

Different configurations will change how much health you have, how long you can fly, how fast you can dodge, whether you can hover in the air or spring into the sky suddenly, and the different damage types that can make a major difference in a bossfight. They’re just a reminder that you need to reconsider each individual part of your mech, whether it be its weapons, aiming module, booster, armor or generator. Bottom lineĪny “skill issues” you might have while playing Armored Core VI aren’t actually that.

Combine this with the powerful booster on its back that allowed it to dodge over great distances, and I turned a useless mess into a personal favorite.

So I installed reverse-joint legs so it could quickly leap up into the air like a grasshopper if anyone tried to run away. This allowed me to go up close to enemies and bombard them with tons of lasers at once, but I still noticed a weakness: It lacked a certain springiness that could quickly allow it to close the distance, especially if enemies started flying upwards. So I made it lightweight and replaced its aiming module with one that performs far better at close range. I realized its collection of slow moving lasers and explosives meant machines would constantly outrun my attacks when I was far away. One example is a machine I titled “CTNCNDY” due to its pastel pink and baby blue color scheme that made it look like a delicious carnival confectionery. Instead of sticking with it mindlessly or just abandoning the concept entirely, I kept pushing until I found a combination of parts that made it unstoppable. Several times have I excitedly built an Armored Core, thrown it into the battlefield, and realized it was a mess. You need to take the time to test it in combat, and if you feel like it’s lacking in some avenues, go back to assembly and consider what could improve it. Optimizing your machine requires more than just randomly assigning parts and hoping something works. It wasn’t until I reconfigured my build with double shotguns and two grenade launchers in a machine I called “DOOM SLAYER” that I bested them on my second attempt. To further prove this wasn’t a difference in skill, that same friend defeated the Chapter 2 boss on their first try while I went up against it eight times and failed to defeat it.
