In Battlefield 1's multiplayer, there are actually two systems that you progress through: class rank and overall rank. Here's an explanation of both to help you unlock upgrades and new weapons for your favorite class.
Your overall rank
Your soldier's overall rank has no bearing on the game other than earning you war bonds each time you move up a level. Oh, yeah, there's also the prestige and bragging rights amongst your friends and enemies that come with having a high level. The maximum level right now seems to be 100, but that will likely increase with each expansion pack as we saw with Battlefield 4.
To gain levels, you just play the game in any fashion — hop in a tank and wreak havoc, pilot a behemoth airship when your team falls behind, or play as any of the classes available.
Any score you accrue from any means goes toward your overall rank. When you level up, you receive a set number of war bonds — the number increases as you reach higher levels — that can then be used to purchase gadgets and weapons. All gadgets are available for purchase when you begin the game, but weapons are not.
Here's what each item costs:
- Primary: 200 war bonds
- Sidearms: 150 war bonds
- Gadgets: 60 war bonds
- Grenades: 60 war bonds
- Melee: 150 war bonds
In order to unlock the ability to purchase better weapons, you must rank up the class in which you're buying.
Your class rank
You will notice in the customization menu that a bunch of weapons have a lock to the left of their name. You will also see a number to the right of the name — this number represents what class rank you have to be to purchase the weapon.
So how do you rank up each class? You focus on playing to that class' strength and playing the overall objective of the game-type. No matter what class you play as, work on capturing objectives, killing enemies, and supporting your team. For reference, your current rank within a class is displayed in the top-left of the customization menu, and the amount of war bonds you have is displayed in the top-right corner.
Are you a medic? Revive, heal, and revive some more. Don't ignore downed teammates. Here are a bunch more tips for getting the most points as a medic.
Are you a support player? Give ammo and repair friendly vehicles. Lay down suppressing fire with your LMG, and even take out an enemy tank or two with a limpet charge. Check out these other tips for support players.
If you're playing as a sniper, you can't always sit back and work on your kill/death ratio, although counter-sniping does reward you with some juicy points. You have to balance your play between helping capture objectives and holding off advancing troops. Have a look at more great tips for snipers.
Assault players should always focus on removing armor from the battlefield as well as being the first people onto an objective. Blowing up tanks will get you a ton of points, as well as capping objectives. Check out a few more tips for assault players to rank up as fast as possible.
Tips for leveling up your class rank
These tips might seem obvious for veterans of the Battlefield series, but they are worth repeating for any newcomers.
Pay attention to your medals: Each week, Battlefield 1 has five medals you can work toward achieving. Medals have three or five missions to complete based on a class or game mode. If you're trying to rank up a class, ensure you choose a medal that suits that class. You'll get more XP and you'll rank up faster.
Play as a squad: Most of the actions you perform within your class, including reviving, supplying ammo, or repairing a tank, will net you double XP if it's done for a squad member. Don't forget to ask your squad leader to mark objectives they want attacked or defended, and if you're the squad leader, don't forget to take care of this yourself.
Don't be afraid to spend: Did you go up a level in a class and have your eye on a new primary weapon? Don't worry about saving war bonds for later — you'll receive plenty. If you think you'll do better with a certain item, go ahead and get it. Your score will reflect the decision.
Your favorite class
Which class do you usually play as? What's your favorite weapon in that class? Let us know in the comments section below!
