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PowerPyx’s September 29, 2026 guide reports 52 campaign special-unit pilots and 31 optional enemy aces in ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE. The special units generally appear automatically; optional aces are reported to require Veteran difficulty or higher and a mission-specific trigger. Shoot an ace down to record it. The guide says doing so also unlocks that aircraft type’s paint scheme for campaign use. Several entries are incomplete or have conditions that are not fully stated, so treat this as a guide-reported checklist, not a developer-confirmed complete roster.
How Assault Record ace spawns work
The PowerPyx Assault Records guide separates its reported entries into campaign special units and optional aces. These are campaign collectibles, not the separate ACE COMBAT ONLINE mode, which Bandai Namco describes as having its own progression and save data on the official game page.
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- Special-unit pilots: The guide counts 52. Most appear automatically during their mission; the listed exception is the Lux Lunae 22nd Unit in Mission 28, which depends on destroying Shadow 24 in Mission 18.
- Optional aces: The guide counts 31 and says they appear on Veteran difficulty or higher after their individual trigger. The consulted official Bandai Namco pages do not confirm that difficulty threshold or the specific triggers.
- Recording a pilot: Shoot the ace down. PowerPyx reports that the record also unlocks the paint scheme for that aircraft type for campaign use.
- Trigger patterns: The conditions include time limits, destroying targets in a particular order, preserving or destroying units, and flying through a specific route. When a condition is timed or order-dependent, prioritize it rather than assuming the ace will remain available afterward.
The official ACE COMBAT 8 walkthrough describes a campaign built around fighter aircraft, mission-specific loadouts, and upgrade parts. The locations below refer to campaign missions in that context.
Mission-by-mission Assault Record locations
Mission names, operation names, aircraft and spawn instructions in the table are reported by PowerPyx. “Automatic” means the guide lists no special trigger for that unit. An entry marked unknown or not stated is not filled in by inference. The guide’s visible list skips Mission 14, which should not be taken as evidence that the mission has no record.
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#1 Best Overall
ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE - PlayStation 5
- ACE COMBAT 8 DELIVERS HIGH-OCTANE AERIAL ACTION! Step into the cockpit and take flight as an elite pilot across stunning skies. Enter intense dogfights, eliminate threats, and rise through gripping missions to earn your wings. The game is developed by PROJECT ACES, the acclaimed team behind the franchise.
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| Mission | Special-unit pilots | Optional ace and reported spawn condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — “Jokers Wild” (Operation Seabird) | None listed. | Gigas — Mirage 2000-5: Destroy all non-target enemy aircraft. |
| 2 — “Nomad” (Operation Falling Sparks) | None listed. | Crematio — A-6E Intruder: Destroy at least four enemy aircraft within three minutes of mission start. |
| 3 — “Purple Magic Takes Flight” (Operation Frostwave) | Lux Lunae 160th Unit: Gladiator, Captor, Domitor and Praedo — MiG-29A Fulcrum. Automatic. | Raia — F/A-18C Hornet: Destroy all bombers before they come within a certain range of White Valley Base. The guide does not specify the range. |
| 4 — “The Fall of the Numbered Fleets” (Operation Elder Hand) | None listed. | Auster — Gripen E: Fly into the tunnel. |
| 5 — “Retaking of Theve” (Operation Long Shot) | None listed. | Name and aircraft not established: The guide says all LCACs must survive. A September 30 reader comment suggests Custos — SU-25SM, but the guide does not independently verify that identification. |
| 6 — “Attack on the Drinwich Airfield” (Operation Redouble) | None listed. | Flamma — MiG-31B Foxhound: Destroy at least five target enemies within three minutes of mission start. |
| 7 — “A Lifeline in the Desert” (Operation Squeeze) | None listed. | Orcus — EA-6B Prowler: Destroy the Land Aegis by chain reaction. |
