Crimson Team

Crimson Team
Part of	Pacific Federation Federation Military Forces Federation Air Force Federation Peacekeepers
Designation	Federation Peacekeeper/Peacekeeping Squadron - Crimson Team Crimson PK Crimson
Commander(s)	Cascadian Peacekeeper Commander Crimson 1 (KIA)
Members	Crimson 5 (KIA) Crimson 7 (KIA) 5-10 other members (KIA)
Equipment/Vehicle	VX-23 † Sk.37 Decimator-B † PW-Mk.I †
Deployment	Oceanian War Cascadian Conflict Operation Flash Hazard Operation Guillotine CIF Offensive Campaign Mission Kaibir-59 Operation Recall Presidian Disaster Duel over Presidia
Creation	Unknown
Dissolution	August 2, AC 432 Operation Recall

"We've got confirmed ID on these hostiles. We've got them pegged as Cascadia's Federation Peacekeepers."

― Dominic Zaitsev during Operation Flash Hazard

Crimson Team (FD-PKP-01/FP-01), also known as Crimson Squadron, was the Federation Peacekeeper fighter squadron assigned to Cascadia. Their leader, Crimson 1, was a poster boy for the Federation Air Force, and was considered to be the top ace of the world. The entire squadron was defeated twice in the Cascadian Conflict, being shot down during Operation Recall, and their loss was part of what led Crimson 1 to perpetrate the Presidian Disaster.

Crimson is the main antagonist squadron of Project Wingman.

Overview

Crimson Team, even among their fellow Peacekeepers, was considered the best of the best. They were brutal and merciless in combat, a reflection of their expected pure loyalty to the Federation. They typically flew in eight-plane flights of an equal amount of VX-23s and Sk.37 Decimator-Bs; the latter aircraft were flown by Crimson's older members. In the early stages of the Cascadian Conflict, they flew in parade colors to show off against their ostensibly inferior adversaries, but as the war turned against the Federation, they gradually ditched those colors before finally adopting military camo in their final battle.

History

Crimson Team deployed with other Cascadian National Guard elements to Oceania during its rebellion against the Federation.

Monarch engaging Crimson Team

Crimson was out of country when the Cascadian Conflict started, only arriving a few days after the Fall of Presidia. After arriving, they first saw combat during Operation Flash Hazard, where they were deployed to the Apodock Fracture to halt an attack by mercenary pilots on the cordium refinery there. Despite arriving too late to save the refinery, they were successful in chasing off the mercenaries.

They were particularly focused on Sicario's Hitman Team leader Monarch (the "Crown" HVT), who eluded their attacks quicker than the others. Due to their low fuel and ammunition from other deployments, they were forced to abandon the pursuit, Crimson 1 being bothered by his future archnemesis' skill.

They were caught off-guard by Sicario's Hitman Team leader Monarch (the "Crown" HVT), who somehow managed to heavily damage one of their members and forced them to give up the pursuit. Crimson 1, returning to base unharmed, remarked his future archnemesis "got lucky", and Monarch's allies were surprised at his feat.

Monarch shooting down a Crimson member

From then on, Crimson Team began warning their allies of the mercenary threat (particularly Hitman) and that they must take them seriously, having HQ send warnings and bulletins. However, these all failed to stop them from giving the Cascadian Independence Force further victories. They were fighting in another theater when Federation High Command redirected them to a furball over the Bering Strait, where a rapid escalation of force deployment over the pursuit of Federation transport planes carrying disorganized veteran troops had led to a massive air battle.

Their arrival was too little too late; by then, the CIF and their allies had shot down most of the transports and Federation fighters there. Regardless, Crimson and their reinforcements and survivors engaged, targeting the mercenaries and Hitman one by one specifically. Unfortunately, despite their pattern adjustments, they lost five members to Monarch in the furball and were forced to retreat along with what few survivors remained per HIGHCOMM's orders. Worse, in a reverse of their first pursuit of Hitman, they ran out of ammunition in the dogfight, becoming easy prey for the Thorn Rose Gang and having to rely on Division K-9 to save them; AWACS Vita was notably stunned at how far had their might fallen.

The squadron was next seen at the Harkema Industrial Park and then Sawaiiki testing the PW-Mk.I. Crimson 7, at both places, was ordered to take the Project Wingman fighter out of the combat zone, first to Federation territory and then the Federation Core States, where Icarus Armories would finish the aircraft. They pushed off of Magadan invading rebel forces in Mission Kaibir-59 and were busy covering Federation retreats as the tide of war soured for them, and were unavailable as reinforcements for Prospero when the trade city was besieged.

Crimson Team's fall

Crimson Team sortied under unknown orders, if any, to Prospero and intercepted Hitman Team, engaging them in a final dogfight over the volcano and ruins of the city following the Cascadian Calamity Event. All members of Crimson were shot down and presumably killed aside from Crimson 1, who survived being downed. Crimson 1 would go on to obtain the PW-Mk.I with help from collaborators and, in the midst of a climatic battle and ceasefire between CIF and Federation forces at Presidia, perpetrate an unsanctioned atrocity on Presidia using a cordium warhead, killing millions, and shoot down all of Monarch's allies to provoke him into a final duel to avenge his fallen comrades. However, Crimson 1 was shot down and killed by Monarch in the burning skies of Presidia, presumably resulting in the dissolution of Crimson Team for good.

Trivia

• Crimson Team's tailcode designation seems to be shared and reads as follows:
  FP-01
  00001^PEACEKEEPER₀₁
  HWID-231.2.6
  
• Crimson Team in its entirety is a giant homage to Yellow Squadron from Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies:
  • Both are hailed as the most elite units of their countries' respective air forces.
  • Both are named for colors - Crimson Team being named for a shade of deep red, and Yellow Squadron being nicknamed for the yellow highlights on their aircraft.
  • Both feature female members that mention their aircraft suffering from engine issues affecting their flight performance.
  • Both warned their comrades to take the protagonist seriously.
  • Additionally, in both Machine of the Mantle (if the player drove Crimson off) and Cold War, allies and enemies alike express surprise at the protagonist defeating them.
  • Both share their (and Mobius 1's) signature aircraft in a way.
  • Furthermore, their red paint schemes, use of Sukhoi aircraft, and presence in large numbers evoke Strigon Team somewhat.
• Crimson Team also shares a lot of similarities to Strigon Team from Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.
  • Both are the most elite units of their country's air force.
  • Both use Sukhoi aircraft in large numbers with red paint schemes.
  • Both have leaders who went rogue and use the game's resident superplane in their last battle with the protagonist.
  • Both last battles with the leaders take place at a capital city.
• The other unnamed members of Crimson Team are voiced by Trent Martin and Kevin Thelwell.
• Crimson's Sk.37s feature in Conquest mode, albeit with Skin 2.
• As of Patch 2.0.11, their subtitle identifier was extended to "Federation Peacekeeper | Crimson Pilot ("Pilot" replaced by numbers from numbered members)" and their CO to "Federation Peacekeeper | Commander." In Crimson 1's case, he reverts to just "Crimson 1" by Mission 21, perhaps symbolizing his rogue status after perpetrating the Presidian Disaster.