I thought I saw that tanks will have 4 man crews with a separate driver and main gunner. Is this true? If it is, this is an absolutely horrible gameplay design decision by DICE. Whoever decided to prioritie a sense of "realism" or forced teamwork over fun should be fired. Just driving while someone else gets to blow up stuff up is decidedly NOT fun. IMO, any vehicle not a transport should have the driver control the main gun(s). Why? Because it's fun, that's why! The "S" in FPS stands for "shooter". I loved tanking in BF2/3/4 but a separate driver and main gunner i tanks would be a deal breaker for me. Please say this isn't what you did, DICE.

Yes, there are 4 man crews. In reality, one of those crewmen is the loader (in a M1A2 MBT, which coincidentally has no insight or means to interact with anything outside the tank), however it looks like in BF2042 there will be driver, top gunner, back gunner, and spotter. So yes, I doubt each of those positions will have a weapon.To address your thought of this being horribly gameplay design... it has been this way since Battlefield existed. Transport vehicles, such as helicopters, have always had some positions, usually the driver, without any means to directly engage enemy players, other than roadkills.So... I am confident this model has returned in BF2042. Lastly, teamwork has always been a focus for Battlefield games. You can certainly enjoy it as a lone wolf, but some game features that directly support team-play will be of no-use to you.

The driver still controls the main gun. The rest of the crew operate other weapons and equipment to improve the effectiveness of the tank.

Makes me wonder if there will be unlocks for passengers like in BF4. I remember BF3 tanks with laser designator was incredibly useful... at least until pilots complained that two people working together in a tank were ending their heli/jet kill streak and Dice folded like soggy cardboard for them

@HappyHourSumwur Everything is fine, the driver shoots and drives. The other 3 people are just bullet and missile gunners.

@afa20f13a0993a51ebc53e7cf97ebfba I don't think BF is just about "meaningless fun", but what I do like about the Battlefield games is that you can decide to be a hard@$$ teamplayer and go HAM on it like you seem to prefer or you can jump on a server and try to C4 Tuk Tuk a tank if you want. Personally, I don't feel the latter is "meaningless" because I play for enjoyment so if I have fun it has meaning for me. Those are your judgy words, not mine. For me, my most memorable BF moments are the ridiculous ones that made me laugh until I cried, not that time(s) that my squad single handedly ran the table that one time. Different strokes for different folks, dude.

Separate driver and main gunner in tanks?

15 Replies

carsono311
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
Yes, there are 4 man crews. In reality, one of those crewmen is the loader (in a M1A2 MBT, which coincidentally has no insight or means to interact with anything outside the tank), however it looks like in BF2042 there will be driver, top gunner, back gunner, and spotter. So yes, I doubt each of those positions will have a weapon.
To address your thought of this being horribly gameplay design... it has been this way since Battlefield existed. Transport vehicles, such as helicopters, have always had some positions, usually the driver, without any means to directly engage enemy players, other than roadkills.
So... I am confident this model has returned in BF2042. Lastly, teamwork has always been a focus for Battlefield games. You can certainly enjoy it as a lone wolf, but some game features that directly support team-play will be of no-use to you.
Noodlesocks
5 years ago
The driver still controls the main gun. The rest of the crew operate other weapons and equipment to improve the effectiveness of the tank.
HappyHourSumwur
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
Tanks aren't transports, so I don't think the transport model of interaction where the driver just drives should be used. Transports are for getting you to the action quickly and efficiently; if you can do damage in them that's just a bonus. In BF, they are usually abandoned once you get there or are used as mobile C4 platforms; jihad jeeps are awesomely fun. Tanks, APC's, attack helicopters, and jets are weapons first, so the driver needs to be given control of the main guns.
I stick to my point that controlling the main gun while driving a tank is MORE FUN than a separate driver and gunner. And how much fun would reloading be? Less than none, it would be annoying as hell. IRL should't apply there because it isn't fun in game.
Separating driving from the main gun wpuld absolutely ruin tanks.
HappyHourSumwur
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
@Noodlesocks I am glad to hear that. It will be the first thing I test out in the open beta. It would ruin tanks of they don't have thendriver control the main turret and cannon.
carsono311
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
I never disagreed with you about the driver having main gun control, however I doubt the spotter will have a weapon... so to that player, the tank is essentially just a transport, unless they enjoy helping mark targets for the rest of their tank-team.
HappyHourSumwur
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
@carsono311 I doubt the spotter position will be used much, TBH. I guess it gives that position something to do while they use the tank as a transport. Using a tank as my transport would be a last resort if literally any other vehicle were available. ATV's are at least fast and you can use them as a jihad jeep. Hell, I'd take a scooter from BF Vietnam over that.
Noodlesocks
5 years ago
Makes me wonder if there will be unlocks for passengers like in BF4. I remember BF3 tanks with laser designator was incredibly useful... at least until pilots complained that two people working together in a tank were ending their heli/jet kill streak and Dice folded like soggy cardboard for them
HappyHourSumwur
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
@Noodlesocks The BF4 unlock model was very unfriendly to new players, especially the further from launch that you got. I hope they don't go down that route with BF2042.

You'd have to balance every unlock to make sure experienced players don't destroy newbs all the time and run them out of the game. People will leave the game if they aren't able to have some level of success at it. That's why I stopped playing Apex Legends. I just couldn't get the hang of the gunplay and getting humiliated by better players 90% of the time isn't fun at all.
Trokey66
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
@Noodlesocks Used to love the CITV seat in Tonks and Little Birds, ideal seat for a Repair Monkey as when outside, the vehicle does not lose a defensive weapon.

(Unofficially No1 all platform Laser Designations in BF3 😎)
afa20f13a0993a5
5 years ago
@HappyHourSumwur If you think BF is just about pointless meaningless fun you should stop playing period. That is NOT the direction battlefield should be going.

There are plenty of other games that are meaningless. BF has always been a game where the best gameplay comes from communication with other players.

Since BF:Bad Company it has reneged on that in favor of the bs you presume to be fun. I saw BF4 as an attempt to get back to good design practices, despite not being perfect. There is NO reason DICE should go back to the meaningless run and gun nonsense that destroyed a beautiful franchise.
People already consider BF to be "killed" by EA, its time we save battlefield and do the right thing.