User:Cyde/Ace Combat Zero

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This is a preserved version of the article Ace Combat Zero from 21:30, 18 July 2006 (UTC) just prior to massive trimming to bring it more inline with a typical entry in an encyclopedia of general knowledge.

Ace Combat Zero is a video game that takes place 15 years before the events of Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. The game revolves around the rising of tensions between Belka and the combined forces of Osea, Yuktobania, Ustio, and Sapin. Several characters from Ace Combat 5 make an appearance in Ace Combat Zero, but they appear in tertiary roles. The player plays as a mercenary, "Cipher", hired by the country of Ustio, which was invaded in an attack from Belka. Many elements from Ace Combat 4 and 5 are in this game like "Pops" and the Superweapons.

The game features primarily older versions of fighter aircraft seen in its predecessor game, such as F-15, F/A-18, and several second generation aircraft like the Saab Draken. The player will go up against enemy ace squadrons who feature enhanced weaponry and combat prowess. Players who destroy everything without regard to hostility will receive the "Mercenary" rank, players who instead spare neutral targets will receive the "Knight" rank, and those that strike a balance between the two will earn the "Soldier" rank. These ranks will affect which enemy ace squadrons a player will face throughout the campaign. A split-screen versus mode is included with the game, but no online feature exists.

[edit] Story

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War is a retelling of the events of a war which happened earlier in the Ace Combat time line; the story recounts the actions of a legendary mercenary ace, "Cipher", and his effect on both the outcome of the war and the opposing aces he defeated in combat. The narrator begins by telling us that, in 1995, Belka invaded its neighbors and started a war which engulfed the world.

After years of internal political unrest, which started around 1988 with the Belkan federal law review, Belka allowed its eastern territories to secede. This however, did not remedy the vast economic crisis that had befallen the country. Osea, seeing a chance to make profit, assisted the eastern provinces in declaring independence and setting up Osean-friendly governments; one of which was the Ustio Republic. An extreme right-wing political group finally comes to power on the 12th of December 1991. Shortly thereafter, vast natural resources were discovered in the B7R region, and Belka invaded outwards on the 25th of March, 1995 recapturing lost territories in a blitzkrieg. These actions prompted both Osea and Yuktobania to combine forces and launch a counter-offensive against Belka.

At this time, the story of Cipher and Pixy begins.

Their early involvement in the war centers around repelling the Belkan forces out of Ustio. Relatively early on, they succeed in securing a direct route to the Ustian capitol of Directus, and, on the 13th of May, 1995, the capital is liberated from Belkan control.

The two pilots are immediately deployed into Belkan territory where they begin offensive operations against the military infrastructure within Belka. The anti-ballistic-missile shield, Excalibur, is destroyed on the 23rd of May, 1995 after a failed operation that alerted the Allied forces to the Excalibur's existence. Cipher and Pixy are involved in numerous sorties including an offensive bombing campaign against the city of Hoffnung on the 1st of June, 1995 where it is revealed that the Belkans are executing a scorched earth policy to keep their technology out of the invading armies' hands. This is a foreshadowing of things to come.

A pivotal moment occurs in the story on the 6th of June, 1995 during a mission to intercept bombers suspected of carrying nuclear weapons. Amidst the fighting, a large flash is witnessed and communication is greatly diminished. This is the date and time that Belka detonated seven nuclear weapons on its own soil to halt the advance of Allied troops. CROW 1 and 2 disappear sometime during the chaos. At this point, Pixy leaves the formation and flies outside of the mission boundaries. It becomes unclear exactly what has happened to Pixy.

Following this turn of events, "PJ" is assigned to the squadron and becomes Cipher's wingman. Their missions take them deeper into Belkan territory. On the very day when a peace agreement is being signed by Belka and the Allied forces (20th of June, 1995), they are involved in a covert operation to eliminate Belkan military holdouts refusing to "accept the Belkan government's official capitulation". Encountering very heavy resistance during this mission, PJ comments that there are too many enemies to merely be remnant forces.

It is only in the next mission, on the 25th of December, 1995, that the intentions of the terrorist organization, "A World with No Boundaries", become clear. In this mission, ace pilots from Sapin, an Allied country, are found defending the Hresvelgr aircraft indicating that dissatisfied pilots from all areas of the conflict have banded together to fight the current world powers and remove the notion of "borders".

The final sortie has Cipher and PJ heading out to stop the launch of several ICBMs containing nuclear warheads. On the way to the site, they encounter aces from Osea now turned to members of the "A World with No Boundaries" organization. After defeating these pilots in the B7R "Round Table" region, Cipher and PJ arrive at the Avalon Dam in northern Belka. After destroying the V-2 launch facility, PJ's radio chatter is interrupted when Cipher's former wingman, Pixy, appears in the ADFX-02 aircraft as the organization's ace pilot and shoots PJ down. In order to stop a final V2, Cipher duels Pixy one-on-one, and finally defeats him.

The story ends with a final series of interviews the last of which is Pixy himself, fighting on a disputed border in present-day. He has reevaluated his perspective on why people fight for national identities and borders and has only one thing to say to his former wingman: "Yo, buddy. Still alive?"

"And thanks, friend. See you again..."

[edit] The Round Table (Area/Airspace B7R)

This particular airspace is one of the main battle zones in the game and the border between Belka and Ustio. Aces who distinguish themselves in this area are known as "Knights of the Round Table".

Known as Operational Airspace B7R, it is located at north latitude 24° east longitude 235°. The topography makes the location look like a giant circle with a 400 km radius, hence the name "The Round Table". It is the attack corridor used by Belka to invade not just Ustio, but also its surrounding nations, making it an extremely important strategic location, charged to many Belkan aces to defend. The reason for the outbreak of war is the large cache of natural resources found within this area, making it very hotly contested. It is also the site where the player will encounter many enemy ace squadrons.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Narrator

• Brett Thompson - OBC Reporter

A journalist working for the Osean Broadcasting Company (OBC). He is the one preparing a documentary about the Belkan War and interviewing the Ace Pilots in the game. His project is named "Special: Warriors of The Belkan War".

[edit] Ustio Air Force

• GALM SQUADRON -- 6th Air Division / 66th Air Force Unit

Commander: GALM 1 (Mercenary) - Cipher: "The Demon Lord".

A mercenary and unknown main character, much like Blaze and Mobius 1 in Ace Combat 5 and 4. Does not speak throughout the game.

Quote:

1. "..."

Wingman: GALM 2 (Mercenary) - Larry "Pixy" Foulke: "A Brother in Arms".

