How to Install and Play Battlefield 1942 (2026 Edition): Quick Tips for New Players #3

 

Today we continue with the third part of our comprehensive installation guide, packed with tips for you. It was created by eelwik. Due to its length and scope, we've split the guide into parts, which we'll publish here gradually, as we don't want to overwhelm you with too much reading material. 

Next up are some Quick Tips for New Players #3. 

Quick Tips for New Players

For new players, and even those coming from more recent titles, here are some tips to get you started.

Squads

Battlefield 1942 doesn't have a squad system, but you can designate players as buddies which will highlight their names in-game and their arrow on the map. Press TAB to open the scoreboard and note the bracketed numbers next to the players you want to highlight (ex. <12>)

Then press the "~" key. Enter in the console
ab #
The "#" being the player's number. Press the "~" again to close!

Spawning

In BF1942 you can spawn on control points your team owns. There is no squad spawning, so if you're far from the front you'll have to schlep it.

However! If you find an APC or Halftrack, this is the only mobile spawn point in the game. Move it closer to the front but out of sight from enemies and it will give your team an edge in the fight.

Vehicles

Unlike modern Battlefield games, you don't spawn into vehicles. The vehicles spawn at your team's control points / main base. Press "E" to enter. Airplanes have to take off from carriers / airfields. Spawning on a ship will place you on the ship but you'll have to find the entry point to drive or man the turrets.

Couple of pointers regarding vehicles:

- Don't be a jerk. Don't idle waiting for a plane or tank. Get to the front where your team needs you. Above all, don't ever teamkill to get a vehicle you want. It's rude and an instant kick on many servers.

- Landing crafts deploy from ships with the forward "W" key. Enter with the "E" key like all other vehicles. When your up on the beach press the up arrow to lower the ramp.

Soldier Kits

In BF1942, kits are all fixed. You cannot change the gear or weapons. If you need to swap for a different class in the heat of battle, you can pick up a kit from a fallen soldier with the "G" key.

If you're an engineer and need to move your explosives or mines, equip the wrench at "repair" them. They will be added back to your inventory. 

Parachutes

To deploy your parachute press "9" while airborne. Sometimes it takes a few presses. 

Artillery

Indirect fire is a coordination between a Scout and a player in a Priest / Wespe self-propelled Gun, Pak40 stationary gun, or Coastal Battery gun. It also works with both deck guns on the Battleship.

The Scout uses their binoculars to create a target. Right click to zoom in and left click to place the target. This will also relay a message to the team that there is a target available. 

The player on the artillery gun will see a missile icon above their vehicle status as well as a yellow angle drawn over the map. This gives you an idea of where the scout wants to direct fire and you may have to move or rotate your vehicle for a better shot. Note that with some vehicles, you need to be in the secondary spot (not the driver's position) to fire and see targets. Right click brings up the artillery screen. 

In this screen the artillery player will see two bars on the x and y-axis, as well as a center reticle. Moving the mouse will move the yellow bars across both axis. The center of the horizontal bar will line up very close to the target, but the vertical yellow bar will have to be dialed in - this is the height or arc or your shot. left-click to fire and see if your shot over or undershoots your target and adjust. The faded yellow bar is your last shot and allows you to see the changes you make. After you dial in the x-axis, make small adjustments to both x and y-axis as needed.

Anti-aircraft Guns

These seem to confuse many players - which is a problem because there are some very skilled pilots out there who will dominate control points! When using a flak cannon, learn to lead your targets. Height is automatically set by the game and what you are pointing at, but It takes a while for the flak shell to reach height. The farther away an enemy plane is the more you will have to lead the shot. The closer the plane, less lead is used. It takes a bit of getting used to. When you're in the seat, note where the puff happens. If the puff is behind the plane you are targeting, you'll need more lead. If the puff is ahead of the target, you have too much. If the plane is coming right at you, keep it dead in the sights. The good news is that flak has a large splash damage effect. The closer you are the better but if you are slightly off you'll still deal damage.

Keep an ear out and be ready to turn quickly around and snap fire at approaching enemy planes.

There are some great tips and loads of information: click here

 

Autor: eelwik

Source: steamcommunity.com