History Characters / ArmoredCoreVIEnemiesAndBosses

An autonomous, AI-controlled AC roaming around the caverns of Depth 2 that serves as Watchpoint Alpha's second line of defense, tasked with guarding the underground facilities of Depth 3.

* AlphaStrike: As soon as combat starts, its first move is to open fire with a charged shot from its pulse cannon. This comes out so quickly that most players are probably going to take a hit before the fight starts properly.

* {{BFG}}: Its main gun, a laser cannon, is so huge it's the only AC gun in the game that is actually used with two hands like a rifle.

* FightsLikeANormal: One of the most disconcerting things about it is that it moves and fights almost exactly like an ordinary AC despite being so much larger. Most giant enemies aren't nearly so agile and versatile.
* HumongousMecha: In a game full of ten-metre-tall humanoid combat robots, the ENFORCER stands out by being at least twice the size of anything the player can field.
* JackOfAllStats: As far as ''Armored Core'' bosses go, the ENFORCER is pretty run-of-the-mill. It has access to a decent selection of ranged and melee attacks, but has no special gimmicks to look out for. On the flipside, it leaves few glaring flaws in its design that can be easily exploited by the player.

* LightningBruiser: Not only does it hit like a freight train, it's almost as agile as an enemy AC (though nowhere near as fast as the BALTEUS).
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: It has a pulse shield to help it withstand a frontal assault, forcing the player to attack from the sides or above.

* AwesomeButImpractical: While the STRIDER ''looks'' imposing and has a fearsome long-range gun, it's still an industrial craft trying to do something it's not built to do. It's slow, full of obvious weak spots and its main weapon is easily dodged by a brain-fried AC pilot. It's telling that 621 is able to momentarily cripple the gigantic vehicle merely by shooting ''one'' of its legs thanks to how poor its condition is.

* ColossusClimb: After causing the rearmost section of the STRIDER to crash, 621 jumps aboard and starts jumping around its sides in order to reach its sub-generators while the rest of it keeps walking acros the desert.
* CorridorCubbyholeRun: While traversing the STRIDER's body, the Eye is still actively targeting and firing on you, forcing players to find cover to avoid getting their AP melted away while trying to reach each sub-generator.
* {{Expy}}: With its design as a giant walking weapons platform, along with an initial approach sequence where the player has to dodge incoming fire, the STRIDER comes across as a poor man's version of [[VideoGame/ArmoredCoreForAnswer The Spirit of Motherwill]].

* LevelInBossClothing: Given how huge it is, the majority of the STRIDER's body is more of a platforming challenge that builds up to the actual boss fight against the Eye itself, which contains most of the STRIDER's health pool.

* PaperTiger: The fight against the STRIDER illustrates how out of their depth the RLF is. Their most impressive weapon is treated with contempt by Arquebus, who mostly consider it a nuisance to their Coral surveys. 621, a single no-name mercenary, destroys it before they've even finished half of Chapter 1.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: True to its name, JUGGERNAUT's thick frontal armor makes head-on attacks ineffective, requiring the player to get around it.

* LogicalWeakness: JUGGERNAUT carries lots and lots of ranged weapons and makes standing in its front arc very dangrous, but it has almost nothing for close-in defense, meaning that it's almost incapable of attacking anything that's standing directly on top of it. Jumping on top of it, then using your pulse sword to greatly damage its ACS system in two strikes and firing away as its damage will allow you to beat him, as the pulse sword’s following system will allow you to track the boss even if it fires jet thrusters.

* PlayerNudge: V.IV Rusty [[GuestStarPartyMember helps out]] early in the fight, and tells the player to hit JUGGERNAUT's sides and rear while he plays bait. After he's called away, the player has to then use that strategy without a decoy.
* RammingAlwaysWorks: JUGGERNAUT will take advantage of its weight, armored prow, and rocket boosters to charge down your AC.

* TurnsRed: Damage JUGGERNAUT enough and it starts dropping land mines around it.

* DegradedBoss: More so than the other recurring bosses in the game. [[spoiler:Because most of its attacks are relatively slow and telegraphed, in its second appearance, when the player has much more effective weapons, more room in which to use them, and more experience, the SMART CLEANER is barely a speedbump.]]

* RecurringBoss: [[spoiler:A second SMART CLEANER appears on the Xylem during the Liberator of Rubicon story branch.]]

