Part 16: EX Chapter 3: The Major Factions So Far

Editor's note: this applies to Chapter 3

At this point, we have taken several missions from a variety of clients such as megacorps and the city guards. There have been terrorist groups involved, and we’ve just now been introduced to the Earth Environment Reclamation Committee. As our good friend “R” has shown with his vague messages, the many factions in Armored Core are more than they seem on the surface, and they are more than likely backing each other in their goals. This post will serve as a summary of all the groups we’ve encountered so far, both clients and enemies, hopefully more in depth than what “R” has divulged to us this far.

For starters, let’s take a look at the two biggest players in the conflict-ridden world of Armored Core: Chrome and Murakumo Millennium.

Chrome is one of the largest corporate entities in the world and has no issues demonstrating their power and monopoly over the cities they have control over. As mentioned a few times already in this LP, Chrome is based in Isaac City. They also have a partnership with a chemical manufacturing firm known as Chemical-Dyne Co, who will be given a proper introduction in the next update.

Chrome for the longest time was pretty much uncontested as the biggest corporate super power. Until Murakumo came along, that is.

Murakumo Millennium is the other large mega corporation in the game, and unlike most others, they actively resist Chrome’s monopoly and influence on society. These two butt heads constantly, and a lot of their skirmishes happen in or around Isaac City, where Chrome’s HQ is established. Murakumo’s specialty is in industry and manufacturing AC parts. If you remember the Remove Gun Emplacement mission from before, the leg part we received as a reward was an experimental part manufactured by Murakumo. They have a vested interest in the development of AC technology.

These two are huge corporate entities who have public images to maintain (well, Chrome probably cares less about how people perceive them). Who do they get to handle their tasks that would be too dirty for them to get involved in? Terrorists, of course.

The first terrorist group we were introduced to was Struggle, a group dedicated to resisting Chrome’s rule through terrorist acts. Put two and two together, and it’s not hard to see Murakumo jumping at the chance to support a group that shares a common enemy.

So where does the other group, Imminent Storm, fit in? Well, Chrome probably doesn’t get directly involved with them as much as they do give them tips. At the end of Eliminate Squatters Part 2, the Zam City Guard informed us that the squatters had MTs and weapons supplied by Imminent Storm. Shortly after, “R” told us that Murakumo had taken over many of the city’s redevelopment projects, including the one that was being obstructed by the squatters. While there was no concrete proof that either IS or Chrome was involved, the fact that it was a project involving Murakumo, it is hard not to see the other side wanting something done about it.

And of course there are the City Guards themselves. Incompetence of the Isaac City Guard aside, the guards are more or less just pawns to be used and thrown away by the corporations that preside over them. Zam City is the only one that was very up front with their situation, explaining how they can’t investigate in Imminent Storm’s involvement with the squatters and the potential link to a megacorp’s involvement. They can only just stand around as figureheads to give citizens the assumption that they are being protected while the real conflict happens in the background.

There was one group we were just introduced to in the last mission that appears to be entirely independent from everyone involved in this conflict, and that is the Earth Environment Reclamation Committee. As the name would suggest, they have an interest in unearthing technology and relics left behind when the Great Destruction forced humanity to move to underground cities. Any missions involving them will always take place at old, abandoned military facilities with lost technology. Now with such a noble goal of unearthing the past and eventually reclaiming the surface, why would there be any doubt to their motives?

Well, the Great Destruction was the result of multiple weapons of mass destruction and powerful technology being used against everyone by everyone, and that technology being lost in the wake of such a cataclysm would be better off for humanity. But, everyone in the Armored Core universe hates someone enough to fight back with force, so unearthing ancient tools of destruction would be lucrative for someone who wants to start a war or continue one.

Obviously the last group in this game, the one we’re a part of, is the Raven’s Nest. There really isn’t much else to say about them because we know the stuff we need to know about them, and that the Nest is completely neutral to the main conflict going on between the megacorps and the factions under it. For us, it just comes down to how much the pay is. While there’s not much to say about the nest, there is quite a bit to say about the Ravens themselves. But I will save that for another time, probably after we faced one or two of them ourselves.