Armored Core Lore: General Purpose Cores

The middle point between MT and AC, what is these craft history and how did they change in later generations.

[@leaf0nthewind625]

I personally like to think it’s worth mentioning that Calvary units are the sixth generations version of general purpose armored cores, as they seem to share the same basic characteristics.

[@armoredcorelore]

They do, no argument. But the reason i did not mention them is because i am having a moment of lore brain verse personally thoughts. You see i want to call them more advance battle mts like the orge and big whites because these machine could fight quite fairly with an ac and these machines remind me of them. But as you and others have said they share all the characteristics of a general purpose core the weapons changing, the speed and the single frame use.

[@scottjennings503]

"General Purpose Armored Core" seems like something of a misnomer for mechs that were each designed to accomplish very specific tasks.

[@armoredcorelore]

I like to think this name came from a boardroom or someone trying to sell them to corps. No these are not more advanced muscle tracers thier General purpose armored cores. Yes why have these big and lumbers mech that cost a ton when you can get this sleek and fast craft that is just as good as an ac and cheaper on production.

[@alexwalters3551]

I think you could argue PCA LC units are also General Purpose Armored Cores.

[@hollowempty6086]

LC and HC units are considered more advanced than typical armored cores. Pater switches to an LC after his AC is destroyed.

[@armoredcorelore]

You can. My only issue is i want to call them battle mts like big whites and orges. Because these could fight ac's on fair ground. But yes the LC units do tick all the boxes of what makes a General purpose armored core, a general purpose armored cores.

[@chillzaa99]

I just realized that all of General Purpose Armored Core model share the same name with Japanese destroyer ship in WWII.

[@armoredcorelore]

Neat. See this is why i like posting ac videos, learning new stuff all the time.

[@azurespectrum1985]

I consider all ACs in AC 5/VD General Purpose Cores, which is a compliment since they can't even fly.

[@R3ddyyg]

Because they're made out of scrap "Normals" that they found on the ground, you can see literal car doors used as armor sometimes it's awesome

[@CptJistuce]

Most ACs can't fly.

[@R3ddyyg]

@@CptJistuce I mean, he probably means hover

[@CptJistuce]

@@R3ddyyg That's not flying, that's falling with style!

[@armoredcorelore]

Well i mean 5th gens ac's do use the core concept so they can pass on that.

[@morepenguins6247]

It was interesting to see that two main characters in Project Phantasma used them, as opposed to standard ACs.

[@armoredcorelore]

True my only issue with vixen is it later became an armored core using the core concept. Even though its meant to be a modified using a general purpose core as a base.

[@user-lf4ne8qt9u]

Babe wake up, a new armored core lore video just dropped.

[@armoredcorelore]

Ha ha.

[@joewas2225]

Who needs a 5 hour + lore video from Vaati when this channel is strictly Armored Core. Sorry Vaati I love you too.

[@CptJistuce]

It was cool seeing Vaati come in blind and become a true raven. No lie.

[@armoredcorelore]

Ha ha well i mean i am glad to see ac videos being made. Be they big or small, i think each ac creator has something to offer.

[@BusoRockin1000]

Vaati's video has its place, but I think these shorter topic focused vids have more value for people who are already familiar with the basics.

[@shokmusic_AC]

​@@BusoRockin1000Agreed

[@GunRunner106]

the normals of the first games essentially. mass produced vs custom jobs would be nice if like some of the (recurring) enemy ACs would also display that whole customisation thing - like here Mr Salty from AC6. only switches AC at the end (not rly tho) i feel like we could do rly well with another formula front esk game, but at the same time if one of those came up as a followup to 6 would completely tank the franchise again, ppl wouldnt get it.... my ideal AC game would have ya start out as an MT pilot that eventually could upgrade to AC pilot status like in the older games... would have a lot of potential an AC game like that....

[@armoredcorelore]

Well if we ever do get to start as an MT. I hope from does not go oh you wanted to play as an mt...ok then first fight...oh look a next! Would make the helicopter of ac6 look easy.

[@GunRunner106]

@@armoredcorelore final boss of AC5V as tutorial.

