Tactical shooters, take cover. Ubisoft has officially rolled out Rainbow Six Siege: Operation Split Fire (Year 11 Season 3), and it’s turning up the heat on the modern meta. Bringing a lethal new Defender, balance reworks, map redesigns, and fresh arcade modes, this season promises to shake up how teams attack and hold objectives.
At the absolute centre of this inferno is Noor, an Egyptian Defender specifically designed to shatter the oppressive shield meta and punish careless pushes.
Here is everything you need to know about Noor, his unique loadout, and why Operation Split Fire is set to change Siege forever.
Meet Noor: The Shield-Melting Egyptian Defender
For seasons, shield-wielding Attackers like Montagne, Blitz, and Fuze have dominated tight pushes. Enter Noor—a 2-Speed, 2-Armor Egyptian Defender who brings worldly knowledge, tactical finesse, and a fiery vengeance to the counter-terrorist unit.
The Unique Gadget: Horus Lance Launcher
Noor’s signature ability is the Horus Lance Launcher, a weapon loaded with five drill-like projectiles designed to pierce, ignite, and deny space:
- Shield Countering: When a Horus Lance hits a ballistic shield, it burrows in and ignites, blasting a cone of flames directly at the Attacker. To avoid burning to a crisp in seconds, the Attacker is forced to pause, swing their shield aside, and pluck the lance out. This animation leaves them completely exposed to Defender crossfire.
- Dual-Sided Wall & Floor Hazard: The lance can also attach to soft/reinforced walls, hatches, barricades, Castle panels, and Azami barriers. Once embedded, it jets flames out of both sides of the surface simultaneously, creating instant double-sided area denial and destroying incoming hard-breach gadgets if timed right.
- Single-Sided Flame: If fired at non-penetrable surfaces (like solid door frames), it shoots flames from a single side to lock down choke points.
Loadout & Synergies
Noor’s loadout allows him to anchor effectively or play a high-impact flex role:
- Primary Weapons: Commando-9 Assault Rifle / ALDA 5.56 LMG
- Secondary Weapons: 1911 TACOPS Handgun / Bailiff 410 (great for site setup)
- Secondary Gadgets: Deployable Shield / Barbed Wire
Pro-Tip: Pair Noor with Pulse to track heartbeat signals through soft walls and land precision Horus Lances, or team him up with Tubarão or Melusi to trap slowed Attackers inside the burning radius.
What Else is New in Operation Split Fire?
While Noor is stealing the spotlight, Operation Split Fire brings a massive wave of seasonal updates to keep the tactical gameplay fresh:
1. Villa Map Redesign
Villa’s underutilised 1F Living Room/Library bomb site has been relocated down to the Basement, complete with major structural renovations, new rotation paths, and updated interior sightlines.
2. Operator & Weapon Balancing
- Dokkaebi: Receives Breach Charges (replacing EMPs), but her Jegeo Payload upload can now be interrupted by Mute Jammers and requires a constant active connection.
- Kali: Scopes rebalanced to 3.5x and 8x with faster bolt-action timing between shots.
- Weapon Adjustments: Recoil and magazine tweaks arrive for high-skill picks like the SMG-12 and AR-15.50 to encourage controlled burst firing.
3. Limited-Time Arcade & Events
- 3v3 Arcade Mode: A fast-paced, 7-round max Bomb mode designed for smaller squads, featuring a quick 30-second prep phase and Operator attrition rules.
- Wasteland Circuit Event: Siege’s first-ever drone-racing event! Players will battle through obstacle-filled tracks with speed boosts and item drops.
Final Verdict
Operation Split Fire is a breath of fresh air—and hot fire—for Rainbow Six Siege. By introducing an active counter to shield pushes without making them obsolete, Noor raises the skill ceiling for both Defenders and Attackers alike.
Are you ready to main Noor, or will your shield push get cooked? Drop into Operation Split Fire today and test out the new meta for yourself!
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