Gracemeria Patrol
The Sky above City Lights[a]
- "All planes! Intercept those cruise missiles! Keep our city safe!"
- ― AWACS Ghost Eye
"Gracemeria Patrol"[b] is the fourteenth and penultimate campaign mission in Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. The player and their allies must perform a patrol over Gracemeria on the night of its liberation, and later defend the city from a sudden cruise missile attack.
Briefing
Gracemeria is free, and citizens are back on the streets enjoying the freedoms they've been denied for so long. Sorry to make this request after all you've done, but I'd like you two to patrol the outskirts of the capital. Although military threats have been dealt with and we're in the process of a ceasefire agreement, this thing isn't quite over yet. Enjoy a view of the fireworks from above. It may not be enough to pay for your service, but it's the best seat in the house. After this mission, I want both of you to take two weeks off. Go home and relax with your families.
Objectives
Initial
Subsequent information is taken from Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation Complete Guide.[1]
Launch Point:
- (1)
- Capital Patrol
The mission starts with the player standing by on Gracemeria Air Force Base's runway, and they must take off. Shamrock will follow shortly afterward. The player is advised to patrol the skies over the city by following waypoints set by AWACS Ghost Eye. Only one waypoint appears on the map at a time, and it takes a short interval for a new one to spawn. Quickly reaching a waypoint may spawn more temporary waypoints elsewhere, but these will disappear after some time and are optional. However, the player is not required to hit any of the waypoints; the mission will progress regardless.
After 2-3 minutes, an unknown bandit will appear from the northeast. This unknown cannot be destroyed by the player. After it reaches a certain point on the map, the unknown will detonate and split into nine cruise missiles, triggering the Mission Update.
Mission Update
Ideally, you would be equipped with the XMA6 on a jet like the F-22A, so as to lock onto numerous targets. The cruise missiles spawned by the unknown warhead will begin flying towards Gracemeria. They will turn into TGTs once the Mission Update starts, and the player must shoot all of them down. The mission will fail if too many missiles—15 for Easy and Normal and 8 for Hard and above—hit Gracemeria. Still, any impacted missiles will count to progression on penalty of city damage. There is also no Return Line; land at Gracemeria Base for any needed resupply.
After the first wave of missiles is destroyed, a second unknown with a new wave of nine missiles will appear. This unknown will respawn twice every time all of its missiles are destroyed, each time spawning nine more missiles for a total of 27 missiles.
When 60 seconds have elapsed since the first wave of missiles was destroyed, a third unknown with a wave of nine missiles will appear. This unknown will respawn once when the initial set of missiles is destroyed, spawning nine more missiles for a total of 18 missiles.
As all of the missile waves are entering the city airspace, squadrons of Estovakian Su-47s, F-117As, and F-22As will enter the battle as well. They are not mission-important and do not need to be destroyed, but the F-117As will attack friendly ground forces on Estovakia's coastline. If they are destroyed, the player will lose out on a source of Allied Support. You should wait along the missile carriers' flight path so you can intercept each missile right away.
After the player destroys six waves of missiles (regardless if any of them hit the city), a final wave of three unknowns will spawn, each carrying 15 missiles. Destroying all of these missiles will complete the mission.
Enemy Lists
Standard Units
| Section | Unit | Points | Count | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial | 
|
UNKNOWN | [note 1] | 1 | |
|
|
MISSILE | 100 | 9 | [note 2] | |
| Mission Update | 
| ||||
|
|
UNKNOWN MISSILE |
1500 100 |
1 9 |
[note 3] | |
|
|
UNKNOWN MISSILE |
1500 100 |
1 9 |
[note 4] | |
|
|
UNKNOWN MISSILE |
1500 100 |
3 45 |
[note 5] | |
|
|
Su-47 | 760 | 19 | [note 6] | |
|
|
F-117A | 640 | 10 | [note 7] | |
|
|
F-22A | 760 | 4 | [note 7] | |
|
|
F-22A | 760 | 3 | [note 8] | |
|
|
Su-47 | 760 | 5 | [note 8] | |
|
|
F-22A | 760 | 3 | [note 9] | |
|
|
Su-47 | 760 | 6 | [note 9] |
Special Units
| Unit | Points | Minimum Difficulty |
Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
F/A-18F "DAMA" | 2000 | Expert | [note 10] |
S Rank
An S rank on this mission requires earning 29,000 points. The rank requirements are as follows:
| Mission Phase | Mission Update | |
|---|---|---|
| Clear Rank point requirements (with bonus points) | S | 29,000 (20,000) |
| A | 26,000 (16,000) | |
| B | 23,000 (13,000) | |
| C | ≤22,999 (10,000) | |
If the player destroys every cruise missile, they will earn 9,900 points. The remaining 19,100 must be earned by shooting down the Estovakian fighters. It is highly recommended to destroy the F-117As, as they will deter the player's use of Allied Support, which should also be put to use to take care of large swaths of fighters at once.
Debriefing
Analysis results have confirmed the enemy cruise missile was launched at us from a point just north of Estovakia. We've suffered some damage as a result of the missile impact, but there are no signs of any reinvasion attempts from enemy units. Damage suffered near the capital was minimal. The cruise missile launched this time has a different structure than those used against Emmerian attacks. We have a division running tests on it as we speak. Standby for your next order to engage.
Trivia
- The UNKNOWN warheads used to deliver the cruise missiles can be destroyed with one standard missile. This does not apply to the first warhead, which is invincible.
- Flying low under King's Bridge's broken section will trigger a compliment by Avalanche.
- DJ Zed says over the radio that tank battalion soldier Dominic had received a message from someone named Maria. The comment references the Gears of War series, more specifically main character Dominic "Dom" Santiago and his wife Maria.
- Shamrock's unusual silence in the Hangar selection screen and morose tone foreshadow the reveal of his family's demise after the patrol is over.
Footnotes
- ↑ The first UNKNOWN warhead is invincible.
- ↑ The first missiles turn into TGTs in the Mission Update. The player can destroy them before the Mission Update begins.
- ↑ This wave of missiles spawns after the first wave of missiles is destroyed. This wave will also respawn when it is destroyed. The respawn occurs twice.
- ↑ This wave of missiles spawns 60 seconds after the first wave of missiles is destroyed. This wave will also respawn once when it is destroyed.
- ↑ This wave of missiles spawns 90 seconds after all previous missiles are destroyed.
- ↑ These Su-47s spawn 25 seconds after the first wave of missiles is destroyed.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 These F-117As and F-22As spawn 60 seconds after the first wave of missiles is destroyed.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The second wave of F-22As and Su-47s spawns after 45 missiles (five waves) are destroyed.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The third wave of F-22As and Su-47s spawns 30 seconds after 54 missiles (six waves) are destroyed.
- ↑ DAMA will spawn at 40,000 feet (12,000 m) near the Capitol Building when 25 seconds have elapsed after the player destroyed the first wave of nine cruise missiles. This unit has an ECM jammer equipped.
References
- ↑ Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation Complete Guide. 22 December 2007. SB Creative. pp. 109–111. ISBN 9784797343236.