From the map to classes and loadouts, and everything in between.

Battlefield 6 was updated today with a ton of new content. In addition to Update 1.1.1.0 and the launch of Season 1, the new free-to-play battle royale mode, Battlefield: REDSEC, was also released today.

As has been stated now a few times, REDSEC is free-to-play. You can download it right now through the EA app, Steam, or Epic for PC. It can also be downloaded for Xbox and PlayStation if you are playing on consoles. Those with Battlefield 6 already installed may have already downloaded REDSEC, as it seems to have been downloaded automatically with my Steam update earlier today.

What you'll see below is a bit of a rehash of what Battlefield Studios shared themselves earlier today. Feel free to read on here for the REDSEC basics or head on over to the Battlefield site to see what the devs said.

Fort Lyndon

The battles in REDSEC take place in a new map named Fort Lyndon. This map features numerous landmark locations and is capable of hosting 100 players dropping in and battling one another.

The map seems to be varied in both terrain and locales, from the beaches of Ocean Park, to the well maintained Golf Course, to several military sites nestled in the hills and mountains such as Area 22B and Combat Training off to the east.

An exact size in either square kilometers or square miles was not shared by Battlefield Studios. I'm sure some intrepid players will figure out its rough size and see how it compares to other battle royale maps in due time.

Unique Loadouts

REDSEC is the "only non-Portal mode with different Loadouts than any other official Battlefield experience." This means that you are limited to taking the following items with you into each REDSEC round:

• Your Class, which comes with a Class Signature Set - Two Gadgets, a Signature Weapon Proficiency and a Signature Trait - and a four-trait Training Path, which is different from normal (Multiplayer and Gauntlet) Training Paths (with only one available as of Season 1 launch).
• A Sidearm
• A Melee Tool​

These loadout options can be editable after joining a match but before actually dropping into the play area.

Each Class will get their default Gadgets, Signature Weapon Proficiency, and Signature Trait. Additional Passive Abilities, including the final Level 4 ability shared between all classes, are unlocked by earning score during a round of REDSEC. Score is earned by eliminating enemies, completing Contracts, and simply surviving deep into a match.

In addition, each soldier will get Thermite Sabotage. This is "an improved sabotage device which slowly damages a tank and its crew." This is "Meant to be a last resort anti-tank tool against those unaware of a soldier right next to their tank." It works by directly planting the Thermite Sabotage device directly onto vehicles.

Assault - Pointman

Gain the high ground and eliminate enemies from defilade.

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Engineer - Field Mechanic

Disable incoming armored threats and maintain combat vehicles to keep them mission-ready.

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Support - Provisioner

Increase squad endurance with more armor and ammo, enhanced healing, and gadgets that compromise enemy sight.

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Recon - Drone Specialist

Rain death from above and track enemies on the ground to control the battlefield.

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Sidearm Choices

Battlefield Studios say that the choice of Sidearm is rather significant as it's the only weapon outside of your melee choice that you will actually take with you when dropping into the map.

All sidearms can be completely customized based on unlocked attachments and customization items. These are the sidearms that will be available to you at the start of Season 1.

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Custom Weapons

You won't drop into a match with a primary weapon. Instead, you will be able to find your weapons during each round of REDSEC. You can also find your own Custom Weapons during a round. These can be found "from any configuration - e.g. a Weapon Package - you have marked as a 'Favorite'."

Weapons in REDSEC come in different rarities. Those weapons that are below "Advanced" rarity are able to be upgraded by using Weapon Upgrade Kits. These can be found in chests or in drops. Each Weapon Upgrade Kit is unique to a weapon category (Assault Rifles, Shotguns, etc.). They are activated by opening the backpack while in a match and clicking a button next to the backpack icon. Alternatively, you can upgrade weapons when next to a Weapon Upgrade Kit by holding the weapon associated with it. This will give you an option to immediately use the kit on the weapon you are holding.

Each Weapon Upgrade Kit includes a choice of two upgrade paths.

