Muscle Tracer

General information
Classification	Vehicle
Appearances	Armored Core Armored Core: Project Phantasma Armored Core: Master of Arena Armored Core 2 Armored Core 2: Another Age Armored Core 3 Silent Line: Armored Core Armored Core: Nexus Armored Core: Formula Front Armored Core: Nine Breaker Armored Core: Last Raven Armored Core 4 Armored Core: For Answer ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON

More commonly known as MT, the Muscle Tracer is a versatile mech design that appears in all Armored Core games.

Overview

MTs were originally created as a more efficient mechanized work unit designed to lift heavy loads and function for extended periods of time. They were typically very small and most had legs for movement rather than wheels. Normally walkers in nature, they were originally designed in the civilian sector for construction work and other remedial heavy lifting tasks. It was not long after this that they were used for military applications. It was at this point that many different models and designs were seen from the normal chicken legged walker all the way up to more advanced humanoid battle MTs. This eventually led to the development of the Armored Core, which replaced the MT as the most powerful weapon on the battlefield.

Despite this the MT continued to be produced in large quantities thanks in part to their low production cost. Mainly being cannon fodder, MTs are the most common enemies and range in all shapes and sizes. Lacking the modular design of the Armored Core, MTs are nevertheless varied and can be very powerful opponents in some of the larger models. They are most often deployed with more conventional units.

Types

As mentioned above, MTs come in a large assortment of designs. These range from small workers like the ones encountered in Armored Core to the mighty and powerful bosses such as the Devastator or Leviathan. However all MTs follow the same basic break down of design.

• Security- Small unmanned drones designed to protect an installation and defend it if need be. These tend to be the weakest of all MTs. In numbers however, they can be extremely dangerous if left to themselves.
• Small- Larger than security models, small MTs are generally seen as annoyances to the AC. They tend to have larger attack capabilities than Security models. In general, it is only a technicality that separates small and security MTs.
• Medium MTs- The widest array of MTs out there, these MTs tend to be the most common to fight. In general throughout all Armored Core games, there have been a mainstay model of Medium MTs such as the Bishop or the Storch. These enemies are common and are harder to take down than their smaller cousins. The most recurring design is a Reverse Joint model.
• Battle MTs- A rare lot, battle MTs are much more powerful and tend to be able to easily cripple an AC if left alone for too long. Battle MTs are formidable opponents, especially in groups and should never be taken lightly. Armored Core 3 and Armored Core: Silent Line featured Battle MT which appear similar to AC's (Humanoid Design, Basic Boosting, and even a laser blade in some cases) and is even noted that it is often mistaken for one in Silent Line. They are often referred to as "high-end" models
• Massive MTs- Rare bosses like the Devastator and Leviathan , Massive MTs appear only late game as boss encounters. Easily rivaling ACs and usually exceeding them, Massive MTs are lords of war whose only weakness is their slow speed. However should an AC stay in their sights long enough, then that AC is history. This is made especially more troublesome in that these behemoths are often encountered in open areas with very little cover.

Armored Core 4 and Beyond

The term MT now refers exclusively to smaller quadruped and reverse-legged machines, and should not be confused with Normals or Mobile Fortresses. While produced in large numbers, they are extremely ineffective in dealing with NEXTs.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

The term MT once again refers to a wide variety of machines, which serve rank-and-file roles for various factions.

Named MTs

Medium

• Bishop
• Storch
• MT63-MK Mamluk
• WR750R
• List of Muscle Tracers in Armored Core: Last Raven
• List of Military Vehicles in the Universe of Armored Core 4

Battle

• Ogre
• Chaos
• Big Whites
• Super Scimitar

Massive

• Devastator
• Leviathan
• MG-AOxx/131α
• Project Phantasma
• Ofanim

Gameplay

In-game information

Armored Core: Last Raven

Glossary, Technologies: MTs

MTs are humanoid-like machines that were used as the basis for AC development. Although originally designed with labor-related activities in mind, th MT unit quickly took on a more military role.

"MTs"

Trivia

• The titular Armored Core was developed from Muscle Tracer technology. This can best be seen in the original Armored Core game, where many MTs also share the same humanoid biped design.
• The term Muscle Tracer has never been explained, but it can be inferred that it describes the control methods of the MT.
• In Armored Core 3 and Silent Line, there is a trend of mercenary MT pilots that later become Ravens, using the same name for their AC as their previous MT units.