Armored Core 6: The best early-game weapons and where to find them

Armored Core 6 opens with a generous handful of ruthlessly challenging missions that can easily take new players off-guard. Like most FromSoftware games, certain weapons in AC6 excel at beating certain bosses, but there are so many to choose from—and you unlock them so quickly—that it can be tough to find the right weapon for the job, especially in the early game.

Multiple weapons in the opening chapter of AC6 are devastating show-stoppers that can easily carry you through most early missions, so it’s important to know which ones are the best. If you’re looking to know which early-game weapons to look out for in Chapter One of AC6, look no further, as this guide has got you covered.

Best early weapons in AC6 (and how to get them)

For your first few missions, your starting assault rifle and laser sword will do just fine—but as early as the second mission in AC6, you start getting access to more powerful weaponry, most of which you’ll need to buy from the Parts Shop for COAM.

You almost always have enough COAM to buy what you need, and you can always sell parts back for 100 percent value. It’s always worth selling parts you’re not using, since you can buy them back for the same value later.

Here are the strongest weapons to look out for in the first chapter of AC6.

DF-BA-06 XUAN-GE Bazooka

The XUAN-GE Bazooka is an absolute powerhouse of a weapon, and it can take care of enemy mechs with ease. You’ll unlock it as soon as the Parts Shop becomes available after you clear the second mission, Destroy Artillery Installations.

It’s slow, so it’ll take some getting used to. But as soon as you start reliably landing your shots, you’ll breeze through the first couple of missions. They only cost 70,000 COAM each, so dual-wielding Bazookas is cheap and accessible. You’ll want to watch your weight load, though, and make sure you don’t overburden yourself. You might need stronger legs or lighter parts to wield two Bazookas.

With a Bazooka in each hand, you’ll deal an absurd amount of damage to slow-moving targets, although you should be wary that fast targets will be hard to hit—unless you get up close and personal.

BML-G1/P31DUO-02 Missile Launcher (Back Unit)

While you’re in the Parts Shop checking out those Bazookas, you’ll want to make note of the BML-G1/P31DUO-02 Missile Launcher Back Unit. These missiles are an excellent early-game option, and you should buy two, one for each back slot, as soon as you can afford them.

They’re fire-and-forget, so you can tap both buttons to launch them and the missiles will automatically track your target. They’re a great boost to your overall DPS and you don’t need to think about them too much during the heat of battle. You’ll probably use these for most of the game’s first chapter.

Like the XUAN-GE Bazooka, you can buy the BML-G1/P31DUO-02 Missile Launcher as soon as the Parts Shop becomes available after you’ve completed Destroy Artillery Installations. They cost 144,000 COAM each, so they aren’t cheap for new pilots, but they’re absolutely worth getting.

Related: Don’t sleep on Armored Core 6’s melee weapons

SG-026 HALDEMAN Shotgun / VP-66LS Laser Shotgun

Shotguns weren’t always viable in Armored Core, so it’s a pleasant surprise to see them performing so well in AC6. You’ll unlock the SG-026 Haldeman Shotgun after clearing mission seven, Destroy the Weaponized Mining Ship, and it’ll become purchasable in the Parts Shop for 75,000 COAM.

These shotguns do exceptional damage at close range and surprisingly decent damage at medium range, making them a strong option for many encounters. They’ll take out weaker enemies in one hit at close range, which can be great for conserving ammo on long missions. Dual-wielded shotguns are also a good choice for the early Arena mech battles, as faster foes tend to have an easy time dodging rockets from the Bazooka.

I’ll also give an honorable mention to the VP-66LS Laser Shotgun, which you can buy for 105,000 COAM in the Parts Shop after beating mission 11, Attack the Watchpoint. If you enjoyed using the Hadelman Shotguns for most of Chapter One, Laser Shotguns are a great choice of upgrade that will deal more damage to most enemies.

Vvc-70VPM Plasma Missile Launcher (Back Unit)

You’ve probably been using the Missile Launcher Back Unit for most of Chapter One, and by now, you’re thinking you’re overdue an upgrade. You’re right—after clearing mission seven, Destroy the Weaponized Mining Ship, you’ll unlock the Vvc-70VPM Plasma Missile Launcher Back Unit for 96,000 COAM in the Parts Shop.

It’s another fire-and-forget option like the BML-G1/P31DUO-02 Missile Launchers, and it’ll last at least until you get the SONGBIRDS in Chapter Three. These launchers have a huge area of effect that’s hard to dodge, and they deal decent damage. They go hand-in-hand with Laser Shotguns on a mech specialized in dealing Energy damage, upgraded with OS Tuning Chips earned from the Arena.

VVc-770LB Laser Blade

The starting laser blade is surprisingly powerful, and it’ll get you through some early bosses, especially the PCA heavy attack helicopter. If you enjoy melee combat in AC6, it won’t take long for you to be pining for an upgrade—but worry not.

After beating the eighth mission in the game, Operation Wallclimber, you’ll unlock a stronger melee weapon that will last you at least until Chapter Three and probably beyond that. The VVc-770LB Laser Blade becomes purchasable in the Parts Shop for 121,000 COAM as soon as you beat this mission.

It’s a solid weapon with good reach, and its one-two combo deals an impressive amount of damage and stagger. It’s particularly good against enemy mechs in the Arena, and multiple bosses are surprisingly weak to melee attacks.

DF-GA-08 HU-BEN Gatling Gun

The DF-GA-08 HU-BEN Gatling Gun was our pick for the best weapon in AC6, and for good reasons. It has an impressive rate-of-fire, a surprisingly large clip size, and deals exceptional damage and stagger. All this together makes the HU-BEN Gatling Gun a must-pick, and you’ll find that it shreds through many of the later bosses in Chapter One.

It’s great for keeping the pressure on, especially against other mechs in Arena or PvP, and often you can just spray and pray. This can be considerably helpful on intense boss fights, as you won’t need to worry too much about adjusting your aim, and can focus more on dodging and movement, or using your other weapons.

You’ll need to complete Attack the Watchpoint, the 11th mission in AC6, to unlock the Gatling Gun, but it’ll easily see you through the next couple of chapters. It becomes available for purchase in the parts shop for 170,000 COAM. That might sound like a lot, but you’ll be overflowing with COAM at this point, especially if you’ve been selling the parts you don’t need.