Sledge

I feel like Sledge is the face of Rainbow Six Siege. We all wanted to use him when we first started playing, but can you blame us? He wields a big sledgehammer and smashes walls with it. In a game that encourages environmental destruction, he’s pretty much the ideal candidate for kicking ass.

It is worth noting that the sledgehammer can’t destroy reinforced surfaces, so he isn’t unstoppable when it comes to smashing walls everywhere. Everything else, though? He’ll do it. Floors, walls, windows; he’ll smash it all to pieces and make all-new lines of fire for every player, whilst he’s pretty effective at taking foes down himself thanks to his choice of assault rifle or shotgun. He also has a choice of frag grenades or stun grenades, with the holes he makes in walls the perfect place to lob them into…

There are more inventive characters to play as that bring some more interesting abilities, but sometimes all you need is a sledgehammer to cause chaos.

Fuze

I should probably make it clear immediately that you should try to avoid using Fuze in games where you’re rescuing a hostage. It’s a lesson that I and my teammates have had to learn when using his cluster charge to cause destructive havoc in a room… only to find out the hostage was in it too and, of course, died.

Other than that, though? I love using him. Fuze generally feels like an all-rounder when it comes to attacking, with his choice of assault rifle, light machine gun, or shield making him handy for multiple play styles. He has a standard breach charge or a hard breach charge on offer as gadgets too, so he’s versatile when it comes to breaking into defended areas.

It’s his unique cluster charge ability that I love the most though, with Fuze able to plant a charge on a destroyable surface that will then ping in a series of grenades to the other side. It can be absolutely ruthless when used in the right situation – I managed to take out four players with one charge in one game, with the unpredictability of the attack making for some deadly (and explosive) results. You are left vulnerable to savvy opponents who might notice you planting the charge on the other side, but a successful round as Fuze will bring a big smile to the face of any player using him.

Flores

If you love driving remote control cars (and who doesn’t?), Flores will be the man for you.

Whilst his choice of assault rife or marksman rifle make him handy in a gunfight, he’s the sort of character who is better off staying out of the line of sight and instead sending in his RCE-Ratero Charge – a remote control vehicle that has a camera of its own. Using this, players can scout ahead of themselves and plant themselves firmly in enemy territory, with a three-second timer then activating that sees the vehicle blow up. Whilst it’s most effective at taking out traps or blowing open holes in different surfaces, it can also be used to take out enemies too.

The three-second delay before the explosion does mean enemies can avoid damage, though the fact it has a bullet-proof shell when activated does mean that nearby traps will definitely go kaput. It helps solidify Flores’ status as a versatile attacker and one that feels genuinely unique to use. Plus, you can let team mates know about any traps or enemies waiting in a room, which is always a plus.

Ace

Ace is a pretty unusual character given that his main ability is based around using water to breach through reinforced surfaces. I know, I know, that sounds a little crazy, but there’s science to it based around hydraulic pressure and what not. I’m not a scientist, ok…

Every team feels like it needs a character who can act as a hard breacher though, and Ace’s S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher helps clear through some of your opponent’s trickier defences. It’s thrown from a distance so players won’t leave themselves vulnerable to potential attacks, whilst the slight delay as it works down the surface blasting holes can act as a distraction for defenders who might be waiting to see what’s on the other side. Get another player to lob in a quick flash bang during the first breach and you’ll have yourself some easy targets to take out as the breached hole grows bigger.

Whilst it could be argued that some of the other hard breachers are more effective or easier to use, Ace felt a bit more unpredictable and fun to play as.

Zero

One of the members of our team is a big Splinter Cell fan, so naturally he INSTANTLY decided he was going to play as Zero. If you didn’t know, Zero is actually Splinter Cell protagonist Sam Fisher, so you can see his reasoning there. He also insisted he was placed in this article at front and centre… sorry, Kyle, but we all know Sledge is the man.

Rainbow Six Siege is more about all-out action and careful planning than stealth though, so you’re less likely to see Zero dangling across ceilings or silently crawling his way through levels. Instead, he’ll use his Argus Launcher, which can be blasted at walls to activate a camera that works on both sides. It’s the perfect way to get a good viewpoint of what’s going on in the room that an objective is hidden in, whether that’s by identifying traps or pointing out the locations of enemies to your allies.

The camera can even blast out a laser shot that can destroy traps, so that comes in handy too. The only caveat is that Zero might leave himself vulnerable when using the camera, so you’ll want to be quick and effective when dishing out some intel to your team.

