Ivevei Upatkoon -- arashi@gol.com

Other AC faqs available: Stat Sheet

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This faq is divided into two sections. The first is an analysis of the different equipment available, concentrating on the best choices of each group of equipment. The second part deals with AC building and efficient choices of equipment for different types of situations. There is a quick start guide at the beginning of SECTION 2 for those interested in getting off to a good start at the beginning of the game.

Note that SECTION 1 and SECTION 2 will contain overlap of information. I try to keep things neat, but sometimes repetition cannot be avoided.

This faq will contain special terminology that will be explained under the TERMINOLOGY SECTION. Please refer to that for detailed explanations of terms such STABILITY, BIO SENSOR, WEAPON LOCK etc. as well as more common terms such as AC and def-shell.

The STAT SHEET is a listing of weapons available and their respective statistics. It also lists parts that can be found on missions.

AC = Armored Core

MT = Simple two legged machines without human pilots

AP = Armor Point, similar to hit points

def_shell = Defense against shell (solid) attacks

def_energy = Defense against energy attacks

energy drain = The amount of energy required to power a part. See ENERGY OUTPUT

charge drain = The amount of charge a part sucks when activated. See MAXIMUM CHARGE

HEAD

The AUTOMAP function will save a map of the areas you have been to.

The AREA MEMORY function indicates that your AUTOMAP will only save area, without any names.

The PLACE NAME function will indicate on your map the names of certain important locations and objects, such as targets or special rooms.

NOISE CANCELING cancels out jamming that prevents you from locking on to targets.

A BIO SENSOR allows you to lock on to living creatures. Note that these creatures still do not show up on radar.

The RADAR FUNCTION will display on your radar any missiles that are launched at you.

CORE

The number of SLOTS on a core is the amount of "space" a core has for OPTION PARTS.

CORE & LEGS

MAX WEIGHT refers to how much weight the part will support. You cannot exceed this limit or your AC will not function.

GENERATOR

The ENERGY OUTPUT is like the maximum capacity of the generator. The ENERGY DRAIN of your various parts combined must not exceed this number or your mech will not work.

MAXIMUM CHARGE is the how much charge your generator has. CHARGE is the small bar on the left of your combat screen. It drops when you use charge equipment such as energy weapons or boosters.

Likewise, CHARGE REDZONE is the lowest level your charge can drop to before the alarm starts to sound to warn you of low charge. Once you exhaust your charge completely, you cannot use charge equipment until your generator has recharged itself totally. Moving with your AC slows the recharge rate.

ARMS & BACK WEAPONS & ARM WEAPONS

WEAPON LOCK refers to the size and nature of the target window you are provided with when you use a weapon. Objects inside the target window can be locked on to. There are four types of weapon locks: STANDARD, SPECIAL, WIDE & SHALLOW, and NARROW & DEEP. NONE means that you cannot lock onto the target, but must aim your weapon manually. See FCS for a discussion of how you can use different FCS's to affect your weapon lock.

WIDE & SHALLOW creates a target window that is wider than it is tall. It is the largest target window of the four types of weapon lock. However, the range of lock is quite short.

STANDARD lock is a target window of roughly square dimension, smaller than wide & shallow but with more range.

SPECIAL means a small lock window with the same range as standard lock.

NARROW & DEEP gives the smallest target window, slightly smaller than special lock. Weapon with narrow & deep can lock on to targets that are very far away.

The ATTACK POWER of a weapon is the amount of damage it does for each hit. However, the actual amount of damage done depends on the AMMO TYPE of the weapon and the DEF_SHELL and DEF_ENERGY of the target.

NUMBER OF AMMO is just the amount of ammunition in the weapon. Once you have used up all your ammo, your weapon is will no longer work. Note that even energy weapons can only fire a fixed number of times.

AMMO TYPEs come in two forms: SOLID and ENERGY. DEF_SHELL defends against solid ammo, and DEF_ENERGY helps prevent damage from energy weapons.

AMMO PRICE is the cost of firing one shot from your weapon.

A weapon's RANGE is the farthest you can fire. Note that you are also restricted by the type of FCS you are using. See FCS for more details.

