M39 EMR DMR: Battlefield 4

Long range kill with the M39 EMR

The M39 EMR DMR in Battlefield 4 is based off of the M14, or M1A battle rifle which shoots the 7.62x51 NATO cartridge.   The M14 is a direct descendant of the M1 Garand, so this gun essentially dates back to the 1930’s, but it still works today, and is still in limited use in the arms forces.  

The DMR’s are an interesting group of weapons, and the differences between them are not huge because of the way they are used in the game.  DMR’s are usually not used on the front lines where close quarters combat takes place.  Therefore, things like reload speed, recoil and rpm are less important than it is for assault rifles, carbines, and lmg’s.  There are a lot of you that probably disagree with that statement and that’s fine with me. 

The M39 EMR has no real advantage over other DMR’s in Battlefield 4.  Its biggest drawbacks are its higher recoil and longer reload times in the DMR weapon class. In my opinion its major advantage are superb iron sights, and the nostalgia of its M1 Garand heritage.  I think the M39 is outclassed by SCAR-H SV and my favorite the MK 11 MOD 0.  For those who want to spam bullets downrange as fast as possible the SKS is great.  All that said you’re really not at that much of a disadvantage with the M39 in Battlefield 4, so if you like it keep it and have fun. 

Running with the M39 EMR DMR on Silk Road - Battlefield 4

CS5 Sniper Rifle Unlock – Aggressive Recon Battlefield 4

Fast reload for the CS5 sniper rifle in Battlefield 4

It’s time to use the CS5 Sniper Rifle in Battlefield 4.  Are you ready to put on your try hard pants as the aggressive recon?  This rifle looks unique in the game and the fast firing rate (53 rpm) of the sniper rifles.  It also has one of the slowest bullet travel time of 400 m/s, but it is tied with the FY-JS and SRR-62 for lowest bullet drop of 6 m/s.  It also has the shortest maximum range of 2,000 m, but really how many shots are you going to take beyond 2,000m?  For full stats check symthic.com.  Nearly all the stats for this gun are very good, but it is the slow bullet travel time that makes this weapon a try hard rifle. 

I think few hate the CS5, but most recons will leave it at home when heading into battle.  The average recon wants the ability to take targets out at long range, and it is difficult to do with the CS5 with its slow bullet speed.  I’ve killed several enemies at more than 500m, but they were very cooperative opponents, lying prone, thinking they were hidden.  A moving target is very tricky to hit with this weapon.  However, the aggressive recon should take a good look at this rifle.  When you unlock the gun you immediately get the suppressor, which allows you to stay off the mini-map while firing.  For most sniper rifles it takes 80 kills to unlock a suppressor, which can feel like forever with the bolt actions.

First you need to unlock this rifle by completing The “I” in Team Assignment

How to Unlock the CS5 Sniper Rifle:

• Reach rank 10

• Play a Dragon’s Teeth Map (so you must have the dlc)

• 2 Sniper Rifle Ribbons

• 10 Radio beacon spawns

• 10 Spot assists

There are a lot of tasks to check off with The “I” in Team Assignment, but it isn’t very difficult if you play the recon class fequently.  I unlocked the CS5 without really even thinking about it, and that is probably the case for most players. 

Aggressive Recon – Recon that plays the object, putting them in the thick of the fighting rather than at the edge where recons typically play.

CS5 sniper rifle kill seen through 3.4x M145 scope

CS5 Loadout for the Aggressive Recon

1)      Let’s start with the scope.  If your point is to work at close to medium range, and to be stealthy they you have to use a 4x or a 3.4x scope.  The main reason for this is to avoid the scope glint in Battlefield 4.  It will be much harder for the enemy to spot you when there isn’t the tell-tale shine from the rifle.  The second reason it is easier to follow targets at close range with low magnification.  Also in the game, you can see around the scope making it easier to find new targets, and see if someone is targeting you.   Depending on your playstyle you may want to run with a red dot sight. 

2)      The most important accessory for the CS5 is the suppressor, and luckily it comes with the gun from the start.  Take advantage of the suppressor by staying off the mini-map. 

3)      Use the straight pull bolt to take full advantage of the rifle’s rpm.  With the low power scope, you can keep aiming down sights while not having to worry about scope glint or losing your peripheral vision. 

4)      Good pistol.  If find yourself with multiple enemies at close range you are going to want to switch to your secondary.  Even though it is the fastest firing sniper rifle it still can’t out damage any other primary weapon in the game.  It is a good idea to use something with a suppressor to match your stealthiness, but use whatever you are most effective with, because it is more important to stay alive.  I run with either the G18 or the Deagle (Desert Eagle). 

