Talk:Battlefield 3

See Talk:Battlefield 3/Archive 1 for older discussions.

Why am I not surprised?

Part of me isn't too surprised that the CODMW3 article would be taken off the Work in Progress Status in a much shorter time than BF3's page. Personally I think MW3 committed a war crime with how atrocies the M16A4 looks both in the first person and 3rd person models of it. DarkSamuraiX1999 00:00, 16 November 2011

Just the M16? :/ Hell, the P99 is the only pistol where they didn't get something wrong. Alex T Snow 02:14, 16 November 2011 (CST)

It has more to do with the fact that MW3 makes more mistakes and therefore is far more fun to write about. Evil Tim 02:18, 16 November 2011 (CST)

My personal favourite screw up in MW3 has to be the Skorpion's scope rail mount, with the "MG36" as a close runner up. Alex T Snow 03:02, 16 November 2011 (CST)

I still mad about the fact they suddenly decided that it'll better that the M4A1 will have a 20-round magazine rather than a 30-round magazine -_- --RaNgeR 03:05, 16 November 2011 (CST)

Lol good points all around. I'm not too knowledgeable on everything but I'm in the service and I use the M16A4 often. So it stuck out like a sore thumb the moment I picked up the rifle in the game that something was really freaking off about it. Like it wasn't already bad having 30 rounds come out of a 20 round mag. But bolt on rails to A2 Handguards? Really?! XDDD I don't know how accurate that P99 is, but it irks the hell out of me seeing it held one handed in the First Person Model. DarkSamuraiX1999 00:25 16 November 2011

Ya know? It's funny that the "fact" they are using military advisers to make the game better in "tactics" and stuff (yeah, right), this military advisers or what ever, aren't aware of the way the developers model the weapons and doesn't 100% reassemble to the real life one's :/ I guess the developers tell them "We don't really give a damn about realism, just tell us how the hell modern warfare works"... Still, the guys of BF3 made a bit better, though it does have also many things unrealistic, like the fact Marines are using M16A3's instead of M16A4's, and some of them running with an M240 like it a was wooden gun. Sigh. --RaNgeR 02:57, 16 November 2011 (CST)

The thing about an advisor is that his job is to answer questions. It's up to the developers if they a) ask him the right questions and b) pay attention to his answers. I believe Star Trek's science advisors have publically complained that they're only asked for advice on what terminology to use and never on whether something is actually good science. Evil Tim 03:15, 16 November 2011 (CST)

One thing SP Campaign of BF3 proves is that BF3 shouldn't have SP Campaign in the first place. One would expect it to be more authentic, yet it takes approach of CoD: "We just put randomly weapons we have in MP whether or not they fit in". So suddenly we have Marines with M16A3s and M240Bs (instead of M16A4s and M240Gs), insurgents (exactly insurgents and not organized militia from pre-alpha trailers) with AK-74Ms and AEK-971s (instead of AK-47s / AKMs), Spetsnaz member Vladimir with 5.56 A-91 (despite Russian forces simply not using this caliber even for SF), etc. --Masterius 08:27, 16 November 2011 (CST)

Let's not forget that the protagonist of the game, Blackburn, during the interrogations scenes, you can see his name and branch tags that they're in white and straight rather than MARPAT and in an angle with the chest pockets. Also, one of the the guys in Blackburn's team, though I can't remember his exact name (the guy who carries M136 all the time), wears MultiCam OCP, still, rather than MARPAT uniform. Eventually, war games wouldn't be realistic as real life, even in the small parts. --RaNgeR 11:22, 16 November 2011 (CST)

Except my games (If I ever make games). :) - Mr. Wolf 11:34, 16 November 2011 (CST)

Plus, they (Marines) get CAS from Little Birds. Apparently, to the game devs the terms 'US Army' and 'USMC' are interchangeable. --Masterius 11:50, 16 November 2011 (CST)

I don't recall the insurgents using AEK-971s in the Iran missions, usually it was a random stew of your typical AKS-74u, AK-74M (don't real militants from the former Soviet bloc use the more modern 5.45 AK-74 at times?), RPKs, and the KH2002. However, the terrorists with Solomon from later on in the story do use all this, and even more somewhat outlandish equipment. Also, since the page is incomplete, can you explain to me how you identify the Marine's M16 models as the A3 versions? During the campaign I recall Blackburn's M16 as being able to fire in fully automatic. (Except that one mission where you inexplicably jump off with an HK416) Also, didn't Vladimir use the AS VAL throughout the Spetsnaz missions? And although it's not top-notch realistic Ala The Hurt Locker, I wouldn't exactly outright call it the CoD approach. I mean, just look at what they did with Black Ops. Pointing out every inaccuracy in that game is to the point of turning it into a drinking game. Long Fallen 17:49, 16 November 2011 (CST)

