Crimson Team

* Parade colors
* Parade without stars
* Camo

*"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 (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 was out of country when the war 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.

* Crimson escaped from
* Crimson driven off

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.

Despite arriving too late to save the refinery, they were successful in chasing off the mercenaries. 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.

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 Crystal Kingdom 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 all the transports, along with most of the 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 Crystal Kingdom's orders.

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 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 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
00001PEACEKEEPER01
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.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 06: "Machine of the Mantle."
2. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 13: "Valkyrie's Call."
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 18: "Return."
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 21: "Kings."
5. ↑ Sector D2 Limited. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Files Archive → Pilot Entries: Peacekeeper | Crimson Squadron
6. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 05: "Sirens of Defeat."
7. ↑ Sector D2 Limited. (TBA). *Project Wingman* *Artbook*. p. 102-103
8. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 08: "Clear Skies."
9. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 09: "Stepping Stone."
10. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 11: "Cold War."
11. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 12: "Midnight Light."
12. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 13: "Valkyrie's Call."
13. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 15: "Consequence of Power."
14. ↑ Sector D2. (2020). *Project Wingman* [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 20: "Presidia."