MAXIMUM-LOCK is the largest number of targets you can lock on to with the weapon. Note that no matter what this number is, you are always limited by the MAXIMUM LOCK of your FCS.

The RELOAD TIME of a weapon is the interval between shots. The smaller the number, the faster you can fire.

LEGS

The SPEED of the legs is simply how fast it can go. Going uphill will slow down an AC.

STABILITY is a measure of how stable an AC is under fire. The smaller the number, the more your AC is prone to "freezing" under fire, where it will be caught in fire and you will be unable to move it. Legs with high stability enable you AC to slog through enemy fire without getting battered around. Stability is mainly against SOLID ammo, and makes little difference against CANNON fire (see SP-SAP under OPTION PARTS).

JUMP FUNCTION provided means that tapping the boost button will cause the AC to jump without using boosters. No jump function means that the AC cannot jump, but can only boost.

FCS

MAXIMUM LOCK is the largest number of targets a piece of equipment can lock on to.

LOCK TYPE is a description of the nature of the FCS lock. There are five types of LOCK TYPE for FCS: STANDARD, WIDE & SHALLOW, LENGTHWAY (TALL in the English version), SIDEWAY (WIDE in the English version), and NARROW & DEEP. See FCS for a discussion of the various lock types and how they affect WEAPON LOCK.

OPTION PARTS

SLOT SPEND is how many slots the option part will take up on a CORE.

BOOSTERS

The BOOST POWER of a booster refers to how powerful the boosters are. A higher boost power means an AC will rise faster into the air, or travel faster over the ground, when the boost button is held.

Contents:

HEAD
CORE
ARMS
LEGS
GENERATOR
FCS
OPTION PARTS
BOOSTERS
BACK WEAPONS
ARM WEAPONS

HEAD

Heads are, like the name implies, a vessel for your AC's computer and operating system. Heads can include options like automapping, biosensors, radar, and noise canceling. Please refer to the TERMINOLOGY SECTION for descriptions of these functions.

Computers come in three types: ROUGH, STANDARD, and DETAILED. These refer to the level of information your computer will provide you about your situation (Mission Start or Mission Finish), or about new enemies that show up during your mission. ROUGH computers are the equivalent of morons. Like the standard and detailed heads, they do inform you of mission start, mission completion, appearance of new enemies, and eradication of enemies, but they do so in bare detail. Their biggest problem is that when they inform you of the arrival of new enemies, they do not specify AC or MT. ROUGH heads also talk in extremely simple language. STANDARD heads are a step up. They sound reasonably intelligent and can distinguish between ACs and MTs. DETAILED heads are the cream of the crop: polite, with detailed descriptions for situations such as meeting the objectives for mission completion or destruction of all enemies, and generally very pleasant to listen to. They will also identify the exact model of AC or MT you are dealing with when new enemies appear.

AUTOMAP refers to the computer saving a map of the areas you have been to. It will also display the area around your AC, but what shows up on your map depends on whether or not you have faced that direction. Therefore, a good thing to do, if your are interested in obtaining a layout of your general vicinity, is to basically look around. If the head has no automap function, when you call up your map, it will only display the area around your AC. Automap is one of the most important functions in a head. Most missions would be very difficult without this feature, so it is a good idea to buy a head with an automap early in the game.

It is also efficient to buy a head with a built in radar, so that you can sell off the external radar for much needed credits and weight "space."

The HD-REDEYE and the HD-D-9066 are two excellent all-purpose heads that are suited for most missions. The HD-D-9066 contains a bio sensor which makes it the ideal head for the pest extermination missions. The HD-REDEYE has a DETAILED computer and AREA&PLACE NAME function for the automap, which is very convenient but perhaps not completely necessary. Both heads, the HD-D-9066 in particular, have good AP and def_shell and def_energy and are not so expensive as to make them unaffordable early in the game.

The HD-08-DISH is an good head if you prefer to carry around your own external radar unit. It has high AP and good def_shell and def_energy.

The HD-ONE may seen attractive at first because it has the greatest range of built in options, but in most situations it is redundant. There are no missions that would require a bio sensor in tandem with a noise cancelled. It is also weak in def_shell and def_energy.

