Fort Zancudo

Fort Zancudo is a U.S. military facility shared by the Army and the Air Force featured in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.

Description
Fort Zancudo is the only military base in Grand Theft Auto V and is also the only known military base in the HD Universe so far. There is also a fire station inside the base.

Location
Fort Zancudo, located on the outskirts of the Lago Zancudo swamps and at the base of Mount Josiah in Blaine County, San Andreas. It is bordered by the Zancudo River towards the south as well as Route 1 on the west. A memorial can also be found by the Fort Zancudo Approach Road.

Usage
The base serves as a main airfield and munitions depot for the United States Air Force. The United States Marine Corps are also stationed at the base, as suggested by the base's belligerents often heard yelling "Semper Fi motherfucker!" and "I'm a fucking Marine!" during combat. According to the patches worn by many units, there are also U.S. Army personnel stationed here. This means Fort Zancudo is shared by many different military branches. Both the Marines and soldiers stationed at the base wear uniforms that resemble that of the Army Combat Uniform, which is used in service by the U.S. Army. However, the Marines wear a tan vest resembling the Modular Tactical Vest worn by real-life Marines.

Protection
Fort Zancudo, as expected, is heavily guarded and protected, with high, anti-scale fencing stretched along the perimeter of the base. The two access roads that lead to the base contain military checkpoints, with armed guards inspecting any personnel that arrive. Infantry patrol the ground in either Rhino tanks, Barracks OL trucks or Canis Crusaders. The airspace is patrolled by P-996 LAZER fighter jets that shoot down any trespassers, and there are various Cargobobs seen flying over the base.

Fort Zancudo features one main airstrip, one secondary airstrip, three large hangars, several smaller hangars, a munitions depot, rows of blockhouses for the base's inhabitants, a fire and rescue station, a refinery, an air traffic control tower, a main office, and some barracks. Outside of the fence are several water storage tanks and machinery, possibly to provide the inhabitants of the fort with sanitised water. Fort Zancudo holds standard issue military vehicles such as the Rhino, Cargobob, Buzzard, P-996 LAZER, and the Titan. However, on the Warstock Cache & Carry website, there are pictures of a Patriot-based ATV and a Hunter in one of the two Fort Zancudo runways.

The soldiers stationed at Fort Zancudo are rarely seen outside of the base. However, on some occasions, a large convoy consisting of Barracks OLs, Barracks Semis with trailers, and Crusaders can be seen driving along Route 1 in the west or Route 68 in the south. It is possible that they are delivering supplies, which explains the large presence of transport trucks. Besras can be found flying in groups of three in formation around the airspace of the base. During the fourth Rampage, two soldiers can be seen just outside the base, right next to the Fort Zancudo Sculptures. They are presumably repairing their Crusader before Trevor Philips attacks them. During the rampage, two Rhinos leave the base in an attempt to defend it, only to be destroyed by Trevor.

Restriction
Like Area 69, unauthorized entry over Fort Zancudo airspace is strictly forbidden. Fort Zancudo Air Traffic Control will issue warnings to the player via radio such as: "This is restricted airspace. Divert your course or you will be shot down!", "You have entered Fort Zancudo Airspace. Divert immediately!", "This is the U.S. Army airspace. Divert or we will take you down", "This is a no fly zone. Divert your course", "You are in the Fort Zancudo no fly zone! Divert, or you will be shot down!" or "You are flying in restricted airspace. Turn around immediately!". If the player flies over and departs the area, a 2-star wanted level will be attained.

Should the player choose to continue flying over the base after the warnings, a 4-star wanted level will be attained, accompanied by P-996 LAZERs firing heat-seeking missiles. They will still warn the player if they are flying a P-996 LAZER over the base. If the player is flying low enough over the base, there will be no warning, but a wanted level will be gained if the player is spotted by someone on the ground. Alternatively, flying at high altitude may not cause the player to be warned, resulting in no wanted level.

If the player gets too close to one of the two checkpoint entrances to Fort Zancudo, a soldier will warn them with: "Sir, leave the area now! This is for authorized personnel only!" If the player still lingers around the checkpoint, the officer will give them a second and final warning: "I'm not going to say this again. Leave now!" If one still hangs around the checkpoint for too long, they get a wanted level. If the player somehow gets the soldier away from the checkpoint, they will find that the warnings are scripted to occur if they get too close to the soldier himself. It is unknown whether this was intended.

