Campaign challenges
ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE — Mission 7 Ladon Bomber Challenge
Attributed rikermt replay route, published October 31. Exact build/difficulty and universal speed/altitude thresholds are unconfirmed; no independent game test.
At a glance
A creator’s Mission 7 replay records LADON ×1 in the final destroyed-target list. The described FA-36 route uses a delayed airfield approach, sustained pursuit and missile/gun attacks. It is an optional challenge, not a first-clear requirement or S-Rank route.
Can the Mission 7 Ladon be destroyed?
Yes: rikermt’s Mission 7 challenge recording ends with LADON ×1 in the destroyed-target list. The route below describes that creator’s FA-36 attempt, using SASM, HPAA, standard missiles and the gun. It is an optional bomber challenge, not a requirement for a first Campaign clear or a guaranteed S-Rank route.
The example is presented as a post-Campaign replay. Have access to the demonstrated aircraft and equipment before trying to copy it. Its exact installed build and difficulty were not established here; the site’s review is of the source, not an independent in-game test.
Prepare for the chase
Use the creator’s setup section to compare your aircraft, special weapons and speed-focused parts. The author explicitly says some extra parts were not tested for necessity, including the anti-stealth radar choice. Do not treat every listed part as a proven unlock requirement.
This route needs sustained pursuit and rapid attacks. A normal ground-attack loadout for clearing solar panels is a different objective from catching the bomber.
Follow the demonstrated attempt
- Delay the airfield approach. The author reports waiting before engaging the opening area, then clearing the solar-panel area to obtain a checkpoint/respawn update. He recommends approaching the airfield around 11:40 on the mission’s remaining TIME display. This is his route advice, not a separately measured universal trigger threshold.
- Approach the bomber’s runway. The airfield and take-off section shows the approach to copy. The author identifies the right-hand runway and turns in behind the departing bomber.
- Stay behind it and preserve speed. Use sustained acceleration and avoid losing the chase through a prolonged turn. The footage shows the FA-36 close behind the bomber, attacking its components. Exact HUD speed/altitude values are not presented here as universal thresholds or converted into unverified units.
- Use available locks quickly. Cycle between available components and standard missiles, SASM and HPAA. When target boxes disappear, the author continues gunfire while maintaining pursuit, then resumes locked attacks when targets become available again.
- Remain inside the combat area and finish the mission. Check the results: the demonstrated success is a LADON entry with a count of 1 under destroyed targets, not merely a damaged engine or an explosion during the chase.
If the attempt fails
| What happened | What to review |
|---|---|
| Bomber departs on a different path or opens a large gap | Compare when you approached the airfield with the creator’s delayed approach; do not assume an immediate chase uses the same route |
| You cannot hold a lock | Compare your distance and position with the pursuit section; the source also uses gunfire between lock opportunities |
| You lose too much speed | Review the turn into pursuit and the aircraft/parts setup; avoid treating one successful speed reading as a guaranteed minimum |
| Components are destroyed but the challenge is not confirmed | Complete the sortie and inspect the LADON row in the results |
The author uses a checkpoint to reduce repeated preparation. His results also show a checkpoint-restart penalty, so this attempt should not be copied as an S-Rank farming method.
What this result does not establish
The recording does not establish an alternate Campaign ending, a later Mission 15 consequence, a special reward, or the minimum possible equipment. The October update plan’s Mission 15 Ladon adjustment concerns a different encounter and is not proof that this Mission 7 route changed.
Full creator demonstration · Destroyed-target results near the end