Best Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege

With the onset of Operation Collision Point and the new operator rework that it entails, some players may be wondering what the best Blackbeard loadout is in Rainbow Six Siege. After losing the old gadget, the Rifle Shield, Blackbeard now comes equipped with the HULL Adaptable Shield. He currently fulfills the roles of a Frontline and Support operator, bringing a three-armor and one-speed kit.

Also known as Craig Jenson, Blackbeard is from Bellevue, Washington, and is a member of the Redhammer Squad in Rainbow Six Siege. He is the first shield operator to equip a primary weapon alongside a shield but lacks a secondary weapon. He sports two secondary gadgets that he can utilize to either clear angles or watch flanks.

In this article, we discuss the best Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege and explore all the possibilities he can create for his team with his new reworked primary gadget.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and based on the author's opinion.

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Best Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege for Operation Twin Shells

There are two primary weapons in a Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege (Image via Ubisoft)

Having been released on December 3, 2024, Blackbeard post-rework is relatively new and hasn't had too many innovative or unique playstyle discoveries. He generally fits into a team comp that utilizes a shield like Montagne used to in previous seasons but with a significant advantage over the latter in terms of firepower.

To utilize Blackbeard properly, you will need to play actively and take space in the map where the attacking team intends to push from. This requires game knowledge, map knowledge, and a basic understanding of the defender lineup of operators and setup.

Overall, Blackbeard is a strong frontline attacker who excels at clearing angles and rooms for his team and brings an immense intimidation factor with his primary weapon and shield combination. This makes him a go-to choice for a primary shield operator in any attacking lineup.

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Primary weapon choices for the Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege

The MK17 CQB is the primary weapon in a Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege (Image via Ubisoft)

For the best Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege, you have two weapons to choose from. Both are primary weapons: one is an assault rifle, while the other is a designated marksman rifle that can take care of certain soft breach roles.

The most reliable weapon you can pick up with your HULL Adaptable primary shield is the MK17 CQB. It has been buffed with the new season release of Operation Collision Point and now sports 44 base damage per bullet, 25+1 magazine, 585 RPM fire rate, and medium destructibility.

Weapon	MK17 CQB
Sights	Iron Sights (to lower ADS time)
Muzzle	Extended Barrel (for higher damage)
Grip	Angled Grip (to lower reload time)
Underbarrel	Laser (to lower ADS time)

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The SR-25 offers high destructibility and a semi-automatic weapon action (Image via Ubisoft)

The second available option for the ideal Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege is a semi-automatic weapon. With the increased ADS time due to his new primary gadget, Blackbeard's DMR, the SR-25, can slow ADS and fire effectively on targets depending on the critical situations a shield player finds themselves in.

Nevertheless, the SR-25 packs quite the punch with its 61 base damage per bullet. It comes with a 20+1 round magazine and offers high destructibility. Although this DMR offers benefits like making holes in soft walls and breaking Azami barriers faster, the new shield is more than capable of handling such obstacles. This makes the SR-25 fall behind the assault rifle in terms of pick rate.

Weapon	SR-25
Muzzle	Muzzle Brake (to decrease vertical recoil)
Grip	Vertical Grip (to decrease vertical recoil)
Underbarrel	Laser (for lower ADS time)

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Secondary gadget choices for a Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege

Secondary gadgets in a Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege (Image via Ubisoft)

The secondary gadgets available to Blackbeard allow him to accomplish certain tasks that make him a great addition to the team. Frag grenades enable him to flush out defenders in rat spots while Claymores allow him to trap aggressive attackers, helping the entire attacking team.

Blackbeard is the first shield operator to have Frag grenades in his inventory along with a primary rifle. This makes him a force to reckon with during matches and he easily overpowers slacking defenders.

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How to play Blackbeard in Rainbow Six Siege

Reloading makes Blackbeard change his shield stance (Image via Ubisoft)

Blackbeard is the recipient of the newest operator rework and now comes equipped with a shield alongside his primary weapon. His presence can be felt during the entire round if played effectively. This is because, unlike Blitz and Monty who need to get close to become effectively lethal, Blackbeard is capable of being deadly even at a range.

To effectively play Blackbeard, coordinate with the attacking team to establish an attack strategy where he must be the frontline operator and take space to force defenders away from aggressive positions.

To perform this task effectively, utilize the secondary gadgets from your Blackbeard loadout in Rainbow Six Siege. They can either help flush out corners with Frag grenades or trap flanks with Claymores.

When facing obstacles like Azami Barriers or Castle Barricades, Blackbeard can easily break them down with his HULL Adaptable shield. He is also capable of making runnable rotations in soft walls. When aiming down sights, watch out for stray bullets, as the glass segment that protects Blackbeard's head drops down to accommodate the gun.

Blackbeard is the first and only shield operator capable of wielding his shield in a compact form during rappel. This makes him strong as a support operator who assists with window rappels in maps like Bank, Consulate, and Emerald Plains.

However, note that upside-down rappel is not a strong suit for Blackbeard's HULL shield, as his head is easily visible even when he is not aiming down sights.

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