Ace Combat 7 DLC Missions: Unexpected Visitor, Anchorhead Raid and Ten Million Relief Plan

Ace Combat 7 DLC missions are three additional story sorties called Unexpected Visitor, Anchorhead Raid and Ten Million Relief Plan. They tell a connected story about the massive submarine Alicorn, and they’re separate from the 20 missions in the original campaign.

If you’re wondering which order to play them in or why the SP Mission menu is empty, the answer depends on your edition. The original releases on PlayStation, Xbox and PC offered these missions as DLC, while the Nintendo Switch Deluxe Edition includes all three in the package.

Ace Combat 7 DLC missions in story order

These three missions were the fourth, fifth and sixth downloadable content releases for Ace Combat 7, following the Raven, FALKEN and Morgan aircraft packs. Those aircraft packs don’t contain the SP missions by themselves, so make sure you are buying the correct DLC if you want the extra story.

SP Mission 01: Unexpected Visitor

Unexpected Visitor sends Trigger and allied forces to Artiglio Port, where a massive Erusean submarine called the Alicorn has been discovered. The initial operation is to gain air superiority and protect an assault force attempting to capture the submarine.

The first stage is a busy aerial battle. You earn the required points by shooting down enemies while protecting the allied landing ship. Later the operation changes and you need to intercept the aircraft responsible for a cruise missile threat. Read each updated objective rather than continuing to farm ordinary enemy fighters.

For this Ace Combat 7 DLC missions opener, we’d choose an aircraft that feels comfortable against many aerial targets. A multi-target special weapon helps when several enemies are close together, but accuracy and protecting your allies matter just as much.

SP Mission 02: Anchorhead Raid

Anchorhead Raid moves the action to the port and naval facilities at Anchorhead. Your first job is to build enough score by destroying ships, port structures and other enemy units before the battle changes course.

This is the sortie where an anti-ship or powerful ground-attack weapon is particularly useful. The environment is packed with worthwhile targets, so don’t waste time chasing an isolated aircraft when ships and installations can provide substantial points.

Later in the mission you face Mimic Squadron, an aggressive pair of enemy pilots. Once the marked objective switches to them, change your approach from clearing ground targets to dealing with manoeuvring fighters.

Ace Combat 7 DLC missions: SP Mission 03 Ten Million Relief Plan

Ten Million Relief Plan is the finale of the Alicorn storyline. Its captain, Matias Torres, plans to launch a catastrophic attack, and Trigger’s squadron has to stop the submarine before that happens.

The early phase involves protecting allied maritime patrol aircraft while they search for the Alicorn. Once its position is known, the fight changes to damaging the submarine itself, including ballast tanks and its powerful rail cannon. Pay attention to short, urgent objective updates towards the end.

This is the hardest of the three Ace Combat 7 DLC missions to prepare for with a one-size-fits-all aircraft. You need to defend allies in the air and then attack a huge naval target. A multirole plane and a loadout you understand will help more than choosing a weapon solely because it is strong in a standard dogfight.

Ace Combat 7 DLC missions: how to access all three

• Check which edition you own and whether the three SP missions are included.
• If you’re on a standard original-platform edition, check your installed DLC or Season Pass entitlements.
• Install the mission content through your console store or Steam if it isn’t already installed.
• Launch the game and look for the separate SP Mission menu option.
• Choose Unexpected Visitor first, then Anchorhead Raid and Ten Million Relief Plan to follow the connected story.

The Ace Combat 7 DLC missions aren’t simply appended as Missions 21, 22 and 23 to the main campaign. They’re accessed through their own menu. If you can only see the original 20 missions, check your installed content before assuming your save is broken.

Are the DLC missions included with Switch Deluxe Edition?

Yes. Bandai Namco’s official Nintendo Switch Deluxe Edition announcement lists all three SP missions as part of the package, alongside the three original aircraft sets and extra bonuses. You don’t need to buy Unexpected Visitor, Anchorhead Raid or Ten Million Relief Plan again for that edition.

The same statement doesn’t apply automatically to every version sold for PC, PlayStation or Xbox. A Season Pass or specific bundle may include the missions, but buying the standard base game alone is not proof of ownership.

Are the Ace Combat 7 DLC missions the same as PlayStation VR missions?

No. The Ace Combat 7 VR missions are a completely separate set of three short headset-specific experiences tied to the original PS4 PlayStation VR release. The SP missions are conventional campaign-style story add-ons and do not require a VR headset.

Do the Ace Combat 7 DLC missions count for ACE OF ACES?

The ACE OF ACES achievement asks for an S rank on the standard campaign’s 20 missions on Ace difficulty. The three SP missions have their own results and S-rank targets; they are extra challenges, not additional mandatory entries for that base-campaign achievement.

We would play the Ace Combat 7 DLC missions in order, especially on a first run. The characters, threat and missions build on each other, so starting with the finale would spoil the story and leave you without the context for why the Alicorn is such a dangerous target.

For the Switch package, see our Ace Combat 7 Switch Deluxe Edition guide. If you need help choosing a loadout, our Ace Combat 7 Best Special Weapons guide compares aerial and naval options.

Official source: Bandai Namco official Ace Combat 7 DLC mission catalogue.