Zodiac

	Zodiac
	General information
Classification	Combat Unit
Headquarters	N/A
	Affiliation and corporate information
Leader	Angie
Affiliations	Unknown
	Real world information

Zodiac is a group of extremely powerful Armored Cores found in Armored Core V. They are products of the Zodiac Project, an undertaking to create the ultimate Armored Core pilot. Little is known about their origins, other than they are not associated with the City Police or the Corporation. They appear under special conditions in Story Missions and are featured in the Order Missions.

Zodiac Members

Zodiac No. 1: Pilots the AC Capricornus. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 72)
Zodiac No. 2: Pilots the AC Aquarius. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 69,Order Mission 83)
Zodiac No. 3: Pilots the AC Pisces. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 81)
Zodiac No. 4: Pilots the AC Aries. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 79)
Zodiac No. 5: Pilots the AC Taurus. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 74)
Zodiac No. 6: Pilots the AC Gemini. Encountered as a secret opponent in Story Mission 06.
Zodiac No. 7: Pilots the AC Cancer. Encountered as a secret opponent in Story Mission 01.
Zodiac No. 8: Pilots the AC Leo. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 43, Order Mission 76, Order Mission 83)
Zodiac No. 9: Pilots the AC Virgo. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 79)
Zodiac No. 10: Pilots the AC Libra. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 81)
Zodiac No. 11: Pilots the AC Scorpius. Encountered as a secret opponent in Story Mission 04.
Zodiac No. 12: Pilots the AC Sagittarius. Encountered in the Order Missions. (Order Mission 64)
Angie: The AI operator of Zodiac. Controls numerous F21C Stork helicopters (Polaris). (Order Mission 43, Mission 69, Mission 74, Mission 79, Mission 81, and Mission 83)

Story Encounter Requirements

Story mission 1

AC Cancer

Take under 5k damage
Destroy all enemies.
Complete the mission in under 5 minutes.

Story mission 4

AC Scorpius

Kill the 2 scavengers
Ignore enemies
Reach city in under 5 minutes
Do not take more than 10k damage

Story mission 6

AC Gemini 1

Kill bases, LLL and the enemies in front of Father's building
Ignore the smaller enemies
Do not take more than 10k damage when you are in front of Father's building
Complete the mission in under 6 minutes.

AC Gemini 2

Kill bases, LLL and the enemies in front of Father's building
Kill most of smaller enemies
Do not take more than 10k damage
Complete the mission in under 6 minutes.

Information

Zodiac is closer to a project than it is to an actual funded group of skilled pilots like the Men of Honor or the City police. Although they used to serve a greater purpose, whatever their original cause was has long since ceased to exist, leaving them no function other than to fight endlessly.

Story

When the Zodiacs are first encountered in both the Order and Story missions their identities are a mystery, although Rosary is able to deduce that there are more than one of them.

After the player's first encounter with the Zodiacs, they prove to be just as problematic as the Men of Honor. After Zodiac No. 12's defeat, the player is marked by Angie as the Zodiac's primary target. During the last attack from the Men of Honor, Zodiac No. 1 destroys Regan's helicopter before she is able to crash it into Rosary. This event also reveals the identity of the Zodiacs with Regan's last words: "Is that....? Zodiac...".

Following Regan's death, Rosary begins to research the Zodiacs and is eventually able to track down their members over the course of the Order Missions.

The next Zodiac to be taken out is Zodiac No. 5, who is rumored to be in the Executive Sector of the City. Following No. 5's defeat, Fran suggests that the Zodiacs might have been brainwashed to only know how to fight and nothing else.

Zodiac No. 8 is then sent to destroy the Player's AC. No. 8 asks the Player if they are enemies or allies; Fran and Rosary retort that it is too late, as the Zodiacs were the ones to attack first. No. 8 states that the Zodiacs exist only to win; if they are defeated, their mission is over and they will be disposed of. No. 8 also points out that Angie is not the Angie they once knew, and retreats from the battlefield.

The next member was No. 4 Sighted in the Urban Area, No. 4 realized that he was being used as bait for the Raven and called Angie out on it. Provoked, Angie avoided his statement and convinced him to carry out his mission. Upon sighting No. 4, Fran decided that they would have to engage and defeat Zodiac due to their persistence. Following No. 4's defeat, No. 9 was deployed to pick up where No. 4 left off, assuring No. 4 that his battle did not go unwatched. After the defeat of No. 9, Fran commented that No. 4 had been expected to die.

With few members left, Angie sent No. 3 and No. 10 to destroy the Raven, a move that No. 3 points out as being unusual due to Angie's dislike of the pair. Savoring the moment, No. 3 taunts Angie about how much she has changed because of the project, saying that she must have given up her body, mind, and soul for the project; Angie ignores his remarks and orders the pair to engage the player. Upon being defeated, No. 3 or No. 10 exclaims that all of the sacrifices that they made for the project have not payed off, even though they effectively turned themselves into puppets for a reason they can no longer remember.

Rosary spotted the next Zodiac members at the Abandoned Facility. Waiting for the AC to appear, No. 2 voiced worries about the desperate situation they found themselves in. No. 8 asked Angie what would happen to her if they were all defeated. Angie stays silent and quickly changes the subject as the player arrives. No. 2 Tells No. 8 not to worry, claiming that no one can surpass them. No. 8 agrees and they enter the battlefield, only to be defeated.

Trivia

Story-wise, No.7 Cancer was the first to be encountered.
There are hints that No.7 destroyed the reverse-joint legged City police AC as they were both heading to you; this indicates that they are not associated with the city police.
Angie seems to show dislike towards Zodiacs No.3 and No.10, as indicated by their dialogue prior to attempting to kill Fran and the player.
Despite No.6 Gemini having two armored cores, under the same AC name, it seems to have the same Pilot.
Another trait they share with each other, other than a skull and a number in their emblems, is that their ACs are painted white or gray.
No.1 is similar to Champion Champs in that both roar or growl at the Player.
Interestingly, the number of their pilots does not indicate rank, but is arranged according to the months of the Zodiac.
Out of all the members of Zodiac, you encounter No.8 the most (three times), followed by No.2 (twice).
After No.1 kills Regan and charges towards the player, Fran shouted: "It's the AC from before!", Curiously, This was actually the first time they encountered No.1. This can either be mistranslated or Fran mistaking No.1 for No.8 and No.2.
The ending scene of Mission 81 will depend on which Zodiac member you kill last. Their dialogs however match the conclusion of the mission, both talk about their doubts of Angie and the Project, both being turned into puppets, and having no recollection as to why.
It's interesting to note that both No.8 and No.2 follow the same fighting pattern as the Controllers Agents.
Although it was never stated how; No.12 had half of his AP down. it's likely that he took much of the damage from fighting off the Migrants or Men of Honor itself before encountering The Raven.
Apparently, No.1 only used one shot of the right H.E.A.T pile bunker and purges it despite the approximate of it really having two shots. The reason for this is probably because he used the first one on Regan's Stork.