Intergalactic Summit

Research & Development
Work started immediately from the moment the Drifters began their first large-scale incursions into Amarr space in the latter half of YC 117. The first of our early concepts that made it to a state of public testing was the result of early attempts with signature radius and tracking disruption and made heavy use of Arbitrator- and Exequror-class cruisers with some Crucifier-class frigates as additional support. Unfortunately, after a few mostly-successful tests, the doctrine ultimately had to be discarded when the Drifters adapted to the heavy reliance on the combination of small signatures and their own tracking. We looked at other alternative methods that took the signature radius reduction to extremes with some other groups of pilots, but by this point the Drifters seemed well-adapted to anything along those lines, and reliably punched through the frigates and destroyers being used in short order.

Very little progress was made from that point until noted Drifter-hunter Ciniel of the corporation Dogma (SCC ticker “DGM.”) developed a hull configuration that could reliably resist and survive a direct hit from the Drifters’ doomsday. However, due to high per vessel cost of this particular configuration and the ease with which catastrophic failure could be caused either by accident or by other pilots with malicious intent, this new method was kept under a tight shroud of secrecy. In brief, we could not trust that malicious pilots would not sabotage our efforts for their own gain or even mere entertainment.

Small fleets were deployed to the battlefield for live-fire testing, and operations were met with resounding success. During one of the later tests, it was noted that - at the time - the Drifters appeared to see vessels not opening fire on them as a complete non-threat, with the end result that vessels with logistics capability were completely ignored whether they were providing assistance to the core vessels in opposition to the Drifters or not. We capitalized on this revelation, and it led to the doctrine we used to fight them until their retreat from the Empire. We maintained secrecy, however, in the anticipation that the Drifters would adapt to our tactics. However, it appears that they only seem to have made the determination that such logistics vessels are indeed a threat as they retreated, which makes our primary doctrine no longer a viable option even as it is no longer needed.

While operations were ongoing, several alternative doctrines were developed to counter the Drifters, both in the future and in the event they adapted to the doctrine currently in use. From close observation and study in the field, as well as a combination of simulations and live-fire exercises, the two alternatives that met with the most success in simulations and the occasional live-fire exercise were developed along the same design goals as the to primary doctrine: countering the Drifters’ doomsday weapon. The first method involves “locking down” individual Drifter vessels and then removing their primary shielding layer, triggering the doomsday at point blank range in an effort to maximise transversal velocity. While not the best solution, it could, under the right circumstances, increase the likelihood that the Drifters’ main weapon would miss. The second alternative is an alpha strike. As some may know from other published research and discussion on combatting Drifters, when a Drifter vessel’s primary shielding layer is depleted, prior to firing its superweapon, it fires off an ECM pulse that is very similar in effect to the Target Spectrum Breaker. However, this pulse does not disrupt missile guidance, and so, with enough vessels and proper timing, it is possible to destroy a Drifter vessel with a single volley from a fleet in the five-second window between the firing of the pulse and the superweapon. This method’s weakness, of course, is that it requires an extraordinary amount of coordination and near-perfect timing from every pilot within the fleet. Even one pilot being slightly slow to fire can result in a failed alpha strike, which will, in turn, result in the Drifter vessel having an opportunity to fire its superweapon, which then most likely will result in the loss of a ship and its crew.

An additional method was employed by another unaffiliated group of pilots using “disposable” ships to strip away the Drifters’ primary shielding and act as a target for the superweapon, but it was deemed too wasteful in terms of lives and materiel lost to be considered a viable option for ARC’s operations.

I would like to make a small addition. The ARC coordination team would to extend our personal thanks to:

• Ciniel, for her constant efforts at finding new and novel ways to combat the Drifters, and for her initial breakthroughs on finding ways to mitigate the risk of the Drifters’ superweapon, without which operations against the Drifters may never have truly succeeded;
• The Dogma Project, Ciniel’s pilot organization, for being the first to take the fight to the Drifters in the hours in which Arataka and its affiliates could not;
• ISN, for their work with fleet doctrines taking signature reduction tactics to an extreme beyond ARC’s efforts, compelling a Vigilant Tyrannos response;

We would also like to extend thanks to the following organizations whose pilots participated in our defense fleets:

• 501c3
• Alexylva Paradox
• Chrysos Aigis
• Dogma
• I Guess This is Happening Again
• Itsukame-Zainou Hyperspatial Inquiries Ltd.
• Offworld Trading Company
• Order of Jamyl
• Phoenix Naval Systems
• Praetoria Imperialis Excubitoris
• Primary is Input Broadcasted
• Societas Imperialis Sceptri Coronaeque
• Stimulus
• Templars Errant
• Tyrathlion Interstellar

Again, our thanks to these many organizations and their diligent work.

I would like to apologize personally for being unable to disclose these operations publicly. Security, however, required silence; to do anything else would imperil our efforts, and increase the already prodigious threat the Drifters posed. We were only able to make our operations public in their closing hours.

I would like to congratulate the pilots involved and thank them deeply for their efforts in cleansing this scourge from Empire space.

I am sad I was not able to participate in these actions, but hopefully I will be able to represent Pentag Blade and CVA in further operations in the Drifter Hives when they doubtless resume.

