Gauntlet mode pits multiple squads of players against each other in a tournament-like competition following a knockout format. Your goal here is simple: score better than the other squads to quality for the next round until your squad is the only one left. It's a clear departure from traditional Battlefield 6 game modes, and it's much closer to RedSec's BR experience, albeit faster-paced and more concentrated.
Gauntlet is a lot more dynamic than the rest of the modes in BF6, and every match you play can and will pan out differently from the last one. There are eight different mission types in this game mode, and only four of them will appear during a match. Here's a look at all of them, including tips on how to win more.
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All Gauntlet Game Modes in BF6
As explained above, Gauntlet is a round-based mode where 32 players (divided into eight squads) fight for supremacy. Each game of Gauntlet lasts for four rounds, and the two worst-performing squads are knocked out at the end of each round. As of Season 1, there are eight different mission types for Gauntlet, and more are set to be added as the game evolves.
Deadlock
In Deadlock, your goal is to capture and control a zone while keeping the enemy from doing the same. It's similar to King of the Hill, albeit with more capture zones and more players on the map.
This is one of the simpler Gauntlet modes in BF6. The best thing you and your squad can do here is to just focus on holding a zone while taking out anyone who comes near. However, if you want to score first place, you'll want to actively hunt down other teams. All Gauntlet missions reward an extra point for every kill and revive your squad scores, so if you can steal an enemy's zone and wipe them out in the process, you'll earn tons of points.
The maximum number of active zones in Deadlock is reduced depending on how many squads are left.
Decryption
D ecryption will have players looking for and holding onto beacons, which will slowly upload data for over 50 seconds. Anyone holding a beacon becomes spotted, making them vulnerable to other enemies, and if you sprint while holding a beacon, decryption progress halts completely.
In our experience, focusing on defense is the best way to win Decryption rounds, assuming you and your squad can get a hold of multiple beacons at the same time. If not, you'll have to steal beacons from other squads and hope that you don't get ganked in the process. Keep in mind that the final minute of a round doubles any points you get, so it might be better to try and time your decryptions with that bonus window.
Vendetta
In simple terms, Vendetta is team deathmatch but with High-Value Targets (HVTs). If your squad has an active HVT, you will all earn bonus points every five seconds. However, HVT locations are visible to everyone, and if you want to keep earning those passive points, you'll want to keep yours alive.
Vendetta rounds can become extremely chaotic, and there are no tricks to winning here. Focus on keeping your team's HVT alive while taking out anyone who stands in your way. Bring your best guns and keep your head on a swivel.
Extraction
In Extraction missions, players must run around and collect data consoles around the map before delivering them to one of several possible drone drop-off sites. Every console you extract grants your team 3 points, and players can carry up to 10 consoles at once.
Either move up as a team or split up and take as many consoles as possible. In any case, you'll need to keep in mind that once someone deposits a console to a drone, that drone will leave the map for a short duration. If multiple members of your squad are carrying consoles, wait for each other before depositing the first console.
Aggressively hunting down enemy players and stealing their consoles is the best way to top the scoreboard during Extraction rounds.
Wreckage
Wreckage is essentially Battlefield 6's Rush mode with a twist. Bombs will spawn across the map, and players must use those bombs to destroy MCOMs. Destroying an MCOM rewards 10 points, while defusing a bomb rewards 5 points.
This is arguably the most confusing of Gauntlet's modes. If you want to focus on destroying MCOMs, then you'll have to keep track of where they are and where the closest bomb is. Avoid defusing other armed MCOMs unless they are within your immediate vicinity.
Bombs are always armed, which means they can explode even if they aren't planted. If you plant a bomb that is close to detonating, you can secure an MCOM while giving the enemy no chance of defusing it.
Circuit
Your goal in Circuit is to capture and hold as many control consoles as possible while denying the enemy from doing the same. The map will be divided into a hexagonal grid during this round, with each hexagonal cell representing a capture zone. Find the console in these zones and capture them manually.
Our usual strategy for Circuit is to just keep capping zones one at a time while heading towards the nearest advantageous position, such as the interior of a building. After that, focus on securing zones in a circular area around a power position. This way, you can hold multiple zones at once while still being able to take more if needed.
Contract
Contract is essentially a sudden-death deathmatch. It plays like a normal round where your only goal is to eliminate enemy players, but once your squad is wiped, you are instantly taken out of the Gauntlet match regardless of how many points your squad has.
Playing safe is necessary to surviving a Contract round, but you can't afford to just sit idly either. If the timer runs out, or if another squad reaches the score limit while your own team is in the red, then you're out of the game.
Heist
Heist is reserved for the final round of a BF6 Gauntlet match, and for good reason: this mode is basically Capture The Flag. Both teams have a briefcase that they must protect, and to score big points, you'll need to get the enemy's briefcase back to your base.
Heist is arguably the most intense game mode Gauntlet has to offer so far, and to secure a final win for your team, coordination is necessary. We strongly recommend having an Assault player with Stun Grenades or the Thermobaric Grenade Launcher here. Both will stop a runner from sprinting, making them easier to gun down or catch up to.
Battlefield 6
- Released
- October 10, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-App Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Battlefield Studios
- Publisher(s)
- EA
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- Via EA Account
- Franchise
- Battlefield
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- PC Release Date
- October 10, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- October 10, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- October 10, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- How Long To Beat
- 6 hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 87.44 GB
