Dictator Yuri Grom’s forces managed to narrowly escape turmoil without losing the profitable system of Nauo. However, they did so with insufficient Command Capital (CC) to achieve all four of their attempted expansions. Three of them (Belu, Ross 89, Mado) were weaponised against other powers, contesting a total of 81 CC with Shadow President Felicia Winters, and 37 CC with Edmund Mahon. However because they would have also cost Grom 191 CC per cycle, they proved too rich for a near-turmoil budget, and all three expansions failed. It remains unclear who is responsible for the preparation of these expansions, as the power’s actions remain unstable after the exodus of senior Grom pilots in cycle 217. The fourth expansion to Buluwai is not weaponised, and although a slight loss-maker of 7 CC per cycle, it was within Grom’s budget, and succeeded.
Zemina Torval again attempted to expand to Areklici which would cost her 70 CC and Winters 39 CC per cycle. As before, despite even triggers, the attempt was robustly thwarted by nearly a quarter of a million merits. Torval is now making another weaponised attempt against Winters: HIP 35209 costs Torval 49 CC and Winters 28 CC, and with slightly unfavourable triggers the expansion attempt is currently trailing by 150,000 merits.
Felicia Winters attempted to expand to HIP 103138 which would have cost both her and Archon Delaine CC. But with 3:1 unfavourable triggers, her forces put little effort into the expansion, and it was easily defeated. The Shadow President has put 23,000 merits into preparing the system of Huangais again; a weaponised expansion that would contest 52 CC from Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval and 59 CC from Denton Patreus while costing Winters 66 CC.
Archon Delaine emerged from turmoil with no loss of systems, retaining Matucanth.
Emperor Lavigny-Duval has an expansion underway into Lopemakinn. It is an unprofitable system with little strategic value and has unfavourable triggers, which would typically be signs of a “safety” expansion intended to avoid other even worse choices. However at the time of writing the expansion is narrowly in the lead by 10,000 merits which may cause the Emperor some concern.
Elsewhere all appears quiet. With the exception of those mentioned above, all powers are either consolidating or have yet to make any significant move on preparing new systems for expansion. Watch the GalNet boards closer to cycle end for late-changing information.
Sagittarius Eye Breaking News team