Ready for a big challenge?
In Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, players will face down a number of bosses, but not all of them are other Armored Core pilots. There are some extremely dangerous machines to scrap, and one of the bigger threats early on is the Juggernaut you'll face when scaling the Wall in Chapter 1.
In classic FromSoftware fashion, there are a few things about this boss that'll make it easier to beat once you know what to do. Here's what you need to know in order to beat the Juggernaut.
Armored Core 6: How to beat the Juggernaut
For this battle, take advantage of the fact you'll have a checkpoint, meaning you'll be fully resupplied if you die, and you can also use the Assembly option to change out parts as needed. Your equipment unlocks will be fairly limited this early in the game, but I highly recommend having a vertical missile launcher or plasma missile launcher, or both. You'll also want to have a shotgun or energy blade, or both.
The fight against the Juggernaut is divided into two phases. In the first phase, you'll have assistance from an ally, Rusty, who dances around in a nimble Armored Core, keeping the Juggernaut distracted and allowing you to exploit its weak point. The Juggernaut's armor is impenetrable from the front, meaning you need to get behind it and strike the engine.
At this point, the most dangerous attack to look out for is when the Juggernaut suddenly speeds up and tries to ram you, as it inflicts massive stagger damage and can leave you vulnerable. Vertical missile launchers and plasma missile launchers help here, as they go straight up, then straight down, giving you a higher chance of inflicting stagger damage on the Juggernaut.
Phase two begins when you've inflicted roughly 50% damage to the Juggernaut. Rusty is called away, and you'll be left by yourself, at which point things become far more dangerous. The Juggernaut will start laying mines as it moves around, which can deal shockingly high amounts of damage if you aren't careful.
If you do find yourself facing the Juggernaut head-on, try to get high up as quickly as possible, as it will start using heavy rocket and machine gun fire, which is hard (but not impossible) to dodge. Try to boost over the Juggernaut, combining shotgun or bazooka shots with vertical missiles to stagger the beast. Keep on trying, and you'll fell the mammoth machine before long.
Climbing to victory
With the Juggernaut down, your adventures on Rubicon 3 are only just beginning in earnest, but you're proving yourself as a skilled pilot. Keep earning credits, keep toying with your Armored Core's design, and you'll be one of the fiercest mercenaries around.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PS5, and PS4.