1. 5)      Optional- you can add laser sight to the loadout, but it will increase your chances of being seen, Canted iron sights aren’t a bad idea, but I don’t use them personally.  A rangefinder might come in handy for those times when you see someone at long range, and they aren’t moving.  Right now I just leave this accessory slot empty.

6)      For the kit I always have a spawn beacon.  You can really help your team, by placing it close to the M-COM in Rush, or close to an objective in Conquest.   The second tool in the kit will depend on the map, C4 if there are lots of vehicles, tugs if I’m defending a M-COM. 

If you can give the CS5 sniper rifle a try, it fills a niche in BF4 not filled by the other bolt action rifles.  It and the SR338 are the most unique of the otherwise similar sniper rifles in Battlefield 4.

Weird M26 Shotguns: Battlefield 4

The cray bulky M26 Shotgun attached

to the C-805 assault rifle in Battlefield 4.

The under barrel M26 Mass and the resto of the M26 shotguns are a ridiculous set of stand alone, or under barrel assault rifle attachments for the assault class.  In Battlefield 4 they may have some advantages, but real life I can’t imagine the use of these things, but this is a video game, so let’s take a look at their usage in game.  I think these weapons are silly, but that doesn’t mean they can be used to good effect in the game if you use them wisely.

The M26 can be attached to the bottom of an assault rifle.  The main advantage of this is switching from primary to shotgun takes less time.  The disadvantage of having the M26 attached to the gun it takes the place of a grip on the assault rifle, not having a grip may make you less accurate.  A lot of people with just run with the M26 as a separate weapon.  Either way this shotgun takes up one of your toolkit slots.

As a straight up shotgun the M26 has its draw backs.  There are a lack of barrel options.  There is no option to have modified, full chokes.  There are no grip options for the shotgun either.  This lack of accessories makes the M26 shotgun less functional than regular BF4 shotguns. 

M26 kill shot

M26 Mass

The M26 Mass fires buckshot just like any other shotgun can in Battlefield 4. This shotgun seems to be as effective as the average BF4 shotgun.

M26 Dart

This shoots flechette rounds, which are small darts.  In game the M26 Dart will do more damage at range than buckshot.  I prefer the buckshot, but the darts are very effective. 

M26 Frag

This shotgun shoots exploding frag rounds.  Essentially a frag round is a tiny grenade.  Frag rounds are useful to do splash damage against enemies that are behind cover.  Shoot the frag rounds on the ground next to them and they will get splash damage.  It will take several rounds to kill most opponents, depending on weather they have already taken damage.  I think this is the most useful version of the M26 shotgun.  Having the ability to kill hiding enemies is a great asset to any soldier.  In real life frag rounds are probably useless and inhumane. 

Exploding frag round - M26 Frag

M26 Slug

Why would you use this unless you ran out of ammo in your primary weapon?  Any assault rifle is better at any range when compared to a shotgun slug.  Sure the slug has more damage potential at close range, but I’ll take the ability to spit bullets down range over the slow pump action shotgun any day.  I don’t like shotgun slugs in real life either, although they are devastating at close range, they lose velocity quickly and drop like a stone. 

Real World Uselessness

The M26 shotguns are incredibly bulky and would be a huge pain in the ass to carry around.  It would also add a lot of weight which slows down how fast you can move a gun up to your shoulder and acquire a target.  To a real soldier I think this gun would be a major liability.  I don’t think anyone would use these shotguns by themselves either.  There are just so many better standalone pump action shotguns like the 870.  On the gun range it would be kind of a neat and expensive “toy.”  I suppose for the hunter it could open up your options for the quarry your after just like combination guns do, but the bulkiness and weight would make using it a chore, and the weapons they attach to aren’t really used for hunting anyway. 

M26 Mass shotgun killing the enemy. 

M32 MGL Grenade Launcher: Ultimate Noobtube- BF4

This dude is as good as dead as I finish him with the

second shot from the M32 MGL grenade launcher

The M32 MGL Grenade Launcher is an over powered weapon in Battlefield 4 and Iove it because it is amazing fun.  The M32 is a battle pickup available in many of the vanilla BF4 maps. It is a rapid fire 6 shot revolver and you have only 12 grenades to deal with, it is the ultimate noobtube.  You cannot resupply the grenades with an ammo pack, which is probably a good thing for game balance. 

