One definite challenge that you are going to face in your progression is to unlock S Ranks for all missions in Armored Core 6. You will want to do this to get more and better rewards, as well as “The Perfect Mercenary achievement” should you be a completionist.
However, achieving S-Ranks is easier said than done in Armored Core 6. There are several factors that work together to grade how well you completed a mission. Below are all of the requirements that you need to fulfill to increase your chances of unlocking an S Rank in a mission.
How to get S Ranks in missions in Armored Core 6
There are several ways to get an S Rank in your missions, but none of them are guaranteed to do so in Armored Core 6. What that means is that you cannot expect to have an S Rank every time by following the same course of action.
You can only increase your chances of unlocking an S Rank by doing certain activities, some of which carry more weight than others. It is all about your performance in that mission. How effective and fast you were, for example.
One life (no checkpoints)
You only get one chance (or one life) to complete a mission for an S Rank in Armored Core 6. If you restart your game from a checkpoint, you will ruin your S-Rank chances for that playthrough. However, you can restart a mission from the beginning at any point.
Complete missions in quick-time
If there is one foremost way to get an S Rank in a mission, it is to complete missions as quickly as possible in Armored Core 6. The less time you take to complete a mission, the higher the chance of getting an S Rank.
A viable tip here is to simply ignore enemies and rush for objectives if you are playing a mission to unlock its S Rank.
Some missions, for example, actually allow you to push past enemies without defeating them. Do not waste time on such engagements. Only complete your objectives.
Save your ammo
Conserving your ammo is one of the several ways to get an S Rank in your current mission in Armored Core 6. This, though, is also the least effective way to guarantee your S-Rank chances.
The only problem is that Armored Core 6 does not mention how much ammo you can use or should save. The only thing to know here is that you need to use as little ammo as possible to increase your S-Rank chances. You may as well rely on your melee weapons.
Remember that you can confirm how much ammo you used in a mission through the mission-end summary. That should give you an idea of how much ammo you need to conserve the next time.
Minimum Damage
While grinding for an S-Rank you have certain limiters set on you. Minimum damage is one of them. You have to make sure during your gameplay that you take as little damage as possible.
At the end of a mission, you will get the results. There you will see “repair costs”. The lower the repair costs are, the higher your chances of getting a S-Rank.
Other conditions
In certain missions, you have to complete bonus objectives to get an S Rank in Armored Core 6. For some missions, you’ll have to defeat bosses. For others, you will have to gather combat logs for fallen enemies. So they vary from mission to mission. Make sure to check your mission logs for all the important details.
These rules will apply to your mission independently. Sometimes you need to be fast. And sometimes you’ll need to survive with your health above a certain percentage. And sometimes not wasting your bullets will do the trick. And these conditions can occur at the same time as well.
Armored Core 6 S-Rank tips and tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks that you can apply and use in your gameplay to finally get that golden S-Rank. It is a big achievement and you should be proud of yourself.
Optimal AC Builds
You can not perform a surgery with a butter knife and you can not spread butter with a scaple. The same is the case while you build your ACs. You see every AC build is different. They all have different traits. Some are faster, some stronger, some more agile than others.
So optimize your AC build for that particular mission. And then choosing the right build for that mission is a key factor. Always remember to pick your ACs according to your Mission requirements.
Pulse Armor
Pulse armor is a core that envelops you in a shield. This helps you negate enemies’ damage. When activated the shield looks like a bubble surrounding you. This lets you attack, move, and defend at the same time.
If you have not gotten the hang of Dodge ability yet. This would be your best bet at getting a S Rank early on in Armored Core 6. It is possible but difficult.
Blade weapons
Use blade weapons. You see blade weapons don’t cost ammo. What this does is it removes the need for conserving your ammo.
Just get your hand on a blade weapon and let it rip. Get to close quarters, equip your pulse armor, and kill enemies as fast as you can. With proper practice and techniques, you’ll get an S-Rank in no time.
