News from the Front - September

Welcome to News from the Front, our “monthly” update coming straight from the frontlines of the Battlefield Division. In this month’s edition, we will be covering the imminent new DLC, In the Name of the Tsar, and exploring all the new changes coming to Battlefield 1. So grab your drink, and let’s get going! 

In the Name of the Tsar

This DLC will be the second among four to be released for Battlefield 1. You will enter the Great War’s biggest front, with the fearsome Russian Army, in what DICE is calling the most extensive battlefield expansion so far, and from the looks of its contents, it sure is. In the Name of the Tsar will release for premium members on Tuesday, September 5th, at around 1:00 AM PT. All our servers, TAW NA #1&2, as well as EU #1, will be set as soon as the update is complete to feature Conquest on the new maps, as well as Supply Drop game mode. We highly encourage anyone wishing to play to search for our servers in the Server Browser in game, or join our platoon, The Art of Warfare. We will be also playing the new maps on Tuesday, as well as Thursday, so feel free to drop by at 9:00 PM ET on those days.

Maps

Beginning with the maps, In the Name of the Tsar (We will call it TSAR from now on) will feature 6, yes you read right, 6 maps spanning across the eastern front of the Great War.

Tsaritsyn 

This is one of the most interesting looking maps among the pack. In it, you will fight through war torn streets of Tsarist Russia. It will feature a conflict between the Red Army and White Guard during 1918-1920. The map will be infantry focused, with very little vehicle support. The map throws similar vibes to those of BF3 Aftermath DLCE. Tsaritsyn will be one of the maps featured in this DLC operations.

Volga River 

This map will set the stage for the ultimate tank fights between the Bolsheviks draping Red and the Imperial Army in White. Infantry will have to take cover in makeshift covers, all while moving point to point, avoiding heavy tank fire, and exchanging firepower with their foes. Volga River will be one of the maps featured in this DLC operations.

Lupkow Pass

This snow-covered map with treacherous ravines is known as Lupkow Pass. As part of the Battlefield Revolution of August, and DICE’s thank you to Premium owners, this map was released in August as a tease for what to come in TSAR.

Albion

I hope you brought your swimming gear, because Albion will feature an assault in a freezing archipelago. Illustrating the massive invasion of the Baltic peninsula, The German Empire attacks with Infantry, Dreadnoughts and heavy aircraft against the Russian coastal gun batteries that will shake the very island they sit upon. You better not get hit by one of those shells, or they will have to glue you back in the afterlife.

Galicia

Featured in the midst of the Brusilov Offensive, Russian forces are fighting hard to push back the Austro-Hungarian forces that occupy the Russian countryside. This map will feature open areas, with infantry, cavalry and light vehicles all over it. Trenches will filter across the map, allowing infantry to transverse the dangerous map.

Brusilov Keep

Set during the last push of the Brusilov Offensive, south of the Carpathians. Russian Forces continue to apply pressure on the Austro Hungarian forces, as they attempt to push them out. This map is infantry focused, set in a small village cluster, giving a whole new meaning to close quarter combat. Get your shotguns out, we are hunting wabbits.

New Weapons

No soldier should venture into battle with old weapons. Fight and complete assignments to unlock 11 new weapons and variants, tailored after the Russian Army counterparts.

Assault

Medic

Support

Recon

Cross Class Pistol/Melee

Vehicles

Pilot the massive Ilya-Muromets Heavy Bomber, providing support and heavy firepower to your team, or drive the Putilov-Garford Heavy Armored Car, to deliver maximum pain to the enemy. If on Albion, be sure to use the Y-Lighter landing craft, to keep your socks dry. You can also defend against the very same landing craft using the powerful Coastal Gun Batteries.

Putilov-Garford Heavy Armored Car Loadouts

Ilya-Muromets Heavy Bomber Loadouts

New Gamemode and Operations

TSAR will also feature a brand new game-mode similar to Dropzone, which DICE introduced in Star Wars Battlefront. The Objective of the mode is to capture supplies dropped by airplanes on random locations throughout the map. Teams need to capture and hold the supply drop, staying near it to acquire points. Once the drop is depleted, they acquire an Elite. However, they must also be wary of other supplies that drop, as 3 can be present at the same time. First time to reach 500 points wins. This game-mode is set to test the communications and coordination of teams as they attempt to outgun and outscore their opponents.

Alongside that, TSAR will feature two operations, one of them being the Brusilov Offensive, which is said to be one of the most lethal and brutal offensives of the Great War. We will be updating this blog as we know more about these two new operations.

Incoming Changes

Along with a new DLC, DICE will also be sending out invites for lucky members of the community to test out their new competitive Battlefield 1 experience: Incursions! Players will be able to fight in 5v5 focused battles on tightly focused maps that set the field for intense, tactical matches, designed to test the very limits of your skill and teamwork. It will be more than just a new game-mode, and will feature vehicles, that very thing that make Battlefield what it is.

This new experience will also feature kits, a subset of the regular Battlefield 1 classes. Each will be unique, and bring something to the table. These kits are:

• Trench Surgeon
• Control Leader
• AT Assault
• Battle Mechanic
• Mortar Support
• Raid Leader
  
• Shock Assault
• Proximity Recon

Players should expect an invite (If they registered) in their emails soon. The Closed Alpha will only be on Origin (PC) for the time being. We hope to see more of this as it develops.

Premium Sale

Premium is on sale for 40% off on Origin Store. Owners of Origin Access can also receive an extra 10% discount, for a total of $25! This is the lowest you will see premium at, and I personally encourage you to buy it if you plan to experience the new DLC, as well as upcoming expansion packs. 

That’s all folks!

That is all for now. With all this new content releasing soon for Battlefield, it sure is exciting times for everyone involved. We will be sure to update everyone as more news comes in. 

Thank you and regards from the Battlefield Division!