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Battlefield 6 REDSEC guide: Everything you need to win the battle royale
Get to grips with REDSEC, Battlefield 6’s new free-to-play battle royale. From classes and missions to vehicles and map tricks, here’s everything you need to survive and outplay rival squads.
On October 28, Battlefield 6 added a new string to its bow: a free-to-play battle-royale mode. If you’re looking to get comfortable with REDSEC, here are some invaluable tips to help you along the way.
Battlefield’s battle royale, REDSEC (short for Redacted Sector), drops 100 players onto a sprawling map reminiscent of the Los Angeles outskirts. In this free-to-play mode, squads of two or four (for now) must fight to be the last team standing. The goal might sound simple, but with so many players and a wealth of content - side missions, gadgets, class perks and more - there’s plenty to learn. Here’s a rundown of the essentials, along with advice to help you compete with the best.
The portable shield is very handy
© DICE/Electronic Arts
01
The REDSEC principle
In the battle royale mode REDSEC (short for Redacted Sector), 100 players are dropped onto a sprawling map reminiscent of the outskirts of Los Angeles. In this free-to-play mode, teams of two or four must fight to be the last one standing. The goal might sound simple, but with so many players and a wealth of content including side missions, gadgets, class perks, and more, there's a lot to learn. Here's an overview of the essentials and tips on how to compete with the best.
02
Tips for getting started with REDSEC
REDSEC is the Battle Royale mode of Battlefield 6
© EA
Like in most battle royale games, you begin the round aboard a transport plane, before parachuting down onto the map. While airbourne, you can plan your landing with your squad and decide where you want to start the match together. Once on the ground, you start with only a pistol. Typical for the genre, weapons, equipment, power-ups and more must be collected from the map. You and your team compete against other squads and must complete missions to obtain better equipment, gadgets and other bonuses. The ultimate goal is to stay alive as long as possible on an ever-shrinking map. Whoever's left standing at the end wins the match.
However, this ring of fire, which defines the playable area of the map, is instantly lethal in REDSEC. Unlike in Fortnite or Apex Legends, you can't escape the zone – you'll be killed immediately.
If you encounter someone who's clearly logged 1,000 hours in this mode, don't panic: you can retreat after just a few seconds at the start of the match. However, this option disappears after a few minutes. Like in regular Battlefield, vehicles play a major role, with tanks, transport helicopters, jeeps and even golf carts available. Classes, perks and gadgets are also carried over to this mode.
03
The classes: synergy as a survival guarantee
Just like in Battlefield 6 multiplayer, in REDSEC the class system is the most important strategic layer. Anyone attempting to play the mode solo will quickly discover that the game mechanics really punish this approach. Each class has a passive ability and an active specialisation that must mesh together like gears within the team structure.
REDSEC draws on the class system from Battlefield 6
© EA
Each class offers distinct strengths and limitations:
- Assault: This far more than just an infantryman. In REDSEC, they're the only soldiers capable of clearing heavy barricades in seconds with explosives, which is a crucial ability, especially during the fiercely contested endgame. Their ability to heal faster allows them to execute aggressive flanking maneuvers while the rest of the team maintains suppressive fire.
- Engineer: These serve as the technical backbone. Since REDSEC features a high density of vehicles (from agile ATVs to massive battle tanks), the Engineer is indispensable to the team. They not only repair vehicles, but are also the only ones able to hack the high-security safes scattered across the map. These safes often contain the 'red-tier' gear, that isn't available in the normal loot pool.
- Supportand Scout: The Support and Scout classes form the logistical and intelligence foundation. While the Support class, with its additional armour plate slots, ensures the team has a chance against snipers, the Scout class is the squad's eyes. Its drone can mark stationary turrets in REDSEC and even temporarily disrupt enemy electronics, making coordinated attacks possible.
04
Tips for landing in REDSEC
As in any battle royale game, your drop and landing play a crucial role in determining the course of the match. In REDSEC, it's essential to read the map not just for loot density (the quantity and quality of equipment found in a given area), but also for its strategic value. Zones like the industrial port area offer excellent weapons, but their openness makes them extremely dangerous.