While it is only an inconvenience to most people to have a ROUGH head, I cannot stress enough the need for an automap and some kind of radar, be it internal or external.

CORE

The core is the center of your mech. Without a core, you cannot enter the garage. It carries the generator and FCS internally, and all other equipment attaches to it. The core also has SLOTS for option parts.

When choosing a core, it is also important to keep in mind the type of equipment you will be adding to your AC. Bear in mind that you must not exceed the max weight of your core. Only arms and arm weapons contribute to weight on the core. Heads, back weapons, even generators and FCS's add weight only to the legs. Option parts weigh nothing at all.

There are only three cores to choose from. The XCA-00 is the one you start with, and the cheapest. It is average in most respects, having good AP and decent def_shell and def_energy. It is of average weight and supports a bit more weight than the XCL-01, which is the most expensive core. Its real flaw lies in the small number of slots; 8, compared to 16 for the XCL-01 and 12 for the XCH-01.

The XCL-01 is the most expensive core. It is light and cannot carry support much equipment and has the least AP of the three cores. However, it has good def-energy and has 16 slots. This is an excellent core for light, fast ACs, but consumes a lot of energy.

The XCH-01 is a large bulky core. Heavy and well-armored, it is rugged with the most AP of the three cores. It consumes less energy than the other two cores. However, it only has 12 slots.

ARMS

Arms come in two types: normal arms that can carry a long range weapon on the right and a laser sword on the left, and arms that have long range weapons built in. Note that you will not be able to carry any other arm weapons if you choose the latter type. In addition, unlike normal arms, weapon arms do not have def-shell and def-energy and tend to have less AP. Therefore, while these types of arms offer a lot of firepower, they leave your AC vulnerable.

Normal Arms:

The AN-K1 and AN-863-B are two very good arms to use. The AN-K1 is very light, yet has decent AP and def_shell and def_energy. However, it is also expensive. The AN-863-B has good AP, but what stands out is the high def_shell and def_energy. It is quite affordable early in the game and not too heavy. For heavily armored arms, look to the ANKS-1A46J. However, in addition to being extremely heavy, you cannot equip some BACK WEAPONS when using this pair of arms; the only back weapons allowed are radar and the XCS-9900 multi missile and WX-S800/2 dual missile.

Weapon Arms:

Weapon Arms function just like weapons. See ARMS & BACK WEAPONS & ARM WEAPONS under the Terminology Section for a description of the terms used in the stat sheet.

Solid vs. Energy Weapons:

All weapons can be classifieds as either solid or energy based. Certain enemies are more vulnerable to one of the two types of weapons, resulting in higher damage even though the ATTACK POWERs may be the same. Another important difference is that solid weapons cost money to fire (i.e., the ammo is not free) whereas energy weapons cost nothing to fire but instead drain CHARGE. This means that energy weapons result in far lower mission expenses, but their main disadvantage is that, unlike solid weapons, you may be unable to fire rapidly and continuously. Even with the best generators and option parts such as RAPID CHARGE and CHARGE EXPANDER, a few powerful energy weapons will drain your charge after about 10 consecutive shots. Fortunately, some energy weapons consume less charge than others while still delivering good performance. Solid weapons are usually expensive to fire, but are also very diverse in terms of WEAPON LOCK, speed of the projectile, or the blast area of impact etc. Many of the solid weapons are also affordable at the start of the game, and do not require the expensive support equipment (such as a good GENERATOR and certain OPTION PARTS) that energy weapons need. Note also that, as a general rule, the more powerful a weapon is, the less ammo it has. Therefore, depending on your mission objectives and the type and number of enemies you will encounter, the most powerful weapon is not always the best answer. For example, it is not a good idea to use PLASMA CANNON arms that deal very high damage but only have 40 ammo on a mission with many easy enemies, as you will probably find yourself out of ammo before long.

Weapon Arm Analysis:

As far as number is concerned, there are not that many weapon arms to choose from. However, this does not mean that the choices presented are inferior in any way. Weapon arms cover a diverse range of weapon types, from machine guns to plasma cannons. However, one thing lacking is a weapon arm that features a wide & shallow type weapon lock. Weapon arms are therefore quite difficult to aim and use with a standard FCS.

