Elarel – 2025-11-01
Threat Level: 4.0 — High Risk / Contested
Summary
- Elarel has experienced sustained, coordinated capsuleer hostility. Aggressors operate in small, high-synergy strike teams using covert ops, fast tackle, and strategic/cruiser firepower. Targets include industrial ships (Ventures, Tayras, Procurers), travel-fit frigates/haulers, and capitalized cruiser/battlecruiser hulls. Capsule escape is repeatedly denied—do not assume pod safety inside Elarel.
What we observed
- Persistent interdiction of industrials and haulers indicating deliberate hunting of miners/logistics.
- Frequent use of covert/surgical strike profiles (Manticore, Garmur, Tholos) combined with heavier support (Tengu, Proteus, Redeemer/Talos) — attackers scale from quick kills to full cruiser/bc engagements.
- Multiple confirmed capsule losses; aggressors carry capabilities to prevent pod escapes and to finish off pods after ship kills.
- Major incidents of note: Abaddon destroyed (25 Oct) and a coordinated cruiser/bc gang action destroying a Dominix Navy Issue and other capital cruisers (30–31 Oct). Main opposing groups for these larger fights are not identified as formal alliances—actions appear to be by independent/unknown capsuleer gangs.
Peak danger windows (UTC)
- Saturday 04:00–05:30 (Late US primetime)
- Sunday 17:30–18:30 (EU primetime) — single most dangerous hour recorded
- Monday 02:40–04:15
- Thursday 14:30–15:30
- Friday 22:45
Operating Guidance (for miners, haulers, travelers, and combat pilots)
- Avoid non-essential hauling/mining operations in Elarel. Industrials (Ventures, Tayras, Procurers) have been consistently hunted.
- Do not rely on pod escape. Expect aggressors to pursue and secure capsule kills.
- Transit caution:
- Treat gates and stations as likely watched—assume covert teams are cloaked and ready to point.
- Prefer cloaky travel when possible (Covert Ops) or move with reliable combat escorts. Solo subcap travel in vulnerable hulls is high risk.
- Break up valuable cargo and avoid long unescorted journeys; delay high-value transfers through Elarel when feasible.
- MTUs and salvage/looted assets are actively targeted. Do not deploy Mobile Tractor Units or leave salvage/loot unattended inside the system.
- Fit choices:
- If you must operate here, fit for survivability and escape: point/warp-core stabilizer awareness, MWD/AB situational use, and modules to counter point/scram depending on hull role.
- Scouts and intel hunters should prepare for heavily cloaked opposition and pod-killing capability; blind probes and tackle ships commonly present.
- Fleet operations:
- Bring counter-tackle and points, ECM awareness, and rapid-response logistics if running operations. Aggressors operate in combined teams that can escalate quickly from frigate tackle to cruiser/bc firepower.
- Avoid predictable routines and fixed schedules—attacker patterns suggest successful pre-positioning and windowed ambushes.
Threat actors to note
- Repeated participants: Cailin Dioltas (Manticore), Aladar Krahn (Garmur/Tholos), Cadhla Dioltas (Thrasher/Tholos), Michel Ferran (Proteus), Dejan Estemaire (Tengu/Ashimmu), Gertrud ToD (Khizriel). These pilots frequently operate together and have been involved across the observed incidents.
- Larger fights (Abaddon, Dominix Navy Issue losses) were executed by unidentified/independent gangs rather than clearly-attributed major alliances.
Bottom line
Elarel is a high-risk low-sec system with active, coordinated hunters. Avoid routine resource/haul operations here; when passage or work is unavoidable, travel cloaked or in combat-capable groups, avoid MTUs/salvage deployments, and plan around the UTC primetime spikes (notably EU primetime and Late US hours). Treat capsule escape as unreliable and prepare for aggressive pursuit.