Welcome to Los Angeles
© Electronic Arts/DICE
A pro tip for landing: actively seek out military convoys, which are randomly distributed across the map at the start of the game. These convoys are guarded by AI-controlled mercenaries. Fighting them risks attracting other players, but rewards you with guaranteed top-tier equipment and vehicle keys, giving you a powerful advantage right from the start.
If you prefer a more relaxed approach, the outskirts of Fort Lyndon may offer less spectacular loot, but they also provide a high number of healing items and body armor, ensuring a solid foundation.
05
How to use the destructible environments
Battlefield 6 utilises the Destruction 2.0 system, allowing you to reduce large swathes of the map to rubble. This is also present in the REDSEC mode and represents a crucial tactical element. You must learn to use the map's architecture against other teams. A squad trapped in a guard tower isn't an obstacle, but an easy target. By strategically targeting the foundations with rocket launchers or C4 charges, you can bring buildings – and your rivals – down.
There are massive fights ahead in Battlefield 6
© Electronic Arts
It's not just about destruction, but also about creating new lines of sight. Sometimes it's smarter to blast a hole in a wall to open up a flanking route, rather than attacking directly through the middle. Also, be mindful of environmental hazards: REDSEC features flammable gas tanks and unstable power lines that, if hit, can turn entire areas into danger zones. A well-placed shot on a transformer can completely eliminate an enemy squad that's just taking cover.
06
Communication is crucial
Cooperation is the key to success
© EA
A key factor for success in Battlefield 6 REDSEC is teamwork. If a squad doesn't play in a coordinated manner and act as one cohesive unit, their chances of victory drop significantly. Therefore, you gain a massive advantage if the entire team communicates via microphone or headset and plans their approach together.
Although REDSEC does also offer a text chat and a ping system that can quickly identify threats or POIs, coordination via voice chat really is significantly faster and much more effective.
07
Missions and treaties matter
Completing missions and contracts offers powerful rewards that can significantly increase your chances of winning the round. Sometimes, you'll get an upgrade kit for your equipment, others the keys to a powerful vehicle or additional experience points to further develop your class. Regardless of the reward, it's always worthwhile to tackle and complete the missions or contracts.
The selection of missions is extremely diverse. However, the following tasks are particularly simple and quick to complete:
- Signal decryption: Go to the two antennas marked on your map and interact with them in order to align them. The alignment process is relatively quick, but you're easily visible in this open area.
- Armoury: A great mission to quickly acquire new equipment. A bolt cutter will appear on the mini-map, which you can pick up. The location of a valuable armoury will be revealed, containing several rare weapons and gadgets for the entire squad.
- Data Extraction: A computer on the map contains information about the ring. If you manage to encrypt the data drive and deliver it to an extraction drone, you'll receive helpful clues. But be careful: other squads can shoot down the drone.
08
Quick tips for getting started with REDSEC
Golf, but you make your own bunkers
© Electronic Arts/DICE
Loot
If you need loot quickly, look out for ambulances, military transports and orange delivery vans. They can all be opened for supplies and sometimes contain powerful loot.
To crack a safe, use the Pioneer class's cutting torch, which can open the vault in no time.
To upgrade a weapon, find an upgrade crate, open your inventory and select the weapon you want to improve. There, you can choose between options such as reduced recoil, increased range or a new optic.
Gameplay
Even without a rocket launcher or other anti-vehicle tool, you can sabotage an armored vehicle by approaching and interacting with it. Your character will automatically plant a thermite charge on the tank.
If you have the time, you can finish off downed enemies with a melee attack. This will briefly mark the remaining members of their squad on your map.
Keep an eye on the sky, especially when your squad is calling in crates. If one falls on you, you cannot be revived.
To revive fallen allies, you must go to a staging area and stay within the green circle.
Vehicles
Tanks come as standard
© DICE/Electronic Arts
If you want access to a tank, you'll need to complete a Gold Mission. As a reward, you'll receive a magnetic key. Then, find one of the large gray armored vehicles and interact with its rear. Be warned: it takes a while for the truck to open and it's quite noisy, so expect company.
Once inside the tank, head to the repair stations as often as possible. Tanks inflict significant damage, but can be quickly overwhelmed by several engineers.