The AW-MG25/2 machine gun and the AW-GT2000 gattling gun are very similar in that they fire solid projectiles in rapid sequence. The AW-GT2000 does more damage per shot than the AW-MG25/2, but carries less ammo and has a higher ammo cost. The main problem with the AW-GT2000 is that the projectiles travel slowly, meaning that it is more prone to miss fast moving targets than the AW-MG25/2, which fires fast moving shots. Nonetheless, both weapon arms can deal a great deal of damage quickly, and the AW-MG25/2 in particular is useful against fast targets.

There are two types of cannons available, the AW-RF105 and the AW-RF120, the latter simply being a more powerful version of the other. In general, cannons fire slow projectiles that deal massive damage. The reload time is very long, and the ammo cost is quite prohibitive.

There are also the AW-30/3 and AW-S60/2 dual missile arms. These are pretty much identical, except that the AW-S60/2 carries more ammo. Missiles are excellent against fast moving targets that tend to evade normal shots, but are expensive and usually cannot be used in tight enclosed areas. The dual missiles fire forward, and at close range tend to miss targets because the missiles cannot turn sharply enough to track. Missiles also require a few seconds to lock on to their target, although this lock on period can be shortened by using certain FCSs. See also the AUTO LAUNCHER under OPTION PARTS for a discussion of how it affects missile firing.

The AW-XC5500 laser cannon and the AW-XC65 plasma cannon arms are the only energy weapon arms available. Extremely powerful yet not too charge hungry, these may be considered the weapons of choice for someone seeking to do high damage cheaply. However, these arms are of the narrow & deep variety and do not have a fast reload rate, which means that they are not really suited to close range fast combat. These weapons have the added feature of a blast effect. Upon impact, whether on a target or the floor or wall, there will be a small explosion which deals damage to surrounding objects. Be warned that if your AC happens to be in the blast area, it too will receive damage. The AW-XC5500 laser cannon fires very slow blasts.

All weapon arms fire 2 shots, one from each arm, every time the fire button is depressed. The ammo cost and attack power stats given refer to each shot. Thereby, double these figures to obtain the right numbers.

LEGS

Legs come in four basic types: HUMANOID, REVERSE JOINT, FOUR LEGS TYPE, and CATERPILLAR. Humanoid legs offer the best variety and as such may be considered the most versatile. Humanoid legs are available in many models, ranging from those that can reach speeds of over 400 but are relatively unstable, to those than can only run at 150 but are stable and can carry a lot of weight. Reverse joint legs are cheap but offer good speed, high stability, the best jump ability, and average max weight capacity. Four legs type are generally very fast but unstable and lightly armored. They tend to slide around when your AC is hit. The better models also consume a lot of power. Caterpillar legs are extremely heavy and stable but slow. They consume little power and can support a lot of weight.

Humanoid and reverse joint legs jump well and have the advantage of being able to jet across the floor, staying only a little above the surface. This makes them ideal for fast combat with a lot of dodging. However, for all back weapons except missiles, rockets and bomb dispensers, these legs cannot move while firing. They are required to kneel down and remain still, which leaves the AC vulnerable.

Four legs type and caterpillar legs are not good jumping mechs. Nor do they have the ability to skim over the surface of the floor; they cause your AC to rise into the air when you boost. Note that while you cannot affix boosters to caterpillar legs, they have built in boosters so you can still rise into the air, albeit quite slowly. The main advantage of four legs type and caterpillar legs is in the ability to fire back weapons while moving. However, moving while firing also tends to spoil the aim. In addition, when using a laser sword, you AC does not swing it in an arc, but instead rushes forward in a stab. Your slice covers less area and you are more prone to missing the target.

Be warned that four legs type and caterpillar legs are incompatible with the WG-1-KARASAWA plasma rifle. In addition, you cannot equip any external radar except for the RXA-77 and RZT-333 radar.