I don’t always seek out this battle pickup because it is often more a detriment to my gameplay than it is a benefit.  It is tricky to use effectively, the main problem being it is very easy to kill yourself with.  If you are forced to use it a point bank range the splash damage can kill you or leave you with very little health. Also peaking around corners and pulling the trigger a split second to early is no problem with an assault rifle, but with the M32 it means a grenade is blowing up in your face, and your dead.

The best use of the M32 is to kill enemies you can’t see, but know they are there.  Did an opponent hide behind cover, do you see an orange triangle on the mini-map around the doorway?  Take aim at the floor right next to them and let the splash damage do the rest.  

If you are out in the open and encounter some enemies and don’t want to switch to your primary aim at their feet and fire away.  It is difficult to get a body shot with a grenade launcher, and aiming at the feet ensures splash damage.  If there are multiple opponents together they will all be taking the splash damage and you can take out two or three with just a few grenades. 

Reloading the M32 MGL Grenade Launcher

Beyond infantry this The M32 grenade launcher, along with the M320 HE is good for destroying cover and knocking down walls.  It will do a small amount of damage to armored vehicles, but even a tank with low health can be killed fast with 6 well placed shots.  Unarmored jeeps, quadbikes and dirt bikes are in serious trouble. 

This grenade launcher is much like frag rounds in shotguns in Battlefield 4.  It is fun to create so many explosions so fast, and kill hiding enemies, but it is of limited use and you have a good chance of being “killed in action”, so use this noobtube with caution.

MP7 PDW Unlock and Review - Battlefield 4

The MP7 PDW in Battlefield 4 strikes down one of its enemies up close.

The MP7 is a PDW with an amazing rate of fire that you unlock via the Make a Dent Assignment. 

Unlock the MP 7

-          Have China Rising DLC

-          Reach Rank 10

-          Destroy and air vehicle with the AA tank

-          Get 3 Anti-vehicle ribbons

The Make a Dent Assignment is pretty easy to complete, and interestingly you don’t even need to play as the engineer to unlock a weapon that can only be used by that class. 

I have mixed feelings about the MP7 like I do most PDWs in Battlefield 4.   The MP 7 spits out 950 bullets per minute, but each one can only do a maximum damage of 20, meaning at a minimum you’re going to need 6 body shots to bring down a healthy opponent with the defensive perk.  Even adding modest range (15 m) to the equation is going to increase the number of bullets required.  Eventually the damage will drop down to a piss-poor 12.5.  In comparison the G18 pistol has a max damage of 22 and minimum of 12.1. You’re going to need a lot of ammo with the MP7 and it’s a good thing it is capable of holding 41 rounds.

Even with its low damage output, the MP 7 is going to tear up the enemy in close quarters, especially if you take hipfire into account.  If you get surprised by an opponent as you round a corner there is no need to ADS, just fire away.  Not aiming down sights will give you a little extra time to do more damage and outgun your poor victim.  I would rather run with the MTAR 21, which will spit out 900 rpm, but do 24 max damage and 15.4 minimum.  You can use the carbine because it is available to all the classes, and so become more proficient with it then a PDW that is only available to the engineer.

Having said all that the MP7 is a good gun to run with in limited situations, like some of the team death match maps.  However, the engineer isn’t the most useful class in team deathmatch, because of the tools available to him.  Like I said I have mixed feelings about the MP7, but it is easy to unlock if you have the China Rising DLC, so why not give it a try?

RPG and SMAW Rocket Launchers – Battlefield 4

A SMAW rocket launcher in mid reload while an

attack chopper explodes in Battlefield 4.

The RPG and SMAW are similar rocket launchers in Battlefield 4 because they both are dumb fire, meaning they have no guidance system of any kind, unlike the, javelin and the LBT LAW. The RPG and SMAW also have iron sights with no option of magnification, making sighting your target a little more difficult at longer ranges.  Like all rocket launchers, they are only available to the engineer class.

Both weapons are suitable for taking out land air and sea vehicles, as well as infantry, buildings and cover.  They require a great deal more skill than other rockets, except for the SRAW because of drop and the leading required with moving targets.  However, there are those like the YouTuber matimi0 that use the manually guided SRAW with amazing skill.  Helicopters are very difficult to take out compared to land vehicles, because of their unpredictable movements.  Luckily, a hit to the rotating blades as well as the body will blow up a helicopter.  Being able to hit a jet mostly comes down to luck. 

When using either of these two rockets against armor try to get behind and shoot it in the back. Tanks, LAVs and other vehicles have the least armor in the back so the rockets will do more damage.  I occasionally use rockets in conjunction with SLAMs because it gives me a one shot kill.  When taking out infantry in buildings it is helpful to shoot the ceiling, or floor, depending on your angle of view, to get splash damage even when there is no direct shot. 

