Part 19: Ace Combat Zero Post Mortem Finale Extravaganza

Extras, Cheats, And Viewer’s Choice Finale Special

PART 1 – 100% Unlocks, Codebreaker Cheats, Free Flight Shenanigans
PART 2 – Paint Schemes and Cockpit Views
PART 3 – Special Weapons
PART 4 – Thread Request Special
BONUS – The Gauntlet
BONUS - Multiplayer Mode


Overview: Ace Combat Zero is finished, it’s time to fuck around and show off some cool stuff you couldn’t really get to see under “normal” circumstances, and maybe just break the game over our knee in the process.

Lastly, as a final send off to Zero, ACES CURE PLANES and I tackle the game’s secret special mission: The Gauntlet.



Guest Commentators: I am joined across the various parts of this finale spectacular by multiple guests.

First up is our returning champion, CJacobs.

Joining him for Part 1 is our mutual LP friend JamieTheD. Jamie is currently in the midst of his own series mega-LP of the Wipeout game series.

Part 2 is largely unvoiced but will be vocally annotated by me on a “point of interest” basis.

In Part 3, I’m joined by Lunethex and ACES CURE PLANES.

In Part 4, I’m joined by Skippy Granola and Cirvante. Skippy just wrapped up a casual LP of Gun and is also doing commentary for kalonZombie’s LP of InFamous: Second Son and SortaYuy’s LP of GI Joe: The Atlantis Factor.

And lastly, in the Multiplayer Mode disaster video, I am joined by Blind Sally and ACES again.




Aircraft not featured in Ace Combat Zero:


X-29A
Manufacturer: Grumman
Role: Experimental Fighter
Manufactured: 1984
Status: Retired
Primary Operators: United States (DARPA, NASA)
Quick Facts:

• Has the fictional designation “X-29A” in the Ace Combat franchise.
  
• Designed to test the feasibility of forward-swept wing desings.
  
• Only two airframes were produced.
  
• Required the use of fly-by-wire avionics due to inherent instability in its airframe.
  
• Is actually a heavily modified F-5 airframe.
  
• Ultimately deemed an unfeasible design due to s aeroelastic divergence leading to potential structural failure.
  
• The two X-29s are currently on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, and Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base in southern California.
  
• A full-scale mockup of the X-29 was on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., but was removed in 2011.
  

The forward-swept wings of this aircraft allow for exceptional turning ability. An advanced fly-by-wire system is employed to overcome instabilities inherent in this design.

AMMO
Missile: 60
QAAM: 10
FAEB: 4
LAGM: 10



F-22A
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Role: Air Superiority / Stealth
Manufactured: 1996-2011
Status: In Service
Primary Operators: United States
Quick Facts:

• From the PS2 trilogy onward, the F-22 has effectively become the mascot of the Ace Combat series.
  
• The protagonists of Ace Combats 04, X, 7 (allegedly), Joint Assault, and Assault Horizon are depicted as flying F-22As as their “canonical” planes.
  
• The game icon for Assault Horizon Legacy on the Nintendo 3DS is also a plastic model of the F-22A.
  
• Unlocked by beating the game once on any difficulty and Ace Style.
  
• Yep, it’s a New Game+ exclusive in Zero.
  
• Production on the F-22A ended prematurely thanks to a combination of factors, namely its high production cost, the lack of a clear rival fighter emerging any time soon thanks to delays in the Russian and Chinese fifth generation fighter designs, a ban on exports, and the advent of the allegedly “lower cost” F-35.
  
• Only 187 F-22As were manufactured.
  
• Is one of the most advanced stealth fighters on the planet, housing the majority of its weapons payload in internal weapons bays.
  
• Thus far, the majority of the F-22’s real world combat engagements have been in Syria as part of the United States’ bombing campaign against the Islamic State.
  

A fighter with stealth capabilities and thrust vectoring nozzles for superior maneuverability. Designed to relieve much of the pilot's burden, the "Raptor" represents a new generation of air superiority.

AMMO
Missile: 82
XMAA: 18
GPB: 12
SOD: 12


Tornado GR.4
Manufacturer: Panavia Aircraft GmbH
Role: Multirole
Manufactured: 1978-1998
Status: In Service
Primary Operators: United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia
Quick Facts:

• A mid-game plane unlocked by completing the Alpha Team version of Merlon.
  
• Appears in the later Ace Combats, namely 5, Zero, 6, Infinity, and Assault Horizon as a piece of DLC.
  
• Developed as a tri-national project between British, German, and Italian aerospace firms.
  
• Features a similar variable geometry wing set up as the F-14.
  
• Was designed as a replacement to the Avro Vulcan and Blackburn Bucaneer.
  
• As a multirole craft, it primarily functions as a strike fighter, bomber, and electronic support plane.
  
