Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation is the 9th game in the series and 6th game in the numbered series. The Spanish title is "La Guerra Por La Libertad" (The War For Freedom).

The game has been released for Xbox 360, and is rumored of being re-released for Windows, and there have been rumors circulating for some time that it will eventually come to PS3.

Plot
The war takes place in 2015, on the Anean Continent in an area where Ulysses Fragments had impacted in 1999. Three countries are in the area: Republic of Emmeria (their flag is blue and white, with a star in the middle) and the Federal Republic of Estovakia (their flag is red with a bird in the top left corner and black lines in the bottom right). The third nation, the Kindom of Nordennavic is also in the continent, but they have no role in the conflict. The player's squadron is the Emmerian Air Force's 28th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Garuda" of the 8th Air Wing. The player's call sign is "Talisman", and is also referred to as Garuda One.

When the Ulyssses asteroid fell in 1999 it caused massive damage to the whole continent. Emmeria had managed to sustain itself, but Estovakia collapsed into civil war and economic ruin. A military government is established in Estovakia. In the year of 2015, the federation is restored and Estovakia re-enters a nation wide peace. This same government decides to invade Emmeria. The Emmerian capital city, Gracemeria, is attacked by a surprise attack. The 8th Air Wing, 28th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Garuda, composed of pilots call sign Talisman and Shamrock, of the Emmerian Air Force is assigned to Gracemeria Air Defense aided by the AWACS Ghost Eye. In the beginning, Estovakian forces destroyed two sections of the King's Bridge. This caused panic among the citizens of the capital and the Air Defense Command ordered a general evacuation order for all the people of the capital after the Estovakian aerial fortress, the Aigaion, and the Estovakians' elite Strigon Team cleared the area of most Emmerian forces before the Estovakians took over Gracemeria.

Soon after the capital had been taken by Estovakian forces, the Garuda sqaudron met up with other Emmerian Air Force Squadrons on Khesed Island to form an armed resistance against the enemy forces. After removing all enemy forces from Khesed Island, Garuda, along with the support of Ghost Eye, Snake Pit, an ESM AWACS, Windhover Squadron, Avalanche Squadron, and the rest of the Emmerian forces was sent to Silvat to provide close air support to the invasion taking place. Many more battles were to follow with major ones at Ortara to regroup with a Emmerian ground forces, San Loma so the air force could strike the Aigaion, most of the Strigon team, and its escorts, Ragno Fortress to clear a path for ground forces straight into Gracemeria where the final battle agenst the Estovakian forces was made to retake their capital once and for all. However, after the Emmerians retook Gracemeria, the city came under attack by cruise missiles fired from the Estovakians' superweapon developed to destroy Ulysses fragments, a mass driver called Chandelier.

After the attack, Garuda One and the majority of the Emmerian forces, Shamrock, Ghost Eye, Snake Pit, and many others, launched an attack on the Chandelier with data sent by Melissa Herman, who gained the information from Lt. Colonel Victor Voychek, a colonel in the Estovakian intelligence service and former leader of the Strigon team who had been injured in the invasion of Gracemeria. After destroying all the cooling vents on the outside of the cannon, it still refused to stop firing its missles at Gracemeria, so in an effort to help Garuda One, Shamrock flew into the loading shoot under the railgun of the Chandelier to gain intelligence, but was shot down by the massed anti-aircraft defenses of the Chandelier. However, he made a timely ejection and survived. After that, Talisman flew in to destroy the Chandelier's backup cooling unit the barrel of the railgun which had opened up as a safety procedure was used by Garuda One to destroy the core and finally finish the destruction of the superweapon and end the war.

Cut-Scenes
There are seven characters who tell the story in pre-rendered cutscenes.

Melissa Herman: The wife of an Emmerian pilot. Her name is Melissa Herman. She believed to have lost her daughter Matilda, due to Estovakian Strategic Bombing. But turns out that Matilda survived.

Lt. Col. Voychek: One of Estovakia's ace pilots. He becomes an intelligence officer after he sustains a career-debilitating injury, presumably to his legs due to the fact he is seen walking with a cane. He saw the order to destroy Gracemeria and has the outline of the Chandelier in his laptop.

Sgt. McKnight : A Tank Sergeant who was a refugee for sometime, but then participated in operations to stop the Estovakian advance. He made a tunnel leading to the Palace bank, which his tank blasted through. In doing this he rescued Matilda, her companions who had hidden the Golden King, and Voychek.

Ludmilla Tolstaya: An Estovakian woman who is engaged to a pilot in the Strigon team, Toscha Mijasik. She rushes to the battlefield to be at the side of her lover and meets Melissa on her way to Gracemeria. She eventually marries Toscha in the ending cutscene.

Assault Records
The assault records return on Ace Combat 6. You can get all the allied assault records by completing all the operations. For the enemies, you have to shoot down all the named planes and Strigon squadron aircraft. In order the named aircraft are, Mission 1: PEGAS F-22 Raptor , Mission 2: EDINOROG  F-16C Fighting Falcon, Mission 3: DRAKON TND-GR4 , Mission 4: KENTAVR SU-47 Berkut, Mission 5: ORYOL   F-15E  Strike Eagle, Mission 6: VEGA Rafale M, Mission 7: DZHOKER F-117A Nighthawk, Mission 8: RUSALKA Typhoon, Mission 9: FENIKS SU-33 Flanker-D, Mission 10: OBLAKO Mirage 2000-5, Mission 11: RYTSARY A-10A Thunderbolt II, Mission 12: FLYUGER F-2A Viper Zero Mission 13: VALET F-14D Super Tomcat, Mission 14: DAMA F/A-18F Super Hornet, Mission 15: KOROL F-4E Phantom II

Allied Support
The player can control several allied squadrons simultaneously, in different fronts, as well as a wingman who flies with the player in all of the missions. A change from the classic one or four man Squadrons. The players will be able to fight alongside fighter planes, attack helicopters, tanks, naval fleets, heavy bombers, and electronic support planes in the ultimate Ace Combat showdown. This adds a new dimension to combat. To use the Support Assests, you need to fill up a support meter by destroying enemies.

