Battlefield: Combined Arms Warfare, Herding Cats

Discussion

I have played almost every Battlefield game and have loved the series. No other games gives you that combined arms warfare feeling of Aircraft, Armor and infantry all flanking pushing and working to secure the objectives. One of the greatest feelings in Battlefield is having a smooth well oiled crackpot squad working together to confront any threat that comes at them. However, I think the Battlefield franchise has missed out on a great opportunity. We can have teamwork at a squad level, sometimes... RARELY ever see coordinated combined arms. What I mean is having communication with armor, aircraft and naval assets and the ability to coordinate. Unless in the same squad, there is no good system to communicate locations of enemy armor, jets, helicopters ect. The spotting system does exist, but its more luck rather than direct communication.

I would like to propose some simple systems to solve this. I think it is extremely important that this system should be able to be used casually by the casual player as well as people who are sweating and putting in effort to coordinate. Although area specific in game voice sounds nice there are many issues with it, such as kids blaring music, ect. I think the best system I have seen for this sort of casual non obtrusive communication is commo rose ping systems.

​

Apex Legends Ping System, way more depth than battlefield

  • I would like to see multiple communication ping layers
  1. Air layer: All aircraft can ping threats to each other, Any other player regardless of squad can hop onto this communication layer to single they need evacuation, drop off, or they they have seen a mobile AA, helicopter in this region
  2. Armor Layer: All Tanks, Mobile AA, LAV, ect Tankers can coordinate where they last spotted threats infantry, enemy tanks, enemy bombers, helicopters ect , Any player can hop onto this layer signaling they need a friendly tank in this area to deal with a threat
  3. Infantry Layer: This would be the main communication layer for coordinating with other squads, simple ground area pings like need to defend this area, need ammo, medic, sniper on this hill area

​

  • To prevent visual clutter we need to be able to toggle on and off these different layers, and toggle between the different layers. Don't want to coordinate with the team or worry about it, just leave it toggled off. Too much ping spam and visual clutter, just turn it off until you need helicopter pickup.

​

  • For balance and visual reasons, these would be area pings that would not persist for more than 10 seconds. These would not be the same as spotting, spotting is the enemies current location attached to their vehicle or soldier. These would simply be area of effect pings with symbols indicating the type of ping and color of action needed by team or enemy.

​

  • The most important thing is that this system be completely voluntary, something you can pull up if you want to coordinate or something you can leave alone if you just want to zone out and play

​

  • I could even be fun to incorporate EW (electronic warfare) and EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) mechanics into this system to disrupt the enemies communication. Hit the enemy team with a jammer so they can't ping any locations.

​

  • It could also be nice to have the layers available for chat (PC)

​

  • The cherry on top would be being able to zoom into map and draw or signal movements to other infantry and separate by layer

​

Rough idea for layers on map

​

A casual night of battlefield can be a bit lonely when there's little to no coordination. You watch as your tanks get flanked and exploded with no way to warn them. You see fellow squads running back and forth like herds of cats zerging whack a mole objectives. You watch your pilots fly circles in the sky hopeless unaware of the tank trapping you behind a little rock. Wouldn't it be nice to at least have a CHANCE at coordinating in a completely voluntary way?

Posted Aug 7, 2021, 8:53 PM UTC · edited

257
LikwidSordsPLD Master Race •

being able to zoom into map and draw or signal movements to other infantry and separate by layer

I can only imagine the amount of dicks that will get drawn onto the map.

That being said, sounds like you might enjoy games like Arma 3 and Squad.

8
CollapseologistOP•

Dicks and dicks for miles and miles.. I think console would have trouble drawing so that’s fine I guess.

I actually like the arcade shooters more, I just want to be able to communicate simple information to non squad teammates.

3
[deleted]•

[removed]

1
[deleted]•

MAG had 256 players with proxy chat, and multiple channels of comms between squad, platoon and OIC leaders. It did this over ten years ago on PS fucking 3.

5
CollapseologistOP•

I just want nice things?

1
SHAQonWHEELS•

Bring it back! It was ahead of its time :[

1
Open-Range-6468•

sounds perfect

1