How to beat the Smart Cleaner boss in Armored Core 6

How to beat the Smart Cleaner boss in Armored Core 6
Images via Fromsoftware

Written by 

Dave McAdam

Published 

27th Aug 2023 12:42

The Armored Core 6 Smart Cleaner fight is a tricky battle early in Chapter 2. Armored Core 6 has a wide variety of bosses, while some are incredibly tough, others can be blindingly fast.

The Smart Cleaner is an imposing enemy, but one with some glaring weak spots. Here is our guide for the best build and how to beat the Armored Core 6 Smart Cleaner.

Strategy & tips to beat Smart Cleaner in Armored Core 6

The Smart Cleaner is a giant bulldozer-like bot with massive grinders and smokestack like a volcano on its back. It is large and aggressive, and also incredibly tough. Thankfully, its thick armour has weak points that we can exploit.

If you have ever played a video game before, you might have already spotted the weakness in the Smart Cleaner before the fight even begins. Yes, everything that glows gold is a weak spot, meaning that is where you need to shoot. The opening in the front, the opening at the top of the chimney on its back, and even the grinders themselves are all worthy targets.

Fighting the Smart Cleaner in Armored Core 6
Click to enlarge
Image via FP Good Game on YouTube

The Smart Cleaner's primary offence comes from the grinders, meaning so long as you keep your distance you are fairly safe. It has ranged attacks, like spitting molten material out of its stack, but for the most part it is ineffectual at range.

As such, our recommendation is to take to the skies and rain death from above. It can do almost nothing to you in the air, and one of the best ways to do damage is to fire missiles directly down its chimney.

Best build for Smart Cleaner fight in Armored Core 6

The build for the Smart Cleaner fight in Armored Core 6
Click to enlarge
I didn't have the Tetrapod so just pretend there are two more legs in the picture, okay?

Here are the parts that you'll want to equip if you're looking for the best mech for Smart Cleaner in Armored Core 6:

Unit

Part Type Part
R-ARM DF-BA-06 (Rocket Launcher)
L-ARM DF-BA-06 (Rocket Launcher)
R-BACK BML-G1/P20MLT-04 (Missile Launcher)
L-BACK BML-G1/P20MLT-04 (Missile Launcher)

Core

Part Type Part
HEAD HC-2000 FINDER EYE
CORE CC-2000 ORBITER
ARMS NACHTREIHER/46E
LEGS VP-424 (Tetrapod)

Frame

Part Type Part
BOOSTER BST-G1/P10
FCS FCS-G2/P05
GENERATOR VP-20S

For this build, we recommend going with the Tetrapod legs. They allow you to float almost endlessly in the air, keeping you out of almost all danger from the Smart Cleaner.

With those, you can just rain down shots from your rockets and missiles until the Smart Cleaner bites the dust.

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That is it for our Armored Core 6 Smart Cleaner boss fight guide. For more on the game, head to our Armored Core 6 homepage, or check out our Armored Core 6 Ibis boss fight guide.

Dave McAdam
About the author
Dave McAdam
Dave is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon, after several years of freelancing across the industry. He covers a wide range of games, with particular focus on shooters like Destiny 2, RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, and fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8.
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