Rainbow Six Extraction‘s Maelstrom Protocol is a brutal challenge mode offering a much more demanding experience than the game’s typical mission system. Enemies are much tougher, and mission types are set on extreme difficulty. Those brave enough to take on Maelstrom Protocol will walk away with significant amounts of XP, premium REACT credit currency, and unique seasonal headgear. These gold, platinum, or diamond headpieces display for others to see how skilled a player is in completing their runs. However, similar to rank systems in competitive online games, the headgear will reset, compelling players to work hard to regain their former status.
Maelstrom Protocol Explained for Rainbow Six Extraction
There are several key differences between Maelstrom Protocol and the Rainbow Six Extraction‘s usual experience. Maelstrom Protocol provides nine regional objectives instead of three, which scale in difficulty as the squad of Operators progress. After completing a set of objectives, the mission difficulty rises, and new mutations are added into the mix.Â
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One aspect that changes Maelstrom Protocol is the time given to complete the mandatory objectives. In the beginning, players are given 15 minutes to accomplish the tasks within a subzone, but Operators will only be provided with 8 minutes by the end. Additionally, the resources within each subzone are reduced, and some are even entirely removed at certain points. For example, medkits aren’t available after the third subzone, and ammo supplies disappear after the eighth subzone.Â
One of the main differences between normal Rainbow Six Extraction and its Maelstrom Protocol mode is the layout and setup of all the regional objectives. Although the content in Maelstrom Protocol is changed on a weekly basis, everything set during a specific week stays static, meaning that all the parameters remain the same. No matter how many times players play through a run, they will experience the same challenges as before. This mechanic is separate from the base game’s style and forces players to learn through repetition rather than adapting to a new experience every time. As a result, players have an opportunity to improve their strategy before re-entering the fray.
Rainbow Six Extraction is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.