Everything We Know About Battlefield 1

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DICE and Electronic Arts' latest entry in the Battlefield franchise is marching to a trench line near you, but what do we actually know about it so far?

The easy stuff first: There's a battle, there are fields and 1 is considered the loneliest number. Fortunately there's a lot more to Battlefield 1 than that and below is a growing list of facts drip feeding out of DICE and EA.

When is it set?

There's a double meaning to the name Battlefield 1 as it ties nicely with its time period, which is arguably the very first major conflict of 'modern warfare'. World War One or The Great War is the backdrop to Battlefield 1, but it's not exactly how the history books remember it.

It's got a bit of alternate history to its narrative excusing the reason why so many prototype weapons have joined the fray en masse in Battlefield 1. These prototypes did in fact exist but were rarely ever deployed.

What maps will we be fighting in?

DICE has revealed the fields we'll be scarring in Battlefield 1 and they've got some juicy teases on the official Battlefield website.

• Ballroom Blitz

"Join the final offensives along the Meuse River in 1918. Here, fierce fighting in trench lines is quickly replaced by the untouched beauty beyond hell. A massive French chateau, previously home to officers beyond the rear lines, is now the scene for a battle with both tanks and flamethrowers. The chandeliers are shaking from the barrage as the American forces push for the final railway hub at the edge of this map."

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• Argonne Forest

"The shadowy depths of the Argonne forest is the scene for some of the most brutal close quarter combat in Battlefield 1. The world inside this forest features devious defensive setups combined with a labyrinth of bunkers and machine gun nests. Camouflaged field guns firing at point blank range, Stormtroopers clearing out bunkers with gas, and the best use of sharpened spades will determine who owns the depths of this forest. Heroes are forged surviving the intensity of this infantry focused map."

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• Fao Fortress

"Join one of the earliest amphibious landings of the Great War as the British Empire struggles to secure the oil on the Al-Faw Peninsula. The majestic Ottoman fortress of Fao guards the entrance and is not falling uncontested. Here you will fight through marshlands and dunes, over bridges and shallow coves. The assault finally enters the ancient fortress itself. The quest for oil begins here. The Dreadnought needs to feed."

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• Suez

"A struggle for the most vital supply line of World War I. Even though it was considered impossible, the Ottomans crossed the desert of Sinai and threatened the canal. Join the fight by the banks of the grand canal and make tactical use of the dunes. Fight through shallow defenses, with field guns or mortars, through the outskirts of Kantara and into the deep desert beyond."

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• St. Quentin Scar - Northern France

"A massive attack on the scarred battlefields of northern France. As part of the Kaiser's battle, the German army throws everything they have to try to break through the British lines. Prepare for truly cataclysmic assaults as you push through the trenches of the St. Quentin Scar. Be the first soldier to break through the fortified lines and assault the pristine village of Travecy, untouched by the war… until now."

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• Sinai Desert - Egypt

"Engage in all-out war in Sinai Desert, a scorching hot battlefield located just East of El-Jifar. From infantry skirmishes in the narrow streets of the village of Bir el Mazar to dogfights above the majestic cliffs, you’ll need to make tactical use of the dunes as you engage in explosive battles. When all hope is lost, reinforcements will arrive in the shape of a powerful Behemoth: a deadly Armored Train charging through the desert sands."

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• Amiens - France

"A destructive clash in a majestic city. Fight on the streets and squares in French city of Amiens during the German spring offensive. A struggle in crumbling alleys, a courthouse, around bridges and railways where the British and the Germans desperately seek to control the depths of the city."

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• Monte Grappa - Venetian Alps, Italy

"Take part in one of the final battles among the peaks of kings in the Venetian Alps. High up above the clouds a desperate fight for control of mountain forts are challenging even the toughest soldiers. Utilize the massive fort cannons to stop the advancing enemies as they scale the mountainside. Up here, in this furious struggle, the Austro Hungarian Empire holds the upper hand, but the Italian Army won't stop until they've taken back what's theirs."