[@armoredcorelore]

@@GunRunner106 I can see them doing it.

[@ACFoxeye]

The PLUS Escapee's Heat Haze is even harder to follow in Nexus if he gets into an open space. Guy just refuses to touch the ground.

[@armoredcorelore]

Guy just uses cheat codes, has to be.

[@r0n1ngamingYT]

The general purpose cores are cool AF, and I see Alot of channels for AC ignoring them, this is a W. 👍

[@armoredcorelore]

They certainly are this odd craft between an mt and ac. Neat idea game wise and lore wise you can see it the corps going nah these core concept ac's are big money eaters, how about something more cost effective but could take out mts without too much trouble.

[@r0n1ngamingYT]

@@armoredcorelore I could see an entire armored core spin off series on mobile based around the general purpose units. Maybe Armored Core: *Insert title here* I feel like a Masters of Arena 2 would be perfect for mobile space. That's another I'd definitely be on if it existed.

[@r0n1ngamingYT]

@@armoredcorelore but, with the classic styling all around on UI and overall style. But maybe more AC2 Onwards visually?

[@armoredcorelore]

@@r0n1ngamingYT You know me i will take any ac game and give it a go. Even a dating sim.

[@r0n1ngamingYT]

@@armoredcorelore LOOOOOL, you prefer the thicker grounded builds? Or the slimmer more aerial types? 💀 I honestly like both.

[@chaosakazero]

I felt this deep in my core hearing this story

[@armoredcorelore]

Now that is deep.

[@SquigglyDestroyerofWorlds]

It's criminal how few subs this channel has

[@armoredcorelore]

I appreciate your kind words.

[@YukitoOnline]

No matter what even in fictional settings. There will always be a weapon that's in between the strongest specialized weapons and weakest general purpose weapons.

[@armoredcorelore]

Everyone wants to win wars at a low cost.

[@XiasIV]

5 minutes of dopamine

[@armoredcorelore]

Well i like this as a description of this video.

[@love_ark]

I like the design of the KAGEROW-- with its integrated sandals on its feet. AC needs heavy shields on these GPAC and Normals, also better and aggressive programming. But I like the concept of just improving the core design instead of entire part swapping. Opens up the opportunity of lore implications. ^_^

[@armoredcorelore]

It does and well we did see the Gpc becomes something like that. Even if not in name, but spirit.

[@FoxeyeValkyrie]

Always liked the paratroopers from, I think, Project Phantama.

[@shokmusic_AC]

Great post! Its always cool to learn more about AC development.

[@armoredcorelore]

Thanks Shok, this one has been requested a lot.

[@TrickyMellow]

Ive been waiting for you to cover this. Nice. Also, I wouldnt count LC, HC and Ekdromoi as General purpose. General purpose firepower is said to be stronger than MT, less than AC. Clearly a single shot from them take half of your AP away while your shot barely damage them so they clearly surperior than AC in term of firepower and defense. So they a new machine. AC in 6 is weird VP-4s part developed by Arquebus mentioned it to be mass produce AC, so it fits general purpose role yet you can also customised it. Like the custom AC from Project Phantasma where you can't get it parts because it's custome made but you can get it part in Nexus somehow.

[@armoredcorelore]

Thanks and ah my problem is i want to call LC and such more battle mts rather then general purpose armroed cores. But the lines do cross with some factors and since i was not settled with a choice myself i did not mention them in the video.

[@Toshinben]

4:44 While the core concept stayed the same, there were the prototype Nexts that could be considered a midway between ACs and Nexts proper. Similar to GP-ACs, they had fixed frames and equipment. I still imagine an AC-compliment game where you're not part of the Raven's Nest, so you have a squad of MTs, and maybe access to GP-ACs and aircraft. You aren't licensed to buy AC parts, so you have to steal, salvage, and buy on the black market if you're going to run ACs. Kind of a mid-point between AC and Chromehounds/Battletech in terms of unit mobility. Mecha Knights Nightmare, kind of had that, but IIRC, your allies were mostly tanks that you didn't own, and I think allied mechs were invulnerable (though, I could be wrong, as I haven't played it).

