A compact but thorough guide to help you with The Perfect Mercenary achievement
General info
Faster is better. In a lot of cases you can get away with rushing straight to the objective.
“Repair costs” on the result screen, the less the better. Repair kits and resupply don’t seem to factor into this, only the overall amount of damage you took does. This means you usually can’t rely on running a heavy tank build and soaking up all the damage up front.
The more enemies you destroy the better, though this is usually less important than completion time.
“Ammo costs” in the result screen. This one seems to be really lax, unless you deliberately go overboard.
Additional info:
- Restarting from a checkpoint caps your rank at A – don’t do it.
- Some missions have their unique requirements for an S-rank, these will be mentioned if present.
- Missions with boss fights tend to have relaxed time and damage requirements, with the only real challenge being beating the boss itself without restarting from a checkpoint. Just completing the entire mission in one go within a reasonable time is usually good enough for an S-rank.
- For each mission below I will specify the assembly I used and the result I got on the end screen, as well as time spent – for reference.
For some missions there will be two sets of results – one with a faster time (speeding through the mission and only taking out whatever is directly in your way), and one with a longer time (for a more methodical playthrough with sweeping all or most enemies). Both are valid for an S rank.
[01] Illegal Entry
You can either assault boost through the entire level, only destroying enemies around the wrecks, or move slightly slower and destroy everything you encounter, both seems to be valid for an S-rank. The quickest path through the three wrecks seems to be from left to right.
Before the chopper boss appears, climb on top of a nearby silo on the left to get a running start. Stick close to the chopper as much as you can to prevent it from using its missile attack and just spam everything you have at it. If it happens to fly out of bounds, hide behind the silos to avoid the missiles – just jumping or QBing seems to not be enough to escape the blast zone.
Reference assembly:
N/A
Reference results:
[02] Destroy Artillery Installations
Take care not to approach the last battery head-on as it’s easy to get caught in crossfire and stunlocked.
Reference assembly:
SG-026 Haldeman
SG-026 Haldeman
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
Reference results:
[03] Grid 135 Cleanup
You don’t need to fight the secret enemy.
Reference assembly:
SG-026 Haldeman
SG-026 Haldeman
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
Reference results:
[04] Destroy the Transport Helicopters
Alternatively, just sweeping everything within a reasonable time frame also works.
Reference assembly:
SG-026 Haldeman
HI-32: BU-TT/A
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
Reference results:
[05] Destroy the Tester AC
Reference assembly:
SG-026 Haldeman
SG-026 Haldeman
HI-32: BU-TT/A
Vvc-706PM
Reference results:
[06] Attack the Dam Complex
In the second half, you actually don’t need to fight anything including Burn Pickaxe – with enough speed just bee-lining towards the last two generators and ignoring everything else is enough.
Alternatively, a full sweep without taking too much time also works.
Reference assembly:
RF-024 Turner
HI-32: BU-TT/A
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
Reference results:
[06/ALT] Attack the Dam Complex
In the first half, all enemies around the generators have to be destroyed, same as the regular mission.
In the second half, you’re against Volta and Iguazu – a tanky and a lightweight AC at the same time.
There’s a trick to making this significantly easier: attack Iguazu to aggro him, then retreat towards the dam where an RLF tetrapod MT is stationed (vector 250 from the second generator). This will turn the encounter into a 2v2, giving you a lot of headroom. Single out Iguazu first, as he has less health.
Damage and time requirements aren’t particularly strict. I recommend a medium or heavy assembly to avoid getting overwhelmed by Volta’s heavy weaponry.
Reference assembly:
VP-66LS
VP-66LS
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
VE-42B
Reference results:
[07] Destroy the Weaponized Mining Ship
To avoid Strider’s long range laser, you need to be airborne and QB to the side in time. You can afford get hit once or twice, as long as the rest of the mission goes smoothly.
Once on the Strider, you can use explosive weapons of your choice to damage sub-generators from any angle, without having to aim for the exposed rotor. When the eye becomes vulnerable, rush it down with close-range weaponry and melee.