GENERATOR

Generators provide power for your AC. When selecting a generator, keep in mind the energy needs of the various parts, as well as the amount of charge you might require. Other than that, these things are pretty straightforward. The more, the better. However, the better generators also tend to be heavy. Generators do not contribute to core weight, but affect the weight the legs have to support. The best generator is the GBG-XR, but this generator must be found (see Equipment Faq).

FCS

FCS is the AC part that allows you to lock on to targets, something like a tracking and locking system for your weapons. FCS's may seem insignificant at the beginning, but the right FCS will make quite a difference in the size and nature of the lock window.

The FCS is used to supplement and alter WEAPON LOCK, which is explained under the Terminology Section. There are five types of LOCK TYPE for FCS: STANDARD, WIDE & SHALLOW, LENGTHWAY (TALL in the English Version), SIDEWAY (WIDE in the English Version), and NARROW & DEEP.

STANDARD can be considered the basic lock type. It does not alter the status of the weapon lock window.

WIDE & SHALLOW changes the lock window so that it becomes large and wide. This increases the size of the lock window both horizontally and vertically, but sacrifices the range of the lock, so that you become unable to lock on to far away targets that you would otherwise be able to using a standard FCS.

LENGTHWAY (or TALL) keeps the same width as you would get with a standard lock, but makes the lock window taller by up to twice the height. The range continues to be the same as for standard FCS's.

SIDEWAY (or WIDE) lock keeps the same height as standard lock, but doubles the width of the lock window. Again, the range is the same as a standard FCS. An excellent all around FCS.

NARROW & DEEP decreases the size of the lock window, both vertically and horizontally, but adds more range to the lock.

Wide & shallow and narrow & deep present the most interesting cases, because they can radically alter existing weapon lock. These should not be used with weapon locks of the same nature, e.g., don't use wide & shallow FCS with a wide & shallow weapon lock, unless you really need a huge lock window. Instead, use these FCS to counteract weaknesses in weapon lock. For example, many energy weapons are SPECIAL or NARROW & DEEP lock. The target window is quite small under a standard FCS. This makes it difficult to track fast moving targets in enclosed areas. Using a wide & shallow FCS increases your lock window size. A narrow & deep FCS can give better range for wide & shallow weapons like handguns.

Standard FCS are pretty straightforward, except for COMDEX-G0 and COMDEX-G8. The former has a faster-than-normal lock, which is useful for locking on quickly to fast moving targets. The latter has a large MAXIMUM LOCK, but is slow to lock on.

Sideway (wide) and lengthway (tall) FCS's are good for increasing the lock window size without sacrificing range, but don't make as much difference as wide & shallow.

OPTION PARTS

Option parts do not weight anything, but instead take up slots on a core. These parts perform specialized functions, many of which are anything but optional for any serious AC builder.

Below is a list of all available option parts and descriptions of their functions:

RADAR OPTION = Missiles will show up on radar

MISSILE JAMMER = Missiles have less chance of tracking and hitting you, but it is not 100% effective.

AUTO LAUNCHER = If you are currently using a missile weapon, it will automatically launch missiles when the weapon has acquired the maximum number of locks on enemy targets (i.e., if MAXIMUM-LOCK is 6, the auto launcher will not fire until six targets have been locked). You are still able to manually fire missiles.

BALANCER OPTION = Increases the STABILITY of the AC. Useful when you find your AC "freezing" under enemy fire.

ABSORBER OPTION = Cannon absorber. Will reduce the impact of cannon fire so that your AC does not bounce around as much when hit by cannon weapons.

CHARGE EXPANDER = Increases the amount of CHARGE a generator can hold.

FCS ACCELERATOR = Decreases the amount of time required for the FCS to lock onto a target.

SHELL SCREEN = Lowers the effectiveness of SOLID enemy fire on your AC.

ENERGY SCREEN = Lowers the effectiveness of ENERGY enemy fire on your AC.

RAPID CHARGE = Increases the rate at which the CHARGE recharges.

ENERGY AMPLIFIER = Increases the damage done by energy weapons such as laser swords and pulse rifles.

