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(ASCII art will get more complex on next update)

Armored Core:  Project Phantasma
Strategy Guide and AC listing.

Version 0.001

The most current version 
will always be at www.gamefaqs.com

Written by Cyber_Ant (cyber_ant@masakishrine.com)
Updated: 5-23-00

Contents
--------
1. Intro
2. Gameplay
3. Personal Stratagies
4. Classification
5. Generic Tactics
6. Heavy
7. Medium
8. Light
9. My ACs
10. Tag
11. How I lay the smack on Necron
12. Conclusion
13. Credits



1. Intro
--------
I really like armored core, and after seeing some
other faqs, I think some "facts" are opinions.
Just remember that skill is the absolute.
Fast, slow, weak, strong; it depends on your skill.
These are my stratagies, develop your own; if mine
happen to fit your AC well, that's fine too.
Everything in here is my opinion, it works for me,
but it may not work for you, find your own balance
in your AC.


2. Gameplay
-----------
I will assume that you have this game and know
how to play, I also think these stratagies
will work on the other Armored Core games.


3. Personal Stratagies
----------------------
There is another FAQ that says speed is everything.
THIS IS FALSE!!
My AC is very slow, I use no plus's, and I have
beat everybody in the arena.  I have maxed armor,
and powerful weapons, it is not the weapons, it
is my ability in piloting a heavy AC.  I know the
extents and limits of what I am piloting, and I
have made several small tweaks along the way to
perfect it.  At the end of this file I will list
all my ACs.


4. Classification
-----------------
My classifications are:

Heavy: Slow moving, usually with high armor; can't
       build one with the quad-hover legs, they
       don't support much weight.  Maybe
       reverse-joint legs, mostly with tank treds
       and large humanoid legs.

Medium: Medium movement, usually medium with armor
        but not always, any legs; not usually treds,
        except the tank "hover" tred.

Light: Fast movement, usually with low armor.
       Quad-hover legs and fast humanoid legs
       are the ones usually used, maybe reverse
       joint; but not treds or thicker legs.

I classify by speed, you can build a heavy with low
armor or light with medium armor, but it is not
possible to build with both incredable speed AND
incredable power.  That's where skill comes in.
Your skill is the missing attribute.  With a heavy,
your skill makes up for the low speed; with a light,
it makes up for low strength.


5. Generic Tactics
------------------
It is very helpful to learn to shoot at someone just
off the screen by learning to recognize the lock-on
tone; I like to circle enemy's by strafing with
L1/R1 and hitting the boost, I move left or right
at the same time to circle them.  The problem is they
aren't on the screen, so you have to tell when you
are locked on by sound.  This tactic can be very
effective, if you use treds or quad-hover, you can't
hit boost; it may not really work with treds. A
heavy CAN do it, just can't sustain it as long.
You can use this easier with a sideway FCS.


6. Heavy
--------
I am the best at heavy ACs, even when I try to make
a lighter one it winds up leaning twards heavy.
For one thing, heavier ones move slow.  Learn to
not use your boosters as long.  I use them enough
to dodge a large projectile and clear lower objects,
never to engage in aerial combat.  I found out that
if you DO NOT use the most pwerful booster and switch
to a smaller one, you get more stamina; too small and
it doesn't work.  You are not fast enough for any
"guerilla" tactics, be prepared to hold ground.
Since I can support more weight, I like to equip
advanced weapons; the Karasawa, large missle, other
powerful weapons, becuase I will not equip weak
weapons if I can't move, I need to inflict more
damage than I recieve becuase I can't dodge smaller,
fast firing weapons.  Some people call the karasawa
and the like cheating; they are not fast, multiple
firing weapons, and they have lower ammo, so it makes
up for the power.  I also switch to the head with
the great radar so I have two back weapons, while
still having good radar.


7. Medium
---------
I built one of these, it is a reverse joint,
but I am only moderate with this, so I don't
have much for strategy.  I like to use the
speed to circle my opponent like the above,
and I also use aerial combat to a degree by
aiming off screen.


8. Light
--------
I have no real skill for this class, if anybody
wants to write a strategy, I will put it in
here.
I kinda built one for "tag" that I developed
with a friend, more on that later in the file.


