- "Remember, these are top class ace pilots. Keep your focus."
- ― Burford to Antares
The Varcolac Squadron was an elite unit of mercenaries led by Milosz Sulejmani. Once part of Martinez Security's M42 Squadron under the name Rigel Squadron, they defected to the Valahia due to promises of a higher pay and subsequently supported Andre Olivieri and his Golden Axe Plan, which lead to their demise.
The squadron was made up of its leader, Sulejmani, the intercept specialist Faryd Gaviria, ground attacker Daniel Oruma, and dogfighting master Tolya Kiriakov. All of its members were killed in action during the Defense of San Francisco, during the final stage of the Golden Axe Plan.
History[]
Midway Incident[]
The emblem of Rigel Squadron
Rigel Squadron's members all joined Martinez Security prior to 2011. They were present at a joint military show with the United States Navy Seventh Fleet, Japan Self-Defense Forces and the M42 Squadron - comprised of them and a newly-hired squadron, Antares Squadron - situated in the Pacific Ocean, near Midway Island. They teamed up with Antares in conducting a number of training courses before diverting to the east under orders to intercept hostile contacts - making first contact with the organization known as Valahia. The M42 Squadron then received word that the remaining hostiles were inbound to Tokyo.
Defense of Tokyo[]
The M42 Squadron soon arrived over Tokyo and managed to stop the aerial fortress Spiridus from completely destroying the city using its onboard railgun, though failed to stop it from destroying a large part of Tokyo Harbor. After partaking in a joint mission with the JSDF and Antares, Rigel Squadron returned to Tokyo once to drive out the Valahia, who were this time assaulting the city using another airborne fortress, the Orgoi. However, as they battled the Orgoi, Rigel received a transmission from Nicolae Dumitrescu - the leader of the Valahia - who audaciously offered Sulejmani and his men with a better wage of money in exchange for their loyalty. They gladly accepted Dumitrescu's offer, and fled the airspace to the dismay of Antares Squadron and their radio operator, Frederick Burford.
Service to Valahia[]
After their desertion to Valahia, Sulejmani and his renegades reunited with and engaged Antares in the Adriatic Sea during an IUPF operation to destroy all Valahia forces in the area. After luring Antares into the combat area, the newly-christened Varcolac Squadron attempted to eliminate their former comrades, but were unsuccessful and forced to flee.
Varcolac next took part in the defense of a Valahian radar site in Serbia, but were unable to stop Antares from destroying the site, and were similarly unsuccessful in shooting down their rivals. They fled, and with their failure, the destruction of the Balaur in Romania was made far easier.
When the IUPF launched an operation to destroy the Valahia's main base of operations - an old Soviet nuclear missile silo - to put an end to the threat they posed, Antares confronted Varcolac Squadron for the third time and managed to shoot them all down. However, all of them survived, but the Valahia's leadership was killed in the subsequent destruction of the silo network.
Golden Axe Plan[]
After the Valahia was wiped out, Varcolac Squadron, alongside most Valahia members that weren't taken into custody, joined Andre Olivieri's Golden Axe Plan Private Army. They took part in the attack on San Francisco, the final stage of the plan, and to this end were provisioned with new aircraft developed by Olivieri under the plan - the GAF-1 Varcolac. After Antares prevented the private army from attacking the city, Varcolac engaged Antares one last time. However, all members were shot down and killed in the ensuing dogfight.
Gallery[]
Rigel Squadron in Raging Sea intro
Sulejmani's F/A-18E
Oruma's Tornado IDS
Gaviria's MiG-29
Kiriakov's Su-27
Sulejmani's MiG-1.44 in Ace Combat Infinity
Oruma's A-10A in Ace Combat Infinity
Gaviria's MiG-31 in Ace Combat Infinity
Kiriakov's Su-37 in Ace Combat Infinity
Varcolac Squadron's GAF-1 in Ace Combat Infinity
Trivia[]
- The name "Varcolac" is named after the eponymous Romanian myth of a demonic werewolf. Somewhat coincidentally, Varcolaci are commonly portrayed as ghosts and vampires, known as "Strigoi"—this name was used in Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation as the name of the Estovakian Strigon Team.
- The "Rigel" is named after the brightest star in the constellation Orion and is the sixth brightest star in the sky.
- All members of the Varcolac Squadron have different skills, thus, they have different aircraft. Sulejmani flies a MiG-1.44 Flatpack (multirole), Oruma flies an A-10A Thunderbolt II (attacker), Gaviria flies a MiG-31 Foxhound, and Kiriakov flies a Su-37 Terminator (both fighters).
- The logo of the Varcolac Squadron makes an appearance in Ace Combat Infinity, in the briefing screen before Operation Eternal Liberation, as one of the squadrons being part of Task Force 118. Ironically, Antares Squadron is also shown as part of Task Force 118.