Providence Fight Club: Blade Squad Tangles in K-Space

J213642 system, Wormhole space. On the 11th of November, Providence Bloc fought a battle with United System's Commonwealth [USYSC], resulting in the destruction of two Capital ships, as well as a few Strategic Cruisers.

The engagement began after Blade Squad, a small group within Providence Bloc which mainly specializes in small gang warfare and expensive asset usage, was hunting a wormhole group that had been moving several Orca Industrial Command Ships through the region, and even an Archon Carrier.

Sadly, lack of reliable information allowed that group to slip by. However, Providence Bloc confused a different wormhole group which was roaming the region at the same time with their initial targets, and proceeded to track them down. They managed to find the entrance to their wormhole in the U-HYMT system, and brought a gang of twenty Proteus Strategic Cruisers into the wormhole system, hoping to catch their prey unawares,

This was not the case though, as the wormhole Corporation had eyes both outside the system and within, and was quite aware of Providence Bloc's gang and its relative size. Though outnumbered, USYSC decided to engage the Providence Bloc fleet regardless, and a fight soon broke out on the entrance to the wormhole system, as Providence Bloc and USYSC fleets engaged each other.

The first round of fighting went well for USYSC's side. Outnumbered, they brought a triage Archon to provide remote repairs, as well as Legion Strategic Cruisers to put pressure on the Providence Bloc Guardians with their energy neutralizers, forcing them off the field. 

Yet, with the appearance of the Archon on field, Providence Bloc quickly pinged for reinforcements, and a steady stream of pilots arrived to the system, swelling Providence Bloc's ranks. Whats worse, USYSC's fleet quickly became split between the U-HYMT system and their home system, as they were persuing fleeing Providence Bloc ships.

Though Providence Bloc experienced difficulties at the start, especially with its Logistics, with swelling numbers and a Nidhoggur Carrier brought into the wormhole, it could tank the incoming damage and focus its own on the Archon, which was starting to give way. USYSC at this time was scrambling for a Dreadnaught in order to eliminate the new threat, and was too late in bringing a second Archon to support the first, which finally gave in to the relentless fire of Providence Bloc. Without the Carrier, it became impossible for USYSC's fleet to sustain fighting, and losses start mounting.

However, the entrance of the Nidhoggur caused the wormhole to collapse, trapping Providence Bloc within the system and cutting all reinforcements. Whats worse, USYSC were not done, and quickly reinforced their fleet. Two Archons were brought unto the field, along with a Naglfar Dreadnaught. and a Bhaalgorn Battleship. With the Bhaalgorn heavy energy neutralizers and the Dreadnaught's damage output, the Providence Bloc's Nidhoggur could do little to resist the combined onslaught and was subsequently destroyed.

Without their Carrier, Providence Bloc ships could do little to tank the reinvigorated assault of USYSC's fleet. After sustaining a few bruising losses, Providence Bloc conceded the field, bouncing between celestials in the system to keep safe. USYSC were gracious enough to offer Providence Bloc an exit wormhole for their capsules, which Providence Bloc accepted. However, the main fleet extracted under its own power, finding an exit to the Fountain region.

Now in Fountain, Providence Bloc forces made the long jounrey home, cutting through Low Security space and the Catch region, before reaching the safety of their staging system.

Battle report for the J213642 system can be found here.

Providence Bloc fielded by the end of the fight a forty-seven pilot fleet, inititally in Proteus Strategic Cruisers but later with an assortment of ships as reinforcements poured in. Losing ninteen ships, for a total of five billion ISK in damages.

USYSC for its part fielded at the peak of the battle fifteen pilots, mostly in Strategic Cruisers and Capital ships. Losing nine ships, for a total of eight billion ISK in damages.

All told, both sides agreed that it was a close and entertaining fight, with the flow of battle going back and forth. Another fight out of many to be had in busiest region in Null Security Space.

Special thanks to Jin'taan, of Volition Cult, The Volition Cult and Jay Joringer, of United System's Commonwealth, for granting interviews