The Varcolac Squadron, formerly known as Rigel Squadron, was a top class elite squadron led by Milosz Sulejmani, which is part of the Martinez Security but later on defected to the Valahia, and then finally for Andre Olivieri in support of the Golden Axe Plan which lead to their demise.
Midway Incident and Defense of Tokyo
Rigel Squadron was present in the joint military show at Midway Islands. They teamed up with Antares Squadron in taking down a massive squadron of enemy fighters and three B-52 bombers flying over Midway. Afterwards, both Rigel and Antares Squadrons went to Japan's capital of Tokyo and stopped a giant combat aircraft from completely destroying the capital by using its electromagnetic railgun. After partaking in a joint assault with the JSDF and Antares, Rigel Squadron returned to Tokyo once to drive out the Valahia. However, as they were about to shoot down the Orgoi, the Valahia leader offers Sulejmani and his men with a better wage of money in exchange for joining the Valahia. They gladly often to switch sides, much to stay in Frederick Burford's mercenary squadron.
Operations against Antares
After their desertion to Valahia, Sulejmani and his men were engaging Antares in Croatian Adriatic Sea before leaving the combat zone. Then, they showed up in next IUPF operation that destroys the Valahia radar site in the Serbian Mountains. After the radar site was destroyed, Antares engaged Varcolac Squadron once again and Antares successfully drive them off to Valahia's main HQ where an old Soviet missile silo was destroyed after Antares prevented the nuclear missiles from being launched at North America and Europe. After the Valahia was wiped out, Varcolac joined the Golden Axe Plan in their final stage of the plan: the attack on San Francisco. After Antares prevented the private army from attacking the city, Varcolac engaged Antares one last time before being completely decimated.
Gallery
Sulejmani's F/A-18E.
Oruma's Tornado IDS.
Gaviria's MiG-29.
Kiriakov's Su-27.
Sulejmani's MiG-1.44
Oruma's A-10A
Gaviria's MiG-31
Kiriakov's Su-37
Varcolac Squadron's GAF-1
Quotes
Tokyo, Mission 5
- Sulejmani: The only thing I value is money, earned in exchange for enemy lives. Give us some money, and more importantly, the taste of battle. Men, you with me on this?
- Oruma: Yeah. Sounds like a fun gig.
- Gaviria: Exactly what I'm looking for.
- Kiriakov: Same here.
- Burford: Rigel Squadron, what is going on?!
- Dumitrescu: I believe we have ourselves a deal. Fly to the south. I will contact you again, and I look forward to meeting you in person.
- Burford: Sulejmani! Rigel Squadron,what the hell are you doing?! Return to base now!
- Burford: Sulejmani! Damn it!
Serbian Mountains, Mission 13
- Sulejmani: Surround and destroy at one time!
- Oruma: Captain, things don't look good. Let's fall back.
- Kiriakov: Oruma, are you serious?!
- Sulejmani: Varcaloc Squadron, retreat.
- Kiriakov: WHAT!?
- Sulejmani: Burford, you have trained some excellent pilots.
- Sulejmani: However, they won't be so lucky next time. I'll make sure of it.
Central Asia, Mission 17
- Sulejmani: Burford, do you copy? I have a message from Dumitrescu for the IUPF," We are in the final stage to fire a nuclear strike."
- Burford: What?! Why?!
- Oruma: This isn't a warning. It's a final declaration, Colonel.
- Sulejmani: Nuclear missiles will soon be fired at North America and Europe. You don't have time to wait for your ground forces to arrive. Ha, the perfect situation. Now, Antares, it's time to fight. Let's see if you have what it takes to become a hero! Varcolac Squadron, we're taking the scorpion down today! Get into formation. It's over, Antares.
- Kiriakov: Haha, what's wrong, ace?
- Oruma: Let your guard down, and you won't last a second in these skies!
- Gaviria: He's mine, you hear me?!
- Oruma: Antares, you met Olivieri, right?
- Burford: ...
- Oruma: This whole conflict is a joke, man. It's all staged by that crazy ass.
- Kiriakov: His aim was to create a "war" he can control, a pointless conflict that just makes money for him.
- Oruma: He called it, "the Golden Axe Plan."
- Gaviria: That's why the IUPF is mainly comprised of PMCs. Olivieri is behind it all!
- Oruma: It's all a farce! And that's why we switched to better paying sponsor.
- Kiriakov: That's right. But I hear you guys fight for justice, fight for peace? Ha, we got a true hero here!
- Burford: You bastards!
- Sulejmani: That's how it is, Burford. Too bad.
- Sulejmani: Ergh!!(being shot down)
- Varcolac Squadron (except Kiriakov): Captain!
- Kiriakov: Hmph, I can't believe he fell like that.
- Burford: All right, Antares! Now finish off the rest of them.
- Oruma: I can't believe the Captain got shot down.
