| |
| AAP07: BALTEUS | |
| General information | |
| Japanese name | バルテウス |
| Classification | Autonomous craft[1] |
| Affiliation | Planetary Closure Administration |
| Conflicts present | Coral War |
| Real world information | |
| Appearances | ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON |
The AAP07: BALTEUS is an autonomous craft fielded by the Planetary Closure Administration during the Coral War.
Overview[]
The BALTEUS is composed of a large mobile platform possessing incredible aerial maneuverability and hover capability for a machine of its size, with an MT attached in front serving as its control center. Its most distinctive feature is the large ring attached to its main body, which is a rail system onto which various weapon systems including missile launchers and flamethrowers that also act as flame swords stored in its body can move and slide in different ways to give it a very wide weapons coverage. A multi-tube missile launcher and a grenade launcher are also mounted on the main body, while the attached MT carries three Gatling guns on its right arm, and a quadruple-barreled scatter gun on its left arm. Interestingly, the arm mounted weapons are supported by what appears to be flexible braces on the main body. These could be helping to alleviate the weight of the arm weapons from the MT.
To compliment its already formidable armor, the BALTEUS is also equipped with a Pulse Armor generator that it keeps active at all times, and in emergencies it is also equipped with Assault Armor to deter enemies that get too close. If active, its Pulse Armor slowly regenerates during combat.
Armament[]
- Three Gatling Guns (right hand)
- One Quadruple-barreled Scattergun (left hand)
- Missile Launchers (left and right back)
- Grenade Cannon (left back)
- Rail System
- Additional 156 Missile Launchers (emerge from sides and back to form rings)
- Flamethrowers that also act as Flame Swords (emerge from sides)
- Pulse Armor
- Assault Armor
Gameplay[]
In ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON, the BALTEUS is a boss NPC fought in the final Chapter 1 mission, "Attack the Watchpoint." It appears following the cutscene that plays once the player completes the fifth objective, "Infiltrate control center and destroy target device," and its defeat leads to the last cutscene that ends mission.
BALTEUS will always start the fight with a full salvo of missiles from its rail launchers. The best way to avoid this attack is to assault boost towards BALTEUS before the missiles can align themselves. Since the missiles have poor tracking, most will lose lock-on and overshoot.
When its Pulse Armor is depleted, BALTEUS will be staggered. When its recovers, its Pulse Armor will remain inactive, leaving it vulnerable to additional damage.
BALTEUS will activate Assault Armor when it reaches its second phase. When the blast dissipates, its Pulse Armor will instantly activate.
BALTEUS’s most dangerous attack during its second phase is its flamethrower. It will bring both flamethrowers forward, point itself towards the player, and fire both flamethrowers. The flamethrowers cover a portion of the map with fire, which inflicts damage and ACS anomaly. To dodge this attack, use vertical mobility to get above BALTEUS where its flamethrowers cannot reach.
As of Regulation Ver. 1.02.1, its attacks have been adjusted.[2]
An upgraded version appears later on in the Liberator of Rubicon path's penultimate mission, Chapter 5's "Destroy the Drive Block."
Gallery[]
![Concept art[3]](/wiki/File:Website_image_Armored_Core_VI_Facebook_promo_August_06_2023_02.jpg "Website image Armored Core VI Facebook promo August 06 2023 02.jpg (141 KB)")
Trivia[]
- Balteus is a Latin word describing a particular style of ancient Roman belt.
- If one were to look at the main MT without the massive platform attached to it's back. The overall MT design resembles YF-19 from the Macross series.