Of all the parts, the shell screen and energy screen are invaluable, as is the stabilizer. The FCS accelerator is very convenient. Rapid charge is good for missions where a lot of boosting is needed, and the charge expander is also useful but takes up a lot of slots. Other excellent parts include the balancer option and absorber option. Auto launcher in tandem with missiles is good for missions in large open areas with many fast moving enemies, but the auto launcher cannot be taken off during the mission, so you will probably spend more missiles than if you launched them manually.

BOOSTERS

Boosters allow your AC to "fly". When used with HUMANOID and REVERES JOINT legs, boosters also allow the AC to skim slightly above the floor at a fast speed. FOUR LEGS TYPE legs cannot skim, but tend to simply rise into the air. Lastly, boosters cannot be affixed to CATERPILLAR legs, which have their own built in boosters. See LEGS for more details.

There are two things to look for in boosters: BOOST POWER and CHARGE DRAIN. A good set of boosters should have good boost power with a small charge drain so that the CHARGE in the GENERATOR is not exhausted too quickly. The best booster is the B-VR-33. While it has less boost power than the B-P351 (19000 compared to 21000), its charge drain is more than 1/3 less (5070 as opposed to 6980).

One thing to keep in mind is that heavier ACs rise more slowly than lighter ACs. If a mission requires a lot of flight and boosting, a heavy AC will consume more charge to cover the same height than a light AC. Heavy ACs are also slower when skimming across the floor.

BACK WEAPON

Back weapons are weapons that are mounted on the back of an AC. External radar units are also considered back weapons. All back weapons except for the WX-S800/2 DUAL MISSILE, the WX-S800/2 DUAL MISSILE, and the XCS-9900 MULTI MISSILE take up one of the two available mounts. The aforementioned three back weapons take up both mounts, precluding the use of any other back weapon.

Except for missiles, rockets, bomb dispensers and radar, back weapons require ACs with HUMANOID and REVERSE JOINT legs to kneel down and stay still while firing. ACs equipped with FOUR LEGS TYPE or CATERPILLAR legs can fire back weapons while moving, and there is no need to pause to ready the weapon.

Be warned that ACs equipped with the ANKS-1A46J arms cannot be equipped with back weapons other than radar, the WX-S800/2 dual missile, and the XCS-9900 multi missile. In addition, ACs fitted with caterpillar legs cannot equip radar except for the RXA-77 and the RZT-333.

Back weapons do not contribute to weight on the core, but instead add weight to the legs.

For a description of the terms used on the stat sheet, please refer to ARMS & BACK WEAPONS & ARM WEAPONS under the Terminology Section.

For a discussion of SOLID VS ENERGY WEAPONS, look under ARMS.

Missiles are solid weapons that track the targets they have locked on to. Most of the missile weapons offered can lock on to multiple targets, or can lock multiple times onto the same target. See the AUTO LAUNCHER under OPTION PARTS for a discussion of how it affects missile firing. Missiles come in three varieties: small, normal, and large. These refer to the amount of damage the missile does. The more powerful missiles can be extremely expensive. Missiles are excellent against fast moving targets like planes, or against powerful targets that you cannot afford to stand still against. However, because missiles tend to be fired in an arc away from the AC, they almost always miss targets that are too close. When used in enclosed areas, missiles may simply impact on a wall because the space is too narrow to accommodate the arc of the missile.

There are, of course, differences in arc. Some missiles, like the WM-X201 multi missile, fire straight ahead. The WM-P4001 dual missile fires to the sides, while the WM-P5-2 triple missile fires upwards. This is not very important in open areas, but knowing the arc of your missile weapon will save you many wasted missiles in small rooms or corridors.

Dual and triple missiles are simply weapon mounts that fire two or three missiles at once. Not all are guaranteed to hit the target, but the chances are higher, and it is a good weapon to use to deal large amounts of damage at each firing interval. Note that the ammo cost refers to each missile, not each salvo. Firing the WM-P5-2 triple missile once, for instance, will result in a cost 130 X 3 = 390. Multi missiles, on the other hand, fire a single shot that splits into 6 small missiles and home onto the target. The cost of one shot of multi missile, as well as the damage it deals, is therefore what is listed on the stat sheet. Multi missiles track very well and most targets would be hard pressed to escape all the mini-missiles. Note that the XCS-9900 multi missile is mounted on both shoulders and fires two sets of multi missiles. The XCS-9900 dual missile, another double-mounted weapon, differs from the WX-S800/2 (also a double-mounted dual missile) in that it actually fires six missiles, not two. However, the WX-S800/2 has a great advantage in that, unlike most other missiles, it fires directly forward, thus making it more useful in narrow corridors at medium to long range.

