Given its strong emphasis on realism and intense competitive play, Ubisoft’s tactical shooter Rainbow Six Siege can be a very intimidating game to enter for the first time. Sure, there are single-player/co-op elements that can help you learn the ropes or warm up in private, but the real meat of the game lies in its team-based attack/defense competitive play. If you’re looking for some handy tips to improve your Siege game, we’re here to help.
The below list of tips and strategies was pulled from this recent PC Gamer article which was created as part of the publication’s Supported Content series (i.e. Ubisoft directly helped in supplying content for the article). When it comes to mastering some of Siege’s more nuanced mechanics and gadgets, you couldn’t ask for a better source of knowledge than the folks who made the game. With that in mind, let’s dive in, shall we?
Siege Gameplay Tips
- If you’re on defense, a solid beginner’s pick is the FBI Swat operator Pulse, specifically with the Nitro Cell gadget equipped. Using Pulse’s unique Heartbeat Scanner gadget, you can actively monitor the positions of nearby enemy players so that you know the best places to put your Nitro Cells. Wait until your enemy is in range, place your Nitro Cell, and boom, that enemy is no longer an issue.
- If you have access to the DLC defense operator Mira, her Black Mirror gadget can be used in several creative ways. Try placing the mirror on a reinforced wall segment but leaving the wall segment right next to the mirror unenforced. When you spot an approaching enemy, you can shoot them through the unenforced wall, catching them by surprise in the process (since you can see them but they can’t see you).
- A popular defender trick is to shoot small holes in walls so that they can peek out and see enemies as they approach. As an attacker, be wary if you see a single random bullet hole on a nearby wall as there might be an enemy defender waiting behind it. Conversely, if you’re a defender, try shooting several holes at different angles and in a wide horizontal spread so that attackers can’t be sure which hole you’re peeking through.
- If you’re an attacker and you have access to the recently added operator Maverick, you can also flip the script and create your own custom peeking holes which you can then shoot through to tag defenders from angles they weren’t expecting.
- With or without Maverick, as an attacker you should get comfortable using the Claymore gadget. Clever Claymore placement can prevent defender players from hopping through windows and flanking you, and if you spot a drone vent near the defender’s objective you can angle a Claymore so that its trip laser is actually going through the vent opening. Lastly, though it’s somewhat risky, laying down Claymores when you’re securing an objective can pay off since the added time pressure will cause defenders to be more aggressive and careless.
The full tips article is definitely worth reading through, but the above list should serve as a good primer for dipping your toes into Siege’s competitive waters. Now is also an excellent time to begin your competitive career in Rainbow Six Siege since Ubisoft recently implemented harsh punishments for one of the game’s more glaring flaws: the act of teamkilling.