Mission Structure & Progression — Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Guide

Uncover the three distinct endings in Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. Learn how your choices impact the fate of 621, Rubicon 3, and the Coral in our detailed guide.

So, you're diving into the world of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon and wondering how your actions shape the story? It all comes down to the endings, and there are three main ones to discover. Each one has a different final boss and, more importantly, a different fate for our protagonist, 621, humanity, the Coral, and Rubicon 3 itself. ### Fires of Raven This is one of the endings you can get on your first playthrough. To reach it, you'll need to pick the mission "Intercept the Corporate Forces" in Chapter 5. This leads you through "Breach the Kármán Line" and finally "Shut Down the Closure Satellites." Here, you're siding with Handler Walter and "Cinder" Carla. Your goal is to wipe out the Coral by crashing the colony ship Xylem into Rubicon's Vascular Plant. It's a tough choice, as it puts you against V.IV Rusty, who's fighting for the Rubiconians, and Ayre, who wants to protect the Coral. After you defeat them, the Xylem hits the Vascular Plant, causing a massive cataclysm that wipes out all life on Rubicon 3. This event becomes known as "The Fires of Raven." The Planetary Closure Administration and the corporations decide to seal off the system and stop all Coral research. As for 621, they vanish, their fate unknown. ### Liberator of Rubicon This is the other ending available on your first playthrough. You'll unlock it by choosing the mission "Eliminate "Cinder" Carla" in Chapter 5. From there, it's on to "Destroy the Drive Block" and then "Bring Down the Xylem." With this ending, you're teaming up with Ayre to save the Coral. That means you'll have to take down "Cinder" Carla and stop the Xylem's collision course with the Vascular Plant. With help from V.IV Rusty and the Rubicon Liberation Front, the Xylem crashes down. However, you'll have to face Handler Walter to make your escape. In the end, 621 stays on Rubicon 3 with Ayre, facing an uncertain future together. ### Alea Iacta Est This is the third and final ending, and it's a bit more involved. You can only access it after you've completed both the _Fires of Raven_ and _Liberator of Rubicon_ endings on the same save file. Once you've done that, on your next playthrough, you'll notice a change in Chapter 1. The mission "Escort the Weaponized Mining Ship" will appear as a choice alongside "Destroy the Weaponized Mining Ship." To start down the _Alea Iacta Est_ path, you need to pick "Escort the Weaponized Mining Ship." This choice unlocks a series of other changes and new decision missions you'll need to complete to stay on this route: * Chapter 1: * "Obstruct the Mandatory Inspection" replaces "Investigate BAWS Arsenal No. 2." * In "Attack the Watchpoint," you'll face Sulla along with a squad of IA-27: GHOSTs. * Chapter 3: * In "Survey the Uninhabited Floating City," Thumb Dolmayan takes the place of the AH12: HC HELICOPTER as the final boss. * The mission "Coral Export Denial" is added as a decision mission, paired with "Historic Data Recovery." You must complete this to continue on the route. * Chapter 4: * "Eliminate V.III" is added as a decision mission, alongside "Intercept the Redguns" and "Ambush the Vespers." Completing "Eliminate V.III" locks you into the _Alea Iacta Est_ path. * In "Reach the Coral Convergence," if you've met all the previous requirements for _Alea Iacta Est_, you'll follow the ba