Multiplayer
Black Arrow's online multiplayer was very popular during its time in the spotlight. Fans of the original
Rainbow Six 3 did not need to worry about the sequel changing the simple and satisfying formula. It is because of this that the
expansion Black Arrow was not critically acclaimed as its predecessor. However, that did not deter new gamers from flocking to the series. Clan match functionality and new multiplayer modes were thought of icing on the cake by true fans of the series. Others viewed these add-ons as too simple and rushed. Black Arrow's core fanbase was more than pleased and newcomers were introduced to a great modern military shooter.
The most popular multiplayer game mode was Team Survival. This mode pitted the Red team against the Green team, giving each player only one life and no respawns. The game supported the standard 16 players, however a full 16 player server made the action a bit too frenetic for some. In Black Arrow, a 12 player server was the sweet spot for most maps and game modes. The most popular maps included Cafe, Airport, Back Alleys, Garage, Killhouse, Office Complex, Presidio, and Subway. Some hosts preferred to cycle through these maps occasionally to switch up the gameplay experience. The beauty of Black Arrow was the
re-playability of the maps. Game rounds were very satisfying and the maps stayed fresh when playing with skilled friends and opponents.
Voice chat aided in communication and teamwork, and hosts would often kick players without
microphones.
The two main strategies on many maps were rushing straight to the opponent's base, or finding a good defensive position to
camp in. Thankfully the maps were generally small to medium in size and hosts refrained from setting long round times. A good host who booted disruptive players and disabled game options that complicated gameplay added to the experience.
Note:
The original Rainbow Six 3 had a glitch called "Open Leaning." This created an invisible wall in front of the player every time he / she
leaned. Thankfully, Black Arrow did not have this glitch, but there were still ways to escape the
geometry of a map and shoot players from long distances.
The most popular gun of choice was the
G3A3 or other guns with similar attributes. Experienced players would journey off and use new weapons but a majority of players will usually stick with their favorite automatic rifle. Asking players what the best gun to use, they would generally respond with these,
AK47,
M16,
FAMAS, G3A3, and
MP5.
Popular secondary weapons included
grenades or
remote mines. Grenades are vital for both offensive and defensive tactics, while a more experienced player could use a remote mine to create a tactical advantage. Grenades in Black Arrow can be cooked forever, until release. This adds another layer of control to the game.
Recently, the
Rainbow Six series has drastically changed its presentation by adding new gameplay mechanics. While these changes have drawn in many new gamers to the series, many would prefer a return to the roots of previous games in the franchise.
Multiplayer Maps
Garage
Cafe
Presidio
Moroccan Kesba
Ferry Boat
Nuclear Reactor
Old Ruins
Subway
Station
Village (Free)
Lockdown Boot Camp (Free)
Killhouse
Petroleum
Winter Lodge
Office Complex
Pumping Station
Winter Base
Harbour Warehouse
Prison
Agora
Airport
Back Alleys
Castle
Hotel
Military Base
Observatory
Peaks
Rocket Facility
Streets of Milan
Winter Lodge
Weapons and Equipment
MAC 11/9 MP5A4
MP5SD5
P90 SR-2 TMP UMP AK-47
AUG FAMAS G2
G36C G3A3
GALIL ARM
L85A1
M16A2
M4 TAR-21 M249 M60E4
M1 USAS-12 AW COVERT
DRAGUNOV PSG-1 92FS
D.EAGLE
MAC 11/9 (Secondary: shorter clip)
MK23 SR-2 (Secondary: shorter scope)
USP
M203 Grenade Launcher M203 CS (teargas grenade launcher)
M203 Smoke Grenade Launcher
Flashbang Grenade Frag Grenade
M34WP Grenade
Smoke Grenade Tear Gas Grenade
Breaching Charge
Claymore Mine
Remote Mine
Gas Mask
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