Fort Kumar

Interestingly, the Cathedral is in the center of the base, not the Fort itself

In an era where attacks can be launched with little to no warning at any time, conventional doctrine suggests that you should rely on a de-centralized defense command to ensure that an enemy couldn’t hit the basket with all your eggs, so to speak. Of course, Amarr-Minmatar relations are anything but “conventional”. While both navies do use the generally decentralized structure, both have deemed fit in recent years to build up their fleets on the border. This might make sense in a strategic location near the homeworlds (the Amarr-Pator route through Amamake comes to mind), but not so much in the relatively backwater systems of Kenobanala and Audesder. Still, here is where the standoff started, and here is where it shall remain. That being said, I took the Professor out for a spin and headed for the oddly named Fort Kumar in Kenobanala.

As I headed for the Fort, I looked up what information was put out by the Information Ministry:

Fort Kumar has been a bastion of Ammatar greatness ever since the Rebellion. It was erected shortly before the Minmatars rebelled against Amarr rule as a large mining outpost, but during the great conflict that ensued it was transformed into a military installation which stood firm against the large, albeit tired, rebel forces attempting to advance deeper into Amarr territory. This victory which some claim turned the tide of the war is largely credited to the massive kameira forces stationed in Kenobanala. The Amarr allowed the kameiras to become Ammatar citizens after the war, earning their freedom by their extraordinary bravery and loyalty to the Empire.

For many years Fort Kumar has stood largely empty, since the Ammatar government has not felt the need to maintain such an expensive military outpost in light of the calmer political situation. But all that changed with the ‘Tyrion’ incident. Now the Fort is again bustling with activity, filled to the brim with Amarr, Ammatar, Caldari and Khanid troops. Hastily erected personnel quarters litter the surrounding area around the outpost itself, due to insufficient accommodations. The men are tense beyond words, most of them have never been in an actual fleet battle, but that may soon change, as war seems almost inevitable.

The Caldari State has unexpectedly provided some rather overt support for the Empire and its allies

A little out of date, no doubt, but that’s to be expected from the Amarr. Truthfulness has never exactly been high on their list of importance. Regardless, I was determined to see as much as I could of the fortifications, if only because such things were so rare in today’s day and age, when strength lay mostly in what an empire could project, not massive fortifications that could be easily passed by as an invading force swept through the system.

The Professor banks near the Cathedral

The Empire certainly didn’t make an attempt to hide the Fort. My scanners had no problems identifying the multiple structures and warships within moments of me entering the system. As I came out of warp at the Fort, my attention was first drawn not to the bulky and dark-colored fort proper, but to the graceful and brightly-lit cathedral standing in the middle of the complex. I was amazed that even in dark times, the Amarr refused to lose their aesthetic sense. A way of keeping the faith, I suppose. After taking my eyes off of the cathedral, I examined the nearby fort. It was a dark and foreboding structure,  standing as a counterweight to the Cathedral. I couldn’t help but feel that even the pairing of the two was a deliberate design choice.

The manufacturing area of the complex

Nearby, minor manufacturing plants could be seen, presumably providing ammunition for the assembled forces. Speaking of assembled forces, perhaps the biggest surprise of the compound was the rather overt support the Caldari were providing. A number of Raven-class battleships could be seen orbiting nearby, seemingly as ready to go as the other Ammar and Ammatar forces. I was surprised that Heth had allowed the fleet support to continue. I had always viewed the Empire/State alliance as more of an “the enemy of my enemy…” type of relationship, rather than wholesale support. Perhaps Heth knew that nothing was going to come of this build up at this point. Certainly, if this hasn’t opened up as a battleground by now in the Minmatar/Amarr war, it never was going to.

I spent a good amount of time looking at the Fort. Enough, I’m sure, to make the forces there nervous, even given my good standings with the State and Empire. After the warnings started to be backed up with more than a little bluster, I decided it was time to take my leave of the situation. Besides, I’ve heard that equally impressive fortifications sat just a jumpgate away…

Basic Information:

• Attraction: Fort Kumar
• System: Kenobanala
• Security Rating: 0.3
• Region: Derelik
• Potential Hazards: Getting to Kenobanala involves low sec travel.  Pirates and gate camps should be expected.  A cov ops or other cloaking ship is recommended.
• Additional Notes: This site is a COSMOS site, and agents are available if you have the proper standing with the Ammar or Ammatar.