Weapons can be upgraded several times until they reach "Advanced" quality. These are the top tier of weapons as far as upgrades are concerned. There are "Superior" weapons that can be found in the map but they are incredibly rare.

Squads

Like many other battle royale games, one player in a squad is randomly picked as the Squad Leader. All players are free to ping locations on the map where they would like to drop but it's the Leader that initiates the drop sequence and moves the squad through the air towards the drop point. And just like other battle royale games, those players who are not the Leader can break away from this formation to drop elsewhere on their own.

When dropping, your parachute will automatically deploy when you reach a certain height above ground level. This can be turned off if you want but it's not recommended for new players. You can also always manually deploy your parachute at a higher altitude for added maneuverability or to travel further distances if your drop didn't get you close enough to your intended destination.

Scavenging - Crates, Vehicles, & Vaults

Once on the ground, the scramble to loot gear and weapons begins.

Common chests are, well, the most common chest that you will find. These green boxes contain weapons, ammo, gadgets, and throwables.

Rare chests are black and red and typically contain better quality items than those found in Common chests. Sometimes Rare chests will contain Strike Packages, "which are powerful activatable abilities that can turn the tide of battle." These Packages include artillery strike call-ins, smokescreen drops to hide movements, and UAVs that can reveal enemy positions.

Class Chests will "always grant loadout items that are specific to your Class." Whomever opens a Class Chest will determine its contents, so an Assault Class player will turn it into an Assault Class Chest. These chests frequently include a "highly-upgraded weapon from the Class's Signature Weapon." They will also include high-end gadgets and other items themed around your specific Training Path abilities.

Vehicles scattered around the map also contain items that are themed to the vehicle type. As an example, an ambulance will likely contain a Defibrillator or Supply Pouches that can refill health. A disguised box truck may contain weapons that "would have been used for nefarious infiltration operations."

Drops are another way to get upgraded gear. After completing Missions, Drops will fall out of the sky and contain valuable items such as weapons with multiple attachments and call-in abilities. There are also Custom Weapon Drops that contain "weapons customized in the loadout menu of a Battle Royale match."

Locked Vaults can also be found throughout Fort Lyndon. These are unlockable only by an Engineer's Repair Tool. The Vault doors take a few seconds to open and inside players will find rare items.

The final item you can scavenge are Intel Caches. These are briefcases with a "?" marked on them. These caches will grant you Career XP.

Ammo and Armor

Ammo in REDSEC is shared between weapons in a category: Assault Rifles, SMGs, and LMGs as examples. Ammo is not shared by caliber.

Players can replenish ammo from the Supply Bag Gadget used by the Support Class. You can also find ammo in chests and vehicles, but this found ammo may not be for the weapons you are using.

Ammo Resupply Call-Ins can also be used. These are a common Call-In type that can be found. These will drop a special crate that will grant full ammo to all weapons in your loadout.

Finally. eliminated players will also drop their ammo when they die. They'll also obviously drop their other loadout items upon death.

At the start of a round, players drop into the map with one armor plate equipped out of two total armor plates. Broken armor can be replaced with fresh plates that are found in chests.

Missions

These "side-quests" of the Battle Royale mode start a few minutes into each match. You can accept a mission if you want to try to get some additional loot or better gear. These missions come with varying degrees of risk and reward.

Missions that take you into combat or directly into other teams, will have the best rewards.

One squad member accepts a mission for the entire squad. Once a mission is accepted, nobody else can accept another mission.

Here's a look at the Missions that are available at the start of Season 1:

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Naturally, there will be no more missions offered when there are only a few squads left in a REDSEC round.

Respawning

There are two options for getting back into the fight if you die during a round of REDSEC:

How a Round of REDSEC can End

There are three ways a round of REDSEC can end for you and your squad:

1. Be eliminated by an enemy squad.
2. Have the Circle of Death touch you. This is "near-instant death." No more lingering outside of the circle like in other battle royale games.
3. Win. Be the last squad alive. Easy.