Re: Battlefield V Tips, Part I: Strategy
by SterlingARCH3ROriginal Post
Battlefield V Tips, Part I: Strategy
In my view, players can improve their gaming experience by concretely developing what I call the four S's of success, with what's preceding affecting everything that follows: Setup (hardware), Settings, Strategy, & Skill. This bit covers the strategy portion, and is a Battlefield V version of the "Battlefield Tips" that I posted for BF1. Many of the tips have transferred over, and I've weeded out the non-relevant bits while adding a few more pointers.
+ Drop ammo / med crates EVERY time you stop - This has tremendous leverage, especially given the aura effect of crates - if you're getting shot at, you don't have to choose between dropping ammo / meds, and shooting the enemy. You're able to quickly resupply / heal while attacking, instead of fumbling to drop ammo / meds followed by a delayed shot. Similarly, as medic / support with pouches (preferred), you should be tossing them to friendlies every chance you get. Your teammates shouldn't have to ask for them - be proactive and it saves time and gives your team supply leverage.
+ Move in the direction of least momentum - Don't move towards objectives that are being capped sufficiently or have tons of your teammates already going after it - you're contributing very little to the objective. Instead, move towards the farther objectives to flank the enemy and force them to turn around and decongest the front lines. Additionally, pull up the map, see what's not being capped, and go there; bind the full map key to something more ergonomic like Mouse Button 3. Also see You win by capping, not by camping below.
+ Don't move in a herd - If your goal is to cap objectives, then split your forces up (at least into two). Moving as one big herd may make it easier to cap an objective, but the enemy can simply tail you and recap their lost objective. Similar to "Move in the direction of least momentum" above, adding more to the herd has little value added to capping the objective.
Notable Exception: Always stick together in Team Deathmatch and Final Stand. There are no objectives to cap, and only kills matter. That means you want to stay together to more easily kill enemies instead of dying off one by one as lone wolves. The probability of getting a revive and successfully reviving others increases drastically over going solo, hence you save tickets. It can often be beneficial to stick as a herd in Breakthrough mode when you want to capture the very first objective out of two, after which you split up accordingly to defend and capture the respective objectives.
+ Don't block doorways - Get in or get out, and do your thing, but don't create a greater bottleneck for the enemy to take advantage of and mow everyone down. It also wastes time and unnecessarily restricts mobility.
+ Establish multiple lines of fire - All too often I see teammates capping an objective and hugging a single corner, one in front of the other. This is a big no-no since a single enemy can wipe everyone out (since bullets are great at penetrating...). If you're capping an objective with say one or two other teammates, then go to different corners so you can cover different angles and watch each other's backs.
+ Play your class - e.g. As a medic, if there's no immediate threat and you must choose between reviving and shooting, revive. Other times you're left with no choice but to kill an enemy in order to reach and revive a teammate. Bottom line: don't leave your teammates bleeding out a couple meters away from you, while the enemy is entrenched 20 meters out. Also note that teammates who are bleeding out can see enemies via kill cam, so they know exactly where they are. Reviving them will mean that they can take very precise action immediately. Also see "Communicate enemy positions" below.
e.g. As a recon player, as the name suggests, your primary job is to spot, not snipe. You should be spot flaring as often as possible to reveal enemy positions. This idea seems to allude many newer recon class snipers, who are seen camping all game in the back and taking long range shots at targets. The issue with this can be seen in "PTFO", "You win by capping, not by camping", and "Pile onto the last objective" below.
+ PTFO - Get good at CQB and obtaining a high KDR, over being a lone wolf sniping to get a high kdr. Even PTFO and a low KDR is better than being a lone wolf. Sniping long distance doesn't help the team to get the W. Remember, in terms of capping, killing an enemy on the objective is a net loss of 1 for the enemy; killing an enemy while on the objective is a net loss of 2 for the enemy since you're also now capping. If that still doesn't make sense to you, then think about it in terms of basketball - if you steal the ball and score 2 points, you're not only up by 2 points, the enemy is down 2 points from not scoring before the steal - a 4 point differential!
+ You win by capping, not by camping - This may be obvious as an Attacker, but it holds *even more true for Defenders. Say you're on Twisted Steel with the hypothetical objectives shown in the image below (see image below). The enemy controls objectives B & C, while your team desperately holds onto A. Go to C. It's the furthest from the enemy's point of direction. That way, the enemy bleeds reinforcements in transition back to C and decongests their numbers on A (see "Move in the direction of least momentum" above). You don't all have to flank to C, but a sizable force should (see "Don't move in a herd" above). In sum, as Defenders, don't limit your strategy to only defend objectives you hold - attack and recapture points. I created a mnemonic to help everyone remember: ABC - Always Be Capping.
