Guardian Angel

 is the third mission in the American campaign of Generals.

Background
A battle between an American armoured division supported by the United Nations and its European allies against the GLA aggressors ended badly and the Americans were forced to retreat through the cold mountain passes, with the GLA attack force in hot pursuit. An American commander was asked to provide covering fire for 100 of the retreating forces while they cross the pass.

Providing air cover
Before the first retreating forces came along, two rangers captured two key oil derricks on the other side of the pass for more funds. The commander did not have much time to quickly build up his airforce of Comanches and Stealth fighters as the first wave of retreating UN forces entered the pass. As soon as they entered however the GLA was pursuing them from behind and started to decimate the retreating army. The US response was quick and the Comanches rained down rockets and bullets on the GLA while the remaining enemy that got through the blockade were destroyed or heavily damaged by the Stealth Fighters before the retreating wave finished them off. Despite taking some casualties, the first wave managed to cross the pass.

The seoond wave was due to arrive at any moment so the US air force quickly regrouped and had more Comanches on standby to guard over the pass. The retreating force came along with their pursuers that seemed more numerous than the first force. The Commanches thus used the Rocket Pods upgrade to great effect that wiped out the bulk of the GLA pursuers. The remaining pursuers met their demise just like their recent predecessors.

The third wave met the same fate but this time some of the pursuers broke off from the attack force and proceeded to attack the US airforce base providing the air cover. This attack was repulsed but the US commander quickly issued commands to build the PAtriot missile battery and deployed Pathfinders to defend the airbase.

By now most of the retreating forces crossed the pass and the last of the retreating army was entering the pass, pursued by the bulk of the GLA attack force. Now aware that air cover was hacking up their comrades, the GLA brought out Quad Cannons to clear the Comanches and the Stealth Fighters from the skies. The Comanches targeted the Quad Cannons first before they rained more rocket pods on the pursuers. In this fourth wave, a few of the Commanches were shot down and the retreating force sustained a number of casualties but enough troops had survived to complete the main objective.

However the battle was not yet over. US intel reported the main bulk of the GLA attack force would attempt to destroy the airbase, apparently enraged that their victory was marred by the fact that the US armoured division managed to retreat without suffering huge casualties. Immediately two GLA attack groups converged on both sides of the US airbase. The airforce managed to weaken most of the assault forces, particularly the A-10s, before the base's defenses destroyed what was left of the enemy. The battle was finally over, the mission now a success.