I recommend either reverse-joint legs for more jumping power or tetrapod legs for hovering around the structure.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[08] Escort the Weaponized Mining Ship
Regular-type missile launchers work great, but vertical, split or cluster launchers will have trouble hitting targets with how fast they are. For even better results, bring Pulse Armor and a FCS with good missile lock-on time.
Damage-wise, you should be fine as long as you’re within about two repair kits.
Reference assembly:
HML-G2/P19MLT-04
HML-G2/P19MLT-04
BML-G2/P05MLT-10
BML-G2/P05MLT-10
LG-033M Verril
Reference results:
[09] Operation Wallclimber
I find it easiest to assault boost towards the moat, then fly or catapult yourself up on top of the rampart and attack the gatling guns from above. After that, rush towards the BAWS tetrapod and get behind it to stay out of range of wall-mounted artillery. From there on, it’s straightforward.
The Juggernaut is vulnerable not only from behind, but also from above, so an easy strategy is to jump above and over it while spamming close range weaponry and/or explosives, following up with melee when it’s exposed for a direct hit.
I find reverse-joint builds to be most comfortable here, both for navigating and for combating the boss.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Vvc-706PM
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[10] Retrieve Combat Logs
- two logs are in the starting area, in front and to the right of the starting point
- one log is at the foot of the concrete wall off the far left corner of the starting area, under the enormous fallen pillar
- two logs are in the ravine at the base of the fallen pillar
- three logs are scattered around the snowy path coming out of the starting area and tracing the edge of the ravine
You don’t need to engage any enemies including Ziyi, but at least clearing out those around the wrecks helps with reducing damage sustained. Upgrading scan speed in your OS is a big help, obviously.
I recommend bringing an agile build with multi-lock weaponry to quickly clear out minor enemies without taking your attention off the main objectives. You can also bring a pulse shield to put up while scanning if you want to be extra safe.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Vvc-706PM
SI-24: SU-Q5
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[11] Prisoner Rescue
This one is difficult. The only consistent method I’ve found is to memorize the helicopter’s route and rush ahead, destroying every enemy you encounter way before the helicopter even gets there.
The only enemies that spawn in along the way are the three quadcopters carrying MTs, they appear as your helicopter leaves the first landing point. All other enemies are already on the map, though some of them are hidden out of sight – I recommend using a head unit with good scan range to look for those.
Note that you don’t have to destroy the combat log tetrapod MT.
On top of all that, at the end you’ll also fight G2 Nile, a heavy biped AC, all the while transport choppers constantly bring MT reinforcements. I ended up having the most luck with a reverse-joint assembly with twin Zimmermans and a melee weapon (for the G2 fight) as well as a multi-lock launcher (for clearing the path beforehand).
Additionally, I recommend bringing Assault Armor and triggering it against G2 and his swarm of quadcopters right before they land – with good timing you can catch all the copters in the blast and instantly get rid of all the MTs they carry.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Vvc-706PM
VE-67LLA
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[12] Investigate BAWS Arsenal No. 2
I recommend bringing a head unit with good scanning range and first proceeding through the map carefully, scanning ahead of you to find the ghost units:
- one in the first section, firing at you – you can’t get a drop on this one
- three in the next section: on the right behind boxy machinery, on the left behind a structure with a U-shaped top, and towards the back-left on a concrete ledge
- three in the last section: to the left on a stack of curved plates, to the left behind reddish angular machinery and to the right between crane arms
Once you know where they hide, one Songbirds hit on an unaware ghost unit is enough to destroy it.
This also holds for the fight at the bottom of the well – use a long range scanner to find the three units latching to walls (one on the far wall towards the left, one on the left wall towards the back, one on the right wall towards the back) and you can shoot each of them down with a single Songbirds volley, leaving only one non-cloaked unit to deal with.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
VP-67LD
Reference results:
[13] Obstruct the Mandatory Inspection
Damage thresholds aren’t strict, with good completion time you can get away with eating all three repair kits.