If the player enters the base by ground undetected, a 4-star wanted level will be obtained shortly after entering. This will sound the alarm, mobilizing any and all armed soldiers, defensive ground vehicles, and offensive aircraft.

Even if the player acquires a military vehicle (e.g., a Rhino) and enters the base, all ground forces will still fire at will.

Ground Access
If the player is on the ground, they can either drive straight through the checkpoint or go over the perimeter fence using one of the natural jumps.

In GTA Online, the checkpoint never opens, so the only way to get in by ground is to jump the fence:

The Mount Josiah path can be noticed by its dirt road which is less steep than the rest of the mountain. The player will usually land near the bleachers of the training grounds, although there is a chance of either landing in the large trench or on the road if the player is not fast enough.

Once inside Fort Zancudo, the player must act quickly and head for the runway area. If they are too slow or too reckless, they may be caught out by a patrolling Rhino Tank. Unlike previous games, Rhino Tanks manned by NPCs will use their cannons on unsuspecting players, and so they must be avoided at all costs.

However as of patch 1.40 to 1.41, the checkpoints were removed in Enhanced version allowing players to enter through checkpoints.

Influence
Fort Zancudo closely resembles real-life Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California. Lago Zancudo's marshy environment suggests that Fort Zancudo is also based on that of real-life Naval Base Ventura County, Mugu Lagoon. Fort Zancudo has many similarities with real life Area 51.

Personnel

 * Brincat
 * Colonel
 * Clark
 * Nolan
 * Lloyd
 * Starkie
 * Solarin

Vehicles

 * Barracks - Can be found parked in several parking lots and also chasing the player once inside the base.
 * Barracks Semi - Found at the same locations as the Barracks.
 * Besra - Can be found in several hangars and areas of Fort Zancudo (PS4/XB1/PC only)
 * Buzzard - Found parked in several areas north to the runway.
 * Cargobob - Found flying around, and also sometimes on the helipads east to the runway, ready to take off.
 * Crusader - Found at the same locations as the Barracks.
 * Fire Truck - Found at the fire station.
 * P-996 Lazer - Can be found flying around, and in several hangars and areas of Fort Zancudo.
 * Rhino - Will chase the player upon entering the base.
 * Titan - Can be found parked north to the runway, in front of the hangars. Sometimes one will be on the runway and will take off, mostly at evening and midnight.

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Cargobob

Grand Theft Auto Online

 * Base Invaders
 * American Exports
 * Extradition
 * Docks to Stock
 * Docks to Stock II
 * Top Fun
 * Flight School
 * Stunt - Double Loop
 * Stunt - Plummet
 * Arms Embargo
 * Resupply Steal Missions - may be selected at random for the location of supplies, including:
 * Rhino Tank - located in the eastern-most open hangar.
 * Ballistic Equipment - 2-player mission only. Appears in the hangar immediately on the left when entering from the northern entrance. Then requires a second player to acquire a Flatbed truck from the Base parking lot.

Glitches

 * For some reason, a tourist NPC will spawn on the longer runway in the fort. They will usually be looking through binoculars, and the military will never attempt to pursue them.
 * Another glitch can happen where several upper-class female NPCs can be found walking out of the fort's barracks, and the military will also not pursue them. This can be noticed in GTA Online using the Cops Turn Blind Eye feature.
 * Using a fast vehicle (such as a car in Super, Sports class) or any motorcycle will sometimes allow the player to pass through the front checkpoint unnoticed, depending on which direction the guard is facing. Once passed, an entrance to a trench that surrounds the entire base can be found immediately to the right. Navigating the trench will not trigger a wanted level; it is recommended that the player quick saves at this point. Throughout the trench are several exits, with one behind the landing strip where two P-996 LAZERs spawn. Once the player exits the trench, they can move throughout the base unnoticed for about ten seconds before the alarm is triggered. This gives the player a significant headstart if they intend to hijack a military vehicle, as the authorities' response times are delayed. It should be noted that if helicopters spawn, the player will be noticed and the trench rendered useless.

