Battlefield V is finally upon us and, though it might look the same, there are quite a few additions that literally change the game. We’ve compiled a list of our top tips and tricks to get you prepared for battle and topping the leaderboards. Without further ado, here are our best 20 tips.
Anyone can revive, so do it!
Battlefield V changes the paradigm on health, recovery, and death. Health no longer auto-regenerates, so you’ll need to use med packs to survive. Everyone dies, however, so remember that you no longer need to be a medic to revive! Medics will pull you back up faster and at full health, but if you have the chance to rescue a downed teammate, do it and score some easy points!
Bonus Tip: If you’re playing a medic, take the smoke grenades and use it for cover!
Take over as squad leader
Squad play is one of the core features of the Battlefield series and can literally make or break the experience. If your squad leader isn’t doing their job by directing you to an objective, use the radial menu (“Q” on PC) to request an order. If the current leader doesn’t respond, you’ll be promoted to squad leader and able to run the show. Just be careful because teammates can do the same to you!
Play as a squad and earn points for call-ins
Playing as a squad also earns you squad points which can be spent on game-changing reinforcements. Whether it’s a simple supply drop or a full on tank delivery, these are bonuses you won’t want to miss.
3D spotting is now Recon only – Snipers, help your team and spot!
3D spotting was a hallmark of modern Battlefield games but DICE felt that it was too powerful, and if you’ve ever been shot through smoke so thick you could cut it with a knife, you might agree. Recon is now the only class able to fully “spot” an enemy using their scope. So, recon players, the weight is on you! Flares can also be shot in the area to mark targets for your team mates.
Crawl backward and play dead
You’ve never been more mobile while prone than in Battlefield V. By holding back while going prone, you’ll fall to your back and be able to shoot behind you. You can switch back just by pressing forward. If you’re unspotted and still, you can even play dead and get the jump on enemies looking for a quick cap!
Be strategic about reviving or bleeding out
Sometimes it’s better to bleed out than wait for a revive. When you’re downed, you have the ability to call for a revive, slowing your death timer, or to bleed out and speed it up. Take in your surrounds and assess the situation. Are you in a dangerous place that might get someone else killed if they rescue you? Is it a case where pushing in this 5-10 seconds is smarter than tarrying when you were downed? Admittedly, you’ll find yourself bleeding out more often than not but your next move after being downed should be a strategic choice.
Don’t ignore assignments if you like cosmetics
If you’re a fan of customizing your kit, you’ll want to keep a close eye on your assignments. Completing them awards you Company Coins which are used to buy skins. You can keep up to 4 at a time and have more than a dozen in reserve. Orders are similar but refresh daily and also award Company Coins. Don’t miss out!
Throw those grenades back!
If a grenade lands on your feet, use the interact button to lob it back! Chances are the enemy won’t have time to run away and you’ll lock up multiple kills from that quick move.
Weapons have their own progression system – don’t miss it!
In past Battlefield games, ranking up would unlock attachments allowing you to customize your weapon. Battlefield V changes that whole formula by giving each weapon its own specialization tree. It’s “quality over quantity” this time around, allowing you to choose unique perks to customize its playstyle without unbalancing the game. Don’t forget to check out the specializations menu!
Bonus hint: the same applies to vehicles!
Customize weapons mid-match – no more waiting until the lobby!
This is a nice addition and we should all be baffled that it’s noteworthy at all. You no longer have to wait until the match is over to go in and customize weapons. Unlock something new? Try it right away from the deploy menu.
Build your own cover…
Battlefield V took a cue from Fortnight and has equipped every player with a hammer to fortify their location. If you’re trying to hold a position from the enemy, build your own cover! Your hammer can be pulled out by pressing “T” on the keyboard. Support players get a bonus to build time and the type of structures they can build. Things aren’t quite as free as Fortnight – this is Battlefield after all – but it’s still an awesome new addition to the series.
… and destroy theirs!
Destruction is back in a big way. One of my favorite things to do is to find an enemy sniper hiding in a house and send a missile directly in his direction. Explosives can and will blow huge gashes in structures, eliminating those pesky hiding holes.
Battlefield V now has bullet penetration
This is a big one. If you know that an enemy is hiding behind cover, fire straight through it. This will vary based on the type of cover they’re hiding behind and will always deal reduced damage, but it’s something we’ve seen in other shooters and it’s great to see here.
Play the objective, play as a squad
We’ve already talked about the benefits of being in a squad and playing as a team, but it’s also worth remembering just how important it is to play the objective. This isn’t Call of Duty where things quickly devolve into Team Deathmatch. Solo squads usually find themselves on the bottom of the leaderboards and teams full of lone wolfs set records for speedy losses.
Points are captured faster the closer you are to the flag
It’s a game of risk. Lay right next to the flag and watch the timer count down faster, possibly taking it before the enemy can respond or hide in some nearby cover while it ticks down more slowly?
Replenish your health and ammo
To encourage squad play, DICE has limited your ability to play solo for any length of time. You have limited ammo and a single health pack. The downside is that, even if you’re playing shoulder to shoulder as the devs intended, you’ll eventually run out of both. To help with this, DICE has place ammo and health stations around the map at key points, including your base.
This is also true for vehicles, as infinite ammo is official a thing of the past for the primary driver.
Stop moving when you’re shooting, crouch when you can
Unlike some first-person shooters, the Battlefield series applies harsh penalties if you fire while moving. Put simply, you’ll have a better chance of hitting the broad side of a barn than a headshot. This is one of the key reasons why it seems like you can unload an entire clip into an enemy and they’ll turn around and one-shot you: half of the bullets didn’t land and those that did missed their mark. Stay still and where possible, crouch or go prone.
Be a mobile sniper
Targets being scoped by a sniper rifle seek a bright glint on their screen, alerting them to where they’re being sighted. If you’re the one taking aim, make sure to be darting behind cover to keep the enemy from getting a bead on you.
Don’t use raytracing (RTX/DXR)
As much as it pains me to say it, don’t use raytracing (DXR) right now. Even on low settings, the performance hit is absolutely monumental. Turning DXR on even at its lowest setting is likely to cut your FPS in half and on Ultra, even the 2080 Ti will barely hold 60 FPS at 1080p. At 4K, it’s less than 30. Raytracing might be the amazing future of video game graphics but it’s such an incredible performance hit, it’s probably best to avoid it for now.
You can, in fact, play in SLI (just not RTX/DXR – yet)
As of week ago, SLI and Battlefield V are still on the outs. It’s planned for the future but until then, download NVIDIA Profile Inspector. Open up the profile window and search for Battlefield 1 (not Battlefield V; there’s a profile but it doesn’t work). Now, look to the right and click the green plus sign. Locate your Battlefield V executable. Now, click Apply and enjoy SLI in DX11. Our 2080 Ti’s scaled at just over 42% bumping from 95 FPS to 135 FPS at 1440p Ultra.
This only applies to DX11, though, so until official driver support releases, SLI won’t help with RTX performance.
And that’s it from us! What tips and tricks have you learned? Let us know in the comments below!
