Battlefield 1 Pilot, Tanker and Cavalry Class loadouts and strategies - Carbine, Cavalry Sword and more
Everything you need to know for mastering the specialist Battlefield 1 Pilot, Tanker, and Cavalry Classes.
With the introduction of the Battlefield 1 Pilot, Tanker and Cavalry classes, this marks the first entry to the series with unique, vehicle-specific classes that can't be accessed through any other means but spawning within them.
Gone is the Engineer, with that class' kit split between the Support, which gains the Repair Tool and Limpet Charge gadgets, and the new Pilot, Tanker, and Cavalry classes, which gain unique weapons of their own.
As you've probably guessed, we'll be looking at the specialist Pilot, Tanker and Cavalry class in depth here, but once you're done be sure to also check out our guides for the Assault class, Medic class, and Scout class, too.
Pilot, Tanker, and Cavalry Loadouts - Carbines, Sawed Off Shotguns, and Sidearms
As we have for our Assault, Medic, Support and Scout classes, we've gathered all of the in-depth information on weapon damage, accuracy, and more over in our complete Battlefield 1 weapon stats guide. Here, we'll be listing all of the weapons under each class for some quick-reference whilst you read up on each.
Pilot Class Weapons:
- C96 Carbine
- P08 Artillerie
- Pieper M1893
- Frommer Stop Auto
- Sawed Off Shotgun
- M1911 Extended
- Survival Knife
Tanker Class Weapons:
- C96 Carbine
- P08 Artillerie
- Pieper M1893
- Frommer Stop Auto
- Sawed Off Shotgun
- M1911 Extended
- Survival Knife
Cavalry Class Weapons:
- Russian 1895 Infantry
- Cavalry Sword
Pilot, Tanker, and Cavalry Sidearms:
- P08 Pistol
Pilot, Tanker, and Cavalry unique items
The three vehicle-specialist classes have a significantly reduced range of options for gadgets when compared with their infantry counterparts. That's probably because, unless things go horribly wrong, you should expect to be staying on-board your vehicle (or horse) for as long as possible.
Still, worst comes to worst, you need to be prepared, so here they are:
Pilot Gadgets:
- Flare Gun - Spot
- Repair Tool
Tanker Gadgets:
- Anti-tank Grenade
- Repair Tool
Cavalry Gadgets:
- Bandage Pouch
- Ammo Pouch
Pilot, Tanker and Cavalry Class strategies
Pilot:
A large amount of your success as a Battlefield 1 Pilot will come down to two things: your mastery of the ever-troublesome flight controls; and your choice of the right aircraft for the job.
There's no point picking a Fighter and then trying to take out enemy troops on the ground, and likewise you'll have a horrible time dogfighting in a Bomber. Plan your strategy before you spawn, and stick to it - the best way to do so being a simple awareness of the game around you. If enemy air-dominance means your troops are getting bombed to bits, pick a Fighter and take down those enemy planes. If your troops are overwhelmed and there's little air resistance, meanwhile, then go for the bomber and focus on air-to-ground combat.
Tanker:
Quite simply, if one side's tanks stay alive longer than the others', then they'll probably win the game. Vehicle superiority is incredibly important in Battlefield 1, with the Heavy Tank in particular capable of outright winning the game for its team when fully-manned.
Your focus should be on balancing consistent damage and threat to your enemy, with keeping your own vehicle in one piece. Ideally, you should never leave the tank, instead having a squad member who's playing the Support class (hopefully in a voice party with you) hopping out and using their Repair Tool to keep the vehicle healthy, whilst you keep things moving.
Unless you find an absolute gem of a spot by an objective, you'll also want to keep moving as much as possible. Keep one eye on the map though, because blindly plowing into enemy areas, or drifting out into the open, is the easiest way to find an Anti Tank Rocket coming straight at you.
For more tips on Battlefield 1, check out our main Battlefield 1 Guide, tips and tricks hub; our Battlefield 1 maps breakdown, our complete list of Battlefield 1 weapons stats, unlocks and War Bonds advice, and Codex Entries; how to get the tiny gun Kolibri; how to get Battlepacks, Scrap and Puzzle pieces; and class guides for the Battlefield 1 Elite Classes, Medic class, Support class, Scout class, and specialist Pilot, Tanker and Cavalry classes, too.
Cavalry:
If you're doing it right, playing as the Battlefield 1 Cavalry class is probably the most fun you'll have in the game. Gliding by enemies, one-handedly one-shotting them with your rifle, and slashing down other Cavalry with your Sword - it doesn't get much better.
Do it wrong though, and you're essentially target practice for anyone with a rifle. The main point with the Cavalry class is the keep moving, and to do so as quickly as possible. You'll likely spawn, or hop on, somewhere relatively open. Your task then is to find the route with the most cover to the frontline, and subsequently begin flanking your enemies.
If you find a group, it's likely that they'll take you down quicker than you can make any real impact - being on top of a horse puts a very large target on your back in Battlefield 1. But, if you can manage to flank snipers or outlying enemies too far from their squad, you'll have plenty of luck. Be smart with your routes, and don't get stuck trying to one-hand-reload in a group of enemies - it won't end well, trust us.