Battlefield bad company beta details

March 20, 2008 - There's a multiplayer beta for Battlefield: Bad Company
on the way. Interested? Of course you are. This will be your chance to
give the Frostbite engine and its massively destructible environments
to the test for the first time. The whole upgrade tree and reward
system is in the beta, so this will be a great peek at what's in store
for the game's June release. Things officially get underway on March
25th with our friends at FilePlanet
handling the distribution of the all-important beta keys to Founders
Club and IGN Insider members as well as the general public located in
the US and UK.
The beta offers up two maps for participants to fight in, Oasis
and Ascension. Oasis provides the complete vehicle set (heavy tank,
light tank, armored car, attack helicopter, and artillery) to use in a
flooded desert valley near a bustling city. Ascension drops players
into a mountaintop village surrounding a monastery.


Perhaps more important than the type of battlefield is the new
multiplayer mode on display, Gold Rush. This game style tasks one team
of defenders with holding off the attackers as they try to destroy a
series of gold crates scattered throughout the map. If the attackers
manage to destroy all of the crates, either by shooting them or
planting charges, they win the round. For every set of crates they
take, the attackers get a boost to their number of reinforcements and a
new area of the map opens up to fight over.
"We're really excited about this beta since it gives us a chance to
let a wider audience play our new multiplayer game, 'Gold Rush'. The
feedback coming back from something like this is crucial for us as
developers and will help us with the final changes and polish in the
game," stated Karl-Magnus Troedsson, Senior Producer for Battlefield:
Bad Company. "Battlefield and FPS fans get their first glimpse into how
tactical destruction can be applied in multiplayer gameplay. We think
offering two of the multiplayer maps will give gamers a fantastic
experience and some great insight into the game."
Sign up for your chance to get into the beta.
Here's a quick guide to the weapons and vehicles of war in the Battlefield Beta:
Bad Company Weapons
Assault Rifles
The general purpose weapon of the Assault class:

• Effective at all ranges but dominant in none.
  
• Firing in bursts will maintain accuracy, and use the sights to zero in for a headshot.
  
• The underslung grenade launcher that's fitted as standard on
  all Assault rifles adds destructive capability, and helps keep enemy
  heads down.
  
• Rates of fire and damage will differ with each model; find the one that suits your style best.
  

Sniper Rifles
A superior long range weapon, the Recon class sniper rifle is unmatched at range.

• Demanding patience and a steady hand, zero in for the one-shot kill.
  
• Bear in mind that at extended ranges you may need to lead your target to score a hit.
  
• There are 2 main classes of sniper rifle, bolt action and
  semi-auto – one packs more punch, while the other will allow you more
  rapid fire.
  
• And try not to get caught in close quarters -- firing from the hip doesn't suit this gun.
  

Shotguns
Unmatched in point-blank efficiency, the shotgun deals massive damage at extreme short range, as fitting the Demolition class.

• Designed
  for quick reaction shots, zooming will yield only minor benefit, but
  the cloud of pellets more than compensates for any lack of accuracy.
  
• Don't try to go toe-to-toe with snipers – the effectiveness of the shotgun declines rapidly at range.
  
• Choose between pump action or semi-auto versions.
  

Submachine Guns
The Specialist class silenced submachine gun has the highest rate of fire of any weapon.

• Specialising in close quarter combat, the SMG nevertheless retains some effectiveness at range.
  
• Fire in short bursts over distance but let rip up close --
  watch your ammo levels though, you'll eat through magazines in no time.
  
• Rates of fire and damage differ for each version.
  

Light Machineguns
The Light machinegun is the support class weapon of choice, specializing in laying down large amounts of concentrated fire.

• If you need to pin down an enemy at mid-range, this is the gun for you.
  
• With all the shaking from firing the weapon, it's not the most accurate, but sheer volume of bullets will counter that.
  
• Watch out for low ammo levels – the gun is heavy, so reloading is time-consuming, make sure to pick your moment.
  
• As with the other automatics, rate of fire and damage will vary for each.
  

Bad Company Vehicles
Heavy Tank
The most powerful vehicle on the battlefield.

• The heavy tank excels at standing off and delivering withering bombardment from long range.
  
• It is particularly effective against other vehicles, and will make short work of buildings and barricades.
  
• Its gunner position gives it close in protection, and it has radar to warn of nearby infantry.
  
• These 60 ton behemoths are vulnerable in the rear however, so watch out for taking them into built up areas…
  

Light Tank
Excellent at infantry support.

• Light tanks are the jack of all trades, good one-on-one against most other vehicle classes.
  
• Bristling with defensive weaponry, the light tank is well protected and great for transporting squads in comparative safety.
  
• Light tanks do well in built up areas, but less armour means that they often need repair from the support class.
  
• In combination however, this pairing can be devastating – it
  doesn't have the punch of the Heavy tank, but its versatility suits it
  to most battlefield situations.
  

Armored Car
A lightly armored transport.

• Good for quick insertion and providing fire support with its turret mounted .50cal.
  
• Will get you where you need to go, but be ready to bail if you come under heavy fire.
  

Attack Helicopter
Provides devastating air support.

• The Attack helo's mix of rockets and chaingun can lay waste to both vehicles and infantry alike.
  
• Vulnerable to small arms fire, the Attack Helo particularly suffers if there are any AA emplacements in play.
  

Artillery
Usually only available to support the initial phase of an attack.

• The artillery's closely grouped barrage causes havoc amongst even the best organised enemy.
  
• Using satellite imagery to pinpoint its target, it fires a quick succession of rounds to maximise damage.
  

Bad Company Gadgets
Tracer Dart Pistol
Used by the specialist, the tracer dart pistol attaches a transponder
to enemies, which emits a high frequency signal that links up to the
guidance system of friendly rockets.

• When
  the dart is in place, all demolitions class will be advised, and are
  then able to lock on and launch a homing missile at the target.
  
• While not smart enough to navigate streets, the missile will home inexorably in on the unfortunate target.
  
• Though this requires a high degree of coordination, skilled
  squads will be able to link up and utilise this combination to deadly
  effect.
  

Mortar Strike
The mortar strike allows player to call in mortar barrages from off map
batteries that will suppress and area and cause huge destruction.

• The mortars use anti-personnel warheads, and so are largely
  ineffective against armoured targets, but will tear through buildings
  and infantry causing huge damage.
  

Motion Sensor
Using miniaturised motion sensing technology, the recon class is able
to throw a limited lifetime sensor that will reveal all hostiles on the
minimap.

• This
  can be used to aid a team-mate's advance, showing him the layout of
  enemy positions, or can also be helpful to alert the sniper if he has
  decided to hole up for a while.
  

Stay tuned for more coverage on both the Beta -- launching March 25 -- and the full Battlefield: Bad Company release this June.