CHARGER
A rushing Charger is nearly impossible to stop, thanks to its meter-thick exoskeleton. Therefore, the recommended response protocol to this situation is the prompt execution of a Rapid Lateral Movement (RLM).
TACTICAL BRIEF
• The Charger can be dodged by moving or diving perpendicular to its movement direction or diagonally towards it as it approaches. Beware of moving too early, as the Charger can make tight turns.
• The most straightforward way to dispatch a Charger is firing an anti-tank weapon, such as the EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank, GR-8 Recoilless Rifle and LAS-99 Quasar Cannon, at its head, which will instantly kill it. However, a direct shot to anywhere on its torso with the FAF-14 Spear or GR-8 Recoilless Rifle will crack open its armor and either kill it (butt shot) or cause it to slowly bleed out. The exposed flesh from this will also allow any weapon to deal damage to the Charger; damage dealt to the inner flesh has a 300% multiplier to main.
• Alternatively, shooting a leg will reveal the Charger's weak flesh. Any weapon can damage the leg flesh, dispatching the Charger fairly quickly.
• By positioning behind the Charger and aiming in the direction of its inner flesh, weapons such as the RS-422 Railgun, APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle, and MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun can fire rounds that penetrate the butt region and inflict direct damage to the inner flesh. This method enables rapid elimination of the Charger.
• Destroying a Charger's Unarmored I rear will cause it to bleed out over the course of a few seconds. It can be damaged by most weapons, but it is 80% durable with high hp. The best way to get a clean shot on its butt is to wait for them to charge at you and while they're in their recovery animation you unload into their butt. Due to the high durability the best weapons are explosives.
• If one cannot bait the charger to charge one can use the GL-21 Grenade Launcher and "bounce" the grenades underneath it to hit the rear from the front.
• With the Charger's Heavy armor covering most of its body, support weapons such as the AC-8 Autocannon, APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle and LAS-98 Laser Cannon can penetrate it for reduced damage. While this is a rather slow way to dispatch a Charger, it can work if no other options are available. The AC-8 Autocannon's APHET rounds can stagger a Charger out of its charge. This can be used to either save a teammate from an untimely demise or to set up an easy kill shot with an Orbital Precision Strike or Eagle 500kg Bomb if the Charger in question spotted the 'diver.
• The G-123 Thermite grenade, if stuck to a Charger's head or torso, will instantly kill it upon detonation.
• The recommended tactic when using the MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun is to aim at the Charger's leg armor as it takes fewer total shots to both break the armor and destroy the leg flesh than to aim at the head.
• The FLAM-40 Flamethrower is an effective yet risky method of dispatching a Charger, as it can penetrate the Charger's armor as well as the Charger having a 150% fire damage multiplier.
• Dropping Hellpods of any kind can strip the armor off a Charger's back, and a direct hit will kill it outright, though this requires some luck or sticking…
VARIANTS
Related strains tracked under their own catalogue entry. Pulled from the wiki's Variants gallery.