On March 31, another battle was waged in an ongoing conflict between Rekking Crew (RC) Coalition and Snuffed Out in the system of Lantorn. Snuffed Out had dropped another staging Fortizar citadel in the system from which they could project and assault nearby structures belonging to Siege Green. This particular battle saw RC attacking and destroying the Fortizar in Machariels against defending Snuffed Out armor carrier-class capital ships. Over 100 Machariels as well as many Tempests battleships, command ships, and various supporting vessels were destroyed. This pyrrhic victory, described as a task failed successfully on RC’s part, has spurred the Minmatar Republic to commission a monument to the crews and their families of the Battleships.
Machariel battleships, while a design of the pirate Angel Cartel, employ weaponry and defenses familiar to any Minmatar navy personnel. The war zone oriented in the factional warfare region between the Minmatar Republic and Amarr Empire creates opportunities for people seeking employment aboard Capsuleer vessels in the area. Thousands flocked to the Siseide system’s Siege Green Keepstar citadel to enlist. Many know the dangers of work aboard Capsuleer ships, but none were prepared for the slaughter that came.
Normally, the Machariel is a fearsome platform well suited to fleet engagements with high alpha, speed, and respectable defenses; however, their large signature radius makes them easy targets for nimble, fast fighter craft and guided structure bombs and defenses. RC learned this the hard way as the mass of fighters from the Snuffed defending carriers swarmed their battleships and began quickly disintegrating them one after the other. Some were able to warp out only to be picked off by an Initiative Kikimora fleet waiting for prime pickings such as those.
Servant Sisters of Eve and Republic officials are still trying to get an accurate count, but early estimates are believed to be over 780,000 dead, the vast majority being Minmatar Republic citizens employed on those Machariel and Tempest battleships. A spokesperson for the Republic extended their sympathies to those who lost loved ones, and urged Republic citizens to consider serving the military against Amarrian slavery and oppression rather than sacrifice themselves for Capsuleer greed. In memorial to those who were lost, the Republic will construct a large monument in space near the former Fortizar location where the battle took place.
