Usea (ユージア Yūjia) is one of the major landmasses on Earth in the Strangereal universe. Usea is located between the Osean and Verusan continents. It is surrounded by the Cascade Ocean to the north, the Spring Sea to the south, and the Eusian Ocean to the east.[1]
The countries of Usea have maintained complex relations among themselves, and its peoples have fought numerous armed conflicts throughout history.[2] Usea has been a recurring setting for many installments in the Ace Combat series.
Countries
At least 18 countries are known to exist on the Usean continent.[3] These include:
Erusean States:
History
Discovery of Ulysses (1994)
Newspaper announcing the asteroid's existence
In December 1994, researchers from the International Astronomical Union discovered a 1.6-kilometer long asteroid, which was later designated "Ulysses 1994XF04". Additional observation of the asteroid's motion revealed that it was headed towards Earth; these findings were soon presented to the government of the Federation of Central Usea (FCU). As a regional superpower, the FCU commanded considerable resources and influence over the other nations of the Central Usea Treaty Organization (UTO). However, FCU President Robert Sinclair chose to wait until the asteroid's probability of impact was confirmed.[4]
Skully Islands insurrection (1995)
By 1995, the FCU had begun devising ways to defend against Ulysses. However, these efforts were sidetracked when a group of militants launched a coup d'état and seized control of the Skully Islands. In response, the commander of the FCU's southern forces, Robert Tyler, hired a group of mercenary pilots known as Scarface Squadron to quell the insurrection. Through Scarface's efforts, the coup was crushed, and the FCU's jurisdiction over the Skully Islands was restored.[4][5]
Ulysses studies (1995–98)
In October 1995, researchers from the University of Comona and Shellsbridge University became the first scientific group to accurately calculate Ulysses's precise trajectory. The outlook was bleak: Ulysses would enter and be torn apart by Earth's gravity on July 3, 1999 at 3:30 PM Usea Eastern Standard Time, inflicting widespread destruction that could result in the extinction of humanity. Once again, President Sinclair made the difficult decision to withhold this information from the general public.[4]
After consulting with the Aerospace Society, and realizing that the FCU could not confront this threat without the aid of its allies, President Sinclair announced the existence of Ulysses to the world on April 20, 1996.[4] The Federation's armed forces stationed abroad were recalled, ending a prolonged stand-off along the Amber-Ugellas border between FCU and Erusean military forces.[6]
The same day as President Sinclair's Ulysses statement, FCU Secretary of State Stateson attended an emergency assembly of the UTO. At the meeting, Stateson argued for the creation of a National Missile Defense (NMD) system, which could destroy the asteroid and its fragments before they entered the atmosphere. However, a large number of representatives expressed concerns regarding the NMD's possible use as an instrument of war. Despite this hesitance and the other solutions proposed during the meeting, the NMD was considered to be the most plausible.[7]
Between 1996 and 1998, the nations of Usea began and then haphazardly abandoned their anti-Ulysses defensive projects. The initially dismissed concerns regarding the NMD system's use as an offensive weapon ultimately killed the project; instead, the Usean nations began developing a satellite-borne anti-asteroid laser system.[8] As development of the laser was nearing completion, the FCU presented another new idea: a network of railgun cannons, which could only fire into space and intercept the falling asteroids. The Usean nations subsequently focus their efforts on the new "STN Project".[9]
Over the coming months, the FCU—in conjunction with other UTO members, Erusean scientists, and several multinational corporations—began construction of the new "spaceguard" weapon, nicknamed "Stonehenge", in the neutral country of San Salvacion. The STN facility was built in a desert area and housed eight massive railgun-interceptor cannons, which used a combination of electromagnets and gunpowder to fire 120 centimeter explosive rounds.[9][10]
Usean coup d'état (1997–98)
By 1998, the main STN site had been completed, and the installation of the railgun turrets was progressing on schedule.[11] However, this progress would be interrupted when the Osean Federation extended an offer of alliance to the nations of Usea, which was received with mixed sympathies. Anti-foreign sentiment dominated the northern and western nations of Usea circa 1998, resulting in an alliance of Usean states in opposition to the Osean superpower's influence within the continent. The southern Usean nations, however, accepted Osea's offer despite their citizens' negative opinions of the deal. On the day of the treaty signing, a revolutionary group known as the Usean Rebel Forces revolted and overthrew the governments of several nations across Usea.[12][13]
The coup d'état forces, which were assumed to have been backed by the northern and western Usean nations, seized control of several tactical points across the continent and launched operations against the pro-Osea factions. The extremist coup forces' ultimate goal was the creation of a unified, continental Usean government. However, the rebels were eventually routed, forced into retreat, and summarily crushed thanks to the response of the Usean Allied Forces and the repeated employment of the mercenary Scarface Squadron. In the final culminating battle of the war, Scarface successfully destroyed North Point's Fortress Intolerance missile-launch facility.[12][13]