9. My ACs
---------
Cy-Ant I
head=           HD-06-RADAR
core=           XCH-01
arms=           AN-3001
legs=           LN-3001C
generator=      GBG-XR
FCS=            TRYX-QUAD
booster=        B-P351
b.wpnL=	        WM-SMSS24
b.wpnR=         WM-AT
armwpnL=        LS-99-MOONLIGHT
armwpnR=        WG-1-KARASAWA

options=
                SP-MAW -in arena and 2player battles
                        I use SP-M/AUTO
                SP-JAM
                SP-ABS
                SP-AXL
                SP-S/SCR
                SP-E/SCR
                SP-EH
                SP-E+

Overall=        30,324 Superfine
AP=             9,668
Weight=         10,328
Price=          1,131,300

This my original AC, I built up to this, and it
worked real well.
It is now retired, as I modified it to increase
it's capabilities.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cy-Ant II through Cy-Ant VI were never kept,
a couple were prototypes. Cy-Ant II had no
balance, it's energy ran out too fast becuase
of the cannons it had; used quad-hover legs,
it confused my friend with the multiple
explosions, but once he knew what hit him
he would dodge it.  The others ethier never
got off the ground, or they were used for
"tag" described in the section below.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cy-Ant VII
head=           HD-06-RADAR
core=           XCH-01
arms=           AN-25
legs=           LN-3001C
generator=      GBX-XL
FCS=            TRYX-QUAD
booster=        B-T2
b.wpnL=         WM-SMSS24
b.wpnR=         WM-AT
armwpnL=        LS-99-MOONLIGHT
armwpnR=        WG-1-KARASAWA

options=
                SP-MAW -in arena and 2player battles
                        I use SP-M/AUTO
                SP-JAM
                SP-ABS
                SP-AXL
                SP-S/SCR
                SP-E/SCR
                SP-EH
                SP-E+

Overall=        29,080 Superfine
AP=             9,559
Weight=         10,039
Price=          1,209,200

My improved Cy-Ant I, note the arms, they are
lighter so I could get the biggest engine, the
boosters are a lower model, but with more
engine power, and less consumption, I get alot
more boost than before.  Perfect.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cy-Ant VIII I don't have saved anymore, it might
be on a friends memory card.  It was a medium
AC with reverse joint legs and a machine gun,
I liked it but didn't have a lot of skill with
it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cy-Ant IX
head=           HD-06-RADAR
core=           XCH-01
arms=           AN-3001
legs=           LC-MOS18
generator=      GBX-XL
FCS=            TRYX-QUAD
booster=        none, I used treds.
b.wpnL=         WC-GN230
b.wpnR=         WM-AT
armwpnL=        LS-99-MOONLIGHT
armwpnR=        WG-XFPPK

options=
                SP-M/AUTO
                SP-ABS
                SP-SAP
                SP-AXL
                SP-S/SCR
                SP-E/SCR
                SP-EH

Overall=        31,172 Superfine
AP=             9,619
Weight=         11,685
Price=          1,140,100

This model has large tank treds, a grenade launcher,
large missile, and a gun similer to the Karasawa.
It is VERY slow, and I like to pilot it more for
fun than anything else.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
That friend I keep refering to is named GoldSaber,
I will try to get some of his ACs to list here,
he has all kinds.


10. Tag
-------
Me and GoldSaber decided to make a fast, light AC
with lots of boost, and the hand gun with short
range and lots of ammo and the best radar as a
back weapon.  We would designate one of us as "it"
and proceed to get a hit on the other to make them
it.  We found it plenty fun as you need to just
nick them to make them it. I will post my tag AC
once I remeber it, I will list GoldSaber's as well.


11. How I lay the smack on Necron
---------------------------------
I use my Cy-Ant I or Cy-Ant VII.
1. I switch to my Large Missile.
2. He flys, jumps, and runs around firing his
 grenade launcher.
3. I boost left and right to dodge his shots
 while keeping him in my sights, my auto
 launcher keeps a steady supply of large
 missiles.
4. When I run out I switch to my small missiles.
5. When he runs out he starts using his machine
 gun while moving.
6. I then switch to Karasawa and start blasting
 while circling with boost and just plain
 moving period.
7. If I run out I switch back to small missiles.

I sometimes use small missiles for step 1, and
my Large Missle for step 4 or if he goes behind
something relativly thin.


12. Conclusion
--------------
I hope this helps, if it does great, if it
doesn't, maybe it gave you an idea.


13. Credits
-----------
GoldSaber (goldsaber@saiyen.com)
        -for the tag mode and battle.
From Software (www.fromsoftware.co.jp)
        -for making this fine game.
GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com)
        -for hosting this file.

Copyright 2000 Cyber_Ant (cyber_ant@masakishrine.com)
If you want to distribute or post
this FAQ, go ahead, but you MUST
keep it completely unmodified and
intact. If any money is to be made
involving this document, you are
required to contact me and seek
my permission, this includes
selling a CD with this on it,
any selling of this alone is
prohibited.