The PCA aren’t sending their best. This fight is more a formality once you’ve got their attack patterns locked in so don’t sweat this one too much. For a guide to the fight itself, see here.
Here’s the build we used to take out this pair of PCA pilots—it’s medium weight and packing some decent firepower. In this battle you’ve got one enemy who sticks to the ground and one that sticks to the air. We’ve structured our build accordingly.
Right Arm – Vvc-760PR
We don’t usually pack the plasma rifle. Its rounds travel a little slow for our taste but in this fight, that actually isn’t a bad thing.
You see, one of the enemies you’ll face off against will come straight at you. And he doesn’t stop. While we can appreciate the tenacity we did notice a critical flaw in his strategy—what if your opponent just… walks backward?
Enter the plasma rifle. When the HC charges at you, swinging his energy sword like some Conan the Barbarian wannabe, just dodge backward. Since he won’t dodge and he’s directly in front of you, your plasma rifle will find its target with every shot.
Left Arm – Hi-32: BU-TT/A
The HI-32 is not only one of the best weapons, it’s genuinely fun to use. It’s a constant companion for most of our builds and makes itself useful in a number of different situations.
In this engagement, we’ll first be using it to hit the HC when it’s staggered. Then we’ll be using it on the high mobility LC as it zig-zags over the battlefield. The HI-32’s will track any target within range, pulling your AC towards it like a giant, deadly magnet. Very handy when it comes to closing the distance with a foe.
Right Shoulder – BML-G2/P05MLT-10
We haven’t found many applications for a 10-cell missile launcher. Until now.
On its face you might see the BML-G2 as a bit overkill. And yes, launching ten missiles at something is a bit much, but it’s warranted here.
When fighting the HC you’ll be able to shoot without missing. You, like a heavily armored robotic matador, will dodge when the HC charges right at you. But since you’ll be dodging straight back you can fire all ten tubes directly into his face.
Left Shoulder – Vvc-703PM
Plasma missiles, or as we like to call them, purple death, are the weapon of choice for any AC duel. While, yes, they do have tracking, it isn’t strictly necessary to use it. Plasma missiles explode on impact, creating large clouds of damaging plasma.
Use them on both the HC and the high mobility LC. Lock-on weapons will help you deal with the high mobility LC especially. It may be fast, but it isn’t fast enough to outrun a cluster of plasma missiles.
Head – HD-012 Melander C3
The Melander parts are perfect for a medium weight build. Not only will we need something that can take the EN load and weight of that 10-cell missile launcher, we’ll also need enough toughness should our enemies get a lucky shot in.
Core – BD-012 Melander C3
We’ve picked out a Melander core to match our Melander head. These parts just really gel and if you’re after a tough but mobile style build, look no further.
While it’s tough, that doesn’t mean it’s heavy. You need to stay light on your feet in Armored Core 6 (unless you play as a nigh indestructable tank) so keeping things light to medium usually pays off. Aim for around 10,000 AP and scale that up as needed. 12,000 to 13,000 AP is where you’re starting to get into heavyweight territory.
Arms – AR-012 Melander C3
You’ll need arms heavy enough to manage that plasma rifle so go with the AR-012 Melander C3s. We weren’t kidding when we said we liked Melander parts. We’ll switch things up slightly when we get down to the legs but for the upperbody we’re going full Melander.
Legs – 06-041 MIND ALPHA
We’ll need some beefier legs to support all that weaponry and Melander sadly won’t fit the bill. The Mind Alphas, however, will. Boasting solid protection, their real value comes in managing your weight load. How sturdy your legs are will determine how much you can carry.
Booster – ALULA/21E
These are the booster of choice when it comes to AC dueling. They’re quick, will nearly max out your thrust, and will keep you one step ahead of the enemy and their many, many projectiles.
FCS – FCS-G2/P05
Fire Control Systems matter. You want to pick one that’s going to suit your targets and playstyle. In the case of this fight it’s a medium range engagement through and through. The FCS-2 maxes out your medium range assist so even if targets are moving, your lock on stands a great chance of landing a hit.
Generator – DF-GN-08 SAN-TAI
To pack all these weapons, you’re going to need a generator that can manage the load. Enter the San-Tai. Not only will you be able to supply power to your heavy duty firepower, but your boosters will run longer and recharge faster.
Normally we run the Ming-Tang generator but given we’re busting out the big guns in a very literally sense, we need some heavy duty energy to match.
Expansion – Pulse Armor
We’re big fans of the pulse armor. There’s a few variations on this core expansion but we’ve found this one the most useful by far. Other iterations create a larger bubble of protection (one you have to stay inside of) or trigger as a kind of airbag when your AC drops too low.
This armor, activated at your command, will generate a temporary shield that lasts about thirty seconds. And it can take a lot of damage. You probably won’t need it for this fight but think of this as “mech insurance”.
With that, you’re good to go. Keep in mind that Rusty from the Vespers will be joining you for this fight so it isn’t a straight up one-vs-two.
Good luck and be sure to practice those backward dodges.
