Editing 7 March Vega-Nova Siege

{{Infobox military conflict
|name = Battle of Sirius
|image = Bos.png
|caption = A dynmap image showing the fleets right before the counter siege. No ships had yet been sunk.
|place = [[Siege Station|ArtifactGamma]], [[Sirius]]
|date = March 7, 2025
|combatants_header = Participants
|combatant1 = {{flag|Nova Flag.png|Imperial Nova}}
{{flag|Separatist flag.png|Separatist Alliance}}
|combatant2 = {{flag|Vega logo.jpg|Vega}}
{{flag|VAAFFlag.png|Vask Authority}}
{{flag|Oblivion}}
{{flag|United Luxit States.png|United Luxit States}}
|strength1 = 8k [[Frigate]] ([[NovaManGood2110]])
<br>2k [[Gunship]] ([[_Longy]]
<br>350 [[Starfighter]] ([[TheGamingBananaV]])
<br>350 [[Starfighter]] ([[henryberto]])
<br>350 [[Starfighter]] ([[Gabrielhulk10]])
<br>350 [[Starfighter]] ([[BobinaBlu]])
<br>
|strength2 = 12k [[Destroyer]] ([[WitherV]])
<br>4k [[Corvette]] ([[GigaJeff]])
<br>2k [[Gunship]] ([[MaidPierce]])
<br>1k [[Gunship]] ([[Sciath]])
<br>1k [[Gunship]] ([[Sherbet_S]])
<br>1k [[Gunship]] ([[vikator2583]])
<br>1k [[Gunship]] ([[Solesey]])
<br>1k [[Gunship]] ([[LuciusDrakov]], [[nungal]])
<br>1k [[Gunship]] ([[BlockBuster019]])
<br>1k [[Gunship]] ([[DivineArtisan]])
<br>500 [[Gunship]] ([[z4nityy]])
<br>350 [[Starfighter]] ([[Sky_Horzion]])
<br>350 [[Starfighter]] ([[braersss]])
<br>150 [[Interceptor]] ([[MaidPierce]])
<br>
|casualties1 = All ships lost
|casualties2 = 3 ships lost
|result = Decisive [[Vega]] victory.<br>[[Siege Station|ArtifactGamma]] defended.
|width = 450px
}}

The '''7 March Vega-Nova Siege''' was a failed siege attempt between [[Imperial Nova]] and [[Separatist Alliance]] versus [[Vega]], [[Vask Authority]], [[Oblivion]], and [[United Luxit States]]. The battle was fought over custody of the ArtifactGamma [[Siege Station]]. The 7 March Vega-Nova Siege is the largest military engagement to occur on [[Horizon's End]] since the [[Battle of Asteri]], and is the second-largest military engagement ever in server history.

= Context =
In the months following the [[30 December Incident]], [[Imperial Nova]] and [[Vega]] existed in a state of politically-ambiguous military hostility, punctuated by occasional minor combat engagements and [[Siege Station]] battles. No formal conflict was declared or pursued by either party in this time, due among other factors to the pronounced inactivity of Imperial Nova in January and February of 2025. 

On 25 February 2025, Imperial Nova publicly announced in a post: "[we're] officially un-killing the nation," soliciting recruitment of new members and cooperation with prospective allied groups, and claiming to offer "political influence, ships, materials, infrastructure, combat training, military protection, [and] action". On 6 March, the new, combat-oriented nation of [[Separatist Alliance]] took up the offer, striking a formal alliance with Imperial Nova at 3:06PM EST. 

Previously, Separatist Alliance had engaged in hostile military action against members of several nations on the server, including [[Halastian Imperium]], [[United Luxit States]], [[Cortesia Del Mar]], [[Orovika]], and [[Vega]]; however, their alliance with Imperial Nova stipulated that they "act defensively", which was in contrast with their previous behavior. Within the hour of their alliance's formal declaration, a joint Novan-Separatist fleet proactively attacked and sunk known pirate [[z4nityy]]'s [[Starfighter]], and then proceeded to assist [[yodabird19]] and [[Equiila]] of [[Cortesia Del Mar]] in a small engagement against [[Oblivion]] pirate forces.

= Summary of Events =
At approximately 4:00PM EST, a 6-member [[Nova]]n-[[Separatist Alliance|Separatist]] fleet departed [[Aret]], arriving to siege the [[Vega]]-owned [[Siege Station]] ArtifactGamma at 4:11PM. While a Novan siege against Vega was not unusual, the Novan-Separatist fleet was significantly larger than a typical Novan siege detachment, which drew attention to it. The siege proceeded uncontested (with the station being captured 15 minutes later); however, this left half an hour in ArtifactGamma's siege window in which Vega could attempt to retake the station.

Because the siege was not at the end of the hour, Vega chose to gather its forces and prepare, instead of launching an immediate attack.

The Vega and Oblivion forces gathered at Hegemony, boarding a fleet of 1k Gunships.

z4nityy of VA joined with the Vega/Oblivion forces outside Qatra, and braersss of ULS joined the fight at the siege station.

Despite having the chance to retreat before Vegan-allied forces could attack, the Novan and Separatist pilots elected to remain garrisoned at the nearby Novan station claim. [[_Longy]] would later explain this decision as owing to the fact that the Novans and Separatists "wanted some combat".

Following an unsuccessful attack by [[MaidPierce]]'s [[Interceptor]] "VS Suicide Run", at 4:48PM EST, the Vegan-aligned fleet numbering 12 ships (later 13 with the arrival of [[braersss]]) departed [[Qatra]] and jumped to ArtifactGamma; while a [[Novan]] attempt to isolate BlockBuster019 via a [[Starship Gravity Well]] was briefly successful, the entire fleet ultimately congregated inside of the siege station, at which point [[WitherV]] initiated the re-siege. Despite being outnumbered approximately 2 to 1, the Novan-Separatist fleet, maintaining tight formation, went on the offensive, approaching ArtifactGamma from the east. The Vegan-aligned fleet did not move from its position at the center of the siege station until [[z4nityy]], Blockbuster019, and [[DivineArtisan]] broke formation and moved to intercept the Novan-Separatist fleet to the southeast, at which point the fleet moved uniformly towards the southeastern section of the station. 

The Vega-aligned fleet quickly dispatched the Separatist Starfighters, as well as _Longy's Gunship, with the only casualty being z4nityy's Gunship. 

The remaining 12 players then focused all fire on the Novan Frigate, which was quickly sunk. 
[[File:Mar7.png|thumb|The final moments before the Novan 8k was sunk]]
Following the end of the fleet battle, the now-shipless Separatist and Novan pilots made efforts to board and kill the pilots of Vegan-aligned ships. While most were swiftly picked off by turret fire, [[NovaManGood2110]] successfully boarded an unpiloted 1k [[Gunship]] owned by Vegan pilot vikator2583, prompting the remainder of the fleet to fire on the ship, resulting in it sinking and the explosion killing vikator.

== Gallery ==
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== See also ==
[https://youtu.be/ryO9OsSeweg The battle as seen from dynmap]  

[[Category:Player-Created]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Historic Battles]]
[[Category:Conflicts]]