Similar to my bit about the evolution of planes from BF1942 through BFV, DC, and into BF2, another thread got me interested in a similar analysis of the Engineer kit.
In BF1942 I played Engineer 100% of the time, in BFV I played it about 90% of the time, and in BF2 I play it only when I feel like using the pump shotguns.
Let's look at the loadouts:
BF1942 Engineer
Weapons: Rifle, Pistol, Knife
Equipment: Mines, Detonation Packs, Wrench
Basically, the BF1942 engineer was a Sapper with a good anti-infantry rifle (provided you could aim well) and the wrench. This made the Engineer the premier ambush specialist, able to cut off chokepoints with a dizzying array of landmines and remote-detonated TNT. They were also indispensible for defense and sabotage.
The 42 Engie's only weaknesses were CQC (where a slow-firing rifle provided very little in the way of close combat power) and engagements where too many enemy targets started taxing the rate at which Engie's could deal damage.
Otherwise, the Engineer was able to address any threat on the ground, both human and mechanical.
BFV Engineer
BFV's class system and alternative weapon/equipment combinations makes for a confusing summary, so I'll just list out what was available.
Weapons: Knife, Pistol/Revolver, Rifle/SMG
Equipment: Anti-vehicle mines, Claymore mines/Pungi sticks, C4, Blowtorch, Wrench, Mortar, Shovel
The short of the long is that the engineer was flexible, but only by way of being choosy about your team and being willing to trade-off one function for another. People had choices about whether or not they wanted tools for anti-armor or anti-personnel, offense or defense, long range or short.
My chief frustration with BFV's engineer stemmed from my love of the BF1942 Engie amd its ability to adapt not by switching teams or switching kits, but by using the core equipment differently. It put the flexibility in how equipment was used, not in how equipment was issued.
DC Engineer
To be fair, there really wasn't much of an Engineer in DC. They created a Support kit instead, and I don't remember it very well, so I'm using their site as reference.
Weapons: Shotgun, Pistol, Knife
Equipment: Health Pack, Mortar, Smoke Grenades, Wrench(?)
For DC, the engineer gives his anti-armor mines to a dedicated anti-armor class, gifts his C4 to the Spec Ops class, and gains a health pack. To be honest, I never played the Support kit in DC, primarily because the "Engie" lost both C4 and landmines, and I never really got into fire support with the mortar.
The shotgun was nice, but on most of the expansive DC maps it proved flaccid.
BF2 Engineer
And here we are.
Weapons: Knife, pistol, shotgun
Equipment: Grenades, AT mines, Wrench
The Engie regains his mines (though they're fragile in BF2, and stick out like sore thumbs on most terrain), retains his shotgun, and gets some grenades. No mortar or C4.
So what's the point? From BF1942 until BF2, the engineer has de-evolved into only one practical role - repair. And why bother? The introduction of supply crates means that repairs can happen anywhere on the map and without player intervention.
The shotgun is exceptional in CQC, but other kits tend to dominate in close thanks to body armor and weapons such as the DAO-12 and over/under rifle/GL.
The Engineer has no ideal range for engagement. No choice of functions. The kit is completely irrelevant. Marginalized. Pick any engineer function (except repair) and other kits can do it better and more efficiently (particularly true when it comes to the purpose of the land mine). And does anyone, short of serious armor users, have a need for a kit whose only redeeming quality is a wrench? Nope.
Maybe that's what the designers intended - a dedicated vehicle kit. Which is too bad, given what the original BF engie was capable of.
In BF1942 I played Engineer 100% of the time, in BFV I played it about 90% of the time, and in BF2 I play it only when I feel like using the pump shotguns.
Let's look at the loadouts:
BF1942 Engineer
Weapons: Rifle, Pistol, Knife
Equipment: Mines, Detonation Packs, Wrench
Basically, the BF1942 engineer was a Sapper with a good anti-infantry rifle (provided you could aim well) and the wrench. This made the Engineer the premier ambush specialist, able to cut off chokepoints with a dizzying array of landmines and remote-detonated TNT. They were also indispensible for defense and sabotage.
The 42 Engie's only weaknesses were CQC (where a slow-firing rifle provided very little in the way of close combat power) and engagements where too many enemy targets started taxing the rate at which Engie's could deal damage.
Otherwise, the Engineer was able to address any threat on the ground, both human and mechanical.
BFV Engineer
BFV's class system and alternative weapon/equipment combinations makes for a confusing summary, so I'll just list out what was available.
Weapons: Knife, Pistol/Revolver, Rifle/SMG
Equipment: Anti-vehicle mines, Claymore mines/Pungi sticks, C4, Blowtorch, Wrench, Mortar, Shovel
The short of the long is that the engineer was flexible, but only by way of being choosy about your team and being willing to trade-off one function for another. People had choices about whether or not they wanted tools for anti-armor or anti-personnel, offense or defense, long range or short.
My chief frustration with BFV's engineer stemmed from my love of the BF1942 Engie amd its ability to adapt not by switching teams or switching kits, but by using the core equipment differently. It put the flexibility in how equipment was used, not in how equipment was issued.
DC Engineer
To be fair, there really wasn't much of an Engineer in DC. They created a Support kit instead, and I don't remember it very well, so I'm using their site as reference.
Weapons: Shotgun, Pistol, Knife
Equipment: Health Pack, Mortar, Smoke Grenades, Wrench(?)
For DC, the engineer gives his anti-armor mines to a dedicated anti-armor class, gifts his C4 to the Spec Ops class, and gains a health pack. To be honest, I never played the Support kit in DC, primarily because the "Engie" lost both C4 and landmines, and I never really got into fire support with the mortar.
The shotgun was nice, but on most of the expansive DC maps it proved flaccid.
BF2 Engineer
And here we are.
Weapons: Knife, pistol, shotgun
Equipment: Grenades, AT mines, Wrench
The Engie regains his mines (though they're fragile in BF2, and stick out like sore thumbs on most terrain), retains his shotgun, and gets some grenades. No mortar or C4.
So what's the point? From BF1942 until BF2, the engineer has de-evolved into only one practical role - repair. And why bother? The introduction of supply crates means that repairs can happen anywhere on the map and without player intervention.
The shotgun is exceptional in CQC, but other kits tend to dominate in close thanks to body armor and weapons such as the DAO-12 and over/under rifle/GL.
The Engineer has no ideal range for engagement. No choice of functions. The kit is completely irrelevant. Marginalized. Pick any engineer function (except repair) and other kits can do it better and more efficiently (particularly true when it comes to the purpose of the land mine). And does anyone, short of serious armor users, have a need for a kit whose only redeeming quality is a wrench? Nope.
Maybe that's what the designers intended - a dedicated vehicle kit. Which is too bad, given what the original BF engie was capable of.
learn how to use the damn pistols
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