This section of the guide covers the Classes, Ranks, Rewards, and fine details that relate to those three important focus points.
Before we get to the nitty gritty you might want to know just what it is that sets this game aside from others like it in the genre...
When the newest iteration of the Expansion-Based Map Consent appeared in Battlefield 4 the Wizards behind the game coined a new phrase in order to describe their most awesome efforts: Levolution.
Created with an underpinning of special features that permit a wide and always changing array of elements and goals, the Levolution system, when combined with the beauty of the unpredictable nature of playing against real live opponents (as opposed to VR program code) meant that for the first time in a long time the First and Third Person Military Shooter Genres had something new to be experienced.
The phrase “Game Changer” is widely over-used in the industry to describe everything from graphics engines to new texture packs for underpants in a game - but that does not make it so. In fact the phrase has been so badly over-used and over-exposed that any time you use it today you run the risk of triggering a disconnect between the reader and the page as a result!
That noted though, the facts are that the Levolution system - and its fresh application in Battlefield Hardline are in every respect GAME CHANGERS!
What does that mean? Well to start with the LevSys in Hardline generates a game play experience in which the map itself resolves as a constantly changing game space, so that no two games are exactly the same.
Now factor in the reality that as with other titles in the series, Hardline arrives with a full and complete set of stock maps, and relies upon a very aggressively planned and implemented DLC based Map expansion program, and what you get is a scheme that promises to not only make for fresh play but keep the MP game play experience - and the content expansion for the game - fresh all along!
It's All in the Details
While the Multiplayer Mode for the Shooter Genre is a well-established reality and using downloadable Maps as the basis for that sort of expanded content, it is not unique to the Battlefield games series.
Still, it can be reasonably argued that Battlefield - and therefore the Wizards behind its creation - played a very important and even instrumental role in helping to establish the MP Maps Scheme and all that foes with it as a standard for the genre.
The history of Map-Based MP expansion content within the Battlefield series is so firmly entrenched that it can be said to be a foundation element for the games in the series. In fact if a game that was officially part of the Battlefield Series ever released without an MP Map Library, it is safe to say that at least from the PoV of the Player Base, something is very wrong indeed!
While Battlefield Hardline is not your typical Battlefield title - in fact with its focus upon Cops and Robbers (and its confusion between the two from mid-point in the story onwards) it is in every respect an addition that breaks new ground for the historically military and squad-based games.
The risk-vs-rewards model has always played a controlling role in motivation for MP game play in the series, and nothing has changed with respect to that in Hardline.
MP play uses a directly connected Rank and Rewards scheme that features Ranks that are based on a deck of 150 cards, and Rewards in the form of “Coins” awarded for completing specific actions.
The objective is to earn a specific Coin a specific number of times in order to unlock a specific bounty. The idea being of course that the player is working towards a specific bounty and reward from the list.
The secondary rank and reward scheme is made up of Service Stars, which are awarded for earning experience sufficient to progress the player's personal goal, using the tiered star system to unlock its different awards.
There are three types of Stars - Bronze, Silver, and Gold - each of which delivers a specific type of reward.
Bronze stars grant gamep lay options, like vehicle mods and weapon attachments; Silver and Gold stars award cosmetic additions for your kit such as items and camouflage used to customize the player's class, appearance, and weapons.
Finally the ranking scheme also uses a set Assignments Schemes -- featuring more than 250 Assignments that award players with specific items (such as special Patches for their uniforms, weapon attachments, and the like).
There are two such schemes - the standard Assignments for the good guys, and Syndicate Assignments for criminals (the Syndicate Assignments are similar to the Phantom Assignments that were used as part of the Assignment Scheme in Battlefield 4.
, these assignments have their criteria hidden and have are very challenging to complete.
The difference is that Syndicate Assignments have much of the criteria and awards concealed until they are completed, and can unlock special weapons for both factions.
Hardline offers the players four official classes that are very similar to the Class Scheme from Battlefield 4, though customized for Hardline.
The classes are:
The Enforcer serves as the Support Role on the Police side, just what it sounds like on the Criminal side. Equipped with heavy armor and weapons, the support-side includes carrying kit to assist team mates with reloads and re-supply.
The support kit includes ammunition boxes, ballistic shields, and explosive charges.
While the primary purpose of the class is support they also serve as Tank and Heavy Hitter for a team, as they offer hard-hitting close and ranged combat. In that fashion the Enforcer not only keeps the team in the fight by offering supplies, but assists the team in taking down enemies thank to its strength as a blunt object.
Fulfilling the role of driver / specialist, the Mechanic sports a number of useful resources for the team including repair tools that are used to keep the team's transportation functioning, and tactical weapons like mortars and IEDs useful for taking out the transportation of the enemy and denying the enemy area access and mobility.
