PAPI Drops a Keepstar in T5ZI-S

Pings went out earlier today for Imperium forces to log on as the invaders were piling up a large number of ships in the T5ZI-S system in Delve, which is just one gate away from the Imperium’s main staging and capital system, 1DQ1-A.

Over the course of the week PAPI had been pushing hard to retake and hold the SPNZ-Z constellation which includes T5ZI-S.

T5ZI-S and 1DQ1-A on the map

On the Imperium side the expectation seemed to be that PAPI was going to take its first run at reinforcing the 1DQ1-A ihub, a necessary step before any serious attack on structures in the system can begin.  The Imperium put battleships and assault frigates on the T5ZI-S gate in 1DQ1-A and bubbled up the gate to slow any attackers.  Capital ships were jumped on to the nearby Keepstar and supercarriers put their fighters on the gate.

Keepstars and Fortizars in 1DQ near the gate

Then word came over coms that PAPI had brought in a Providence jump freighter and deployed a Keepstar in the system, on grid with the 1DQ1-A in T5ZI-S.  PAPI had the gate bubbled on their side and had brought in more than 800 heavy assault cruisers with capital ship support to cover the initial deployment of the Keepstar.

Neither side opted to jump forces into the other and once the initial deployment sequence finished and the 24 hour clock start for the primary deployment, both sides stood down.

The Keepstar now deploying in T5ZI

Now things are lined up for another big fight tomorrow, with the Keepstar coming out to anchor at a little after 17:00 UTC.  Both sides will be planning and gearing up for that.  It will be a weekend fight, so there will be lots of pilots available to get into and fight that develops.  We will have to see if PAPI decides to try and cheese another Keepstar even by using the bubble wrap tactic they went with in YZ9-F6 last month, or if they have something new to try.

And then there is the Imperium.  Do they have a counter if it turns out to be another bubble wrap drop and what other fresh tactics do they have up their sleeve.  We will find out tomorrow.