RPG

The RPG, or rocket propelled grenade is made by a number of nations.  It is iconic and easy to recognize because the bulbous warhead sticks out of the front end of the launcher. The RPG is the most powerful shoulder fired rocket in BF4, and it takes the most skill to use, because it also has the most drop of all the rockets. 

SMAW

The SMAW is easier to use than the RPG, because it has less drop, but does a bit less damage.  Currently the SMAW is my favorite of the two, just because I am just better with it.  However, I’m working on improving my RPG skills, and if I get good I’ll switch over to it since it is the most powerful rocket launcher in Battlefield 4.  It may sound stupid, but I also think the sound the RPG makes, and its reload animation are pretty cool.

SCAR-H vs. the Bulldog Assault Rifles in BF4

Super-fast reload time of the SCAR-H assault rifle.

The SCAR-H is the first rifle you unlock by playing the Assault Class in Battlefield 4, no special assignment to complete, just the regular progression through the game.  It was once unique in the assault rifles for having the highest damage output, but now it is tied with the Bulldog at 33 damage close range which drops off to 21.6.  All the other assault rifles start at 24.5 and drop off to 18.  Recoil is similar between the rifles with the Bulldog having more side to side recoil, but not much. 

With so many similarities between the Bulldog and the SCAR-H assault rifles what really separates them in BF4? For one the reload times the SCAR-H has supper fast short reload time of 1.9 and a long reload of 2.4.  The Bulldog on the other hand has a short reload of 2.5 and long of 3.2 seconds.  The SCAR-H’s long reload is shorter than the Bulldog’s short.  How many times do you get killed in the middle of a reload.  The other main difference between the Bulldog and the SCAR-H is the rpm.  The bulldog clocks in at 700 rmp or 80 higher than the SCAR-H.  That might make it better for close quarters, but the slow reload is going to pose a problem in the intense firefights that can take place in buildings.   Probably the best thing the SCAR-H has vs the Bulldog assault rifle is that you unlock it so early that you can get all the attachments you want before you come close to unlocking the Bulldog.  

SCAR-H Gameplay

The Bulldog must be unlocked by a weird, but easy Battlefield 4 assignment most players will complete without even trying as long as they have the Dragon’s Teeth DLC. 

Lions and Tigers and Bears Assignment

-          Dragon’s Teeth DLC

-          While on foot as assault, kill 10 support enemies who are also on foot.

-          While on foot as assault, kill 10 engineer enemies who are also on foot.

-          While on foot as assault, kill 10 recon enemies who are also on foot.

Shortly after I started playing Battlefield 4 the SCAR-H became my favorite assault rifle, indeed my favorite rifle in the game.  After I unlocked the carbines I used them much more frequently than any of the assault rifles, but now I am back to the good old SCAR H.  After I unlocked the Bulldog I immediately didn’t like it because it was unruly without the proper attachments, and I didn’t see a reason to grind out getting them when I already unlocked everything I could possibly use for the SCAR-H.  The Bulldog remains one of my orphan guns in Battlefield 4. 

Flipping the 2x magnifier on the SCAR-H Assault Rifle – BF4

I often run the SCAR-H with the coyote red dot, angled fore grip, flip up 2x magnifier and suppressor or muzzle brake.   

Star Wars Battlefront WW I Loadout!

There are a few ways to get out WW I fix as we wait in anticipation for Battlefield 1 to be released.  One of those ways is to play games with WW I weapons in them.  Surprisingly Star Wars Battlefront has three World War I weapons.  Of course the baster rifles of the video game behave nothing like their real life counter parts, but it is still fun to have them in your loadout.  The movie props were made from WW I surplus firearms.  The most iconic from the movies is Han Solo’s --- which was a modified Mauser C96, but there was also the Lewis gun and the Number 1 MK III Lee Enfield

DL-44 Blaster Pistol / C96 Mauser

Han Solo and his DL-44 Blaster Pistol / C96 Mauser

The Mauser C96 was one of the first semiautomatic pistols to go into large-scale production.  The 96 comes from 1896, the first year it was made.  It was manufactured until 1936.  It was chambered for the 7.63 x25mm Mauser (30 Mauser) and later the 9mm Parabellem cartridges.  The pistol came with a cool wood stock which also acted as a holster for the gun.  This gun was fairly accurate at moderate ranges when used with the wood stock

T-21 Heavy Blaster / Lewis Gun

Snow Trooper with T-21 Heavy Blaster / Lewis Gun

The Lewis Gun was invented in 1911 and saw extensive service in World War I and II as well as other conflicts.  It is well known for its flat drum magazine that sits on top the gun.  Although invented in the US the gun saw most service with the British and Commonwealth armies.  In the movies it does not have the magazine and is used by the Imperial Stormtroopers and is very powerful. 