This conflict would significantly delay Stonehenge's collaborative building effort. By the time the continental war ended, the nations of Usea were confronted with Ulysses's arrival date nearing only one year away. Despite the much needed reconstruction efforts required within their own borders, the nations of Usea needed to redouble their efforts to complete the STN in time.[14]
Ulysses planetfall and aftermath (1999)
A view of Stonehenge's railgun cannons
On July 3, 1999, Ulysses passed through Earth's Roche limit as predicted. The asteroid would spend the next five days shattering into thousands of fragments; on July 8, the fragments began to hit the planet. The majority of fragments fell to Earth over the next two weeks.[15] Stonehenge successfully intercepted a large number of them, preventing mass extinction; however, it failed to completely protect the continent. Some urban areas—such as Comberth Harbor, Anchorhead, and Saint Ark—were unharmed, while other areas—such as Newfield Island and Farbanti, Erusea—suffered impacts that radically altered their geography and devastated the local populations.[16]
Approximately 500,000 people were killed in the initial two-week planetfall period,[15][17] and at least one million more were displaced as refugees.[18] Economists estimate that the damage inflicted was equivalent to 18 months-worth of the Usean continent's total GDP.[17] The asteroid bombardment inflicted extensive damage to the Usean continent's infrastructure, and around one million people were displaced from their homes and left jobless.[18]
After intense debate, the nations of the UTO launched an initiative to address the burgeoning refugee crisis: each Usean nation would accept and shelter a certain quota of refugees. In the immediate aftermath of "Ulysses Day",[19] the outpouring of humanitarian relief was incredible, and migrant refugees were quickly put to work rebuilding the continent's decimated roadways, bridges, and buildings. Reconstruction efforts proceeded smoothly for the next few months, and Usea entered a period of relative peace after witnessing unfathomable chaos and destruction. As a part of the collaborative effort was the former Federal Republic of Erusea, which had begrudgingly agreed to the initiative despite its regime's nativist sympathies.[18]
Usean refugee crisis (2000–03)
Suddenly, in April 2000, the Erusean government began restricting its issuing of visas to foreigners, essentially stranding all refugees at the border. The Erusean Minister of Foreign Affairs denounced the other Usean countries as having expected Erusea to admit a disproportionately higher number of foreign refugees, and placing an "undue burden upon the Erusean people". Meanwhile, thousands of civilian refugees began to set up camps along the closed Erusean borders, which became hotbeds for malnutrition and disease.[18]
The refugee dispute sparked international outrage. After a UTO committee conducted inspections on a number of the refugee camps, the General Assembly Commissioner criticized the Erusean regime and denied the accusations that Erusea was being forced to accept an exaggerated number of foreigners. Many Useans began boycotting Erusean products, and the UTO placed harsh tariffs on Erusea's exports, worsening the already precarious state of the Erusean economy. Anti-foreign resentment and political tensions would only continue to escalate within Erusea over the next four months.[18]
Continental War (2003–05)
Sometime around August 22, 2003, Erusea launched a surprise invasion of neighboring San Salvacion and seized control of the STN facility, which was manned by UTO coalition forces. Erusea quickly released a statement saying that Stonehenge facility and its personnel were being held "safely under Erusean custodianship". The FCU, which had been largely responsible for the STN's creation, set a deadline for Erusea to withdraw from the STN and San Salvacion before September 14, after which time military retaliation would be authorized.[20]
In response to the Eruseans' aggressive posturing, the FCU declared the dissolution of the UTO, and its reformation into the Independent State Allied Forces (ISAF). When it became clear that Erusea would not abide by the Federation's September 14 deadline, the ISAF launched a daring air raid on Stonehenge in an effort to eliminate the railgun facility before the Eruseans could make use of it as an offensive weapon. However, all of the ISAF fighters were shot down by the Federal Erusea Air Force's elite Yellow Squadron. Bolstered by Stonehenge's use as an anti-aircraft weapon, the Erusean forces began pushing the ISAF eastward. The ISAF lost numerous strategic locations—such as Istas Fortress, Comberth Harbor, Rigley Air Base, and the Mt. Shezna radar stations—and suffered tremendous casualties.[21]
By 2004, ISAF GHQ was forced to evacuate from mainland Usea to North Point, in order to regroup and consolidate its forces.[22] After the ISAF thwarted an Erusea bombing run on its GHQ,[23] it would score several small, strategic victories along Usea's eastern coastline. The ISAF relied heavily on its air forces to perform air strikes against critical Erusean targets on the mainland, while a counterattack was planned.
