Armored Core 6: How To Beat Smart Cleaner [Full Strategy]

In Armored Core 6, players encounter the Smart Cleaner, a daunting boss in chapter 2. This mechanical titan, known for spewing fire from its smokestack and executing devastating arm attacks, poses a grave threat to less-armored Armored Cores. Despite its terrestrial dominance, its true vulnerability emerges against aerial strategies, making skyward combat an essential tactic.

What Is Smart Cleaner In Armored Core 6

In Armored Core 6, the Smart Cleaner is a formidable boss encountered in chapter 2. This mechanical behemoth is characterized by its ability to shoot fire from its smokestack and its lethal, mulch-producing arm attacks.

Primarily grounded, its menacing power can crush less-armored Armored Cores with a single hit. However, it exhibits a significant vulnerability when opponents take to the skies, making aerial tactics essential for a successful combat strategy.

Smart Cleaner Boss Attack Patterns

Here’s a breakdown of the Smart Cleaner’s attack strategies in AC6, guiding players on what to expect, foresee, and effectively counter the boss’s maneuvers.

Attack Pattern	Effect (5-10 words)
Lava-spewing from smokestack	Shoots damaging fireballs at the player.
Arm clapping attack	Crushes AC if caught between arms.
Uppercut with arms	Potentially a one-hit kill.
Charging head-on	Fast, straight-line attack towards player.
Sweeping with arms	Catches AC, leading to a combo attack.
Wider magma attacks (mid-fight)	Increased magma range, more dangerous.
Magma spouting (mid-fight)	Consistent magma ejections, avoid from above.
Raising saw-like arms	Warning of a powerful downswing or other attack.
Spewing lava from back	Dangerous if attacking from above, best to avoid.

Smart Cleaner Boss Phases In Armored Core 6

The Smart Cleaner in Armored Core 6 is a memorable boss with multiple phases that players must navigate to achieve victory. That is why I have broken down its combat patterns here below.

1. Initial Encounter And Grounded Phase

Upon first encountering the Smart Cleaner, players are immediately introduced to its lethal ground-based abilities. This phase is all about powerful, sweeping arm attacks and potentially deadly clapping motions that can turn any unwary AC into wreckage.

If an AC spends too much time on the ground, the Cleaner will relentlessly chase them down, unleashing smashing blows or vicious uppercuts. These moves are so potent that they can sometimes result in one-hit kills. At this stage, players are advised to take to the air, where the Cleaner’s terrestrial might is significantly diminished.

2. Aerial Engagement and Fireball Phase

After sustaining some damage, the Smart Cleaner transitions into a more aggressive phase. It begins to spew fiery projectiles from its smokestack, though these attacks are typically less damaging and easier to dodge than its grounded assaults.

While these fireballs are a threat, they also present an opportunity. The smokestack becomes a primary target, and players are encouraged to hover above and rain down attacks directly into it for maximum damage. The exterior of the Cleaner is resilient, making precision targeting essential.

3. Aggressive Attack Phase

As the Smart Cleaner’s health diminishes further, roughly by one-third, it adopts a far more aggressive stance. It raises its saw-like arms, signaling a wide-ranging attack that players must skillfully dodge using the Assault Boost.

During this phase, players should persistently target the smokestack to build up the stagger gauge, with the ultimate goal of exploiting the Cleaner’s primary vulnerability: the red vent on its chest.

4. Staggered Phase And Weakness Exploitation

 Successfully targeting the chimney will stagger the Smart Cleaner, granting players a brief window to unleash a barrage of attacks on the red vent, the boss’s Achilles’ heel. This window, while fleeting, is the most opportune moment to deal significant damage, putting the Cleaner closer to defeat.

5. Endgame And Exploiting The Weakpoint

The final phase revolves around exploiting the Smart Cleaner’s key weak point: the massive smokestack on its back. Players equipped with missile launchers can lock onto this target and fire vertically, ensuring that the missiles plunge straight down into its mouth, staggering the Cleaner instantly.

From here, aerial attacks focusing on the smokestack will progressively weaken the Cleaner. Persistent engagement from a safe distance, coupled with dodging its charge attacks, will ensure victory.

Best Strategy To Defeat Smart Cleaner Boss In Armored Core 6

Given its distinct attack patterns and vulnerabilities, the Smart Cleaner boss in Armored Core 6 requires a multi-faceted approach for successful engagement. Let’s dissect the optimal strategies to tackle this industrial juggernaut:

1. Maintaining Aerial Dominance

From the onset, it’s crucial to understand that the Smart Cleaner is most dangerous when you’re grounded. Its powerful arm attacks, clapping motion, and potentially fatal uppercuts underscore the risk of staying on terra firma. The safest strategy involves maintaining altitude. Hovering capabilities, like those offered by the tetrapod, should be exploited, keeping you safely out of the Cleaner’s reach for the majority of the engagement.

2. Targeting the Smokestack

 Once in the air, the Cleaner’s smokestack becomes your primary focal point. This is not just because it’s where the fireballs emanate from but also due to the fact that it’s a vulnerable point. Attacks, especially vertically launched missiles, should be directed here. Not only do these attacks deal significant damage, but they also help stagger the Cleaner, creating openings for further assaults. Ensure your loadout includes weapons that can be effective from an aerial vantage, like vertical missiles and laser shotguns.

3. Weak Point Assault During Stagger

When the Cleaner is successfully staggered, that’s your cue to move in for the kill. Drop down and target the small, red vent on its chest. This fleeting moment is the best chance to inflict substantial damage. A combination of bazookas and laser shotguns will be particularly effective, ensuring you maximize your damage output during this short window.

4. Adapting to Loadouts and Weapon Choices

The beauty of Armored Core 6 is the diversity of builds and strategies players can adopt. For those who prefer the plasma blade over the bazooka or a single vertical missile launcher, it’s crucial to understand the trade-offs. While it might take longer to stagger the Cleaner, the damage during its vulnerable state can be substantially higher. It’s all about finding the balance and adapting to the Cleaner’s patterns with the tools at your disposal.

5. Endgame and Positional Awareness

As the battle rages on and the Cleaner becomes more aggressive, players need to be acutely aware of their surroundings and the Cleaner’s position. With its enhanced magma attacks and heightened aggression, maintaining distance becomes vital. Constantly dodge and use the arena to your advantage, retreating when necessary and moving in only when the Cleaner exposes its vulnerabilities.

In conclusion, the Smart Cleaner boss in Armored Core 6 stands as a testament to the game’s intricate design and challenging gameplay dynamics. Emphasizing both ground and aerial combat strategies, this mechanical monstrosity pushes players to adapt, think critically, and exploit vulnerabilities. Truly, facing the Smart Cleaner is an unforgettable experience for any Armored Core enthusiast.

If you find this article to be helpful consider reading Armored Core 6: Best Armor and BEST Weapons in Armored Core 6 guide.

Next:

• Armored Core 6: How To Beat Sea Spider
• Armored Core 6: Emblem Codes
• Armored Core 6: How To Beat HC Helicopter
• Armored Core 6: Loghunt & Combat Logs