Battlefield 1 fall update changes

Battlefield 1 just received its first big update with changes in store for nearly every facet of the multiplayer war game. DICE has built a sterling reputation for supporting its games long after their release date and it looks like that will continue as it heads back to historical war fighting. You can check the full patch notes on Battlefield's forums - they're quite extensive - or read on for the five biggest changes.

Absentee Squad Leaders get the boot

No more jumping from squad to squad, hoping to find the one leader who's actually doing their job. If your squad doesn't currently have an active order from its leader, calling out an order request will start a 60-second timer. The timer will be cleared if the leader issues new orders, but otherwise once it expires they'll be demoted and whoever made the request first will take command. It doesn't guarantee that Squad Leaders will give good orders, but at least they'll be compelled to do something.

Attackers get a big boost in Operations

The attackers in Battlefield 1's multi-map Operations were having too much trouble making headway against entrenched defenders, so DICE is giving them a break. First off, the attackers will start off with more tickets. They'll also get more tickets back for capturing sectors and killing retreating defenders. And the time it takes to capture flags has been slightly reduced. The default player count for Operations is now 40, but the 64-player version is also available.

Suez Conquest is harder for one team to lock down

It's not much fun when one team claims an entire map's flags and denies the other side a chance at coming back. With that in mind, DICE is adding two more capture points to the Suez Conquest map and shrinking their capture areas to include fewer defensible buildings. And this is fun - both sides' headquarters now include an armored car to make last-ditch breakouts a little more feasible.

LMGs are more viable for mid-range fights

In short: light machine guns suck less now. At length: DICE noticed that LMGs were one of the least-desirable weapon classes, and has made tweaks to the entire group as well as individual weapons to make them more useful. This includes better suppressive capabilities, less initial recoil, faster accuracy gain, and bipods for low-weight LMGs. Time to give them another shot.

So many bug fixes

Like any good patch, the Battlefield 1 fall update is full of squashed bugs. That includes fewer floating props, bunker doors that actually block bullets, a fix for multiple pre-round timers, and no more points for destroying your own team's Behemoth. Yes, even if you shriek "OH THE HUMANITY" into your squad chat as the zeppelin bursts into flame.

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