CA-87 Shock Blaster / Lee Enfield No. 1 Mk III

Rebel soldier with CA-87 Shock Blaster / Lee Enfield No. 1 Mk III

The No. 1 Mk III Lee Enfield rifle was used by British and Commonwealth Countries in WW I.  It was replaced by the No. 4 Mk I Lee Enfield in WW II, but still saw extensive service in that war.  In the wars the Lee Enfield gained the reputation for fast firing because of its slick bolt action and 10 round magazine, most rifles of the time only held 5 rounds. 

In the Star Wars a New Hope CA-87 blaster is used to shoot R2-D2.  The gun was completely chopped off at the start of the barrel to make the prop for the movie.  In Star Wars Battlefront the gun is a devastating weapon in close quarters and nearly useless beyond those ranges. 

CA-87 Shock Blaster muzzle blast

Spectra Illuminated Controller Review - Xbox One and PC

Spectra Illuminated Controller

The wired Spectra Illuminated Controller for the Xbox One and PC has 256 colors, 2 sets of lights and is adjustable.  The spectra controller is not a Microsoft product, and is made by PowerA.  Although something of an off brand, but after about 100 hours with the controller I find it to be of similar quality to the standard wireless Xbox controller.  

There are two sets of colored lights, one in each of the grips and a central light.  Each set can be adjusted separately for color and brightness.  The standard setting, and my favorite is a fading transition between each of the colors.  You can also set the lights to just one color.  The central light is very bright and even with the brightness turned all the way down, I find it a distraction, so I always leave it off. 

see video for the full effect of the lighting

The controller is connected via a 9.8 ft. USB cable.  At the end of the cable is a plug that I’m not quite sure what the purpose is.  Perhaps it is to break the connection in case of accident rather than pull the console off the shelf.

I bought the controller, because it was a few dollars cheaper than a wireless controller, and had a wired connection.  Too many times have lost my connection with a wireless controller because I have not kept the batteries charged up.

 The Spectra Illuminate controller works great with a Windows 10 PC.  I haven’t tried it on earlier operating systems, but I assume it works well with those as well.   Remember to plug the controller in before launching the game

Spectra Xbox One controller lit up.  Both grip and center lights turned on.

Update:

The left stick on my controller is somewhat sticky.  What I mean is that it takes longer to automatically return to center than it should, perhaps only 1/10 of a second, but it is still noticeable.  Right now I don't think it is  a problem, but I'm thinking it might fail in the near future.  I'll update once again if it does.

Tolling With Phantom Bow Poison Arrows - Battlefield 4

Firing a poison arrow from the Phantom Bow

leaves a green tracer.

Today I discovered that way to be the biggest asshole troll in Battlefield 4 is to use the Phantom Bow with poison arrows.  Before today I thought the worst way to kill your enemies was with the EOD Bot.  The EOD bot does have its tactical purposes: arm/disarming M-COM's, repairing vehicles and reconnaissance , but using it solely as a weapon is trolling in my opinion.  I think it is ok to fight back with the EOD bot if you’re attacked, but I don’t think it should be used as an offensive weapon.  If you want to be the biggest douche bag in the game, unlock the phantom bow and use poison arrows to harass the piss out of the enemy team.

I just unlocked the Phantom Bow (by finding it a crate on Operation Outbreak) and I thought I’d see if the explosive arrows were useful on groups of enemies like you find on 64 player Operation Locker conquest large. Usually several choke points will develop in the game and using explosives is a good way to try to break the deadlock.  The explosive arrows turned out be crap, which is what I expected, because they do little splash damage and the rate of fire of the bow is slow.  Then I thought what about the poison arrows.

When a poison arrow hits a soldier, or anything solid it releases a cloud of green gas.  This gas does damage to enemies standing in the cloud.  The longer they are in the cloud the more damage done.  The only good thing about the gas from the standpoint of the receiver is that it can’t kill you, but it will take your health down extremely low.   While enemies are in the gas you will get flashing hit markers to show they are taking damage. A direct hit with a poison arrow will do damage and can kill your opponent.  The gas from the arrows you shoot will also do damage to you.  If a teammate stands directly if front you while shooting you are going to gas yourself.