| 8 — “Retaking of Theve II” (Operation Gut Shot) | Lux Lunae 77th Unit: Novacula and Talus — F-15E Strike Eagle. 150th Unit: Aranea, Luscinia, Vespa, Cerambyx, Lucanus, Locusta, Libellula and Gallus — F-16C Fighting Falcon. 180th Unit: Patriota and Tormentum — Mirage 2000-5. All listed as automatic. | Tessera — MiG-21bis Fishbed: Destroy all non-target surface weapons. |
| 9 — “The Land Battleship Blockade” (Operation Ogre Pitfall) | None listed. | Judex — MiG-29A Fulcrum: Destroy the land battleship’s secondary tread armor before it reaches the second slowdown line. |
| 10 — “Over the Rainband” (Operation Raincoat) | None listed. | Vorago — F-15C Eagle: Destroy an airship within 70 seconds after laser targeting begins. |
| 11 — “Maximum Payload” (Operation Gaffed Card) | Lux Lunae 55th Unit: Lacerta, Aspis, Vipera and Salamandra — MiG-31B Foxhound. Automatic. | Larus — F-14D Super Tomcat: Eliminate all Shadows before eliminating the Podarge. |
| 12 — “An Island in Darkness” (Operation Worker Bee) | None listed. | Imber — F/A-18F Super Hornet: Destroy all LCACs within three minutes of takeoff. |
| 13 — “The People of the Lost Country” (Operation Twin Birds) | None listed. | Sicarius — Su-47 Berkut: Destroy at least five radar towers before the transport lands. |
| 14 | No entry appears in the guide’s visible mission list; whether this reflects a missing listing or no record is not established. | |
| 15 — “Wings of Wax” (Operation Deal Cards) | None listed. | Lupus — Su-33 Flanker-D: Destroy one Ladon, then shoot down the ace before destroying the second Ladon. |
| 16 — “Singer” (Operation Lighthouse Lady) | None listed. | Currus — F-16C Fighting Falcon: Appears when UAVs launch. The guide says its location varies with the third ship’s location. |
| 17 — “Land Battleship No. 3” (Operation Broncobuster) | None listed. | Name and aircraft not established: The guide says to destroy all targets before the B-1B reaches halfway. A reader comment proposes F-4E Avus on Veteran, appearing after bombers attack the turret; this identification and trigger are not independently confirmed by the guide. |
| 18 — “Moonlight and Shadows” (Operation Branching Path) | Lux Lunae 140th Unit: Safitta and Arcus — Su-47 Berkut. The guide conditions their appearance on arriving with Shadow 22 and Shadow 24. | Curis — F-15J Eagle: Destroy Shadow 24. At checkpoint 18-4, Curis appears south of the launch pad. |
| 19 — “Clearing the Lighthouse” (Operation Silver String) | None listed. | Aleator — F/A-18E Super Hornet: Destroy all Su-47s. |
| 20 — “Escort Orbiter” (Operation Migration Keeper) | Lux Lunae 100th Unit: Corvus, Ulula, Picus, Cygnus, Hirundo and Grus — F-14D Super Tomcat. 99th Unit: Tigris, Lynx, Panthera and Vulpes — F-22A Raptor. Both units automatic. | Periodus — Su-35S Flanker-E: Destroy at least one B-2. |
| 21 — “The Star-Bound Bird” (Operation Dawn Rising) | None listed. | Alienus — EA-18G Growler: Sink all enemy ships. |
| 22 — “Pursuing the HSCA” (Operation Patch of Blue) | None listed. | Caligo — Rafale M: Approach the Celaeno without being spotted. |
| 23 — “The Destruction of Expo City” (Operation Rumbling) | 8th Pastoral Air Wing, 1st Fighter Squadron: Niveus and Pruina — Su-35S Flanker-E. Automatic. | Milvus — A-10C Thunderbolt II, and Cantrix — FA-36 Game: Destroy all Lux Lunae ace units within three minutes of their appearance. |
| 24 — “The Battle of Rocky Island, Day 1” (Operation Coastal Hammer) | None listed. | Name and aircraft not established: Appears when all LCACs reach land. |
| 25 — “The Battle of Rocky Island, Day 2” (Operation Paint it Blue) | Lux Lunae 33rd Unit: Monoceros, Siren, Larva and Mors — Typhoon. The guide lists the 44th Unit: Poeta, Tempestas, Vorticosus and Malacia — Su-33 Flanker-D; and the 120th Unit: Athleta, Gladius, Flagrum and Lancea — Gripen E. It does not state explicit appearance conditions for the latter two units. | Cinis — F-15E Strike Eagle: Destroy all land destroyers and the Land Aegis. Silacrum — EA-36 Barricader: Fly between the floating Podarges and the ocean surface. |
| 26 — “Crossing Fleets” (Operation King Tide) | None listed. | Lucidius — F-2A: Destroy all enemy surface units on Cima Island. |
| 27 — “Fatsia, The Ocean Fortress” (Operation Rootbreaker) | None listed. | Stiria — Typhoon: Fly through gaps in the Megafloat spokes. |
