How to Beat AAP07A: Arquebus Balteus (V.II Snail) in Armored Core 6 (AC6)

In Chapter 5 of Armored Core 6, you’ll have to make a big decision that will dictate the rest of your story. You could either Intercept the Corporate Forces and assist the Xylem, or you can Eliminate “Cinder” Carla, taking down the Xylem and saving Rubicon from destruction. If you’re reading this guide, you likely chose the latter option, and are now face to face with the last line of defense. Here’s how to beat AAP07A: Arquebus Balteus (V.II Snail) in Armored Core 6. Buckle up, buddy.

Armored Core 6: AAP07A: Arquebus Balteus Boss Guide

AAP07A: Arquebus Balteus is piloted by V.II Snail, deputy commander of the Vespers. Unlike the first Balteus encounter from Chapter 1, Arquebus Balteus is faster, deadlier, and more precise. Being an upgraded model, its moves are completely different, but the strategies to take it down are pretty similar.

Here are our tips for defeating AAP07A: Arquebus Balteus:

1) Get Some Air

Several attacks from Arquebus Balteus can be avoided simply by boosting upward, such as the Pulse Wave Barrage shown in the picture above. I wouldn’t recommend staying airborne for long periods of time, as those attacks will still target you in the air, and you’ll end up spending more EN than you can afford.

Remain grounded, but mobile, and be ready to use your EN to dash in the opposite direction when powerful attacks are heading your way.

In phase one, Arquebus Balteus will often target you with a Laser Blast (as shown above), which you can anticipate by the audio and visual damage indicators. Be ready to juke these lasers by quickly dashing in the opposite direction of your strafing. Trust me, you don’t want to get hit by these bad boys, as they deal massive damage and can easily stagger you.

2) Bring your Burst Weapons

The key to defeating Arquebus Balteus is to stagger it as quickly as possible before unleashing everything you’ve got. Luckily, it will often stop its movement, either to shoot lasers at you or to turn around after whizzing by you. Take advantage of these brief moments by equipping weapons that deal devastating burst damage.

I used a pair of VE-60SNA STUN NEEDLES to get the job done, but you could easily replace those with laser rifles or rocket launchers. Arquebus Balteus has a pretty generous stagger window, affording you plenty of time to deal chunks of damage once you’ve broken its guard.

Related: How to Beat Ayre in Armored Core 6 (AC6)

3) Mind the Lasers

Once you take Arquebus Balteus’ AP down to around 50%, you’ll enter phase two of the fight. Before entering phase two, the boss will emit a large pulse explosion. Keep your distance so you’re not caught in the blast.

During phase two, Arquebus Balteus will charge both arms up and blast you with continuous beams of lasers (as shown above) while spinning and flying sporadically. There are several ways to deal with this attack, but I found success with the following:

• If you have Pulse Armor equipped, use it when you notice Balteus charging up its arms. Then, stay airborne and try to dodge the lasers as best you can. With Pulse Armor active, you shouldn’t take too much damage even if you end up getting hit.
• Alternatively, you can fly high above Balteus to essentially avoid the attack completely. This may be difficult if your AC is low on EN, or if Balteus already has a height advantage on you. However, it’s a much safer method of avoiding the attack.

Best Build for AAP07A: Arquebus Balteus in AC6

The best build to take down Arquebus Balteus brings massive burst damage with continuous sustain damage. As such, you should slap on a pair of DF-GA-08 HU-BEN Gatling Guns with a pair of VE-60SNA STUN NEEDLES as your back units. This combination allows you to quickly stagger Balteus while shredding its AP away at the same time. The build I used to beat Arquebus Balteus is shown below.

Best Loadout to Beat Arquebus Balteus:

• R-Arm Unit: DF-GA-08 HU-BEN
• L-Arm Unit: DF-GA-08 HU-BEN
• R-Back Unit: VE-60SNA STUN NEEDLE
• L-Back Unit: VE-60SNA STUN NEEDLE
• Head: HD-012 MELANDER C3
• Core: DF-BD-08 TIAN-QIANG
• Arms: DF-AR-08 TIAN-QIANG
• Legs: DF-LG-08 TIAN-QIANG
• Booster: BST-G2/P04
• FCS: FCS-G2/P10SLT
• Generator: VE-20C

That’s all for our guide on beating AAP07A: Arquebus Balteus in Armored Core 6. If you’re missing the VE-60SNA back units, check out our guide on how to get the Stun Needle Launcher in Armored Core 6. You’ll be thankful you did.