Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas can be intimidating to new players, even the ones familiar with first person shooters, because of its heavy emphasis on teamwork and strategy over run and gun style gameplay. It’s often the plan for each battle that plays the largest role in achieving victory, rather than the individual heroics during battle.

That being said, it still takes a combination of individual skill and teamwork to pull off a win. For the beginners out there, here’s our tips for planning and executing in Rainbow Six Siege.

Mic Up and Use it

In almost every FPS beginner guide we’ve written, having a mic and using it has been on the list of things you should definitely be doing. In Rainbow Six it’s pretty much a necessity. As a small squad, every man and set of eyes counts. If you aren’t able to quickly call out or notify your team of impending danger or changes to the battle, you’re not much good to them.

There are in game emotes you can use to get a general point across to your team, but for specifics you’ll want a microphone.

Headsets are a Bonus

There’s no radar in siege so you’re going to have to locate the enemy the old fashioned way. If you’re out of drones and don’t have eyes on the target, listen for the enemies movements. Any decent pair of headsets should provide directional sound, allowing you to tell if the enemy is sneaking up behind you or is a floor below.

Think Outside the Box

There are many different ways to approach a situation in Siege because of the varieties of gadgets at your disposal, and the destructible environment. Try to think outside the box for unconventional solutions that the enemy team won’t see coming.

• You can shoot through wood to targets on the other side. This counts for floors, furniture and walls. If an enemy is a floor below you, scout them out with a drone and shoot down on then through the floor for an easy kill.
• The different floors on the maps allow you multiple routes to your target. Divide your team and attack from all sides and above to catch the enemy unawares.
• Use the right squad member for the job. If you have the enemy pinned down but can’t get close enough to finish the job, send in your teammate with the shield to protect your advance.

Using and Avoiding Traps and Barriers

If you’re defending, traps and barriers are your best friend. You’ll want to use your barriers and reinforcements to make a safe zone (usually around the objective you’re protecting), so that you can focus on other entrances the enemy could use. The idea is to make most of the entrances impassable while allowing a few paths to the objective that you can keep an eye on and lay lots of traps in.

Attackers have the opposite job. You’ve got to use your drone time at the start of a match to identify where the enemy will be bulking up their defences and then find the safest route to the objective. You should also be on the lookout for traps and where the enemy players plan on hunkering down so you know where to flash in and where you’re likely safe.

Keep an Eye on the Time but Don’t Rush

Every match has s time limit you’ll need to be aware of, but don’t let it give you anxiety to the point where you get careless. Move swiftly but always remember to check with a drone, or use a flashbang before you enter a room you suspect may have enemies in it.

Remember, you can’t take a lot of hits in Rainbow Six before going down, you aren’t the Master Chief.

Switch it Up

You’ll be playing the same team for multiple rounds, so try and switch your strategy up each time to avoid becoming predictable. If you’ve hidden in the same corner for two rounds, chances are the enemy team is going to predict you’ll be there again and will adjust their strategy accordingly.