PROs:
- Powerful weapon – C8
- Versatile utility
CONS:
- Not beginner-friendly
- C8 has high recoil
Buck
Offensive operator
Buck R6 Siege operator is one of the most versatile attackers in the game.
He fills the role of Soft breacher.
Buck’s unique Skeleton Key allows Buck to create many openings in penetrable surfaces from a distance, thus making him the best operator for creating and utilizing vertical control.
Due to the nature of his utility, Buck requires extensive map knowledge and good game sense.
Organization
JTF2
Availability
DLC Y1S1
Armor Rating
Medium
Speed Rating
Medium
Biography
A Montreal native, Côté always wanted to lead an unconventional life. He enrolled in the Canadian Armed Force via the Regular Officer Training Plan, which allowed him to attend University and obtain a degree in criminology. After graduation, he became an MP in the Canadian Army.
When his time in the Army was completed he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and eventually became a part of the Emergency Response Team. After excelling in his ERT role he was invited by the Canadian military to re-up and become a member of JTF2.
OPERATOR VIDEO
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Operator guide
Detailed information on how to play Buck R6 Siege operator
Caption title
Utility
What is the utility?
Buck R6 operator has a primary weapon with a second firing mode called the Skeleton key. It allows Buck to create holes in soft walls and ceilings/floors, as well as shoot defenders in close range.
Skeleton Key is mainly utilized to give attackers vertical control against the objective. Gaining vertical control means using ceilings, floors, or hatches to engage your enemy from a vertical angle.
Vertical control provides an advantage due to defenders being forced to either move out of their preferred position or to engage aggressor from a usually unfavorable angle. Creating new vertical holes in Rainbows Six Siege also results in increasing the number of angles that defenders have to hold or pay attention to. As a result, insecurity may start dominating over less confident and calm defenders.
From operators available in Rainbow Six Siege Buck is the most versatile soft breacher thanks to:
- a high number of skeleton key ammo count
- range of skeleton key – can breach from above and below unlike Sledge
- the quick time needed for swapping from skeleton key to a primary weapon
How to use utility?
To use Skeleton Key, Buck has to switch to the “secondary” firing mode by pressing the unique utility button. After switching to Skeleton Key, Buck R6 operator can fire it just like any other weapon.
Defenders will usually reinforce all (or at least most) soft walls surrounding objective, therefore limiting horizontal control options for soft breachers. However, soft ceilings and floors cannot be reinforced (besides hatches). Thus, in Rainbow Six Siege Buck is best suited to be played above or below the objective.
Map Knowledge
An essential skill to utilize Skeleton Key to its fullest is having a good map knowledge. Advanced map knowledge combined with Buck’s breaching capability can result in an objective site being opened entirely.
For newer players who want to play Buck effectively, we recommend to:
- practice map orientation in custom matches or terrorist hunt
- pay attention to holes opened by your opponents while you are playing defense
A general tip for mindset is to think about positions you would typically hold as a defender and try to counter such while on attack.
Buck’s Skeleton Key may be at times inconsistent in the size of produced holes. The size depends on the distance and angle used for shooting surfaces. Knowing sufficient distance to create the most optimal openings will come with practice. Just remember that the closer you get, the smaller the size of the hole Skeleton Key will make. On the other hand, being too far from the surface may create a spread of smaller holes instead of a vaultable opening.
Buck's maps
In Rainbow Six Siege Buck is a dominant operator on maps with an abundance of soft floors and ceilings.
Ranked maps where Buck shines are:
- Border
- Chalet
- Consulate
- Villa
- Outback
Please note that the above list contains maps where Buck can have the highest impact. He can be a capable operator on every map in R6 Siege. Maps not mentioned above have fewer possibilities (or lesser impact) for vertical destruction for the most commonly used objectives site.
Creating new routes to the objective
Besides sowing death and destruction on the objective, Buck R6 operator is a great attacker to develop new avenues from building an entry point to the objective.
Seasoned roamers know the usual entry points and mostly used paths to the objective. In Rainbow Six Siege Buck can get the upper hand by opening an angle or passage behind a roamer or out of his eyesight to give attackers an advantage in hunting down lurking roamer.
Countering Mira or Breach denial utility
In many cases, Buck can support Hard breachers by getting rid of Breach denial utility. To do so, Buck should open the floor or ceiling where defenders utility is expected to be placed. Such usage requires advanced map knowledge as Buck player will have to know by heart where to open holes.
The same method applies to Mira windows located in places with soft surroundings. Buck can open a hole to the eject window by shooting at its trigger.
