Strong efforts to push back against a rising tide of sabotage dominated Powerplay last week, to no avail.
Shadow President Felicia Winters and her Federal Liberal Command, perhaps the power most threatened by sabotage last cycle, attempted to leave her unwanted expansions unaffordable by careful management of her command capital. However, LTT 5131 was the only special-interest-driven system blocked by the Shadow President’s organizers. Fifth column expansions in Ao Kang and LHS 1928 both succeeded, increasing Winters’ deficit at current overheads by 31 and 57 CC respectively, while contesting Sirius for 8, Hudson for 7, and Torval for 22. Victory in her intended expansion, HIP 53719, will not offset these losses, offering her economy only 8 CC in profit. This week, Winters pledges will attempt to expand to Albangait, which will contest Senator Torval’s domain for 20 CC.
Dictator Yuri Grom’s EG Pilots were unable to stop saboteurs from expanding their power into Ngaledi, despite a considerable effort from their ZYADA allies and local groups. Ngaledi will cost the EG Union 73 CC per week, while contesting Hudson for 10 and closing the system’s lucrative blackmarkets for the foreseeable future. For the second week in a row, Grom’s commanders saw their consolidation vote crater in the final hours of the cycle. Preventative management of their power’s preparation list has left Grom with only three expansions: Rati Irtii, offering 9 CC of profit, Cholhou, which will break even for the power, and BD-10 5238, a major lossmaker to the tune of -62 CC that also contests Hudson for 22 CC.
Princess Aisling Duval’s forces failed to expand to Simyr by a significant margin, and have no expansion this week. Both Senator Torval and CEO Li Yong-Rui exited turmoil without any losses. Neither power has an expansion this week; powers cannot prepare systems while in turmoil.
President Zachary Hudson’s pilots moved a significant amount of tonnage into Rati Irtii, at one point holding a solid lead for the preparation over Grom’s forces, who pulled ahead later in the cycle. As such, Hudson has no expansion this week.
Forces loyal to Archon Delaine, Admiral Patreus, Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval, Simguru Pranav Antal, and Prime Minister Edmund Mahon all successfully consolidated.