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• Empire's Edge - Adriatic Coast

"Along the Adriatic coast a fierce struggle for land and life is taking place. A rugged but fortified shore becomes the battlefield for an empire under siege. What was once a beautiful Mediterranean village by the coast is now transformed by mechanized war, where waves and dreadnought battleships pound the remains of Italy’s Great War."

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• Giant's Shadow - Free map due this December

"Prepare to take part in the Battle of the Selle in the cold autumn of 1918. Here, the fighting moves out of the trenches and into open country where a massive crashed airship casts its shadow onto the battlefield. The British forces have broken through the Hindenburg line and are now in pursuit towards an important railway center. Fierce infantry and tank engagements ensue on the open ground and river banks alongside the Cateu-Wassigny railway where an armored train can still turn the tide."

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What modes are there going to be?

The usual suspects are here - the staple of a Battlefield game - but DICE has already revealed a new type of mode they're debuting called Operations. Basically they involve multiple maps as attackers and defenders get in massive tug-of-war rumbles.

• Conquest

"An all-time fan favorite of Battlefield players, Conquest is a large-scale game mode with up to 64 players fighting for the control of key objectives. With large armies on foot or behind the wheel and the addition of fearsome Behemoths, Conquest brings together all the elements of the signature Battlefield All-Out War."

• Domination

"Domination offers a fast-paced infantry focused combat in close quarter locations. It’s a smaller, but more focused version of Conquest, and the fighting revolves around strategic objectives. Ready your shotgun and sharpen your hatchet – in the Domination game mode things tend to get close and personal."

• Operations (NEW)

"Operations is a completely new way to experience Battlefield multiplayer, giving you the opportunity to fight on an entire front of the Great War. In a sequence of inter-connected battles, a team of attackers attempts to conquer ground and push the frontline forward, as the defenders are trying to push them back. "

"Should the defenders fail to hold their ground on a map, the Operation doesn’t stop here: they will fall back and regroup on a different map, while the attackers will push the assault. Sectors may fall, but players reinforced by gigantic Behemoths can still turn the tide."

• Rush

"Communications and artillery were crucial during World War I, and Rush mode will have you interacting with both of them. In Rush, the Attacking forces must find and destroy the Defending force’s Telegraph Posts, which the defenders can use to call in artillery strikes."

"The Defenders can deny the Attackers by disarming the explosives they plant, but should the Telegraph Posts be destroyed, the Defenders must fall back to another sector. The Attackers win the battle if the Telegraph Positions in every sector are destroyed. The Defenders come out victorious if they’re able to run the Attackers out of reinforcements, or by having at least one Telegraph Position left intact when time runs out."

What about a single-player campaign?

Now what total buffoon would release a Battlefield game these days without a riveting single-player campaign? Think of all that massive warfare as a delicious backdrop to an alternate history of World War One. Sorry, no space battles though.

DICE hasn't yet said much about the single-player campaign as they are focusing on making sure the multiplayer-side of Battlefield 1 is ready for front line deployment later this year. Lead designer Danny Berlin did say it would "more accurately reflect Battlefield's open sandboxes." The story will be from multiple points of view also.

What vehicles do we get to play with?

Vehicles are a serious cornerstone of Battlefield and the new Battlefield 1 is no exception as they even include World War One-era tanks. There's also armoured trucks, motorcycles and four-legged modes of traversal (horses) to get us around.

Tanks are now a "teamplay-based armored vehicle class that we’ve never done before." Players will need to work together to get the most out of these hulking machines of war.

We can take to the skies too with early aircraft retrofitted for the new ways of war as they compete for air supremacy and aiding allies on the ground. Yes, we can also pilot the massive Zeppelin of mega doom, and ride the armoured train known as the Behemoth.

"The airplane was a new technology during this period, and these machines had to do a lot of work to fight gravity. To capture that physicality, we focused more on the feeling of weight and drag and how to express that in our planes," said a DICE senior designer.

