Dictator Yuri Grom’s forces are once again in trouble with six profitable systems in turmoil, totalling 689 Command Capital (CC) in gross income (before overheads and upkeep). Grom started the cycle 1,463 CC in deficit; and with twenty systems already undermined and only two fortified, GalNet predicts they will end 922 CC in deficit, losing all six systems to open revolt, and remaining in turmoil with more systems in disorder. Urgent fortification is needed if Grom is to avoid this outcome.
Given the continuing confusion within Grom’s forces we have little intelligence on who exactly is leading the attack, and it appears to be something of a free-for-all with pilots from multiple powers seen in combat in Grom space. We reached out to a few, but the only one who would speak to us was a Cmdr Crwthr, who stumbled out of the Felicia’s Fancy Flyboy Booze Bar in Carter Port mumbling “I say claim it. We’re badass. But I’ve been drinking. So there’s that,” before being poured into a taxi by his fellows. Grom also has an expansion underway in Meidubi, costing him 68 CC and Edmund Mahon 24 CC, but if Grom stays close to turmoil it will automatically fail.
Zemina Torval continues to harass Shadow President Felicia Winters, again attempting to expand to Areklici, costing Winters 39 CC and Torval 70 CC. The previous cycle’s attempted expansion to HIP 35209 — costing Winters 28 CC and Torval 49 CC — was easily defeated by over 200,000 merits, and at the time of writing Areklici is similarly trailing by 50,000 merits. There are early signs that Torval is getting right back on the horse and preparing HIP 35209 for expansion again.
Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval appears to be coping in her struggles with saboteurs. Last cycle’s expansion to Lopemakinn would have cost her forces 16 CC and was defeated at the last moment by a large snipe. This cycle a similarly costly expansion to Caerape is in progress, and the lead at the moment is a relatively modest 12,000 merits. Since the Emperor expands by combat, both offence and defence can hide ‘snipes’ which do not appear on the GalNet boards until the last moments of the cycle, making predictions of the actual state of play difficult.
Other powers have been quiet and most fully consolidated last cycle. So far, aside from those mentioned above, they have all either consolidated or have not made any firm moves in preparation yet.
Sagittarius Eye Breaking News team