Tracer Dart Gun

The Tracer Dart Gun is a usable gadget in the Bad Company series. It is a small, handgun-shaped weapon that can launch magnetic tracer darts at vehicles, or in somewhat entertaining cases, other players. These darts can be used to guide un-guided rocket projectiles (such as an RPG-7's explosive warhead) at a 'painted' target.

Battlefield: Bad Company
In Battlefield: Bad Company, the tracer dart gun (TRCR-357 in-game) makes its first appearance in multiplayer, issued to the Specialist kit. It is designed to be fired at vehicles in order to maintain an effective line-of-sight to the tagged vehicle, and it allows rocket launchers to lock onto the vehicle with the transponder. The shot travels slowly, (about the same speed as an RPG-7), so it can be difficult to hit farther targets. The player who places a tracer dart will get small bonuses of +3 points for a Tracer Dart Assist, meaning every time a rocket hits a traced vehicle. If the player earns two tracer dart assists, they will be awarded the "Tracer Dart Efficiency Trophy".

Battlefield: Bad Company 2
The Tracer Dart Gun ( or 'tracer') returns in Battlefield: Bad Company 2, only being slightly different in appearance and it can be used by any class, occupying the sidearm slot. The darts it fires can be locked on to by the RPG-7 and M2 Carl Gustav launchers, but not the AT-4, as it uses a separate laser guidance system similar to the stationary AT guns. The Tracer Dart Gun is unlocked at level 11, or with the Limited Edition of the game right away.

The usage of the tracer dart confuses many players. In order to make the missile track the tracer, the player should put the crosshairs of the launcher over the red targeting box. The box will not be solid only showing the corners and will flash if it is actively locking on. After a few seconds the box will become a solid box with no gaps, indicating a lock has been acquired. Once the player has locked on, the player can aim over cover, around cover, or even backwards, and the missile will still curve around to hit the target. Recommended tactics include tracing the protected turrets, tanks hidden mostly by cover, and landed enemy helicopters shortly before liftoff. It's especially helpful when combating helicopters, providing the player can actually hit it with the dart. Any rocket launcher will be enough to destroy the helicopter, unless they have Active Armor Upgrade equipped.

The player should communicate to teammates that a target has been marked. Then, any other Engineers can lock-on, shoot around any immediate obstacles to take down the vehicle without having to move to a better position.

A cooperative effort between two players in an attack helicopter can be effective. Gunners in attack helicopters can fire Tracer Darts if one of the players has the Alternate Weapon Package. If a tracer hits an enemy vehicle, the driver of the helicopter can lock with the hellfire rocket (which is also obtained with the Alternate Weapon Package), dealing an additional amount of damage.

Battlefield Play4Free
The Tracer Dart Gun returns in Battlefield Play4Free. It comes pre-unlocked for all kits and, unlike in the Bad Company series, it does feature bullet drop and travel time. Rockets will automatically lock on enemy vehicles hit by tracer darts. The weapon does at most 1 damage at all ranges. It is possible to kill someone with extremely low health with the gun, but this is ill advised, as the Tracer Dart gun is a slow reloading, single shot weapon with very poor damage. The Tracer Dart Gun has unlimited ammo and can be aimed, even if it lacks the iron sights. It is also the secondary gun for the passenger in Attack Helicopters.

After 2011/05/31 game update players get +10 points for each successful tracer dart planted on enemy vehicles.

Trivia
If players shoot a Tracer Dart on someone's head, sometimes the player that has been shot sees the red light of the tracer on his screen.thumb|right|340px|Tracer dart in use on Port Valdez, Rush.

In a recent update to Battlefield: Bad Company 2, the speed of the tracer dart has been dramatically increased to increase the usage of the Tracer Dart Gun and make hitting targets easier. (Though the dart still travels significantly more slowly than a bullet.)

A dare-devil tactic among players on the Rush game mode is to place a tracer dart on a friendly UAV, and then get them to run into the defender's base. This allows friendly engineers to fire RPGs and M2s at the UAV and score kills among the attacking force without having to risk moving up to the heavily defended base to fire their Rocket Launcher.

In the first Bad Company game, the Tracer Dart was the only weapon/gadget to feature "bullet drop". Conversely, in Bad Company 2, it is the only weapon/gadget that does not have "bullet drop", while all other weapons do.

The Tracer Dart is the only gun to take up a weapon slot and not do any damage.(Normal mode only, in Hardcore, enemies can be killed by tracer dart.)

In the Beta of Bad Company 2, the tracer dart did 1 damage, but without marking a hit.

Players using the smoke countermeasures in Helicopters can remove any attached tracer darts before their enemies manage to launch rockets at them. This can be quite frustrating, but few players know when to deploy the flares.

In Battlefield: Bad Company 2, if you can lock onto the target and fire the rocket before the enemy deploys countermeasures, the rocket will still track the enemy even if countermeasures are deployed while rocket is airborn. If you are killed after firing, the rocket somehow loses the target.

In Battlefield: Bad Company 2, it is possible to tag enemy infantry with the Tracer Dart, and consequently lock on to the with the RPG-7 AT or M2 Carl Gustav AT. It also works on UAVs and watercraft.

In Bad Company 1 and 2, you cannot use the tracer dart gun's iron sights, but in Battlefield Play 4 Free, the ability is included, making it easier to aim on a faraway vehicle.