Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Every Archaean Enemy Types In Rainbow Six Extraction

You'll become awfully familiar with the Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans across your time with this sci-fi shooter. Rainbow Six Extraction is swapping out its human-controlled soldiers for AI aliens, but believe us when we say they still pack a punch. With 12 Archaeans to face off against, with more being introduced in the higher difficulties, you'll need to know how best to face each of them including where to find the weak spots. That's why we've broken down a guide to every Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans type, the tactics to use against them, and where to find their weak spots. 

• Still coming to grips with the game? Check out our Rainbow Six Extraction tips. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Grunt

Grunts are your entry level Archaean and among the easiest to defeat. However, if these things get close enough you'll go down easy enough. While a few shots to the body ought to do the trick here, a quick headshot will see them evaporate out of existence. The Grunts move quickly and as the difficulty ramps up it can be the Grunt that overwhelms while the bigger enemies draw your attentions 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Nest

Nests are everywhere in Extraction and the root of a lot of your problems. These red pulsing sacks will dump Archaeans after Archaens on you once they have been alerted, so you want to take them out as quickly as possible. These can either be taken out with a few shots, or if close enough you can take them out with a melee attack. This way you will also get rid of some of that pesky black goo, the Sprawl. 

• Have a read of our Rainbow Six Extraction review to find out why we think it's one of the best co-op experiences on the market right now. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Breacher

Our next Rainbow Six Extraction Archaean is the Breacher. These things are about as common as Grunts and Nests, and can be spotted by their glowing red bulb on their back - quite similar to the Nests. While super easy to defeat - a single shot to the red mark should suffice - the danger in the Breach comes through its ability to explode, and the loud noise drawing in more surrounding Archaeans. While sometimes a little tricky to pull off taking out the Breach without shooting its sack leaves a handy mine of sorts for future passing Archaeans which can be shot to detonate. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Bloater

The Bloater is functionally the exact same as the Breacher. However, instead of letting off a simple explosion the Bloater will throw a cloud of poisonous gas into the mix which will linger. This gas has some serious potential to hack away at your health so avoid it at all cost. And while still difficult, the Bloater preferred method of elimination is shooting its body so as to avoid its explosion. However, if you are struggling for time a shot to its green glowing blub will do. 

• Want to know all Rainbow Six Extraction operators to choose from? Head over to our guide. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Spiker

The Spiker is one of the first seriously dangerous picks of the Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans. Looking and acting much the same as the Grunt, the Spiker won't run up for melee attacks. Instead, it will stand from afar and damage you with its projectiles. These are deadly and as soon as you hear the shots popping off, head straight for cover. Luckily, they also go down about as easily as the Grunts, with a swift shot to the head or a few bodyshots. This is where a Field Wall comes in handy, so be sure to check out our picks for the Rainbow Six Extraction best REACT tech.

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Sower

The Sower has to be one of the more annoying enemy types of the Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans. The Sower will scurry around fours with seemingly impenetrable skin on its head and most of its front facing area. These things won't necessarily attack you head on, but they will try their best to get close and dump a blinding mine next to you for other enemies to move in for an attack. Thankfully the Sower is stupid enough to jump on its hind legs for a screech every now and again, and it is here that you want to shoot into its belly. 

• Find out how to play with friends for free with our Rainbow Six Extraction co-op guide. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Rooter 

Upping the ante that wee bit more, the Rooter can deal some killer blows as one of the most dangerous Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans type out there. Another creature to crawl on all fours, the Rooter will launch a ranged attack that will raise spikes through the ground, damaging you as well as pinning you in place. Of course neither taking damage nor being pinned down is particularly great in Extraction, but the Rooter can be difficult to take down. It can take damage from the front, unlike the Sower, but getting behind it will reveal the weak spot in the back of its head. A single shot will even take this beast down from here, so always try and make the flank on it. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Tormentor

The Tormentor won't pop up till you crank the difficulty up to the second highest, and there is good reason for it being reserved to that level. These tall creatures will fire spike, just like the Spiker, but deal out even more damage and even the occasional explosive damage. But that's not all. They are also incredibly fast as they can travel through the Sprawl, and are completely untouchable when going through it. The main tactic here is to keep on your toes. Always be aware of where they will pop up and keep on the move. While difficult to pin down the head is the weak spot on the Tormentor, so try your best to hit that. 

• Take the fight back to the Archaeans with our list of the Rainbow Six Extraction best REACT tech. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Smasher

The Smasher is the most intimidating of the Rainbow Six Extraction Archaean types, as it thunders through the map. You will hear its footsteps before you see it and try to use this as a way to steer clear of it. The Smasher will charge anyone it sees, and of course deals a ridiculous amount of damage. You'll want to get round behind this one too as its weak spot is on its back, so lure it out with one operator and shoot its back with the rest of the squad. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Lurker

Looking like a Demogorgon ripped straight out of Stranger Things, the Lurker is a support to the rest of its Archaeans. Quick to call out and even make some Archaeans invisible, your life will be a lot easier if you take it out quickly. Annoyingly, its weak spot is its head, but it can cover it up with its enclosing scales. Wait for it to open up before taking your shot. 

• Find out if you can play Rainbow Six Extraction split-screen in our guide. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Apex

The Apex is of course one of the peak forms of the Rainbow Six Extraction and will require some tactics to take it down. The Apex is powerful in itself and takes on a tonne of damage, even when shooting its head. But the real damage power is in its ability to rally its Archaean forces. It cannot be stealthily taken down so either try to avoid it or be ready for a fight. 

Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans: Proteans

The Proteans are the big bad bosses of Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans. These things will imitate certain operators (Alibi, Sledge, and Smoke so far). These things are fast, deadly, and scarily without weak points. So load up and start shooting. Be sure to keep moving and working as a team to chip away at this thing's health bar, and maybe you will survive. 

Those are all of the Rainbow Six Extraction Archaeans types. Check out our list for the Rainbow Six Extraction best operators to take them all out.