Other than that one HK416 Blackburn had, which was odd, if they worst things the Marines had were M16A3s instead of A4s and M240Bs instead of M240Gs, then I'm happy enough. And the PLR only had 74Ms, 74Us, and RPKs if I remember correctly, the later enemies had AEKs. All the weird guns were given to Kaffarovs private army, as he is an arms dealer. It's like complaining you see a few M1928s instead of M1A1s in a WWII movie. Black Ops.. is Black Ops, and MW3 had FADs in the hands of African militia... Alex T Snow 19:20, 16 November 2011 (CST)

Maybe it is related to the "AKS-74U vs. UMP issue": in some of the videos of "Operation Swordbreaker", inside of the building, leading to anti-sniper position, one of the insurgents is certainly equipped with AEK-971, with others having AKS-74U and AK-74M (AK-74 would be correct for former Soviet bloc militant but not AK-74M unless he managed to scavenge it from Russian soldier). For M16A3, check one of the Marines on the way to bridge in the same mission. And while Kiril used the AS "Val", Vladimir used the 5.56 A-91. And yes, as Alex said, Black Ops... is Black Ops *sadface* --Masterius 02:17, 17 November 2011 (CST)

You are right, that one insurgent always has an AEK, but that's an exception. Alex T Snow 02:31, 17 November 2011 (CST)

Sidearms

Has anyone else noticed Campo carries two sidearms, one on his chest and one by his hip? Looks like two Glocks.

Ten more and he'll be a Glockenspiel.

Evil Tim 06:18, 18 November 2011 (CST)

I'm sorry, but that caption was just too good. On topic however, it seems as if the handgun holstered on his chest seems pretty low res to be made out. Could it be a designer oversight or something? - Long Fallen 17:21, 18 November 2011 (CST)

Maybe they are copying Epps from Transformers: Dark of the Moon, he nonsensically carries a pair of Glocks in the same way as well... --commando552 17:31, 18 November 2011 (CST)

Well, that's the Assault kit's chest, with the Glock and all, so they most likely gave him a leg holster and forgot about that one. Alex T Snow 00:01, 19 November 2011 (CST)

It's like in MW2 where the snipers carry unusable M1911. Although it is peculiar that the Marine in this game carries unusable Glock and not M9 or MEU(SOC). --Masterius 01:17, 19 November 2011 (CST)

BTK Weapons

Finally! http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles/battlefield_5F00_bad_5F00_company/Back_2D00_to_2D00_Karkand_2D00_Assignments.jpg

MG36 and Jackhammer? Guess the XM8 and plasma rifle will be in the next DLC. Evil Tim 08:30, 19 November 2011 (CST)

I guess that confirms that there will be no PLA Faction DLC *sadface* I still hope for EU Faction :|

Also confirmed that HK53 is back intact :)

--Masterius 01:33, 19 November 2011 (CST)

Why do they choose to include the "HK" prefix in the HK53, but not on the M416? Santos 11:26, 19 November 2011 (CST)

I'll ask Demize why this HK is okay (and the HK21 in BF2). Actually, they hinted they might do more weapon DLCs later, so I'm expecting a "Back To Bad Company" pack with all three XM8s and other stuff. Also, not a plasma rifle, but I've always thought it'd be cool to see Halo guns in another game, the human ones. For those of you that don't know, they all make functional sense. Alex T Snow 12:48, 19 November 2011 (CST)

RPK

Incidentally, I need to check if the RPK-74 has a flash hider. If not, with wood furniture and a ribbed metal magazine, it's actually an RPK with a sight rail, not a -74 at all. Evil Tim 04:10, 19 November 2011 (CST)

Maybe I didn't spend enough time using it, but I remember it having black furniture. Alex T Snow 12:44, 19 November 2011 (CST)

Checking my PS3 video captures it's very dark brown; more to the point, though, it's got that standard AK-style handguard with two holes through the middle (with a RIS foregrip sticking out the bottom, admittedly); the -M polymer handguard is a different shape and has ridges all along the top of the gas tube.

