Upgrading Your Battlefield 4 Boat: A Simple Guide

Battlefield 4's attack boats are becoming more popular than helicopters, and it's easy to see why. The DV-15 Interceptor, used by the China faction, is fast and deadly, and available on maps featuring waterways, such as Siege of Shanghai. The RCB is similar to the DV-15, and appears on naval-themed maps such as Flood Zone and Paracel Storm. The boats can be used to lay down suppressing fire from a long way away, or to take out Infantry Fighting Vehicles using the Active Protection mod, which makes you immune to rocket and tank shells for a few seconds. The most popular secondary feature of the attack boat is the TV Guided Missile, which is also potent against land-based units. Up to three additional passengers may occupy the same vehicle, two manning a pair of M134 Miniguns/CS/LM12 and the final passenger with the freedom to use his weaponry. The driver of the boat has access to both primary and secondary weapons, default with the 25mm Cannon and a couple of TOW Missiles. The boats also carry auxiliary personal watercraft so crew can quickly cross open water.

To put upgrades on your boat, you can make use of the Field Upgrades feature. This feature grants additional abilities to players and is similar to the Specializations of Battlefield 3. There are 29 different field upgrades available for use when choosing from the 11 available Upgrade Paths. Each path holds up to four different field upgrades that are obtained by progress chained by squad-based teamwork. There are a total of eleven upgrade paths, with three paths available for all classes and two paths unique to each class.

Utilise the Active Protection mod to become immune to rockets and tank shells

Battlefield 4's Active Protection is a countermeasure against threats to armoured vehicles. It is a "hard-kill" vehicle countermeasure specialisation that detonates any incoming projectiles upon activation by firing counter-projectiles. It is modelled after the Russian ARENA Active Protection System.

The Active Protection module has a few shortcomings. It is complicated for newer players to use, as they tend to activate the countermeasure either too early or too late for optimal protection. It is also unable to break missile and laser locks, leaving the vehicle open to multiple guided munitions.

The Active Protection module is the last upgrade you can unlock for your vehicle. It can be combined with Active Armour or Air Radar to give you more protection or a heads-up on other aircraft.

The Man-Portable Active Protection System (MP-APS) is a very powerful weapon that can be used against rockets and tank shells. It has a 180-degree arc and a cooldown between shots. It is a very effective tool when facing down tanks, especially if they don't have any gunners.

Use the IR Smoke feature to hide from airborne vehicles

IR Smoke is a ground vehicle specialization available for Main Battle Tanks, Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Mobile Anti-Air Vehicles, Mobile Artillery Vehicles, and Tank Destroyers. It is used by military forces to mask the movement or location of units such as infantry, tanks, aircraft, or ships.

In Battlefield 4, IR Smoke is the first and default countermeasure to be unlocked and used for heavy ground vehicles. It is activated by the driver of the vehicle, who can choose to wait for a locking or lock-and-fire warning from a hostile source before activating the countermeasure. The operator of the vehicle may also opt to discern the difference between a Laser-Designation lock source and a weapon lock source by the timing of the tone. Laser-designated sources tend to keep the tone on the 'lock' phase for a considerable amount of time, while guided weapons fired at the vehicle will be constant and quick.

When activated, the vehicle is surrounded by a thick cloud of smoke, obscuring its view and thermal imaging, scrambling weapon lock, and preventing spotting. It is useful when retreating or providing cover for infantry. It is also effective in distracting guided missiles and preventing laser designation. However, it is important to note that the smoke does not disable or destroy missiles or rockets, and laser-guided AGMs from strike aircraft can still lock onto the vehicle. The smoke lasts for about five seconds, and it takes some time to reload, so it is best used carefully and for tactical purposes.

To defeat the IR Smoke countermeasure, a launcher or vehicle operator can choose to lock and fire a weapon and then immediately break the weapon lock or enter the reload phase. This will likely cause the target vehicle to prematurely deploy countermeasures, and after counting 2 or 3 seconds, the weapon operator can re-acquire the lock as the target may be out of range of the IR Smoke's coverage.

Have an engineer in the back to repair the boat

To put upgrades on your boat in Battlefield 4, you'll need to have an engineer in the back to repair it. The RCB-90 combat boat in Battlefield 4 has four seats: a driver, two gunners, and one additional passenger. The fourth seat passenger, or rear gunner, can be an engineer who repairs the boat and helps fight off incoming hostiles with their equipment.

