As an Armored Core enthusiast who‘s spent well over 500 hours battling foes across multiple AC titles, acquiring and optimizing OS Tuning upgrades was a top priority once I dove into Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon.
Based on extensive testing and experimentation since launch, I‘ve compiled the definitive list of must-have OS Tuning upgrades for hitting unmatched levels of speed, defense, and ability cooldown when piloting your Armored Core.
Looking for the best choices for OS upgrades? Fear not. This guide covers Armored Core 6 Best OS tuning for the optimal setup. Time to turn your AC into an unstoppable force of mechanized destruction!
How to Unlock the OS Tuning Menu
To start customizing the operating system performance and unlocking powerful augmentation chips for your Armored Core, you‘ll first need to gain access to the Arena:
- Complete Mission 3: Operation Wall Climber in Chapter 1 of the AC 6 single-player campaign.
- The Armored Core Arena will become available from your HQ.
- Start battling other pilots in free battles to earn credits and OS Chips.
- Earned chips can be exchanged for powerful OS Upgrades at a 1:1 ratio (e.g 5x Accuracy Chip = Accuracy Upgrade worth 5 OS Chips).
As expected, the Arena matches start out easy by pitting low ranked Ravens against each other. But they quickly gain intensity as you move up the leaderboard. The Rank 100 bosses will even put your customization skills to the test! Speaking of customization…
OS Tuning for Maximum Armored Core Performance
After grinding matches for the last month and generating piles of data, I‘ve dialed in what I believe is definitively the ideal OS Tuning configuration for Armored Core 6 when resources are no object.
To preface, AC battles require a balanced fusion of mobility, durability, and stopping power. The best OS Tuning layout maximizes these core pillars in innovative ways. Introducing the "Apex Raven" loadout:
OS Tuning: Apex Raven Configuration
| Upgrade Type | OS Tuning Selection | Total Chips |
|---|---|---|
| Mobility | Thruster Vectoring (10) | 10 |
| Mobility | Quick Turn II (8) | 18 |
| Defense | Fortress Armor (5) | 23 |
| Defense | Distortion Field II (12) | 35 |
| Auxiliary | Cooldown Accelerator (10) | 45 |
| Auxiliary | Last Stand Protocol (15) | 60 |
Let‘s break down why each OS Tuning ability listed here pushes Armored Core performance to new heights:
Thruster Vectoring
- Enables your AC‘s boosters to provide thrust in all directions, not just back and forth.
- Unlocks crafty juking maneuvers for dodging and cornering at blistering speeds.
- Vastly expands your movement options and aerial control for 10 chips.
Quick Turn II
- Improves turning speed by 200% over stock specs.
- Mandatory for heavier tank builds lugging around arsenals of weapons.
- Lets you whip 180 degrees rapidly and acquire targets quicker.
Fortress Armor
- Hardens exterior armor plating for increased damage resistance.
- Reduces incoming kinetic round damage by 18%. Extremely noticeable perk.
- Essential for builds favoring heavy weapons over quickness and agility.
Distortion Field II
- Emits an electromagnetic shield that deflects incoming blaster shots.
- Halves damage from all beam, plasma, and laser weaponry.
- This plus Fortress Armor makes you an impervious dual-layered bunker.
Cooldown Accelerator
- Boosts the recharge rate of your EO Core System special move by 50%.
- Run Overload or Berserk nearly twice as frequently throughout battles.
- Indispensible for EO dependent builds to maximize damage-dealing uptime.
Last Stand Protocol
- Automatically activates auxiliary shielding and backup power when main systems drop below 10% integrity.
- Can mean the difference between barely crawling back to base or an uncompensated explosive demise after sustaining critical damage.
- If you‘ve only got chips for one final protective upgrade, make it this one!
Grinding for OS Chips in Practice
Clearly the full Apex Raven layout will require a staggering 60 OS chips to complete. This amount would take the average Raven months of grinding Arena matches nonstop to accumulate.
Thankfully, the modular architecture of OS Tuning means you can equip upgrades incrementally as chips are earned. But optimally, where should a Raven allocate their starting, limited supply of chips?
Based on hundreds of skirmishes and testing across suboptimal builds, I recommend all Ravens establish this foundational order of acquisition:
- Thruster Vectoring – Unreal mobility with only 10 chips.
- Quick Turn II – Necessary mobility evolution for 8 chips.
- Distortion Field II – Prime defense against energy weapons for 12 chips.
- Cooldown Accelerator – Start maximizing your offensive uptime for 10 chips.
- Fortress Armor – Upgraded protection versus ballistics for 5 chips.
- Last Stand Protocol – Your security insurance policy for 15 chips.
Use this framework while collecting chips early on to ensure your Armored Core stays dangerous and durable even against more advanced opposition. You can tweak OS builds of course, but the principles of speed, protection, and damage drives optimal performance.
Ranking Up Quickly For Rapid Rewards
Eventually, to unlock the full suite of upper echelon OS Tuning gear, reaching at least Rank 50 in the Arena is a must. This milestone grants access to purchase game-changing abilities like the Last Stand Protocol and Distortion Field II upgrades outlined earlier.
Thankfully, rapidly ascending to the highest competitive tiers is quite achievable by following three key ranking up strategies:
- Study opponents in Spectator Mode before battling to understand strengths, weaknesses and optimal counter-tactics.
- Analyze your Armored Core‘s build in the Garage to double check parts synergy and address shortcomings.
- Watch Saved Replays when defeated to pinpoint exactly which maneuvers the opponent used to gain the upper hand each match.
Embracing these disciplined habits separates world class Ravens from the mediocre ones relegated to C-Rank purgatory. Learn, evolve and implement improvements iteratively to climb faster!
Additional Tips for Unlocking OS Tuning Faster
Beyond battle strategy adjustments, certain gameplay decisions can speed up OS Tuning chip accumulation as well. Keep these supplemental grinding tips in mind:
- Issue Arena Challenge Letters to rivals to increase chip payouts for duels.
- Participate in seasonal events offering bonus OS Chip prizes and loot.
- Complete dynamic mercenary missions with OS Chip monetary rewards.
- Defeat the Rank 100 boss once unlocked for a massive chip jackpot bonus!
Wrapping Up
The complete Apex Raven OS Tuning loadout took countless hours across months to finalize and validate for Armored Core 6. The reality is OS Tuning is an endgame min/max system by design demanding extensive dedication to unlock in full.
But the journey getting there is half the fun. With the customization chops gained mastering OS Tuning, Ravens will undoubtedly demolish any AI or human controlled adversary that dares enter the Arena!
New and veteran Armored Core fans alike now have a definitive OS Tuning guide highlighting must-have upgrades for achieving dominance. Equip my recommended OS layout to transform into a lithe, resilient, and truly undisputed Apex Raven!
So get out there and start chipping away at the opposition until your perfectly tailored OS Tuning configuration comes online. See you at Rank 100, rival 😉 …
