Shield operators are generally the first line of defense in Rainbow Six Siege. By trading a primary weapon for a shield, operators like Blitz, Clash, Fuze, and Montagne can get the upper hand on their enemies by essentially making themselves bulletproof. Even though opponents have several options to deal with shield operators (flanking, meleeing the shield, or using utility like grenades), the unpredictability of a shield makes adapting to the situation more difficult. On the downside, shield operators in Rainbow Six Siege aren't the best when it comes to actual combat. Full shield operators like Montagne and Clash have almost no way to defend themselves, as Montagne has to hold up his Extendable Shield with both hands while Clash can only lightly zap opponents with her Crowd Control Electro Shield.
Half shield operators like Blitz and Fuze can use their pistol whilst holding up their shields, but the gun's accuracy is so bad in Rainbow Six Siege that players should forgo using it this way. To do any real damage, shield operators have to put their primary method of defense away. Doing so can take a couple of seconds, and by the time they've got their secondary weapon out, the enemy has had enough time to formulate a strategy around the shield operator. A shield operator's secondary weapon is usually a pistol - which pales in comparison to a non-shield operator's primary weapon (which is usually a fully-automatic assault rifle, submachine gun, or shotgun). It goes without saying that holding up the shield makes these operators giant targets for the enemy team, and shield operators have to coordinate with their allies to get the most out of their abilities.
The Adaptable Shield Operator
Enter Anja "Osa" Jankovic, a Croatian attacking operator introduced in Rainbow Six Siege's Crystal Guard expansion. Instead of trading her primary weapon for a shield, Osa's Talon-8 Clear Shield takes up her primary gadget slot. She has two of these transparent, bulletproof shields per match and has two general methods of using them. The first and most obvious way Osa can use her Talon-8 is by carrying it in front of her like a shield operator. The shield will deflect gunfire in front of her and, thanks to the shield's transparent nature, give her clearer lines of sight than Montagne, Blitz, or Fuze.
The second and more versatile method of using the Talon-8 is by tactically placing it on floors, windows, and doorways. This is where the Talon-8 Clear Shield shines, as it creates a two-way mirror that protects attackers and gives them a line of sight on the defending team. While it could be argued that the Talon-8 works both ways, the fact that Osa is on the attacking team makes it easy for her to pick up and reposition her shield to her allies' advantage.
A Shield With A View
The number of ways Osa can use her placeable shield is virtually limitless. She can break down wooden barricades by beginning to place the shield, and take it back immediately before it fully deploys (this cuts down on the time attackers need to perform two or three melee hits to break barricades down). What's even better is that the Talon-8 Clear Shield fully protects her and her allies from the front while doing so. The shield can also be placed on windows, leaving a small gap on top for Osa and her team to throw gadgets in or shoot through. If backed into a corner, Osa can break her placed shields by shooting the pressurized canister at their base. This will open up the sightlines, giving her a clean shot through the now-destroyed shields.
A Shield Operator With A Varied Loadout
Best of all, having deployable shields as her primary gadget allows Osa to take out her powerful primary weapon: the 556XI assault rifle or the PDW9 submachine gun. Osa players can swap from being a shield operator to a gun-totting one while in cover to confuse enemies as they peek corners. When combined with the Talon-8 Clear Shield, this makes for some very interesting and unusual combat options. Just to give an example, Osa can place her Talon-8 Clear Shield on a bomb site and plant the defuser behind it. She can then guard the defuser from within the safety of the first shield, or place the second one and hide behind it somewhere nearby.
When combined with her secondary gadgets, Osa becomes quite hard to counter. Her smoke grenades can mask her entry with her Talon-8 Clear Shield, while the claymore mine can prevent opponents from flanking her. Osa works well in a team, but the fact that she gets to keep her primary weapon means she can hold her own better than the other shield operators. Rainbow Six Siege players who want to stay alive longer with a shield but don't want to sacrifice firepower will get a kick out of playing Osa. She's adaptable, versatile, and is as big a threat as any other shield operator.
Rainbow Six Siege is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