* AchillesHeel: The sheer size of it - especially in a fairly small arena - means it's ridiculously easy to hit with heavy weapons and stagger it time after time as long as you keep your camera in its general direction. In its second phase it can rain death from above on you, but barely can do anything that's actually on its elevation or above it, meaning that tetrapod legs can simply hover around it and avoid most of its most devastating attacks.
* DeathFromAbove: In its second phase it switches to a completely airborne mode, raining laser strikes on the player below. Standing on the ground during that phase can be a death sentence as the explosions happening below can wipe a large chunk of your AP.

* LogicalWeakness: Phase two has immense air to ground capabilities, but barely any air to air combat. If running a tetrapod Armored Core or other aerial builds, players might as well have won unless the first phase really put them through the wringer.

* LastGraspAtLife: Performs one of these towards the player as it dies.

* DefeatMeansPlayable: An unusual case in where its Frame parts are given to the player upon beating it for the first time - albeit missing its weapons and Internal parts, all of which are found in secret chests, obtained via the Loghunt program, or as Arena rewards.
* DuelBoss: Unlike SOL 644, HAL 826 is an actual AC boss enemy, with a couple of unique pieces of equipment.

* GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul: Mere moments before chapter 5 starts, Walter gets captured by the Arquebus Group for re-education. When you fight him in the Liberator of Rubicon ending, it's obvious that whatever Arquebus did to him, he's not entirely himself anymore and his motivations tend to switch between worshipping Arquebus and wanting to honor the legacy of his friends. Somewhat {{Downplayed}} given the ending that he's fought in has the player explicitly go against that legacy, meaning Walter would have had reason to oppose the player regardless.

* InfinityPlusOneSword: The version available to the player is a well-rounded AC with medium-to-high specs across the board and no noteworthy shortcomings, making it the single most powerful chassis outside of highly specialized MinMaxing builds.

* UnwillingRoboticisation: Handler Walter fights you after being captured by V.II Snail (whose Arena description helpfully informs the player that Snail likes to constantly tweak his augmentations and test them out on others). His demeanor during the fight indicates that it's done a number on his mind, with Walter noticeably having trouble forming full sentences.

The [=PCA's=] response to the [=ACs=] employed by the other factions, these humanoid soldier mechs are a cut above the Subject Guard [=MTs=] that serve as the rank-and-file. While mass-produced, the Light Cavalry mechs (LC for short) are built to rival an [=AC's=] performance, combining high mobility with a versatile number of weapon loadouts.

* AchillesHeel: The sniper versions of [=LCs=] sacrifice boosters and armor for long-range combat; it's easier to take them down than those equipped with shields.

* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: One of the loadouts for an LC includes a sturdy shield that repels gunfire, forcing the player to resort to melee weapons or heavier firepower.

[=PCA=] Light Cavalry mechs that have been equipped with flight packs, letting them stay airborne for prolonged periods of time while engaging enemy forces. This gives them more options for a three-dimensional field of combat.

* AirborneMook: High-Mobility [=LCs=] come equipped with wing-shaped flight boosters that let them fly around the battlefield, dodging the player's attacks while returning fire mercilessly.

* FakeUltimateMook: They're certainly loaded out with powerful weaponry and their damage output is nothing to sneeze at, but in comparison to the [[MiniBoss High Mobility Light Cavalry]] or even the standard variants, all of those weapons render it partially immobile and incapable of flight, meaning in a way it's actually easier to destroy (especially when your AC has heavy weapons).

* LightningBruiser: Between its heavier firepower, thick armor, and sturdy shielding, an HC is durable enough to serve as a boss fight. What's worse, its top-of-the-line boosters allow it to dodge a player's gunfire and melee attacks, forcing opponents to choose their shots wisely.

* AchillesHeel: Their entry pods may be sturdy, but a TOYBOX mech is completely vulnerable when emerging, giving the player a chance to hammer them before they can get a shot off.
* DeflectorShields: During the "Eliminate Honest Brute" mission, the player's approach to Brute's hideout is stymied by the presence of a customized TOYBOX equipped with a pulse shield projector big enough to protect both itself and its backup from long-range bombardment. The player has to get close enough to fly through the shield before their attacks can be effective.

** Ghosts that have entered sniper configuration don't necessarily recognize when they've been scanned. As such, a swift player with the right weaponry can turn the tables on them with a devastating opening shot.
** More importantly, sniper Ghosts have to charge up their beam rifles to fire, allowing an eagle-eyed player to spot their location from the bright blue energy gathering around their gun barrels.
* DeflectorShields: Ghosts with a melee loadout can sometimes come equipped with pulse shields, forcing a player to break through the barrier before they can do any meaningful damage to the Ghosts themselves.

