Should I stay or should I go?

News from our enclave in a lost star system.

The Research and Development Division has completed its analysis of a potential operation to eliminate the resident citadel. The final report turned out to be… discouraging. With the current capabilities of the combat capsuleer, the outgoing damage of a single pilot is insufficient to overcome shield regeneration. This is under the most optimistic assumptions: the citadel is inactive, unfueled, and fitted with minimal defensive modules.

The conclusion is clear. A successful assault would require unlocking Omega capabilities and training a number of additional skills.

However, this issue extends far beyond a single combat operation. Unlocking Omega status requires approval from the financial committee and simultaneously opens two fundamentally new directions for the expedition. These are planetary industry and the ability to refit the fleet with ships utilizing stealth technologies.

In turn, this inevitably raises a broader and far more complex question: what are our mid-term strategic plans? Should we remain in the current system, or begin searching for a new one of a higher class?

According to preliminary calculations, the expedition in its current composition can operate effectively in systems of classes 1 through 3. Below is a brief summary of the recommendations provided by the R&D experts. The full report has been submitted to the committee for detailed review and decision-making.

Excerpt from R&D Report #37.569 dated 26 Dec 3076 / YC127

C1

Pros:
We are already here. Low population density. An ideal environment to calmly master POS deployment and operation, remove the local citadel, and initiate planetary industry.

Cons:
Combat anomalies gradually lose their appeal for the primary pilot and do not always provide stable income. Relocation to a higher-class system is almost inevitable in the long run, meaning that investments in infrastructure (POS and PI) may not have time to pay off.

C2

Pros:
Systems with a high number of anomalies and wormholes. A rich and diverse selection of anomalies, a wide range of statics leading both to known space and to other wormholes. The option to field a battleship. Anomalies are manageable even with the current battlecruiser, albeit with increased risk.

Cons:
Popular static combinations are often occupied or lead to regular evictions. High system traffic results in a constant presence of transient pilots, complicating infrastructure deployment. At the same time, anomaly income remains on par with C1. In essence, C2 represents a transitional level between C1 and C3, making deep infrastructure investment potentially unjustified.

C3

Pros:
Significantly higher income from combat anomalies. A smaller number of statics allows for a more controlled environment, and the systems themselves are less transient. C3 systems are traditionally considered the peak for micro-expeditions into wormhole space. After that there is only possible transition is to have a null-sec static.

Cons:
Opponents in anomalies are considerably stronger, making a battleship a necessity. C3 systems are extremely popular among small and mid-sized corporations, resulting in a high risk of eviction. C3 represents both a peak and a potential endpoint of development, so it may be wise not to rush.

End of excerpt

The financial committee will provide recommendations to the CEO in the near future to ensure that the decision is balanced and strategically sound. This excerpt has also been distributed to shareholders for the purpose of gathering their opinions.

On the expedition’s official corporate portal, all shareholders are invited to express their position via an online poll.

Shareholder Vote:

👍 – Abstained, but read with interest

1️⃣ – Remain in C1: anomalies may no longer be as engaging, but it is necessary to finish what was started, eliminate the resident citadel, and gain experience with POS management and planetary extraction before advancing in system class

2️⃣ – Migrate to C2: there will be more citadels ahead, and learning is best done under constant pressure and in a dynamic environment

3️⃣ – Migrate to C3: take everything at once, without settling for intermediate solutions

The voting results will be taken into account when forming the final recommendation to expedition command.