The engineer class in Battlefield 4 has access to five upgrade paths, or perk trees, three of which are universal and two are class-specific. To unlock these upgrades, you need to gain squad-based points by performing squad actions like resupplies, repairs, healing, and following orders.

One of the engineer-specific upgrade paths is the Mechanic perk, which is a great choice if you're playing with a squad of vehicle users and you plan on using your repair tool. The Mechanic perk increases the speed and sabotage of repairs by 35%, decreases damage from explosions by 15%, decreases the amount of incoming suppression by 50%, and occupied vehicles will slowly repair nearby vehicles.

Another engineer-specific upgrade path is the Anti-Tank perk, which is great if you like SLAMs and rockets. This perk increases your maximum inventory of AT mines or M2 SLAM to 6, increases your maximum inventory of AT and AA ammo to 7, increases your maximum deployed explosives to 6, and decreases damage from explosions by 15%.

In addition to these engineer-specific perks, there are three universal perk trees that can be chosen by any playable class: Defensive, Offensive, and Shadow.

To have an engineer in the back of your boat to repair it, you'll need to unlock the corresponding upgrades and have a squad member who is playing as an engineer. This will help keep your boat in good condition and improve your chances of survival in combat situations.

Use the 25mm or 30mm canons to lay down suppressing fire

The 25mm and 30mm canons are both available as primary weapon specialisations for attack boats in Battlefield 4. The 25mm canon is the default weapon for attack boats, while the 30mm canon must be unlocked before use.

The 25mm canon is an autocannon that fires 25mm shells effective against light and medium armour as well as infantry. It is a versatile weapon that balances the advantages and disadvantages of the Burst Canon and 30mm Canon. Compared to the 30mm canon, the 25mm canon has a relatively lighter splash and direct damage, but a higher muzzle velocity and minor bullet drop. It is a good choice for players who value accuracy, as well as those who are less accurate.

The 30mm canon, on the other hand, delivers higher damage to infantry, ground vehicles, and air vehicles. It has higher splash and direct damage than the 25mm canon but suffers from significant bullet drop over long ranges and lower muzzle velocity. This canon is a good choice for players who value power and are accurate.

When deciding whether to use the 25mm or 30mm canon, consider your playstyle and accuracy. The 25mm canon is a well-rounded option that provides a balance of advantages and disadvantages, while the 30mm canon offers higher damage output but may be more challenging to use due to its lower muzzle velocity and greater bullet drop. Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal preference, and you may find it beneficial to experiment with both options to determine which one suits your gameplay style better.

Take advantage of wave crests for better visibility

Battlefield 4 introduces attack boats, which are light watercraft that allow for quick strikes from the open sea. They are more manoeuvrable than fleet vessels like corvettes or patrol boats and can carry more armour and armament than smaller craft like RHIBs.

One of the key features of the attack boats in Battlefield 4 is their ability to take advantage of wave dynamics for tactical advantage. By riding the wave crests, you can gain better visibility over the surrounding area, which can be crucial for spotting enemies, navigating, and planning your attacks. On the other hand, staying low in the troughs of the waves can provide cover from ground forces or other naval vehicles.

• Understand the Wave Dynamics: Learn how to read the waves and anticipate the wave crests. Time your movements to coincide with the peaks of the waves to maximise your visibility.
• Use Binoculars or Scopes: When you're riding a wave crest, take advantage of the heightened vantage point by using binoculars or scopes to scan the area. This will help you spot enemies, landmarks, or potential hazards.
• Communicate with Your Squad: Share information with your squad members about what you see from the wave crests. This can help coordinate your attacks or defences effectively.
• Adapt to the Situation: Depending on the situation, you might want to alternate between riding wave crests and staying low. For example, if you're approaching an enemy position, use the wave crests to gather information, then dip into the troughs as you get closer to avoid detection.
• Take Advantage of Respawn: Remember that friendly players can spawn directly into your attack boat from the Respawn Screen. Use this to your advantage by having squad members respawn into your boat when you're in a good position to provide them with better visibility.

By utilising these strategies, you can make the most of the wave crests to gain valuable intelligence and plan your moves without being easily spotted by the enemy.

Frequently asked questions