Want to play Rainbow Six Siege? Here are the best tips on how to get started.

Why you should play Rainbow Six Siege

Despite having a rocky start, Rainbow Six: Siege is now one of the best and most popular team shooters in the world. With over 30 million registered players, a bustling eSports scene and new modes such as Operation Chimera being brought into the fold in recent months, now is a better time than ever to jump in.

But what edition should you buy? Which operators should you start with? Why are there two different in game currencies? Will I be able to play without friends and still have fun?

We’ll help guide you through each of these questions, teach you what you need to know so that you can jump in without being overwhelmed and give you tips on how to become the ultimate special forces operator.

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Which version of Rainbow Six: Siege should you buy?

Since it launched, Rainbow Six: Siege has evolved in not only how it plays but also in how you purchase it. There are now several different editions and a season pass available.

Fortunately, regardless of the version you buy, you will have access to every mode and map available in the game. The main differences comes down to the operators each edition unlocks.

On PC, there are four to choose from:

Priced at USD $14.95, The Starter Edition is the cheapest version of Siege available and a great entry point for newcomers. For the asking-price, you’ll get six random operators to play as - all from the original launch roster. Although six may not sound like a lot, it takes several hours to master a single operator (which is when the fun really begins!), let alone six.

The Standard Edition, priced at USD $48.45, is the more-general option for those who want extra variety from the get go. It gives you access to all twenty of the original operators. If you want more options and want less grind, this is a solid option.

The Year 3 Gold Edition is slightly more-expensive at USD $89.45. It not only gives you everything in the Standard Edition, but also the Year 3 Season Pass which includes the eight operators from Year 3 content, a few exclusive cosmetics, some R6 credits and several short-term benefits. Grab this if you want to start up to date with all the new goodies coming to Siege throughout 2018.

Finally, there’s The Complete Edition which costs USD $133.45. As you can probably guess, it gives you access to every operator already released as part of the original launch content and from the past two seasons of operators, including those in the Year 3 Season Pass. If you want access to every operator in the game, this one’s for you.

Xbox One (Amazon) and PlayStation 4 (Amazon) players have slightly fewer choices. At the time of writing, they’re able to choose between the Standard, Year 3 Gold and Complete editions of the game.

Unfortunately, there’s no Starter Edition of the game available for console players.

Next page: Which Rainbow Six: Siege operator should I start with?

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Which Rainbow Six: Siege operator should I start with?

At the time of writing, Rainbow Six: Siege features over 30 playable characters, referred to as Operators.

Although these operators originate from across the world and from different organisations, they all fall into one of two categories: attack or defense. In addition, they each have their own unique skill and give you different ways to approach each situation.

There’s a lot to get your head around but some are easier than others. Here are the best operators to get started with.

Smoke (Defense)

Why you should playing Smoke?

Smoke’s skillset is fairly straightforward, but incredibly effective, perfect for players starting out. The unique gadget he brings to the table is a remote detonated mine, filled with a gas which damages and slows down enemies, perfect for slowing down an attack and blocking entrances.

How should you be playing Smoke?

It is best to stay back and remain hidden as Smoke so when an attacker bursts through a door or window, they are surprised and caught out by your gas. Although your gas damages enemies and your teammates, you can walk through it without issue, allowing you to go in for the kill.

What weapons and equipment should you should be using with Smoke?

Barbed wire usually goes hand in hand with Smoke’s gas mine, as you can catch attackers in it to slow them down even more. Remember that you’ll often be fighting with limited vision due to your gas traps, so having a weapon with wide bullet spread like his shotgun can be an ideal complement to Smoke’s arsenal of snares.

Thermite (Attack)

Why you should playing Thermite?

Thermite has another reasonably straightforward skill in his breach charge, which can burn through the pesky metal defense walls defensive team will often use to reinforce the walls of the room the objective is in.

How should you be playing Thermite?

You shouldn’t just put your charge on any wall without thought. Taking the time to find a good point of entry, which will have some level of cover when you enter is essential to ensuring a successful assault.

What weapons and equipment should you should be using with Thermite?

