.

Retaken Alsavoinen

I was now staring at a shiny medal as I had been promoted to Shield Commander after a hard campaign around Southern Placid - many systems were contested and some were in danger of being vulnerable. However, I am detecting a change in the Gallente Militia as they are slowly starting to rally around some other figures and corporations who have stepped into the vacuum left by FOOM.

Over the time, I have made a network of other trusted GalMil pilots, it is taken for granted that all public militia chat channels have been infiltrated and secondary, more secretive channels have been put in it's place. It was through this secondary channel that I responded to. Without another word, I was linked into a newly formed fleet of about 35 ships and placed into a squad and awaited orders. The fleet was being assembled in a high-security Gallente area of space. Once the majority of the pilots were in place; the fleet moved - the route was long; designed to throw off any pursuers and give a false reading of our destination as half way through - the route was suddenly changed and we did an about turn and burned towards our target system. Our scouts, scattered all around the target system reported no war targets and in the next 15 minutes, the fleet was assembled and I knew our destination: it was Alsavoinon - a Gallente system invaded by the Caldari State. Tonight, we were going to take it back and we roared into this system - setting up gate camps on both sides of the gate while the main fleet of battle ship class vessels moved towards the enemy bunker and proceeded to assault it.

Within hours, the bunker's defenders gave up: the Caldari state could not get enough pilots of ships to defend this lonely outpost and we regained a second system. A third is being eyed up and preparations already being made. We're ready and we're now very hungry.

Taking the fight to them

In the short time I have been in The Water Margin, I have been thrown into the teeth of Empire fraticide. I have had kills now and so have many in the corporation. Have linked in with many a Gallente fleet made up of capsuleers from all over New Eden. The fleet commanders overall have been quite good with some outstanding ones really doing the business. It is heartening to see many pod pilots of Caldari and Amarr lineage fighting for the Gallente Federation as well; though am sure that most pod pilots see themselves above and apart from the other four races and the majority non-capsuleer populations. Since we are all practically immortal anyway.

My favourite ship-class (for now) is the ishkur-class assault frigate. It is relatively fast, deadly due to its compliment of ten tech 2 light drones as well as a rack of tech 2 small neutron blasters. With my skills, this green-skinned frigate is a monster.

As part of a defensive plexing fleet of about ten or so sub cruiser-class ships; we patrolled around the hot spot of Old Man Star down to Ladistier. Beyond were nominal Gallente administered low-security space but now occupied by the Caldari State Protectorate apparatus. Already, the squiddies were launching probing attacks into Old Man Star in an effort to take yet more territory. We scrambled around blunting the efforts of enemy capsuleers, most drawn from the 22nd Black Rise Defensive Unit - an infamous Caldari State Protectorate corporation and one of many an imitation of our own FOOM. Actually, am being a bit facetious - they may have been a pale imitation but the 22nd and their ilk have really stepped up and re-organised themselves into a focused and well trained unit.

Meanwhile, a large capsuleer fleet led by Mitch Taylor roared through on it's way to Tama - territory grabbing and defending nowhere near their radar: State Protectorate screams and deaths however were. There was a friendly wave from all pilots and then local dropped; the fleet was about 60 strong.

However, I have discovered that plexing like this usually attracts squids like a lure. There's no need to find them - just plex and sooner or later; they'll come. Our effort, meagre as they were, at denying an easy route to flipping the system did attract the attentions of some of the 22nd - one of their member in a comorant-class destroyer coming too close to us who we then casually dispatched at the gate leading into the security bunkers. I hope the Gallente Navy is grateful for our efforts and I eagerly updated the killboard.

I was buzzed by a crow and stiletto class interceptor while I was holding another area solo. They came in close locked me and fired missiles - I sent my drones after them and they quickly bugged out. Content to let me secure yet another site. It does appear that for some of the minor sites; a team of three pilots in destroyers can hold and defend the site quite well: one near the capture point and two near the warp in point to snag, web and dismantle the interloper.

Ten minutes later; there was a call on the fleet channel for assistance - most of the defensive pilots were spread out over three systems so quick reactions were needed. A pirate harbinger was around, sniffing around for any targets of opportunity. He had already destroyed one of our number around an inbound gate so we were eager for revenge. The harbinger was pointed on one side of the gate by one of our lone interceptor pilots. The rest of the fleet, now numbering seven ships of various classes, none bigger than a cruiser hull, waited for the pirate to jump through. 'LuckyPunch' was our pilot on the other side, relaying tactical updates to us.

"Pointed, he's moving towards the gate. Get ready."

We waited and spread out silently around the gate, priming our weapons and tackling equipment.

"He's now within jump range. I am going to fire on him and force him through." Over the intercom we could clearly hear the whooping sounds of missile fire.

"Pirate has jumped. Pirate has jumped. Prepare for tackle! I will stay here to grab him if he comes back."