Wingman of the main character. He is nicknamed "Solo Wing Pixy" because of a mission where his plane's right wing blown off but he still managed to complete the mission and return (this has some reference to a real-life incident involving an Israeli F-15D Eagle [1], a two-seat trainer version of the F-15C Eagle, Pixy's preferred plane). He is Belkan in origin. After the war he continued his life as a mercenary. During 2005, when the narrator is interviewing him, he was a volunteer in the Usean Continent and is fighting in the country of Delarus.

Quote:

1. "Yo buddy. Still alive?"
2. "This is the Round Table, dead men's words hold no meaning."
3. "Those that survive a long time on the battlefield begin to think they're invincible...I bet you do too buddy."

• CROW SQUADRON -- 6th Air Division / 4th Air Force Unit

Commander: CROW 1 (Mercenary) (Reassigned)

Wingman: CROW 2 (Mercenary) (Reassigned)

Crow 1 and 2's status is unknown. After Mission 12, Crow Team is disbanded. CROW 1 and 2 were probably sent into another air force unit.

Wingman: CROW 3, later reassigned as GALM 2 to replace Pixy (Mercenary) - Patrick James "PJ" Beckett (MIA, presumed killed)

A pilot that flies for Valais Air Base's Crow Mercenary Team who happens to fly an F-16. When he finished high school, he traveled alone by motorcycle across the Osean continent. He flies with the main character when Pixy is not part of the unit. Although a capable pilot, he appears to be young and slightly naive often stating that he is fighting to stop the fighting. Pixy does not seem to like his way of thinking. He had a girlfriend who he was planning to propose to. He got shot down after Mission 17 and listed as MIA since it's not confirmed he is dead or alive. His last words were "Dang it!", when his aircraft flew into the path of a laser. It is unknown if this was an accident, or an attempt to shield Cipher.

Quote:

1. "I really like polo, you know, the game with the horses... maybe we should get going."
2. "I've got a girlfriend back at the base. I'm going to propose to her when we get back... I even bought flowers!"

• EAGLE EYE AWACS WING - 6th Air Division / Airborne Warning And Control System Wing

Commander / Lead Plane: EAGLE EYE (Unknown).

Unknown AWACS commander assigned to 6th Air Force , including Galm and Crow teams. His identity is also unknown, similar to Sky Eye from Ace Combat 4, Thunderhead and Oka Nieba from Ace Combat 5.

Quote:

1. "Galm Team, we cannot authorize a retreat. Intercept them!"
2. "....Go, take down Morgan. Your the only one who can stop him. Demon Lord of the Round Table, I pray for your success."

[edit] Belka Air Force

• ROT SQUADRON -- 2nd Air Division / 52nd Tactical Fighter Squadron

Commander: ROT 1 - Detlef "Red Swallow" Fleisher: "A Pilot That Lives by Pride".

Wingman: ROT 2 - Jurgen Maier(KIA)

Wingman: ROT 3 - Helmut Schnellinger(MIA)

Wingman: ROT 4 - Karl-Heinz Sammer (KIA)

This squadron consists of four Eurofighter Typhoons with a red,grey and white paint scheme. This squadron was the most famous in the Belkan Air Force and was frequently used as propaganda and to attract recruits. They can use XLAA while dog fighting. Detlef Fleisher is a very talented pilot, who is extremely prideful. After the war he quit the military and became a Professor of History at the University of Dinsmark in Belka.

ACE TYPE: Mercenary

Quote:

1. "Rot 1 to all craft. Time to hunt some wild dogs. Down 'em all!"
2. "Don't think you can leave area B7R alive."
3. "Mercenary dogs. That's all they are, nothing like us."

• GRUN SQUADRON -- 10th Air Division / 8th Tactical fighter squadron

Commander: GRUN 1 - Bernard "Owl" Schmidt: "The Strategist".

Wingman: GRUN 2 - Fabian Rost

Wingman: GRUN 3 - Ulf Scholl(KIA)

Wingman: GRUN 4 - Fritz Forster(KIA)

This squadron is extremely flexible and can change to any flying style to suit the current situation. Schmidt is also nicknamed the "Night Owl" for his outstanding vision. His squadron of four uses F/A-18C Hornets with a green paint scheme. He speaks with a distinctive British accent. After the war, Schmidt settled down in his hometown of Sudentor.

ACE TYPE: Soldier

Quote:

1. "Looks like you Ustio mercenaries made the wrong choice."
2. (upon losing a plane) "Those bastards. All planes, its time to get serious."
3. "Dammit, both of them know what they're doing."

• INDIGO SQUADRON -- 7th Air Division / 51st Tactical fighter squadron

Commander: INDIGO 1 - Dimitri "Blue Heron" Heinreich: "A Man Who Upholds Honor".

Wingman: INDIGO 2 - Berti Beckenhauer

Wingman: INDIGO 3 - Mathias Overath

Wingman: INDIGO 4 - Franz Breitner

This squadron uses four Gripen Cs. They were posted to the eastern battle line. They are also known for their elegant style of combat which gained them the name "Indigo Order of Belka". They have the ability to use XMAAs in combat. Dimitri Heinreich is from a Belkan noble family who were once knights. After the war he takes over the family business.

ACE TYPE: Knight

Quote:

1. "Indigo 1 to all planes. Target spotted. Commencing attack."
2. "Unlike you mercenaries, I fight for a real cause."

• GELB SQUADRON - 5th Air Division / 23rd Tactical Fighter Squadron

Commander: GELB 1 - Maj Orbert Jager (KIA)

Wingman: GELB 2 - 2nd Lieutenant Rainer "Cormorant" Altman : "The Fallen".

This is a two-man squadron, which uses two Su-37 Terminators. They are known collectively as "The Coupled Cormorants". They can fire regular missiles backwards. While Orbert Jager was killed in battle, Rainer Altman survives and settles down at Directus. He is currently living in Directus with his family.

ACE TYPE: N/A

Quote:

1. "There's two of them and two of us. That works in our favor."
2. "The captain. Was he shot down?"
3. "I can still hear the sound of the missile alerts from that day."

• SCHWARZE SQUADRON -- 13th Night Fighter Air Division / 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron

Commander: SCHWARZE 1 - Captain Dominic "Vulture" Zubov : "The Bringer of Death".

