---
title: "Battlefield 4: Complete Guide"
game: "Battlefield 4"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/battlefield-4"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Weapons", "Maps", "Settings", "Classes"]
summary: "A multiplayer-first guide to DICE's 2013 shooter as it plays on PC today: classes and gadgets, modes and maps (including every DLC map in the Premium Edition), vehicles, gunplay and settings, and how to find full…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/battlefield-4-complete-guide-833149c7"
published: "2026-09-27T20:22:51.720Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T20:22:51.720Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Battlefield 4: Complete Guide

A multiplayer-first guide to DICE's 2013 shooter as it plays on PC today: classes and gadgets, modes and maps (including every DLC map in the Premium Edition), vehicles, gunplay and settings, and how to find full servers years after launch.

*Researched September 2026 — PC servers remain online as of this writing. The last-gen (PS3/Xbox 360) servers shut down on 7 November 2024. Battlefield 6 (October 2025) is now the franchise's active game. Check the linked sources if something differs.*

> **Status:** BF4 gets no new content, but PC servers are still up and community-run servers keep it alive. The Steam release is the **Premium Edition**, which includes all five expansion packs, and it needs an EA account and the EA app.

## Quick Start

1. **Play the objective.** Capturing flags and arming or defusing M-COMs earn more points (and wins) than kills.
2. **Pick a class for the squad's needs:** revives (Assault), anti-vehicle (Engineer), ammo (Support), spotting and spawn beacons (Recon).
3. **Spot everything.** Press the spot key (Q by default) on enemies you see. Spotted enemies show up for your whole team.
4. **Spawn on your squad.** Squad spawning keeps you near the fight; server browser filters help you find full servers.
5. **Unlock attachments by using weapons.** Weapon kills unlock sights, grips and muzzle devices. Stick with a gun long enough to get them.
6. **Learn one map at a time.** Operation Locker and Operation Metro 2014 are infantry-heavy and easy to learn; Golmud Railway and Caspian Border 2014 teach vehicles.
7. **Tune your settings.** Check field of view and uniform soldier aiming (details below).
8. **Don't take jets and helicopters on public servers until you've practised.** A crashed attack helicopter is a wasted team asset.

## Default Controls (PC)

| Action | Key |
|---|---|
| Move | W A S D |
| Sprint | Left Shift |
| Jump / vault | Space |
| Reload | R |
| Spot / commo rose | Q |
| Grenade | G |
| Enter or exit vehicle | E |

Everything is rebindable in Options.

## Classes

| Class | Primary weapons | Key gadgets | Squad job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assault | Assault rifles | Defibrillator, medkit / medic bag, underbarrel M320 | Revive and heal; frontline |
| Engineer | PDWs | Repair tool, RPG-7 / SMAW / SRAW / Javelin, anti-tank mines, Stinger / Igla | Kill and repair vehicles |
| Support | LMGs | Ammo box, C4, claymore, M224 mortar, XM25 airburst | Ammo and suppression |
| Recon | Sniper rifles | T-UGS, MAV, PLD, radio beacon, C4 | Spotting, spawn beacons, long range |

Every class can also use **carbines, DMRs and shotguns**. Carbines are good all-rounders, especially for Recon players who want to play closer.

### Class tips

- **Assault:** revive before you shoot. Teams with active medics win long flag fights.
- **Engineer:** the only real answer to tanks and helicopters. Carry a launcher on vehicle-heavy maps and a repair tool if you drive.
- **Support:** drop ammo constantly. Suppressive fire hurts enemy accuracy. The XM25 is strong against campers behind cover.
- **Recon:** a radio beacon behind an objective wins Rush and Obliteration rounds. Spotting tools such as the T-UGS and MAV help the whole team.

## Modes

| Mode | What it is |
|---|---|
| Conquest (Large and Small) | Hold flags to drain enemy tickets; the classic mode |
| Rush | Attackers arm M-COM stations in stages; defenders stop them |
| Obliteration | One bomb in the middle; carry it to an enemy objective |
| Defuse | Small-team, one-life, round-based bomb mode |
| Domination | Infantry-only small Conquest |
| Team Deathmatch / Squad Deathmatch | Kill-based |
| Air Superiority | Jets-only (China Rising) |
| Capture the Flag | Classic CTF (Second Assault) |
| Carrier Assault | Attack the enemy aircraft carrier (Naval Strike) |
| Chain Link | Link captured flags for bonuses (Dragon's Teeth) |

On today's populated PC servers, Conquest Large and Rush are the most common, and "Operation Locker / Metro 24-7" style infantry servers are always around.

## Maps

### Base game

Siege of Shanghai, Paracel Storm, Zavod 311, Lancang Dam, Flood Zone, Golmud Railway, Hainan Resort, Operation Locker, Dawnbreaker, Rogue Transmission.