If there is a group at a choke point you can barrage the area with poison arrows, creating a thick cloud of gas, which can completely block a hallway with the poison gas.  By the time the enemy emerges and tries to push up to your position, their health will be so low they will be easy to take out with one shot from any gun.  If you run as support you have an unlimited supply of arrows and you can switch to the airburst to easily kill the wounded enemy. 

The screen goes green when you are poisoned by the BF4’s Phantom Bow's poison arrows. 

In this case I poisoned myself.

I tried this out for a while to take the accompany BF 4 video, but I felt very bad about it.  I won’t do it again, because it can be a real annoyance.  I don’t think the poison arrows are really bad in a one on one situation, although they are extremely ineffective in that situation, but they are only for trolling in most situations.  I think the poison arrows should be removed from the game for this reason, they just make it no fun on gas cloud end.  I suppose the other reason would be is that the use of chemical weapons are banned by all civilized nations, so why should it be in a modern warfare video game?  If you really want to use chemical warfare, just wait for Battlefield 1 to come out. 

Unlock the SR338 Sniper Rifle - Battlefield 4 Gun Review

The SR338 is a semi-automatic sniper rifle available only to the recon class.  It is an often ignored weapon, because statistically it fits into an awkward spot between DMR's and Sniper Rifles of Battlefield 4.  I like to call it a super DMR.

How to Unlock the SR338

 To unlock the SR338 you need to have the Naval Strike DLC and complete the Always Deadly assignment.  Luckily, this is one of the more straightforward and easy assignments.  All you need to do is obtain three sniper rifle ribbons and get 5 C4 kills on Naval Strike maps.

Hiding in the rocks with the SR338 sniper rifle (supper dmr) in Battlefield 4.

SR338 Review

In the real world there is little difference between the accuracy, and power of a match grade semi-automatic rifle and a bolt action sniper rifle if both rifles are chambered for the same cartridge.  In Battlefield 4 however, they have to balance things out and no one would choose a super powerful bolt action rifle over a super powerful semi-automatic.  Therefore, the SR338 does less damage than all the bolt action weapons.    

 Currently in Battlelog you will see the SR338 does 88 damage, and if that were accurate, holy crap this would be a great gun.  However, if you want accurate stats got to symthic.com and you will see the rifle only does 50 max damage.  That’s plenty of damage, but it means two body shots at ranges of 150 meters or less, and if your foe is using the defensive perk it is now three body shots, or a head shot and a body shot, which is not very impressive compared to a one shot one kill at any range to the head with a slow firing bolt action.  My biggest gripe about this gun is losing a fire fight and seeing that my opponent has 10 or less health left.  Expect to get a lot of “assist counts as kill” with this weapon. 

Bad Battlefield 1 Weapon Balance?

More details about Battlefield 1 continue to trickle in after the official announcement and trailer made their debut a few days ago.  One of the details that has come down has me a little concerned from a historical perspective rather than gameplay, and that is lack of information about bolt action rifles.  We know that there will be bolt action sniper rifles with telescopic optics, and those were certainly commonly used on the front lines of WW I.  However, there is no other mention of them in all the talk that I have heard on YouTube and read.  Bolt action rifles with open iron sights were more frequent than any other type of infantry weapon.  I would imagine that 99% of the primary weapons in the Great War were of this type.  Yet I have heard that the classes will work this way.

1. Medic - Semi-automatic rifle
2. Assault - Submachine guns
3. Support - Light Machine Guns
4. Scout (recon BF4) - Scoped bolt action rifles

• Semiautomatic rifles in WW I were very scarce as well because of their complexity and unreliability.
• In World War One the submachine gun (smg) was in its infancy and saw very little use on the battlefield.  The standard infantry rifle of the German army, the Gewehr 98 (G98, M98) had a production run of 5,000,000 1898-1918 (note: many were contracted to other countries).  In contrast the MP18 submachine gun did not reach full production until 1918 and only about 5,000 were produced, and saw action at the very end of the war. 

• The light machine gun (lmg) like the British Vickers gun would be very difficult to impossible use standing up against the shoulder for any period of time because its minimum weight was 33 lbs (15 kg)  Today the M60 machinegun is bad enough and weighs in at 23 lbs (10.5 kg). 

• Scoped Sniper Rifles were uncommon, but not rare, and very similar to their modern counterparts

• There was also mention of shotguns, which were uncommon compared to long rifles, but that doesn't trouble me. 

The No. 1 MK III Lee Enfield bolt action rifle was the main
infantry weapon of the British Army in World War I.

