There’s a lot to consider when heading into an incursion in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction. Which weapon should I use? Which operator should I choose? Which explosives and gadgets are going to work for the given objectives? Building the best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction can be challenging with all these questions and more. Ultimately, you’ll never be sticking to one. Let’s dig into the best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction to use for any given objective.

Before players pick their operator and loadout, they’ll know which objectives they’ll be playing for each incursion. While each operator has a unique ability, your overall loadout is critical to mission success. Furthermore, some operator abilities feel lackluster. On the flip side, any operator can use any gadget in the game. For example, Sledge’s ability equips a tactical hammer to break through walls and stun enemies. We’ve been playing since release and have never once thought, “Let’s break this wall down.” In fact, we’re doing everything we can to not break through walls, especially during area-holding objectives like Serial Scan.

The best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction are more valuable than most operator abilities. As players unlock more progression levels, more tech becomes available to them. Thankfully, you don’t have to unlock attachments for individual weapons. So, with that said, the best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction begin with your preferred weapon and what we’ll call “mandatory attachments.”

Rainbow Six Extraction isn’t as stealth-oriented as, let’s say, Assassin’s Creed, but keeping a low profile is crucial to making it out alive, especially on higher difficulties. The best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction always run suppressors. The damage boost and recoil control from muzzle brakes and compensators are negligible compared to the value of suppressors.

Some weapons can’t be silenced, like Doc’s SG-CQB Shotgun. Therefore, those weapons should be left on the sidelines, as they’ll hurt more than they’ll help. Don’t be afraid of the damage fall-off from equipping a suppressor. For some weapons, it’s a near 50% damage reduction. However, Archaeans are squishy — really squishy. We’ve had no trouble putting down swarms of Archaeans with silenced LMGs. Nor have we struggled to take them out from afar with a silenced marksman rifle.

Some objectives in Rainbow Six Extraction require a little more stealth than others. Those objectives include Nest Tracking, Decontamination, Biopsy, and Rescue. However, one could argue that every objective in Rainbow Six Extraction is a stealth objective. If you don’t want to crouch around the entire map, the following gadgets are crucial to building the best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction.

Since we’re already running a suppressor, the next step is choosing which React Tech is best for the given mission. Let’s take Biopsy, for example. You must take down elite targets with your React Blade in this objective. Sneaking up on them is harder than it sounds. However, tossing a smoke or stun grenade at their feet turns Biopsy into a walk in the park. Even if the elite target is alerted to your presence, smoke and stun grenades allow you to take them down.

The XR Recon Drone, unlocked in Tech Tier 3, is the most valuable piece of React Tech in the game. Toss your Recon drone and scan as much of the map as possible before the battery runs out. You can also provide forward recon for your squadmates and locate objective points. Scanning enemies makes it 1,000% easier to keep quiet, as you can now see them across the map. You’ll also find the path of least resistance when rescuing MIA Operators or Assets. Finally, the XR Recon Drone is a great way to farm XP. We’ve been breaking 1,500 tactics XP regularly off scan assists.

Decontamination, which involves destroying up to 15 green nests, is almost impossible to win guns blazing. With the Recon Drone, your squad can locate each nest, split up, and take them out in quick succession. Smoke grenades provide cover as Archaeans spawn relentlessly after destroying the first nest.

Objectives like Sabotage and Serial Scan require you to stay in one place and hold objectives for an allotted amount of time. We’d say Sabotage is easier than Serial Scan, as Sabotage keeps your team in one place for the duration of the timer. However, both objectives require similar tactics and gear to accomplish.

Archaeans are pretty strong — strong enough to break through walls and sealed doors. That’s why glue grenades, stun grenades, and impact grenades are perfect for keeping them at bay when they inevitably break through. We don’t like smoke grenades in these situations as they also impair your vision. Sometimes, the Serial Scan area is pretty tight, and a smoke grenade could fill the entire room.

If you’re just getting started, the best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction for beginners include anything that increases your survivability. The game’s unlock mechanics are undoubtedly unique. Players who don’t get a good start out the gate have difficulty making up for lost XP as operators go MIA. For that reason, self-revive kits and armor are useful tools for new players looking to survive more incursions. Once they’ve established a roster, they can ditch the more selfish React Tech for gadgets that benefit the team as a whole.

Among Tier 1 Tech, impact grenades and smoke grenades are the best beginner gadgets to use. Players must alternate between the two depending on the given objectives (for the reasons mentioned above). However, setting and forgetting smokes and impacts to every operator can get you through the first few incursions. By then, you’ll have a decent understanding of how each objective works.

Remember to edit each operator’s loadout from the main operator screen. You don’t have to edit it every time you begin a mission. Equip each operator with the best loadouts in Rainbow Six Extraction and then tweak them before each incursion if you must.