Ah, yes. That was... August? At that point, we lacked a suitable doctrine. Doctrinal development, unfortunately, did not happen overnight, despite our early, mixed successes in November. We began deploying the current doctrine in January, I believe, after simulation trial just before the new year. By the time Jarrett Pelley finally had his interview and article sorted from that very first incursion, those many months later, we were not only proficient with the doctrine, but were engaging Drifters' largest concentrations in decisive battle. Honestly, I found that all a bit entertaining.

As has been said before, ARC exists as an alliance technically but operates as a coalition in most cases. These operations were principally led by Naava Edios or Sara Valkyier of Phoenix Naval Systems, Morwen Lagann or Naoko Kanaka of Tyrathlion Interstellar, or additionally Alizabeth Vea of Societas Imperialis Sceptri Coronaeque.

Unlike those who fight the Sansha, when we engaged, we engaged decisively, and Drifter influxes were not allowed to linger in a nearly-defeated state to milk the Empire's treasury. Perhaps that's why you didn't notice that the Drifter Incursions were being repulsed, why you didn't see the fleets operating.

Mister Mokk:

I'm not going to bother with pleasantries here, when you're willing to lob insults at me from behind a thin veneer of false gratitude. Veiled insults are still insults, after all.


As far as I am aware, there have only been four invasions of Khanid space by Drifter forces. The first - the one you mention - centering around Nandeza, was, I believe, repelled by the Navy, and not capsuleers. As Ms. Priano stated, the article about the incident written by the Interstellar Correspondents wasn't even published until about a month ago - a full six months after it had passed. Shortly after that, the Drifters' invasion forces vanished for some time.

Several months later, they returned. It took some time before a viable fleet was developed - as outlined in my original posts - and put into action. The Drifters assaulted the Fekhoya constellation in late January of YC118. We were there, and we pushed them out with extreme prejudice.

A few weeks ago, just as they began to retreat back to their Hives, two last-ditch invasions were launched, both in the Kingdom. One to the low-security constellation of Budar, and the other to Fekhoya once more. We were uncertain as to what to do, but Ciniel and I discussed the matter two days ago and made the decision that we should go handle matters in Fekhoya once more. And so we did.


Don't try to pawn off unadulterated bullshit onto me as if it were gentle concern, especially when it's an accusation that any assistance we gave was "incidental." We deliberately followed Drifter forces as they appeared when we had the pilots available, and we hit back as hard as we could. We put ships and crews on the line, while you did... what? Nothing? Sit here on the IGS doing nothing but bleating from the sidelines?

Furthermore, I believe you've spent so much time spouting nonsense from the peanut gallery that you've confused forum-posting doctrines. Walls of text were Star Fraction's forte, not Veto's. Veto's preferred method was weapons-grade snark.

And if you truly were posting in deference to the efforts put forth by ARC and its associates, you'd be keeping the insults and baseless accusations to yourself instead of trying to make yourself look like more of a prig than usual.


As long as I stay away from the path you and others like you tread, I'll have no need to fear the dark.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm frankly insulted by your insinuation that ARC pilots don't care about the people we happen to be defending. I saw the Kingdom and my people in need and stepped up to defend them. Now, the Drifters have retreated, due in no small part to ARC's efforts and the efforts of the other groups that formed to face the threat. Can you say the same for your own efforts?

Insults? Insults? If I were going to insult you, you'd know it.

A mere point of correction. ARC has done wonderful work, I will not deny it. But there was no official coordination with the Empire, Kingdom or even Imperialist Capsuleers. Not in any significant number.

Last I looked, a night or two ago perhaps, there were still systems in Khanid that were under Drifter attack. CONCORD and the Empire might say different in the press, but even CONCORD systems showed a Drifter presence in the Kingdom. You mention four separate main attacks, but if you look closely, you'll see the Kingdom has had at least one or two systems under attack pretty much since Jamyl died. The attrition cost the Kingdom far more than the main waves. It was this I was addressing.

My quarrel isn't with you, my dear. It's with CONCORD and the Imperial systems that have done bugger all to address the Sansha problems these last five or six years and are gleefully committing the same malfeasance in regards to the Drifters.

I have to say, I liked your response. I hope the younger pilots take notes on how to draft a proper sh*tpost reply using things like rhetoric. Use of the word "prig," for example. Nicely done.

Oh Verone could be long-winded too, when he wanted to be. But shh....don't mention Jade. She might show up.

*shudder*

Did it sound that bad? My apologies. I thought I indicated quite clearly at several points that the work itself was not the issue. ARC has been doing a fine job. But it was never through any love for the Empire. Humanitarian and strategic reasons, yes. But not for love of the Empire. That was the point I wished to correct.

No, no no....4/10 at best.

You can do better. Strive, try to be more creative.

You're not even right in your facts. Not even remotely.

Try again.

Thought I am not a top ARC COORD member, I am an operational FC, so I think that I can safely say that ARC cares more about the Empire than the Angels do. Granted, that's a low bar, but there you go.
I can do better, but every Drifter Doomsday weapon hit feels like getting a sledgehammer to the ribs and the psychosomatic bruising of such an event has left me in a considerable amount of pain. I'd rather sit in a hot tube than write. Frankly, you're not worth that much effort, but Lady Lagann has done a lot against the Drifters and has earned the respect of the pilots that flew in her fleet.