YC109.09.24
Operation Just Redress was authorized by the Reserve command staff on 13 September 109 following a period of increased operational readiness in response to unprovoked aggression on the part of the Electus Matari alliance. Attempts at a diplomatic solution by both the Reserve Diplomatic Office and Apex Conglomerate executor Vendrin Latanis were rejected outright by Electus Matari executor Evanda Char.
The punitive nature of the operation called for strikes on all elements of Electus Matari operations, both combat forces and industrial/logistical assets, centering around high security systems in the Heimatar region where intelligence indicated that the Minmatar alliance was concentrated. Shortly after war was declared, the Reserve received counterdeclarations from the Veto pirate alliance, the Black Rabbits pirate corporation, and the Fate Weavers terrorist organization. Intelligence seems to indicate that Electus Matari and the two pirate organizations have some sort of business relationship, while the connection between Electus Matari and the Fate Weavers is a well-known quantity. However, due to the concentration of Reserve forces in high security areas, combat between the Reserve and the pirate forces has been extremely light.
As the war went live on 15 September, Electus Matari forces attempted to besiege the station serving as the Reserve's forward base for a short period of time with 30+ combat vessels, before they eventually dispersed under the eyes of cloaked Reserve intelligence assets. This would be the last time that Electus Matari forces would have the upper hand during this first week of operations.
Due to the intervention of the KIA Alliance mercenary force on behalf of unknown parties, Electus Matari quickly adopted a new strategic approach which left them paralyzed until 23 September, when KIA Alliance lifted their declaration. Their approach scattered their fleet and relied heavily on guerilla raids and cloaked vessels, largely incapable of doing significant damage to concentrated, coordinated Reserve fleets. While able to score isolated kills against Reserve targets, usually those operating alone or as scouts, Electus Matari paid a heavy price for each. Reserve fleets scored better than a three-to-one kill ratio against enemy forces, while losing only a handful of cruisers, battlecruisers, and advanced frigates.
The arrival of Ushra'Khan in action against the KIA Alliance on 21 September, and KIA's subsequent withdrawal from combat against Electus Matari a day later, signalled a possible change in the state of the conflict. Reserve pilots were brought to a heightened state of alert for the end of the KIA declaration, and as expected Electus Matari again tried to besiege the Reserve base, this time bringing somewhere in the range of 18 vessels. The Reserve force in the station counterattacked with 15 battleships, scattering the enemy force and killing a Tempest belonging to the traitorous Caldari Davlos Cain, as well as a stealth bomber.
The last significant activity of note was the destruction of Evanda Char's Rapier in the early morning hours of 24 September. CDR Char had cloaked and was harassing Reserve pilots in the local comm channel, but apparently had not been paying attention as she drifted closer to a Reserve Caracal near a stargate. Getting too close, her cloak failed and she was quickly scrambled and was nearly half destroyed before she could respond; despite her best efforts, her ship was vaporized in short order.
In summary, Operation Just Redress is proceeding better than expected so far, with Reserve forces having near-complete space superiority in the operational area and enemy forces still reduced to generally ineffective guerilla strikes against isolated friendly vessels. Organized resistance by Electus Matari appears to be largely destroyed, though intervention by other known allies, such as Ushra'Khan, may impair Reserve operations.
