Galactic Hour News Roundup: Gallente Federation Rocked by Loss of Systems to Triglavians, Amarr Empire Celebrates Foundation Day

The Scope's Galactic Hour with Ret Gloriaxx brings your roundup of the latest news from around the cluster, with the fall of the Gallente Federation's Angymonne and Archee systems marking another victory for the Triglavian invaders despite the valiant efforts of EDENCOM capsuleers. Elsewere, amidst the chaos of the war with the Triglavians, the Amarr Empire celebrates the Foundation of the Grand Basilica of St. Gheinok the First Prophet

Federation's Angymonne System Falls to Triglavians Despite Capsuleer Assault on World Ark

Angymonne, Everyshore – EDENCOM Provost Marshal Kasiha Valkanir reported to the Inner Circle on the fall of Angymonne over the weekend, stating that the fall of the system was attributable to heavy concentrations of Triglavian invasion groups and considerable support from "terrorists and traitors" in the ranks of the so-called "Kybernaut Clade", pro-Triglavian capsuleers from across New Eden. Despite the best efforts of EDENCOM and its allied capsuleers, organizing under the EDENCOM Defense Initiative banner, the system fell to Triglavian control a little over a week ago.

Marshal Valkanir singled out for praise the efforts of capsuleers in assaulting a Triglavian Xordazh-class World Ark as the invasion reached its climax. While the system fell to Triglavian invaders in the end, the World Ark was repelled giving a window in which Federation Navy and EDENCOM forces were able to evacuate a large number of civilians from the industrial colonies of Angymonne. Although the system's ice belts have been an important resource for the Federation, planetary mining operations in Angymonne have been in decline for some years due to surpluses in the heavily-industrialized Elalan constellation.

A Caldari Business Tribunal trading station in the system has been receiving refugees since the invasion of Anymonne began and most were able to depart the system before Triglavian World Arks returned to the system to finalize their conquest and continue their stellar harvesting operations.

Tenth System Lost to Invaders as Conquest of Archee Brings A0 Star Under Triglavian Control

Archee, Sinq Laison – Triglavian invasion forces succeeded in conquering the Gallente system of Archee yesterday, delivering a second blow in succession to the Federation and bringing the total of New Eden systems seized by the Collective to ten. The Triglavian victory has also brought a system with a central A0 class star under control of the Collective, believed by analysts of Triglavian communications to be a priority for the invaders.

Long a relatively lawless backwater of the Wyllequet constellation, Archee has nevertheless been exploited for its ice fields and numerous moons by tramp miners and hardscrabble mining outposts. The sparsely populated system fell swiftly but it is expected that civilian casualties will be relatively light and escaping shuttles and civilian transport flights continue to trickle out of the system.

The loss of two Federation systems in rapid succession has prompted further protests from citizens across Gallente territories with Senate delegations from all regions joining those from Essence, Everyshore and Sinq Laison in pressing President Celes Aguard to take more action to bolster the Federation Navy and EDENCOM. All Federal reserves have been activated for the duration of the emergency and steps are being taken to step up essential industrial production. Constituent state and polity militias and security forces are being trained and armed for a variety of duties normally undertaken by the Federal military in order to release more units for counter-invasion duty.

Above: TES Jamyl the Liberator in "Imperial Seal" Parade Formation in Amarr Prime

Amarr Empire Marks Foundation Day as Empress Issues New Decrees on War Against Triglavians

Amarr Prime, Domain – Celebrations marking the Foundation of the Grand Basilica of St. Gheinok the First Prophet have begun across the Amarr Empire, with Avatar-class Titan battlegroups in parade formation in Amarr Prime and the capital systems of the six Royal Houses of the Empire. Imperial and religious authorities across Amarr are strongly emphasizing that observance of the Imperial Rite's requirements must continue despite the "test of faith" represented by the Triglavian invasions.

While even those forms of dissent permitted within the Amarr Empire have been muted since a crackdown on theologians questioning Empress Catiz I's "Two Swords Doctrine", there has been growing disquiet among the Holder classes at the degree to which the Amarr Navy and House Fleets have been overstretched in defense of the vast territories of the Amarr Empire. The rate of casualties and materiel losses has been such that the Empress recently decreed the re-activation of all of the Empire's so-called "Mausoleum Fleets", a vast number of ships from various periods of the Empire's history placed in storage under the care of a number of religious orders dedicated to preserving these ancient reserves.

