The Death of the First Komodo

In the night from Saturday the 2nd to Sunday, the 3rd March of YC121 (2019) a fight erupted in a border region of Detorid that should cost billions in assets. Among them three Titan-class vessels, lots of Force Auxiliaries, Dreadnoughts and of course hundreds of sub-capitals. With over at times over 1.000 capsuleers on grid, Time Dilation (TiDi) had to kick in.

A Tackled Nyx

As so often, things start small: A destroyer roam from WAFFLES coming from a wormhole, caught a Nyx in the system of FMH-OV and managed to bubble it. Winter Colation answered with the drop of capitals after WAFFLES had called in TEST for reinforcements and things proceeded from there.

Initally TEST arrived with a fleet of AB-Fitted Stealth Bombers in Detorid. Including Logistic and E-War Frigates as support. Combined these fleets are a real danger to capitals. They usually utilize Command Destroyers to provide boosts, jump the fleet into position and defend themselves against bombing runs. The Bombers can also launch bombs themselve, which can be hugely effective against other sub-capital fleets. Additional long-range Assault Frigates like Harpies can be added to fight off tackle and fighters deployed from Carriers. Often Kikimoras are in the mix as well to profit from the high damage potential their ramped up weapons can provide.
These fleets are called different in each Alliance. “Stuka” or “Goku” are two names for them. Because of their little mass, they also can be brought through wormholes. The more pilots they have, the more dangerous they can become.

This was proven once more when the Titan of Noraus, leader of WinterCo, got decloaked 40km off the 46DP-O gate in 77S8-E. Only one system away from the tackled Nyx. He was there in position planning to wipe out the Goku-Fleet of TEST with a well-aimed BOSON, as he had done with more than one fleet before. He realized too late, that he got decloaked and bubbled as he was still occupied FCing on the grid in FMH-OV where the Nyx has been saved.
The FAX-Machines that arrived came just moments late to counter the DPS of over 250 Stealth Bombers and could not save the Ragnarok. It began to look like a disastrous loss for Winter Coalition, when the second Titan, an Erebus, that had jumped to the wrong cyno, went down under the combined firepower of meanwhile arrived TEST Titan Doomsdays, Super Capital Fighters, Dreadnoughts and more Bombers arriving from Tenerifis.

This fight became a bloodbath for capitals on both sides, but the ISK-War was singlehandedly decided by Gallant Ronuken’s choice of ship. When TEST had called in reinforcements for their Dreadnoughts, Gallant took the regional gate with the second wave from 46DP-O into 77S8-E, Detorid, where the battle was still raging.
He was in his Guristas Faction Titan, the Komodo.

The ship was noticed immediately – this was the moment for Winter Coalition to go all in for the revenge. Every available tackle was ordered to hold down the Komodo. The TEST FC-Team that meanwhile has ordered to extract, ordered their FAXes to go back in. The Komodo would have to slowboat 10km back to the gate while additional capital shield-logistics where brought in to save their special snowflake and die a noble sacrifice.

But the Cyno was lit and Fraternity and their allies dropped the Titan fleet.

The Beauty of Doomsdays

 

On the 3rd March of YC121 at 04:55 EVE-time history was written as it was when the first Komodo class Titan died. Which, according to a commentator in the Talking in Sation coverage, was also the very first that was ever built.

The “real” Loss

It’s probably safe to say that this particular Titan was worth more than the 240 billion it is labelled for on zKillboard. The blueprints are said to sell for at least that amount already. On top of that comes the build costs and the deadspace, faction and officer-modules you want to fit on it.

But does the ISK matter in the end? If someone brings such a valualbe ship to a fight he has to be aware that it may die. So Gallant Ronuken probably just has enough ISK to afford such a loss. What really makes the difference in this fight is not the real value lost – as far as you can speak of “real” in the context of a computer game – it’s the morale victory of the kill that makes the difference. Let me quote Killah Bee, long term captial-FC and member of the CSM:

Wars these days are not won anymore by making the other party go broke.
The only way to win a war is by demoralizing the enemy to an extent that their numbers go super low and they end up not being able to contest you anymore.
Then you can roll over them.

Killah Bee

With the conflict brewing between the new Russian Coalition in Tenerfis and the Non-Invasion-Packt (NIP) between Legacy (TEST & allies) and WinterCo nearing its end a few days before April, this morale-boost could prove very valuable for Fraterity. and their allies over the long run. After last night one thing is safe to say: there will be content.
How everything turns out in the long run with the Russians leaning more into Chinese and European timezone, while TEST having their best numbers during US-timezones remains yet to be seen.

And in the even longer run, it will be just a great story to read about. My respect for Gallant Ronuken for having the courage to deploy this unique ship. Moments like this make EVE what it is.

 

 

Sources

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Video from Talking in Stations S01E18 with Noraus; Leader of Winter Coalition.
Video with WinterCo-Comms (Dreadnought Perspective)
Video with TEST-Comms (Pod Perspective)
Video from the Talking in Station Coverage, with the aftermath-coverage.

Battlereport

A painted ARR from WAFFLES Perspective by Edibleghost
Bragging about two FRT.-Titan kills when loosing Komodo – Meme
Horde Newbie got some loot from the Komodo
Day 11: From the perspective of WAFFLES-Ceptor Pilot