- "Garuda Team, you are authorized to engage any hostile aircraft above Gracemeria."
- ― AWACS Ghost Eye
The Garuda Team is a squadron within the Republic of Emmeria Air Force. It is the player's squadron in Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.
History
28th Fighter Squadron, "Garuda", is from Gracemeria Air Force Base and are a part of the capital defense forces. The squadron was made famous for its incredible skill during the Emmeria-Estovakia War, and is known to consist of two pilots. Despite the squadron's small size, it is the major rival for the EAF's 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Strigon Team" and also is the spearhead for every major Emmerian military campaign. The squadron is currently still on active duty in the Republic of Emmeria Air Force. The squadron consists of Garuda One (Callsign: Talisman), name is unknown, and Garuda Two (Callsign: Shamrock), Marcus Lampert. This is the only record of pilots in this squadron. The player
Talisman during Invasion of Gracemeria
takes control of Garuda One. He is given a wingman, Garuda Two, before the first battle for protecting Gracemeria from Estovakian forces. When Emmeria was forced to evacuate, it put regret and guilt in Shamrock's mind. The thought of leaving his family to suffer without him was painful. Leaving him to do everything he can to get back to Gracemeria as quickly as possible so he can return to his wife and daughter. Once Emmerian forces successfully take control of Gracemeria after a long and tiring year, Shamrock receives terrible news. His wife and daughter died while they were in Gracemeria. After hearing this news, Shamrock was devastated. He went so far as to resign from the Republic of Emmeria Air Force. This is delayed due to the cruise missiles attacking Gracemeria the night of the liberation. The Joint Chiefs of Staff composed a plan and ordered all REAF pilots to head for Estovakia. Garuda Team destroyed most of the cooling units on the Chandelier. After discovering the final cooling unit, Shamrock volunteered to give in the data needed to destroy the cooling unit. Anti-Air Artillery severely damaged Shamrock's aircraft, forcing him to crash-land in the frozen glaciers. After the sacrifice, Talisman destroyed the back up cooling unit and the core of the Chandelier, ending the war. It is soon shown that Shamrock survived the crash and is in rehab for the injuries he sustained, leaving him wheelchair-bound for the foreseeable future. No information is shown about Talisman after the war.
Gallery
Three Garuda Team members. Note that AI-controlled planes except wingman never have any visible special weapon
Three-men Garuda Team flying Tornado GR.4s
Three-men Garuda Team flying F-15Es
- Fires of Liberation.jpg
- Eagles Rising.jpg
Trivia
- There is evidence to suggest that Garuda Team was a three-man squadron early in the game's development.
- Early screenshots show three pilots using the same aircraft (see #Gallery).
- The Garuda Team emblem shows three stars, implying three aircraft in the same way that Galm Team's emblem shows two stars for two aircraft.
- The prototype video for Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, which is based on Ace Combat 6's engine and believed to be set in Gracemeria, shows the player forming up in a flight of three at the end of their air battle.[1]
- The Garuda, in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology, is a large bird-like creature that acts as the mount of Vishnu.
- "Garuda" is used in Hindu to refer to the constellation Aquila, after which the Yellow Squadron was named.
- The callsigns of the two members of Garuda Team - Talisman and Shamrock - are both symbols of good luck.
- In Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception, an enemy ace named Garuda can be found in the mission Pinned Down. The ace flies a Mirage 2000D.
References
- ↑ エースコンバット アサルト・ホライゾン 初期イメージ映像. YouTube. Uploaded on September 11, 2011.