An autonomous [=PCA=] attack craft, menacing C4-621 after the attack on the Watchpoint.

* MeaningfulName: A ''balteus'' is a belt Roman soldiers hung their swords from. Likewise, The BALTEUS is encircled with weapon racks that fire {{Macross Missile Massacre}}s ''at minimum''.

* WakeUpCallBoss: The last boss of Chapter 1, and its armament is designed to challenge and test the skill and everything the player had learned up until this point.

** The warships encountered have firepower and altitude on their side, but other than their gun batteries, it doesn't have much shielding or armor if a player can land atop its hull and open fire on the bridge.

* DeathFromAbove: The favorite tactic of a [=PCA=] warship is to fly into range, issue a warning for all dissidents to surrender, and then open fire from above.

* EnergyWeapon: The main weapon of the [=PCA=] warships is a fan of laser batteries mounted along the bow. These lasers can sweep across an entire battlefield, searing anything unfortunate enough to be beneath the warship.

* WolfpackBoss: [[spoiler:The first time 621 encounters a CATAPHRACT, it will engage 621 alone in a one-on-one boss battle. However, if the player follows the Alea Iacta Est story missions, 621 will encounter a CATAPHRACT backed up a by two of the PCA's special forces mechs, the EKDROMOI. Fortunately, 621 will get some help of their own from a friendly AC pilot to turn a three-on-one dog pile into a much more manageable three-on-two.]]

* BenevolentArchitecture: If not for the scaffolding platforms along the sides of the elevator shaft, the player would have nowhere to hide from NEPENTHES' massive lasers.
* CorridorCubbyholeRun: What the major challenge of the fight amounts to -- the player has to drop down the shaft until it sees the turret charging up, then quickly land on one of the scaffolding platforms to use as a shield against its particle beams.
* CountingBullets: The player can do this to determine when it's safe to keep descending; the NEPENTHES can only fire six consecutive shots before it needs to recharge.
* CripplingOverspecialization: The NEPENTHES is an absolute ''beast'' of a ranged defense system against any intruder that's on its way down from above. Should said intruder make it all the way to the base of NEPENTHES, however, it's got no defense against close-range targets.

* GatlingGood: Essentially four gigantic Gatling guns strapped together. Their combined firepower is enough to shred even Armored Cores in seconds.

* GatlingGood: Essentially four gigantic gattling cannons strapped together. Their combined firepower is enough to shred even armored cores in seconds.
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Some miniguns have riot shield-esque protection on the front which are completely immune to damage, necessitating explosives or attacking them from a different direction.

* WalkingTank: Unlike other Light Cavalry variants its too heavy to fly, making it an easier target overall.

* RidiculouslySmallWings: Helicopter variety - its spinning blades are too small to sustain flight of craft that big and its rocket thrusters are used only sparingly to enhance mobility.

* GatlingGood: Essentially four gigantic gattling cannons strapped together. Their combined firepower is enough to shred even armored cores in seconds.

* WalkingArmory: While not to the extent of the CATAPHRACT, it still totes two {{Shoulder Cannon}}s and missile launchers on its shoulders.

* RecurringBoss: [[spoiler:After the fight, the BALTEUS's wreck is salvaged by Arquebus, who begin rebuilding it into the manned AC [=AAP07A=] Arquebus BALTEUS; the finished product is fought during the "Liberator of Rubicon" ending path, where V.II Snail mans it and trades its conventional weaponry for Arquebus' energy weaponry, thus sporting a new moveset (notably lacking its missile racks and flamethrower).]]

!!'''''SPOILER BOSSES'''''
'''WARNING: The following characters are Administrivia/SpoilersOff.'''
[[folder:[=AAP07A=] Arquebus BALTEUS]]
!![=AAP07A=] Arquebus BALTEUS/V.II Snail

* TookALevelInBadass: This version of the BALTEUS swaps out the artillery and heavy flamethrowers for quick-firing energy weaponry that's even ''harder'' to dodge.

!![=IB-07=] SOL 644/ALLMIND

The FinalBoss of the Alea Iacta Est path and the only final boss who cannot be fought on the first playthrough. It is the SOL 644 after ALLMIND salvages it and recycles it into its personal machine. After defeating the MIND GAMMA in the first phase, it drops in to fight you, backed by two heavily modified SEA SPIDERS and bringing a whole new arsenal of weapons to bear.

