Skills and classes

Players can gain experience in three skills: Battle Sense, Light Weapons, and a skill determined by their current class. Certain class skill benefits remain with the player even if they change classes. Benefits from general skills are available regardless of class.

Once a player has accrued enough experience points in a particular skill, the skill is automatically advanced to the next level, providing the player with a new ability or advantage. There are four attainable levels in each skill, awarded at 20, 50, 90 and 140 experience points.


General skill - Battle Sense

Battle Sense is gained by time spent in active combat. For each thirty-second period of the game, experience is awarded depending on whether a player dealt damage, dealt and received damage, or killed and received damage.

* Level 1 (20 xp) - You are equipped with a pair of binoculars which can be used to reconnoiter enemy positions. (All Covert Ops are equipped with binoculars and can use them to spot land mines for their team-mates. All Field Ops are equipped with binoculars and can use them to call in artillery. Therefore, level 1 Battle Sense gives no additional benefit to these classes.)
* Level 2 (40 xp) - The powerful aerobic benefits of prolonged combat activity enable your stamina bar to recharge at 160% of the normal rate.
* Level 3 (90 xp) - As a wily battle-hardened veteran, your combat expertise effectively increases your maximum health by 15 points.
* Level 4 (140 xp) - Even if you're not a Covert Ops, you gain the ability to 'see' enemy land mines within a short distance with your bare eyes; however, they will not show up on your teammate's command maps. Any mines within a certain range will appear as translucent outlines in your field of vision. (Under some mods, non-Covert Ops also gain the ability to reveal them on the command map with binoculars, an ability that is otherwise Covert ops-exclusive.)


General skill - Light Weapons

Skill in Light Weapons is gained by killing with light weapons: a submachine gun, rifle (when not using the scope, if one is fitted), pistol, grenade or knife.

The player receives 3 experience points for a kill with a grenade or a bodyshot, and 5 experience points for a kill with a headshot.

* Level 1 - When you respawn, your ammo loadout will include one extra magazine of ammunition.
* Level 2 - Your familiarity with your weapons allows you to reload your weapons 35% faster.
* Level 3 - Your combat experience allows you to handle your weapons with greater ease; SMG spread is reduced by 35% while pistol recoil is halved.
* Level 4 - Your single-handed weapon slot now has the option of dual-wield akimbo pistols.


Soldier (Class Skill - Heavy Weapons)

Heavy combat specialist. The soldier is unique in that his character skill relates only to killing the enemy rather than helping his team directly. Soldiers are the only class that can carry heavy weapons; however, all character classes may earn points in Heavy Weapons while using a constructed MG42 turret or a tank's Browning machinegun. Soldiers spawn with four hand grenades. Soldiers can also wield a submachine gun if they for example run out of Panzerfausts.

Soldiers receive 3 experience points for each kill with a heavy weapon. All players, regardless of class, receive 3 experience points towards their Heavy Weapons skill for a kill with an MG42 turret or tank's Browning machinegun.

* Level 1 - Power Bar requirement for firing a heavy weapon is reduced by 1/3, using 2/3 to fire.
* Level 2 - Overheat rate for the Mobile MG42 is reduced by 50%.
* Level 3 - Walking speed while brandishing heavy weapons is increased.
* Level 4 - Soldier may carry a submachine gun (Thompson or MP40) as a sidearm in place of a pistol.