"If dogfighting with jets was about pressing a button when you heard a beep, dogfighting with these machines is more about maneuvers, speed, and throwing bullets towards your target."

What classes can we enlist in?

Battlefield 1 splits itself across four main classes of soldier, but there's also special roles as a Pilot or Tanker when you step into a vehicle. Assault are explosive experts, Support resupply and suppress, Medics heal and repair, Scouts snipe and provide recon.

"We worked hard to give each class their own distinct style in Battlefield 1, while making sure to stay true to the setting and the era. They all have their own little visual quirks that set them apart," said DICE's Julian Schimek.

"Every Class is now more efficient in combating enemy infantry. They still have different things that make them unique, but we wanted to make players feel like they were able to go toe-to-toe with anyone else they see running around on foot."

Battlefield purists might note that a certain Engineer class is no longer on the sign-up sheet. DICE assures us though that's because their abilities and perks have been split between Medic, who can now repair vehicles, and the Assault class with demolition.

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• Assault

"Assaults come equipped with explosive Gadgets to combat vehicles, making them the go-to Class for taking down stuff that rolls, flies, sails, or does anything besides walk on two legs. These are your classic close-quarters specialists - if you're facing one, you're going to want to engage them from a distance, because once they close the gap you’ll lose your advantage."

• Support

"When you absolutely, positively want to keep your enemy from moving, the Support class provides sustained fire to take out enemies or suppress. Their weaponry is fit for close and medium range and typically has a high rate of fire, letting you lay down a steady stream of bullets towards anyone you'd rather keep in one place. And when it comes to bullets themselves, they've a trick up their sleeve: their Gadgets can keep teammates resupplied or help protect positions."

• Medic

"...Medics aren't just trained in the art of keeping their teammates healthy - they can repair vehicles, too. They can still hold their own in the combat department, with medium-range weapons that can put down an enemy so fast that healing an ally might not even be necessary."

• Scout

"These are your long-range specialist, able to take out enemies from afar with powerful sniper rifles. If you're the kind of player that likes finding a nice, safe hill to hide on and engage enemies from a few hundred meters away, the Scout is definitely for you. But they are instrumental for team play as well - the Scout class can use its range and Gadgets to provide reconnaissance to their team, too, surveying the area and calling out locations for their teammates."

• Pilot / Tanker

"Deploy into the driver seat of a plane or tank in Battlefield 1 and you'll eschew your typical class in favor of the two new Vehicle classes. These replace your typical classes, letting you trade in your Medic or Support kit in favor of playing as a Tanker or Pilot. When you're deploying into a tank or a plane, those vehicles are your primary weapon, and you'll be fully absorbed into that role, rather than being an Assault who happens to by flying a biplane."

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The following three classes are referred to as Elite and are Battlefield 1's version of pick-ups from Battefield 4 and Hardline. It's a who-snagged-it-first system so when their respective 'drops' happen you better be quick to spawn as one of the three Elites.

Only a single instance of each can be in the battle at once and so it does prevent others from getting the option to use it until a new drop at specific spawn points.

• Flame Trooper Elite

"Wrapped in fire-resistant gear, a gas mask, and carrying a powerful flamethrower, the Flame Trooper brings with him chaos. Stay far away if you can, but if you find yourself eye-to-eye with the Flame Trooper, you'd best muster your courage, fix your bayonet, and charge into battle before he notices you. One wrong move and you're likely to spend your last moments seeing red."

• Sentry Elite

"The Sentry moves like a human tank. With a water-cooled automatic machine gun at his hip and strapped in plated armor, the Sentry can shower enemy positions with lead while still being able to withstand a lot of damage. His main weakness is his greatest strength – in order to keep up his defense, he eschews the use of a gas mask in favor of additional armor plating."

