Battlefield 1 is a bloody good jaunt through the colorful fields and dismal trenches of World War 1, but most players die so often that it feels like a retro version of the movie, Edge of Tomorrow: Live. Die. Repeat. While the game will surely feel familiar to fans of the series, it's developers have made numerous subtle and obvious changes in order to accurately portray the brutal combat of the era. Since there is no multiplayer tutorial, here are some helpful features and how to take advantage of them.
Multiple Loadouts
Not everyone knows that they can create three preset loadouts per class and switch between them at the class customization screen during matches. Above the main weapon box is a small rectangle with the word “loudouts.” Just click left and right on that box to switch between presets, and each one can be fully customized. This helps players adapt to certain situations on the fly without having to waste time customizing their loadout during combat.
Loadout Customization Sources
Creating loadouts, acquiring weapons, and customizing them should be an easy task, but for some reason, Dice has decided that players cannot do this from the Battlefield 1 home screen. At first it seems like the only place to customize is during a match, which wastes both time and a pair of boots on the ground. However, players can also create loadouts on their computer in the Career section of the Battlefield 1 official site and by using the companion app. I like to use the app to customize my loadout and purchase new weapons while I'm waiting for matches to load.
Reach out and Touch Someone
Snipers usually go for headshots to get a one-hit kill, but Battlefield 1 snipers have a sweet spot set between 100-150 yards where they can get an instant kill with a torso or head shot. Also, sniper rifles can be “zeroed in” for 50, 150, and 300 meters during combat. Having a sniper rifle zeroed in at the right distance means that players don't have to adjust for bullet drop as much.
We Need Your Support
Contrary to the way most automatic weapons function, Support class machine guns actually increase their accuracy the longer they're fired. This means they aren't very effective in short bursts, which makes sense given their role. It's best to continually fire these weapons to kill and/or suppress enemies. Suppressive fire actually makes it harder for enemies to return fire, and players will get extra points for suppressing enemies before they're killed.
Rock Paper Scissors
Melee weapons are made for damaging flesh, but did you know that some of them also damage objects? While all knives are limited to slicing through soldiers, the spiked club and the pickaxe do light damage to vehicles and can also break through wood. In addition, the trench mace breaks wood, and the hatchet breaks through wood and wire. Furthermore, the Support's wrench slowly damages enemy vehicles, the Medic's syringe instantly kills enemies, the Assault's AT gun one-shots enemies, and stationary flak guns also damage vehicles and infantry.
Take Advantage of Empty Servers
There are plenty of empty servers in the server browser, but I see that as a good thing. I like to go into empty servers to learn the layout of each level and to figure out how to use weapons and vehicles. Squads and/or friends can also join empty servers and practice working together. It's also a great place to customize loadouts and figure out which weapons and vehicle variations to purchase with War Bonds. Don't expect to join empty servers and farm points though, as matches need a certain number of players before they actually begin.
Don't Discount the Audio
Battlefield 1 has some of the best audio I've ever heard in a war game and it also offers a robust set of audio features. Players will want to take advantage of the audio, especially if they have surround sound, because audio cues can mean the difference between life or death in this game. I constantly rely on audio to figure out where vehicles are coming from, and I can actually hear the footsteps of friendly and enemy players from the direction in which they are coming. For the best audio, go to audio options and switch to: surround sound, big speakers, War Tapes.
Easter in October?
All Battlefield games have some kind of extensive Easter Egg feature, and Battlefield 1 is no different. So far players have found a pair of headphones on several multiplayer levels that can be picked up. These headphones play a Morse code when they're taken to a hidden MCOM station in the same level in which they're found. Only one pair of headphones is on each level, and only one player can pick them up per round. Who knows what kind of surprise this will lead to, but it can be a fun distraction. Check out JackFrags to learn more.
