Demons of Razgriz

Demons of Razgriz is the 13th mission of Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

With the advance of the Osean military in Yuktobanian territory in full swing, the player's squadron is dispatched on a mission to the Anean Continent to intercept and destroy the Hrimfaxi-class submarine aircraft carrier in the Razgriz Straits, with zero support from the Arkbird.

Mission briefing
Perrault: (clears throat) Ahem, gentlemen...

Mitchell: Excuse me Colonel. This is an absolutely vital mission to us. As the staff adviser sent from Central HQ for this effort, I'd like to explain it myself. The Osean Army is planning a vast offensive with the ultimate objective of occupying the capital of Yuktobania. If this operation succeds, it will end the war in very short order. (As screen shifts to satellite view of the Anean Continent) However, the Yuktobanians have attacked our beachead with ballistic missiles from the Hrimfaxi, a Scinfaxi-class submersible carrier stationed in the icy waters of Razgriz Straits. (Screen returns to Verusan Continent) Fortunately, our ground forces have already completed attack preparations, so despite the missile attack, the offensive began as planned. Nevertheless, we must neutralise the threat of another Hrimfaxi missile attack on our ground forces.

Mission adviser voice: We have a single chance to stage a successful air attack on the underwater carrier Hrimfaxi. Our passive sonar has detected a transport submarine that we believe is headed for the Hrimfaxi. We believe the transport sub's mission is to supply the Hrimfaxi with missiles. Based on its course and speed, we've calculated its rendezvous time with the Hrimfaxi. By amazing coincidence, it is precisely the same time as the zero hour of our ground attack. At this time, the Hrimfaxi will have to surface to restock its missiles. At that exact moment, ingress at low altitude to avoid detection, launch a surprise attack, and sink the Hrimfaxi. Once surfaced, it only takes the Hrimfaxi one minute to rig for an emergency dive. If your approach is detected, you will only have one minute to complete your attack on the Hrimfaxi.

(Briefing screen goes black for a few seconds, then returns to Perrault's reflection. On the screen, we can see that Perrault is proceeding to shut down the BCS.)

Mitchell: Now, keep in mind there won't be any support from Arkbird this time around. This mission rests solely on your shoulders. The entire ground offensive is relying on this first surprise attack, so don't disappoint us. (demanding tone) I want you to turn the icy Razgriz Straits into the enemy's graveyard.

(Screen goes black)

Infiltration
[Mission Start]

AWACS Thunderhead: Wardog, stay at low altitude and fly towards the submarine fleet. You are restricted from fly above 1,000 feet. We can't risk having our surprise attack detected.

Chopper: I'm getting chills. This northern sea is where the Demon of Razgriz came from.

Nagase: Razgriz...

Chopper: Heh. There's no way that coulda been the Razgriz.

AWACS Thunderhead: Hold your chatter. Commencing rado comm out procedures shortly. Maintain radio silence.

Chopper: Guess I'll cut off the mic and try talking to myself.

(A synthesizer sound is heard, and radio is shut down.)

(Eventually, the Wardog Squadron approaches a lone submarine. As they get close, the BGM goes silent and a 60-second countdown commences.)

Assault on the Hrimfaxi
(A rewind-like synth sound is heard. Radio is back.)

Mitchell: This is Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell, the adviser to HQ. That picket submarine just sent off an enemy detection notice. The Hrimfaxi's gonna dive in one minute. Attack immediately!

Chopper: Hey, our cover's blown anyway. I'm gonna start talking now!

Hrimfaxi: Enemy planes! Halt all resupply operations.

Yuke Submarine: Enemy planes? We're still in the middle of our mission!

Yuke Submarine Crewman: Dammit! How did they smell us out!?

AWACS Thunderhead: 30 seconds to Hrimfaxi dive!

Yuke Submarine: Halt the resupply! Prepare for immediate dive!

Yuke Submarine: Hurry up! We gotta dive before the enemy does!

(Hrimfaxi is dealt considerable damage by an airstrike. Fire begins to emanate from the hull as the submarine submerges.)

Chopper: Those bastards are diving!

Yuke Command: This is Submarine Squadron Command. Emergency report from our ground forces in the front line. The enemy is undertaking a large-scale offensive. Attack the enemy with long-range missiles from the Hrimfaxi. Urgent! Transmitting target coordinates!

Hrimfaxi: This is Hrimfaxi. We cannot comply. We're unable to launch missiles underwater due to battle damage.

Yuke Command: What's the point of your existence if you don't fire now!? They're penetrating our defence lines as we speak! Hurry up before they overrun our allies!

Hrimfaxi: Emergency surface! Grab on to something! Once we break the surface, launch the missiles and unmanned drones!

Nagase: The Hrimfaxi's antennae has appeared above water. It's surfacing!