Wingman: SCHWARZE 2 - Sergei Karkov

Wingman: SCHWARZE 3 - Harald Brehme (MIA)

Wingman: SCHWARZE 4 - Sepp Bonhof (MIA)

Wingman: SCHWARZE 5 - Helger Collins

Wingman: SCHWARZE 6 - Rafael Battenberg (MIA)

Wingman: SCHWARZE 7 - Alexander Roshardt (MIA)

Wingman: SCHWARZE 8 - Maximillian Warner (MIA)

ACE TYPE: Mercenary

This squadron of eight uses MiG-31 Foxhounds with black and red paint schemes. Zubov leads the Schwarze flight. A special surveillance and night fighter unit. They are the only unit in the Belkan airforce that has unconditional clearance to engage at will. Schwarze Wing is also infamous for their clearance of shooting down friendly forces without hesitation if they try to run away from combat (reminiscent of the duties carried out by the NKVD during World War II). They are nicknamed "The Vultures" and are universally feared and hated. Investigations are still being done into war crimes committed by the members of the squadron, and many members are still missing. The Schwarze Leader and Schwarze 2 are also from the country of Yuktobania.

Quote:

1. "You're falling behind mercenary."
2. "Feeling a bit scared? Afraid? That's just death lurking around."
3. "Those mercenaries smell of money and death....they're nothing but vultures, scavenging profit through the blood of others."

• SCHNEE SQUADRON -- 22th Air Division / 4th Tactical Figher Squadron

Commander: SCHNEE 1 - 2nd Lieutenant Erich "Phonix" Hillenbrand: "A Man Who Lived for Battle".

Never liking to belong to a specific faction, Hillenbrand is still a 2nd Lieutenant despite his skill and experience. Never interested in promotion or awards, Hillenbrand's only loves are flight and combat. Because of this he is nicknamed "The Eternal 2nd Lieutenant". He is fiercely trusted by his wingmen, just like every ace in the Belkan Air Force. His squadron uses 4 F-14D Super Tomcats for combat and one EA-6B Prowler for jamming enemy radar. After inflicting critical damage to enemy forces in southern frontier (possibly Osean forces) they were sent to the frontline. They have the ability to use XLAAs in combat. After he got shot down, Hillenberand walks to the nearest base on foot and quits the air force soon after. After the war he moves to North Osea (formerly South Belka) and becomes a pilot instructor for a commercial airline company.

Wingman: SCHNEE 2 - Rudi Koch (KIA)

Wingman: SCHNEE 3 - Roald Fliescher (KIA)

Wingman: SCHNEE 4 - Karlheinz Fassbinder (KIA)

Wingman: SCHNEE 5 - Hartwig Bremer

ACE TYPE: Soldier

Quote:

1. "Target is in firing range. Schnee 1 to all units, release your missiles."
2. "Ustio Mercenaries! This is gonna be fun!"
3. "This is our turf and we'll fly how we please."

• SILBER SQUADRON 51st Air Division / 126th Tactical Fighter Squadron

Commander: SILBER 1 - Lieutenant Colonel Dietrich "Boss" Kellerman: "The Reborn Veteran".

Already retired from active duty, Kellerman was called to the active duty after the war to boost the troop morale. He was once director of a special air force academy called the "Kellerman Instution". He was training pilot cadets before he was recalled to active duty. He is known as a man of few words, letting his flying skills talk for him. He pilots a F-4E Phantom II, however his wingmen use F-16C Fighting Falcons which are painted with silver zebra paint schemes. After he got shot down, he quits the military and moves to countryside where he works in his own farm, living a quiet life.

Wingman: SILBER 2 - Rupert Appling

Wingman: SILBER 3 - Stefan Enders (KIA)

Wingman: SILBER 4 - Sven Brutlag (MIA)

Wingman: SILBER 5 - Sebastian Hackenberg (KIA)

ACE TYPE: Knight

Quote:

1. "If you get confused, just let your hands take over. You've had enough training to do this in your sleep."
2. "....they're fast, follow them. This will be your final lesson."
3. "(if his students are shot down first) I wasn't able to cover them."

• GAULT SQUADRON -- 18th Air Division / 5th Tactical Fighter Squadron

Commander: GAULT 1 - Commander Anton "Dr." Kupchenko: "The Guardian" (KIA)

Kupchenko was a Belkan ace and highly decorated officer years prior to the war. Before being sent to the front again, he was head of Belka's weapons development and technology. He is also thought to have been the head director of "A World with No Boundaries". He and his squadron fly eight Su-47 aircraft. He was shot down and killed in B7R. For some strange reason all photographic evidence showing his face was destroyed by someone. He was buried at a public cemetery in Belka.

Wingman: GAULT 2 - Franz Speidel

Wingman: GAULT 3 - Griswold Veiser

Wingman: GAULT 4 - Andrew Barry

Wingman: GAULT 5 - Egon Strauss

Wingman: GAULT 6 - Bruno Watts (KIA)

Wingman: GAULT 7 - Lorenz Riedl (MIA)

Wingman: GAULT 8 - Fernando Perez (KIA)

ACE TYPE: Soldier

Quote:

1. "A World with No Boundaries will eliminate all borders."
2. "(sounding impressed) He's flying in unpredictable patterns."
3. "Gault 1 to all units, begin the operation. Let the victor be justice."

[edit] Sapin Air Force (Defected to "A World with No Boundaries")

• 'ESPADA SQUADRON -- 9th Air and Land Division / 11th Tactical Fighter Squadron'

Commander: ESPADA 1 - Alberto Lopez (KIA, Officially MIA)

Wingman: ESPADA 2 - 2nd Lieutenant Marcela "Macarena" Vasquez: "The Woman of Undying Faith"

Vasquez's motivation in battle was not over flying or ideals but for her flight lead, the two of them were in a deep relationship at the time. Espada 1 flying a J35J Draken, Espada 2 flying a Rafale M. Her squadron makes an appearance late in the game, as the escort unit for the Hresvelgr. Although her captain is shot down, she survives and returns to Gran Rugido, Sapin to continue living as a dancer.

ACE TYPE: N/A

Quote:

1. "If the Demon Lord hadn't appeared, our lives might have been different."
2. "I will never forget his overwhelming power..."

[edit] Osea Air Defense Force (Defected to "A World with No Boundaries")

• SORCERER SQUADRON -- 8th Air Division / 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron

Commander: SORCERER 1 - 1st Lieutenant Anthony "Bedivere" Palmer: "The Witness".

An experienced and decorated ace, Palmer's connections to Bristow led him to join the group "A World with No Boundaries". His squadron of eight F-15S/MTD planes engages the player in the B7R region in the final sorties of the game. Armed with XLAA missiles, his pilots come at the player in pairs and attack from very long range. After the war, he makes a living in Oured as an insurance salesman.

Wingman: SORCERER 2 - Darren Knowles (KIA)

Wingman: SORCERER 3 - Gregory Brown

Wingman: SORCERER 4 - Austin Winters

Wingman: SORCERER 5 - Mario Valdes

Wingman: SORCERER 6 - Stephen Edmunds

Wingman: SORCERER 7 - Charles Andrews

Wingman: SORCERER 8 - Todd Barry

ACE TYPE: Mercenary

Quote:

1. "The king who sleeps at Avalon will become the new hero."
2. "'Demon Lord' was right. Everything he touched fell apart."
3. "Target confirmed. Sorcerer 1 to all planes, apply full thrust. Don't even think about heading back."