The work of refitting these ships has been accelerated but it is expected that overall performance of Amarr forces will inevitably degrade as older technology is pressed into service on the front lines. In order to better orchestrate the disposition of Amarr forces, Empress Catiz I has decreed that the Ministry of War shall have paramount authority for determining which units are seconded to service under EDENCOM command authority. This order has given a renewed purpose to a ministry that the late Imperial Chancellor Aritcio Kor-Azor once described as "a vast moribund bureaucracy of theorists and accountants routinely ignored by the Imperial Navy and Royal Heirs".

While the authority of overall command within the Imperial Military Circuits remains with the Royal Heirs, in their capacity as Sword Marshals of the Empire, the power of the Ministry of War to divert units to EDENCOM duty represents a significant check and a reminder that ultimate authority rests with the Imperial Throne.

Minmatar Republic Control of Floseswin IV "Secure but at Risk" According to CONCORD Conflict Monitors

Floseswin, Metropolis – CONCORD conflict monitors have assessed that Minmatar Republic control of the liberated planet of Floseswin IV is "secure but at risk" due to the dominating position of the 24th Imperial Crusade in the Metropolis warzone. Floseswin IV has been heavily fortified by Minmatar forces under the command of Hetman General Kanth Filmir during the course of a brutal planetary campaign, with several army groups from Republic Command supplemented by a large force from the Brutor Vanguard. Floseswin IV resistance units have also been forged into a major fighting force by Republic Justice Department advisors under the command of Liberator General Nola Ashok.

While the fortified cities of the Northern continental mass are reckoned to be close to "impregnable", the liberated cities of the Southern continent remain a matter of concern as Republic Command engineers and units of Sebiestor Field Sappers repair and upgrade defenses. Units of the Republic Security Services are also reported to be working alongside the Krusual Covert Operators in hunting down and eliminating hold out units of Amarr forces in the cities. For their part, CONCORD monitors report that the majority of Amarr forces that were not evacuated have dispersed to the jungles and mountains of the region.

Although House Sarum's forces show no sign of renewing major operations on Floseswin IV so far, the dominant position of Amarr militia forces in the region has provided cover for significant restoration of Amarr supply bases. In particular, the Amarr stronghold of Aset has been quietly built up with a number of planetary fortresses established in system, an effort being replicated in several other long-held systems in the Eugidi constellation.

Overall space superiority has also permitted a number of Imperial Navy "search and destroy" operations, with several Brutor Vanguard capital ships reported destroyed in Floseswin as Amarr forces dismantled Minmatar cynosural beacon networks in the system. Amarr diplomats have protested the use of orbital bombardment to reduce the defenses of Sarum-occupied Port Kul during the final Minmatar offensive and Amarr fleets have refrained from retaliating in kind. Despite this apparent attempt to occupy a moral high ground against the background of Triglavian use of orbital bombardment with impunity, Amarr special forces are reported to be operating across Floseswin IV and gaps in aerospace-orbital defense nets are being exploited to drop supplies to remaining Amarr forces.

In Other News

• Sardar-Colonel Parvaz Sarkovas Named Chief of EDENCOM Intelligence Directorate by Provost Marshal Valkanir

• Director Haavo Tagematsu of Caldari House of Records Appointed Head of EID Cultural Intelligence Section

• Chief Executive Panel Summons Caldari Naval Staff to Meeting with Megacorporation Security Force Commanders

• Lai Dai Protection Service Reports Successful Raids on Illegal Pure Blind Corporate Scrip Repositories

• Black Market Corporate Scrip Records Isolated and Identified by "Seek and Tag Information Warfare Worm"

• "Caches of Deathglow, and Human Remains" Reported Discovered on Skarkon II Following RSS Raids on Angel Cartel

• Khumatar Kril Efrit Hails Skarkon Security Forces for "Thwarting a Major Plot by Vile Terrorists and Slavers"

• Republic Justice Department Denies Permission for SARO Counter-Subversion Unit to Operate in Minmatar Territories