* MultiTrackDrifting: Is fast enough to do donuts across the battlefield, which is probably helped by it being battled on snow and ice.

* OptionalBoss: Despite its prominence in the Reveal and Story trailers and marketing for the game, fighting it in regular playthroughs is unnecessary. [[spoiler:This changes in NG++, where if the NG++ exclusive mission "Escort the Weaponized Mining Ship" was chosen before, a CATAPHRACT will become a mandatory boss for the story path, appearing at the end of "Obstruct the Mandatory Inspection", assisted by the EKDROMOI.]]

* AceCustom: It's all but outright stated that this hulking mech is the SOL 644, previously piloted by Ayre in the "Fires of Raven" route, after heavy modification to suit ALLMIND's tastes. It trades the missiles, pulse armor, DoppelgangerAttack, and ability to transform into a birdlike configuration and fly around the arena for a beefed up moveset, massive WolverineClaws, the ability to fire massive lasers, and the support of two modified SEA SPIDERS.

* GoodColorsEvilColors: [[InvertedTrope Inverted]]. Though the original SOL 644 also utilizes [[LightIsGood white]] in its primary colors, it glows bright ''red'' (usually a ''villainous'' color) and uses red energy in all of its attacks. However, it is controlled by your [[InnocentAliens innocent]] and [[WideEyedIdealist idealistic]] former friend Ayre [[HeroAntagonist trying to stop you from condemning all of Rubicon, humans and Coral alike, to fiery destruction.]] Meanwhile, despite the modified SOL 644 utilizing [[DarkIsEvil black]] in its primary colors, it replaces the red with bright blue or bluish green (which are usually ''heroic'' colors) and yet it is piloted by far less heroic individuals, either the ruthlessly pragmatic rogue A.I. [[WellIntentionedExtremist ALLMIND]] or the deranged and near insane former convict [[GreenEyedMonster Iguazu]], and either way it serves as a vehicle for far more nefarious purposes.

* FinalExamBoss: The fight with Arquebus BALTEUS will ensure that you're versed in all three before the final battle.

* TookALevelInBadass: This version of the BALTEUS has quick-firing energy weaponry that's even ''harder'' to dodge.

* AceCustom: It's all but outright stated that this hulking mech was the SOL 644, piloted by Ayre in "Fires of Raven" route, after heavy modification. Instead of missiles, pulse armor, DoppelgangerAttack, and the ability to transform into a birdlike configuration and fly around the arena, it has as powerful blast attacks, massive WolverineClaws, and the ability to fire massive lasers. ALLMIND also supports it with two modified SEA SPIDERs.

* GoodColorsEvilColors: The original SOL 644 glowed red from coral and was primarily white. It was controlled by your former friend [[HeroAntagonist Ayre]] and tried to stop you from condemning all the galaxy to fiery destruction. The modified SOL 644 is a dark color piloted by ALLMIND, and later the far less well-intentioned Iguazu, the former trying to dispose of you once you completed their plan either way.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: If you lose to the pair in "Attack the Refueling Base" they will notify the System of a cotnradiction on previous combat log. It's easy to dismiss as a game over taunt but it is also the first mention that the Raven they marked for termination isn't 621.

* AchillesHeel: The sniper versions of [=LCs=] sacrifice boosters and armor for long-range combat; as such, it's easier to take them down compared to the ones equipped with shields.

* LightningBruiser: [=LCs=] prioritize movement but they have decent armor especially if combined with a shield loadout to deflect rapid fire.

[[folder:[=AA22=]: Heavy Cavalry]]

A humanoid line of un-manned mechs designed by the Rubicon Research Institute as part of their private armies and security systems. Equipped with advanced cloaking technology, these machines specialize in stealth combat, infiltrating a region and taking their target by surprise with their formidable energy weaponry. As these machines are still active in a time when the Institute is long gone, it's unclear who these machines answer to.

* FluffyTheTerrible: ''Helianthus'' is a genus of flowers more commonly known as sunflowers. Quite the odd name for a bunch of massive buzzsaw-like grinder wheels that, owing to their speed, durability and high damage output, are among the game's toughest enemy types.

* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: One of the loadouts for an LC includes a sturdy shield that repels gunfire, forcing the player to resort to melee weapons or heavir firepower.

!![=AAP07A=] Arquebus BALTEUS

The peniultimate threat on the Liberator of Rubicon path. The BALTEUS has been recovered by the Arquebus Corporation and retro-fitted with the company's signature energy weapons technology. With the Xylem on a collision course with the stockpiled Coral, this new-and-improved weapons platform has been dispatched to deal with it, along with 621. This time, however, it's not an unmanned drone...

The following are tropes exclusive to the Arquebus version of BALTEUS.

* BossBanter: VII Snail's behind the controls, and he spends half the fight ranting at you about how much he's gotten sick of your interference.

* FinalExamBoss: In a way. The final bosses all require speed, skill, and a good weapons loadout to overcome; the fight with the Arquebus BALTEUS will ensure that you're versed in all three before the final battle.

* LightningBruiser: The BALTEUS' extreme speed has been pushed to new levels, and it retains its destructive amount of firepower.
* TookALevelInBadass: Because artillery and heavy flamethrowers weren't bad enough, this version of the BALTEUS has quick-firing energy weaponry that's even ''harder'' to dodge.

!![=IB-07=] SOL 644 / Ayre

!![=IB-C03=] HAL 826 / Handler Walter

!![=IB-07=] SOL 644 / ALLMIND

* AceCustom: It's all but outright stated that this hulking AC is actually the SOL 644, the FinalBoss of the "Fires of Raven" route, after heavy modification and refurbishment to suit ALLMIND's tastes. As a result of being controlled by ALLMIND, it sacrifices a lot of its abilities in that route, such as its missiles, pulse armor, DoppelgangerAttack, and the ability to transform into a birdlike configuration and fly around the arena, but gains a lot of new ones here, such as souped up blast attacks, massive WolverineClaws, the ability to control other machines outside of it (hence the two SEA SPIDERS), and the ability to fire massive lasers.

* GoodColorsEvilColors: [[InvertedTrope A rare inversion]]. The original SOL 644 glows bright red, usually a ''villainous'' color, and uses red energy in all of its attacks, but it is controlled by your former friend [[HeroAntagonist Ayre]] and tries to stop you from condemning all of Rubicon, humans and Coral alike, to fiery destruction. The modified SOL 644 instead utilizes bright blue or bluish green, which are usually ''heroic'' colors, but is piloted by either the rogue A.I. [[WellIntentionedExtremist ALLMIND trying to assimilate you]] or the violent and near insane [[GreenEyedMonster Iguazu trying to rip you to shreds]], and tries to dispose of you once you completed their plan either way.

* BossInMookClothing: These drones may look like just bigger and bulkier versions of the standard [=MTs=], but they hit harder and move faster than ''most [=ACs=]''.
* TheWorfEffect: [[spoiler:In the NG++ mission "Escort the Weaponized Mining Ship", two of these things destroy the STRIDER ''even faster'' than you did in the proper mission. And they do it the ''moment'' the mission starts.]]

* AchillesHeel: The [=AH12=] is completely unable to target anything that can remain directly underneath it for any extended period of time, though its maneuverable enough to mitigate this problem somewhat.

* MeaningfulName: A ''balteus'' is a belt Roman soldiers hung their swords from. Likewise, The BALTEUS encircled with weapon racks that fire {{Macross Missile Massacre}}s ''at minimum''.

* WakeUpCallBoss: The boss of Chapter 1, and it ''will'' make sure that you know the ins and outs of the game cold before you go any further.

** The warships you encounter have firepower and altitude on their side, but other than its gun batteries, it doesn't have much shielding or armor if a player can land atop its hull and open fire on the bridge.
** In addition to this, its main laser batteries are designed for sweeping ground targets, or approaching threats on the same level as the battleship. They weren't built to target anything approaching from above.
* AttackDrone: The first warship you'll face deploys an armada of autonomous drones with laser weaponry to defend itself in its final phase.

* DefeatEqualsExplosion: Whenever you score fatal damage on a warship, it'll begin to slowly plummet from the sky as small explosions ripple across its hull, then disintegrate in one final, massive fireball.
* DegradedBoss: Fighting one of these monsters serves as the ClimaxBoss of the "Steal the Survey Data" mission. Afterwards, more battleships will show up in later missions, but they won't have ''quite'' the same fanfare as the first, nor the AttackDrones that made approaching the first one so dangerous. [[spoiler:In fact, in "Breach the Kármán Line", you will massacre ''an entire batallion'' of these ships like standard enemies in order to clear the way for the Xylem.]]

* DualBoss: The EKDROMOI are fought in pairs. The EKDROMOI EP uses its energy blade and bigger health bar to fight you at close range, while the EKDROMOI PC hangs at the back and prefers to support its fellow EKDROMOI with suppressing fire.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: The developers of CATAPHRACT probably thought no one would be insane enough to attack it head-on because that would leave them exposed to the enormous amount of front-facing weaponry it possesses. Unfortunately, 621 is, and destroys it handily, showing they didn't think about what would happen if somebody could weave through all that firepower.

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: The Story Trailer shows the CATAPHRACT being completely stopped in its place by 617 ramming into it and then going full GatlingGood until their AC near-entirely failed. While you can't hold it still, it can be staggered ''really easily'' with the right weapons; even beyond the gatling gun, high ACS damage weapons like shotguns and melee in particular utterly decimate its Attitude Stability and leave it vulnerable in no time.

* OptionalBoss: Despite its prominence in the Reveal and Story trailers and marketing for the game, depending on your choices you can go the entire game without fighting it. [[spoiler:This changes in NG++, where if you take mission 1-7 "Escort the Weaponized Mining Ship" instead of "Destroy the Weaponized Mining Ship", a CATAPHRACT will become a mandatory boss for the story path, appearing at the end of "Obstruct the Mandatory Inspection" and assisted by the EKDROMOI.]]

* TurnsRed: Once damaged enough, it changes up its movement and attack patterns to keep 621 from getting a clean shot at its front.
* ViolationOfCommonSense: The primary design flaw of [[DidntThinkThisThrough shooting it head-on]] into the blaze of bullets, missiles and lasers is something no average, life-preserving combatant would ever consider trying to do unless they know damn well what they're doing, or they've got no other choice, like 617's near-sacrifice in the Story Trailer to disable a CATAPHRACT. For 621, it's the job or nothing and they have no compunctions about rushing straight into danger, so violating common sense is effectively your primary option to do anything worth a damn to the machine.

* LevelInBossClothing: While the NEPENTHES itself exists as something to destroy, the real challenge lies in the vertical drop between yourself and the cannon, finding cover along the way.
* MacrossMissileMassacre: When you pass the halfway point to NEPENTHES, it starts alternating between its six particle cannons and a jaw-dropping hailstorm of seeker missles.

* DeadlyLunge: One of its attacks when it TurnsRed is to launch itself at you, laser blade first. If it hits, you're going to receive a nasty one-two strike from that blade.

* MortonsFork: If you agree to destroy it, it... [[ShapedLikeItself gets destroyed]]. [[spoiler:If you agree to defend it, it gets destroyed even faster (before you even reach it), your mission objective switches to finding out just who or what took it down, and [[BlamedForBeingRailroaded you get hit with a massive fine for failing your contract]].]]

Coral-powered [=MTs=] created by the Institute in their heyday, these machines combine the Coral's destructive power and the standard's mass-production value [=MTs=] to create a truly formidable obstacle for any AC pilot to overcome.

* TheWorfEffect: [[spoiler:In the "Escort the Weaponized Mining Ship" mission, two of these things have already easily destroyed the STRIDER. And they destruction happens the moment the mission started.]]

* ActionBomb: Normally they're no different from normal helicopter-like enemies, but in "Survey the Uninhabited Floating City" there are drones with massive bombs hanging from them that will try to dive-bomb you when you get too close.

!!Light [=MTs=] (Muscle Tracers)

Mass produced "Muscle Tracer" mechs ([=MTs=]) which are employed by every faction on Rubicon 3, both corporate and independent. These boxy, humanoid mech suits are nowhere near as powerful as an AC, but are much more mobile than Guard Mechs, and can be equipped with several weapon loadouts. As these are a factory-line production, they can be built quicker and cheaper than [=ACs=], and thus tend to be seen in groups.

* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Since these mechs are utilized by every faction in the game, each of the factions paints their [=MTs=] a different color so you can tell them apart:

* ConfusionFu: Downplayed, but the versatile weapons loadout of [=MTs=] means that you could be flying/boosting into anything from assault rifle fire to missile barrages or grenade rounds.
* {{Mooks}}: The ''other'' type of enemy seen in large groups. While easy enough to take down for the most part, the weapons they carry are actually a threat to your AC, especially if they're shooting at you from multiple directions.
* ShieldBearingMook: Some [=MTs=] carry shields, repelling most direct gunfire. Judicious application of melee weapons or vertical missiles is usually the best approach.

!!Heavy [=MTs=] (Muscle Tracers)

* {{Foil}}: [=LCs=] and their pilots are this to [=ACs=] and their operators -- the latter range from guns for hire and freedom fighters, who rely on AceCustom mechs with colorful paint schemes and a wide variety of weaponry; the former are elite soldiers who pilot drab charcoal-colored mechs with a much more regimented loadout.

!!High Mobility Light Cavalry ([=HM LC=])

!!High Power Light Cavalry ([=HP LC=])

One of the signature creations of [=RaD=], these autonomous multi-legged drones serve as security for the operations of various Doser factions. They come in two varieties -- mobile attackers, and stationary security.

* CrosshairAware: In the "Eliminate Honest Brute" mission, the path to the emponymous [=RaD=] traitor is blocked by Spider [=MTs=] which deploy laser sights. Cross one of the beams, and the dormant drones will all activate at once to attack you from all directions.

* GlassCannon: TOYBOX mechs may not be the hardiest foes the player will face, but their considerable firepower will let them tear a big chunk out of your health bar if you don't prioritize them.

* MeaningfulName: Most likely intentional on "Cinder" Carla's part. They show up in spherical boxes, and they have quite the array of guns.

* RollingAttack: One of their recurring strategies is to tuck into a ball and roll at you. In a unique take on this trope, they follow it up with a full barrage from the multiple gun batteries built into their chests.

* AchillesHeel: Ghosts that have entered sniper configuration don't necessarily recognize when they've been scanned. As such, a swift player with the right weaponry can turn the tables on them with a devastating opening shot.

* [[GetBackHereBoss Get Back Here Mook]]: Fail to destroy a Ghost in the initial salvo of your attack, and it'll drop a jamming grenade and disappear, forcing you to track it down again.
* GlassCannon: Once you get around their cloaking fields, Ghost mechs are relatively fragile. The trouble is, between said cloaking fields and high-yield laser rifles, Ghosts can hammer an unwary player from any direction. Subverted with melee-based Ghosts, who come equipped with pulse shields.
* InvisibilityCloak: Their signature piece of equipment, which renders them invisible to basic sensors and the naked eye. [[spoiler:This can be circumvented with Scan Mode, which renders them visible (and, more importantly, targetable) ]].

Coral-powered [=MTs=] created by the Institute in their heyday, these machines combine the destructive power of the Coral and the mass-production value of the standard [=MTs=] to create a truly formidable obstacle for any AC pilot to overcome.

* BossInMookClothing: These drones may look like just bigger and bulkier versions of the standard [=MTs=], but they hit harder and move faster than ''most [=ACs=]'', and will likely give you a much harder time than most ''actual bosses.''
* TheWorfEffect: [[spoiler:In the "Escort the Weaponized Mining Ship" mission, you are assigned to protect the STRIDER instead of destroying it as you likely will have twice over already. However, it turns out that two of these things have already destroyed the STRIDER with ease. And they've done it ''even faster than you did,'' before you even manage to get there.]]

* FluffyTheTerrible: ''Helianthus'' is a genus of flowers more commonly known as sunflowers. Quite the odd name for a bunch of massive buzzsaw-like grinder wheels that, owing to their speed, durability and high damage output are one of the toughest enemy types in the game.
* ShoutOut: Their design and behaviour are similar to the Bonewheel Skeletons from Fromsoft's ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' series.

* EarlyBirdBoss: What makes [=AH12=] a challenging boss is that it's encountered early, before you even have access to AC customization. Even if you replay the mission, you're restricted to using the starting AC and equipment, so there's no way to make it any easier.

* AchillesHeel: Its shields take increased damage from pulse weapons, which you unlock before fighting it - this goes double since breaking its shields puts it in a staggered mode letting you capitalize on the damage. Secondly, while its missile attacks are effective - it needs to come to a full stop to launch them therefore giving you a good window of opportunity to blast it with heavier weapons.

* DeflectorShields: It's protected by Pulse Armor, requiring you to break it before you can work on its health bar.

* MeaningfulName: A ''balteus'' is a belt Roman soldiers hung their swords from. The BALTEUS likewise is encircled with weapon racks that fire {{Macross Missile Massacre}}s ''at minimum''.

* RecurringBoss: [[spoiler:After the fight, the BALTEUS's wreck is salvaged by Arquebus, who begin rebuilding it into the manned AC [=AAP07A=] Arquebus BALTEUS; the finished product is fought during the "Liberator of Rubicon" ending path, where it's manned by V.II Snail and trades its conventional weaponry for Arquebus' energy weaponry, thus sporting a new moveset (notably lacking its missile racks and flamethrower).]]

* AchillesHeel: The warships you encounter have firepower and altitude on their side...but other than its gun batteries, it doesn't have much in the way of shielding or armor if a player can land atop its hull and open fire on the bridge.

* BossInMookClothing: Between their thick armor and powerful weapons, Tetrapods are essentially mini-bosses that a player will face on later missions.
* DualBoss: You can encounter ''two'' of these monsters at once if you go out of your way in "Infiltrate Grid 086".

* OptionalBoss: In the beginner mission, "Destroy the Transport Helicopters," Walter advises you to ignore the Tetrapod MT you encounter near the end. If you're only just starting out, and have a basic AC without any heavy weapons, you might want to take his advise.

* WakeUpCallBoss: The first time you fight one of these will serve as a warning that not ''all'' the basic enemy types on Rubicon are easy pickings for your AC unless you commit to buying better parts and weapons.

* UndergroundMonkey: Functionally, they're not that much different than your standard BAWS MT... except for the fact that they have boosters for far more mobility and far more advanced weaponry.

* FireBreathingWeapon: Subject Guard [=MTs=] in later missions have flamethrowers similar to your equippable version to put the pressure on you by dousing the area in flames.

The more advanced cousins of the [=PCA's=] [=AA18=] Light Cavalry, these battle-mechs weren't just designed to rival the Armored Cores employed by other factions, but outright surpass them. With cutting-edge weaponry and the latest advances in defense and mobility, [=HCs=] are reserved for the commanders of the [=PCA's=] attack squads, and pose one of the deadliest threats that 621 will face during their tour of duty on Rubicon.

* ClimaxBoss: You only encounter the [=HCs=] a handful of times, but each time takes place at the climax or turning point of a given mission.
* DualBoss: If you don't make the HC in "Prevent Corporate Salvage of New Tech" your first target, and aren't able to take it out quickly enough, the two [=LCs=] that make up the other half of the mission objective will fly in to help out their chief.
* EnergyWeapons: All the loadouts in the [=HCs=] you encounter consist exclusively of laser or plasma-based weaponry.

* {{Expy}}: Their sphere mode and heavy firepower are reminiscent of the Destroyer Droids from the ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequel trilogy.

Coral-powered [=MTs=] created by the Institute in their heyday, these machines combine the destructive power of the Coral and the mass-production value of the standard [=MTs=] to create a truly formidable opponent.

* WalkingArmory: It has four rotary guns, a missile launcher, and an energy cannon with close and long-range settings, and can also just run over anything in its way.

%%[[folder:Subject Guard [=MTs=]]]
%%!!Subject Guard [=MTs=]

%%[[folder:Laser Cannons]]
%%!!Laser Cannon

%%[[folder:Laser Snipers]]
%%!!Laser Sniper

%%[[folder:[=AS07=] Drones]]
%%!![=AS07=] Drones

%%[[folder:Institute Guard [=MTs=]]]
%%!!Institute Guard [=MTs=]
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%%[[/folder]]
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The automated heavy particle cannon that serves as Watchpoint Alpha's first line of defense against any intruders. Installed at the bottom of the main elevator shaft that leads into the facility proper, this gigantic defense turret discourages any would-be treasure hunters via a staggering display of firepower.

An autonomous, AI-controlled AC tasked with guarding the underground facilities of Depth 3.

[[caption-width-right:1000:The embodiment of Watchpoint Alpha]]

* AIIsACrapshoot: Averted; Ephemera's doing exactly what it's programmed to do -- protect the facility from intruders. You just so happen to ''be'' such an intruder.
* BattleAmongstTheFlames: Ephemera engages you just after you've dealt critical damage to Watchpoint Alpha's power generator, and the security hub's on the verge of exploding. As such, the chamber you face off in is falling apart, and fires are breaking out all over the place.

* DuelBoss: As opposed to the hulking Enforcer that you faced in a previous mission, this fight boils down to you facing another AC in single combat.

* TimeLimitBoss: Part of the danger that Ephemera poses is thanks to blocking 621's escape path after destroying the laser grid's power source.
* UnusableEnemyEquipment: Averted. Everything the Ephemera uses in its design is available to you as well, provided you've been diligent about finding the chests in the Underground Exploration missions. The Moonlight Blade is found a couple missions later, in a hidden chest.

* WalkingArmory: While not to the extent of the CATAPHRACT, it still totes two ShoulderCannons and missile launchers on its shoulders.