Interactions
SYNERGIES
Buck synergizes with Hard breachers to help with disposing of Breach denial utility.
During attacking rounds in Rainbow Six Siege Buck can team up with Maverick to open up reinforced walls. If Maverick can torch through the top and bottom of the reinforced wall, then the wall becomes unreinforced allowing Buck (or any other Soft breacher) to open it.
Counters:
Buck R6 Siege operator is a great counter to anchoring defenders as utilizing his skeleton key properly will often force anchors to relocate.
He is also a situational counter to breach denial operators. Situational as he requires soft surfaces to destroy defensive gadgets.
Countered by:
Default reinforcements can counter Buck’s ability to breach through walls or open hatches. However, currently, defenders in R6 Siege are not able to counter his ability to open an angle in soft ceilings.
Additionally, when utilizing vertical advantage and focusing on finding enemies in newly opened angles, Buck players are vulnerable to flanks.
How to play -
Buck R6 Siege
Playstyle
ENTRY FRAGGER
A great choice to be the first attacker to engage with defenders due to:
- non-vital utility
In Rainbow Six Siege Buck’s utility can make a massive difference in the outcome of the round. He is, however, not a vital operator like Thermite or Thatcher, without whom specific tasks may not be completed which changes how round goes completely.
- powerful weapon if being able to control recoil
C8 kicks hard, but when used by skilled player can be extremely useful in engagements with defenders
- unique utility which can be used to kill defenders at a close range
Buck has basically two primary weapons thanks to skeleton key. He can use C8 or CAMRs on long-range and shotgun in very close range engagements
being able to open a new angle on the defender with skeleton key
Skeleton key gives Buck the ability to surprise a roamer or anchor by creating an unexpected angle through wall or ceilings.
He can also quickly swap to the primary weapon from the skeleton key, giving little time to react for a defender in such a scenario.- access to Stun grenades
Stun provide the ability to flush out fortified defender
- Two- speed & two-armor rating giving him the flexibility
Difficulty
HARD
Siege’s Buck is a hard attacker to use properly due to:
- C8 having hard to control recoil
C8 kicks like hell, thus requiring practice and high recoil controlling skill to be effective
- requires advanced map knowledge and experience
His role in the attack is mainly to create vertical control. Knowing which spots to open with skeleton key is hard for new players. Inexperienced players may not know the map good enough nor usually occupied defensive positions
Loadout guide -
Buck R6 Siege
Available options
Primary weapons
Secondary weapons
Universal gadgets
Hard Breach Charge
A charge that blows a medium-sized hole in reinforced surfaces.
Stun Grenade
Temporarily blinds enemies facing grenade in radius during detonation.
Loadout suggestion
Loadout choices are an individual aspect, and rarely there is a “go-to” loadout in Rainbow Six Siege.
Sight choices are purely personal and depend on the player’s playstyle, map, even objective & specific role.
Please treat the below suggestion as what it is – our preferences.
We encourage you to experiment to find your setup.
Remember, just because something works for someone else, does not mean it has to and will work for you!
Suggested loadout:
| Primary weapon | Barrel | Grip | Scope |
| C8 | Muzzle brake | N/A | 1.5x scope |
| Secondary weapon | Barrel | Grip | Scope |
| MK1 | Muzzle brake | N/A | N/A |
| Gadget |
| Stun grenade |
Why such loadout?
CAMRs is a good DMR weapon. However, in a game where headshot is an instant kill, we do not recommend using DMRs for operators with a serviceable automatic weapon available as an alternative.
C8 is a powerful AR with low time to kill and high damage dealt by the bullet. The downside of C8 is high recoil. To make things worse vertical grip is not available for Buck’s AR.
We recommend equipping 1.5x scope.
The hard to manage the recoil of C8 is still manageable with such magnification, while still giving you the possibility to engage long-range engagements with flexibility in close quarters.
Stun grenades are an amazing tool at pushing defenders and increasing the odds of winning a gunfight.
Stun grenade blinds impacted operators making them significantly easier targets.
Since Buck is rather an entry fragging operator, we recommend picking grenades over a Hard Breach charge for this R6 Siege operator.
However, if your team wants to double down on potential Hard Breach possibility and you do not find a use for Stun Grenades too often, then the charge is also a good option (especially since Y5S4.3 patch )
Community Videos -
Buck R6 Siege
Instructional videos
Gameplay showcases
Other operators guides
Learn more about other operators in Rainbow Six Siege!
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