First Generation Armored Core

The First Generation of Armored Cores set the standard for all future Armored Cores to surpass.

While limited in terms of variety in comparison with later generations a First Generation unit still had a wide option weaponry, and made up for lack of volume by the sheer power they possessed.

Mobility wise, they were very limited, with only a single or dual booster available for movement. While moderately quick, it was predictable and without other secondary mobility options other than walk.

The First Generation is also known to have the most offshoots and branches of Armored Cores. There are three main types beyond the first original regular Armored Cores:

    General Purpose Armored Cores (GPAC)

Scaled down versions of the AC, GPACs were hybrid MT/ACs which were created for mass production. They were very fast and capable of boosting, and had basic weapons such as the bazooka and laser blade. While not as powerful as a regular Armored Core, their swift speed and high performance made them dangerous in large numbers.

    Mass Productions Armored Core (MPAC)

While the GPAC was a scaled down version of the Armored Core meant for mass production, the MPAC was a regular Armored Core that was "scaled up" so to speak to be above the capabilities of a regular unit. The only real difference is that the MPAC was internally modified in some way to enhance its abilities. Despite this the unit does not have Human PLUS and also like the GPAC, is much less durable. Examples include the Swift and Spiteful.

    Custom Armored Cores

Whereas an ordinary AC would be composed of multiple mass produced parts, the Custom was produced specifically as a single set of parts custom designed by a corporation and was never reproduced. Custom ACs often were much more powerful than ordinary Armored Cores, but are also considerably rarer.

    Weaknesses

The drawbacks of the First Generation Armored Core were readily apparent as one was used; the primary method of thrust, the boosters, did not provide any method of bursting in speed, and made rapid dodging maneuvers ineffective. Also, although First Generation Armored Core-grade weaponry was effective against other Armored Cores of the same generation, and lesser enemies, it simply did not have the stopping power to fight higher-generation Armored Cores, as demonstrated by the Fourth Generation Armored Core's ability to eradicate whole squads of First Generation Armored Cores while taking minimal damage itself.

Another key disadvantage that would carry on until the Fourth Generation is the lack of a speed control; that is to say, the ability to stay at a certain speed. Generally speaking, an AC had only two speeds: absolute standstill or absolute maximum; there was no way to allow the pilot adjust in any form and was only capable of reaching its maximum speed. The only known work around to this was "bunny hopping," activating the booster for a moment to jump and continue going.

Although it had perhaps some of the most powerful weapons, another issue the First Generation suffered from was the inability to use more than one weapon at time. This would later be rectified in the Third Generation and all following ones.