About the S ranks

[Dollmaker]

So, getting close to finishing the third and final NG to unlock all the endings and missions, so a lot of pain, suffering and depression is ahead of me due to the S ranks.

From my understanding the main factor behind the S ranks is time right? the faster you complete the mission the better.

Im guessing that more "specific" missions, like finding more wreck's data than needed, or destroying more targets than necessary, or maybe defending certain objectives from taking dmg have those requirements over it, largely cause these tend to be timed missions which cant exactly be speedrun.

Mostly wondering, cause i recently replayed a mission to find some stuff i missed and despite me using 4 heals, (kinda got rekt by 2 heavy tripods) i ended up with an A rank, so im guessing, dmg taken isnt much of a factor if at all.

[REhorror]

Yes, in this order:
1. Time
2. Lost health.
3. Enemy killed (some enemies drop more points).

But time matters the most IIRC.

[Gerbera]

Basically you want to speedrun almost all missions so ignore everything and go straight for the objectives.

HOWEVER, there are a couple missions where the combat log enemies (like attack the refueling base and old spaceport) count towards the S rank so those need to be dealt with as well.

A cheese setup that can go relatively and reliably fast that can also wipe the floor of enemies is a must. Dual zimms and stun needles still work to this day but going fast is a bit tricky. Dunno if burzel or the boat would be the best options nowadays.

[D. Flame]

I have used terminal armor, all 3 heals, and finished with 1 AP left and still gotten S-Ranks.

Speed trumps all else. In some missions, taking down a special enemy will make the time requirements less strict too, but time is still the main factor.

Coral Export Denial also requires you not let a single target escape, and the “escort missions” require you to keep the damage below a certain amount.

[AI]

as for me, just make it simple, do as the achievement says, the perfect mercenary: do fast, complete needed optional objectives, and as efficient as possible :v

[Dollmaker]

Originally posted by Gerbera:

Basically you want to speedrun almost all missions so ignore everything and go straight for the objectives.

HOWEVER, there are a couple missions where the combat log enemies (like attack the refueling base and old spaceport) count towards the S rank so those need to be dealt with as well.

A cheese setup that can go relatively and reliably fast that can also wipe the floor of enemies is a must. Dual zimms and stun needles still work to this day but going fast is a bit tricky. Dunno if burzel or the boat would be the best options nowadays.

So i should also be on the lookout for special enemies.

[Gerbera]

Originally posted by Dollmaker:

Originally posted by Gerbera:

Basically you want to speedrun almost all missions so ignore everything and go straight for the objectives.

HOWEVER, there are a couple missions where the combat log enemies (like attack the refueling base and old spaceport) count towards the S rank so those need to be dealt with as well.

A cheese setup that can go relatively and reliably fast that can also wipe the floor of enemies is a must. Dual zimms and stun needles still work to this day but going fast is a bit tricky. Dunno if burzel or the boat would be the best options nowadays.

So i should also be on the lookout for special enemies.

Yeah. In those 2 in particular its LCs and in the refueling base, its and LC and some random guy to the right of the bridge in the distance.

[Dollmaker]

Ok yeah im starting to dread the double AC fights Volta+Iguazu, Maeterlink+Wu Huahai which is followed by Snail+Iguazu with no resupply in between.

Man these fights are rough.

[big robot cool]

having done most (all but 2 s ranks), time is generally the most important, but doing some important things on the way to objectives can be needed. some missions want low costs.
for instance, you need to be hitting a good number of the fuel tanks and the log hunt lc in the "attack the refuelling base" mission for a good chance at an s rank. the "destroy the transport helicopter mission" is easy to s rank, but it can be difficult for more money hungry builds to s rank.
for specific missions, it is all about getting the objective as good as possible. in "gain control of the xylem", you need to get the 200k bonus for no damage to the tower to get an s rank.
just to vent about my s rank hunt, i hate the missions with a boss at the end, with it always feeling like im getting screwed over by the end boss refusing to die as quickly as the rest of the mission.

[Call Sign: Raven]

When in doubt:

https://thefifthmatt.com/ac6-rank-calculator

Good luck, Raven!

[Lincrono]

Originally posted by Dollmaker:

Ok yeah im starting to dread the double AC fights Volta+Iguazu, Maeterlink+Wu Huahai which is followed by Snail+Iguazu with no resupply in between.

Man these fights are rough.

If it helps any, the straight up fights like that are some of the easiest to S-rank. At least they were for me. You've already beat them once by that point so it really just comes down to refining that method and tuning it for the fights. Plus, for a good number of them you can separate the two AC's and often quickly knock out the non-tank one with 1-2 solid combos after which the heavy of the duo is a lot easier to deal with. personally I found a heavy melee into high alpha combo (I used laser lance + javelin alpha) either as an opener or finisher could often reliably nuke the lighter AC and quickly turn the fight into a 1v1.

I've not found the time to complete or the damage checks for S-rank particularly insane either. I remember feeling like i barely scraped by in a few of them but still got the S-rank once I did clear.

of those three in particular Volta+Iguazu was a wakeup call for whatever reason, struggled way too hard when I though nothing would come close to the end boss of my first run.

snail+iguazu I found easiest. and maeterlink+wu huahai was hard only because it impacts S-rank for the chapter 4 boss. however, because they're literally the first enemies you fight It's pretty easy to reload if they manage to really eat into your resources and fortunately many builds that deal with them work excellently for the final boss.

[Outsider]

S ranks in AC6 are some of the easiest in the franchise.
V and VD were much more brutal, while LR was downright esoteric about them.
Here you just gonna go fast. Get needle launchers and zimmers and blitz through everything.

Then there is rank calculator
https://thefifthmatt.com/ac6-rank-calculator
It might be outdated, but if anything S ranks only got easier since the release.

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by Outsider:

if anything S ranks only got easier since the release.

Our test have determined that to be . . . *opens envelope* . . . a lie.

S-Ranks have only gotten harder and harder since release.

The main determining factor is "go fast." Meanwhile, a lot of AC parts got buffed, in things other than speed, so it takes longer to take down an AC, this also applies to NPCs, which reduces go fast. Assault boost got nerfed in multiple different ways, which reduces go fast. The assault-boost-focused booster got nerfed, which reduces go fast. Boosting speed in general got reduced based on weight for everything but the lightest of mechs, which reduces go fast. Impact got nerf on all the strongest weapons, which greatly reduces go fast.

Etc. Etc. Etc.

This isn't an opinion. It is objective and measurable fact.

Maybe it got subjectively easier for you to get S-Ranks as you learned to play the game better, but by all objective and measurable metrics, it is actually harder to get S-Ranks now than it was at launch.

[DivadREX]

Stop doomposting Flame
It was never easier to S-Rank anything until new light Tetrapod parts dropped
Balance changes only helped as you can bring vider variety of tools, get job done fast instead of just getting to it fast

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by DivadREX:

Stop doomposting Flame
It was never easier to S-Rank anything until new light Tetrapod parts dropped
Balance changes only helped as you can bring vider variety of tools, get job done fast instead of just getting to it fast

It’s not doom posting. I can still S rank everything. I have the videos to prove it. However, the fact of the matter is that it was easier before.

[KnifeHeart]

I actually agree with Flame, but mostly because you can't abuse overpowered shotguns anymore.