Rainbow Six Siege Getting Another Free Play Weekend, Here Are the Best Tips for Beginners

Where have you been? Don’t you know that Rainbow Six Siege is the best multiplayer shooter of the generation? It is utterly unlike any other shooter you’re playing right now, and once it sinks its hooks into you, there’s no escape. There’s no running and gunning here if you want to win. You’ll have to work together with a team and take advantage of every tool and skill at your disposal, and you only have one life to do it — there are no respawns here.

I’ve been hopelessly addicted to Siege since its earliest beta tests, and now you have a chance to try it for yourself, for free. That’s right! Ubisoft will be hosting another free play weekend next weekend. Starting on February 15, players on Xbox One, PS4, and PC will be able to play the game with their friends at no charge, and should you decide to purchase the game afterwards, all of your progress will carry over.

Nervous? Inexperienced? Don’t want to let your team down? We’ve got you, dudes! Xbox recently published a short list of tips for Rainbow Six Siege beginners, and it’s actually really solid. We’ll be including their top tips right here, along with our personal commentary. Keep scrolling, and in just a couple of minutes, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge you need to dominate online.

Always Communicate

Xbox: “Speaking of calling out enemy positions, make sure you play Rainbow Six Siege with a headset. Hearing your enemy’s footsteps through the hole you made in the wall could win the day, but so will communicating with your teammates! Utilizing teamwork to force the enemy right where you want them is integral to taking home more wins than losses, and for that, you need to use your microphone. Figuring out exactly where your teammate needs a Hibana X-KAIROS charge placed so they can lock down an entire side of the map while playing as Blackbeard is an advantage you can’t ignore.”

WWG: This tip was actually at the bottom of the Xbox article, but it is far and away the most important piece of advice. I know we’re over the whole headset thing, and everyone is now too cool to actually talk to their teammates, but in Siege it is of paramount importance. Being able to verbally communicate with your team and call out enemy positions will instantly set you apart in another tier of competition. We guarantee it. 

If you’re not talking, you’re going to be at a serious disadvantage.

Use Destruction as a Tool

Xbox: “We built the maps, but it is up to you to destroy them. For example, destroying a section of wall that separates the two bomb sites you’re defending allows you to rotate quickly when your enemy decides to rush point B. Try breaking a hatch or two to step up your vertical game and create a quick escape route if you’re getting pushed by a couple of Attackers. Utilize breachers to make holes in the other team’s defenses. Nothing in Rainbow Six is permanent, except for death.”

WWG: In Siege you hardly ever just walk through a door. You blow doors open; you peek around corners; you punch holes in the wall, or fire rounds through the wall when you know there are opponents on the other side. Being away of everything you can shoot through or break down completely is vital, whether defending or attack, so make sure you experiment in terrorist hunt mode or offline modes.

Know Your Strenghts

Xbox: “Will you focus on gathering intel? Are you more interested in denying your enemies the use of their gadgets? Perhaps carrying a mountain of a shield is more up your alley. Every role matters in Rainbow Six Siege. Communicate with your team to ensure that your Operators can work together effectively, and use your loadout accordingly. Rainbow Six Siege is a team game in every sense of the word, and our Operators’ unique skill sets play to that.

“If your teammate picked Ying, maybe you should look at selecting Glaz and working together. Thermite and Thatcher are a great pair as well. On Defense, you can run with a killer intel-denying combo like Bandit and Mute, or an extra-durable Doc-and-Rook pair. Don’t forget about countering the enemy’s gadgets! Twitch is Mira’s arch nemesis, and a couple of Jager’s Magpies can really ruin Fuze’s day.”

WWG: When I’m talking to new players who are just starting to play Siege, I always like to say that it’s kind of like a fighting game. You can pick up and use any character you’d like, of course, but you’re much better off picking a small selection and learning them very well. 

Every single operator performs such vital roles for his or her team, and the difference between a win or a loss can (and typically does) come down to which team is more balanced, with experienced players behind their respective operators. Practice makes perfect.

Prepare for Close-Quarters Combat

Xbox: “Combat in Rainbow Six Siege is in your face. With an average kill distance of roughly nine meters — you’re going to see the whites of your enemy’s eyes before you pull the trigger. There could be an enemy around any corner, and there usually is. Our maps have a mix of small rooms, long hallways, and always-changing sightlines. Keep in mind that some Operators, like Mira, can open up chunks of reinforced walls to create a protected line of sight, and use it to keep an entire room clear. Knowing where and who your enemy is will help you figure out how to close with and eliminate them.”

WWG: We can’t believe the Xbox post didn’t mention this, but here you go: Because combat is typically played out in such tight quarters, you need to be especially aware of where your teammates are at all times! Friendly fire is a thing, and there’s nothing more dangerous than a reckless teammate wielding a shotgun. If he turns a corner, gets spooked, and pulls the trigger, you could be the one taken out for the rest of the round.

Stack up behind people wielding shotguns, not in front of them.