Dynamic Mission System
This is a new system that allows Large Scale battles to change as you play them. Multiple 'tasks' (mini-missions; up to six at most) may arise during the mission. These 'tasks' can decide if the player's original mission is a success or is a failure. The player can send allied squadrons or pilots to these areas to participate in these missions; this new system will truly test all levels of the Ace Combat gamer. From new pilots to vets.

Xbox Live Multiplayer
Along with online modes, icons and other Xbox Live Marketplace items have been announced. Online play is enabled. Here are the following modes:

- Team (Squadron) Battle

- Battle Royale (All vs. all)

- Siege Battle (Attacking vs. Defending)

- CO-OP Battle

Other Information
- The enemy ace squadron, the Strigon Squadron, is made up of eleven Su-33 models and one super aircraft, the CFA-44 Nosferatu.

-There will be a battle against the aerial carrier, the P-1112 Aigaion, and its escorts, the two P-1114 Gyges aerial fire support aircraft, and the two P-1113 Kottos ESM aircraft.

-For the first time in the AC series, Missions will have checkpoints in them.

-All the gauges inside of the aircraft are functional and give accurate information (from Sea Level).

-At the moment, this game is an Xbox 360 exclusive. There is rumors of a PS3 or PC release next year, but nothing has been made official.

-Producer: Ace Combat 04's Director Hiroyuki Ichiyanagi -Director: Ace Combat 04's Planner and Ace Combat 5's Lead Planner, Natsuki Isaki

Achievements
1. All Medals All medals attained. 50 points

2. All Aircraft Attain purchasing ability for all aircraft. 30 points

3. Clear Campaign Clear Campaign Mode. 20 points

4. 10 Operations Complete 10 operations. 10 points

5. All Operations Clear all operations. 30 points

6. 10 Frontline Landings Complete 10 total frontline landings. 10 points

7. Aerial Defense Destroy 50 enemies using airborne allied support. 10 points

8. Ground Defense Destroy 50 enemies using ground force allied support. 10 points

9. Electronic Support System Destroy 100 enemies while receiving electronic support. 10 points

10. 10 Named Aircraft Destroy 10 Named Aircraft. 30 points

11. 1000 Enemies Destroy a total of 1000 enemies. 30 points

12. All Colors Attain purchasing ability for all aircraft special colors. 10 points

13. Original Aircraft Attain purchasing ability for original aircraft. 10 points

14. Allied Assault Record Attain complete Emmerian assault record. 20 points

15. Enemy Assault Record Attain complete Estovakian assault record. 20 points

16. Mission 1 Successfully retreat from the fallen capital Gracemeria. 10 points

17. Mission 2 Prevent the aerial bombardment of Vitoze. 10 points

18. Mission 3 Attain victory at Sipli Field. 10 points

19. Mission 4 Destroy Bartolomeo Fortress, and recapture Khesed Island. 10 points

20. Mission 5 Ensure the success of allied ground forces Anea mainland landing. 20 points

21. Mission 6 Rescue allied ground forces cornered in Silvat. 10 points

22. Mission 7 Rescue allied forces amidst Aigaion attack. 10 points

23. Mission 8 Capture the Cavallia Air Force Base, and establish an Aigaion attack point. 10 points

24. Mission 9 Destroy the heavy command cruiser Aigaion. 20 points

25. Mission 10 Capture the Ragno Fortress. 10 points

26. Mission 11 Attain victory in the Moloch Desert invasion. 10 points

27. All Secrets Unlock all hidden contents. 30 points

28. Battle Royale (10) Win 10 Battle Royale matches. 10 points

29. Battle Royale (30) Win 30 Battle Royale matches. 20 points

30. Battle Royale (50) Win 50 Battle Royale matches. 30 points

31. Battle Royale (100) Win 100 Battle Royale matches. 40 points

32. Team Battle (10) Win 10 Team Battle matches. 10 points

33. Team Battle (30) Win 30 Team Battle matches. 20 points

34. Team Battle (50) Win 50 Team Battle matches. 30 points

35. Team Battle (100) Win 100 Team Battle matches. 40 points

36. CO-OP Stage 1 Clear Stage 1 of CO-OP Battle. 25 points

37. CO-OP Stage 2 Clear Stage 2 of CO-OP Battle. 35 points

38. Siege Battle (10) Win 10 Siege Battle matches. 10 points

39. Siege Battle (30) Win 30 Siege Battle matches. 20 points

40. Siege Battle (50) Win 50 Siege Battle matches. 30 points

41. Siege Battle (100) Win 100 Siege Battle matches. 40 points

42. Online Kills (50) Shoot down 50 total other player aircraft online. 20 points

43. Online Kills (100) Shoot down 100 total other player aircraft online. 30 points

44. Online Kills (200) Shoot down 200 total other player aircraft online. 50 points

45. Secret Achievement #1 Pasternak Defeated - Enemy Strigon Squadron leader Ilya Pasternak defeated. 20 points

46. Secret Achievement #2 Mission 12 - Weapons of Mass Destruction destroyed in transport. 10 points

47. Secret Achievement #3 Mission 13 - Capital recaptured and liberated. 20 points

48. Secret Achievement #4 Mission 14 - Capital successfully defended from cruise missile attack. 10 points

49. Secret Achievement #5 Mission 15 - The Chandelier destroyed, and the war brought to a close. 20 points