• Has also seen the majority of its combat action in the Middle East as part of operations against the Islamic State.

Called the "Tornado", this aircraft is capable of both high-speed low-level infiltration, and short take-off and landing (STOL). These features provide overall improvements in survivability, maneuverability, and striking capability.

AMMO
Missile: 72
BDSP: 12
ECMP: 4
LASM: 12



F-2
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Lockheed Martin
Role: Multirole
Manufactured: 1995-2011
Status: In Service
Primary Operators: Japan
Quick Facts:

• A mid-game plane unlocked by completing the Alpha Team version of Merlon.
  
• Appears in nearly every Ace Combat game outside of Air Combat.
  
• Initially dubbed the Mitsubishi SX-3, and known informally as the Viper Zero.
  
• Designed to be a Japanese proprietary variant of the F-16C intended to replace the aging F-1.
  
• Has a 25% larger wing area than the original F-16.
  
• Was allegedly the first operational military aircraft in the world to feature an AESA radar prior to the rollout of the F-22A.
  
• The majority of its combat actions have been interception operations to turn back Russian aircraft probing into Japanese airspace. Thus far, the F-2A has no recognized combat kills.

An F-16 variant developed through an international collaboration. While its design is optimized for air-to-ground and air-to-ship combat, the F-2A is also an effective air superiority fighter.

AMMO
Missile: 72
LASM: 12
XMAA: 20
SFFS: 14


X-02 Wyvern
Manufacturer: Erusian Air and Space Administration (EASA)
Role: Multirole
Manufactured: 1987-2004
Status: In Service
Primary Operators: Erusea, Osea, Yuktobania, Ustio, FCU, Aurelia
Quick Facts:

• Unlocked by having an Ace Combat 04 save file on the same memory card as your Zero file and completing Mission 1, Glacial Skies.
  
• Without an Ace Combat 04 save file, the Wyvern is unlocked by completing Ace Combat Zero twice on two different Ace Styles.
  
• [ALL OTHER INFORMATION CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED – SIGNED ROBERT SINCLAIR, PRESIDENT, FEDERATION OF CENTRAL USEA]
  

The pinnacle of Erusian military aviation technology, the 'Wyvern' combines stealth with extraordinary agility, made possible by its unique variable geometry wings.

AMMO
Missile: 84
XLAA: 14
QAAM: 14
XAGM: 16


We’ll be seeing more of the X-02 Wyvern two games down the road in Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies.



ADF-01 FALKEN
Manufacturer: North Osea Gründer Industries
Role: Next Generation Fighter
Manufactured: 1998-????
Status: In Service
Primary Operators: Osea, FCU, Aurelia
Quick Facts:

• Unlocked by having an Ace Combat 5 save file on the same memory card as your Zero file AND by beating the game once on each of the three Ace Styles.
  
• Without an Ace Combat 5 save file, the FALKEN is unlocked by earning the Supreme Knight, Supreme Soldier, and Supreme Mercenary medals.
  
• At $430,000, it is the single most expensive plane in the game.
  
• [ALL OTHER INFORMATION CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED BY OSEAN DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE]
  

Cutting-edge fighter aircraft incorporating the latest technologies developed by Gründer Industries. Its 360-degree view cockpit system gives its pilot an immense advantage in combat.

AMMO
Missile: 84
TLS: 14
XLAA: 18
FAEB: 8


Though it gets a fair bit of use here in post-mortem, our real introduction to the ADF-01 FALKEN is coming up in our next Ace Combat outing, Ace Combat 2. Stay tuned.






A NOTE ON THE ADLER

In addition to the Morgan, Wyvern, and Falken, Ace Combat Zero was supposed to have a fourth superplane on its roster: the ADA-01A ADLER, pictured above. The Adler was intended to debut in Ace Combat 5 as that game’s exclusive superplane, but ultimately never made it into the final product, nor into Zero.

For years, the Adler was “the one that got away” in terms of Ace Combat superplanes. It was intended to be the fighter bomber companion plane to the ADF-01 FALKEN, which originally appeared in Ace Combat 2, so spoilers for AC2 coming up next. However, the Adler never actually made it into either 5 or Zero and was dummied out of the game. Project Aces had a completed model for the Adler, but some unknown complications prevented it from being implemented in both games, most likely either issues with its hitbox or animation rigging or its exclusive special weapon.

Project Aces salvaged the model, showing it off in the ACES AT WAR artbook alongside the Falken with an explanatory note describing its absence from the final two games of the so called “Golden Trilogy” (04, 5, and Zero). Ten years later, the Adler would be resurrected, after a fashion, in Ace Combat Infinity as a slightly modified variant dubbed the ADA-01B ADLER. It’s unimplemented special weapon (the mysterious SDBM, a more powerful version of the Morgan’s Multi-Purpose Burst Missile or MPBM) was replaced by MPBM.

