Ace Combat 8 Mission 7
Mission 7 is a timed Annihilation Battle. Choose the order of your attacks, use explosive targets to clear nearby structures, and replenish weapons at the return line. If you are stuck on a black loading screen before the sortie, that is a separate issue from failing the mission objective.
Make the next decision from the cockpit
- 1
A group of ground targets is still intact
Look for flammable objects in the group
An oil tank explosion can destroy nearby structures through a chain reaction. Prioritize a clear shot over repeatedly circling a scattered target.
- 2
Weapons are running low
Plan a trip to the return line
The return line replenishes weapons during the mission. Make the resupply decision before you are left unable to attack; the clock still limits the sortie.
- 3
A distant target will take a long detour
Compare it with closer target groups
Annihilation gives you freedom to choose the attack order. Travel time competes with time spent attacking; there is no single route that suits every loadout.
Build a sortie around the targets
The counterattack includes a solar power plant, oil tanks, an air base and an ammunition dump. Ground-target groups give you opportunities to make one attack do more work through secondary explosions. Nearby structures can also be destroyed where a downed aircraft crashes, but do not make an exact crash location the basis of your plan.
Choose weapons you can use accurately against the targets you intend to attack. The aircraft list groups jets by role; Aircraft Tree and MRP explains campaign unlocks. A role label alone does not establish the best plane or weapon for your current unlocks.
Resupply checklist
- Check ammunition before committing to another target group.
- Locate the return line and account for the round trip.
- Read the remaining time and current objective in your own HUD.
- After replenishing weapons, attack a reachable group rather than retracing a cleared area.
Clearing the objective and chasing a rank are different
Use the objective and score requirement shown in your mission, with your selected difficulty. This plan covers target order and resupply; it does not give an S-rank score cutoff or promise a fixed MRP payout. Do not restart a successful clear just because another guide uses a different score.
Black screen before Mission 7?
Linux players have reported a black screen with audio during briefings or a loading spinner before this mission. Some report that a different Proton build restores playback, while another reports a startup crash afterward. That is a compatibility experiment, not a guaranteed mission fix. The Steam Deck and Linux checks explain how to compare one change and roll it back. Windows crashes belong on the crash troubleshooting page.
Return to the campaign mission list for the wider campaign. This page avoids later story details so you can plan the sortie without reading ending spoilers.