Because of the lack of discussion of bolt action rifles I'm worried that the historical infantry weapon balance will be way off.  I now this all speculation at this point, but I'm still concerned. What Dice may end up creating is an elite group of soldiers set in 1918.  I think that would be too bad from a historical, but it still can make a fantastic game.   For instance, in BF4 the number of aircraft and armor to the number of infantry is completely wrong, and it is an amazing game.  As primarily an infantry player I would like to see the number reduce, but I am satisfied with the current gameplay. 

I can see why DICE may have reduced the bolt actions role in the game.  Turn bolts are harder to use because of their low rate of fire.  To be successful against any enemy your aim as well as you tactics must be very good.  The big old clunky guns are less sexy then the massive firepower of the lmg, or somewhat steampunk looking smgs.  For those that decide to use a Mauser 98 or a Lee Enfield No. 1 Mk3 I hope they do an incredible amount of damage to make up for their slow fire rates.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this all plays out in the reality of the game.  DICE just have made the bolt action rifle a side note compared to all the other rifles because they are less cool.  I like the big old long guns a great deal, but on the video game battlefield they wouldn't be my first choice.

Production numbers were taken from Wikipedia.  My professors would not be proud...

Amazing Response to Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty Infinite Warfare

Battlefield 1

It hasn't even been a full four days since the unveiling of the Battlefield 1 trailer, and the response has been overwhelming positive, and the opposite has been true for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.  Will the game live up to the hype - time will tell. 


Battlefield 1 Trailer May 6- May 9

Views 19,500,000
Thumbs up 1,000,000
Thumbs down 19,000
Trailer length: 1 minute 19 seconds

Holy shit that positive reaction is amazing

Call of Duty Infinite Warfare  May 2 - May 9

Views 14,100,000
Thumbs up 260,000
Thumbs down 1,200,000
Trailer Length 3 minutes 24 seconds

Holy shit that negative reaction is amazing

Call of Duty screenshot - spaceships?

I really can't believe the response to either of these.  Now I like COD games overall, but there are many things I don't like.  I thought the trailer told an interesting story, and it looks like they could pull off an engaging campaign.  However, I have absolutely no idea what the single player and multiplayer game is going to look like, because it looks like such a departure for the series.  Therefore the trailer gets a thumbs down from me.  The COD trailer also features the David Bowie song Space Oddity, which just like the trailer tells a story, but a mellow song, no matter how good it is, is a very bad choice to introduce a first person shooter game to the world.  I could see it as a follow up to emphasize the tone of the campaign though.   

I think what fans are really rebelling against is the setting of the game.  Gamers are growing tired of future settings, many even want to see a return to the past.  COD is leaving the ground and its roots, which is completely new for the franchise.  In the end the actual game may actually gain a following, but it is off to a very rocky start.  The only thing that may save it, is its connection to remastered COD 4, which both delighting and annoying fans. 

The Battlefield 1 trailer also suffers from the same vagueness, but it is incredibly action packed, features a well done mix of the White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, shows the absolute brutality of WW I, and amazing action sequences.   It is also short, leaves your mouth wide open and stimulates the imagination. 

Since WW I has become a rather obscure piece of history in the United States it was a difficult feat to get this much interest.   So far the developers could not have done better.  Dice and EA still have their work cut out for them to produce a great game that is well balanced and fun to play. 

Battlefield 1 will have an open beta before release, and it will be interesting to see what the reaction is to the real game and if it will translate into amazing sales.  The Battlefield series of games has done well, but COD has had more appeal to the masses, could there be a new king of the fps?

Laying Down the LAW – Battlefield 4 Rocket Launcher

MBT - LAW rocket launcher after destroying a tank on Caspian Border – BF4

Probably my favorite rocket launcher on wide open maps like Golmud Railways and Silk Road in Battlefield 4 is the MBT LAW (.  While it is the least popular, because it can only do 21 damage, it has three features that make it stand out.

1)      Smart lock-on function.  After you fire the dumb rockets at ground vehicle or watercraft the rocket that’s it.  If your aim was true, and took into account the drop in the projectile’s trajectory, your rocket will hit the target.  However, if it moves in an unexpected way you will have wasted your precious supply of ammo.  The LAW is different.  As it travels on the path you have chosen it will detect when it is in close proximity to a suitable enemy target, fly up, and then down on to the target.  The rocket doesn’t deviate a lot from its flight path, but it is enough to make the difference between a hit and a miss in a lot of cases.  Attacking tanks from the ground will only a rocket launcher is a risky business that often ends in death.  The LAW lets you take quick shots, and dodge behind cover, you don’t have to worry about your aim being a little off, or maintaining a lock like a Javelin the rocket will do the rest. 