| 28 — “A Thousand Points of Light” (Operation Locust Purge) | Lux Lunae 22nd Unit: Doctus, Salatrix, Acrobates, Anteros and Ares — Su-57 Felon. Requires Shadow 24 to have been destroyed in Mission 18, Operation Branching Path. | Harmonius — F-35C Lightning II: Destroy five bombers within five minutes of mission start. The guide estimates the ace appears at about 23:40 remaining on the mission clock. |
| 29 — “Selene” (Operation Lunar Eclipse) | Selene, Commander of 1st Special Operations Wing — X-40 Nightmare. Automatic. | Prudens — Su-57 Felon: Fly under an urban highway bridge. |
| 30 — “Song of Wings” (Operation Showdown) | None listed. | Tegimen — F-22A Raptor: Destroy at least three submarine-launched swarm missile dispensers before the missiles are released. |
Planning a run for the optional aces
Because the guide reports timed and order-dependent triggers, a completion run is easier to manage if you separate those from automatic unit records. These are practical recommendations inferred from the listed conditions, not independently tested spawn mechanics.
- Prioritize a clock: Missions 2, 6, 10, 12, 23 and 28 have explicit time limits. Complete the required kills inside the stated window before pursuing optional targets.
- Respect target order: Mission 11 requires eliminating Shadows before the Podarge; Mission 15 requires killing the ace between destroying the first and second Ladon; Mission 18 ties Curis to Shadow 24; Mission 30 requires destroying dispensers before missile release.
- Watch survival and route conditions: Mission 5’s unidentified ace is tied to all LCACs surviving. Missions 4, 27 and 29 require flying through or under a specified route; Mission 25’s Silacrum requires a narrow flight path between objects and the ocean.
- Use checkpoints or replay when available: If a trigger is missed, retrying the mission or returning to a suitable checkpoint may be more efficient than continuing without the spawn. The available guide does not establish checkpoint behavior for every trigger.
What is and is not confirmed
Bandai Namco’s official September 25, 2026 game overview and its product pages establish the game and campaign context, but do not document Assault Record counts, ace identities, difficulty eligibility, or spawn requirements. The 52 special-unit and 31 optional-ace totals, as well as the mission instructions above, are PowerPyx’s guide-reported information, not official developer-confirmed mechanics.
Rank #2
HORI Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Flight Stick for Playstation 5, Playstation 4, and Windows PC- Officially Licensed by Bandai Namco Entertainment and Sony
- Magnetic contactless sensors provide smooth, accurate input and long‑lasting durability
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- Ambidextrous, symmetrical design
- Dedicated High‑G Mode button for instantly trigger High-G turns
- Officially Licensed by Bandai Namco Entertainment and SONY
PowerPyx’s visible list has gaps: it skips Mission 14, leaves the identities of the Mission 5, 17 and 24 aces unstated, and omits explicit conditions for some Mission 25 units. Its September 30 reader comment suggesting a Mission 5 identity and the Mission 17 comment suggesting an identity and trigger should not be treated as verified corrections. For an uncertain entry, use the stated objective as a lead rather than assuming an unlisted name or condition is settled.
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ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE | Standard Edition | Xbox Series X|S Digital Code
- TAKE FLIGHT AS AN ELITE ACE — Step into the cockpit and soar through thrilling missions, intense dogfights, and high-stakes aerial combat developed by PROJECT ACES.
- AERIAL WARFARE IN LIVING SKIES — Experience stunning visuals featuring dynamic multi-layered cloudscapes, realistic weather conditions, and breathtaking skies that transform every battle.
- FAST-PACED ARCADE AIR COMBAT — Engage enemy aircraft, deploy powerful weapons, and dominate the battlefield with the signature high-speed gameplay the ACE COMBAT series is known for.
- A VISCERAL PILOT STORY — Experience dramatic first-person sequences, cinematic storytelling, squad relationships, and the pressures of command between missions.
- THE LARGEST ONLINE MODE IN SERIES HISTORY — Explore the franchise's first online lobby, customize your avatar, and sortie into online missions with pilots worldwide.
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