I used a reverse jointed twin Zimmermans & pile bunker assembly for this. Alternatively, a twin gatling & twin stun needle assembly on Fortaleza light tank legs is a comfortable choice.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
PB-033M Ashmead
Reference results:
[14] Attack the Watchpoint
You can bring a pulse gun to use against Balteus’ shields but it’s not a must-have as regular weapons like shotguns and explosives work just as well.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[14/ALT] Attack the Watchpoint
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[15] Infiltrate Grid 086
For the boss, a reverse-jointed or tetrapod assembly will allow you to hover above its sweeping attacks, while putting you in a position to fire at its chimney weakpoint.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[16] Eliminate the Doser Faction
In the first area, right at the start you can fly up and use long-range weaponry to dispose of enemies on the platform above, that way you won’t need to wait for them to come down later on.
In the second area, taking out the groups in the order of left → back → right seems to be the most comfortable path. Make sure to have enough energy before you start assault boosting over the gap.
I recommend multi-lock weapons to tear through the MTs and a lightweight assembly to dodge the large homing missiles they fire at you in the second half.
Reference assembly:
MA-J-201 Ransetsu-AR
MA-J-201 Ransetsu-AR
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[17] Stop the Secret Data Breach
The quickest path through the hacking drones seems to be:
- the drone just in front of the entrance, on a lower level
- open the door behind the drone, and in the next room drop to the level below for the next one
- fly up to the walkway above the previous drone and open the door on the left, then the next one in the corridor – the drone is in this room
- from there, make a U-turn (vector 120 from the previous drone) and follow the tracks to the intersection where a tetrapod appears, turn left from there
- the last one is in the room to the right of said intersection
Note that defeating Iguazu too quickly will leave you alone against five ghost machines – you may want to pace yourself.
Since both Iguazu and the ghost machines use pulse shielding, and there are a lot of clustered targets in the first half, bringing Assault Armor is recommended. A pulse gun and/or wide area of effect explosives are viable choices. A head unit with good scanning range helps with locating the drones if you’re lost.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
HI-18: GU-A2
Vvc-774LS
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[18] Ocean Crossing
A tetrapod assembly will allow you to comfortably cross the gap between platforms while hiding under the bridge, as well as follow the spider up into the air in its second phase. As long as you stick close to the spider, you should be able to outdamage it easily enough.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
SB-033M Morley
PB-033M Ashmead
VP-424
Reference results:
[19] Steal the Survey Data
In the second half, I don’t recommend rushing the tetrapod, as the smaller MTs tend to get in the way, even though they get destroyed by the warship soon after.
To make the fight against LCs significantly easier, use the catapult to get on top of the cliff and fire an explosive of your choice into the warship’s bay as it opens – you’ll deal major damage to the LCs before they can even do anything to you.
Afterwards, as the warship makes its second pass, fly onto its deck and take out the bridge. Note that the various cannons on its body as well as the drones it launches don’t count towards your score directly, though taking them out helps mitigate damage.
The biggest factor against the S-rank seems to be how much damage you take – if has to be under about two repair kits.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
BML-G2/P08DUO-03
Songbirds
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[20] Attack the Refueling Base
- a shield LC right in front of the bridge
- a sniper LC on a tall structure in the distance, to the right of the bridge
- a sniper LC underneath the bridge, near the catapults
As long as you get those three, you can either play this mission as a methodical sweep or rush through it, though the latter seems to be more consistent. Note that destroying fuel tanks actually doesn’t factor into the ranking much, if at all.
There are reports from people who are able to get an S rank while destroying only one or two LCs, but that also requires keeping time and damage to an absolute minimum.
Both the shield LC and Ekdromoi units are vulnerable to an assault boost kick → twin shotgun blast → charged pile bunker combo.
When fighting the two Ekdromoi, focus the melee unit first, as otherwise it will disrupt you with its long range lunges. A close-range FCS is recommended.
For the results below, I was moving through the map at a speedy but not breakneck pace, and apart from the three LCs I only destroyed those enemies that were directly along the path, mainly using plasma missiles. I also took quite a beating during the boss fight.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Vvc-706PM
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[21] Eliminate V.VII
I find it easiest to hug the left edge of the area and proceed on top of the walls, using long-range weaponry to get rid of MTs along the path. After reaching the objective, turn around and make a beeline to Swinburne. The damage threshold is about two repair kits.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Vvc-706PM
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[22] Tunnel Sabotage
Reference assembly:
VP-66LH
VP-66LH
Vvc-703PM
Vvc-703PM
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[23] Prevent Corporate Salvage of New Tech
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[24] Survey the Uninhabited Floating City
A well-timed burst of Assault Armor can stop the ghost units’ ambush in its tracks and immediately open them up for a direct hit.