2)      The LAW is a long-range sniper.  The LAW has the longest range of any of the rocket and since it doesn’t have any drop you can really laser this weapon to take out annoying snipers and other infantry as well destroy the cover they may be taking.  For some reason the sight of the LAW rocket launcher has a graduated level, which lead you to think the rocket will change trajectory on its long flight, but ignore that, it will fly straight as a laser.

3)      Another nice feature of the LAW over the RPG, and the SMAW is the magnification of the sight.  This helps you acquire you target easier, and can even be used as a really low power telescope. 

4)      Fast Reload – the LAW can reload and fire quickly, faster than any of the other launcher.

5)      The LAW will lock on to laser painted targets, but unless you’re working closely with a teammate this doesn’t help much. 

The rocket of a MBT LAW flies towards it target in BF4.
Ignore the lines for range as the rockets have no drop.

Unfortunately, the MBT LAW doesn’t lock on to air vehicles and when you do you use it against helicopters as a dumb fire missile it won’t take them down in one shot like the SMAW and RPG.  This can be very frustrating, because it is a tough shot to hit a moving aircraft, and to do it twice in a row is very unlikely. 

Draw backs of the LAW

1)      Least powerful

2)      Can be foiled by IR Smoke

3)      Warns tanks of incoming strike

4)      People think you’re a loser (get over it)

In maps with lots of cover and where most encounters with armor will be at short ranges I prefer the SMAW, or the RPG.  The SMAW is a little easier to use because it has less drop than the more powerful RPG. 

I think this weapon has some stigma attached to it.  It is available to everyone at the start of their BF4 career and so it sometimes gets used in a sort of noob fashion, but even experienced players will use rocket launches against infantry when necessary.  There are more powerful rocket launchers in Battlefield 4, but the LAW has it place in the arsenal of even the most experienced of the engineer class. 

Call of Duty Infinite Warfare Official Trailer

Just like with Battlefield 5 there have been a lot of rumblings and predictions about the next Call of Duty video game title.  The wait is now over and Call of Duty Infinite Warfare is a new game set in the future and in space.  It is a pretty big departure for the franchise and it will be very interesting to see how the fan base reacts.

Many are view the new release with curiosity, but are absolutely salivating at the announcement of the remastering of Call of Duty 4.  This is considered by many to be the best title in the library.  It seems like it will be a winner, but will Infinite Warfare be the next big thing.  We will find out November 4th, 

The Worst Rocket Launchers in Battlefield 4: Javelin and IGLA

Both of the IGLA and the Javelin are the worst rocket launchers in the game.  Both weapons require the user to lock on the target and maintain the lock during the rockets entire flight, your rocket will never hit.  If you are working closely with a recon with a PLD (Portable Laser Designator) they maintain the lock, and you don’t even need to see the target to fire.  A recon can also set up a SOFLAM (Special Operations Forces Laser Marker) that does the same thing automatically. It is fairly rare to have a partner helping out the lowly engineer by laser marking targets, so it is up to the user to maintain the lock.  This leaves the solider vulnerable to fire from all directions since they are behind little cover in order to maintain line of sight and as soon as they starting getting shot and turn to run their rocket will be wasted.

Locking on to an attack helicopter with a SA-18 IGLA

The SA-18 IGLA is designed for taking out aircraft, and has some advantages over the stinger.  However I never use the damn things because it usually ends up getting me killed.  Actually, I rarely use the stinger because I have a rather poor success rate with it.  I only bring it out if there are two or more really good helicopter pilots on the other team that are constantly causing trouble.  With really good pilots it is very hard to bring them down, because when they get locked on they will often run for cover and flare. However, if the pilot is dodging your locks they aren’t tearing up your infantry with machine gun and rocket fire.   It is much easier to bring aircraft down with rocket launchers if you have a friend doing the same. 

FGM-14B Javelin rocket launcher sight takes aim at a tank.

The user of the FGM-14B Javelin cannot mark helicopters and jets, only land vehicles.  The other major disadvantage of the javelin is it must be used against tanks, attack boats etc. and never against infantry or building and other cover.  Yet another problem with the Javelin is that it can’t be fired from inside buildings because the rocket rises up immediately and hits the celling.  These are the reasons I never use the javelin, I would much rather have the versatility of the SMAW, RPG, SRAW and MBT- LAW Rocket Launcher.     

If you never used these damn rockets before, feel free to give them a try, but I think you will find as I have, that there are many better choices out there in Battlefield 4.