Didier "Daedalus" Beauchamp
Actor: ??
Affiliation: European Union / France*Rank:* Four-star General*Position:* General of the European Air Force*Specialism:* Aviation and air superiority*Nickname:* ‘Daedalus’
Status: Non-canonical character from Generals 2
Didier ‘Daedalus’ Beauchamp is a French general in the European Union who specialises in aerial warfare and was due to appear in Command & Conquer: Generals 2.
A old-school gentleman, Beauchamp is described as courteous, charming and somewhat of a ladies’ man, with a keen taste for vintage cognac and vintage aeroplanes.
Before the unification of European forces, he served in the French Air Force, where he undertook several periods of operational service and gained solid combat experience.
During the first GLA uprising, Beauchamp led a series of guerrilla-style airborne operations against the organisation’s forces.
These operations helped to significantly weaken the GLA’s hold on Northern Europe, whilst Beauchamp himself narrowly escaped death on several occasions.
His experience and successes subsequently made him a natural choice to play a part in the development of the European Union’s new air force.
Despite his traditional manners and tastes, Daedalus is far from conservative when it comes to military technology.
On the contrary, he invests considerable sums in aerospace research and development, with the ambition of creating a European air force which he himself describes as ‘the very best’.
His doctrine is naturally based on air superiority, with aviation forming the core of its military operations.
Its arsenal was to include, in particular, the Orca, Phantom and Valkyrie, supported on the ground by reconnaissance squads, anti-tank teams and snipers, as well as Fox LRVs and Aegis tanks.
It could also deploy the Gerhardt Krause Commando unit, whilst its bases were protected by anti-aircraft and ground-based defences.
Its signature support ability,Air Raid, further reinforced its specialisation by enabling it to launch air strikes against enemy positions.
His nickname ‘Daedalus’ refers to Daedalus from Greek mythology, the inventor of the wings used by him and his son Icarus to escape the labyrinth – a choice particularly suited to a general wholly devoted to aviation.
Didier ‘Daedalus’ Beauchamp was thus intended to embody European air power:an old-school French aviator, elegant and nostalgic on the ground, but resolutely forward-looking when it came to dominating the skies.