During the bossfight, I find it’s worth taking the extra time to activate the friendly drones, as they make the battle much less hectic.
I found a medium weight, reverse joint twin shotgun twin stun needle assembly to be the most efficient against the helicopter. Alternatively, a hovering tetrapod with close range weaponry also works.
A long-range missile assembly might seem like a good idea but in actuality it tends to be too slow and ammo hungry to reach an S rank.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[24/ALT] Survey the Uninhabited Floating City
Bring an anti-AC assembly of your choice, and don’t stand in napalm for too long.
Reference assembly:
VE-66LRB
VE-66LRB
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
VE-42B
Reference results:
[25] Heavy Missile Launch Support
Individual missiles can be heavily damaged, but once one is destroyed, the S rank is lost.
The main problem are the three toybox mechs that arrive at 02:20, and the warship that arrives at 01:15.
Toybox mechs fire rocket salvos that can shave off half a sub missile health, and if the warship is allowed to fire off its laser sweep, the S rank is as good as lost.
Keep an eye on the radar and use an agile assembly with a mix of long and medium range weapons. I recommend plasma missile launchers for their range, lock speed and overall good performance against clustered targets.
Reference assembly:
VP-66LH
VP-66LH
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[26] Eliminate the Enforcement Squads
The HC is vulnerable to rushdown tactics, make use of assault boost kicking to keep up the pressure.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[27] Destroy the Special Forces Craft
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[28] Attack the Old Spaceport
These are situated in the right corner of the area, vector 170 from the starting point.
As long as those two are down, you can just rush through the rest of the mission. The third combat log LC (to the left of the tower) is not required for an S rank. Note that the second half of the mission won’t trigger until you resupply.
Against the bosses, focus the Heavy Cavalry first, as its defensive combat style is easier to overwhelm. Rusty should keep the other one busy.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[29] Eliminate “Honest” Brute
Bring your anti-AC assembly of choice, but note that Brute is geared for close-range combat.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[30] Defend the Old Spaceport
Bring an anti-AC assembly of your choice. Since it’s happening on flat ground, a Fortaleza light tank assembly may be a good candidate.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[31] Defend the Dam Complex
I recommend starting with Chartreuse, as she’s slow and easily cornered, and King is actually the tankier one with his pulse scutum.
Raven seems to be less difficult than he was in the counterpart mission. If you’re feeling cheeky, try aiming manually and shooting him down as he approaches.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[32] Historic Data Recovery
You can even finish with a negative income and still get an S rank.
Reference assembly:
DF-MG-02 Chang-Chen
DF-MG-02 Chang-Chen
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[33] Coral Export Denial
While you don’t need to destroy every non-target enemy, it’s still recommended to do so as not destroying enough enemies while sustaining a large amount of damage may lead to an A-rank even if you managed to shoot down every chopper.
Note that the choppers explode in large AoE blasts. You can’t really set off chain reactions, but there are instances where blowing up one chopper also destroys one or two choppers next to it.
Pay extra attention to the very last wave with the choppers coming en masse both below and above. At least one chopper usually tends to slip through the head-on assault, so keep an eye on the TGT indicators to make sure no stragglers have made it past you. If they do, chasing them down should pose no problems, as long as you notice them immediately.
After running this mission multiple times, I’ve found the most comfortable and consistent assembly to be a hovering tetrapod missile platform, with the specifics provided below.
Using multi-lock for the plasma launchers works great for clustered targets, choppers or otherwise, while the split missile launchers provide enough accuracy and damage to reliably one-shot from maximum range everything but LCs.
Note that the most efficient way to use Coral generators is by letting them bottom out and recharge from zero. If you don’t vibe with this kind of playstyle, switch to a traditional generator.
Reference assembly:
HML-G3/P08SPL-06
HML-G3/P08SPL-06
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
VP-424
Reference results:
[34] Destroy the Ice Worm
Keep an eye on the compass as it shows the worm’s location even when it’s underground.