• Tank Hunter Elite 

"The Tank Hunter has mastered the use of the 1918 Tankgewehr, an absolute beast of a weapon. Standing almost as tall as a man, the Tankgewehr is capable of damaging enemy vehicles over great distances. With a well-placed shot, the Tank Hunter can focus fire on particular parts of the enemy vehicles, taking out the tracks, machine guns, or cannons on armored vehicles."

What weapons will be in our arsenal?

This is surrounding World War One so there is a greater emphasis on up-close conflict where weapons can have bayonets attached for that personal touch. For the sake of gameplay though many of the actual weapons themselves will feel rather similar.

"The weapons of Battlefield 1 are a bit more specialized. To get the most out of them, you have to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses, and use the right one in the right situation. Putting your weapon to good use will feel more rewarding than ever before," said Julian Schimek.

"Our Gadgets may look different, but you'll feel right at home with them. World War I drove innovation, which resulted not only in things like tanks and armor-piercing rounds, but also in the sorts of medical and scouting gadgets that revolutionized the next century of war."

DICE are also spending some time working on weapon skins, of which they'll be discussing at another time. Naturally these are just cosmetic but some people really love their boomsticks covered in hotpink love hearts. Don't be a hater.

"Getting up-close and personal with your enemies was much more common in World War 1 than in other wars of the 20th century. We designed a number of distinct melee weapon types to take advantage of this, each featuring different attack speeds and damage output," Schimek continued.

Six categories of weapons exist in Battlefield 1:

• Shotguns: Close range and wide spread

• SMGs: Short in range but high in fire-rate

• LMGs: Medium range and good fire-rate

• Semi Autos: Balanced and versatile

• Sidearms: Handy (pun!) to fall back on

• Sniper Rifles: Long range and bane of everyone

Weaponry also has a variety of presets to further tweak them to your liking with as many as three. "You're able to customize them as well, changing the zoom levels, reticles, and more." DICE wanted to avoid hundreds of attachments making it overly complicated.

Grenades are a major force in any Battlefield and the studio has diversified them with three types. You get your standard fragmentation grenade of course, but there's also a low damage but very persistent gas grenade to literally gas out your foes. Incendiary grenades are higher damage but only last a short time.

"From the BANG of a shotgun to the CLINK of an empty click, we recorded a huge amount of real-world audio to use in the game. You can even tell when your magazine is running out of ammo now - your firing sound slightly changes when your ammo is low."

When is the Battlefield 1 Beta scheduled?

Those who have signed up to the Battlefield Insider club over on the official website are getting into the Beta wars a bit earlier before the masses are invited. It's also being held on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

The Battlefield 1 Beta includes two modes: Conquest and Rush.

Conquest is offered with 64-players and Rush 24-players with the Sinai Desert of Egypt included along with a major battle for the Armored Train called the Behemoth. Players will be defending or attacking the on-rails brute. You can also gallop on horseback.

The Open Beta is now ended.

What Will It Take To Run Battlefield 1?

Minimum Requirements

• OS: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10

• Processor: (AMD) AMD FX-6350 / (Intel) Core i5 6600K

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Graphics card: (AMD) Radeon HD 7850 2GB / (NVIDIA) GeForce GTX 660 2GB

• DirectX: 11.0 Compatible video card or equivalent

• Online Connection Requirements: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection

• Hard-drive space: 50GB

Recommended Requirements

• OS: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10

• Processor: (AMD) AMD FX 8350 Wraith / (Intel) Core i7 4790 or equivalent

• Memory: 16GB RAM

• Graphics card: (AMD) Radeon RX 480 4GB / (NVIDIA) GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

• DirectX: 11.1 Compatible video card or equivalent

• Online Connection Requirements: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection

• Hard-drive space: 50GB

Battlefield 1 Official Release Date

When does the full product get shipped to PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4?

A worldwide release is scheduled for October 21st, 2016.

Battlefield 1
EA's popular Battlefield series takes players back in time to a WWI setting.
Release Dates
21 Oct 2016-PS4
21 Oct 2016-Xbox One
21 Oct 2016-PC
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