How to Beat AA-602 CATAPHRACT in Armored Core 6 (AC6)

Near the middle of Chapter 3 in Armored Core 6, you’ll be faced with a decision to make as to what your next mission will be. After completing the first few missions, you can then choose to 1) Eliminate the Enforcement Squads or 2) Destroy the Special Forces Craft. Choosing the second option will lead you to the Central Ice Field and directly into a boss battle. Your objective is to take down the PCA Special Forces craft AA-602 CATAPHRACT, and we’ll show you just how to beat it in this guide.

Armored Core 6: AA-602 CATAPHRACT Boss Guide

The AA-602 CATAPHRACT is a large, heavily armored tank with an arsenal of different weapons. It’s extremely sturdy, mobile, and precise in its shots. However, it has a vital weak point, and taking advantage of that is the key to destroying the machine.

Here are our tips for defeating the AA-602 CATAPHRACT:

1) Shoot it in the Face

The AA-602 CATAPHRACT is covered in plate armor around most of its body – except directly in front of it and between the wheels. It will normally circle around you, keeping its front out of your view, but will occasionally turn directly towards you to charge. Use this opportunity to blast it with your best burst damage weapons, like rockets, grenades, and shotgun blasts.

2) Stay Mobile

The AA-602 CATAPHRACT will essentially never stop firing at you, whether it’s a shower of rockets, continuous artillery fire, or precision lasers. At times, it will face you directly and charge straight at your AC, dealing massive collision damage. Keep moving and use your dashes to evade rockets and keep yourself from becoming robotic roadkill.

3) Juke the Lasers

While the tank isn’t as accurate with its Gatling guns and rockets, it makes up for it with its ultra-precise lasers. Since you’ll likely be strafing in one continuous direction, be prepared to quickly dash in the opposite direction when you notice it readying a laser shot. You’ll be able to tell by the audio and visual indicators.

Best Build for the AA-602 CATAPHRACT in AC6

The best builds to use against the AA-602 CATAPHRACT are ACs that are mobile with plenty of burst damage. As such, equip weapons like high-caliber rifles, shotguns, and missile launchers wherever you can. The CATAPHRACT can be staggered easily with the right amount of firepower. The build I used to beat the AA-602 CATAPHRACT is shown below.

Best Loadout to Beat the CATAPHRACT:

• R-Arm Unit: RF-025 SCUDDER.
• L-Arm Unit: SG-027 ZIMMERMAN.
• R-Back Unit: BML-G2/P05MLT-10.
• L-Back Unit: SONGBIRDS.
• Head: HD-012 MELANDER C3.
• Core: DF-BD-08 TIAN-QIANG.
• Arms: DF-AR-08 TIAN-QIANG.
• Legs: DF-LG-08 TIAN-QIANG.
• Booster: ALULA/21E.
• FCS: FCS-G2/P10SLT.
• Generator: DF-GN-06 MIND-TANG.

This was the build I used to blow up the tank easily. The BML-G2/P05MLT-10 is a 10-cell rocket attachment that, when dealt directly to the face, inflicts heavy stagger damage onto the CATAPHRACT. The SONGBIRDS blast two more grenades and deal massive explosive damage. Once the boss was staggered, I closed the distance and gave it a devastating shotgun blast or two with the ZIMMERMAN. You could easily replace the SCUDDER rifle with another missile or grenade launcher if you’d like.

That’s all for our guide on beating the AA-602 CATAPHRACT in Armored Core 6. If you want to make sure you’re tuning up your AC as best you can, check out our guide on the best OST Upgrades to get first in Armored Core 6.