From the start of the mission, keep moving forward-left (vector 220) and you’ll find yourself in the perfect position to strike.
I recommend bringing twin stun needles in case you miss the initial shot. This also gives you an opportunity to break the worm’s shielding in the third phase with just a single volley. When the worm is down, a pile bunker and a close-range weapon of your choice should take care of it no problem.
At the start of the second phase, you can try switching to manual aim and trying to snipe the worm from afar, as it moves in a straight line towards you.
I also find it useful to bring reverse joint legs and boosters with good vertical thrust, so that during the worm’s big discharge attack in the third phase you can maneuver yourself to hit its face.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
PB-033M Ashmead
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[35] Underground Exploration – Depth 1
From the start, instead of activating the elevator, just jump off the platform. Maneuver yourself so that one of the vertical pillars is between you and the Nepenthes, pop your armor and bring out your shield and just fall straight down without touching the movement keys. The only obstacle is a small squad of MTs halfway through the shaft.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
VE-61PSA
LG-022T Bornemissza
Reference results:
[36] Underground Exploration – Depth 2
The boss, like others, is vulnerable to rushdown tactics. Keep an eye out for the ground slam attack that requires jumping to avoid, and in the second phase keep your health above half to avoid getting one-shot with its grab attack.
Damage thresholds aren’t strict, you can eat through three repair kits and still come out with an S-rank.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[36/ALT] Underground Exploration – Depth 2
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
PB-033M Ashmead
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[37] Underground Exploration – Depth 3
The Ephemera AC is fast and agile, but you fight it in an enclosed area, so explosive weapons and Assault Armor work well for boxing it in. A close-range FCS is recommended. Try to keep damage within 2 repair kits.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Songbirds
44-143 HMMR
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[38] Intercept the Redguns
I recommend bringing a plasma missile launcher, it’s a massive help for cleaning out MTs and quadcopters quickly. For this mission, I even find it easier to bring two of them and forgo a melee weapon.
Make sure to use multi-lock and try to pop the quadcopters before they fly away – these count towards your score.
Against Michigan, I find it easier to sweep the MT in the vicinity first and only then focus on him proper.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Vvc-706PM
Vvc-706PM
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[39] Ambush the Vespers
A grenade cannon helps with the ambush, and when pinning them against walls.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Earshot
VP-67LD
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[40] Eliminate V.III
An efficient counter to that is to bring a tetrapod of your own, either with close-range weaponry or all-out missile boat mode.
Reference assembly:
HML-G3/P08SPL-06
HML-G3/P08SPL-06
BML-G3/P05ACT-02
BML-G3/P05ACT-02
VP-424
Reference results:
[41] Unknown Territory Survey
Rusty is both tough and agile, but like most AC fights he’s vulnerable to rushdown tactics. A close-range FCS is recommended.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[41/ALT] Unknown Territory Survey
Rusty also seems to have less health than in the original mission.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[42] Reach the Coral Convergence
You don’t need to fight anything in-between the starting skirmish and the boss, so just rush through the level.
The Ibis unit will always open the fight with the same big sweeping attack that leaves it standing still for a moment, perfect for a counter. For the second phase, it becomes vulnerable right as Ayre finishes saying “environment”, so time your opening attack accordingly.
A direct pile bunker hit will shave off half the Ibis unit’s health bar, but it’s tricky to connect with, so you might want to opt for something faster or with better range, or even drop melee altogether for stun needles.
If all else fails, a Fortaleza tank legs twin gatling twin stun needle assembly will make use of the flat boss arena and carry you through the fight with relative ease.
Reference assembly:
DF-GA-08 Hu-Ben
DF-GA-08 Hu-Ben
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
EL-TL-11 Fortaleza
Reference results:
[42/ALT] Reach the Coral Convergence
The two are hostile to each other, but capitalizing on that is difficult in the small arena. Just bring your best anti-AC assembly. Explosives and Assault Armor will work well in tight quarters.
Reference assembly:
DF-GA-08 Hu-Ben
DF-GA-08 Hu-Ben
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
EL-TL-11 Fortaleza
Reference results:
[43] Escape
Get rid of MTs in the sewers and ignore the tetrapod. Once you’re outside, it’s possible to reach the objective without fighting any enemies, just using jamming rounds to shake them off. As you reach the last waypoint and make a stand, fight back while spamming jamming rounds, you’re supplied with more than enough.
