Every seasonal update in Apex Legends comes with its share of changes. A new legend gets introduced along with buffs and nerfs to other playable characters. The occasional weapon gets added and some weapons in the preexisting arsenal have their values changed to make them more balanced. Changes to game modes are made, such as this season's updates to Apex Legends' ranked system. Finally, a new map is periodically added and updates to existing maps are made to keep things fresh.
In the case of Saviors, Apex Legends' latest season, those map changes take place on Storm Point. A new Downed Beast point of interest (POI) can be found on the west side of the map, filling out the once empty space between The Mill and North Pad. In addition to the carcass of the felled creature, new IMC armories can be found scattered throughout Storm Point. While the aim of both of these new POIs is to draw players to different parts of the map with the prospect of better gear and loot, the IMC armories in particular tend to be more risk than reward.
The Basics of Apex Legends' IMC Armories
Upon discovering an IMC armory, players can enter it via a lowered platform located at the front. They can take their pick of the many weapons stored on the weapon racks once inside, but accessing the armory's real treasures takes a bit more effort. By activating a panel at the rear of the armory's interior, players start a short PvE shooting event. The front entrance closes, trapping the squad who activated it inside, and enemy NPC Spectres start spawning.
The squad has to survive wave after wave of Spectres for a total of 60 seconds before the Supply Bins at the back of the armory can be opened up. Some of these loot containers can be opened by any member of the squad, but some can only be accessed by a specific player. These player-locked containers house upgraded attachments and gear specific to that person's loadout. Once everyone has looted up, interacting with the same panel that activated the armory will allow the squad to exit via the entrance or by a launch pad that deploys them out of a roof hatch.
Caught Like A Rat In A Trap
In a perfect world, squads looking to gear up would enter these IMC armories, take down the Spectres, take the loot, and leave. Since Apex Legends is a battle royale game, being stuck inside a small, confined area with limited entrances and exits comes with its share of disadvantages in the Apex Legends meta. The Spectres in the armories aren't the real threat; it's the other players looking to capitalize on what's going on inside.
Once players activate an IMC armory, there is no way out unless they survive those 60 seconds, grab some Apex weapons, and interact with the panel that opens the exits. If the Spectres don't kill them, the players outside will. Background music constantly plays when a squad is in combat with the Spectres, making it hard to discern if there are enemy players nearby; it also doesn't help that the sound of gunfire is a surefire way to draw other players to an area.
Enemy squads in the vicinity can enter IMC armories via a teleport beacon located under the enclosure, whereupon they can take part in the ensuing carnage. While this is possible, the best way to ambush those inside the armories would be to wait on the roof. This gives the ambushers a clear line of sight to both the main entrance and the inside of the armory via the opened roof hatch. Since going out the main entrance is a death sentence and the small, enclosed nature of the hatch makes it an ideal place to set up traps, it becomes nearly impossible for those inside to escape unscathed without a Wraith or Ash to teleport them outside.
Since the risk of going into an IMC armory is so high, players shouldn't enter armories that are near high-traffic areas. Rather than taking on the armories themselves, players looking to capitalize on the good loot would be better off waiting for a squad to enter them. They can then eliminate the enemy team once they have finished looting, or they can ambush them as they are fighting the Spectres, ensuring that the loot within the locked Supply Bins will be catered specifically towards their loadouts. It's a dirty trick, but all is fair in a battle royale as long as the squad wins at the end.
Apex Legends Season 13 was released on May 10, 2022 and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.