Confusion is one of the most important and effective tactics in Rainbow Six: Siege and Thermite’s breaching charge can be a powerful catalyst for confusion. Not only can it blow a hole in the enemy’s defense but it also causes a lot of noise too. Tossing flash grenades into your newly created breaches, coupled with some shotgun shells, can make for a formidable offensive strategy.

Next page: How do I navigate the in-game store in Rainbow Six: Siege?

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How do I navigate the in-game store in Rainbow Six: Siege?

One of the most confusing elements of Rainbow Six: Siege is the vast in-game store and the microtransactions which come with it.

There are two types of currencies in the game. Firstly Renown, which you earn through playing matches online, completing the ‘Situation’ tutorials, playing against bots in ‘Terrorist Hunt’ and through completing daily/weekly challenges. The only things you can’t unlock with Renown are Special Edition cosmetics, which do not give any advantages over other players.

Although you can unlock a vast majority of the content without paying, the amount you need to save up for something as simple as a weapon skin, can cost as much, if not more than operators. For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend grinding for anything apart from unlocking new Operators, since the costs are often ridiculously high.

It’ll take around 15 hours to earn enough Renown to unlock an operator from the original 20 launch set and around 30 hours to unlock any of the post-launch operators.

One way this grind is offset is through a loot box system for cosmetics, which you earn through playing matches online and purchasing with Renown.

The alternative to grinding for Renown is Rainbow Six Credits, the game’s second currency. These can only be purchased by spending real money and can unlock everything Renown can, including special edition cosmetics.

Next Page: How to be useful to your team as a new player in Rainbow Six: Siege

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How to be useful to your team as a new player in Rainbow Six: Siege

Here are a few key things should do, even as a new player.

As a defender, remember to board up windows, doors and put up wall defenses to slow down attackers. Meanwhile, attackers will want to use their drone to search for the objective as its location changes with each round. Try to cover as much ground as possible, don’t just blindly follow your teammates.

Although learning operators and mastering their skills are the core part of the Siege experience, teamwork is what will ultimately get you across the line, without it you’ll go nowhere fast. Ideally, you’ll want to rope some friends in to play with you. If that’s not possible, fear not. The Siege community is incredibly open and friendly in comparison to other online shooters.

Don’t be afraid to use voice chat to ask questions, discuss tactics and coordinate with your team. You’ll learn far quicker just by chatting to your teammates, learning how best to communicate and coordinate attacks, as well as helping spot for teammates.

Most players understand how overwhelming the first few hours can be and will often be happy to help newcomers by giving advice and support through matches.

Next Page: How to learn from professional Rainbow Six: Siege players and where to watch Rainbow Six: Siege eSports

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How to learn from professional Rainbow Six: Siege players and where to watch Rainbow Six: Siege eSports?

Another great way to learn is to watch some pros on Twitch/YouTube and keep up to date with the game’s eSports scene.

Prodigio Pete is a Youtuber who creates videos about Siege tips, tricks and news, and is worth following for further tips on getting started.

Once you’ve got the basics down, Pengu is one of the best Siege players in the world and streams regularly on Twitch. Be sure to tune in to learn more advanced techniques and plays from them.

In the years since its release, Siege has become one of the fastest growing eSports communities out there with over 320,000 viewers of the most recent Pro League on Twitch.

The Pro League is the main regular tournament format featuring teams from across the world. Each season of the Pro League plays out over six months with teams competing for a price pot of $275,000.

There are two other major tournaments (the Six Major and Six Invitational) and also a challenger league for grassroots players, so if you want to show off your skills and work your way up to play with the best, you can.

Despite how informative it can be to watch Siege eSports, the play is incredibly advanced and fast. So we’d advise getting a few hours under your belt playing online before you start trying to learn from the pros, as you’ll have a better understanding of what is happening.

The best way to stay up to date with results and upcoming games is through the ESL website, while you can watch every match live on the Twitch channel, watch full replays and highlights on the Youtube channel, keep up to date with all the news on Twitter and chat to others in the community about tournaments on Reddit.