Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is a first-person shootergame, in which players utilize many different operators from the Rainbow team. Different operators have different nationalities, weapons, and gadgets.[1] The game features an asymmetrical structure whereby the teams are not always balanced in their choices of abilities.[2] The base Counter-Terrorism Units (CTUs) available for play are the American Hostage Rescue Team (referred to in-game as the FBI SWAT), the British SAS, the German GSG-9, the Russian Spetsnaz and the French GIGN, each of which has four operators per unit split between attackers and defenders (other units were later added through downloadable content, see below). Players also have access to a "Recruit" operator who can choose from a more flexible assortment of equipment at the expense of having a unique gadget or the ability to customize their weapon. Players can pick any operator from any unit that is defending or attacking before a round starts, choosing spawn points as well as attachments on their guns but are not allowed to change their choices once the round has started. An in-game shop allows players to purchase operators or cosmetics using the in-game currency, "Renown", which is earned at the end of matches from actions performed in-game. Different gameplay modes award renown at different rates, with ranked matches offering the largest renown multiplier potential per match. Players can also complete in-game "challenges" to get a small amount of renown. Renown gain rate can also be affected by the using in-game "boosters" which gives the player an increase in all renown earned for various duration, starting with 24 hours. A premium currency known as "R6 credits" can also be purchased using real-world currency to get operators quicker in-game, or other cosmetic items, such as weapon or operator skins .[3]
When the round begins in an online match, the attackers choose one of several spawn points from which to launch their attack while defenders do the same from which to defend from. A one-minute preparatory period will then commence wherein the attackers are then given control over mecanum-wheeled drones to scout the map in search of enemy operators, traps and defensive set-ups in addition to the target objective(s),[4] while the defenders establish their defences and are encouraged to do so without having the defensive and target objective(s) details being discovered, chiefly through destroying the drones.[5] Maps in the game are designed to encourage close quarters combat, and players cannot respawn until the end of a round.[citation needed] Players who were killed by opponents can enter "Support Mode", which allows them to gain access to drone's cameras and security cameras so that they can continue to contribute to their team by informing them of opponent locations and activities.[6][7] Matches last only four minutes for a casual and three minutes for a ranked.[8] Teamwork and cooperation are encouraged in Siege, and players need to take advantage of their different abilities in order to complete the objective and defeat the enemy team.[4] Communication between players is also heavily encouraged.[4][9] The game also has a spectator mode, which allows players to observe a match from different angles.[10]
The game features a heavy emphasis on environmental destruction[11][12] using a procedural destruction system. Players can break structures by planting explosives on them, or shoot walls to make bullet holes.[13] Players may gain tactical advantages through environmental destruction, and the system aims at encouraging players to utilize creativity and strategy.[13][14] A bullet-penetration system is featured, in which bullets that pass through structures deal less damage to enemies.[12] In addition to destruction, players on the defending team can also set up a limited number of heavy-duty fortifications on walls and deployable shields around them for protection; these can be destroyed through breaching devices, explosives, or by utilizing operator specific gadgets in the case of the former.[15] In order to stop attackers' advance, defenders can place traps like barbed-wire and explosive laser wire traps around the maps.[16] Vertical space is a key gameplay element in the game's maps: players can destroy ceilings and floors using breach charges and can ambush enemies by rappelling through windows.[4] Powerful weapons like grenades and breach charges are valuable, as only a limited amount can be used in a round.[8]
