Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault starts with a night flight through a narrow canyon. Before you can attack the enemy air base, you have to stay below 600 metres and avoid searchlights. Climb too high, get spotted or attack during the infiltration, and the mission fails. Only when you’ve reached the base can you start shooting.
This is a mission where a little patience beats brute force. A small, responsive aircraft, smooth turns and sensible speed make the opening far easier. The hard part isn’t destroying the base. It’s reaching it without getting a wing caught in the canyon wall.
Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault canyon walkthrough
Operation Werewolf divides into two distinct parts. First comes the low-level stealth route along the marked waypoints. After the canyon, the objective changes to destroying the air base’s defenses, parked aircraft and reinforcements. You have 20 minutes for the initial mission stage, but the canyon’s two-minute target is only relevant if you’re hunting a secret ace on a replay.
1. Keep the altimeter below 600 metres
In Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault, 600 metres is the maximum allowed height during the stealth approach. You can fly comfortably above the canyon floor, but going over that limit draws the enemy’s defenses. Watch the altitude readout while banking. It’s easy to drift upwards when you pull back too sharply during a tight corner.
2. Avoid the moving searchlight beams
Look ahead rather than just at your immediate position. Searchlights sweep parts of the canyon, and flying into the beam can end the mission even if your aircraft stays low. Time your approach to pass through a clear opening. The lights are a detection hazard, not targets to destroy during this stage.
For Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault, don’t try to fire missiles or shoot your way past a searchlight. The canyon infiltration is meant to be completed without attacking. Save your weapons for the airfield on the other side.
3. Slow down for the narrow corners
The canyon narrows and twists as you progress. Reduce speed before each difficult bend, roll toward the exit and straighten the aircraft before accelerating again. You don’t need a perfect racing line to clear the mission. Larger jets and extreme speed can make the route harder simply because there’s less room to correct mistakes.
Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault airfield assault walkthrough
Once you reach the air base, the stealth restrictions end. Now destroy the enemy targets defending the installation. Clear nearby SAMs and AA guns early so you can make safer attack runs over the runway. Use air-to-ground weapons to deal with grouped structures instead of flying in circles and firing single standard missiles at everything.
4. Destroy the parked bombers
There are three B-52 bombers parked outside a hangar. They do not take off, so you can destroy them on the ground. An AC-130U can attempt to flee to the north if it gets airborne. For Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault, dealing with the vulnerable ground targets early is often easier than pursuing a transport or aircraft once it has started moving away.
5. Finish the defending forces and reinforcements
As the strike continues, enemy fighters and helicopters reinforce the area. Attack the mission-marked targets, then check your radar for anything you’ve missed. If the runway looks clear but the operation hasn’t finished, you probably still have an airborne target or another surface defense to destroy.
Best aircraft and weapons for Mission 14
A compact multirole jet is a strong choice for Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault. You want manageable handling for the canyon and useful air-to-ground weapons for the base. The Gripen E is a reasonable option if available, but choose a plane whose turning response you understand. A faster interceptor can work on a practiced route, although it leaves less reaction time near the cliff faces.
If you’re losing in the second half, take a loadout with strong surface attack potential. If you’re failing before reaching the base, a weapon swap won’t help. Change your flying style instead.
GADFLY spawn condition in Cape Rainy Assault
GADFLY is the optional Su-47 enemy ace in Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault. He appears with Su-35S reinforcements from the north if you finish the canyon in under two minutes. The condition only applies after you’ve already completed the mission, on Normal difficulty or higher.
That means you should learn the route safely first. Once you know each turn and searchlight position, replay it with a faster aircraft to attempt the hidden ace. There’s no reason to take those risks during your first story completion.
Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault: S rank and FAQ
What’s the S-rank score?
The S-rank calculation requires 32,640 combined target points and time bonus. Completing the mission in nine minutes or less earns the full 18,040 time bonus, leaving 14,600 points from targets. Finishing later cuts the time bonus, so you need more target points to compensate.
Why does the canyon phase fail instantly?
You’ve probably exceeded 600 metres, flown through a searchlight or broken the stealth rule. In Ace Combat 7 Mission 14 Cape Rainy Assault, there is no chance to fight your way out of detection. Restart and approach the difficult section more slowly.
Do I need to fly the canyon in under two minutes?
No. That’s the GADFLY spawn condition on a replay, not a basic story requirement. A safe, slower route is entirely fine when you simply want to finish the mission.
Our Ace Combat 7 Mission 13 Bunker Buster guide covers the previous sortie. This mission rewards a very different skill: measured flying first, aggressive target clearing second.
Official game information and artwork: Bandai Namco Entertainment.
