- "They've opened up the gate to our city! We've got the Garuda Team to thank for this!"
- ― Emmerian Ground Unit following the success of Operation Free Gracemeria
The Garuda Team is a squadron within the Republic of Emmeria Air Force. During the Emmeria-Estovakia War, Garuda Team proved to be a very valuable asset to Emmeria, becoming such a threat to Estovakia that they were force to dedicate entire operations just to take them down. This renown resulted in them becoming national heroes for the Emmerian people.
Garuda Team is the player's squadron in Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.
History
Invasion of Gracemeria
- "Garuda 1, you do not have a wingman. Let's see... Shamrock. Shamrock are you alone, too? Very well. As of now you're Garuda 2."
- ― AWACS Ghost Eye
After scrambling from Gracemeria Air Force Base, AWACS Ghost Eye was quick to realise that Garuda Team only consisted of one member, Talisman. He shortly after realised that Marcus Lampert callsign "Shamrock" was also alone and so assigned him to be Garuda Team's number 2.
Talisman during Invasion of Gracemeria
Garuda Team along with the rest of the Emmerian forces fought valiantly to defend their capitol city of Gracemeria. They almost managed to drive out the Estovakian invaders but were forced to retreat from the airspace when cruise missiles launched from the P-1112 Aigaion wiped out large portions of the defending forces. The enemy ace squadron Strigon Team, led by Victor Voychek soon arrived after to shoot down remaining aircraft. However, during the retreat Garuda Team managed to damage Voychek's plane forcing him to land and relegating him to ground duty.
Khesed Island
- "Garuda 1, I've got a hunch we'll be going home a lot sooner with you on board."
- ― Marcus Lampert
After the loss of major cities and key locations on the Anean mainland, Garuda Team along with a substantial amount of the Republic of Emmeria's armed forces were forced to retreat to Khesed Island, an island off to the east of the Emmerian mainland.
The Bombing of Vitoze, Estovakia launched a bombing campaign on the city of Vitoze where Emmerian forces were stationed to try and bring a swift and decisive end to the war. Garuda Team and other air squadrons were sent up to defend the territory from the approaching bombers. They were successful in this operation and soon began plans to retake the island of Khesed from Estovakian control.[1]
The Battle of Sipli Field, the first step in retaking Khesed was to wipe out a large portion of Estovakian ground forces located in Sipli Field. This was the first time Garuda Team participated in a battle of this scale but despite this, managed to spearhead the assault and successfully drive all enemy ground forces out of the vicinity.[2]
The Battle of Bartolomeo Fortress, this battle was the final battle fought on Khesed and it resulted in Estovakia being driven off the island thanks to the efforts of Garuda Team and combined efforts from the Emmerian air forces and ground forces. During the battle two members of Strigon Team arrived to try turn the tide of the battle however they were shot down by the team.[3]
Liberating Emmeria
After successfully retaking the Island of Khesed, the Emmerians then went on the draw up plans to retake the mainland. They would land at the southern tip of the Anean continent where the Battle of Ortara would be fought. Garuda Team played a key role in completing multiple operations during battle. Garuda Team also spearheaded multiple operations including the Standoff in Silvat Town where they ended a long siege battle, the Liberation of San Loma, the Assault on the Aerial Fleet and the Liberation of Gracemeria.
Defying orders
- "Ghost Eye, what the hell do you know about losing a family member? I'll take whatever the hell action I see fit!"
- ― Marcus Lampert
During the battle in the Moloch Desert, Emmerian forces were on the brink of victory when they received an order to retreat in response to the Estovakian WMD threat. As the order was being relayed, the Strigon Team entered the combat airspace. Shamrock, outraged by the order decided to go against it claiming he wouldn't stop this close to reuniting with his family in Gracemeria and Garuda Team proceeded to down all Strigon planes that had arrived.
When they returned to base, Talisman and Shamrock were penalised for defying a direct order and were restricted to doing nothing more than accessing their barracks.
Redemption
- "Looks like you're going to have to face the music. Eliminate those enemy planes!"
- ― AWACS Ghost Eye
The Emmerian military soon realised that they would need to deal with the newly discovered WMD threat posed by Estovakia. They would need to infiltrate Fort Norton and destroy the enemy's WMD catalyst. They understood that the only team within their ranks which would be able to successfully complete the mission is Garuda Team and permitted them to go on sortie.
Garuda Team successfully destroyed the WMD catalyst but on their way back to base they were intercepted by an entire battalion of enemy fighters which they would need to fight. It was an arduous battle but Garuda managed to hold off until allied re-enforcements arrived.
When they arrived back at base, all of their previous commendations and medals were restored.
The Liberation of Gracemeria
On March 31st, 2016 the Emmerian military launched Operation Free Gracemeria. The goal of the operation was to liberate their capitol and end the Emmeria-Estovakia War. Garuda Team was the core flight on this mission and their support ultimately resulted in the capitol city Gracemeria being liberated and freed from Estovakian control.
However soon after the battle the newly appointed leader of Strigon Team, Ilya Pasternak piloting a CFA-44 Nosferatu arrived in Gracemeria with many UAV-45s. His goal was to defeat the Garuda Team and to allow the remaining Strigon Team survivors to flee the battle and survive. He was unsuccessful in defeating Garuda Team but his sacrifice managed to allow the rest of his team to escape.
Estovakia retaliates
- "What the hell is with these guys? Haven't we seen enough death?!"
- ― Marcus Lampert
The night after Gracemeria was liberated, the Emmerian pilots took to the skies to patrol their newly recaptured capitol in case of an enemy re-invasion. It is here where Shamrock reveals that his wife and daughter were both killed during the war and goes onto say that this was going to be his last mission. After their patrol mission, Snake Pit detected something on radar. Cruise missiles escorted by Estovakian fighters began entering the airspace on course to destroy the city and every air force squadron and missile defence platform moved to destroy all incoming cruise missiles. Garuda Team aided in defending from the missiles and soon after AWACS Ghost Eye triangulated where these missiles were coming from.
The Battle of Sonne Island is the last known deployment of Garuda Team and it was to be one of their fiercest yet. The Estovakians completed their asteroid defence railgun, the Chandelier and were now using it as a weapon against the Emmerian capitol. During the battle, Marcus Lampert bravely went in to acquire key data on the Chandelier's back up cooling unit, successfully transmitting the data but getting shot down in the process. Garuda 1 then flew in and destroyed the backup cooling unit thanks to the data provided by Garuda 2, though this was not the end of the Chandelier and Talisman was forced to fly into the gun barrel of the giant rail gun to destroy its final area. Talisman then flew home with the rest of the Emmerian air force and Shamrock was picked up by a rescue team.
After war
- "Talisman, this is it. This is what we've been fighting for."
- ― Marcus Lampert
Not much is known what happened to Garuda 1 after the war but it is currently believed he is still a part of the Republic of Emmeria Air Force.
Marcus Lampert, now confined to a wheelchair for the time being due to his crash now resides in Gracemeria. He then visited Melissa Herman's home, where he finally met the person whom he had heard on the radio during his final mission.
Gallery
Garuda Team flying F-15Es.
- Fires of Liberation.jpg
- Eagles Rising.jpg
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
Garuda Team over the Selumna Peaks
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.[4]
- 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
- ↑ Vitoze Aerial Defense, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.
- ↑ Sipli Field, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.
- ↑ Bartolomeo Fortress, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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