Rear melee take-down not working

Part 1 probably isn't a bug. To trigger the melee animation, you have to be at similar height as your target. In this GIF, your target is high enough to prevent the animation from activating mid-swing.

On #2 - in Battlefield melee is supposed to have two purposes: one is stealth takedowns (for which it does its job well enough), the other is being the last resort weapon in CQC. Emphasis on "last resort" - the weapon that is only supposed to bail you out if you face a weakened or confused enemy. It's not supposed to be the best option available (which would basically be the case in CQC with 1-hit kill). That's what a high rate of fire automatic gun or a shotgun is for.

Part 1 probably isn't a bug. To trigger the melee animation, you have to be at similar height as your target. In this GIF, your target is high enough to prevent the animation from activating mid-swing.

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Yabbut, I believe you can trigger the animation on a recon that is prone (on his/her belly) and facing away from you. I do realize that in the animation you stoop down and roll them over, but that is after the animation sequence has begun. If I'm not mistaken, the melee OHK animation is activated when you are standing and they are completely prone. I will try to capture another video when this happens next (either way, if it works correctly, or if it does what happened in my video above) Thanks for your input (and XP)

I slightly misphrased what I meant, apologies. By "similar height as your target" I meant the terrain height. So, when you look at knifer and target, in most of cases that would be indicated fairly reliably by where the feet are. Which is why it would work with standing knifer vs prone target, but it's also why it would likely not click on the stairs most of the time. Another factor that doesn't help in this case is that the heavier the melee weapon, the smaller the instant takedown zone. As this was a heavy melee weapon, it means that it was even more sensitive to any differences in positioning/height. I can't say if the knife would've worked there for sure, but it would certainly have a better chance.

I see what you mean. I still think if I were to chase someone up the stairs, I should still get the OHK even if I am two steps lower than the person, or the inverse, chasing someone down the stairs.

I know there are bigger bugs (if this is indeed considered a bug) but anytime I knife/club etc.. from behind, I think I should get a OHK. (as I already mentioned, I believe every melee should be a OHK like the good old days. In the first BF Bad Company, you could knife someone while running up the stairs (and they were running down the stairs) and never even break your stride.. it was so nice--no animation needed. Slice while running...