With another big update, Dice invited a bunch of people to a pre-release capture event showcasing the new class system in Battlefield 2042. In addition to this return to a beloved battlefield staple, the snowy map Breakaway has also seen a huge rework that keeps the action much closer, and there have been quite a few new and old items added back into the Battlefield mix. Be sure to hit the video to see some of the Battlefield 2042 3.2 updates in action.
Dice has been quite vocal about the changes it’s making to the class system in BF 2042. This was one of the biggest criticisms of the game when it launched from hardcore battlefield fans. Since it already has specialists in the game, Dice decided to divide them into four different familiar classes –assault, engineer, support, and recon. Each class will have a native gadget like a defibrillator for support, a specialist gadget like the sentry gun for Boris, a specialist trait like Zain’s self-healing after a kill, and also the ability to choose an additional class-specific gadget. Let’s dive in and take a look at each class.
In addition to class-specific gadgets, each class has proficiency bonuses for specific weapon types. Assault gets three extra mags when using assault rifles and the engineer specialists are more steady when using an LMG while crouched or prone. Support specialists get faster ADS with SMGs and the recon class has an instant steady-aim with sniper rifles.
Due to having a class gadget, specialist gadget, and another optional gadget, there is an additional slot for equipment that is by default mapped to the 5 key.
Battlefield 2042 3.2: Video
Assault
The assault specialists are Sundance, Dozer, Mckay, and Zain. The assault gadget is a medpen so you can get back in the action quicker. I spent most of my time with Zain and his airburst rifle, which now has a thermal scope.
The selectable assault gadgets include a smoke launcher, armor plates, C5, and a claymore mine. Having armor plates along with a native medpen is an interesting choice for the assault class. There was quite a bit of feedback in the Q&A after the capture event where some were concerned about the additional health given to assault characters from the plates. It didn’t seem to help my K/D that much, though.
There isn’t an option for health or ammo with assault, but if an assault rifle is selected, the assault class gets an additional three magazines, which is a substantial increase of the standard capacity.
Engineer
For the engineer class, the specialists are Boris, Lis, and Crawford. The engineer class gadget is a repair tool and each specialist has their own gadget. Boris has a sentry gun, Lis her rocket launcher, and Crawford a controllable turret.
Gadget options include an anti-tank mine, recoilless launcher, AA launcher, C5, Javelin launcher, and the EOD robot. It’s fun to see some old favorite gadgets returning with the Battlefield 2042 3.2 updates, but I also can’t help but think that they should have been there from the beginning.
Support
The support specialists are Irish, Falck, and Angel. For the class gadget, support specialists have a defibrillator, and reviving teammates grants different bonuses depending on the specialist. Irish will revive and restock gadget ammo, Falck will revive to full health, and Angel grants additional weapon ammo.
By default, the defibrillators are set to the number 5 and like in previous Battlefield titles, they can be pulled out and charged up while approaching a downed teammate. Alternatively, you can approach a teammate and hold the action key, which is how revives have functioned up until now in Battlefield 2042.
As before, squadmates can still revive other down squad members no matter what class they are playing.
Support gadgets consist of an ammo box, health box, smoke launcher, or a claymore mine.
The weapon proficiency for support is faster draw speed when using SMGs. I’ve got to say, the PBX-45 felt pretty good when using Angel.
In the past, Angel has been my favorite specialist to play. I enjoy being able to revive teammates and having basically unlimited ammo thanks to his specialist trait. Also, the ability to swap to new load-outs with different equipment was a huge bonus. Now, that will be a bit different thanks to the class system rework. I can’t swap from an insertion beacon to a rocket launcher, for example. It changes the extreme adaptability that was present up until now in Battlefield 2042 but places more emphasis on team dynamics and ensuring that roles are filled.
Recon
Unfortunately, our playtime was cut a bit shorter than expected, and I wasn’t able to play the recon classes at all. The class trait is instant steady-aim when using sniper rifles. And there were some players who were really able to take advantage of this ability.
The class gadget is an insertion beacon for recon specialists. For additional gadgets, recon can choose from C5, a claymore mine, prox sensor, and soflam as well as two new additions – the T-UGS that will detect nearby movement, and a tracer dart gun that will tag enemy vehicles and assist in targeting when using certain missiles.
I was bummed to not be able to actually try these changes in the recon class, but I look forward to giving them a try when the update goes live.
Breakaway
Besides the class system, another major focal point of this Battlefield 2042 3.2 update is a rework of the map Breakaway. At launch, getting closer to the action often meant traveling across huge open areas. Now, everything has been brought closer together with the remake. The oil rig is much easier to access without large open pathways. There is a lot more cover all throughout the map as well, which makes flanking easier.
We were only able to play breakthrough on Breakaway so it wasn’t very easy to really explore and take in the changes to the map but what I’ve seen so far I really enjoy.
battlefield 2042 3.2: Other changes
In addition to the return of the class system, Breakaway rework, and returning gadgets, there are other changes. A few new weapons have been added like the MTAR-21 and PP 2000.
Changes have been made to how some weapons and attachments behave, as well. For example, it seems across the board that drum magazines now affect the ADS time of weapons to try and reduce their prevalence.
At the time of recording this, we have yet to see all of the patch notes, but there are quite a few changes to this update.
Gameplay has also been improved and the game has never felt better. I was playing on my new build in the NZXT H9 and getting great FPS throughout the event with resolution set to 1440p and graphics at ultra.
Electronicsforward’ Take
Personally, I love the direction that Battlefield 2042 3.2 update is headed. The game has never felt so smooth and the new maps and updates have added a lot of that war-torn look back to the Battlefield world. It will be interesting to see how the class system plays out. Some other participants in the capture event were concerned about the prevalence of C5 and the capabilities of recon snipers, but Dice mentioned that they’ll be watching and keeping an eye out for any changes that need to be made.
As with any of these big updates, if you already own it and haven’t played in a while, it’s always worth it to jump back in and check out the new changes to Battlefield 2042. I know I’ll be hopping on when it’s live.
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