Following the ISAF's momentous victory at Comberth Harbor, Erusea's "invicible" Aegir Fleet was sunk,[24] and a reconnaissance satellite was launched from Riass Space Center on the Comona Islands.[25] The ISAF would continue its string of decisive victories, including the amphibious landings on the Caranda, Halle, and Crowne beaches in southern Usea,[26] the retaking of Istas Fortress,[27] and the destruction of Stonehenge on April 2, 2005.[28]
The momentum of the ISAF's counteroffensive continued to grow in the wake of Stonehenge's destruction, and the Eruseans were pushed westward towards their own territory. San Salvacion would be liberated in July 2005,[29] and the Eruseans retreated to their last defensive line in the Whiskey Corridor.[30] The ISAF was victorious once again due to the coordination of its air and ground forces, and a week later, the Erusean capital of Farbanti was under siege by ISAF forces.
Farbanti fell to the ISAF on September 19, 2005, despite fierce Erusean opposition and the efforts of Yellow Squadron.[31] However, one week after Erusea's official capitulation, a number of young, radical Erusean officers took control of Megalith and planned to use the missile launch facility to rain down orbiting Ulysses fragments across all of Usea. The ISAF's Mobius Squadron eliminated the superweapon before any significant damage could be done, bringing the continental war to an end.[32]
2006 Free Erusea uprising
After the destruction of Megalith, the ISAF occupied Erusea and assisted the new provisional Erusean government in its efforts to re-stabilize the war-torn country and placate any animosity towards the ISAF's occupation forces. However, a number of high-ranking FEAF officers who resented the ISAF presence within Erusea and the demilitarization of their country refused the disarmament order.[33]
As Erusea struggled to rebuild, border disputes between the Erusean states began to break out. The ISAF was consequently forced to deploy additional troops to stop the infighting.[citation needed] Approximately one year after the end of the Continental War, the radical Eruseans covertly captured an old weapons and munitions factory in the White Valley Bay area. The militant faction, calling itself "Free Erusea", proclaimed that the new Erusean government was illegitimate and vowed to remove the occupying ISAF forces from Erusea.[33]
Using aircraft commandeered from the Erusean military and its newly acquired cache of weapons, the Free Erusea rebels attacked the ISAF across Erusea and other parts of the Usean continent. ISAF command responded to the insurrection by deploying ace pilot Mobius 1, the hero of the Continental War, to confront and crush the Free Erusea uprising. Thanks to Mobius 1's unparalleled combat prowess, the Free Erusea forces were destroyed, and the ISAF acquired data on Erusea's unmanned AI program as well as numerous X-02 Wyverns.[33]
With the last of the resistance suppressed, the new Erusean government was successfully established, and the ISAF withdrew its forces from Erusea. For the first time in years, Usea's political environment was stable, and economic growth began anew across the continent.[33]
Arkbird Declaration (2008)
2014 Free Erusea uprising
Lighthouse War (2019)
In 2019, the Kingdom of Erusea declared war on the Osean Federation under the pretext that the superpower aimed to spread its influence into Erusea by building a space elevator on claimed territory. As they attacked Osea's naval forces back home with drones, the Eruseans seized the International Space Elevator and launched attacks against IUN bases throughout the Usean continent. Osea retaliated with an air raid on Erusea's capital Farbanti from the sea, causing damage to the city with the King of Erusea killed in the attack. The Eruseans with the ISEV Arsenal Birds under their control, used those supercarriers to their advantage and pushed the Osean-led IUN forces towards the east, giving them control over most of the continent. Their offensive was stopped when the IUN engaged the Eruseans at the Scofields Plateau and the failed Erusean bombing of Fort Grays.
Osea and the IUN then executed a two-front counterattack which had the Kestrel II battle group launch a second air raid to capture Farbanti and the IUN-PKF retaking the Space Elevator through the Chopinburg Rainforest, both ending in failure as the Kestrel II was sunk in the ensuing battle and the Arsenal Bird Liberty giving Erusea a tactical victory in the region. Public opinion in neutral countries swayed towards Erusea's side as the nation used non-lethal strikes against its opponent.