Reference assembly:
N/A
Reference results:
[44] Take the Uninhabited Floating City
The main problem are snipers that appear at 03:00 and kamikaze drones that appear at 01:50. Other enemies can be easily dealt with using a plasma missile launcher for clustered targets and a laser rifle for stragglers. Particularly, VE-66LRA (the medium laser rifle) can one-shot every minor enemy.
Defense cannons are surprisingly useless, but you can activate them at around 03:15 to get rid of three or four of the snipers. For the rest, I find it easiest to hang out in the center area and use explosives and/or plasma missile launchers to one-shot them from long range.
Kamikaze drones are the dealbreaker here as they will eat up more than half the shield if left unattended. Fortunately, there is an easy and consistent counterplay: stand on the ledge in front of the main tower, and as the drone indicators appear, fly up to an altitude of about 260 and place the Pulse Protection core expansion there – it will neutralize every single drone.
The next wave includes a heavy LC machine approaching from the center path. You don’t need to destroy it, but you should at least aggro it to take its attention off the tower.
The assembly below provides everything needed for this strategy.
Reference assembly:
VE-66LRA
Iridium
Vvc-706PM
Songbirds
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[45] Intercept the Corporate Forces
The Heavy Cavalry is vulnerable to rushdown, particularly assault boost kicking followed by a twin shotgun blast.
V.I Freud is aggressive and agile, and keeps up the pressure with his laser drones. If you’re having trouble, a twin stun needle & twin gatling or twin shotgun assembly should provide the easiest option.
Damage threshold shouldn’t be a problem, but time limits are strict. Try to finish within five minutes.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[46] Breach the Kármán Line
The first half doesn’t have much room for strategy, as there’s only so many ways you can assault boost towards a ship’s bridge and blow it up. Just keep dodging during the boost.
The second half is a duel with Rusty piloting an AC that is both agile and sturdy, and also seems to have unlimited energy. Use whatever anti-AC assembly you’re comfortable with. Be ready for his fakeout defeat and Terminal Armor activation.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[47] Shut Down the Closure Satellites
Against the sweeping fly-by attack, it’s safer to just fly high up and out of reach.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[48] Eliminate “Cinder” Carla
Against Chatty and Carla, use the pillars for cover and definitely focus Carla first, as Chatty will retreat from you as long as she’s alive. Both these ACs are only equipped with missile weapons, making them vulnerable to close-range assault.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[49] Destroy the Drive Block
The second generator block is easy to get lost in, the path forward is on the middle level, along the right wall.
Use whatever anti-boss assembly you like and you should be fine. Assault Armor works well against Balteus’ shields.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[50] Bring Down the Xylem
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[51] MIA
The boss is vulnerable to rushdown, specifically the assault boost kick → twin shotgun blast → melee combo.
Damage threshold seems to be within two repair kits.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
[52] Regain Control of the Xylem
Alternatively, you can make use of the fact the lasers fire in a predetermined sequence and just rush towards the correct terminals. The sequence is:
- 155
- 290
- 90
- 290
- 155
- 25
- 225
- 25
These are vector directions, starting from the point you arrive at, and each next one leading from the previous.
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
Vvc-706PM
VE-61PSA
06-042 Mind Beta
Reference results:
[53] Coral Release
You can start by diving into the crowd and firing off an Assault Armor burst to disrupt the smaller units and more easily single out the main target.
In the second half, ignore the floating Sea Spider enemies and focus on the main unit, as the Spiders will leave the battle once the main unit hits 50% health.
Bring an anti-boss assembly of your choice. Good luck!
Reference assembly:
SG-027 Zimmerman
SG-027 Zimmerman
VE-60SNA
VE-60SNA
RC-2000 Spring Chicken
Reference results:
Outro
– more precise time and damage requirements, especially for Ch.5 missions
If you have any questions, please comment and I will do my best to answer.
If you spot any mistakes, or have better or easier strategies for specific missions, please comment and I will edit the guide and credit you.
Thank you for reading!