Bomb dispensers toss out a handful of bombs (6 for the WM-X5-AA, 12 for the WM-X10) a few meters in front of your AC. They detonate upon contact with a target or the ground. Bombs deal a lot of damage, do not affect your AC, and are very cheap. Bomb dispensers do not have a weapon lock.

Rockets also do not have weapon lock. They deal a lot of damage, but must be manually aimed. They have no blast effect; the rocket must hit the target to deal damage. Near misses do not count.

The WC-CN35 chain gun is like a machine gun. It fires fast solid projectiles rapidly. The WC-ST120 slug gun fires a number of projectiles in a spread pattern. The ammo cost is quite high for the damage it deals. The WC-LN350 linear gun is a solid ammo weapon as well, and deals a fair amount of damage.

The WC-GN230 grenade launcher delivers the most powerful single shot of all the weapons at 3520 attack power. However, the ammo is also very expensive. In addition, the projectile is very slow and the reload time is very long. The grenade has a blast effect upon detonation, which means, that the ensuing explosion can also damage your AC if you are within the blast radius. Your AC will also suffer recoil and be pushed back each time you fire.

The WC-XP4000 pulse cannon and the WC-XC8000 plasma cannon are energy weapons that drain a lot of CHARGE when fired. The WC-01QL laser cannon has a blast effect.

The radar parts are pretty straightforward. There doesn't seem to a be difference between the different radar types beyond the aesthetic. Radar is necessary to detect the position of targets. All the available radar parts have a radar function, so missiles will also show up on radar.

ARM WEAPON

There are two types of arm weapons -- distance weapons such as handguns and bazookas, and close-in weapons called laser swords. Distance weapons are equipped on the right hand, swords on the left. An AC can only carry one of each, which means that you will be unable to equip two guns even though you are not carrying a laser sword.

For a description of the terms used on the stat sheet, please refer to ARMS & BACK WEAPONS & ARM WEAPONS under the Terminology Section.

For a discussion of SOLID VS ENERGY WEAPONS, look under ARMS.

The WG-RF35 rifle is the default weapon that your AC starts out with, and has more in common with the WG-HG235 and WG-HG512 handguns than the sniper rifles. All three weapons are of the wide & shallow variety, featuring short range and a large weapon lock window. These are ideal for early in the game, being cheap and easy to use. The WG-HG512 in particular is an excellent beginner's weapon, with relatively high attack power and cheap ammo. Machine guns are also good weapons to use, especially in enclosed areas on fast moving targets. However, they have low attack power. The best machine gun is the WG-AR1000, which fires very rapidly while dealing decent damage. Like the other machine guns though, it has short range, and in addition has a special lock window instead of a wide & shallow one. In general however, hand machine guns are not really worth using as there are better choices for the same price.

Sniper rifles have extremely long range and deliver good damage. However, they are slow to reload and the ammo cost is quite expensive.

The flame-thrower is one of a kind. It fires a stream of fire, using ammo much the same way a machine gun does. It deals quite a lot of damage, but the range is so short (900) that you have to be practically next to your target to hit it. Good for enemies such as security bots and the biological creatures, but otherwise has not much else to offer except novelty.

Bazookas are slow to fire and reload, but are extremely powerful. They have a blast effect, which means that when the projectile impacts, there will be an explosion that damages target within the radius, including your own AC.

Pulse and plasma rifles are energy weapons, high attack power and costless to fire. The plasma rifles are more powerful, but have shorter range. The WG-1-KARASAWA cannot be equip on ACs with FOUR LEGS TYPE or CATERPILLAR legs.

Laserswords are also straightforward. The best one by far is the LS-99-MOONLIGHT, which does more than twice the damage of the previous model while draining less than a third the charge. Laserswords are good for close up combat, and are not constrained by ammo number. When used in conjunction with four legs type or caterpillar legs, the AC stabs instead of swings, making the hit radius smaller.

