Let’s not mince words– the multiplayer in Battlefield 1 is some of the scariest, most intense of any game I’ve played. This is fitting for a game about the Great War, but can leave newcomers cowering in the trenches. Follow these tips and you’ll make Kirk Douglas proud.
For new players, check out these guides on what game mode to start with and how to choose the class that’s right for you.
It’s Not About You, It’s About Your Team:
Battlefield 1 is a team based game and it requires everyone working together to win. Get in the mindset of making choices based on what is good for your team, not what is best for your own kill/death ratio.
The game progression is based on points. You don’t just earn points for kills, but for helping your team. Healing, resupplying, suppressing an enemy will all give you points.
If you can give your life and take out an enemy vehicle, that is a life well spent. If you can’t get a kill to save your life but you revived 5 teammates who can, that is a life well spent. Fight for your team and not for yourself and you will all share the glory of victory.
Play Smart:
In Battlefield, it’s easy to crouch in a corner on an objective and wait for the attackers to charge in. Anytime you enter a room near an objective, work off the assumption that there are at least three people in there waiting with their guns on the door ready to kill you. They’re praying you charge in alone so they can rack up an easy kill.
Don’t give them the satisfaction. Think through your options: can you wait and move in with your team instead of alone, can you chuck some gas or a grenade in to throw them off their game, can you blow open a new hole into the room that they won’t be expecting.
Battlefield 1 rewards playing smart more than most shooters out there.
Use the Spot Command:
I played Battlefield 3 for several months before I discovered the spot command. With a quick button press, you can mark enemies for all of your teammates. In a game as chaotic as Battlefield, this is critical.
Maybe you only have a short range gun, but you see a Sniper in the ridge. Mark it and someone on your team better equipped can easily take them out. Maybe you’re a medic trying to hide from a tank because you have no anti-tank weapons. The least you can do is mark it for someone who does.
I can’t count the times that I’ve set up a mortar in a great spot to destroy a tank but my teammates near it haven’t marked it so I can’t dial it in. If I could broadcast anything to all Battlefield players, it’s this: Use the spot command. If you see something, say something.
Don’t Blow All Your War Bonds Early:
As you level up, you receive war bonds, which you can use to buy new weapons and gear. They’re pretty slow to accumulate in the first few levels, so don’t blow them by buying every weapon you can. Get stuff you really want for the classes you love most. Later on, you’ll have enough to blow on random treats.
Being Squad Leader:
Like the spot command, this is another feature that the game does a very bad job at teaching you. If you ever see a star next to your name in the respawn screen, you’re the squad leader. Don’t worry, it’s not as intimidating as it sounds. If you hold down the spot command you’ll see that you can give orders. The commands are limited to telling your squad which point to attack and defend but can be super useful for everyone. Also, your whole squad will get bonus points for following an order so it helps everyone.
Don’t Respawn if Medics are Nearby:
After you die, you can see if there are any medics close to you. If there are, then don’t respawn yet. Give them a chance to revive you. You’ll be alive close to the front and you won’t waste a ticket for your team if you’re attacking.
Bullet Physics:
Like real life, bullets drop the farther they travel and take time to hit things. You’ll have to account for that. Lead your enemies, shoot ahead of them. The farther they are from you and the faster they’re moving, the more you have to lead them.
If you’re a sniper and you’re shooting at something far away, you might have to aim above it to account for the bullet drop.
Change your Vehicle Controls:
I find the default control scheme for vehicles on consoles to be super imprecise and likely to get you killed. It requires you to drive by pushing forward the right stick. Go into options and try out ‘Alternate’ or ‘Veteran’ for vehicle controls. This lets you give a vehicle gas from the triggers, which makes much more sense to me. It will change the button to fire but for me this is much easier to adjust to than wobbling around trying to drive a tank with the stick.
Swap Seats Until You’re Where You Wanna Be:
With a quick button press (Default ‘X’ on PS4), you can switch your seat in a vehicle without getting out. Different seats will have different weapons and vantage points. Find the best spot for you.
Of course if you switch out of the driving seat, no one will be driving until someone else jumps in.
You Can’t Customize Your Class Outside of Combat… Yet:
This is super frustrating, but don’t waste time trying to figure out how to customize your class in the main menu… for now you can’t. Yes that’s right – you can only play around with you class in the middle of a game while your teammates are dying and you aren’t there to help them.
Dice is apparently working on fixing this. But for now, try to customize when you’re in the game but waiting for it to start.
Keep Calm, Carry On:
It can get stressful out there. Stay calm, fight for your team and you’ll get the hang of it.
Oh yeah, and have fun!
