- "Nothing's moving down there. It's like the earth itself is dead."
- ― Hans Grimm[1]
The Waldreich Mountains are a major mountain range that runs along the southwestern border of Belka. Known as the "Northern Gate", the Waldreich Mountains serve as a natural border between North Osea (formerly South Belka) and Nord Belka, the historic birthplace of Belka.
Description[]
The Waldreich Mountains are a heavily weathered range that extends from Sudentor in the southeast and terminates near Belka's northern coast, due south of Crescens Island. The mountains were once the site of extensive ore mining operations and contributed to Belka's military and industrial strength in the late 20th century.[6] Runoff from melting snow feeds many of the mountains' surrounding lakes and rivers, including Lake Edelwasser[1] and the Schwester River.[4]
Following the events of June 6, 1995, large portions of the Waldreich Mountains were rendered uninhabitable by nuclear fallout, and the local climate experienced a cooling period resulting from particulates still lingering in the atmosphere. The geography of the mountains was also altered by the detonations, which vaporized entire mountain peaks and created massive craters in the rock.[1]
A panoramic view of Lake Edelwasser prior to the nuclear detonations; the Waldreich Mountains are visible in the background to the left
History[]
Belkan War[]
In early June 1995, as the Belkan War began to near its end, the Belkan Army used the Waldreich Mountains as a final line of defense to prevent the Allied Forces from advancing into Nord Belka. The region was protected by several divisions, which had taken refuge in Sudentor and were armed by the South Belka Munitions Factory.[5]
On June 6, the Allies began preparing an invasion of the city, codenamed "Operation Ravage". Before the attack could begin, however, a formation of Belkan Bm-335 Lindwurm bombers armed with nuclear weapons were dispatched to halt the Allies' advance. Although Allied mercenary squadrons successfully shot down the bombers before they could reach the frontlines, seven V1 warheads were detonated along the Waldreich,[5] killing over 12,000 innocent people.[7]
One week later, on June 13, Galm Team (now comprised of Cipher and PJ) destroyed the remnant Belkan forces that were gathering at Mount Schirm. In the aftermath of the war, Belka ceded its southern territories to the Osean Federation; the new border between the two nations was redrawn along the Waldreich Mountains,[8] and Belka sealed its remaining V1 warheads within Mount Schirm.
Six months later, on December 25, Galm Team intercepted the XB-0 Hresvelgr, which had been seized by the terrorist organization A World With No Boundaries, over the Waldreich. The massive gunship was eventually shot down by the mercenary pilots and crashed into the mountains northwest of Stier Castle.[9]
Circum-Pacific War[]
Sometime prior to or during the Circum-Pacific War, the Grey Men secretly collaborated with Gründer Industries to construct an underground tunnel network beneath the Waldreich Mountains in order to reunite Belka with its former southern territories.[10]
Following the Akerson Hill incident on October 22, 2010, the Belkans imprisoned Osean President Vincent Harling within Stier Castle, near one of the Waldreich's nuclear blast sites.[1] More than a month later, on December 9, the former Wardog Squadron raided the castle and, with the aid of the Sea Goblin helicopter unit, safely liberated President Harling from Belkan captivity.[1] The following day, Blaze performed a reconnaissance operation over Mount Schirm and recovered evidence that the Belkans were attempting to extract the V1 warheads stored beneath the mountain.[2] On December 12, the renamed Razgriz Squadron destroyed the facility, ensuring that the nuclear weapons would no longer pose a threat.[3]
On December 30, during the Battle of Sudentor, the Razgriz flew into Gründer Industries' tunnel network beneath the Waldreich and destroyed the SOLG's control modules located therein.[4]
Gallery[]
The blast crater near Stier Castle viewed from Cipher's cockpit
Ace Combat 5 concept art showing jet fighters over nuke crater in Waldreich Mountains
Trivia[]
- "Waldreich" is German for "Forest Empire" or "rich in forests".
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Ancient Walls, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Solitaire, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Closure, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 ACES, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 The Stage of Apocalypse, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
- ↑ Lying in Deceit, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Cutscene 09, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Cutscene 10, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ The Talon of Ruin, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Briefing, ACES, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.