The Mechanic is lightly armed with SMGs as its carrying capacity is set aside for the special kit it uses to fulfill its role. Among the special kit they carry are Sat Phones (used for setting the Squad Spawn Point).
Due to its light weapons and ammunition load the Mechanic is ideally paired with the Enforcer as they mutually support one-another - the Mechanic keeping the Enforcer mobile while the Enforcer provides security for the Mechanic.
Perhaps the most evenly divided in terms of capabilities, the Operator is both a free agent and a support job who serves as the team Medic and primary fighter for both Police and Criminal squads.
Equipped with a medium load (think assault rifles / carbines), a medium ammunition load, and of course the medical kit required for tending to the health of the squad, the Operator functions best in a mutual support role with Enforcers.
Often taking on the role of team leader, the Professional is the stealth and intelligence gathering member of the squad on both sides, being well-suited to moving like a Ninja and delivering death at a distance (their weapon of choice is the Sniper Rifle).
Clearly the Pro takes on the role of Designated Marksman for the unit, as well as shot-caller, and in addition to leading the team is also tasked with managing the strategic position for the squad, being equipped with decoys and laser trip-mines.
There is a fifth non-traditional Class - Hacker - that can be used for support services for your team... There are a total of nine useful actions you can undertake through accessing this class, and each of the actions can be upgraded as you level up the Class!
The nine actions are:
1. Backdoor
Gain control of an automated in-world object by exposing a backdoor vulnerability.
2. Fast Deploy
Decrease the deploy time for a Squad by rerouting traffic.
3. GPS Jamming
Eliminate passive spotting by scrambling your team's GPS coordinates.
4. GPS Spotting
Reveal enemy locations by gaining access to their GPS devices.
5. Overclock
Decrease the cool-down on all subroutines. Note that some subroutines may overheat after use.
6. Point of Interest
Highlight an important objective for one of your Squads through an AR overlay.
7. Squad Upgrade
Boost the Reputation of every Squad member to the next tier by upgrading their firmware.
8. Trace
Reveal High Value Targets and enemy Hacker subroutines with an area scan.
9. Trojan
Speed friendly interaction and slow enemy interaction; nullify enemy subroutines instantly.
The following worthwhile upgrades are available as you level up the Hacker Class:
Level 1: Gain control of an automated in-world object by exposing a backdoor vulnerability. (Default Level)
Level 2: Lowers the latency requirements of this subroutine, thus giving a smaller cool-down time (Hacker Bronze Service Star 2)
Level 3: Uses less active memory, reducing the cool-down further. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 10)
Level 4: Batch processes commands, lowering subroutine's cool-down. (Hacker Silver Service Star 9)
Level 5: Uses even less memory, greatly reducing cool-down (Hacker Gold Service Star 8)
Level 1: Decrease the deploy time for a Squad by rerouting traffic. (Default Level)
Level 2: Scrambles the traffic controller's systems, leading to a longer duration before being purged. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 6)
Level 3: Tracks satellite navigation systems, allowing for better traffic signal coordination and a greater decrease in return time. (Hacker Silver Service Star 6)
Level 4: Uses a more advanced routing algorithm to further decrease return time and cut cool-down time. (Hacker Gold Service Star 5)
Level 5: Virtually invisible to an automated traffic controller, leading to a much longer duration before being purged. (Hacker Gold Service Star 14)
Level 1: Eliminate passive spotting by scrambling your team's GPS coordinates. (Default Level)
Level 2: Sends a stronger scramble signal, greatly increasing the affected area. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 4)
Level 3: Refactors the code to run in parallel, making the cool-down faster and the duration longer. (Hacker Silver Service Star 1)
Level 4: Uses a signal amplifier to further increase the area of affect. (Hacker Silver Service Star 10)
Level 5: Reaches further while increasing the duration and speeding up cool-down time. (Hacker Gold Service Star 9)
Level 1: Reveal enemy locations by gaining access to their GPS devices. (Default Level)
Level 2: Uses WiFi on GPS devices to echo the original signal, increasing the spotting area. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 7)
Level 3: Batch processes incoming signals, increasing cool-down speed. (Hacker Silver Service Star 5)
Level 4: Amplifies the signal, further increasing the spotting area. (Hacker Gold Service Star 4)
Level 5: Optimizes for parallel architecture, decreasing the cool-down and dramatically increasing the duration. (Hacker Gold Service Star 13)
Level 1: Decrease the cool-down on all subroutines. Note that some subroutines may overheat after use. (Default Level)
Level 2: Uses less active memory, increasing cool-down speed. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 1)
Level 3: Includes a water cooling heat dissipation system, which increases clock speed and decreases overheat time. (Hacker Silver Service Star 4)
Level 4: Detects high heat areas and applies more coolant, reducing the number of subroutines that overheat. (Hacker Gold Service Star 3)