Trivia

 * Zancudo is Spanish for a malarial mosquito.
 * Prior to 1.40 or 1.41, the checkpoints would remain closed due to restrictions of having access to Fort Zancudo. In the update, the checkpoints were removed in Fort Zancudo allowing players to enter Fort Zancudo.
 * Fort Zancudo is only featured in one mission in GTA V if the offshore plan of The Merryweather Heist is chosen. Should the player opt for the 'Freight Plan' for the Merryweather Heist, Fort Zancudo is not featured at all.
 * Prior to update 1.28, Fort Zancudo and Los Santos International Airport were the only two areas unavailable for use in the Content Creator.
 * If the player steals a military vehicle from the base, the police will give chase instead of the military, due to the Posse Comitatus Act.
 * Due to hard drive limitations, flying over restricted areas, like the airport or the Mission Row Police Station, will cause the Fort Zancudo air traffic control to warn the player to fly away or "they'll be shot down", yet there's no way to shoot down an aircraft from these places. This is due to re-used assets.
 * The heliport area of Fort Zancudo (near the Barracks Semi's spawn point) is also a secured area to make a save point and try to steal anything.
 * Opposite the Ammu-Nation in Cypress Flats, there is a garage door that reads, "Zancudo" and has a star on it.
 * It is possible to enter the Air Traffic Control tower of Fort Zancudo. It has several rooms including a non-functioning elevator. At the top of the tower, there is a room where the Minigun will spawn on the floor every 30 to 90 seconds and in the uppermost level of the tower a health pack will spawn. There are two guards at the very top of the tower armed with Pump Action Shotguns or Carbine Rifles. On some occasions, soldiers can be found seated in the control tower, presumably handling the base's ATC systems.
 * When using the stairway to access the rooms in the uppermost level, none of the soldiers, who will try to kill the player trespassing into the base, nor any companion one takes into the tower will follow the player up the stairs.
 * If the player is trying to steal a vehicle inside Fort Zancudo they should take massive caution as there are up to four Rhino tanks doing patrol in and around the base. Near the Titan's location, they appear often.
 * During the second hunting mission Fair Game given by Cletus, one can easily run from the hunting grounds and towards the Fort, being able to explore all of it without there being any hostile soldiers.
 * An internet article from Weazel News after the mission Blitz Play, reports that Fort Zancudo has plans of opening a drone base near the fort. The article points that the base is going to bring needed jobs to the area and that they are also probably going change the law to enable the drones to help fight the menace of illegal aliens.
 * Inside the control tower, the computer screens show a map of the United States which slightly differs from the maps downstairs in the Training Center, especially on the West Coast. The rest of North America is absent.
 * Strangely, the in game map on the pause menu does not show the layout of Fort Zancudo at all, instead it is just an empty space on the map. In GTA Online however, the base layout will appear on the map when the player is inside the base or within its vicinity. The same occurs with the Bolingbroke Penitentiary.
 * This is possibly because Fort Zancudo is a restricted area so it must be remain secret from aerial view.
 * During around 7:00 - 7:10 AM patriotic music can be heard over the bases loudspeakers, possibly as a morning announcement. The music is "Reveille", a popular military wake-up call.
 * The design of the roundels (stars) painted on the hangars are similar to be that of the defunct United States Army Air Forces. This variation of the roundel was only used from 1941 to 1947; leaving the implication that the base has been active for roughly 70 years.
 * The player can buy a green t-shirt for Trevor that reads "Zancudo". It also has a military star on the back. It can be purchased at Discount Stores and Bincos.
 * Trevor is able to buy a pair of Desert Camo Pants from Suburban which is very similar to what the soldiers at Fort Zancudo wear.
 * If the player gets a wanted level near Fort Zancudo, the Barracks OL or Crusaders will chase the player like the LSSD. One can also hear the alarm sounding from the fort.
 * Occasionally, a Cargobob can spawn on the helipad. This is the only chance the player will be able to steal the Military version of the Cargobob outside of the storyline, although the player must be quick, as the Cargobob will fly away shortly.
 * The military will still attack the player even when they are playing as a bird after eating a Peyote Plant.
 * The large inaccessible hanger near the west entrance is now open after the release of the Heist Update, although there are no vehicles that spawn in it.
 * When Air Traffic Control say "This is the U.S. Army airspace. Divert or we will take you down.", the subtitles will say "This is the U.S. Army airspace. Divert or face the consequences." instead (PS3 and PC version tested).
 * In GTA Online as of Smuggler's Run DLC, the Fort Zancudo is unrestricted if the player owns a hangar. This makes it the first military base in the game to have free access to Fort Zancudo.

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