Rainbow Six Extraction doesn't lack opponents. Between stealthy and invisible enemies that strike from the shadows, snipers that fire from a distance, and bulky bullet-sponge tanks and bosses, there are lots of ways to fail a mission. But most missions are failed in the squad selection screen.
A good team composition can handle anything that enemies throw at them. Since players get to see the objectives before the match begins, it's important to pick a team that can cover all of those bases. Sometimes the squad needs to be well-rounded, other times, the squad can focus on a certain style, but no matter what, the conversation should happen at the start of every Rainbow Six Extraction queue.
Best Overall Squad: Jager, Ela, Rook
No matter the squad, gamers are better off looking elsewhere if they want a game to score an easy platinum trophy on. But if any three squadmates can do their best easy-mode impression on the toughest settings, it would be Jager, Ela, and Rook.
The two toughest kinds of objectives are the ones that don't permit stealth, make players defend points, or summon a boss. Jager and Ela both have mines (projectile and proximity, respectively). And if something goes wrong, Rook is the best support unit because he reduces damage and allows players to pick themselves up if they get knocked down.
Stealthiest Squad: Vigil, Capitao, Alibi
Most matchmaking gamers seriously have no idea of what is possible to do in Rainbow Six Extraction, but perhaps the most frustrating are those who fail to be stealthy. It makes the game ten times harder. With this squad, players maximize their odds of staying in that easy zone.
With Vigil at the lead, he can cloak and back off anytime he runs into danger and relay the information to the squad. In rooms with too many opponents to sneak past, Alibi can toss a decoy that distracts everyone. And Capitao is the icing on the cake due to his smoke screening stealth arrow.
Best Guns Blazin' Squad: Hibana, Gridlock, Nomad
Very few squadmates have instantly deployable damage items. Some have mines that need to be set up carefully and others have some tricky scanning, but what help is this what the group is getting overrun? Thankfully, these three will never leave players wondering where the damage is.
Hibana technically fires remote mines, but they can be almost instantaneously detonated for a devastating effect. Gridlock and Nomad shoot traps and mines that immediately arm. Nomad's don't specifically do damage, but they knock enemies back and clear hazards.
Fastest Squad: Sledge, Nomad, Alibi
There are some phenomenal FPS games on Game Pass but not all of them can be completed in a timeframe that respects everyone's schedule. Speed might seem secondary to damage and stealth, but on higher difficulties, the easiest path just might be to go straight for the point.
Sledge is criminally underrated. He can smash a perfect human-sized hole in any breakable wall and then stun an enemy that gets too close with no cooldown on his ability. Alibi can toss a decoy and allow her whole team to bypass a room. And Nomad can knock anything that isn't fooled away; by the time the opponents come to their senses, the squad will be long gone.
Hardest Squad To Kill: Rook, Doc, Finka
It might not seem like a smart strategy to plan on getting knocked down. But this is actually one of the most successful squads in the game because rarely does everything go according to plan. And gamers can do a lot of damage on the ground before allowing themselves to heal back up.
Rook's the most key to all of this because he proves body armor, also reducing damage. If this squad is getting regularly attacked, his special ability will be useful often. The other two, Doc and Finka, are both more classic healers that also can pull themselves or their teammates up when they get knocked down.
Best Defensive Squad: Tachanka, Jager, Gridlock
As previously mentioned, defensive-style objectives are often considered the hardest because stealth is just flat-out not functional. The enemies know exactly where they have to go and disappearing isn't going to stop them; it might actually distract them from their target less.
That's why Tachanka and the deployable turret are such difference-makers. Stack that with Jager and his shooting mines, then Gridlock and her mines and absolutely nothing is going to stop this squad from keeping an objective locked down.
Best Map Revealing Squad: Lion, IQ, Pulse
The best defense is a good offense and that saying has never been more true than it is in Rainbow Six Extraction. Stealth is all well and good, but when players don't know where the opponents are, it's just a matter of guessing and hoping. These squadmates take all the guesswork out of it.
None of these track everything, but combined, there isn't much to worry about. Lion detects all moving targets while Pulse can detect the nests and the enemies standing still. IQ has the permanent ability to find all REACT gear on the map, keeping the squad fresh and topped off.
Best Squad Against Bosses: Smoke, Fuze, Jager
Bosses aren't a guarantee on every map, not even on the hardest settings, but all it takes is one failed objective to wreck a good run. It would be unfair to call them bullet sponges because they deal so much damage in addition to having a pool of life that feels as though it will never end.
Thankfully, players can control the battleground a bit and force bosses to run through an area to get to them. Smoke, Fuze, and Jager make the most of this by filling the area with mines. Fuze has burst damage, Smoke applies a nice damage over time effect with venom that is particularly great against bosses and Jager's mines will shoot at the boss during the battle.
Rainbow Six Extraction was released on January 20th, 2022, and is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.