The Oseans on June 6 slipped through Erusea's defenses in Selatapura to rescue former Osean president Vincent Harling, who was inspecting the space elevator when the war broke out. The operation ended in a disaster when an allied aircraft apparently shot down Harling's VTOL which killed the ex-president. Trigger was blamed for this and was court-martialed, sent to a penal unit at the 444th Air Base at Zapland, Usea.
The Osean penal unit, Spare Squadron was used to defend the 444th Air Base from an Erusean air attack. They also performed missions for atonement by striking Erusean bases in the Roca Roja desert, destroying drone fuel stockpiles at Artiglio, providing a safe passage for allied aircraft at Yinshi Valley, and destroying Erusean satellite guided SAM radars at the Waiapolo Mountains. The pilots who survived all these missions were later pardoned, and transferred to Tyler Island where the Oseans accomplished a naval landing meanwhile Colonel McKinsey was transfered to North Point, escorted by two Osean fighters out of Erusean-controlled territory.
The Oseans planned to capture Farbanti and end the war by using an alternate route north of the continent so as to bypass Erusea's air defense network. In their way was the Erusean Njord Fleet and the mobile supply base at Snider's Top which were both crushed, allowing the Oseans to help several Osean Ground Defense Force battalions who were secretly reactivating the last railgun of Stonehenge, which was used to destroy the Arsenal Bird Liberty, whose shield was easily penetrated by the railgun.
With Erusea's air supremacy card removed, Osea got the upper hand and initiated a large-scale counteroffensive throughout Usea pushing the Eruseans all the way near their border wih San Salvacion, although the perimeter around the space elevator was still guarded by the other Arsenal Bird, Justice. The Osean LRSSG would destroy Erusean IRBM silos in Sierraplata, seize an Erusean airbase at Cape Rainy, and finish with aiding the Osean ground and naval forces in the capture of Farbanti on September 19, however the war escalated into an anti-satellite exchange between the two forces which resulted in a communications blackout that drowned Usea in anarchy. In the ensuing chaos, Erusea enters into a civil war against anti-war conservatives and ethnic nationalists from previously annexed states fighting for independence from the kingdom. A seemingly last hope for peace was destroyed when an Osean aircraft due to lack of a command hierarchy shot down a helicopter carrying an Erusean conservative general in Anchorhead, killing him.
With the invasion of Tyler Island failing as a result of the ASAT warfare, Osean invasion forces with the help of an allied AWACS made a withdrawal from a three-way battle over the island, as well as the OADF downing resupply shuttles carrying Helios missiles for the Arkbird and stopping Erusean conservatives from carpet- bombing the island. With limited resources available to make leave for Osea, the OADF were forced to attack Shilage so as to secure supplies stockpiled in the castle where they faced a final air confrontation with Mihaly A. Shilage.
As communications infrastructure was slowly being repaired, the armed forces from both countries, setting aside their previous frictions all united in a final attempt to retake the International Space Elevator from the Erusean government radicals, who planned on mass-producing autonomous drones all over factories in Usea, a move which would result in a prolonged war. A combined air and sea attack on the last Arsenal Bird failed as the bird responded by shooting down the missiles fired and sinking a large number of Osean ships, which forced the air forces to take it down with help from Osean soldiers from the 444th and the Erusean princess inside the ISEV. The coalition destroyed Justice after an intense battle, but two drones loaded with huge amounts of war data from Mihaly arrived and started picking off coalition aircraft. After resupplying at an aground Osean aircraft carrier, they face off with the two drones, losing pilots in the process but later winning as both aircraft were destroyed by Three Strikes, ending the war. At the same time, a spacecraft landed on the space elevator, after returning from the asteroid belt. It's pilot was revealed to be Kei Nagase, a former Osean ace. The continent with the help of international relief embarked on a long path to reconstruction.
