The FCS is one of the most important parts you can equip in Armored Core 6. Like the two other internals (the Generator and Boosters), without an FCS, your AC won’t even run, and like them, choosing the wrong one can essentially brick your build before it fires a shot.
While your weapons and body parts affect your moment-to-moment gameplay, they’re easier to switch up on the fly without losing too much effectiveness. Swap out your FCS, however; your guns can go from accurate to “can’t shoot the broad side of a barn” tier. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how the FCS works and how to build around them.
How the FCS Works in Armored Core 6
The Fire Control System, or FCS, is in charge of weapon target tracking at close, medium, long-range and missile lock amount, and lock-on time. In other words, your FCS determines how effective your weapons and missile systems will be at a given distance from your enemy. Every FCS has a different Long, medium, and short-range targeting value, as well as the maximum number of enemies it can lock onto and how long that missile lock-on will take.
Just because an FCS specializes in a given range doesn’t mean it won’t target outside that range. It will. If you’re using a close-range FCS and trying to snipe your enemies (especially fast-moving mobs and bosses), you’ll have a much tougher time getting your shots to land. For instance, I favor Linear Rifles on a speedy AC, so the FCS I use should work best at close and medium ranges, prioritizing medium-range a bit more.
Note that not equipping any missile launchers doesn’t rob you of any FCS value. There is no “one build to beat them all” in Armored Core 6, and each boss and opponent requires a different setup and strategy to overcome. Opponents that aren’t trash mobs, anyway. Having missiles on your AC instead makes your FCS even more valuable, though, as with its range modifiers, which FCS you equip to augment those missile launchers will depend on what kinds of enemies you expect. For boss fights, you can get away with lower-target locks. Missions with high enemy density will need more locks. And so on.
How to Build Around Your FCS
As I said, there’s no one-build-fits-all in Armored Core 6. What you like and fits your playstyle will vastly differ from what I like and what a third person enjoys. When planning a build, one of the first things you need to consider is the range you plan to focus on. A tank build might be great for medium-range engagements with lots of powerful weapons equipped but needs to get in close when the enemy staggers. In that case, an FCS that favors either (or preferably both) ranges is ideal.
In practice, many quad-leg builds rely on that part’s ability to hover and deal with larger weapon recoil while still staying relatively mobile. I tend to run long-range FCS modules if I’m using quad legs. The speedy, squishy ACs I prefer tend to operate either at point-blank range, so I almost always have a close-range specialty FCS equipped.
How you plan your build is up to you, but one path to follow is going from the general to the specific. Ask, then answer the following:
- What range do I want to focus on?
- Do I want to be fast or tanky, or somewhere in between?
- What weapons do I want to use?
- Do I have missiles, or am I rifle only?
- Should I go for an FCS that prioritizes one range or can do a bit of two at the expense of the third?
You can move the final question to just after the first if your process works better that way. Weight and energy requirements are rarely much of a consideration when choosing an FCS, but if you’re right up against what your legs and generator can support, you may have to make some hard choices.
Don’t be afraid to rethink even at a late stage. Build crafting is the heart and soul of Armored Core 6, and discovering that everything you thought you wanted is exactly what you don’t want is part of the fun. Hopefully, anyway.