(Cutscene. The camera pans into the water. From the distance, we can see as the Hrimfaxi surfaces, diving back into the water. The surface causes a large shockwave in the water.

''The camera then pans into the Hrimfaxi's hull. A single burst missile is launched.)''

AWACS Thunderhead: Hrimfaxi launching burst missiles!

(As he speaks, the camera slowly rises into the air as a group of Cormorant UCAVs launch from the submarine, following theim in their ascension.)

Nagase: Launching carrier jets.

(Return to gameplay)

Mitchell: This is Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell, the adviser to HQ. I'm getting your info in real-time from our tracker satellite. Time your attacks to hit the Hrimfaxi when it surfaces. Sink it before it deals any more damage to our ground forces with its missiles.

Yuke Command: Hrimfaxi! You're dealing lethal damage to the Osean Army. Give me one more shot! Drive 'em back to the coastline!

Grimm: Sink the Hrimfaxi and those burst missiles will go away, too.

Nagase: Yeah. And if we remove the threat of that metal rain, the war could end early.

Chopper: And then we could go on leave, it's perfect!

AWACS Thunderhead: The Hrimfaxi is diving.

Chopper: (angry) Come on! Surface! I'm sick of waiting for you!

Yuke Submarine: We're locked on. Teach them a lesson. We're gonna take down every single one of 'em!

Yuke Submarine: (at the Wardog Squadron) What a bunch of idiots. They think they're heroes or somehing.

Nagase: I'll take care of the threat of the escort subs, too!

Grimm: If the Yukes lose that monster, it'll be a huge blow to them. No wonder they've got all those escorts...

AWACS Thunderheard: The Hrimfaxi has broken the surface. Commence attack.

Yuke Submarine: They might think they snuck up on us, but they're dead wrong.

(The battle progresses, and the Hrimfaxi suffers more damage.)

Hrimfaxi: All this damage from four planes!? How is this possible!?

Hrimfaxi: What the hell's going on!? Are the Oseans using some kind of black magic!?

Yuke Command: Hrimfaxi, the enemy's abandoned the attack. Well done!

Mitchell: (infuriated) What are you doing!? Attack, you idiots! Are you just gonna let them destroy our ground forces!?

Chopper: Geez, I thought this guy would be nicer than our Base Commander back home.

Grimm: Ah, the top brass are all the same.

Yuke Submarine: I can't stand how HQ treats us like errand boys.

(The Hrimfaxi soon recieves severe damage.)

Hrimfaxi: Ballast tanks damaged! Unable to submerge!

Hrimfaxi: (to first soldier) Forget it! We'll just have to deal with them above the surface!

Grimm: The Hrimfaxi has stopped its dive! We've managed it!

AWACS Thunderhead: Hrimfaxi launching burst missile! (seconds later) Wardog, it's headed your way! Climb! Zoom to above 5,000 feet!

AWACS Thunderhead: 10 seconds to impact. 5, 4, 3, 2, bursting, now!

Hrimfaxi: What's the matter!? I thought this was the world's best fleet!

Hrimfaxi: (to first crewman) I know, I know! I'm not gonna let them fly up there for long!

(The airstrikes on the carrier continue, and the Hrimfaxi continues to launch missiles.)

Hrimfaxi: Lower hull flood spreading!

Chopper: Dammit! Just sink already!

Chopper: I guess mental toughness plays a big part in battles like these. It's all about guts, you know?

(The Hrimfaxi soon suffers critical damage thanks to the constant Wardog attacks. The ship finally collapses.)

[Mission Accomplished]

(A massive fire burns atop the Hrimfaxi's hull.)

Yuke Command: Hrimfaxi, it appears you're up against Razgriz itself out there.

Hrimfaxi: Looks like they were the real Razgriz, not us... Maybe someone's trying to tell us that our time is up...

(Cutscene. The camera watches the listing Hrimfaxi from a distance. An explosion rocks the Hrimfaxi's front end as it sinks into the ocean, and the camera zooms in, then zooms back out as a second explosion occurs underwater. Fade to black.)

Mission debriefing
"The surprise attack on the Hrimfaxi was a success, and the carrier has sunk to the bottom of the Razgriz Straits. The threat from the northern sea has disppeared, and the Osean forces are on the offensive against Yuktobania."

Trivia

 * If the player chooses to fly an aircraft with long-range air-to-ground weapon (such as the F-2A) and uses SP weaponry to sink the first sub encountered om the mission, they'll be netted with an special response from Chopper. However, the loss of the submarine alerts all other ships in the area, and thus the mission proceeds as normal.
 * If the players flies at 7,000 feet or higher once the Hrimfaxi submerges, they will be able to see the carrier as though it was on the surface.
 * There are hard to spot polar bears on the surface.