Here’s How To Master Osa, Rainbow Six Siege’s Latest Operator


The Crystal Guard season update for Rainbow Six Siege introduces the latest attacking operator, Osa.

Osa is the 61st operator to be added to Siege – you read that right, 61! With so many Operators on the roster, the team at Ubisoft has had to think creatively about how they can differentiate Osa from the rest of the Operators. By flipping the attacking gameplay meta on its head, the team might be onto something.

Here’s how you can get to grips with Osa in Rainbow Six Siege: Crystal Guard.

Talon-8 Shield – Deployment

Osa’s primary gadget ability is the Talon-8 Shield. It’s a transparent piece of kit that operates in a similar fashion to other operator shields, but this one has a couple of neat tricks up its sleeve. Obviously, it’s transparent. All players, both attacking and defending can see through the shield. There’s no one-way mirror trickery going on like Mira’s black mirrors. They’re completely bulletproof too, so there’s no need to worry about durability.

Credit: Ubisoft

The shield can be deployed in a few different ways. Firstly, you can walk around with it out to protect yourself from incoming fire. It’s taller than the normal shields, so it’ll completely protect your head while crouching. However, it’s impossible to shoot or throw grenades while walking around with a shield out. That solidifies Osa as an operator who should be leading the squad up front. She’s intended to walk ahead and fortify while the team provides covering fire.

Credit: Ubisoft

Alternatively, you can deploy these shields just like the defenders can with their own – out in the open, in a door or window frame. When deploying in a door or window frame, there’ll always be a small gap through which operators can shoot. This is to create intense stare-downs between opponents with players attempting to bait each other out. Osa can deploy these shields while on rappel, too. It looks as though it’ll create some interesting encounters, for sure.

Talon-8 Shield – Tactics

The shields have some other neat tricks up their sleeves, too. Just like Mira’s black mirrors, there’s a small canister at the bottom of the shield. Shooting this will drop the shield entirely after a short timer. Learn exactly how long the timer is, and you’ll end up engaging in some tense weapon-draw situations.

It’s also possible to turn the shields opaque in a pinch. Using the melee ability will completely smash the high-tech glass, rendering it impossible to see through from either side. All players, both attacking and defending can utilise this move. An example given in the trailer is the attackers using the opaque shield to block the view out of a window fortified by lasers. Alternatively, defenders can melee existing Talon-8 Shields to block out an attacker’s established angle. The shatter trait is mostly intended as a counter for the defending team, but attackers can use it in smart ways, too.

Credit: Ubisoft

Just like normal shields, sitting behind the Talon-8 shield doesn’t mean that you’re perfectly safe. In fact, because enemies will know exactly where you are, it’s far less safe than a normal shield. Explosions from C4 and frag grenades will destroy the shield in one blow, so keep an eye out for aggressive defenders. Operators like Smoke can also gas you out with grenades that pass over the top of the shield.

Loadout

Osa has a couple of weapons that veteran players will be very familiar with. She borrows the 556XI assault rifle from Thermite, as well as the PDW9 from Jackal. 

The assault rifle packs a punch, especially at medium to long ranges. That plays into the idea that Osa is intended to be a fortifying operator. One playstyle could be to establish good angles with her shield and then hold them from a distance.

Credit: Ubisoft

On the other hand, the SMG provides Osa players with a more aggressive option. This playstyle is more suited to players who like to get up close and personal. You’ll want to equip this weapon when holding close angles and pushing forward with the team.

Paired with these primaries is the PMM pistol for a sidearm. This is an all-rounder of a pistol that’s good for dealing damage in a pinch. Osa is also packing claymores to help protect herself while holding down fortified positions. A smoke grenade completes her loadout with the ability to cordon off angles she can’t reach directly.

Final Thoughts

Osa takes the idea of what an attacker’s role should be and completely flips it on its head. It seems that she’ll be especially useful in modes that require the attackers to fortify an area for an amount of time. As she’s incredibly vulnerable while carrying her shields, it doesn’t seem that Osa will be too overpowered at launch. She definitely requires a band of good teammates for her to be totally effective. Of course, Ubisoft will likely be keeping a close eye on her balancing in the weeks after launch.

Credit: Ubisoft

Osa will arrive alongside the Crystal Guard season update which is expected to drop before the end of this month.

What do you make of Osa in Rainbow Six Siege so far? Let us know if you have any other strategy ideas on our social channels!

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Featured Image Credit: Ubisoft