• WIZARD SQUADRON -- 8th Air Division / 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron

Commander: WIZARD 1 - Captain Joshua "Lucan" Bristow: "A Revolutionary".

Rumored to be one of the founders of "A World with No Boundaries", Bristow's involvement in the Belkan war is shrouded in mystery. Four F-16XL and four YF-23 aircraft make up his squadron. Disappearing shortly after the war, he is later found to be part of a terrorist organization, captured, and imprisoned in Osea. Most of the surviving members of the squadron attempted to assassinate the president of Osea in 1996. However, The plot was leaked by Kevin Shore and the remaining members were killed or arrested by the Osean Special Forces.

Wingman: WIZARD 2 - Carlos Joaquin (KIA)

Wingman: WIZARD 3 - Lucio Morientes (MIA)

Wingman: WIZARD 4 - Iosif Beletsky

Wingman: WIZARD 5 - Evan Carey

Wingman: WIZARD 6 - Ethan Button

Wingman: WIZARD 7 - Kevin Shore

Wingman: WIZARD 8 - Jay Porter

ACE TYPE: Knight

Quote:

1. "The darkness envelops me in a borderless world. A world with no boundaries"
2. "'A World with No Boundaries' will pen a new story. The world will change..."
3. "The Demon Lord has built himself up quite a name. Let's see if he can live up to it."

[edit] Pilotable aircraft

If save data of Ace Combat 4 is present on the memory card, the X-02 Wyvern will become available for purchase after completion of the first mission.

If the player completes the campaign in all three ace styles, the ADFX-01 will become available (ADF-01 can be unlocked along with the ADFX-01 if an Ace Combat 5 save data is present).

The ADF-01 becomes available upon obtaining all Ace Medals.

[edit] Non-Playable aircraft

01. ADFX-02 Morgan - Fictional Experimental Fighter - The Morgan is playable, but must be unlocked.

02. AH-64A Apache - Gunship Helicopter

03. AV-8B Harrier II - V/STOL Fighter-Bomber

04. B-2A Spirit - Stealth Bomber

05. B-52H Stratofortress - Strategic Bomber

06. BM-335 - Fictional Antiquated Bomber

07. C-17A Globemaster III - Tactical Transport

08. C-130 Hercules - Tactical Airlifter

09. CH-47 Chinook - Transport Helicopter

10. E-767 - AEW Platform

11. KC-10 Extender - Tanker Aircraft

12. SR-71A Blackbird - High-Speed Recon Plane

13. XB-0 Hresvelgr - Belkan Super Weapon

14. XB-70 Valkyrie - Experimental Bomber

[edit] Special weapons

Up to three special aircraft-specific weapons can be purchased for each aircraft.

• BDSP (Bomblet Dispenser)
• ECMP (Electronic Counter Measure Pod)
• FAEB (Fuel-Air Explosive Bomb)
• GPB (Guided Penetration Bomb)
• LAGM (Long-Range Air-to-Ground Missile)
• LASM (Long-range Anti-Ship Missile)
• MPBM (Multi-Purpose Burst Missile)
• NPB (Napalm Bomb)
• QAAM (Quick maneuver Air-to-Air Missile)
• RCL (Rocket Launcher)
• SAAM (Semi-Active Air-to-Air Missile)
• SFFS (Self Forging Fragment Submunitions)
• SOD (Stand Off Dispenser)
• TLS (Tactical Laser System)
• UGB (Unguided Bomb)
• UGBL (Unguided Bomb Large)
• XAGM (Advanced Air-to-Ground Missile)
• XLAA (Advanced Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile)
• XMAA (Advanced Medium-range Air-to-Air Missile)

[edit] Belkan super weapons

Some focus of Ace Combat Zero revolves around Belka's two super weapons. The first of these weapons is the Excalibur Ballistic Missile Defense platform. Developed in 1981, it is a symbol of Belka's military dominance. It is categorized as a chemical laser based weapon which was designed to shoot down incoming missiles and to stop enemy invasions. By utilizing high-altitude aircraft and satellites carrying reflectors, the laser's range can be extended to counteract the curvature of the earth and achieve a range of 1,200 km. This technology is similar in design to the Arkbird's laser system (and to a lesser extent the FALKEN's laser system) in Ace Combat 5 as part of Belka was taken over by Osea and Gründer Industries began to sell its cache of weapons and technology.

The second super weapon originating in Belka is the massive XB-0 Hresvelgr aircraft. Developed by the South Belkan Gründer Industries and built at Mt. Schirm, this gargantuan flying fortress is actually a prototype with no mass production as of 1995. It is designed to act as a staging area and aerial aircraft carrier for air and land dominance operations, and, because of its size, can act as a large-volume transport and bomber. Despite its cost to maintain, the terrorist organization, "A World with No Boundaries", has seen fit to utilize the Hresvelgr.

[edit] Ace Style

Your actions dictate who you are now. Nearly every mission contains red (target), green (hostile), and yellow (neutral/neutralized) targets. The player's ace status will depend on how many neutral targets he or she destroys. A player can shift along on a continuum from Mercenary to Soldier to Knight and back:

• Mercenary Ace: An Ace that lives for battle, money and glory. If you go about destroying all of the neutral targets, your ranking will gravitate towards this category.

• Soldier Ace: An Ace that lives for his fellow soldiers, and his country. If you are passionate about your country, but you restrain yourself at times, you're one of these. You must balance destroying neutral targets while letting an equal amount free and/or survive.

• Knight Ace: An Ace that lives for pride, and honor. If you believe in mercy, peace and fairness, you'll be one of these. Avoiding the destruction of neutral targets will shift your position towards this ranking.

At the end of the game, the player can view exactly where on the continuum he or she was during each mission.

What kind of Ace you are determines which Belkan Ace squads you will meet in certain missions.

Mission 14 is the last mission which determines what ace style you will get at the end of the game. Missions after 14 will not affect/move the arrow of ace style,

[edit] Multiplayer

There are several stages available for play, each with their own specific situations. No online play is available as of this time.

• Stage 1: deathmatch-esque level over a small island where a "bonus point" flag appears. The players must decide between attacking each other, a squadron of hostile, CPU-controlled aircraft, or going for the bonus points.

• Stage 2: A very mountainous level with no manmade structures, this level features high, rugged peaks and mist-filled valleys. Dogfighting is made difficult at lower altitudes because of the rapid changes in elevation.

