Greetings members of the IGS,
I would like to share some initial findings and discoveries regarding the Horizon Siege Points (HSP) near Zarzakh. I will also combine findings and observations from other capsuleers to support some speculations. I am thankfull to the 10 fellow capsuleers that have helped and made it possible to make these observations and findings.
As reported by The Scope Drifters are laying siege of Zarzakh and are using Horizon Breach Engines (HBE) that can be found when entering an HSP. Upon entering a HSP capsuleers will encounter a HBE that is named ‘Tyrannos Tekton’ and seemingly nothing else.
What to expect when entering a Horizon Siege Point (HSP)
After Entering the HSP there will be a short time of around 15 seconds before a countdown of 2 minutes begins in which the HBE is vulnerable to attack. If capsuleers wish to attempt to destroy an HBE, they will need to deplete the shields of the HBE within these 2 minutes. The HBE will not be left defenceless though and shortly after the 2 minute countdown begins, there will be a brief opening of a wormhole through which sleeper frigates, destroyers, cruisers and battleships will arrive. If capsuleers fail to deplete the shields of the HBE within the 2 minutes, it will become invulnerable and any remaining sleepers will exit the HSP by warping off.
If the capsuleers succeed in depleting the shields before the 2 minutes are over, capsuleers will be unable to lock and further damage the HBE but they can engage the sleepers on grid. After the 2 minutes have completely counted down, there is a brief window of 15 seconds after which the HBE will have fully regenerated it’s shield and seemingly lost some armor integrety in exchange. After these 15 seconds are over, a new timer of 2 minutes will start and a wave of sleeper ships will reinforce the grid through a brief wormhole connection.
If capsuleers succeed in depleting the shield of the HBE for a total of 10 waves, the HBE either suffers critical damage or suffers critical failure in the attempt to regenerate its shielding. The result is the same with the destruction of the HBE. Any remaining Sleepers and Drifters will leave the HSP by warping off. If the shields are not depleted by the end of any of these 2 minute timers, the HBE becomes invulnerable and any Sleepers and Drifters that are not destroyed will leave the HSP by warping off.
When the HBE is vulnerable it generates a warp disruption fields that prevents ships from leaving the HSP by warping off. This warp disruption field doesn’t seem to be active during the 15 seconds between each wave and when the shields of the HBE are depleted.
Speculations regarding the HSP
The following speculation is done with cross referencing observations and findings from @Scott_Renton. During the 2nd, 5th and 8th wave, capsuleers can interact with a Phryctorian Generator that is positioned above the HBE. It is possible to place a Electron Spin Resonance, Tau Decay Resonance or Muon Cosmic Resonance within the Phryctorian Generator. This will result in a Drifter cruiser being among the sleeper reinforcements of the 3rd, 6th and/or 9th wave. Depending on the Resonance that is put into the Phryctorian Generator, the Drifter cruiser could be an officer variant. It is theorized that these officers will appear when:
- Capsuleers put the Electron Spin Resonance in the Phryctorian Generator during the 2nd wave;
- Capsuleers put the Tau Decay Resonance in the Phryctorian Generator during the 5th wave;
- Capsuleers put the Muon Cosmic Resonance in the Phryctorian Generator during the 8th wave.
We performed a field test by putting the Muon Cosmic Resonance into the Phryctorian Generator each time and it resulted in a single Drifter cruisers being part of the 3rd and 6th wave and a single named Drifter cruiser appearing in the 9th wave. This would give merrit to the above speculation that there is an order in which these different Resonances need to be put into the Phryctorian Generator.
Based on going through the wrecks of the Sleepers and Drifters and the reports from other capsuleers it is my speculation that the Muon Cosmic Resonance can be mostly recovered from the HSP in Alsavoinon and Turner and the Tau Decau Resonance can be mostly recovered from the HSP in H-PA29, and G-0Q86. I have no data or findings regarding the Electron Spin Resonances at the time of writing.
Regarding the Horizon Breach Engines (HBE)
The HBE certainly raises a lot of questions with regards to how it works. Should we consider them to be siege engines meant to punch a hole through the Event Horizon surrounding Zarzakh or could they function as a opposite force to balance out and neutralize whatever is generating the Event Horizon surrounding Zarzakh. Going through the wreck of a destroyed HBE has not yielded any insights.
Best course of action
Learning more about what is preventing the Drifters to deploy their forces using their wormhole transits technology will be very valuable. It might even help with better understanding of the wormhole connections of Anoikis or maybe even lead to a way to improve their stability. Unfortunately it seems that at this moment, the technology or cause of this is unknown as even the Deathless who currently occupy the Fulcrum are seemingly at a loss.
Considering the hostile history of the Drifters and the threat they pose to everyone, it is would be wise and worth it to learn more about their technology and capabilities. Espcecially if they decide to not stop at Zarzakh, should their siege succeed. Should they succeed in their siege and be able to get into Zarzakh, what is their objective? Do they wish to gain access to the Fulcrum and it’s all of its content or do they wish to destroy it to deny it to anyone else? Or maybe a combination of the two?
It seems that whatever people decide, they have the option to either aid the Drifters with their siege by deliberately making the HBE’s invulnerable and be able to continue to operate or to disrupt the siege by causing the destructions of the HBE’s. Both paths and doing and let things play out have their own pros and cons and carry their own risks for the future.
Regards,
DutchGunner