+ Repair often - If your vehicle has taken too much damage, don't return to battle without repairing. Otherwise, you're engaging enemies in battle with an unnecessary handicap against you. So, retreat then repair. Also, see "As a tanker..." below.
+ Pile onto the last objective - As a Defender in Operations, if the last objective in a sector is being capped, you and everyone else should be charging in. This is regardless of whether or not you're being shot at. Throw nades and briefly shoot as you move in, but don't stop and camp on the fringes. The same concept applies to Attackers when time and/or reinforcements are running out.
+ Consolidate squads - You want to be able to have as many spawn locations as possible, to provide quicker strategic action. That means that having a full squad is essential. However, I often see too many players in their own squads, or in a squad with only one other person. This sometimes happens because people leave; but when you recognize that your squad is short, ask for others to join your squad, or join theirs. Otherwise, every time a 2-3 player squad has no one left alive, the enemy gets a squad wipe bonus, which only adds to their squad reinforcement points.
+ Destroy building walls and obstacles facing you - Deny the enemy its cover and expose them. Don't destroy the walls facing the enemy, as you can use that as cover. This is something I do especially whenever I play as a tanker, and I make sure to run over barbed wire and sandbags. As an added bonus, I often find myself killing enemies hiding behind the cover over those buildings and obstacles.
+ Fortify but don't wall off your team - This is complementary to what's above. The difference here is building the correct fortifications - not ones that enemies can use against you. This is most evident in more linear game modes such as Grand Operations or Breakthrough. Take for instance the Wake Island example below. The blue indicates the Attacker's fortifications that should be put up (objective A are walls, objective B are railings). The red indicates the Defender's fortifications that should be put up (objective A are walls, the rest are either cement blocks or railings). Simply put, if you need to keep the enemy out (e.g. as Defenders), then barricade the perimeter. If you need to cap an objective, then barricade the enemy's main entryways and don't wall of your team with fortifications facing your spawn.
+ Issue (the correct) orders - You can maximize points earned by issuing orders to objectives that are already capped or what will be capped soon, whichever will yield the quickest objective squad points. For instance, if your team has one objective capped, one that's currently capping, and the rest are owned by the enemy, choose the one that's in the process of being capped. Over the course of a Grand Operations match, this will yield at least a few thousand points for you and your squad members; whereas, always choosing the enemy's objective has no timer that counts down until you receive squad order points. What's key is that you must play to PTFO to capitalize on this the most.
+ Use smoke as Attackers, not as Defenders - In Operations, as Attackers, you want to conceal your forward movement to cap the objectives. Smoke helps tremendously to do this, and it should be one of your top choices for your loadout, and is easily among the most underrated items at your disposal. Even still, I do see players make the mistake of smoking just the front of the objective instead of either the middle or the enemies' front. If you smoke just the front, then the enemy will still be able to see you coming while you obscure your entry.
Consequently, as Defenders, don't use smoke - you need to be able to see the enemies that are coming your way. It's far better to use other nades instead to soften the attackers. Don't be concerned with using smoke against enemy snipers for the aforementioned reasons, and because if they're too far away, they're not capping. Counter snipe, use suppression fire, etc. instead.
Notable exception:: As medics, use smoke to revive teammates, especially when in the open. You should always assume that teammates who are bleeding out means that enemies are around, with their eyes on whoever comes across the same spot.
+ If you hear gunfire, always assume that it's the enemy's unless you confirm otherwise. Often times I'll see friendlies get killed from a flanking enemy, while teammates are completely oblivious to anything that happens outside of their periphery. Don't just assume that it's your teammates shots that you hear, especially if the tempo and sound of gunfire changes.
+ If you see teammates bleeding out, always assume that an enemy is nearby. Similar to the one above, when there are teammates bleeding out, approach with caution. If you're a medic or sniper, then this is usually a good time to drop smoke to revive, especially when you're in the open.
+ If you are bleeding out, be patient and look for a nearby medic. Keep in mind that if a medic doesn't come to help you right away, they may be looking for the enemy who killed you. Too often, teammates skip revives and cost reinforcements, when a few moments later medics will get to you. Be patient and wait for a revive.
+ When your team loses a sector, always retreat. In game modes like Grand Operations where Defenders must retreat after losing a sector, there is no reason not to retreat. During the retreat phase, 1) you cannot dwindle down the enemy ticket count, 2) the enemy sees all Defenders within the sector, 3) there's a countdown timer after which point you will automatically perish, and last but definitely not least, 4) the enemy receives three additional reinforcements for each retreater who dies in the previous sector. Sometimes it may be difficult to retreat, especially when you're out in the open - this is when I like to pop smoke and make my run out to the next sector where you will automatically be fully resupplied.
Notable exception: In Frontlines, the retreat time directly shaves time off of the main timer. So if time is running out and your team is either winning or tied and the enemy has a chance to arm MCOMs, you can stall and end the game by not retreating. Also note that a set number of tickets are given to each team to destroy the MCOMs, so there's no reinforcement penalty for dying as a retreater in this mode.