• Stage 3: Applying a bit of realism, both players will start out with a more realistic weapon loadout (e.g. 4 missiles and one special weapon). There are three major areas in which to fight: a small city with skyscrapers (the college town of Bana, found in Ace Combat 5), an ocean/lake, and a relatively flat countryside.

• Stage 4: Taken almost directly from Ace Combat 5's Mission 19, Final Option, the players can fly through a series rings to amass points, or they can shoot each other down. Flying through the rings will take the player through two tunnels, but not around the small island chain like Pops did in the previous game.

• Stage 5: Taking place in the B7R region, this stage mimics the bonus mission, 'The Gauntlet' in the single-player campaign. Both players have the option of shooting each other down or the enemy Ace Squadrons that appear in the region.

• Stage 6: Taken directly from Ace Combat 5's Mission 23, Ghosts of Razgriz, this level takes place in that same maze of gorges mixed with anti-aircraft missile systems, jamming facilities, and EA-6B jammer aircraft. Although the jamming interferes with the players' radars, it does not have any affect on the enemy missiles.

• Stage 7: A level filled with AI-controlled enemy and friendly aircraft (in essence, a furball), a player must balance attacking the other player and swatting the other player's allies out of the sky for maximum points.

[edit] Missions

01. GLACIAL SKIES (OP. CROSSBOW)

Similar to the 'Sitting Duck' mission of Ace Combat 4 and "Gambit" from Ace Combat 2, Cipher, Pixy and several other pilots must defend Ustio by destroying a bomber squadron which comprises of several B-52s, escorts and several fictional Belkan-made bombers known as the BM-335.

02. ANNEX (OP. ROSELEIN)

Cipher and Pixy must secure a road which is under Belkan control for allied forces which wish to use the road for supplying purposes.

03. THE ROUND TABLE (OP. CHOKER ONE)

The first time the player visits the Round Table aka. Area B7R. Cipher and Pixy must patrol and do an offensive recon in the Round Table. After destroying several Belkan aircraft, a Belkan ace squadron will appear. The squadron that appears will be decided by the player's ace style.

• Mercenary: Rot Squadron - Typhoon x4
• Soldier: Grun Squadron - F/A-18C x4
• Knight: Indigo Squadron - Gripen C x4

04. JUGGERNAUT (OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN NO. 4101)

Cipher and Pixy must secure the Futuro Canal, for the passing Allied Fleet. In this mission, there are 3 operations.

• Gelnikos: An air superiority mission in which the player must destroy mostly enemy aircraft and some ground targets.
• Round Hammer: An air-to-ground operation in which the player must destroy ground targets at the end of the Futuro Canal.
• Costner: A close air support mission where the player must escort the allied fleet through the Futuro Canal.

One of the ships of the allied fleet is the Osean carrier Kestrel, captained by a Captain Weeker.

05. FLICKER OF HOPE (OP. VARSITY)

Cipher and Pixy must provide support for an allied airborne invasion in the Ustian town of Solis Ortis, that will soon become a stepping stone for the liberation of Directus, and finally, the liberation of Ustio.

06. DIAPASON (OP. CONSTANTINE)

Cipher and Pixy must support the allied invasion of Directus, the capitol of Ustio. After all primary objectives are completed, the Belkan ace squadron, Gelb squadron compromised of two SU-37s will appear. The player must shoot both enemy planes down to complete the mission.

07. BASTION (OP. HELL BOUND)

Cipher, Pixy and several allied aircraft attack the Hydrian Line, Belka's first line of defense (possibly an allegory to the German Siegfried Line) at Mt. Ivrea in the region of Glatisant. This place is now known as a possible place of development of the Belkan mass retaliation weapon, V-2. This mission has the first appearance of the return line in Ace Combat Zero, last seen in Ace Combat 04.

08. MERLON (OP. DYNAMO)

This operation involves an allied movement in the Schayne Plains. Cipher and Pixy are to assist the operation.

• Alpha Team: A mission where the enemy defenses are the main target.
• Beta Team: Similar to Alpha Team, except the target is enemy facilities.
• Theta Team: This mission is an air-superiority mission over the battle area.

At the end of the mission, the superweapon "Excalibur" attacks the allied forces in the area.

09. SWORD OF ANNIHILATION (OP. JUDGMENT)

Cipher and Pixy join allied air forces and Crow Team in assaulting the Excalibur, a long-range mounted laser weapon. The mission ends only when the player manages to destroy four jammers (without the aid of missile lock on), four power generator facilities and finally the Excalibur itself. Assistance to Excalibur is provided by four RTLS Railway Tactical Laser System), which bear a stricking resemblece to German rail guns of WWII such as Dora And Gustav.

10. MAYHEM (OP. BATTLE-AXE)

Cipher, Pixy, PJ, and many other pilots are flying over B7R for an air-superiority operation. Large formations on both sides are fighting each other. After most of the Belkan forces are destroyed, an Ace squadron appears.

• Mercenary -- Schwarze Squadron - MiG-31 x8
• Soldier -- Schnee Squadron - F-14D x4, EA-6B x1
• Knight -- Silber Squadron - F-4E x1, F-16C x4

11. INFERNO (OP. CANNIBAL) Cipher and Pixy are assisting allied bombers with an attack over Hoffnung. The city is a major industrial town, and it appears that the Belkans are destroying the city to keep their technology from the allies. The Allied bombers also place priority on destruction over accuracy when releasing their bombs.

12. THE STAGE OF APOCALYPSE (OP. RAVAGE)

Cipher, Pixy and some allied forces must destroy several bombers rumored to be holding nuclear weapons. After all the target bombers are destroyed, The EMP Pulse From 7 Nuclear Weapon detonations(The nuclear weapons alluded to ending the war in AC5), rendering all previously enemy planes neutral/yellow. During the intense confusion, several new enemy fighters of a different IFF signal attack Cipher and the remaining allied forces while Pixy, who was lagging behind since the beginning of the mission, leaves the field entirely on his own, most likely to defect to the force that attacked. The mission result explains that they have tried searching for his whereabouts, but admit that 'there is not much hope'.

13. LYING IN DECEIT (OP. STONE AGE)

Belkan forces are using the chaos created from the previous mission to launch more attacks. Cipher and PJ are tasked with destroying enemy facilities at Mt. Schrim. During the Attacks, the Belkan military units at Mt. Schrim, are loading the mine there with the last of the nuclear weapons, which is the reason for the heavy resistance in the area.

14. THE FINAL OVERTURE (OP. BROOM)

A large mission is occurring, as the last of the Belkan forces are to be eliminated at Anfang on the same day that the peace treaty is being signed.