RPK-74 light machine gun with 45-round box magazine - 5.45x39mm

RPK-74M light machine gun with 45-round box magazine - 5.45x39mm

If it doesn't have a flash hider, I think that makes it an RPK. I thought I could see one there, but in my PS3 video it looks like it doesn't have one and the in-world and pickup models don't have one either. I was going to say "except the scope mount" but MPM's RPK image has one:

RPK Light Machine Gun with 40 round magazine - 7.62x39mm

Is this normal? From what I'd read the scope bracket was an -M thing. Evil Tim 04:35, 20 November 2011 (CST)

Thanks for clearing up the RPK differences, as for the scope rail, scopes are nice to have sometimes, I'm sure some of the older RPKs were fitted with scope mounts as aftermarket parts in real life. Alex T Snow 14:06, 20 November 2011 (CST)

As the RPK in the game only has the bracket fitted when a sight is there, I would certainly put it in the "aftermarket" category. --commando552 14:37, 20 November 2011 (CST)

Oh right, just like the AKS-74U becomes an AKS-74UN when mounted with optics. Alex T Snow 14:47, 20 November 2011 (CST)

Just to assure you this does happen (it's so nice having a PS3 video of half the game to pull shots from):

RPK with inexplicable foregrip. I'd just forgotten they don't all have that. Also, is it just me or is the scope mounting screwed to the side of the dust cover rather than attached to a bracket? Evil Tim 02:58, 21 November 2011 (CST)

Single Action Army

Just letting you guys know, as stated on its page it is called Single Action Army on this site as there are so many nearly identical replicas calling it the more correct Colt 1873 might actually be wrong, and SAA is used as a catch-all term. However, just as we assume a full-size Glock is a 17 unless we can tell otherwise, we also assume a gun in a game is not a clone, unless we can tell otherwise. Therefore, it is assumed that the drawing of the SAA is the original Colt 1873, and should be named as such. This is just to avoid an edit war, or something. :) Alex T Snow 14:28, 19 November 2011 (CST)

M224

I don't know about Xbox, but on the PS3 the M224 definitely has an M7 baseplate in multiplayer. --SmithandWesson36 15:54, 19 November 2011 (CST)

Yup, it has one on 360. Lol at the baseplate having a designation :) Alex T Snow 17:19, 19 November 2011 (CST)

Feel free to change it, I was going off it not having one in single. Evil Tim 17:31, 19 November 2011 (CST)

Kaffarov's Private Army

While I understand that Kaffarov is an arms dealer, it boggles my mind how so many times in fiction there are people who are able to procure such military spec equipment like the F2000, Mk.17 (SCAR-H), AEK-971, and so many others. Surely the companies and or countries that produce them don't freely sell them to whatever buyers there are? My question is how would people like Kaffarov even be able to avoid the system and acquire such equipment? I don't know if it has been answered elsewhere, or for obvious reasons hasn't, but it's just something that I haven't been able to explain logically. -- Long Fallen 18:03, 19 November 2011 (CST)

Reminds me of Legionnaire from Battlefield: Bad Company. And that guy paid his mercenaries in gold bars, mind you. --Masterius 00:51, 20 November 2011 (CST)

Kaffarov... Makarov... Kaffarov... Makarov... Is it only me or does BF3 is trying to copy MW3 in many matters? :/ --RaNgeR 23:29, 19 November 2011 (CST)

Um, what's so suspicious about Russian (or Russified) surname ending in -ev or -ov? --Masterius 00:51, 20 November 2011 (CST)

I'm not sure either, but it lets us have the cool guns people don't really use, so it gets a pass in my books. Also, those two names aren't really that similar, and the characters are nothing alike. Alex T Snow 00:12, 20 November 2011 (CST)

To answer the question, no. Any customer who could afford top-drawer equipment would be dealing directly with the company that made it, the kinds of people who go to dodgy arms dealers want weapons that are simple enough to equip illiterate militiamen with, cheap enough to equip a lot of them with, and have widely available spare parts and ammunition. It's no longer the era when unpaid former Soviet commanders would empty entire arms depots onto the black market and flee to countries that don't have extradition treaties with Russia, and no longer the era when you could get a superpower to pony up a whole bunch of equipment and training just by saying you were fighting for / against communism. Evil Tim 02:46, 20 November 2011 (CST)

I see, but I recall this story from a few years back -Stolen Five-seveNs from FNH factories (I had no idea the P90 was a handgun xD) - And then there's this too -Mexican drug cartels being armed with P90s and Five-seveNs So I still want to know, what are the likely chances of seeing terrorists with such equipment? I mean, these articles seem to bring it to light. (Sorry if I'm going off topic) -- Long Fallen 00:42, 21 November 2011 (CST)

With Mexico it's a situation where a lot of the top-class armament is purchased in the United States and smuggled across the border; similar arrangements were used to smuggle arms to the IRA during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. That's the "buying directly from the supplier" kind of deal, and is usually done without a dealer acting as an intermediary (because the Cartels have enough money to do it themselves, or take the weapons in part payment for supplying product to drug dealers). Your typical Eastern Bloc / African arms dealer just buys up weapons somewhere a war is ending and ships them to where a war is still going on, because the buyers don't have the contacts, legitimacy or resources to do it by themselves. A lot of the guns these guys circulate have been involved in local conflicts for years or even decades.

