Combat and gunplay

How gunplay works now

Gunplay has been reworked twice since launch. In June, Flying Squirrel wrote a new bullet system and cut the delay between clicking and firing online. In August, the U.S. update added a true first-person view with new weapon animations. You can still play in third person on regular servers.

• Bullets travel and drop, and damage also falls off past each weapon's best range. These are two separate things: a shot can land exactly where you aimed and still do less damage.
• Machine guns follow the same bullet rules, so walk short bursts onto the target instead of holding the trigger.
• LMGs slow you down while aiming and slow you further while firing.
• You can throw a grenade in the middle of a reload.
• An overheated machine gun can be cooled the way soldiers really did it. It was added on September 4, and yes, it's exactly what you think.

Hitting things at range

1. Find the distance. Objective markers show range. At normal trench distances, aim straight.
2. Watch the first impact. Fire one shot, look for dust or sparks, then aim higher if it landed low. Lead moving targets.
3. Stick with one rifle. Each weapon drops differently, so one memorized hold won't fit every gun.
4. Machine guns: fire short bursts, watch where the tracers land, and correct.

The game doesn't publish drop tables per weapon. These are practical methods; recheck them after gunplay patches.

Hardcore servers

Since August 28 there are two hardcore test servers, one in Europe and one in North America, and server owners can switch the mode on for their own servers. You can't reach them through Quick Match; pick them in the server browser.

Using the destruction

• Explosions permanently change the map. A shelled trench line can open a new route or remove the cover you were counting on.
• Shovels dig anywhere. The Earthworm perk makes digging and building faster.
• Gas, flamethrowers and dynamite are there to break dug-in positions. Clear a trench before you jump into it.