Battlefield 1942 Tips and Tactics

The best single tip: You can add yourself to your buddy list (type "~ab yournumber", or select yourself on the voting screen and hit the add button) to better see when you kill someone - your kills show up in green. You need to add yourself only once and it then works forever. (from JackTripper)

These are a bunch of tips and tactics I've learnt about the game, by reading forums, watching others play, and experimenting. I'm assuming you have a knowledge of the rules, EA Games' Tips and Strategies page (though I repeat a few of these), and the mechanics and tactics sections of my FAQ. Some are obvious (unless you don't know them), others truly obscure; I hope they're entertaining and informative. A number of the tips are derived from my weapons effect charts and Giant Grid O' Death. Many tips are really two-sided: the tactic is given, and it's up to you to figure out the way to combat the tactic when it's used against you.

If you want to add, question, or otherwise comment on this page, please write me at erich@acm.org. Please keep your tip suggestions succinct. For example, I could write a long, rambling paragraph on defending control points at Stalingrad, but really it would just be an amalgamation of a number of tips here. Any tips you send in that I use will be credited to you. I've tried to credit tips to whomever first posted them, but there's lots here that I don't know the origins of or forgot to credit. Long and short: I'm just the collector, not the originator, of most of these tips.

Infantry

Vehicles

Planes

Ships

Protocol

Game Mechanics

Statistics

Unless otherwise noted, these statistics are all from Wayne Miller. For more statistics, check the weapons effects page.

Scenario Strategies and Tactics

Here are some ideas for individual maps. The Annotated Maps page shows control points, vehicles, fixed weapons, and ammo and supply points.

There are two main types of Conquest battles: in one if you have the majority of the control points, the enemy loses tickets as time goes on; in the other, you must control all control points to have this tickdown occur. In the first type of battle, which I'll call "majority tickdown", control points are the key to winning. In the second, which I'll call "monopoly tickdown", paying attention to casualties is also important, as it is difficult to capture all control points at once.

Battle for Anzio

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle, though either side can lose all control points.

Battle for Salerno

Annotated map and zoomed view.

Battle of Britain

The bf42.com general forum has a thread on strategy and on how the allies can win this battle. Annotated map, zoomed view, and full detail. This battle is unique: the Axis tickets tick down, and they must destroy the four radar installations and the factory at E2 before then to win the game.

Battle of Midway

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle, so control points are key.

Battle of the Bulge

The bf42.com general forum has an interesting Battle of the Bulge strategy and thread. This is a monopoly tickdown battle, so the Allies should try to hold all five control points as long as possible. After one or two control points fall, this becomes mostly a battle of attrition.

Annotated map and zoomed view.

Berlin

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a monopoly tickdown battle, with the Axis losing if all their control points are taken.

Bocage

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Coral Sea

Annotated map and zoomed view. Sinking the enemy carrier is the normal way to win this battle, otherwise it's won by fewer casualties.

The Eagle's Nest

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle in Conquest Mode, with the possibility that either side can lose all flags. In Objective Mode the Allies must destroy the large double door and safe inside at B4.

El Alamein

The bf42.com general forum has an interesting El Alamein strategy and thread. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Annotated map and zoomed view.

Essen

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle (though the majority loss affects only the Axis, i.e. when they're down to their last base, or worse) in Conquest Mode, with the possibility that the Axis can lose all flags. In Objective Mode the Allied goal is to destroy the three giant fuel silos at the weapons factory at B4-B5.

Gazala

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

The Gothic Line

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Guadalcanal

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Hellendoorn

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle in Conquest Mode, though either side can lose all control points. In Objective Mode the Allies must destroy the four rockets near the control point at C7.

Invasion of the Philippines

This is a monopoly tickdown battle, with the additional possibility that the Allies can lose all spawn points.

Annotated map and zoomed view.

Iwo Jima

The bf42.com general forum has an interesting Iwo Jima strategy and tactics thread. This is a monopoly tickdown battle, not including the beach control point (which the Axis cannot capture). The Axis lose if all control points are taken and not recaptured.

Annotated map and zoomed view.

Kbely Airfield

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle in Conquest Mode. In Objective Mode the Allied goal is to destroy the two UFO aircraft in the hangars in the center and northeast of E4.

Kharkov

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Kursk

Annotated map and zoomed view. Control of both control points makes the other side lose tickets.

Liberation of Caen

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle, with the possibility that the Axis can lose all their control points.

Mimoyecques

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a monopoly tickdown battle in Conquest Mode, with the possibility that the Axis can lose all flags. In Objective Mode the Allied goal is to destroy the 3 V3 vents around D7.

Monte Cassino

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a monopoly tickdown battle.

Monte Santa Croce

Annotated map and zoomed view.

Omaha Beach

Annotated map and zoomed view. Control of both control points (not including the beach control point, which the Axis cannot capture) makes the other side lose tickets. The Allies typically lose this scenario; they must rush to get the central control point as quickly as possible.

Allied Strategy: The favorite way for the Allies to lose on this map is to have more than two snipers and never get off the beach. You really do not need more than two snipers, mostly to keep the Axis machineguns unoccupied and to call in the artillery.

Operation Aberdeen

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle, though either side can lose all control points.

Operation Battleaxe

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Operation Baytown

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle, though either side can lose all control points.

Operation Husky

Annotated map and zoomed view.

Operation Market Garden

The bf42.com general forum has an interesting Operation Market Garden strategy and tactics thread. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Annotated map and zoomed view.

Peenemünde

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Raid on Agheila

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Stalingrad

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle.

Telemark

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a majority tickdown battle in Conquest Mode, with the possibility that either side can lose all flags. In Objective Mode the Allies must enter the heavy water facility at F6 and destroy the two generators inside the building.

Tobruk

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a monopoly tickdown battle, so the Allies want to hold onto all control points as long as feasible. After one or two are lost, it becomes a battle of attrition, with the Axis having a chance of taking all Allied control points and winning.

Wake Island

Annotated map and zoomed view. This is a monopoly tickdown battle, so the Allies want to hold onto all control points as long as feasible. After one or two are lost, it becomes a battle of attrition, with the Axis having a chance of taking all Allied control points and winning.

Contributors

Thanks to [H]Arrow, 502 Robinson, PvtGuthrie, Hollow Point, CrushedBiPlane, John Lewis, hothead2, Armstrong, Major Fumble, Peel, Tetris L, Venom400, Pvt. Shifty, Jeff Spindler, Killet, Spacelord, Wayne Miller, meanperson, Bartholomew Roberts, Xenor, Saultydog, Legion, thinman, eggman|exp, Zorkk, LOVETHATJAPJEEP, Dave K., Von Schnopp, Adalius, Ralph Wiggum, Cpl. Bingham, AZO, Pat McGregor, Grendel, Dracle, [-|-]Mr. Flibble, {BHRD}RCT.-hb, Morat, OddBall, Twinkletoes, Strategerm, Uberllama, angry, Vincent, jalapeno, Count Nosferatu, Stay Dead, Grimdeath, JackTripper, Triforcer, DrewatOrigin, trenspb, Markus Mehring, CrazyBri, Martin, Jim Egan, Freakhead_5, Littlebits, Benaiah, LSSAH-LAVINA, Richard Brogdon, <TGG> Loki, <TGG> Odin, The Mule, Flyer Guy, KalfirethO2, Iain, Martin(SWE), Marcus Andersson, and many other players for posting and emailing their ideas.

Related Links

I also have a Frequently Asked Questions page, an Annotated Maps page, and a Weapons Effects page.

Back to main page.


Eric Haines, a.k.a. [Fredhead] / erich@acm.org

Last change: October 29, 2020