Top-end hardware typically comes from governments and organisations. Insurgents in Iraq didn't get top-of-the-line anti-tank weapons and training in making IEDs from some guy in the business of moving weapons, they got them from sympathisers in places like Iran. Alarmism about what kind of weapons terrorists have is pretty foolish anyway, since generally they prefer the instant, indiscriminate destruction of explosives to trying to shoot people with a gun. Evil Tim 00:58, 21 November 2011 (CST)

Ah, I see, thanks for enlightening me :) -- Long Fallen 20:25, 21 November 2011 (CST)

Whoever said "a lot of the top-class armament...blah blah Mexico... smuggled from US..." is rather wrong. The Mexican cartels who have P90s and M16s and etc western weaponry are getting it from the Mexican military and police, only a small percentage of the guns near the US border are actually smuggled in to Mexico from the US. The numbers seem higher because recently Mexico has been sending in stores of arms they have confiscated over the past X amount of years (that they know can be most likely traced to the US) to get traced at the same time. This leads to a overblown number that looks good on anti-firearms pamphlets. If you think about it a bit, what do you think would be easier and cheaper:

1. Finding and paying someone to buy 10 semi-automatic guns in the US at ridiculous prices, risking him getting caught, losing your money, going through all the background checks, etc, then sneaking them over the border. Not to mention finding ammo.

Or

2a. Paying some guerrillas in some SA country x amount of dope to bring in a ship, container, truck, or plane full of 100s or 1000s of eastern bloc or former US military weaponry, that is most likely going to be fully automatic. Plus large quantities of ammo for said weaponry.

2b. Stealing or buying from a corrupt military/ police official brand new weaponry.

The "X% of guns in Mexico are from the US" myth is a fallacy created by the Mexican and US govts and heavily compounded by the ATF smuggling them themselves or letting them walk, and the FBI for not laying out the specifics of the stats. Then the subsequent (ratings improving) media hype compounds it further.

Not saying it doesn't happen, just that it is greatly exaggerated.

Now as for how someone like Kaffarov would get the weaponry, its pretty simple. 1. Start a (possibly dummy) corporation (possibly in a different country). 2. Buy from a manufacturer saying they are intended for "security", or "testing", or hell, even arming your own "PMC". 3.Lock and load. How do you think PMCs such as Xe (Blackwater), AirScan, Aegis DS, etc.. get their new "HSLD" weaponry? Most international arms trafficking treaties do not extend to selling firearms to private entities in the same way they do governments. Respectfully, the (somewhat intoxicated)-Ranger01 02:33, 22 November 2011 (CST)

Blackburn from BHD ??

Go see the Colt M4 section and the M4 series below it is said that Black burn holds M4 quite often. I would like to ask is this Blackburn any how related to Todd Blackburn from Black Hawk Down, the Ranger who fell from the Black Hawk chopper? - S9771773G 09:47, 20 November 2011 (GMT)

I imagine it's just a coincidence, Blackburn is a "heroic" surname like Carver or Slater or whatever. I'd have thought if they were referencing Black Hawk Down they'd have named him after someone like Shughart or Gordon, really. Evil Tim 04:08, 20 November 2011 (CST)

Doubt it. 'Battlefield 3' is unrelated to 'Black Hawk Down', plus, Todd Blackburn is Army Ranger while Henry Blackburn is Marine Recon. Proper analogy would be Pattersons from 'Medal of Honor' series. Both are in Army and one is actually the grandson of another. --Masterius 04:19, 20 November 2011 (CST)

P.S. Although, this would explain the appearance of Little Birds...

There's also the fact that Todd Blackburn is a real person while Henry Blackburn is a fictional one. Spartan198 20:14, 20 November 2011 (CST)

True, there is even a page on Todd Blackburn. --Masterius 02:27, 21 November 2011 (CST)

I can tell you without any doubts that BF3 has several Generation Kill references. For example:

- The main protagonist is part of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion.

- When driving towards Tehran in the humvees and complaining that they signed up for an ambush, the driver says "Frankly gentleman, I'm not hearing the aggression I'd like. Keep scanning". Which is a reference to the 5th episode "A Burning Dog" when the team leaders are preparing to clear out an ambush by a bridge.

- When Henry Blackburn and Co. drives in a convoy to capture Kaffarov the arms dealers. Matkovic, the guy wearing MultiCam OCP and the AT4, was sleeping on the convoy and when woken up he says "thirty four minutes... I've been asleep for thirty four minutes drinking a vanilla milkshake." Also a reference from the 5th episode A Burning Dog, when Ray Person wakes Brad Colbert to a team leader meeting, Brad responds "fifty six minutes. I've been asleep for fifty six minutes".

--Santos 08:00, 20 November 2011 (CST)