He might not be as action-focused as players might like, but come on… who’s going to pass on the opportunity to play as Sam Fisher in 2021?

Kapkan

I’m the member of the team who plays as Kapkan and I’ve found him to be the perfect character to use when defending a solo objective. He has entry denial devices that hit an explosive C4 charge on anyone who triggers them by entering through doorways or windows, which is a good way to not only take away a chunk of an enemy’s health but also alerts you that they’re making their way in. It’s an effective way to get some kill assists in too, whilst I’ve even had a few kills through unsuspecting enemies activating the devices after I’ve already died in a round.

His impact grenades come in handy to catch unsuspecting players off guard when they attack in numbers, whilst the choice of a submachine gun or shotgun suits players of different playstyles. I’ll admit that he can feel a little ordinary after you’ve planted his entry denial devices, but there’s simply no doubting his efficiency when it comes to racking up kills without having to pull a trigger.

Alibi

Ever find yourself playing the game and seeing an enemy standing around vulnerable, seemingly unaware of your presence? Well, there’s a good chance it’s one of Alibi’s holograms, and if you’ve shot it, you’ve just made the defending team aware of your position.

Alibi takes three Prismas into battle with her, which can place a hologram of herself onto the map to act as a distraction for opponents. These can be tactically placed in doorways, in the middle of a hallway, or even outside to give opponents a fake ‘Defender Outside’ alert, with their use adding a devious layer of strategy to defending your objective.

Don’t get me wrong, more experienced players might be able to identify a hologram better than others, but there are a lot of trigger-happy players who shoot anything that isn’t a teammate too. If they ping one, their location is displayed for all defenders, allowing them to either catch the unsuspecting attacker off-guard or simply learn where they’re coming from. She’s a great asset to have on the team, whilst her deployable shield also allows players to keep the REAL Alibi safe from danger.

Frost

There have been plenty of times when I’ve jumped through a window ready to lay the smackdown upon my enemies as an attacker, only to find myself downed and caught in one of Frost’s leg-clamping traps.

They’re the PERFECT way to catch out an aggressive attacker and someone who might not be paying full attention to their surroundings, whilst placing them next to similar traps such as electric charged barbed wire can leave enemies in a world of pain. Whilst they’re ideal to hide in locations where enemies won’t necessarily see them, we’ve found them to be effective when placed near hostages too – enemies will have to be careful when shooting them in case they hit the hostage, or they might instead catch themselves in them when trying to make a quick escape.

Much like Kapkan, Frost offers a satisfying means to defeat opponents after she’s been killed during a round, whilst foes downed by her traps act as ideal bait for grouping players together as they try to rescue their fallen foes.

Believe me, there’s NOTHING more satisfying in the game than seeing a player fall victim to one of your traps when playing as Frost… she is ruthless.

Clash

I’ve always hated it when I’ve faced off against players using Clash, so it’s only fitting that a member of our team decided to use her. Her main ability comes with her massive shield, which completely protects her from incoming fire when facing enemies head on. It also unleashes an electrical current on enemies that are up-close to her, which doesn’t only slow them down but also inflicts a low amount of damage upon them.

When using Clash, it’s easy to catch inexperienced players out. The amount of times we’ve seen players flummoxed as they try to attack her is ridiculous, which leaves them as an easy target for allies to take down. Her attacking options aren’t so great and you’ll leave yourself vulnerable to attacks if you do switch to your side weapon, but she’s perfect for f****g with players who don’t know how to handle a shielded foe.

I hate Clash, but when she’s on my team? She’s wonderful.

Thunderbird

There’ll be plenty of times when playing that you’ll find yourself low on health or downed and hoping that an ally will come and rescue you… that’s why you need someone to play as Thunderbird.

She’s a quick character who can either be armed with an assault rifle or shotgun, so she’s decent at taking out unsuspecting foes. She also has impact grenades, so she can pick off enemies in bunches with a well-timed throw. However, it’s her Kona Station that makes her special, which can be placed on the ground and heal characters who go near it. Best of all, if you manage to crawl your way towards it when downed, it can revive you and bring you back to the battle – believe me, it’s perfect when you’re the last defender standing.

Playing as a healing-based character might not sound exciting, but Thunderbird has got our team out of more than a few sticky situations. Just be warned: enemies can take advantage of your Kona Station too, so you’ll want to keep it out of their sight!