If you’ve spent any time with the Battlefield 1 beta this week, you’ve probably noticed just how addictive DICE’s latest shooter can be. But you’ve probably also noticed all of the new players, people running around with no clear direction, the overabundance of snipers, some amusingly terrible decision-making. Maybe you’re the one struggling to improve your kill/death ratio, or at least you average match score, but can’t seem to make heads or tails of the Sinai map we’re stuck with for the duration of the Battlefield 1 beta.
We’ve rounded up a handful of tips to improve your performance in Conquest matches. These won’t turn you into a master sniper or the world’s foremost tank buster. But they should get you well on the way to a positive K/D and maybe even an MVP performance or two.
Have A Goal Before You Spawn
Before you deploy, figure out what you’re trying to accomplish. Does your squad need a medic? Are tanks pushing your team off your points? Do you just want to grab a horse and sneak from one unguarded point to the next collecting easy experience?
Come up with a plan before spawning. If you’re going to snipe, make sure you’re dropping in somewhere with elevated cover. If you’re playing medic, don’t spawn across the map from the primary front. Having a plan eliminates downtime and makes you a more effective teammate. It won’t always guarantee victory, but a little planning will have an immediate impact on your score.
Plan Your Route
As you’ve probably noticed, snipers are kind of a problem in the Battlefield 1 beta. There are lots of open spaces on the Sinai map, particularly traveling to/from Flag E, and no shortage of people ready to camp out on top of buildings, rock outcroppings and any other elevated cover they can find. So it’s important to plan your routes when traveling near or at the front line.
Before bolting in whatever direction you plan to run, take a moment to look around for signs of an ambush. If you see enemies milling about nearby and have no backup, it might be good to change your intended destination. And keep an eye out for the glint of sniper scopes. It’s probably best not to test their accuracy over long distances. When traveling to/from Flag C or D, run through houses frequently and climb over outer walls instead of running to the entrance. Just don’t forget to check your corners and nearby rooftops for campers or wounded enemies.
The same goes for attack maneuvers. Just because you saw someone run into a house, and you don’t think they saw you, doesn’t always mean you can safely follow right behind them for an easy melee kill. Especially if you have to cover some distance. Figure out an alternate route into the building, along with somewhere you could chuck a grenade in, and attack your opponent(s) from an angle they’re less likely to expect.
Stay Behind Cover
Even if you aren’t crossing long distances, cover has always been vital to success in Battlefield and that remains true in Battlefield 1 . If you’re dying frequently, there’s a good chance you’re spending too much time exposed to gunfire and not making good use of the buildings, crates, dunes, fences, tanks, trains, walls, etc scattered across the map. Some deaths are unavoidable, particularly in high activity areas, but many can be prevented with a little caution. Sometimes you might have to crouch down (or even go prone) to completely conceal yourself. Just do whatever it takes to keep as much of your body behind solid objects, preferably rock or concrete, so you’re protected from pretty much anything other than tank shells.
Seriously, Stay Behind Cover
We really can’t say it enough. You know how people always make that lame “What’s the other half?” joke after the “knowing is half the battle” bit at the end of old G.I. Joe episodes?
The other half is cover. Now shut up and hide.
Stick With Your Squad
There’s a reason why choosing your squad is literally the first thing you do after connecting to a server. Teamwork isn’t just a suggestion in Battlefield . It’s mandatory. Your team might have an ace pilot or an amazing sniper but they aren’t going to carry the other 31 people on your side. Try to find a squad that already has three or four players, unless you and some friends want to help fill a smaller unit, and stick with them as often as possible. We’d also suggest deploying on your squadmates whenever possible. Not only will it give you instant backup but it’ll also ingratiate you with your allies a bit thanks to the free experience they receive as a spawn bonus.
If you actually manage to become squad leader, issue attack/defend orders by looking at a flag and pressing the Q button. Successful attacks (or defenses) yield extra experience for any squaddies in the area, further encouraging teamwork, and orders also serve as a great way of reuniting the team if/when you get split up in combat.
Single Or Burst Fire
Unless you’re playing support, behind a turret or carrying the machine gun from Flag F, there are few occasions when it will help to rely on automatic fire. Find a good bolt-action rifle, or a semi-automatic weapon for mid-range combat, and focus on improving your aim if need be. Automatic weapons aren’t good for much more than suppression in Battlefield 1 unless you’re standing at shotgun range. And then you should probably just be using the trench gun anyway.
Spot And Suppress
Spot all of the things all of the time. Spot enemies you see running into nearby houses. Spot tanks driving away from your current location. Spot planes that currently in the middle of dogfight. Spot those dudes you can barely see running across a sand dune hundreds of meters away. Mash the Q button like it’s the only thing keeping you alive. Spot things until you’re trying to press the button in your sleep and loved ones think you’re having a nightmare.
99 percent of the time you won’t get the kill. 80 percent of the time, no one will. But there’s no such thing as too much situational awareness in Battlefield . And no one is complaining about the spot bonus, either. Spot everything all the time. Just do it.
The same goes for suppression. If you see your allies pinned down, or just in a vicious firefight, try to get an alternate angle on the opposing forces and lay down a little cover fire. Don’t give away your own position unnecessarily, particularly if you can’t help sway the outcome of the current situation, but contribute where you can. Even if you don’t stand a chance at getting the killshot. Your help could be the deciding factor in the fight, and you’ll get some experience too.
Carry Anti-Tank Grenades When Playing Support
If you’re looking for an on-foot solution to tanks, it’s probably worth mentioning that the support class can equip anti-tank grenades, once you’ve earned a few levels and war bonds, which can then be resupplied infinitely using your ammo packs. Obviously, the opposing side is going to take issue with you staying in any one spot and lobbing grenades at their armor during a prolonged engagement. So the depth of your supply eventually becomes a moot point. But it should be enough to get the job done if there’s just one or two problematic drivers nearby.
Avoid Long Shots (Unless You’re Sniping)
Long shots are definitely possible in Battlefield 1 , especially if you’re playing a scout or you have the cavalry rifle, but try to stick to medium and close-range engagements when you can. For starters, you’re likely to get the kill quicker, freeing you up to continue pushing forward or move to a safer position (as needed). Quick kills also decrease the amount of damage you take, and chances of an incoming headshot, which saves you the trouble of having to find a medic or hiding while your health regenerates. Most importantly, quick kills decrease the likelihood of an enemy soldier following the tracers and/or sound of gunfire back to your position.
Relocate Frequently
This obviously applies to snipers and lone wolves more than anyone else, but everyone ends up separated from the group sooner or later. Cover is great but most of it is completely destructible in Battlefield 1 . People are also going to figure out where you’re firing from sooner or later, even in fog or sandstorms, so you’re going to need to move pretty frequently. More importantly, you need to learn to quickly identify cover and the safest (not necessarily the quickest!) route to it. Ideally, you’ll have a new spot picked out before opening fire, that way you can pick up and move as soon as it’s clear the enemy is onto you. Worse case scenario, just retreat from the frontline for a few seconds and then gradually work your way back up from a different angle.
Armored Trains Aren’t Invincible
Taking down an armored train isn’t easy but it can be done. If you’re playing the assault class when a train shows up, try to figure out which flag it’s going to capture and mine the tracks. Obviously, this is easier said than done. But it is possible. And the rewards can be glorious:
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