With HERO settling in to their claimed half of Fountain, the defensive lines of Fozziesov are starting to take shape. It seems that HERO will use the chokepoint systems of K8L-X7 and 9-VO0Q as the lines in the sand to mark the edge of their territory. The idea of holding a little over half of the region may make it easier to defend from smaller entities come Fozziesov, but the looming threat of a returning PL super fleet in the next month is worrying. The remaining 5 constellations would make an ideal staging ground for PL forces if they want to hit HERO while on another “vacation”. Speaking as a line member of BRAVE, this is not the ideal future. We left Catch for a reason, partly due to the constant padding of PL killboards that seemed to be HERO’s MO for months on end. One can only be told “hey, they can always escalate higher than we can, but we should totally fight them.” for so long. And contrary to popular belief, Fozziesov will not make it easier to counter PL. PL can just as easily roll the region into reinforced in a few days; succeeding with the same tactic of creating too many timers to handle that has worked before.
How this inevitable outcome plays out will be a matter of diplomacy. HERO can hold the line with staunch resistance, but not indefinitely. It seems like the future of HERO will rely on how we build relations in the future. Will HERO snuggle up closer to Imperium? Will the organization negotiate a deal by letting PL take moons? Neither of these are very appealing. Trading moons to our enemies just makes us a doormat for future bullying. And the people who take this game too seriously will capitalize on that. HERO and Imperium becoming involved on a deeper level goes counter to what I see HERO standing for. I’ve always seen HERO as the gateway to Null for newer players that was all about creating your own fun as a player. The PaP and CTA driven lifestyle of Imperium runs counter to that.
But what about PL? PL has lost a bit of the titanic force it had in it’s alliance with N3. Especially now that N3 is abandoning Period Basis and Querious in the face of more Imperium invasions. Black Legion also appears to be taking high value moons in the Wyvern constellation of Fountain. PL and BL are by no means friends, and hopefully HERO can use that to their advantage. It seems as though if PL were to attack HERO SOV or R64s, that HERO could call on Black Legion for help without having to deal with too much backlash.
I find myself wondering how PL will adapt post Fozziesov. The contract from Imperium they’re finishing up sets a precedent for working for them in the future. Whether that trend continues is something I’m unsure of. It is something HERO could use to their advantage by attempting to snuggle up to Imperium. So it seems like the future of both HERO and PL could be interlinked.