Armored Core: Basic Equipment Faq: Section 2, Version 0.5 (20th September 1997)

Ivevei Upatkoon

arashi@gol.com

Other AC faqs available: Stat Sheet, Section 1

Get the latest updates of Armored Core Faqs at http://www2.gol.com/users/arashi/ac/

There is a faster mirror site at http://www.umich.edu/~ivevei/ac/ (but this could go down at any time)

Please feel free to distribute this faq in its unmodified form for non-profit purposes, but do give credit where it is due. As courtesy, I would appreciate it if you would notify me when you plan to host a copy of this faq. If you have any questions or criticisms concerning this faq, please e-mail me. If I use your information, you will be credited at the bottom of the faq.

There are so many parts in Armored Core that you may be confused as to what is the best way to go about upgrading your AC. I don't claim to know the best way, but based on my playing style, I've found that the following is a pretty efficient way of going through the game. Always remember that this is merely advice, and to adapt it to what you feel is important. You can sell parts for the same amount you paid for them, so don't hesitate to experiment.

1) At the very beginning, before starting your missions, sell your default RIFLE and SMALL MISSILES, and use the money to buy the WG-HG512 HANDGUN. This will give you more firepower. This early in the game, you cannot afford the ammo cost of missiles.

2) Next, use the money you earn in the missions to upgrade your GENERATOR to the GRD-RX5. This gives you enough power output to support better arms, legs, etc. as well as more charge.

3) Upgrade to a HEAD with AUTOMAP. If the head possesses RADAR, you may also sell your external radar to free up weight or earn money. I would recommend the HD-REDEYE.

4) Next, I would recommend getting a STABILIZER option part. SHELL SCREEN and ENERGY SCREEN are also important. They reduce the amount of damage your AC will take, which increases your chances of survival as well as lowering the repair costs. Get these when you feel you can afford them.

5) Start thinking about the type of AC you are building. This determines the type of legs you want to buy. Remember that fast legs mean high energy drain, which means you probably have to upgrade your generator again. But you'll be keeping a light mech, so you don't have to worry about buying lots of weapons. Slow legs tend to be cheaper, but to be effective, the AC must be heavily armed and armored, which is expensive.

6) Remember to upgrade your FCS and BOOSTERS when you get enough money. ARMS don't really serve any function (except for the fact that they are needed to carry arm weapons), so they are only important for armor. However, they are relatively cheap if you need more armor points. Also by this point, you probably want to be thinking about upgrading your arm weapons. Also, remember to buy the option parts you require, and also to select suitable back weapons.

Armored Core Stat Sheet

Version 2.0 (21st September 1997)

Ivevei Upatkoon

arashi@gol.com

Other AC faqs available: Preface, Terminology Sheet, Section 1

Get the latest updates of Armored Core Faqs at http://www2.gol.com/users/arashi/ac/

There is a faster mirror site at http://www.umich.edu/~ivevei/ac/ (but this could go down at any time)

Please feel free to distribute this faq in its unmodified form for non-profit purposes, but do give credit where it is due. As courtesy, I would appreciate it if you would notify me when you plan to host a copy of this faq. If you have any questions or criticisms concerning this faq, please e-mail me. If I use your information, you will be credited at the bottom of the faq.

Contents:

HEAD

CORE

ARMS

LEGS

GENERATOR

FCS

OPTION PARTS

BOOSTERS

BACK WEAPONS

ARM WEAPONS

(n) = NEW part that arrives at the shop

(e) = Part EARNED from completing a mission

(f) = Part FOUND somewhere on a mission

See NEW EQUIPMENT section at the end of the weapons listings for details on where to obtain EARNED and FOUND parts. NEW parts will simply arrive at the shop after a certain number of missions have been tried.

I am always on the lookout for parts hidden in missions. Please write to me if you have found a part that is not on my list.

ivevei@umich.edu

Head:

Core:

Arms:

Legs:

Generator:

FCS:

Option Parts:

Boosters:

Back Weapon:

Arm Weapon: