Parthenogen Redux

[Etienne_Noir]

....when you have too much of a good thing.

Lite Jousting is gone, replaced with lovely tactics such as flying. The DEMON is hell when even the AI have trouble finding you, and I'm damn good at aiming now. However, my current build looks BAD (numbers wise, that is). Specifically, I desperately need higher Condenser Capacity (EC doesn't even do it for me). So, here's Parthenogen after one hell of a renovation.

Pilot: Deuce
AC: Parthenogen
Head: DRONE (100% Shell Def)
Core: /UL (100% Shell Def)
Arms: FG (30% Weight, 70% Shell Def)
Legs: VIXEN (40% Shell Def, 60% Max Leg Weight)
Booster: GULL (50% Boost Power, 50% Booster Heat)
FCS:73H
Generator: LOTUS (100% EN Output)
Radiator: R92 (100% Weight)
Inside: N/A
Extension: RM3
Back R: 73MP
Back L: 72M2
Arm R: DEMON
Arm L: HP
Hangar R/L: 69H
Optional Parts: AMINO, ES, EC, LA, L+, GOLGI, HISTON, R+

The OB is for whenever my AC is grounded (like in tight, small arenas; Spaceport is a good example), because the AC is not built to take many hits. Flying usually makes that a non-issue. However, it's far too easy to hardland (especially when you're out of energy) and just as easy to have your energy run dry.

DEMON+GOLGI+HISTON is a downright bitch to AP if you're on the wrong end of the barrel, but it drains like hell and makes boosting and using it near impossible.

I find that having two sets of missiles (one hard hitting, other perfect for spamming) is a great bonus for flying ACs. The M2 takes awhile to hit max lock, giving you time to harass slow, powerful ACs with the HP. The MP is a bit faster to reach max lock and does lots of damage, making it the perfect choice against agile ACs. The extensions add to the ouchies, especially with the M2. (14 missiles at max lock. Yeah, that's right. OUCH.)

If all else fails, there's dual 69Hs hangared under the HP and DEMON, and if that fails then I shouldn't be playing Armored Core.

I haven't playtested this much, but what playtesting has been done confirms my suspicions that this is a very nice design suffering from some horrible flaws.

Suggestions would be appreciated.

And in closing, I would like to thank Grimlok for teaching me the way of the jink. That particular method won me the battle with Evangel Pulverizer using nothing but a tank with LX, SELENA, and FENRIR. The twitch dodge came in handy, but the mighty jink held my AP in place just long enough to squeeze off the critical FENRIR shot. Thank you, Grimlok, for sharing your wisdom.

--Etienne Noir, the grateful

[Grim]

Lol you're very much welcome. It's nice to be able to help. Keep working at it!

Now, for some suggestions: the Vixen legs, while they have good (or is that best?) turning speed in the game, are very drainy, especially when you couple it with your core and radiator choice. If you've gotten the Jaguar2 legs, try looking into those, and you'll see that they have:

a. very low drain in both stationary and moving categories,
b. top notch cooling, which is a perfect fit for your hot /UL + Gull OB combo, and
c. respectable defense

But they have one flaw which you must be wary of: they notoriously hardland as well.

Try the XS legs for very solid defense. You won't go as fast however.

Or for some cheese, use the Dingo2s. By the way you've got your weight managed (when you drop one of the backmounts while in combat), the speed you'll gain from underweighting will be so good you'll be lol-ing the fight away.

Then if you want to increase your turning speed, invest in a Codon optional part.

Demon, good gun.

[Etienne_Noir]

You alerted me to the draininess of my design. That made it good, without switching the legs! How'd I do it?

Changed the head to CICADA and retuned the Radiator for EN Drain. Changed the arms to XS (the loss of accuracy isn't that important and can be tuned out if I need it) and the RM3s to RMs. RMs do more damage, weigh less, and have the lowest drain of all missile extensions. The lack of ammunition is a small price to pay. At this point, I realized I was light enough to switch LOTUS to G91. Heat can be controlled with Cooling tunes if I need them, which I really don't. Now my design moves fast enough, etc, that I'd consider it complete. I can't really think of a way to fix it until I get the ROC4, at which point I might have to do a little redesigning.

Now I'm looking at a quad design with dual back slug-guns. Made for speed (skating) while pumping sluggun rounds into the opponents up close, and probably using laser, linear, or normal rifles at mid-long range. I'm thinking that dual slugguns (the ones with less ammunition) and probably SHADE+GRIFFON is a good combination. I just have to be good at switching weapons.

--Etienne Noir