Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. - the Protoype Pulverizer.
Prototype in Humanoid form.
The Prototype Pulverizer was the final boss encountered in Armored Core: Nexus.
Overview
An experimental Pulverizer, the Prototype only appeared in the final level of Armored Core: Nexus and is believed to be a precurser to the Pulverizer weapons that appear in Armored Core: Last Raven. Although it was defeated by him, The Raven was still unable to prevent the Unmaned Suicide Weapons' attack on the world and was presumed to be KIA after fighting numerous Suicide Weapons.
Design
Prototype Pulverizer
The Prototype appears to have a body similar to the Biped Pulverizer but has the agility of a Hover or Aerial models. It also features a Grenade Launcher on it's back that folds backs to reveal it's head. The unit's arms can fire pulse/plasma cannon rounds in rapid succession and it also possess a vertical missile launcher that can fire up to at least 10 missiles at once.
Strategy
This machine is fast, agile and deadly and has two forms. The first is it's true "humanoid" form in which it takes right before the battle starts and the other is it's "cannon" form that it is in when it first appears. In its Humanoid form, it is very agile and features a Vertical Missile Launcher that has a large amount of missile launches for its attack, somewhere around 12. It also launchers plasma and pulse rifle shots from its arm. In its "Cannon" form it also adds in a Grenade Launcher.
In its humanoid form, it is very agile and can dodge most attacks while it's Cannon form is stationary. It has full 3D movement capabilities so it's easy to lose track of it.
Fortunately, this unit has quite a low AP value, at the most around 6000 AP, which is only at about 75% of a standard AC's AP value and it does not possess very high defense stats. Therefore majority of weapons in the game will work against it. Rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles and even handguns work well against it. Missiles are a viable tactic but do note that the unit is fairly mobile and is capable of avoiding them, it also seems to possess missile counter of some sort, so the salvoes may not be as effective as they should be. Micro missiles are preferably the best to use against it for this reason.
The unit's main threat lies in its weapon arms, as the pulse/plasma cannon blasts not only have high fire rate, but also packs a deadly amount of thermal stress upon impact, so good energy defense and cooling prowess is vital when fighting it. The vertical missiles salvos also pose a potent threat but it can be averted by anti-missiles or decoys. The unit's grenade launcher is also quite powerful, able to fire up to at least 3 shots in a row, however since the unit has to remain stationary to fire its grenades, it is left vulnerable to your attacks.
Gallery
Trivia
- While the North American version is called "Nine-Ball", the Japanese version has the weapon known as "???". Despite this, the Protoype Pulverizer is similar in appearance and weaponry to Nine-Ball.
Videos
Armored Core Nexus - Full Ending