First Experience With Defuse: Overview and Initial Review

Last night, the Battlefield America Competition Battalion locked down a server and played several rounds of Defuse for the first time. This game mode is practically identical to Search and Destroy from Counter-Strike (CS), and was included by DICE in hopes it would become a key driver to thrust Battlefield 4 (BF4) into the competitive scene. It should be noted that Squad Rush did not make it over to BF4, so Defuse is the only objective-based, close-quarters game mode for now.

Defuse is intended for five versus five designated as attackers and defenders, where the attackers are tasked with arming one of two M-COM stations located on the map as "A" and "B." Players can only be revived once per round and there is no ability to respawn (i.e., each player gets one life per round).

At the start of the round, a bomb is placed in front of the attacking team's spawn. The bomb is visible on the mini-map when not carried by an attacking player but as soon as it's picked up, it disappears. This means that if the bomb carrier is killed, the bomb will show up again on the mini-map.

A round ends when one of the following happens:

• All members of one team are killed
• The bomb detonates one of the two M-COM locations
• The defending team defuses an armed M-COM

With this simple yet very intuitive dynamic (thanks, CS!), the strategic combinations are endless.

As attackers, you have the choice of going for the A or B M-COM, but as defenders, you have to split up the squad to cover both M-COMs. Unlike Rush, the timer on an armed M-COM does not stop. This means that it can detonate even if a defending player is in the act of defusing.

Round-by-round, we started to appreciate the chess match presented by this game mode:

• Which M-COM should we attack? / Which M-COM are they attacking?
• Which route should we take? / Which route are they taking?

Due to the limited amount of players and lives, this game mode forces you to think, communicate and act quickly. Map awareness and precision are critical, as well as the loadout you choose. Unlike other game modes, it's difficult to find a rhythm (e.g., racking up copious amounts of kills) because there simply aren't enough players to kill, so relying on teamwork and communication is multiplied exponentially.

We expect this game mode to become one of our staples, as it requires a lot of skill and coordination. Defuse highlights the "intangibles" of Battlefield by challenging players to work together and be patient. Because of this, we highly recommend all players to practice with this game mode to improve overall skill.

Look for the competition battalion to participate in many Defuse events in the near future.

For more information on the Battlefield America Competition Battalion, please contact DoctorKajita, Mercenary or RazorEdge, or click on the following:

• "Battlefield America Competition Battalion," The Art of Warfare: Division Blogs, 3 November 2013
• Battlefield America Competition Battalion Overview, Rules and Regulations