The gate fired and the pirate held his cloak, no doubt figuring out his best course of action. He decloaked and burned towards the gate.

"There he is - pointed!" Yelled one militia pilot.

"We need to throw a web on him." I said as I too resolved my lock and sent my drones screaming towards the ponderous form of the harbinger. We destroyed practically all of his shields and a good chunk of his armour when the pirate managed to jump back. Meanwhile, on the other side of the gate; LuckyPunch tackled the pirate once more.

"Pointed. He's coming back towards the gate once more. Get ready for round two!"

The pirate returned and once more tried to escape but with assault frigates and interceptors buzzing around the gate - he had little chance and was soon caught by us. This time, we made sure and smashed his battle cruiser to scrap. We missed the pod however.

Great job by LuckyPunch for the initial tackle and brains to stay put.

We continued the evening with a venture into yet more Caldari occupied Gallente space and took efforts to resecure the space and flipping it to contested before we hooked up with a very large GalMil fleet roaring through. These guys, led by some outstanding pilots from the KDS Navy, had targeted a POS that an enemy militia corporation had put up. Intention was to destroy it utterly. I was dropped into a the support wing and held a gate with others in an attempt to lock down the system. We were successful but it took over 2.5 hours and in that time; we only saw three squiddies come through - and we missed all three.

So in one night I experienced a very wide selection of FW experience: from the relatively boring defensive plexing to the more challenging offensive plexing in enemy territory to mass fleet fights. What are my thoughts?

At this moment, territory capture and control is all with the Squiddies. While FOOM definitely saw the tactical advantages of plexing; the vast majority of the GalMil have not. Though I suspect that very soon, this will change and we will be faced with an uphill struggle as we attempt to recapture lost territory. From what I can see the GalMil has a split focus: it is either PvP or Plexing; with the former attracting 99% of the GalMil's atttention and resource. So, it is true that the numerically inferior GalMil is whipping the State Protectorate in most fleet engagements, despite the squiddies have almost 1500 more pilots. Pilot for pilot, the GalMil is better than his Squiddie counter-part. However, the GalMil pilot is nearly always solo or working in small groups. The squiddies tend to work in small to medium gangs with focus and it is this area of expertise that we are running behind the squiddy. Also, while we can amass a fleet of over 100+ at times, 60+ more commonly each night - the sheer destructive potential of this fleet means that PvP will not occur; an enemy with half a brain will merely dock up and let it blow past them.

We may laugh and jeer at the squiddies for turning tail and running but can you blame them?

Once we're gone, the squiddies come back out and nibble away at yet more territory.

The GalMil is under the impression that we can grab back the lost territory easily and while I am confident that we can; I do not for a second think it will be easy. For one thing, the Caldari Navy, brought into a captured system is ECM heavy and therefore makes any attacking fleet flounder if a) we we don't ECCM or b) have more than the navy can effectively jam. Meanwhile, Caldari attacking the Gallente sites only have to worry about close-range blaster boats backed up with remote sensor dampeners.

Anyway, am ranting a bit - seeing more of our home territory falling to these fascists get's my blood up!

A promotion and defensive work

My rise in the Federal Defence Union has been relatively quick; my efforts and those of Lionsan and Wu Han in securing vulnerable Gallente systems have been recognised by the Gallenete Nation generally and the FDU specifically. No idea whether this rank allows me to order people around but it is a nice rank pin on my uniform.

In Gallente systems, it has allowed me to consume many a free drink and the prevailing of good company. The war isn't going too well however in terms of territory: the Caldari State Protectorate have retaken back the systems in Black Rise that fell to us; undoing the excellent work of FOOM. Squiddies are also grabbing system after system and the worst thing: most of the Gallente aren't bothered and this to me is disturbing.


The squiddies seem to like to take and hold territory, preferring to pit their capsuleer strength against the Gallente Navy. Slowly, this method of encroaching on territory, battling the navy, breaking the system and securing it (known as 'plexing') has garnered them some momentum.


The Gallente capsuleers are forever seeking our PvP opportunities, preferring to destroy their Caldari counterparts in pitched fights and not (it appears) interested in defending our own systems let alone taking enemy territory. This PvP bent has resulted in a very impressive Kill/Loss ratio against the Squiddies, even more impressive if one is taking into account the numerically inferior Gallente versus the almost swarm-like Squiddies. However; the danger of losing territory is becoming apparent to most of the FDU rank and file now. FOOM has left Black Rise to assist in defending Gallente space and with their departure, the vaccum up in Black Rise was not filled in. A day of infamy ensued when the squiddies took back 95% of their lost system in a single day.

So my work, as of late, has been spent securing Gallente systems in the Placid region that are classed as 'contested'. A single ship and pod pilot has the power to swing the fortune of an entire constellation - heady stuff indeed.