+ Before you advance to the next sector, push as far ahead as possible - When you're playing in modes such as Breakthrough, Frontlines, Rush, etc., during the interim before you advance to the next sector, you want to push up ahead of time. This'll reduce the time the enemy team has to prepare defenses and settle in. Do not wait until the timer goes to zero to start pushing out of the previously capped sector. Rather, inch up to the boundary of the next sector. The important point to keep in mind is to not overextend if the cap hasn't been made yet. For instance, on Frontlines, I often see players who are already 1-2 sectors ahead before their team has even capped the objective. If half your team is ahead before capping, then those left to cap will be overrun. And, if you're playing in Conquest or more sandbox game modes, I recommend inching up to the edge of the objective to get ready to move to the next objective. Of course, if there are enemies nearby, then I'd cap while staying put behind cover or concealment.
+ Fog is your friend - One common complaint I hear is about the weather; specifically, the notorious fog. In actuality, it's a blessing in literal disguise. If you're attacking in Operations, fog will help you tremendously, as it's effectively a global light smoke to help your team advance under concealment. Another bonus is that it limits the sight range of snipers on both sides, so your teammates may want to consider playing other classes.
+ Communicate enemy positions - Use your mic or type in the chat to communicate where the enemies are. Don't let your teammates unwittingly walk into an enemy camped inside a house. Let them know where the enemies are instead of having your teammates independently discover enemies. While you're down and bleeding out, you should always be pinging the enemy's location, and a red marker will appear if you press Q (default on PC) directly on the enemy for teammates to see. Otherwise, you'll see a yellow marker which can be used to the same effect. Note that smoke prevents you from pinging at enemies. It adds no value to simply look at medics while bleeding out.
+ Air traffic control - If I'm on the ground, I often hop on the anti-air (AA) and I coordinate with pilots and tell them to lure enemy planes over my AA at X objective. Conversely, if I'm piloting a plane, I like to ask others to get on the AA (which is easier said than done...). This frees up your bombers from evading enemy fighters, so that they can engage ground troops, which in turn helps our foot soldiers cap objectives. So keep your pilots in mind and get on the AA!
+ "What are those?!?" - If you play looking down at your shoes, then you'll be losing that much time moving your mouse up to target. Look level as you move and you'll be able to snap to target faster.
+ Reinforcement Count - As a rule, your reinforcement (ticket) count decreases upon permanent death when you're no longer able to be revived. This is the case for all game modes (note, however, that there may be future changes to and other game modes that may utilize what I call a "Cost of Admission" in which ticket bleed occurs upon spawning in).
+ Darwin Awards - Don't stand next to fire barrels or high explosives areas (e.g. places such as on Conquest objective D on Wake Island below). They explode, burn, and kill you.
As a gunner...
+ Do NOT shoot unnecessarily - If the enemy doesn't see you flanking or advancing while in a tank or other vehicle, then don't shoot wildly out of randomness, spite, etc. You only disrupt the element of surprise.
+ Play as an Engineer - If your tank is going head to head with another tank with no other soldiers around, often times your tanker can stay still and trade damage, while you repair the tank from behind (use the tank as cover away from the enemy tank's shells). If you're a dedicated gunner, then it helps tremendously to play as a Support class with the Engineer Combat Role, which allows for much quicker repairs.
+ Do NOT shoot at enemy tanks - The muzzle flash and tracer rounds from the gunner's MG will let the enemy tanker hone in on your position, which is visible through smoke since the enemy can guesstimate where the source of the tracer rounds are coming from. Note that enemy tanks are often in the first person view to target enemies and shoot, so their field of vision is limited. The gunner's MG fire will only draw the enemy tank's attention to hone in on your tank, while your tank loses the first hit advantage. And, when your tank is in retreat with enemy AT units engaging you, it's important to not shoot at infantry unless it's a very high percentage kill for the aforementioned reason.
To better illustrate why tank gunners' shots are typically a bad idea, here's a Battlefield Friends episode that highlights the general reason to shoot as conservatively as possible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIe2Y-c-0FQ
Notable exceptions:
Teammates occupying gunner seats...
- as temporary transport to take you to a destination
- temporarily to use the tank as a mobile spawn point
- as housing for the dedicated engineer, who primarily repairs the tank
- who are in hull mounted weapons, since they make short blasts that don't give away the tank's position nearly as bad as the MG's tracer rounds
- who you know are very good gunners and do not shoot incessantly (I typically see this with platoon members)
+ Be aware of your surroundings - If the tank has taken damage and it's parked by a destroyed tank resupply station, get out of the tank and repair the station (unless someone else is there to do it). Also look all around for AT mines - both the gunner and the tanker are responsible to keep the pathways clear of mines.
