Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon has a plethora of missions that all have a potential S-rank that players can earn by completing them as efficiently as possible. Armored Core 6 has a FromSoftware feel while having fully customizable armored mechs that players control to defeat enemies and complete the various missions. Players will have a lot of decisions to make throughout the game, many of which will shape the course of the game and how their character evolves.
In Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, earning S-ranks on missions depends on how fast and efficiently you complete those missions. Several factors determine this, but the number of credits players earn is the best way to measure how well players are doing. Below are seven ways to maximize your efficiency in a mission, many of which have to do with boosting the maximum number of credits you can earn.
7 Low Ammo Consumption
Consuming a minimum amount of ammo will be a significant factor in what players spend on each mission, as ammo consumption will be deducted from the total credit earned. This can be mitigated by using melee weapons in Armored Core 6, but this might mean players spend more time in close combat and are in more danger of taking damage. While ammo costs are a large part of the credit score, taking too long or too much damage are much more significant factors for better ranks, so use a combination of low ammo-cost weapons and ones that can deal with enemies quickly.
6 No Checkpoints
If players die in a mission, they can respawn at a previous checkpoint and continue playing from there. However, restarting from a checkpoint will completely nullify any option to get an S-rank. Players should instead choose to restart the mission entirely, as you only get one shot to complete a mission and still earn the S-rank. This is why watching your health bar and being thoughtful and methodical about gameplay is very important.
5 Remaining Health
When players reach the mission's end, they will also be graded on their remaining amount of health. If you finish the mission in one go but are very low on health, you will be less likely to be rewarded with the S-rank. This is because the repair costs count toward the credit cost of the mission, which all factors into the score of each mission. As a secondary tip, using an OS upgrade in Armored Core 6, such as Boost Kick, to finish off enemies can give players an edge to finish the mission quickly and reduce the risk to their health.
Like with ammo, finishing the mission quickly is still more important than guarding your health, so do not be too cautious.
4 Change Your build
If you have tried everything else and still are not getting that S-rank, try another build and fine-tune it to that mission. Players can use their foreknowledge of each task to build around the objectives and tweak their armor's internal parts and skills to achieve the desired outcome. Experiment with streamlined, balanced, or specialty builds to get the right combination to complete the mission as efficiently as possible and be bold in switching out parts for different missions.
3 Equip Different Gear
Beyond the internal parts, other types of gear will lower mission costs and help push players over the edge to get the S-rank. For instance, the Pulse Armor can deflect damage and artificially raise a player's Armor Points (AP) in Armored Core 6. As stated earlier, weapons that don’t consume ammo can also fit into this category as they reduce overall mission costs. As with the build, look at what abilities the gear can give you and experiment to see if it works better for you and if any of them can boost AP.
2 Clear Optional Objectives When Required
Sometimes, a mission will require certain optional objectives to be completed for players to earn the S-rank. The mission description should be noted when this is the case because it will mention earning extra credits for completing it. That being said, completing optional objectives will make you a better status anyway, so long as they do not take too much extra time. The more credits, the higher the chance of earning a higher rank, but be aware that there are areas players can skip entirely, saving ammo and time.
1 Defeat Specific Enemies
Sometimes, it will be an optional objective, but sometimes, there are boss enemies in Armored Core 6 that the mission will require players to defeat to earn the rank. While players often want to avoid as many enemies as possible to complete the mission, these enemies will often be carrying Combat Logs, which players can collect and gain a bonus for doing so. This will fulfill the requirement to defeat them and give you a better chance of earning the S-rank.