• Mars Strike Team: This mission involves striking at the remaining air and naval forces.
• Mercury Strike Team: This mission involves attacking an airbase where fighters are launching
• Jupiter Strike Team: An air-superiority mission over the battlefield.

15. THE TALON OF RUIN (OP. VALKYRIE)

A mission similar to 'White Bird Part II' from Ace Combat 5. Cipher and PJ must down a gigantic flying fortress-style plane before it exits the combat zone after defeating the Espada team made up of one J-35J and one Rafale M.

16. THE DEMON OF THE ROUND TABLE (OP. THUNDERBOLT)

This is the third time you visit the Round Table aka. Area B7R. Cipher and PJ must shoot down one of three ace squadrons, depending on which ace type you get in the last mission

• Mercenary: Sorcerer Squadron - F-15S/MTD x8
• Soldier: Gault Squadron - Su-47 x8
• Knight: Wizard Squadron F-16XL x4, YF-23A x4

17. THE VALLEY OF KINGS (OP. POINT BLANK)

While an allied force distracts the Anti-air fire of Merlon Fortress's intense defense, Cipher and PJ along with several other planes sneak in through the canyon below. Only the Galm team makes it to the fortress in the end, and they must fly through a tunnel in an Ace Combat 5-esque manner to shoot three sets of five targets that constitute the V2 facilities before time runs out (five to ten minutes, depending on the difficulty level, with many of the hatches closing slowly during the preparation time) to beat the mission. As Cipher and PJ return back to base however, a laser blast suddenly downs PJ's plane as he chats about proposing to his girlfriend the moment gets back, and his plane is taken down. Though it's inconclusive whether he survives or not, the culprit turns out to be Pixy.

18. ZERO

After Cipher and PJ destroy the underground V2 facilities and stop the weapon of mass destruction, Pixy flies in with an ADFX-02 and attacks Cipher. Since PJ was shot down at the very end of the Operation Point Blank, it is a duel held in three rounds. The first round consists of a dogfight with Pixy using a TLS. The second round differs by arming Pixy with MPBMs. The third round, however is unique in the manner with which one must damage Pixy's plane. Due to the Morgan's ECM field (its third sub-weapon), his plane can only be hit by missiles from the front. This forces the player to come at Pixy, head-on, in true dueling fashion. After successfully destroying his plane, the V2 rocket explodes.

SP. THE GAUNTLET

Unlocked after shooting down all of the ace squadrons, this special mission takes place at the Round Table. Here, the player will encounter five ace squadrons, and the player will have to shoot them down within 30 minutes. If played on the Ace difficulty and if the Espada squadron is eliminated within one minute, the last squadron will be shot down by Mobius #1, the ace of aces from Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (although it is possible to shoot some down), and he will become the only target.

[edit] Music List

01. Glacial Skies

02. Annex

03. The Round Table

04. Contact

05. Juggernaut

06. Flicker of Hope

07. Diapason

08. Gelb

09. Glatisant

10. Merlon

11. Unexpected

12. Excalibur

13. Mayhem

14. The Round Table

15. The Inferno

16. Waldreich Mountains

17. The Stage of Apocalypse

18. Lying in Deceit

19. The Final Overture

20. Hresvelgr (Intro)

21. Hresvelgr

22. The Demon of the Round Table

23. The Valley of the Kings

24. Avalon

25. Zero

26. Ending

27. Campaign Menu

28. Briefing 1

29. Briefing 2

30. Briefing 3

31. Result

32. Hangar

33. Sortie 1

34. Sortie 2

35. Sortie 3

36. Sortie 4

37. VS Stage 01 - Ripping Air

38. VS Stage 02 - Knock You Down

39. VS Stage 03 - Elemental Particle 2

40. VS Stage 04 - Broken Skies

41. VS Stage 05 - Catch the Lightning

42. VS Stage 06 - Riding High

43. VS Stage 07 - Do or Die

[edit] Assault Record

Ace Combat Zero contains a special feature called the Assault Record. There are named pilots that the player can shoot down; by doing so, the player can unlock aircraft and special paint schemes as well as adding that respective pilot's name and story to the Assault Record, also to work out wich level they are on you can go and find a already shot down one, look at the mission and you can work it out that way, if you have completed the game then you can go into the free mission menu select a difficulty and choose the level!!!!!.

000. F-5E Tiger
001. J35J Blitz
002. F-4E Dryade
003. F-117A Regen
004. XB-70 Wal
005. MiG-21bis Glueck
006. F-1A Kritiker
007. A-10A Storch
008. Mirage 2000D Wuerfel
009. F-15E Harpune
010. Typhoon Rot 1
011. Typhoon Rot 2
012. Typhoon Rot 3
013. Typhoon Rot 4
014. X-29A Trausend
015. F/A-18C Grun 1
016. F/A-18C Grun 2
017. F/A-18C Grun 3
018. F/A-18C Grun 4
019. TND-GR.4 Graufalk 1
020. TND-GR.4 Graufalk 2
021. Gripen C Indigo 1
022. Gripen C Indigo 2
023. Gripen C Indigo 3
024. Gripen C Indigo 4
025. F-16XL Amsel
026. F/A-18C Bachstelze
027. F-5E Gabel 1
028. F-5E Gabel 2
029. F-35C Moewe
030. F-15C Elch
031. Mirage 2000D Schakal 1
032. Mirage 2000D Schakal 2
033. X-29A Hundert
034. F-1A Wetterhan
035. TND-GR.4 Absender
036. Su-27 Postler 1
037. Su-27 Postler 2
038. A-10A Fischer
039. F-16C Trinker
040. F-16XL Dichter
041. F-2A Spieler
042. F-20A Anwalt
043. MiG-31 Schwan
044. Su-37 Gelb 1
045. Su-37 Gelb 2
046. F-15C Ibis
047. EA-18G Wolkenmeer
048. F-14D Wildgans
049. F-15S/MTD Wuerger
050. F-117A Spuk
051. F-20A Vampir 1
052. F-20A Vampir 2
053. MiG-29A Iris
054. Su-32 Humie
055. EA-6B Artist
056. F-1A Biene

057. F-2A Strom
058. J35J Zugvogel 
059. F-20A Falter
060. Gripen C Quelle
061. MiG-29A Flamingo
062. F/A-18C Kolibri
063. Typhoon Woge
064. F-2A Roller
065. F-15S/MTD Wabicht
066. X-29A Fliege
067. SR-71 Rabe
068. EA-6B Bergnebel
069. MiG-31 Schwarze 1
070. MiG-31 Schwarze 2
071. MiG-31 Schwarze 3
072. MiG-31 Schwarze 4
073. MiG-31 Schwarze 5
074. MiG-31 Schwarze 6
075. MiG-31 Schwarze 7
076. MiG-31 schwarze 8
077. MiG-21bis Huckebein
078. Su-47 Nachtigall
079. MiG-29A Grauwespe 1
080. MiG-29A Grauwespe 2
081. MiG-29A Grauwespe 3
082. MiG-29A Garuwespe 4
083. Su-47 Grabacr
084. F-14D Schnee 1
085. F-14D Schnee 2
086. F-14D Schnee 3
087. F-14D Schnee 4
088. EA-6B Schnee 5
089. F/A-22A Bergvogel
090. Su-27 GrauKater
091. Su-27 GrauKatze
092. F-15S/MTD Ofnir
093. F-4E Silber 1
094. F-16C Silber 2
095. F-16C Silber 3
096. F-16C Silber 4
097. F-16C Silber 5
098. Rafale M GrauOrce 1
099. Rafale M GrauOrce 2
100. Mirage 2000D Bergtaube
101. Su-37 Reiher
102. Su-32 Pfau
103. F-117A Schauer
104. A-10A Pelikan
105. EA-18G Wolkenwand
106. F-5E Sternchen
107. F-35C Spatz
108. Su-27 Lynx 1
109. Su-27 Lynx 2
110. EA-18G Nebelbank
111. Su-37 Trombe
112. MiG-31 Riese
113. F-15E Beo

114. F-15C Mondlicht
115. YF-23A Grani
116. F-117A Schatten
117. TND-GR.4 Weihe
118. Gripen C Messer 1
119. Gripen C Messer 2
120. Rafale M  Kranich
121. F-4E Lanze
122. F-15E Albatros
123. F/A-22A Adler
124. MiG-21bis Eisente
125. Su-32 Feinheit
126. YF-23A Lilie
127. Rafale M Espada 2
128. J35J Espada 1
129. F-2A Eisvogel 1
130. F-2A Eisvogel 2
131. Su-32 Suerte 1
132. Su-32 Suerte 2
133. F-16C Komyeta 1
134. F-16C Komyeta 2
135. B-2A Vulkan
136. B-2A Felsen
137. F-15S/MTD Sorcerer 1
138. F-15S/MTD Sorcerer 2
139. F-15S/MTD Sorcerer 3
140. F-15S/MTD Sorcerer 4
141. F-15S/MTD Sorcerer 5
142. F-15S/MTD Sorcerer 6
143. F-15S/MTD Sorcerer 7
144. F-15S/MTD Sorcerer 8
145. Su-47 Gault 1
146. Su-47 Gault 2
147. Su-47 Gault 3
148. Su-47 Gault 4
149. Su-47 Gault 5 
150. Su-47 Gault 6
151. Su-47 Gault 7
152. Su-47 Gault 8
153. YF-23A Wizard 1
154. YF-23A Wizard 2
155. YF-23A Wizard 3
156. YF-23A Wizard 4
157. F-16XL Wizard 5
158. F-16XL Wizard 6
159. F-16XL Wizard 7
160. F-16XL Wizard 8
161. F-35C Turm
162. X-29A Bauer
163. F/A-22A Ritter
164. YF-23A Slon 
165. Typhoon Pyosnka
166. F-14D Kon
167. EA-18G Springer
168. ADFX-02 Pixy

[edit] Medals

Like Ace Combat 2 & 5, Ace Combat Zero features medals that can be earned by the player.

• Deliverance Bell - Complete Mission 6
• Guardian - Complete Mission 8
• Broken Sword - Complete Mission 9, and destroy RTLS guns surrounding Excalibur
• Ragnarok - Get an "S" rank on Mission 15
• The Gold of Annwn - Destroy all enemy units stationed at the Avalon Dam in Mission 17
• Bronze Ace - Destroy 200 enemy planes
• Silver Ace - Destroy 500 enemy planes
• Gold Ace - Destroy 1000 enemy planes
• Marksman - Destroy 5 enemy planes with guns only
• Sharpshooter - Destroy 15 enemy planes with guns only
• Expert Marksman - Destroy 50 enemy planes with guns only
• Knight Ace - Complete campaign mode in Knight Ace style
• Soldier Ace - Complete campaign mode in Soldier Ace style
• Mercenary Ace - Complete campaign mode in Mercenary Ace style
• Supreme Knight - Complete campaign mode with the style meter at the right-most end of the style gauge
• Supreme Soldier - Complete campaign mode with the style meter at the very center of the style gauge
• Supreme Mercenary - Complete campaign mode with the style meter at the left-most end of the style gauge
• Bronze Wing - Get an "S" rank on all missions on Normal difficulty
• Silver Wing - Get an "S" rank on all missions on Hard difficulty
• Gold Wing - Get an "S" rank on all missions on Expert difficulty

[edit] Trivia

• Cipher's nickname late in the game is "The Demon Lord" or "The Demon of the Round Table". This is fitting as he is in the 6th Air Division 66th Air Force Unit. 666 is the Devil's Number.
• Galm is a variation or translation error of the word Garm (see below). Garm is a demon dog who guards Hel. There is a demon dog on the Galm emblem. This further emphasizes the connection between demons and Cipher.
• Hresvelgr is a giant bomber. In Norse mythology, Hresvelgr is a giant eagle. Hresvelgr means "Corpse Swallower".
• Avalon is where King Arthur was taken after his final battle with Mordred.
• The Belkan southern defense line is called the Hydrian line. This may be a translation error of Hadrian,the wall Where Arthorius(King Arthur) and his knights stood against the saxon force.
• All major Belkan ace squadrons (excluding Gault, although it seems to be associated with Gold) are German words for colors-
  • Rot is Red
  • Grün is Green
  • Indigo is Indigo
  • Schwarze is Black
  • Gelb is Yellow
  • Schnee is Snow (which is White)
  • Silber is Silver
• The Sapin squadron, Espada, is a Spanish word for sword
• All the minior squadrons/aces are other words in German/Russian/Spanish
  • Eisvogel is Ice bird
  • GrauWespe is Grey Wasp
  • GrauFalk is Grey Falcon
  • GrauKater is Grey Tom-Cat
  • GrauKatze is Grey Cat
  • GrauOrce is Grey Orca
  • Messer is Knife
  • Suerte is Luck
• Gelb Squadron share many similarities with Yellow Squadron from Ace Combat 04 other than the same name. Both squadrons fly SU-37s and have similar paint schemes.
• Galm Squadron is most likely a translation error from Garm as the Japanese language doesn't recognize the difference between the letters "L" and "R"
• The Country of Belka's name comes from the Russian word for squirrel, a popular animal in Germany.
• Schwarze Squadron has a paint scheme very similar to the Ace Combat 2 Ace "Stalker" whom also flys a MiG-31.
• Cipher's F-15C paint scheme is almost like Mobius 1's F-15C from Ace Combat 04.
• Cipher's F-14D Soldier paint scheme is Blaze's Razgriz paint scheme from Ace Combat 5.
• Cipher's Su-37 Mercenary paint scheme is Yellow 13's Paint scheme from Ace Combat 04. Incidentally, the same scheme was flown by a Belkan ace Erich "Reiher" Klinsmann, whose background was marked N/A in the assault record.
• Cipher's F/A-22A Soldier paint scheme is Mobius 1's F/A-22A paint scheme from Ace Combat 04.
• Cipher's Su-37 Soldier paint scheme is the Su-35's paint scheme in both Ace Combat 04 and Ace Combat 5, and the Knight paint scheme of the same plane is the Su-37's paint scheme in Ace Combat 04. Su-37 also "inherited" the XLAA armament from Su-35.
• The country of Sapin is an anagram for Spain.
• Both Palmer and Bristow have nicknames after Knights of the Round Table: Sir Bedivere and Sir Lucan, respectively. These are the two knights who carried Arthur to the lake so he could be transported to Avalon, apparently to sleep until he was needed to rule Britain again.
• An enemy ace in mission 17 has the call sign "Pyoshka" which is a homophone for the Polish word piosenka, or "song".
• In the multiplayer Stage 7, three of the first player's friendly aircraft are named Edge, Chopper, and Archer(Blaze's Wingmen). The second player's friendly aircraft are named after Mobius One's wingmates.
• Heartbreak One (Captain Jack Bartlett) and Huckebein the Raven (Wolfgang Buchner aka "Pops") from Ace Combat 5 appear in mission 10A (Mercenary). They're piloting an F-14D and MiG-21bis, respectively (though it should be noted that neither of them speaks during the entire mission).
• Mobius 1 appears as an enemy in the special mission.
• The date that the Belkans drop 7 nuclear bombs, June 6th, coincides with D-Day, also on June 6th.
• The Soldier paint scheme for the F-14D Super Tomcat is the Razgriz one from Ace Combat 5
• Grun 1, Bernhard "Owl" Schmidt, is eating in a restaurant called "Pop's Diner"
• Pixy is in fact fighting in the aftermath of the Usea Conflict. It ended in September 2005, whilst the interview takes place in November, thus confirming that he is fighting in that conflict in Delarus, if you look closely in some shots from the final interview you'll actually see an ISAF flag.
• There is an F-15S/MTD ace flying around the Round Table with the tag "Ofnir". He can be seen while fighting Schnee Squadron.
• There is an Su-47 ace that appears with the tag "Grabacr" while fighting Schwarze. He only appears if Pops (Huckebein) flys south-east.
• V-2 is both the vengeance weapon for Fascist Belka ( although it is used by A World With no Boundaries) and for Nazi Germany during World War II
• The briefing software references communism. The name of the software company is 'Axe and Hammer Precision Instruments Industry', while communism itself is represented with a 'Hammer and Sickle'. The colors of the software and the communist flag are similar too. It may also be construed as a subtle joke, as an axe and a hammer are not usually considered precision instruments.
• Although Yuktobania was said to have played a significant role in the events depicted in this game, their forces are peculiarly absent. It has been postulated that Yuktobania played a diminished role specifically in regards to Ustio and may have been a source of logistics and supplies rather than combat forces, hence the 'Axe and Hammer' reference of the game's fictional software, in fact the only mentions of Yuke presence are from descriptions of Yuke aces that defected to A World With No Boundaries.
• The music that plays during Sword of Annihilation is somewhat similar to the track Stonehenge Offensive from Ace Combat 4. This is no doubt due to the similar natures of the superweapons Stonehenge and Excalibur.
• In Mission 5 (Flicker of Hope) Osean Forces deploy a paratrooper unit called "101st Airborne Division". This is most probably an allegory to real-life US 101st Airborne Division as the Osean Federation is mainly based on the United States of America. However, while the airborne unit in that mission is named "101st Airborne" in the briefing , C-130 pilot during the beginning of the game call his unit "122nd Airborne". This is most probably a translation error.
• Hresvelgr may be a rough translation of the Norse god Hræsvelgr who works, in legend, with another god called Garm (of which Galm is also a rough translation of Garm).
• F-20's and F-2A's Special paint jobs are quite similar to the colors of Turkish Air Force's acrobatic team "Türk Yıldızları" (Turkish Stars). [1] However, they use F-5A Freedom Fighters as aircraft.
• The F-15S/MTD's mercenary paint sceme is very similar to NASA's paint sceme for it.
• The Falken's laser is blue, whereas the Morgan's is red. The Falken's laser was also red in Ace Combat 5.
• The F/A-18C's Mercenary paint scheme is very similar to the Blue Angels paint scheme.
• The music track 'Zero' bears a similarity to 'The Unsung War', which was the track playing on the final mission of Ace Combat 5. 'The Unsung War' tells the fable of the demon Razgriz, and due to the references to a Demon Lord in this game, it is possible that 'Zero' might be telling a similar story. This similarity can also be due to the fact that Ace Combat Zero is directly related to Ace Combat 5 and is a prequel, making very similar styles to Ace Combat 5.
• There is an enemy ace flying an F/A-22A named Adler. In Ace Combat 5, Adler was the Belkan who was piloting the hijacked Arkbird. However, this "Adler" is not the same one from Ace Combat 5, as this particular pilot is Killed In Action (KIA).
  • "Adler" is also German for "Eagle".
• Mission 5, which is also called Operation Varsity has a slight resemblance in real life Operation Varsity of World War II which took place in the Rhine.
• The Ustio Military uses a rank system for the mercenary pilots. During Pixy's interview , you can clearly see his ID papers. His rank is "2nd Lieutenant". Cipher's rank was never revealed until Operation Thunderbolt/Point Blank, where PJ refers to him as "Captain"
• Another Belkan resemblance to Nazi Germany is in Operation: Round Hammer. Look closely: there is a submarine that not only looks like a German U-Boat but also is armed with an AA gun.
• When you are being briefed you can see a landmass South of Belka that very closely resembles the state of Michigan.

[edit] See also

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Cyde/Ace Combat Zero

• Osea
• Yuktobania
• Belka
• Ustio
• Ace Combat 5
• Ace Combat War Time Line
• Aircraft of Ace Combat

[edit] External links

• Ace Combat Zero Official Site (Japanese)
• Ace Combat Zero Official Site (English)
• Namco Ace Combat Zero Site (Japanese)
• Namco Ace Combat Zero Site (English)
• AceCombatSkies.com Fansite and Forums
• The Electrosphere - the largest AC Database on the net