Ace Combat 8 Mission 7 isn’t a normal clear-the-map sortie. A Lifeline in the Desert is an Annihilation Battle: earn the required points in 15 minutes and you’re through. There are four target-heavy areas, and clearing the right clusters is worth far more than chasing scattered fighters.
A sensible route is the northwestern solar farm, western airfield, southern refinery and central ammunition store. They can be tackled in any order; this one gives you plenty of easy ground targets before you run short of weapons. The refineries are also where you can trigger the hidden Ace Orcus with a chain reaction, so don’t let your wingmen blow up the wrong tanks if that’s your goal.
Ace Combat 8 Mission 7 walkthrough: Four target areas
Operation Squeeze gives you a few tools to work with. You can carry two different special weapons, although their ammunition is divided between the selections, and a return line allows a landing to repair and reload. A multirole aircraft with unguided bombs is a sound starting choice because this mission has large clusters of ground targets.
Ace Combat 8 Mission 7 score targets by difficulty
There is a 15-minute limit, but the score you need depends on your difficulty. You can stop clearing optional targets once the score requirement has been met.
| Difficulty | Required score |
|---|---|
| Rookie | 15,000 |
| Pilot | 24,000 |
| Veteran | 30,000 |
| Elite | 33,000 |
| Ace | 36,000 |
1. Northwest solar farm
Start at the solar farm. Don’t spend a missile on every panel. Your machine gun can destroy fragile panels, while fuel trucks can start explosions that clear several targets together. Watch for the helicopters and fighters in the area, then clear the two concentrated solar-power stations and nearby surface threats. The important thing is to exploit the closely packed targets rather than meticulously picking them off one at a time.
2. Western airfield
Head to the airbase and attack the parked aircraft while they’re still on the runway. One well-placed bomb can wipe out a cluster more efficiently than chasing every plane after takeoff. Clear ground targets first, then deal with aircraft that are already in the air. Completing the airfield section also makes another return line available, which is helpful if your bombs or standard missiles are running low.
3. Southern oil refineries
This is the most rewarding part of Ace Combat 8 Mission 7 if you use chain reactions. Fuel storage tanks can take neighbouring targets with them, saving ammunition and rapidly increasing score. Remove nearby AA weapons before starting repeated bombing runs. Two Land Aegis vehicles are present around the refinery fighting, and strong anti-surface weapons can deal with them directly.
If you’re hunting Orcus, slow down here. The first Land Aegis can pass beside a group of fuel tanks. Wait until it’s close, then hit the tanks so the explosion catches the vehicle. Don’t order your wingmen to attack freely in this part of the map: they can destroy the tanks before the Land Aegis reaches them and ruin your chance.
4. Central ammunition depots
Finish by heading to the ammunition storage area. There are several AA positions to remove, and the reinforced depots need a low approach aimed at their openings rather than a generic high-altitude attack. Those depots are worth substantial points, so they’re worth finishing if you’re close to the required score. Keep one objective standing if you still need time to destroy other targets and build the total.
Remember that Ace Combat 8 Mission 7 has a score objective and a time limit. Reaching the requirement is the main job; wiping the entire map isn’t necessary. If you’ve run short of bombs, use the return line for repairs and a complete ammunition refill, then resume from the nearest target zone.
How to spawn Orcus in Ace Combat 8 Mission 7
Orcus is an EA-6B electronic-warfare aircraft. Finish the campaign, select Free Mission at Veteran difficulty or higher and destroy a Land Aegis by catching it in a chain explosion near the refinery tanks. Orcus then appears around the refinery airspace. Its electronic-warfare effects can make the fight awkward, so get it clear of other threats before trying to land repeated missile hits.
The chain reaction must be the trigger; simply destroying the Land Aegis with direct missiles is not the same challenge. Once Orcus is destroyed, finish the mission to retain its Assault Record. If your wingmen blow up the tanks before the vehicle reaches them, restart rather than waiting for a trigger you can no longer set up.
Ace Combat 8 Mission 7: Quick fixes for a low score
If you’re missing the score target, stop dogfighting isolated aircraft and attack dense ground clusters. Fuel trucks, refinery tanks and parked planes pay out quickly because one explosion can remove several enemies. If the northeast depots won’t take damage, approach their openings at a lower altitude instead of wasting missiles on the hardened exterior.
Another common mistake is refusing to resupply. The return line exists for exactly this sort of sprawling operation. Use it when you’re short of special weapons, particularly if you still have heavily defended areas left. A repaired aircraft with fresh bombs is much more effective than limping across the map with only your machine gun.
Ace Combat 8 Mission 7 FAQ
Ace Combat 8 Mission 7: Must I destroy every enemy?
No. Meet the required Annihilation Battle score within the time limit. Optional targets help with score and rank, but clearing the map completely isn’t compulsory.
Where do I find Orcus?
Near the refinery area after a Land Aegis is caught in a chain explosion. This is an optional Ace trigger available only in the post-campaign Veteran-or-higher replay.
Can I reload bombs during the mission?
Yes. Cross the return line and land at the airbase to restock your standard and special weapons and repair damage. That makes Ace Combat 8 Mission 7 far more forgiving than it initially appears.
