Armored Core 6 PCA helicopter boss guide – how to beat the PCA helicopter in AC 6

Need some help to beat the PCA helicopter in Armored Core 6? As far as tutorial bosses go, the PCA heavy combat helicopter is pretty high on the difficulty rankings. It’s got a foreboding healthbar and a formidable arsenal which’ll make short work of the unprepared.

Here, we’ll cover the best strategies and advice to help you beat the PCA helicopter in Armored Core 6. This won’t be the last tough boss you face though. If you get to Balteus or the Smart Cleaner and find you could use some pointers again, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

How to beat the PCA combat helicopter in Fires of Rubicon

Here are our top suggestions to help you beat the PCA helicopter in Armored Core 6.

• Stay in the air.
• Stay close to the boss.
• Be aware of your positioning.
• Use your melee weapon.

Let’s go over each of these in a little more detail.

Stay in the air

This one can be challenging, given that you haven’t had a chance to modify your AC yet. Nevertheless, staying aerial provides a lot of benefits in this fight. A substantial quantity of the PCA heli’s arsenal is missile based, and remaining in flight can make dodging these attacks easier. For heavier missiles, this also means avoiding secondary damage from the explosion itself, which is much more difficult to avoid while on the ground.

Stay close to the boss

It’s a bit of a classic From Software manoeuvre, and it seems fitting to see the strategy return in Armored Core 6. Rather than maintaining distance, try sticking close to the PCA helicopter.

The heli doesn’t have a massive amount of close-range weaponry. Because of this, staying near to it is a great way to bypass much of its long range capacity while safely dealing damage yourself. Otherwise, you’ll often find yourself caught right in the line of fire. It’s heaviest weapons especially pack a devastating punch.

Be aware of your positioning

Positioning is always important, so much so that it’s one of the main principles this boss is trying to teach you. If you face the PCA helicopter head-on, you’ll be pushed into a race of endurance. Chances are that it’ll destroy you before you destroy it.

Instead, try to position yourself off the ground and close to it as we’ve gone over, but also behind it. The PCA helicopter has no rear-facing weapons and is slow to turn, so staying behind it not only gives better opportunities to deal damage, but creates safe windows to fly up and close distance.

Use your melee weapon

At this early point in the game, your own weaponry is fairly limited. Your main assault rifle might as well be a pea shooter, and though your missiles are great, you don’t have an endless supply of them. One of your best options is actually your energy blade.

The blade has two main advantages. Firstly, it deals substantially more damage to enemies than most of your other weapon systems. This remains true for the boss, who is just an even larger target. Secondly, it builds up the enemy’s poise metre much faster than your other attacks can, getting you closer to stuns more quickly. Stuns provide an advantageous opportunity to deal some serious damage to opponents, leaving them momentarily vulnerable. The more you can stun this boss, the faster you’ll achieve victory.

Who is the PCA helicopter?

The AH12: HC Helicopter, or PCA heavy combat helicopter, is a powerful gunship and patrol vehicle. It’s operated by the PCA, the planetside peacekeeping force that maintains a thin veneer of order on Rubicon. The PCA are one of the strongest and deadliest factions in the game, and as such their heavy weapons boast powerful arms and armour. The patrol craft you fight is sent to the area following disturbances brought on by your arrival and the local fighting. It serves as the tutorial boss for Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon.

That’s everything we’ve got for you on how to beat the PCA helicopter in Armored Core 6. Keep persisting, as after this victory you’ll be able to start unlocking parts, and hone your skills in the arena not long after.

Where is the PCA helicopter in Armored Core 6?

The PCA helicopter in Armored Core 6 is the first boss you’ll encounter, and is found at the end of the tutorial level.

Is Armored Core 6 hard?

Armored Core 6 is filled with challenging boss battles and difficult levels that require skill, patience and persistence to overcome.