gearshift48 Dumb dodo_bear kola2134 REvenger (@Tson)
As the battle raged on the energy signature in Avathurns backsection began increasing in power, whilst the ftl-mines made their way towards the fleets...
The UPNSF(@REvenger) was lucky in that regard, their ships had already been retreating and last groups now reached the observation zone, regrouping to a singular fleet, the few mines that made it all the way towards them were easily shot down by their point defense.
The Crimson Legion (@gearshift48) had a less fortunate outcome, as some of the ships were retreating, several of the mines made it through the defenses in the mid-range group and hit a number of random ships throughout the formation, followed by a volley of plasma bolts likely fired in response to their attack. Luckily for them, the combined point defense of the ships on the retreat and the mid-range group were able to take out most of the projectiles heading towards the 'Tesla Rage' only one stray mine making it through.
The Imperium (@kola2134) had in the meanwhile prepared and launched a large-scale attack against Avathurn in order to gain it´s focus. It came to pass for them that Avathurn at the current time was still focusing on the Keeper Descendants and most if not all its point defense was occupied with their craft in the low-range engagement zone, so most of the mssiles and torpedos made it through, explosions raged through the void and set the armor alight, clouds of boiling plasma floated in space, chunks of armor flying off into space upon the impacts, and cracks formed in the outer shell, releasing an ominous green light from the inside...
They seemed to be successful, a loud metallic screeching came over the comms and and Avathurns focus shifted, in another lucky coincidence Avathurn seemed to be drained of ftl-mines due to the large volley that had just been released, however that did not protect them from the volley that had already been on it´s way, as the fleet had focused on their attack, explosions raged throughout the fighter swarms which were the results of them trying to intercept the entire volley almost by themselves and a low number of mines had made it through regardless, as if that wasn´t enough, Avathurns Gestalt-Pulse emitters lighted up, firing another volley of deadly lasers randomly into the fleet...
They certainly had his attention now.
In the meanwhile the RNTU (@dodo_bear) watched all this from the observation zone, soon a transmission reached them from the 'Celestion', the Keeper flagship.
/Transmission Start/
"Greetings R.N.T.U., as you can see the battle is already under way, it is advised to stay out of the firing lines if you wish to join, do you require isntruction or will you be fine on your own?"
/Transmission End/
The remnants of 'Xaneroth'(@Dumb) had made their way towards the border of the proximity-zone, the moment it dived into it...
Nothing happened, at least for a few seconds the travel went on as usual, then however, from one moment to another, the outer hull of the centerpiece began to deteriorate, desintegrate, similar to the effects of the lance, albeit slower, less concentrated and it seemed to get only stronger the closer it came, at the current rate, the centerpiece would be able to make it all the way towards Avathurn and stay there for a short while... however, there would be no way it´d make it back in one piece if it´d proceed to that point...
The KD in the meanwhile was busy shooting down mines and maintaining a part of their fire towards Avathurn, although this was accompanied by a number of severe damages in their own rows. One of the light cruisers in the low-range engagements zone succumbed to the constant fire of the AM-Turrets and Kinetic-Pulse cannons, along with it two destroyers which had already been worn down during the prolonged battle, seven corvettes and five frigates received severe damages as well, mostly due to being occupied with point-defense duties and consequently having less room for evasive manouvers.
In the mid-range zone another two destroyers fell under the continued fire of the Kinetic pulse cannons combined with the impacts of the FTL-AM mines that made it past the defenses in the low-range zone, it became apparent that the kinetic pulses ability to bypass shields was quite powerful in prolonged battles even against heavier armored targets. regardless of the volley of mines, most of the remaining ships remained save, spare for a number of damaged ships, although at the cost of two more light support cruisers taking the hits and having to retreat after taking more heavy structural damages.
Interestingly enough the group in the long-range seemed to have changed tactics, all ships there had ceased fire and instead focused energy on shields, just in time before the first impacts from the ftl-mines came, the massive shields of the ships in the long-range simply tanked most of the damage, however, not all of it.
The destructive green burst from Gestalt-Decay lance fired towards the 'Celestion' the dreadnought in it´s way taking the hit instead, it´s already weakened shields at first faded and then suddenly turned dense and black, taking the entire hit without breaking, afterwards the shields broke down and so did most of the lights on the massive vessel for several seconds, enough for some of the remaining mines to make it towards the hull, causing light damages to its armor, at least compared to the size of the ship, the remaining mines were blocked by another of the light-support cruisers, it became clear that these had been purposebuilt to take hits for other ships, as they had barely any weaponry but heavy armor and shields instead accompanied by decent manouverbility to move across teh battlefield quickly. Regardless, the cruiser had to retreat afterwards, alongside it the already damaged Artillery-Battleship retreated as well to avoid further damages.
(@kola2134)
After the low- and mid-range had returned fire with with their golden glowing fusion bolts they seemed to cease fire completely so the Imperium could take Avathurns attention instead... and so it did, with terrifying precision the next energy trace built up towards their leading battleship, indicating it would be the next target for the dreaded Gestalt-Decay Lance.
As always the Keepers reported on the progress of the battle.
/Transmission Start/
"The Keepers will now cease fire, make sure to employ as much defenses as possible, Avathurn with now focus on the fleet of the Crimson Imperium. Energy readings from Avathurns traveling drives are estimated at about 50%, once they reach an estimated 75% we will retreat all ships from the low-range engagement zone and prepare all artillery weapons, at 90% we will fire the siege weapon of the 'Celestion' and all artillery one last time. Avathurn will likely soon retreat, good luck everyone."
/Transmission End/
Battle report:
'Avathurn is building up energy!'
'The Keeper Descendants have ceased fire!'
_
Positions:
-CR: Xaneroth: 'proximity-zone'
-CI: All: long-range
-CL: Tesla Rage: long-range; Fleet: mid-range
-STC: All: observation-zone;
-UPNSF: All: observation-zone
-RNTU: All: observation-zone
-KD: All ranges.
_
KD is offering target assistance.
STC is offering resupply and repairs.
Celestion charging.
Gestalt-Decay-Lance targeting: 'Crimson Imperium Commandship'.
'Avathurns shields are down!'
