Battlefield 1 released in October 2016 and put the series in the First World War, where Operations chains two or three maps into one long attack and defence battle fought across a stack of battalions. When a team falls badly behind, the game hands it a Behemoth: the six seat Airship L30, the six seat Armored Train or the four seat Dreadnought. Gas grenades, bolt action rifles and cavalry horses make it the most deliberate shooter DICE has shipped in the modern era.
Combat in Battlefield 1 rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Operations mode
Attackers spend battalions pushing through linked sectors on consecutive maps while defenders try to drain every battalion. Losing one battalion is not the end of the match, and each fresh battalion arrives with more support, including a Behemoth on the later attempts.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Behemoths
The Airship L30 flies over St Quentin Scar and Monte Grappa, the Armored Train runs the rails on Amiens, Sinai Desert and Argonne Forest, and the Dreadnought shells coastal maps from open water. They spawn for the trailing side, so being far behind is worth something.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Elite kits
Sentry, Flame Trooper and Tank Hunter sit on the map as pickup crates. Sentry wears heavy plate and carries an MG 08/15, Flame Trooper carries the Wex flamethrower, and Tank Hunter carries the Tankgewehr M1918 anti tank rifle that ruins vehicles and one shots infantry.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Weapon variants
Almost every primary exists in two or three factory variants such as Trench, Optical, Storm, Factory, Low Weight and Sweeper. The variant changes sights, bipods, firing modes and hip fire behaviour, so the same rifle can be a brawler or a mid range weapon.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Bayonet charge
Sprinting with a bayonet fitted rifle triggers a locked lunge that kills in one hit. You cannot cancel it, you cannot aim during it, and anything that blocks the charge leaves you standing still in the open holding an unloaded rifle.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Operations mode + Behemoths
Attackers spend battalions pushing through linked sectors on consecutive maps while defenders try to drain every battalion. When combined with Behemoths, the airship l30 flies over st quentin scar and monte grappa, the armored train runs the rails on amiens, sinai desert and argonne forest, and the dreadnought shells coastal maps from open water. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Elite kits + Weapon variants
Sentry, Flame Trooper and Tank Hunter sit on the map as pickup crates. Paired with Weapon variants, almost every primary exists in two or three factory variants such as trench, optical, storm, factory, low weight and sweeper. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Bayonet charge as a Multiplier
Sprinting with a bayonet fitted rifle triggers a locked lunge that kills in one hit. You cannot cancel it, you cannot aim during it, and anything that blocks the charge leaves you standing still in the open holding an unloaded rifle. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Bayonet charge optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Role
Each role approaches combat differently:
Assault (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Hellriegel 1915 Primary mechanic: Operations mode
Assault offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Medic (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Automatico M1918 Primary mechanic: Behemoths
Medic offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Support (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Lewis Gun Primary mechanic: Elite kits
Support offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Scout (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Martini-Henry Primary mechanic: Weapon variants
Scout offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Cavalry (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: M1907 SL Primary mechanic: Bayonet charge
Cavalry offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your weapons to your role's stat priorities
- Exploit Operations mode for maximum damage windows
- Chain Behemoths and Elite kits for combo damage
- Use Weapon variants to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Choose the weapon variant deliberately. A Trench variant adds hip fire accuracy and drops the sight quality, an Optical variant does the opposite, and picking the wrong one makes a perfectly good gun feel broken.
- Position using Operations mode to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and weapons for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Behemoths: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong weapons for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Amiens but will get you killed in St Quentin Scar.
More Battlefield 1 Guides
- Battlefield 1 Battlefield 1 Overview
- Battlefield 1 Best Builds
- Battlefield 1 Tier List
- Battlefield 1 Walkthrough
- Battlefield 1 Beginner's Guide
- Battlefield 1 Tips & Tricks
- Battlefield 1 Weapons Guide
- Battlefield 1 Boss Guide
- Battlefield 1 Maps & Locations
- Battlefield 1 Crafting Guide
- Battlefield 1 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Battlefield 1, check out these related guides:
- Counter-Strike 2 Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Apex Legends Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Rainbow Six Siege Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