- Kiriakov: Just proves how good he really was!
- Oruma: Tolya! Watch your mouth!
- Gaviria: Enough! We still need to take down Antares.
- Oruma: Shut up! Can't you see we just lost our Captain?!
- Burford: Antares, the loss of their Commander has thrown them off balance. Finish them off!
- Kiriakov: Well played, Antares! (If Gavira is shot down before Tolya)
- Gaviria: He got Kiriakov?! Too bad, he's going down next! (If Kiriakov is shot down before Gaviria)
- Gavira: Oruma! Oruma! (If Oruma is shot down before Gaviria)
- Kiriakov: When did you all become such bad pilots?! (If Oruma is shot down before Kiriakov)
- Oruma: Faryd! (If Gaviria is shot down before Oruma)
- Kiriakov: Ugh... I screwed up... (When he is shot down)
- Oruma: Tolya! No! You gotta be kiddin' me! (If Kiriakov is shot down before Oruma)
- Oruma: Arrggh! ( When Oruma is shot down)
- Gaviria: Mayday! Mayday! (When Gaviria is shot down)
- Operator: All bandits down!
- Burford: Good work, Antares. This must've been difficult for you. But what's this Golden Axe Plan all about?
- Operator: Sir. We don't have much time before they launch the nukes!
- Burford: That's right, our work isn't finished. Antares, things are already moving ahead. We don't have time to wait for the ground forces. You must fly into the missile silo and stop the nuclear launch. I know it's sounds crazy but it's our only option. It's in your hands now!
San Francisco, Mission 21A (or possibly 21B)
- Sulejmani: Fun's over, Antares.
- Oruma: Sorry man. Try not to take it personally.
- Gaviria: No one can stop our Captain now.
- Kiriakov: Not until he defeats you and prove himself the best.
- Sulejmani: Varcolac Squadron, commence attack!
Phase 2
- Gaviria: Too fast for you, Antares?!
- Kiriakov: We're now the fastest in the sky!
- Oruma: Benefits courtesy of the Golden Axe Plan. Way too much overkill for huntin' scorpions though.
- System Operator: How can they maneuver so fast?
- Burford: Antares, prioritize evasive maneuvers and look for a chance to strike.
- Sulejmani: Varcolac Squadron, formation "Delta 4".'
- Sulejmani: It's time you lost those wings, Antares!
- Varcolac Squadron: Roger.
- Kiriakov: Ugh, I screwed up... (When he's shot down)
- Sulejmani: Ally down. Stay on the offensive, Varcolac Squadron.
- Oruma: No, Tolya! (If he's still alive)
- Gaviria: Ahhhh! (When he's shot down)
- Oruma: Ahhh! (When he's shot down)
- Sulejmani: He's good all right. I'll give him that. But an ace is better of dead than alive!
- Oruma: Faryd! Come in! (If he's still alive)
- Gaviria: Oruma! (If he's still alive)
- System Operator: Sulejmani remains. All other bandits down!
- Burford: Sulejmani, you won't win this battle. Withdraw from this scheme while you still can.
- Sulejmani: Haha... Hah hah hah.... Hahahahahahaha!
- Sulejmani: This so called plan means nothing for me. I only wish to shoot you down, Antares. You see, I was sold off by my parents, and was trained to kill as a child soldier. The more I killed, the more I earned. The stronger the foe, the better the money. You're no different, Antares. Your wings are a token of your previous victories. Now, Antares. It's the moment of truth. It's time to decide who flies, and who falls from grace.
During the battle,
- Sulejmani: Resist me if you can, Antares!
- Sulejmani: He's slipping through my defense?!
- System Operator: Impact! Hostile's defenses are down!
- Sulejmani: Ha, that's right, Antares! I have no need for this system!
- Sulejmani: Hahahaha! Ah, I'm having so much fun!
- Sulejmani: We're only getting started. Show me everything you've got!
- Sulejmani: I will defeat you, and I will reap the benefits! With that money, I will be complete!
When he suffers severe damage,
- Sulejmani: I will buy back what I lost that day my parents sold me! My Honor! My Pride! My Life!
- System Operator: Signal lost (Sulejmani gets shot down). Hostile down!
- Burford: Good job, Antares. You truly are the pride of Martinez.
Other quotes
- Sulejmani: Anybody who gets the target will be in my way, stay focused or I'll be the one to finish you off!
- Sulejmani: Antares you are getting closer to the target, you wish to die?! (When Antares 1 gets too close to the Spiridus in mission "Bird Hunt")
- Sulejmani: You won't have time to think during the real combat. Hurry up and destroy it.
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 9th Tactical Fighter Squadron Strigon.
- The "Rigel" is named after the brightest star in the constellation Orion and is the sixth brightest star in the sky.
- All the 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 (intercepter/fighter), and Kiriakov flies a Su-37 Terminator (air-superiority fighter).
- 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.