With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to welcome new friends to the Battlefield 4 family. It’s never a bad thing when new players start playing a game. Of course, the process isn’t without its growing pains. The random helicopter crashes, beached Attack Boats and endless sounds of LMG fire is enough to drive anyone mad. Luckily, us fine folks at Prima Games have paused our Christmas Vacation DVD to sit down and provide you with our top tips for Battlefield 4.
Be sure to read our free single player walkthrough.
10.) Visit the Test Range
This tip isn’t just for your benefit, it’s for all of us. Did you know that one in three helicopter crashes in Battlefield 4 are easily preventable? Alright, you caught us, we made that stat up. But the more we think about it the more it sounds fairly accurate. This is why you need to visit the Test Range. Even if you’d rather spend your time in a Main Battle Tank or Attack Jet, the Test Range will help you prepare for the intense battles ahead. Start by learning the basics and then upgrade to insane stunts that are certain to cause your death. The benefit here is that you’ll just be taking yourself out — and it won’t cost you a death — and not five of your closest teammates.
9.) Get on Battlelog
Think of Battlelog like the pre-game show before watching your favorite NFL team hit the field. It’s your way to prepare for the big game. You can set your loadout, check your stats, open BattlePacks and even join your friends on your favorite server. There’s a lot more to this utility than we’ve outlined here. Have a look at our Battlelog guide to get the most from this feature.
8.) Be a Good Teammate
Unlike other first person shooters on the market, Battlefield isn’t about your kill death ratio. It’s about your score per minute and being a good teammate. Being a good teammate means repairing that tank even though it might cost you a death. It’s about dropping the Medic Bag and Ammo Box to keep your team in the fight. Good teammates are hard to come by, but when they show up, victory is always close behind.
7.) Put the Light Machine Gun Down
Admittedly, 200 bullets is appealing. The problem is, most people who use the LMG weapon class in run and gun situations miss with 195 of them. More bullets is not a supplement for accuracy. If you plan to move around the map, go with something more versatile. However, if you intend to hold down a long hallway or M-COM, slap a bipod on that LMG and go to work.
6.) Master the Burst Fire
This tip is directly related to our last one. A large number of gun battles in Battlefield take place at range. Hammering down the trigger is a good way to lose those battles. Try firing in bursts, allowing a split second for your cross hair to reset. Although there is definitely a time to go fully automatic, firing with control will put you on the winning side of most battles.
5.) Peek and Lean
New to the Battlefield franchise, the peek and lean feature is one of the most underutilized in the entire game. To perform this move, simply approach the edge of cover and wait for your gun to tilt. When you aim down sight, you will lean out from behind cover, allowing you to engage the enemy while remaining mostly safe. Don’t force this tactic. Use it on Team Deathmatch or on maps that feature a lot of close up gun battles. This tactic is especially good for the epic shoot outs that take place on Operation Locker.
We break it down in this Peek and Lean video.
4.) Spot Targets
Do you see that enemy player in the distance, running around without a care in the world? Well, there’s a good chance your teammates don’t. No matter what platform you play on, if you see a vehicle or ground soldier, spot them. Not only does this help your team, but it also gives you points. You don’t even have to fire your weapon. Even if your friendly tank is about to destroy the enemy tank, spot the enemy tank. Free points!
3.) Squad Up
Although we don’t all have the benefit of playing online with friends, we can join a squad and do our part. Larger squads mean more opportunities to spawn close to objectives. It also means you’re more likely to unlock those third and fourth specializations, giving you that slight edge that can make all the difference in the world. If your squad doesn’t seem to have it together, use the team setup option to hop into another.
2.) Mic Up
If you have a headset, you should definitely use it. Wait, let’s clarify. You should use it to call out targets and communicate with your squad mates. Communication, like being part of a squad, is a huge part of success in Battlefield 4. Maybe the chopper you’re flying is on fire. Well, tell someone in your squad so they can spawn with a Repair Tool. It’s also an amazing way to meet new people and gain new squadmates going forward.
1.) PTFO, Bro!
Although we aren’t going to write out the full definition of the PTFO acronym, the general idea is to play the objective. Veteran players take pride in finishing at the top of the scoreboard, while the player who went 25-1 finishes in the middle of the pack. Battlefield is not about kills, it’s about tickets. By playing the objective, you are raising your Score Per Minute and helping your team win. That is the definition of the Battlefield spirit, helping your team win with no regard for your personal achievements.
Prima’s Battlefield 4 eGuide is available now.