[@danprentice7073]

Son "Mum I want a armoured core." mother "We have an armoured core at home."

[@armoredcorelore]

Said the corp mother to thier elite troops.

[@blagojpejov4155]

Nice work on this video

[@armoredcorelore]

Thank you.

[@itsgab5745]

While a lot of folks are bringing up the PCA Lc and Hc, I personally wouldn't count them. They're just too different and don't really resemble an AC or feel like an AC, so I would put them in their own category. However, this has given me some ideas. Which is a General Purpose AC that, while doesn't have the core concept, utilizes the same method of equipping different gear and equipment. So while they move and fight like an AC, even utilizing the same weapons, it's not one. We do have some examples of this, especially in 6 where some MTs utilized similar equipment, but it wasn't one to one. I think a better example would be the Old Hunters from the Bloodborne DLC. An enemy that fights similarly to you. But is treated as a regular enemy.

[@armoredcorelore]

See now personally i agree with you, i think these craft should be something of a new type (Ha ha) of craft. However the fact is it is so hard not say they are basically jacked up General purpose cores after all they all use the same frames and are only cable of getting new weapons put into thier hands or back. I think you tell i was torn as i did not include them in this video. The only thing i think these craft have over general purpose cores is that fear factor, granted selected normals like silent avalanche has this fear factor to them as better then next only to lose that in a few years. Cavalry units however seem to have this idea of being better then armored core, they are not armored cores but something better yet look so much like acs. They remind me of Battle MTs like the ogre or Big whites. But again they are just so close in looks and functions of a General purpose ac.

[@TheRustedKnight-lw2sh]

Nice to see some love for these, just one nitpick. The way ariake, kagerow and shiranui pronounced should be according to the Japanese pronunciation. Ariake a ree a keh Kagerow kah geh row Shiranui she rah nu ee

[@armoredcorelore]

I appreciate the feedback, thought i had them this time. But always something to learn with ac name.

[@BalamLandWonder]

YES!

[@armoredcorelore]

Hope you enjoyed.

[@AC_Overpressure]

Chrome has their own GP-ACs, the Venom. It's basically Stinger's AC, Vixen, but it's _g r e e r_

[@Headbringer]

A fellow Martincitopants fan here?

[@armoredcorelore]

You are correct and i should have put that in as i was the one who put that terrible translation of its concept page on the ac wiki.

[@AC_Overpressure]

@@armoredcorelore Well, it happens to all of us at some point. One time while I was playing Silent Line I forgot to put boosters on my AC after switching it's legs from a tank type to a bipedal type, took me a minute to find out why. (note that i was really sleepy at that time and have some very _very_ bad focus sometimes)

[@armoredcorelore]

@@AC_Overpressure Ah yes the things we do when tired.

[@nihilblue9669]

Aren't this called Battle or Combat MTs?

[@armoredcorelore]

Battle, security ac's according to a translation from armored core official data book. But we only got the English name General purpose cores in the armored core nexus 2nd disk.

[@impartialshift8502]

What does ED mean for the year representation?

[@CptJistuce]

Seems to be Earth Destruction. Calendar is based off the apocalyptic events that forced humanity into underground cities.

[@armoredcorelore]

I know it sound silly but it means Earth Calendar. This is coming from the book armored core 10 complete works page 4. The Earth has changed its standard year for human history to the "Earth Calendar (E.D.)," but the nature of humanity itself does not easily change even if the year changes. This from page

[@impartialshift8502]

@@armoredcorelore Thank you for the information

[@armoredcorelore]

@@impartialshift8502 No problem. Happy to answer.

[@rosebeaufort6238]

They are still MTs at some point Besides, some ravens and grunt soldierd pilot it

[@armoredcorelore]

A few notable one did, however i would still call them General purpose cores over MTS. There is a massive difference between a bishop and a GPC.

