Think Battlefield 6’s Recon Class is Weak? You’re Playing it Wrong

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I know I’m a bit different when it comes to games like Battlefield 6. I really enjoy sniping – there’s nothing quite like the feeling of a perfect shot. But even more than a great sniping performance, I want to win. A flawless round or a lot of headshots don’t mean much if my team loses in the end. So, when I need to switch from my sniper rifle to a pistol like the M45A1, or even run towards enemy vehicles with explosives, you can be sure I’m doing what it takes to secure a victory.

Winning in Battlefield 6 is definitely easier with some classes over others. Support players can constantly keep teammates alive and control fights with smoke grenades and revives. Engineers can make sure vehicles are always at their best, letting skilled drivers and pilots really shine. And Assault players can help the team reach key positions or create surprise attacks. However, just because Recon takes more skill doesn’t mean it’s a bad class. As someone who’s played this game and the Battlefield series for hundreds of hours, I often feel like I have the biggest impact on matches as Recon. That’s why I want to change how people see this class, and understanding my play style is a good place to start.

I actually started with the original Bad Company Battlefield game, but it took me a while to really find a class I loved and stuck with.

How My Battlefield 3 Experience Made Me a Recon For Life

I have a great memory from playing Battlefield 3 that I’ve always tried to relive with each new Battlefield game, but haven’t been able to. I originally bonded with my best friend through games like Killzone 2 and the first Black Ops. By the time Battlefield 3 came out, we were a strong team. He was always much better at getting kills, so he’d focus on topping the scoreboard while I concentrated on completing the objectives. We loved the Rush game mode, and while he was eliminating enemies, I would arm or disarm M-COM stations and defend them to help us win. I usually didn’t have the best equipment for objective-based play, since I preferred playing as Recon—a style I still use in the latest game, Battlefield 6. Just like I relied on the M1911 pistol in BF3, I often have to depend on Battlefield 6’s sidearms.

We were playing a Rush match and experienced one of those classic, unforgettable Battlefield moments. It wasn’t a particularly spectacular play you’d see going viral – no crazy Rendezook maneuvers or flanking attacks – but it was special to us. Many Battlefield and Battlefield 6 players know the long-range sniper duels that often happen on Operation Firestorm: attackers trying to take out defenders positioned on the large tower at the defenders’ starting point. I noticed two snipers lying in the sand before they saw me, and my friend, who was a really skilled player, was repeatedly going out of bounds to eliminate enemies as they spawned. Instead of me trying to engage both snipers directly, we realized we had a chance to do something amazing.

I was playing Battlefield with a friend when we spotted two enemy snipers near the edge of the map. He told me to aim for a headshot on the sniper to the left, which I did. At the same time, he ran towards the enemies, planning to get behind the other sniper and take him down in close combat to steal his dog tags. He counted down from three, and as soon as he said “go,” I fired the shot, eliminating the first sniper just as my friend finished off the second. The timing was incredible – the first sniper saw his teammate go down right before being killed himself, and neither of them had time to warn each other. I’ve experienced a lot of amazing moments in Battlefield over the years, like diving off Damavand Peak or fighting on Zeppelins in Battlefield 1. But this small, coordinated attack with my friend might be my most memorable Battlefield moment ever, and it’s a perfect example of the unique, large-scale action and satisfying sniping that only Battlefield can deliver.

The classic Operation Firestorm map returned in Battlefield 6. Although the map’s new limits prevent me from perfectly reliving a specific memorable experience, I’ve still enjoyed many exciting sniper battles that brought back fond memories.

My friend and I used to be a great team in games like Battlefield 3 and later Battlefields. We’d work together really well – for example, I’d identify enemy vehicles using a laser designator on maps like Noshahr Canals, and he’d destroy them, or he’d damage tanks to give me a safe path to plant explosives. It’s been about five years since we last played together regularly, though. Now, I mostly game with my fiancée, and my friend is very focused on his military career. It’s natural to drift apart from friends over time, but I’ll always value those gaming memories. They’ve actually made me a better Recon player in Battlefield 6 – I always try to help my teammates succeed, just like I used to with my friend.

How Should You Be Playing Recon in Battlefield 6?

