The Battlefield 1 open beta has been quite the success, if you can ignore some of the connectivity issues and occasional bug that teleports you across the map when climbing a ledge. Despite being cynical about the concept when it was first announced, DICE have delivered on their vision of World War 1 combat with a Battlefield styling. Granted, it’s as unrealistic as anything, but isn’t that the joy of gaming, to disconnect from reality, even if it’s just for a minute or an hour?
Before the rambling takes over and I end up writing five hundred words and turning this into a terrible thinkpiece, it’s time to bring you some tips on how to deal with Battlefield 1’s open beta. Complaints have been rife about its difficulty and how it can feel imbalanced, but that isn’t true at all. Like any FPS, you just need to grind past the awkward first few hours until you settle into it.
If you’ve been making the most of the open beta (it closes on Thursday) but still find that you can’t play as well as you feel you should, or that you only have a couple of hours with it and are struggling, here are some tips from a guy who is by no means a pro gamer, but has racked up serious hours with the last two Battlefield games and neglected many social commitments in the process.
Don’t forget, Battlefield 1 is not perfect.
1. Don’t pick Assault straight away
Here’s a quick history lesson: rapid fire weaponry wasn’t all that hot in the 1910s. As you will find out in Battlefield 1, they come with a hell of a lot of recoil, which isn’t perfect considering how open the Sinai Desert is. Manage any kills with an assault weapon on the map’s many dunes and I will bow my hat to you.
When I first started the open beta, I immediately went for Assault as it was my go-to for Battlefield 3 and 4. It doesn’t feel quite the same in BF1, so until you have a grasp of the game, it might be one to swerve. Don’t worry, there’s the perfect alternative.
2. Start off as a Medic
See the above? All 29 kills came from a simple Medic; no cheap tank kills or flamethrower nonsense involved. I took plenty of flags (and names) despite being basically a grunt running around throwing health packs at people. It’s the most straightforward, easy-to-use class for Battlefield beginners and can make a difference anywhere on the map.
If you’ve come under a lot of fire and find that you’re nearly dead, chuck a health pack at your feet and watch as you completely heal within ten seconds. Try to stay in cover while you’re healing before finding the fool silly enough to try to kill you and return the favour – they might underestimate your health levels and try a cocky single shot, which gives you the element of surprise.
3. Opt for the M1907 SL Automatic
The killstreaks I have racked up with this beautiful gun make my heart warm. After a little bit of levelling up, you can unlock it for the Medic class and unleash genocide with ease. It’s an automatic rifle with an impressively quick reload speed and, if you’re patient and know what you’re doing, it can also be used as a makeshift sniper rifle.
It doesn’t come with a scope and the damage drops off considerably when shooting from distance, but compared to a lot of the other options on Battlefield 1’s weapon roster, it’s probably the best all-rounder. Plus, if your accuracy is there, it becomes kind of like a pump action shotgun at close range. Two shots and you’re done.
4. Squad up
This tip is an open letter to the John Rambo wannabes out there playing Battlefield 1: if you fight alone, you die alone. The squads are there for a reason – either learn to work with others, or face missing out on half the experience and more than likely end up with a less than sublime K/D ratio. If you’re dead set on being Assault and are making your way towards a flag, at least try to enlist the help of a Medic to get you out of a sticky John Woo situation.
Also, if you’re one of those players who likes to drive off in the only vehicle at a spawn point without even checking to see if other teammates want to join, you’re a bad person and you should feel bad.
5. Bayonet charge your way out of trouble
It’s probably common knowledge by now, but bayonet charging actually makes you sprint quicker. The “cooldown” is a bit merciless, leaving you possibly exposed, though the risk is often worth it if you have a whole squad of bad guys coming your way and no chance of survival. Just make sure you do it in the opposite direction to where they’re coming from. Don’t try to do an Aragorn, guy.
There’s also the off-chance that you get a lucky kill, as you can tell from the video above.
6. Don’t shoot the horse (you bastard)
Cavalry is an option in Battlefield 1 and a pretty sturdy one at that. If you’ve been watching war films, you might think the best way to get rid of them is to down the horse – that’s easier said than done in this game. They seem to take about as much damage as a small tank and the guilt never really washes away, no matter how many times you shower afterwards.
Luckily, humans are frail as anything, so with a few well-placed shots, you can avoid embarrassing yourself via death by horse trampling, get yourself a free ride, and also swerve the chance of a phone call from PETA.
7. Spot, spot again, and spot some more
One of the features I really think the vaguely similar Verdun is missing, which I mentioned in my review, is the ability to “spot” target. This basically shows an icon above an enemy player with the press of a button if they’re in your line of fire, making them stick out amongst all the sand and destruction.
Even if you don’t manage to land the kill, one of your teammates might, which gives you a spot bonus and takes care of a pesky problem through good, old-fashioned teamwork.
8. Don’t stop moving
For all the flak Call of Duty gets, Battlefield is probably more of a camper’s heaven than its biggest rival. When you consider how many spots there are in Battlefield 1 to hunker down in and wait for something to crawl in your web like the weird, demented spider you are, it’s easy to see why so many do it.
But that’s a dumb idea.
If you kill someone, your position is then highlighted to them, leaving them ample time to plan their vengeance as they respawn. Move around after every kill if you can, even if it’s only slightly. Be aware of weak points in your “defense”; if you can be flanked, open windows, that sort of thing. Keep moving in Battlefield 1 and keep your killstreak going.
The video above shows exactly what I mean.
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