+ Don't play top gunner - This may be a contentious idea, but most of the time, playing as top gunner is a very bad idea. You're a sitting duck most of the time and you're well exposed to everything from sniper fire to plane bombings. It's a quick and easy death sentence and arguably and IMHO it's the worst position in all of BFV. Even though the top MG gun absolutely shreds much like the stationary MG, it's not worth the trade-off. I'd also argue against playing the inside MG gunner position, because MG fire not only draws attention, it acts as a beam of light that allows enemy tanks, planes, other AT units to hone in on your tank's position.
Notable Exceptions:
- No more ammo, no resupply station: when your tank (from the previous sector) runs out of all ammo at the last sector of Wake Island - as Defenders, I like to park my tank where it has a good vantage point and have the 2 gunner seats occupied.
- Hull-mounted weapons: some tanks have a spec upgrade that removes the top gunner and places the gunner inside the tank. The Sturmgeschütz IV's tier 2 remote controlled MG34 has an improved zoom and spotting capabilities, which are exceptional; however, the MG gunner must be keenly aware of enemy tanks and planes and not shoot when they're present. The Chi-Ha's hull-mounted cannon acts as an anti-tank weapon while not acting as a beam of light that calls attention to enemies as MG guns do.
As a tanker...
+ Never EVER ditch your tank as a tanker - You go down with it or don't spawn in with a tank at all. You don't want the enemy to steal your tank, since that lost tank won't be available for your team until you destroy the stolen tank. It also won't become available again if it's left abandoned and hasn't self-exploded yet. This applies specifically to tankers, as opposed to gunners in the tank.
+ Be aware of the gunners - they don't necessarily see what you see. For instance, your front gunners don't have the third person view that you do and they may not see assaults coming in with AT weapons. It also doesn't help that your main turret doesn't swivel as quickly as in previous BF games. It may be more advantageous to have your front gunners to transition to the mounted MG above. See "Communicate enemy positions" above and get your gunners to focus on the respective targets.
+ Use tanks to tank damage - Don't camp on the sidelines while infantry get mowed down. The most capable unit against infantry is the tank, so it makes no sense not to push with it. Tank damage and let infantry follow you in.
Notable Exception: In Outpost mode, tanks should be camped in a position overlooking multiple towers. The primary focus should always be the towers to prevent the enemy from scoring at all.
+ Retreat in reverse, not with your rear facing the enemy - The tank's frontal armor is the strongest. With that in mind, it only makes sense to reverse out of danger. Don't take the longer 180 degree turn and show your weak side to the enemy.
Accepted Solution
Re: Battlefield V Tips - Strategy
Honestly, there isn't much reason to drop ammo crates and medic crates are especially pointless (and actually a hinderance).
Ammo crates only resupply one special ammo while the supply stations resupply you to max and there are in large abundance on the map.
Medic pouches not only heal but resupply your fill of extra bandages, plus they can be thrown in multiple bursts making them much more effective. They should have made crates be the only thing (besides medic stations) to resupply your bandages to make them viable on the battlefield.
I'm normally against camping but I have to disagree when it comes to V's CQ mode - Defending objectives is more important than it ever was and I've seen multiple teams win with less flag caps since they were able to effectively mow down the other team. Bipods are your friend.
Also, fog isn't a thick blanket like it used to be in 1 so I don't think it really applies
Console players are unable to chat positions to teammates and must use the new spotting mechanic more effectively. You can't mark things too far away and a regular grey marker could have multiple meanings
Enemy fortifications can work in your favour and I wouldn't recommend destroying every single one. Breach a small hole, not a large one, to remain unnoticed
Don't be sad, this is just how it works out sometimes
All Replies
Re: Battlefield V Tips - Strategy
Honestly, there isn't much reason to drop ammo crates and medic crates are especially pointless (and actually a hinderance).
Ammo crates only resupply one special ammo while the supply stations resupply you to max and there are in large abundance on the map.
Medic pouches not only heal but resupply your fill of extra bandages, plus they can be thrown in multiple bursts making them much more effective. They should have made crates be the only thing (besides medic stations) to resupply your bandages to make them viable on the battlefield.
I'm normally against camping but I have to disagree when it comes to V's CQ mode - Defending objectives is more important than it ever was and I've seen multiple teams win with less flag caps since they were able to effectively mow down the other team. Bipods are your friend.
Also, fog isn't a thick blanket like it used to be in 1 so I don't think it really applies
Console players are unable to chat positions to teammates and must use the new spotting mechanic more effectively. You can't mark things too far away and a regular grey marker could have multiple meanings
Enemy fortifications can work in your favour and I wouldn't recommend destroying every single one. Breach a small hole, not a large one, to remain unnoticed
Don't be sad, this is just how it works out sometimes