A new era (2007–2039)
After years of widespread fighting, destruction, and death, the nations of Usea entered an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity, which lasted for nearly 25 years. The Neo United Nations (NUN), recognizing the great strides Usea had taken to heal from decades of conflict, would establish its new headquarters at Snyder's Top in northern Usea in the early 2030s.[34]
During this time, the global economy—and society in general—became increasingly reliant upon computer technologies. Private-sector companies that developed, produced, and distributed such technologies began to gain considerable power over the markets and governments within their respective countries. Eventually, two major rival corporations would come to dominate the worldwide market: General Resource Limited and Neucom Incorporated.[34]
Sometime in the early 2030s, Neucom began expanding its research and development division and purchased the Riass Space Center in the Comona Islands, renaming it the Neucom Space Research Facility and Air Base. Neucom began developing space and communications technologies and soon after decided to enter into the civilian and military aviation markets. General Resource's primary interests, however, concentrated on military technologies such as operating systems, aircraft, naval vessels, assault vehicles, and weaponry. Despite Usea's relative political stability, tensions stemming from market competition between the two corporations would escalate through the end of the decade.[34]
By 2037, the national governments of Usea had lost much of their political and economic power; in addition, the rivalry between Neucom and General Resource had begun to evolve from simple smear campaigns into passive-aggressive threats and small-scale cyber sabotage. These incidents caught the attention of the NUN, which summoned the leaders of both companies to hold negotiations in hope of a peaceful resolution. Although a temporary treaty was set, it did not last long. Neucom's announcement of its intentions to create Megafloat, a seafaring city, and the success of its R-Aircraft line would only increase the animosity between the two companies.[34]
Intercorporate War simulation (2040)
During the 2030s, General Resource began experimenting with the Electrosphere, a popular Usean computer network, in an attempt to copy and transfer human consciousness into the system. During the experiments, General Resource detonated a bomb in one of their laboratories to conceal their Darkness of Enigma project, killing scientist Yoko Martha Inoue and GRDF pilot Abyssal Dision in the process.[35]
In the wake of the attack, fellow scientist Simon Orestes Cohen proceeded to create a simulation of Usea and pitted the two rival companies against one another in a fictional conflict. Cohen included copies of every person—living or dead—as well as an AI codenamed Nemo. By running the simulation multiple times, Cohen discovered that no matter what, in such a conflict, Nemo would always kill Dision, whom Cohen blamed for Inoue's death. Pleased with the results, Cohen removed Nemo from the simulation, which was purged from existence, and likely released Nemo into the real world.[34]
Gallery
A map of Usea as it appears in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
A map of southern Usea as it appears in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
The Usean continent as it appears in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy
The Usean continent's location in relation to the others.
A briefing map of Usea from Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
Usean topographic map from Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy
Trivia
Strangereal as it originally appeared during Ace Combat 04's development
- Prior to Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, the Usean continent was conceived to be a part of our (real) world. Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies development artwork shows that Strangereal was originally much more similar to our world, with Usea situated in the northern Pacific Ocean. Ace Combat 5 was the first game to introduce an entirely unique world as its setting, and all prior games have since been retconned to take place in Strangereal.
- Out of all the Strangereal continents, Usea appears the most frequently in Ace Combat titles. It was the main setting for the first four installments in the series and has made numerous appearances in many other games afterward, most recently as the setting of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
References
- ↑ Strangereal Map. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
- ↑ Intro cutscene, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy.
- ↑ File:Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy Announcement Trailer.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "President Makes Announcement To Ambassadors And Their Respective Nations", Asteroid On Collision Course With Earth. Usea Today. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ↑ Air Combat.
- ↑ "Overseas Troops To Return Home Temporarily", Asteroid On Collision Course With Earth. Usea Today. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ↑ "Secretary Of State Expresses Support For NMD Proposal", Asteroid On Collision Course With Earth. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ↑ Toy Box, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Introduction", Titan Guns. Our Science. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ↑ "Aiming for Absolute Reliability", Titan Guns. Our Science. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ↑ "The Titan to Protect the Continent", Titan Guns. Our Science. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Ace Combat 2.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy.
- ↑ "Wider Damage Range than Estimated", Last Christmas. GAZE. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies - Perfect Guide, page 007.
- ↑ Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 World / Asteroid Ulysses Enters the Atmosphere, AC04Web. Published 2001. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 "Friction Arises from the Refugee Crisis", War?. GAZE. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ↑ "A Shelterized Castle", Last Christmas. GAZE. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ↑ "Erusea's Aggression", War?. GAZE. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- ↑ World / INVASION!, AC04Web. Published 2001. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
- ↑ Introductory cutscene, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Sitting Duck. Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Invincible Fleet, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Shattered Skies, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Operation Bunker Shot, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Tango Line, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Stonehenge Offensive, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Emancipation, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Whiskey Corridor, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Siege of Farbanti, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ Megalith, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 Arcade Mode, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere.
- ↑ Cutscene prior to Archnemesis, Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere.