### Expansions (all included in Premium)

| Expansion | Maps |
|---|---|
| China Rising | Silk Road, Altai Range, Guilin Peaks, Dragon Pass |
| Second Assault | Operation Metro 2014, Caspian Border 2014, Gulf of Oman 2014, Operation Firestorm 2014 |
| Naval Strike | Lost Islands, Nansha Strike, Wave Breaker, Operation Mortar |
| Dragon's Teeth | Lumphini Garden, Pearl Market, Propaganda, Sunken Dragon |
| Final Stand | Operation Whiteout, Hammerhead, Hangar 21, Giants of Karelia |

Free later maps: **Zavod: Graveyard Shift** (Night Operations, summer 2015), **Operation Outbreak** (Community Operations, October 2015) and **Dragon Valley 2015** (Legacy Operations, December 2015). Everyone gets these, Premium or not.

### Levolution

Many maps have a big scripted change you can trigger. Examples include the skyscraper collapse on Siege of Shanghai and the dam break on Lancang Dam. Smaller ones, like destroying a support pillar, can trap vehicles. Know what each map's event does to sightlines and flag routes.

## Vehicles

- **Tanks (MBTs):** strongest ground vehicle. Need an engineer driver or passenger repairing, and infantry cover against C4 and launchers.
- **IFVs:** faster, lighter; good for flanking flags.
- **Mobile AA:** counters helicopters and jets on vehicle maps.
- **Attack and scout helicopters, jets:** high impact, high skill floor. Practise in empty servers or test-range style community servers before taking them in public games.
- **Boats:** key on Paracel Storm and naval maps.

**Counter-play:** Engineers with Javelin and PLD lasing, Stingers and Iglas against air, and C4 or AT mines on routes vehicles use.

## Commander Mode

Each team can have a Commander who sees the battle from an overhead map and supports squads with orders, scans, supply and vehicle drops, and missile strikes. A good Commander makes a big difference on 64-player Conquest.

## Gunplay and Settings

- **Recoil:** first-shot recoil and spread increase with sustained fire. Tap or burst at range; full auto up close.
- **Attachments:** compensators or muzzle brakes and grips shape recoil; heavy barrels change accuracy. Test them in the same situation you play in.
- **Uniform Soldier Aiming:** turn it on in the controls settings so that scoped sensitivity feels consistent at every zoom level.
- **Field of view:** raise vertical FOV for more awareness; lower it if you want bigger targets at range.
- **Network smoothing** and tick rate: many community servers run higher tick rates for crisper hit registration. Look for them in the server browser.

### Popular weapons

These have been community favourites for years; there is no active balancing.

- **Assault rifles:** AEK-971, ACE 23, M416, AK-12
- **PDWs:** MX4, P90, CBJ-MS, UMP-45
- **LMGs:** M249, LSAT, U-100 MK5, AWS
- **Sniper rifles:** M98B, SRR-61, CS-LR4, M40A5
- **Carbines:** ACW-R, AK-5C, ACE 52 CQB

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Chasing K/D instead of flags.** Tickets win Conquest.
- **Running Recon at the back of Rush attacks** without a spawn beacon or spotting tools.
- **Driving a tank alone into a town** full of engineers.
- **Not reviving as Assault.** Every revive saves a ticket.
- **Ignoring the spot key.**
- **Sprinting everywhere** through open ground. Use cover, and cross gaps quickly and deliberately.
- **Taking jets with no practice**, which gives the enemy free air superiority.

## Advanced Tips

- **Flag-hop on Conquest:** capture back flags the enemy has left undefended to pull defenders away from the main fight.
- **Squad play:** squad leaders' orders give squad members bonus points and focus the team. Spawn on your squad leader.
- **Rush defence:** don't defend on top of the M-COM. Hold the approach routes.
- **Suppression is real:** Support fire lowers enemy accuracy, so use it to cover pushes.
- **Server selection:** filter by ping and look for community servers with active admins; they tend to have stable populations and fewer cheaters.
- **Assignments:** Premium adds 48 exclusive assignments that unlock weapons and cosmetics. Check them in the in-game menu to target specific unlocks.

## FAQ

**Is Battlefield 4 still playable online in 2026?**
Yes. Only the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions were retired (delisted on 31 July 2024, servers shut down on 7 November 2024). PC servers remain up and are kept populated by community-run servers; the PS4 and Xbox One versions were not part of that shutdown.

**Does the Steam version include the DLC?**
Yes. The Steam listing is the Premium Edition with all five expansions (20 maps), plus 48 exclusive assignments, customisation items, priority server queue and 12 bonus Battlepacks.

**Do I need the EA app?**
Yes. The Steam version launches through the EA app with an EA account.

**Should I play BF4 or Battlefield 6?**
Battlefield 6 is the actively updated game, with seasonal content (Season 3 launched in May 2026 with a reimagined Railway to Golmud). BF4 is complete, cheap on sale, and still has healthy PC servers.

**What's the best class for new players?**
Assault. Healing and reviving earn lots of points, and assault rifles are forgiving.

**Is the campaign worth playing?**
It's short and mostly teaches controls and vehicles. Multiplayer is the main event.

## Sources

- [Steam store page (Premium Edition)](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1238860/)
- [Wikipedia: Battlefield 4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_4)
- [Battlefield 6 Season 3 announcement (Steam)](https://steamstore-a.akamaihd.net/news/externalpost/steam_community_announcements/1832700592785643)