Taking cues from Battlefield 3, many of its core gameplay elements and tactics are still relevant in BF6. As you can see from my experience, there are certain principles Recons (sniper class) should follow to truly excel – simply being a good shooter isn’t enough.

  1. Spot as many foes as possible. This is easier than ever thanks to the automatic spotting perk of BF6’s Recon class, as players can do a quick scan of the battlefield and mark numerous foes for their team. Players shouldn’t waste their T-UGS device, either, as tossing it on a Conquest flag or Breakthrough point before retreating to a sniper position is beneficial. The Recon Drone shouldn’t be wasted, either, as I’ve had big success marking all the defenders on a point while a vehicle takes them out.
  2. Play the objective. This Battlefield mantra doesn’t just apply to Assaults, Supports, and Engineers. With so many Open Weapon playlists, if tickets start running low, there’s no reason a Recon can’t toss on a powerful primary like the M4A1 Carbine to capture a point before going back to sniping. Even on Closed Weapon playlists, pulling out a sidearm and rushing the point could give the team that last boost it needs to get the win. Also, don’t force sniping when it’s not viable. Liberation Peak may be a sniper’s paradise, but using a sniper on Siege of Cairo is just asking for trouble.
  3. Vehicles aren’t someone else’s problem. Too often will I see other Recon players get out of line of sight from a vehicle that’s wreaking havoc on the team and leave their allies to suffer. Recons have two powerful tools to help deal with enemy tanks and IFVs: the Laser Designator and C-4 Explosives. If there are Engineers on the team with lock-on launchers, pulling out the first tool and painting vehicles will be a huge help with getting rid of them. Alternatively, parachuting toward vehicles from sneaky angles and quickly destroying them with C-4 has been something I’ve done for years, and it remains hugely effective most of the time.
  4. Snipe smartly. Far too often, Battlefield 6 Recons will get themselves embroiled in one-on-one Sniper duels that see them essentially removing themselves from the fight. While countersniping can be useful if the opposing team has a dominant sniper on their side, a Recon should get themselves into a position where they can fire at the objective more often than not. Clicking enemies’ heads as they spawn in is fun and all, but clearing out a point so thoroughly that teammates can capture it safely is even better.
  5. You’re (usually) not alone, so don’t play like it. Admittedly, this is the one point I’m still working on, as it’s easy to go on a streak of headshots or longshots and get a bit of tunnel vision. I’ve failed to notice my fiancée bleeding out just a few meters away from me because of this (which has led to some playful shaming for my mistake), so it’s important to remember to drag and revive squadmates that are close by. Picking up an allied Support could lead to them reviving the team and swaying a fight, while rescuing an Engineer in the squad can see a friendly vehicle saved from destruction.

Battlefield 6’s Recon Haters Are Sleeping on The Class’s True Potential

Most complaints about the Recon class come from two main issues. First, some players think Recon is weak now that the ability to place respawn beacons moved to the Assault class – it used to be a key part of how Recon supported the team and played objectives. But this overlooks how valuable gathering information can be, and how effective the C-4 explosive still is. The second issue, and this applies to all classes, is players being overly focused on their own performance instead of teamwork.

Let me be clear: even though I’ve outlined five ways to play as a team, you’ll still find plenty of players who only look out for themselves. I’ve been abandoned by teammates as a Recon more times than I can count, and my requests for help often go ignored. But it’s not just Recons. Many Support players get frustrated when others die quickly, yet some will intentionally let teammates bleed out just to conserve ammo. Engineers sometimes just mess around trying to get RPG kills, and for every Assault player who uses their tools effectively, there are two who only care about carrying extra weapons. And don’t even get me started on tanks hanging back behind the front lines instead of leading the charge.

Although the Recon class and snipers sometimes encourage players to act selfishly, this isn’t unique to them – all classes can fall into that trap. It’s unfair to dismiss Recon just because some players don’t use it effectively. In fact, I often find Assault players are more self-focused than Recon players. With the addition of a faster, more versatile sniper in Battlefield 6 Season 1, we might see more Recons actively engaging in the middle of battles instead of staying on the edges. This could allow them to create opportunities themselves, rather than relying on others. And if that happens, the Battlefield 6 community might discover what I learned years ago while playing with a friend in 2011: a skilled player can make Recon incredibly effective.

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2025-10-26 15:38