Armored Core 6: Are Bazookas the new thing now that the Zimmerman was nerfed?

FromSoftware released a new regulation patch (1.03.1) for ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON on October 5. In the update, the performances of certain weapons and parts have been adjusted. While some popular powerful weapons such as the Zimmerman Shotgun have been downgraded, others seem to have been made more powerful. Among them, Bazookas seem to be taking the spotlight in particular.

The update to Armored Core 6 this time around has tweaked some of the powerful weapons players could be seen relying on heavily, such as the Zimmerman Shotgun, Songbirds Grenade Cannon and the VE-60SNA Stun Needle Launcher, making them noticeably weaker. On the other hand, players seem to have found new excellence in weapons that previously did not stand out so much, most notably Bazookas.

Bazookas are a weapon type characterized by high power, high impact, and an explosion upon contact. Compared to Grenade Launchers, which engulf a rather wide area, the explosion range of Bazookas is modest. They also tend to have a slower bullet velocity. In the Armored Core series, each weapon is designed to have its own unique feel, quirks, and role in the game. As such, Bazooka-type weapons have their own place in combat, but they are somewhat of an expert’s weapon, requiring more skill to be used efficiently. At least, this was the case until the update. Now, the tables seem to have turned in regard to Bazookas.

With the update, all four arm-type Bazookas have been buffed. The reload time of all Bazookas, including the special bazooka JVLN ALPHA, has been shortened and the bullet speed has been enhanced. In Armored Core, the increase of bullet speed is, in general, synonymous with improved accuracy, which means that the greatest weakness of Bazookas has been mitigated.

Players naturally did not miss out on the fact, as the word “bazooka” quickly started trending on Japanese X/Twitter, with users singing praises to the new and improved version of the weapon. Thanks to the increased bullet speed, it seems that the underlying qualities of Bazookas have come to be recognized. Players are also reporting that “Bazookas now have Proximity Fuze,” rejoicing that the weapon has become stronger.

The upgrades to Bazookas are a good example of the new regulation’s tendency to make strong weapons “milder” and raise the level of the weapons that are somewhat difficult to use. Other examples include improvements to Grenades, which now have Proximity Fuze at close range, as well as enhanced ammo count and velocity. Improvements were also made to Needle Guns, Dual Missiles and Homing Missiles, many of which are earning the praise of players.