[@rosebeaufort6238]

@@armoredcorelore real reason why some ravens pilot one is One, an AC is expensive Two, ACs don't have production name model (E.g.:C01-Gaea, 03-Aaliyah) Three, some ravens don't need customization

[@rosebeaufort6238]

@@armoredcorelore that's my theory behind this

[@alternative915]

So what about Light Cavalry/Heavy Cavalry other elite mechs PCA deployed from AC6?, since they can toll to toll with ACs

[@armoredcorelore]

Ah see this is my lore side clashing with my personal thoughts which is not good ha ha. As i want to call them more advance battle mts much like the orge and big white who who could do toe to toe with an ac. But they share all the traits of a general purpose core the only use of a single frame, only able to swap weapons from back and hands plus thier use of speed.

[@alternative915]

@@armoredcorelore Kudos for responds every comment👍

[@armoredcorelore]

@@alternative915 Thank you.

[@R3ddyyg]

Question that rose up at the end of the video: Don't you think that all AC games are in the same universe? Timeline wise i believe that AC4 is the start, then AC4A the 2 fifth gen games and then 1-2-3 . Althought i have many reasons to believe my "theory", which i spent a lot of time informing myselft about by playing ALL the games and reading/watching lore videos like yours, i would like to hear about this from you. I feel like that the only game that isn't connected to any other game is AC6, even thought there are bits of informations about earth and other space colonies in the lore but this comment is already long enough for my standards.

[@CptJistuce]

I know "all the Cores Armored are in one shared universe" thing is a popular fan-theory, but From's explicitly stated that third-gen is its own universe, and that 4th and 5th are also in a new universe. ... Of course, they also said 5th-gen was gonna be its own timeline, then baked in a huge pile of 4th-gen references, so... grain of salt. I'll acknowledge that they've been known to lie. I kind of suspect 6 is set outside the solar system specifically so they don't have to worry about continuity, real or imagined, express or implied. With every event in every other game taking place on Earth (or Mars that one time), Rubicon 3 is almost completely disconnected from all possible historical events.

[@R3ddyyg]

@@CptJistuce I do feel 6 is a hard reboot, kinda like what happened to Cod modern warfare.

[@armoredcorelore]

I mean its a theory a lot of people have explored take busterTBM who was the first person i remember watched talking about the timeline of ac. He made a video about it and made the connections work with what games he had played. As for myself i think we have too much to tell us they are not, for a start we have the two timeline shown in the book armored core 10 complete works. These really nail down the first timeline being from ac1 till ac2aa and the second one being ac3 till last raven. As for a third time line from really threw it through a loop here as while we know ac4 and acfa are connected, 5th generation was a real pain. Even in the two book about fifth gene armored core v the fact and acvd the after, the timeline offered in them was very much oh its lost to time we have no idea what happened what caused the great destruction. They then went into having this narrative about J and the reapers being clone of pilots from years ago, a cradle being able to be seen in game it really was i think from being worried that if they did not have something from the older games then players would lose interest. Still i think in terms of lore we have to sway a little and say the third time line would be 4 till acvd. From did not help with putting this together and i think really this is why most of this is missing from the game and only found in the books. As for ac6, it really is it own thing. A government force being this powerful is very unheard of in armored core and luckily from has kept away from anything being close to other generations so its pretty secure for now. But even after writing my thoughts down here in this small essay. i will say i am not against the theory and if people want to explore it i say go for it. If its what makes ac interesting to people why not? Different thoughts, opinions and ideas are what makes armored core fun to talk.

[@R3ddyyg]

@@armoredcorelore I just like the idea of humanity persevering trought all of the wars, greed and stupid shit powerful men do for money. Once i heard NightFall operator say: "The raven is a symbol of resolve, the will to choose what one fights for" I've been diving in the lore of AC so deep that it made me actually feel like a kid again, AC6 is literally the first game i've ever 100% in my life (23 btw), so to imagine all these Ravens, Lynxes and normal people just fighting for what is right, or what they think is, to me is awesome. And to see humanity fall in useless wars again and again in the centuries of these games it's pretty ironic seeing the parallelisms to our world. Or maybe i just like cool big robots

[@scout-1728]

Ekdromoi sp crafts 😌🤌🔥