In Infinity, the Adler’s cockpit is also shown to be of a near identical model to the Falken’s COFFIN system as shown off predominantly in Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere. Beyond that, there’s not much to say about the Adler, except to touch on its name. The word adler is German for “eagle”, which further emphasizes the connection between it and the Falken as the word falken is German for “falcon”.




And now a quick run through of all the special weapons in Ace Combat Zero and a rough summation of what they do, in case anyone doesn’t have time to actually watch any of the videos.

AIR TO AIR

SAAM
Semi-Active Air-to-Air Missile


Must be manually guided to a target by keeping the target inside the guidance circle and within effective range, otherwise the shot will go off target. Normally a one-hit kill if it connects. Has the firing code “Fox 1”.



XLAA
Advanced Long Range Air-to-Air Missile


Locks on to four targets at a time, has the longest firing range of any air-to-air munitions in the game, and is a one-hit kill if it connects, but is highly inaccurate. Has the firing code "Fox 3".



XMAA
Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile


Locks on to four targets at a time at medium range, and is a one-hit kill if it connects, but is also highly inaccurate. Has the firing code "Fox 3".



QAAM
Quick Maneuver Air-to-Air Missile


Highly maneuverable missile, most accurate air-to-air ordinance in the game, offset by lower ammo count compared to the XLAA/XMAA.



AIR TO GROUND

NPB
Napalm Bomb


Strikes a small area in a straight line with a wave of fire. Sticks to kids.



UGB
Unguided Bomb


Impacts a small blast radius destroying all targets in effective range. Has the firing code "Pickle" in certain games.



UGBL
Unguided Bomb (Large)


Impacts a larger blast radius than the UGB, destroying all targets in effective range. Has the firing code "Pickle" in certain games.



RCL
Rocket Launcher


Fires a series of rockets in a spread pattern in front of the plane. Difficult to aim due to each rocket's randomized trajectory and launch vector.



FAEB
Fuel-Air Explosion Bomb


Creates a massive devastating blast by dispersing an aerosol gas cloud and then igniting it to form a fuel-air explosion effect.



BDSP
Bomblet Dispersal Pod


Dispenses a large number of tiny explosives which destroy targets along a fixed horizontal axis in front of the aircraft.



SFFS
Self-Forging Fragmentation Submunitons Bomb


Dispenses semi-guided bomblets which detonate with explosively formed penetration force when a ground target is detected. Drop altitude effects weapon coverage area.



GUIDED

LASM
Long Range Air-to-Ship Missile


A long range missile designed to destroy ground targets and ship targets. Specifically called an anti-ship missile in Zero, but will work against regular surface targets as well. Will not target aerial enemies.



LAGM
Long Range Air-to-Ground Missile


An extreme long range air-to-surface missile designed specifically to strike at SAM or AA installations from a safe distance.



XAGM
Advanced Air-to-Ground Missile


A shorter ranged air-to-ground missile capable of striking up to four targets at once.



SOD
Stand-Off Dispenser


Guided bomblet dispenser that causes massive damage through compounding explosions. Destroys all ground targets in a straight line depending on drop altitude and angle.



GPB
Ground Penetration Bomb


Aka a "bunker buster". Does massive damage against a single guided target and all other additional targets within its blast radius. Can lock on to ground targets within 2000ft distance.



UNIQUE

ECMP
Electronic Countermeasure Pod


Jams enemy radar rendering the plane immune to enemy lock ons for a brief period. Activating it while evading an incoming missile will disable that missile's lock on you and render it inert.



TLS
Tactical Laser System


A high powered chemical laser beam fired in a straight line in front of the plane and can be aimed by steering the plane towards a target. Anything caught in the beam for more than a second is a one-hit kill. The Morgan's laser lasts about 5 second, the Falken's lasts about 10.



MPBM
Multi-Purpose Burst Missile


A small scale ballistic missile capable of destroying any target, air or ground, caught in its massive blast radius. Its sheer destructive power is offset by its long reload time, limited ammo count, and one shot firing limit.













And with that, we have reached the end of Let’s Play Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, fully and completely. I’d just like to take this last opportunity to thank once again all my wonderful guest commentators, all of whom I intend to have back on for Ace Combat 2 if I can get them. Extra special thanks as well goes out to Lunethex and ACES CURE PLANES for going above and beyond the call of duty with the Electrosphere mini-LP and Mercenary mode videos, respectively.

I’d also like to thank you, the readers and viewers of this thread and the videos. You’ve made this all worthwhile for me and have given me the confidence to hopefully be able to see this whole project through to its completion with Ace Combat X or Ace Combat 7, when it’s released. So thank you all once again, and I hope to see you all in the coming weeks when we start into Let’s Play I’d Rather Be LPing Assault Horizon Legacy Ace Combat 2.


See you out there.