This Blog is going to be a little strange. Some things have taken place in EvE in the last few days that have challenged the status quo of relationships. The first portion of the Blog will deal with that possibility. The second Part will deal with the concurrent things ASCN needs to focus on as if nothing is going to happen.
Fear is a great motivator in a war game such as EvE. Fear of attack causes Alliances to shift resources, halt certain activities and even simply freeze up. Throughout the last 8 months we have issued about 3 really heavy warnings dealing with a pending attack. Each time we did exactly the above and it seriously messed up many of our schedules and personal gamming experience only to discover that the enemy chickened out.
While I do not believe that is the case this time around, we need to be prepared for both.
ASCN and the future of our corner of EvE.
I have been debating for several days now how much of this to share with the entire population of ASCN in general. It’s a hard decision but one I have made.
The day we have been expecting is close at hand. We will not launch a preemptive strike, we will allow our “honorable” friends in BoB to make the first move, if indeed that is what they have decided on.
Apparently a sequence of events that started when DICE joined BoB many months ago has finally come to a head. I guess I have to respect that the leadership in BoB take into consideration the demands of their membership in this case. The bottom line is that DICE wanted control of Paragon Soul. Unfortunately when ties between ASCN & Tribe went south and ASCN moved first to take the region it really tossed a wrench into the original plans some in BoB had for the region.
What has changed between then and now that BoB has decided to take it by force? That’s the big question and we have the answer, as totally unbelievable as it sounds it has been “confirmed” by several trustworthy sources. Several "mortal enemies" of BoB have been offered NAP's and soem have even been offered support in exchange ofr supporting BoB against ASCN.
I don’t know what has be more wanting to puke, the fact that we are once again facing a bandwagon gang bang or that BoB, D2 & AAA/RA would actually work together to do it. I am sure that none of them would publically state what is obvious to all of us, that there is a lot of truth to what I just said.
Over the last 7 weeks now we have seen BoB gangs (who apparently hate D2) in southern Feyth. We have seen D2 gangs in northern feyth/esoteria (who apparently hate BoB) and AAA gangs in northern Impass and lower catch. They are all attacking ASCN & AXE but some how always manage to never run into each other while in our Territory.
How creditable is the information above and what is the time line?
Well, a number of VERY creditable sources have let us know. They are not trying to be sneaky or hide it. They have simply stated “We told you we would let you know if BoB was going to attack ASCN, consider this that message”.
The time frame that was quoted was within 30 days. However if any of you have been paying attention you will have noticed that BoB & the MC have already moved at least 50 capital ships into northern Stain. They started to do this in a big way about 2 days ago. Their empire alt Corps have also been running freighters all over the southern regions LOADED with T2 gear and what appear to be entire Corp hangers. AXE has been kind enough to be tracking and scanning several of them over the last few days.
My personal judgment: they will hit us starting this Friday. My guess is their primary target will be wither AZN or a station in Paragon Soul. Logistically speaking they really need to take C9, AZN or 00YZ first to use as a jumping off point to actually capture Paragon.
AXE, ASCN & POS will have to split its forces to repel this attack. BoB can hit us VERY hard at one location. We haev the numbers to hit just as hard at many locations.
What is ASCN going to do
Like I really need to answer that. We are going to fight with everything we have. We will not have a POS spam contest. We will keep what we need to maintain an operational Alliance. Impass & Feyth are the fall back points. We will concentrate on killing enemy POS’s, fleets and ships. Most importantly we will not be staying in our home getting trapped in a defensive corner where our enemies can concentrate all their forces. We will go offensive and kill anything that moves in our enemies back yard. If they are taking a station in Paragon, we will be taking a station in Period Basis.
This will not be a war that ASCN & AXE fights from inside our territory, we will fight it from inside enemy territory!
We have 1 day to prepare what do we do.
Make sure your Corps assets/Personal Supplies are not in only 1 station and be prepared to move them real fast if required. Even if all POS’s in a system are destroyed and the enemy spams (which they will) we should have 1-2 days to moved to a more secure location.
What is going to be the most important part of coming out of this war on top.
The NUMBER ONE most important aspect of winning any war in EvE is attitude. At this very moment we need to accept that some things are going to happen.
1) We are going to loose some battles.
2) We are going to loose some POS’s.
3) We are going to loose control of a station or 2.
4) We are going to get bandwaggoned on because our enemies are afraid to fight us on their own.
5) Some Corps are not going to survive as members of ASCN.
6) Some players are going to cause trouble and have to be asked to leave ASCN.
7) Attitudes are going to get heated and out of control on Team Speak, the Forums, & in game.
Lets all read the above, take it and deal with it NOW.
Now lets re-establish what is going to take place.
1) We are going to agree that we could have done better in some battles.
2) We are going to agree that every POS can be immediately avenged.
3) We are going to end up with more stations then we have now.
4) The bandwagon is a sign of respect to our strength and nothing more.
5) Every Corp in ASCN is going to hold the flag high and fight to the last noob ship.
6) No one is going to cause trouble because we all want to help the team win.
7) Attitudes are ALWAYS going to be kept under control and positive!
Their has NEVER been a force in EvE that has successfully built an Alliance to the strength and accomplishment of ASCN. NEVER has an Alliance of Alliances been established in such a way that they act as one like that of ASCN, AXE & POS. Never has one organization been able to establish a feeling of belonging to something bigger then their own Corp like this group. NEVER has any organization ever done the above and remained honorable, honest, fair and respectful to the rest of the EvE player base.
ASCN & AXE are not just 2 Alliances in Eve trying to conquer the game. We are trying to build an Empire outside of the old Empires. We don’t care about conquest, kill rations, being recognized as gods. We don’t expect to be worshiped, loved or respected. We don’t care about the petty mud flinging and forum skills on EvE-O. We have other goals desires and dreams.
If our goals, desires and dreams for our place in EvE is insulting and threatening to others who are just pissed because they cannot do the same, so be it. Because they cannot build what we are on our way to building they seek to destroy it, so be it.
The only thing that can bring ASCN/AXE to its knees in EvE is ourselves. It took 3 months of station ping-pong to secure our place in Feyth & Impass. It took another 3 months of constant siege and an invasion by G to earn the right to exist in EvE.
So now we are facing a war with EvE’s greatest PvP alliance, big woop. Do they deserve our respect, HELL YEAH, do they deserve our fear or our territory FUCK NO!
Whatever happens ASCN & AXE and whatever allies we find along the way will act with honor and respect, and we will beat the crap out of our attackers even if it takes 6 months of station ping-pong and 50 to 1 kill ratio’s. If that’s what it takes to prove we have the right to become the next great and recognized Empire in EvE, then so be it.
What are allowed “tactics”
Well, if it comes down to it we can count on 1 thing, lag. The serves don’t seem to be able to handle large fleet battles and they seem to favor defenders inside a POS shield. So simply placing 300 ASCN members inside a POS and launching about 300 fighters to take out Dreads should crash the node. I, like all of you would prefer a good fight, but lets just accept that with the server hardware the way it is, that is unlikely.
ALL ASCN corps need to have their POS’s ready, 18 to 56 hours of strontium and shield hardeners.
Last but not least.
ANSN members and Corps that decide to leave during this conflict will be immediately blacklisted.
The Flip side.
-Part III will be posted later today.