Close Range Assault (クローズレンジアサルトシステム), abbreviated as CRA, is one of the main additions featured in the upcoming Ace Combat: Assault Horizon. Widely touted as the game's main feature, CRA represents Assault Horizon's core gameplay mechanic, incorporating a state-of-the-art cinematic camera system to showcase the game's new destruction engine in all its blazing glory, while also emphasizing the game's focus on point-blank combat.
Close Range Assault is enabled by simultaneously pressing the L1 and R1/LB and RB buttons during gameplay.
Dogfight Mode (DFM)
Dogfight Mode is the first CRA variation. When chasing an aircraft for several seconds, a green flashing circle will appear on the target. Pressing the shoulder buttons during this moment will engage DFM, wherein the game will override most of the controls, leaving the player to stabilize their aircraft in order to have a clear shot. DFM can be disengaged at any time by pressing the Y/Triangle button.
When chasing a target, a small circle, known as the "Assault Circle" will appear on-screen, and will expand as the player approaches the enemy, while a bar in the inner rim fills. Once the bar fills, the circle will turn red and a beep will be heard, indicating that all attacks will have greatly increased accuracy. DFM will be required to engage ace pilots, such as TAC leaders.
Every once in a while, enemy fighters will attempt to pursue the player, triggering a CRA sequence. When escaping a pursuer, the player must do everything to stay out of the Assault Circle. While evading through normal methods is perfectly possible, the game allows the player to perform an special move, known as a "counter-maneuver": once the aircraft is level, the player must move so that the two colored arrows on the screen overlap each other until a diagonal flashing green arrow appears. If the maneuver is successful, pressing the L/R buttons will result in the player performing a unique maneuver to get behind the enemy, effectively turning the tables. The actual maneuver depicted depends on the direction of the left analog stick when the buttons are pressed: for example, pushing down will result in a kulbit maneuver while pushing left or right will result in a barrel roll.
If the enemy attempts to counter-maneuver the player, it is briefly possible to "counter" the enemy's counter-maneuver, indicated by a diagonal flashing red arrow appearing near the enemy. If successful, the player will have a brief opportunity to fire at the counter-maneuvering enemy using the machine gun, potentially destroying the enemy as a result of his attempted counter-maneuver.
In online multiplayer, DFM can be affected depending on the skill sets chosen by the player. DFM+ will make enaging DFM easier, while ASM+ will make entering DFM more difficult.
Air Strike Mode (ASM)
The second Close-Range Assault variation is the Air Strike Mode, abbreviated as ASM, which is exclusive to attacker aircraft. When engaging CRA while approaching enemy ground forces, several travel routes will be displayed to the player, shown as rows of downward triangles. Upon choosing a route, the player controls their aircraft similar to how they would a fighter in DFM, opening fire on ground forces in daring low-altitude attack runs.
Trivia
- In the reveal trailer, CRA plays slightly different, in which that the player initiates the counter maneuver with a press of a button in a QTE-styled fashion instead of using shoulder buttons like in the current version of the game. Also, in the reveal trailer, using the counter maneuver will not just put the player behind the enemy, but will instead destroy the target immediately. It can be seen here at 0:54-1:01[1].
Gallery
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A player escaping a pursuing enemy in Nightmare
The aformentioned "Instant Destruction" as seen in the Reveal Trailer
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ASM banner, as seen on Facebook
