5 combat tips & tricks for beginners in Armored Core 6

Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon, the latest offering from FromSoftware, has finally been released. The Japanese developer is known for crafting games with some of the most intricate and in-depth combat mechanics, and their latest mech-action game is no stranger to this notion. While Armored Core 6 is quite intuitive, there are still plenty of gameplay elements that it doesn't directly communicate to players.

Armored Core 6 is a massive departure from the kind of games that FromSoftware is best known for, but it still is equally as engaging and complex as the developer's previous titles. As such, it is obvious for players, especially newcomers, to feel a tad bit alienated when it comes to the game's combat system and moment-to-moment gameplay.

Here are five of the most useful combat tips and tricks that I've formulated over my 50-hour-long playthrough of the game. This should help you get started with Armored Core 6.

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From build crafting to combat abilities, here are five useful gameplay tips and tricks to get you started with Armored Core 6

1) Make use of every tool in your arsenal

While it might sound obvious, believe me, in the heat of battle, especially the ones as frantic as those in Armored Core 6, it is very easy to lose track of everything you have at your disposal. This is especially true for players who are new to the Armored Core series without any prior experience with the high-octane combat system that is synonymous with the franchise.

The best example I can give for this is the very first boss fight of the game - AH12 HC Combat Helicopter. It's a rather easy boss fight that becomes tough only if you fail to use every weapon in your arsenal. The Laser Blade that your mech comes equipped with for this mission might seem useless against normal MTs.

However, it's highly effective against the boss of this mission. Alongside weapons, you should also be mindful of the Core Expansions you have unlocked and equipped on your mech, as well as the basic combat and traversal abilities of the AC.

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2) Don't hesitate to experiment

Experimentation is the key to Armored Core 6's progression. Although it is easy to get comfortable with a singular build, it's always possible that the build you crafted and have grown accustomed to will end up being ineffective against certain enemies and bosses. It's always best to save at least a couple of builds in your garage, which might be handy for certain missions.

For instance, in the final mission of chapter 1, you face two bosses, Sulla and Balteus. While Sulla is a rather easy encounter, Balteus is anything but easy, especially if you're not using plasma weapons in your AC assembly. I initially tried to defeat Balteus with a full explosive build, and while it killed Sulla in a matter of minutes, this build was inadequate to battle Balteus.

However, once I took my time to craft an entirely different build, one that was focused primarily on plasma weapons, I was able to defeat Balteus rather easily, with more than one repair left in my reserve.

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3) Do not skip out on Arena and Training missions

The Arena and Training missions are very much optional and aren't necessary to complete the main story. However, do not let that deter you from trying these optional missions out. Not only do the Arena and Training missions allow you to test the capabilities of your AC and its combat systems, but they also come packed with some really amazing weapons and frame unlocks.

The Arena missions in Armored Core 6 are also necessary for obtaining OST chips, which you will need to use to upgrade your AC's core attributes. Going through these missions also gives you a great idea of how your custom AC will perform against other equally powerful mechs.

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4) Make use of the three-dimensional combat system

While it is perfectly fine to stick to the ground for the majority of the first main story chapter, you will eventually have to learn the game's airborne combat manoeuvers to tackle some of the toughest enemies and bosses in late-game. I, too, was guilty of sticking to the ground during combat. However, once I started making use of the full three-dimensional space, combat in Armored Core 6 became even more engaging and fun.

Staying airborne allows you to avoid direct enemy fire, easily reposition your Armored Core, and deal additional impact damage. There are some leg types that facilitate midair combat more than others, such as the Reverse Joint and Tetrapod legs. However, even the Bipedal and Tank legs are capable of airborne combat, albeit with the right generator.

Being airborne also has the advantage of making it easier to track your target without relying too much on the hard lock-on, which has significantly less accuracy than the soft lock-on.

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5) Do not sleep on the plasma weapons

Lastly, I highly recommend trying out the plasma rifles and cannons as soon as you unlock them. These weapons do an absurd amount of damage to early-game bosses and are also one of the most powerful ones you can use for some of your late-game builds. While you do lose out on some manual control with these weapons, the amount of raw damage these dish out more than makes up for it.

In my personal experience, there are two weapons that basically allowed me to go through the entire game without having to swap my loadout. These weapons are Vvc-760PR, which unlocks right after defeating the Juggernaut in Chapter 1, and the FASAN/60E, a plasma cannon that you get after completing Chapter 3.

Both of these weapons deal an absurd amount of impact damage, basically staggering an AC in three shots. I used a complete plasma cannon build with Tank legs (EL-TL-11 Fortaleza), which basically allowed me to complete the game with just this one assembly.

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There are plenty of other combat nuances that are there in Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon. However, these are the best ones that I think will really help you get past those early-game boss fights without much hassle.