[Glyn]

Irideans managed to black hole six more systems for a total of thirteen or more.

Things were looking grim for both the Atlanteans and Yor!reks, slowly losing system after system to the black hole Irideans machine. It was time to risk an all out attack on the Irideans’ only warp point into their space. The Atlanteans goaded the Irideans with a message as to them being unable to defeat the Atlanteans in 7 years despite the advantages the Irideans Empire has over the Atlanteans. Hopefully the Irideans would send an attack against the Atlanteans in response to the message thereby weakling the Irideans’ main warp point.

It worked far better then hoped! The Irideans had sent almost all of their attack ships (160) in a three prong raid on Atlantean space, while the Atlantean’s entire fleet of 130 ships defeated the 30 odd ships left to defend the warp point and 30 odd support ships. It should be noted that the Irideans created a black hole in one system just moments after the main Atlantean fleet exited the system on the way to attack the Irideans. Thirty other Atlantean ships traveling with the main fleet were caught in the explosion showing how close the Irideans came to wining the war.

During the second month the Irideans glassed about two dozen Atlanteans worlds including all three home-worlds, while only losing eighteen of there own colonies. The Irideans had chosen the path of mutual destruction believing that 136 well developed worlds and massive resources could out last the Atlanteans remaining 86 world’s with its struggling economy resources.

The third month showed the difference between an empire well connected with warp points and one with the original warp point paths. The Atlanteans lost 5 colonies while the Irideans lost 50.