Level 5: Optimizes coolant application, leading to faster cool-down, higher clock speeds, lower overheat time, and even fewer overheated subroutines. (Hacker Gold Service Star 12 )
Level 1: Highlight an important objective for one of your Squads through an AR overlay. (Default Level)
Level 2: Can run on the latest AR firmware, allowing the POI to last longer. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 5)
Level 3: Unlocks the AR clock speed to recharge the cool-down faster. (Hacker Silver Service Star 2)
Level 4: Uses more of the AR battery for an even faster cool-down. (Hacker Gold Service Star 1)
Level 5: Hacks the AR kernel, allowing it the POI to last even longer on the hUD. (Hacker Gold Service Star 10)
Level 1: Boost the Reputation of every Squad member to the next tier by upgrading their firmware. (Default Level)
Level 2: Reduces active memory, increasing cool-down speed. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 9)
Level 3: Optimizes many lists into a hash table, further increasing cool-down speed. (Hacker Silver Service Star 8)
Level 4: Decreases the effects of latency, speeding up the cool-down even more. (Hacker Gold Service Star 7)
Level 5: Includes hardware-specific changes, yielding the fastest cool-down possible. (Hacker Gold Service Star 16)
Level 1: Reveal High Value Targets and enemy Hacker subroutines with an area scan. (Default Level)
Level 2: Sends multiple signals at difference frequencies, which increases its duration and also displays Spawn Beacons. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 8)
Level 3: Adds a signal that display any Trojans on an interaction placed by another hacker. (Hacker Silver Service Star 7)
Level 4: Echos signal off multiple radio towers, increasing its duration. (Hacker Gold Service Star 6)
Level 5: Interpolates positions with a more advanced algorithm, further increasing its duration. (Hacker Gold Service Star 15)
Level 1: Speed friendly interaction and slow enemy interaction; nullify enemy subroutines instantly. (Default Level)
Level 2: Confuses administrative processes on interactions, allowing for a longer duration before being shut down. (Hacker Bronze Service Star 3)
Level 3: Sends multiple shadow copies to interactions, confusing the detection system and allowing it to last longer. (Hacker Silver Service Star 3)
Level 4: Bypasses early detection systems and instead hacks the kernel inside an interaction, further increasing its duration. (Hacker Gold Service Star 2)
Level 5: Refactors much of the code to run in parallel, greatly reducing cooldown for all uses. (Hacker Gold Service Star 11)
The Rank Scheme in Hardline consists of 150 Ranks that utilize a special card deck as their symbols.
It is important to understand striaght away that unlike practically ALL of the other games in this genre, in Battlefield Hardline your character Rank does NOT indicate anything OTHER than how much you play and, to a certain extent, how successful you are AT playing.
The point here is that Ranking up does not in turn make your character any better at their class or any better at a particular skill.
In fact the only thing that ranking up really does is, at key points, unlock additional Battlepacks!
Just FYI at random rank ups you can be awarded Battlepacks that offer random rewards when they are opened. And that is pretty much it.
There are three basic goals in this category you should be concerned with: Rewards, Coins, and Licenses. It is a combination of the above that eventually grants access to the different Weapons and Kit that are found in the game - and gaining access to all of them should be very important to you!
Out of the box the base game features fifty-one weapons and twenty-eight gadgets, many of which are used by both the Cops and Criminals alike, but also as faction specific weapons.
Each weapon has its own set of accessories and attachments (actually some can have several) offering a massive number of different combinations.
Battlefield Hardline is different from previous games in the series in that its kit and weapons -- including attachments -- must be purchased to be unlocked for permanent use by the player.
This is accomplished as a major element of the Rewards Scheme. The player earns money, then uses the money to unlock weapons, attachments, and kit. This can be done in any order.
Reward Cash is awarded for positive game play actions, team-based actions, and mission objectives. Then there are the smaller awards of cash for each weapon kill, which makes for a rounded and sustainable system.'
Similar to the Battle Ribbons from previous games in the series, Hardline Coins are awarded after the player fulfills specific criteria as it applies to the kit, weapons, and vehicles in the game.
Each coin has a specific Bounty attached that is unlocked after obtaining the respective coin the specified number of times, and they can be re-earned as often as the player fulfills the criteria.'
In addition to earning Coins for each Weapon and Kit Item, players will also work towards unlocking the Weapon License for each by attaining 1,250 kills with the specific weapon. Once that number is reached the player then receives a License that permits them to use the weapon across the different factions.
Bear in mind though that any class-restrictions for a weapon still apply, so they will still be restricted to its class.
To unlock their use across factions each weapon requires its own License...