The British Army is the land warfare branch of His Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It was first formed in 1707, when the unification of England and Scotland unified their armies into one as well. During the 18th and 19th century, the British Army participated in several significant wars such as the War of the Spanish Succession, the Seven Years' War and the Napoleonic Wars. British victories in those wars allowed for Britain to establish an global empire overseas. Entering the 20th century, the British Army fought as one of the primary Allied armies in both World Wars.
The British Commandos were a special forces unit initially formed from members of the British Army during World War II. The Commandos were used for raids on enemy occupied areas, and saw action in every theatre of the war. They are featured in Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII.
The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces division within the British Army. First active from 1941 to 1945, then from 1947 onward they conduct diverse, unconventional warfare and are renowned as one of the best special forces groups in the world. They are featured in Battlefield 2: Special Forces.
It is one of the two British factions in the game plus expansions, the other is the British Commandos. The British army additionally represents the Royal Air Force on the Battle of Britain map. The Canadian Army, then a part of the British Empire, also appears as a distinct faction.
In terms of appearance, the British use the same models for all theaters they are present in, and are issued khaki uniforms. They wear blouses with two frontal pockets, ankle puttees with brown boots. The Brodie helmet is a ubiquitous component of their uniform, and is worn by all classes. Their webbing, which is of a similar khaki coloration, consists of a harness with two large frontal magazine pouches. Various classes have additional smaller pouches and sidearm holsters. Like the United States Army, the Assault carries an entrenching tool on his back.
The British Army is issued mostly American made vehicles, and is identical to its United States Army counterparts in what vehicles are used with the exception of the fighter, which is a Spitfire instead of the Mustang.
In the North Africa theatre, all British vehicles have a solid khaki/desert paintjob, while in Europe they use a green coating identical to the Americans and Canadians.
Note: factions are never named inside the game and are simply referred to as "Allied" or "Axis". The names given here are used for convenience after identifying the factions from the game files.
Battlefield 2[]
The British Army is mentioned in the Warlord map description as being attacked by a local Insurgent Warlord and the British SAS being called to stop the Insurgent Forces in the area.
In Storm of Steel, British tanks and aircraft support the United States counterattack in the first mission, and succeed in breaking the German spearhead before running into intense resistance from enemy field guns. The player briefly takes control of the left-side gunner of a Mark V tank before it is destroyed by shellfire.
In Through Mud and Blood, the player assumes the role of Danny Edwards, a fresh volunteer assigned as a driver in the Royal Tank Regiment, who participates in the British offensive near Cambrai in Fall 1918.
In The Runner, ANZAC and British forces are featured assaulting the Ottoman-held coastline at Gallipoli.
Singleplayer British soldiers use mainly random generated uniforms and weapons. There are several types of British troops:
Rifleman - Most riflemen wear brown khaki tunics and a Brodie helmet (both green and covered, similar to the Multiplayer's Assault). Some soldiers also wear slouch hats. The equipment they mostly use are the SMLE MKIIIbolt-action rifles and the M1907 SL automatic rifles.
Assault - Some are identical to Multiplayer's Assault and others wear plain brown khaki tunics and also wears green or covered Brodie helmets. They use Model 10-Ashotguns and M1903 Experimental carbine rifles. They're are seen in The Runner, defending the outposts and Through Mud and Blood, clearing the trenches.
Support - They are identical to Multiplayer's Support and uses the Lewis Gun.
Scout - Only one of them is seen in The Runner, near Whitehall's outpost. He looks similar to Multiplayer's Medic, despite his turban headwear, but his uniform is identical to Multiplayer's Scout. He uses the SMLE MKIII rifle with a marksman scope. He'll provide the player with sniper fire if he gets compromised by Ottoman Scouts.
Officer - Their uniform is similar to the Multiplayer's Cavalry, with the exception of armor plates. Only one of them is seen in the opening of Through Mud and Blood and wields an M1911.
British soldiers in singleplayer use Clubs as their standard melee weapon.
Multiplayer[]
The British Empire is featured as one of six factions in the base game of Battlefield 1, as part of the Allies along with Italy and the United States. They are outfitted with the brown woolen khaki service dress and beige cotton webbing of the era, in addition to the distinctive Brodie helmet worn by the Assault, Scout, and Supportclasses, and turbans worn by the Medic, who is apparently a member of the British Indian Army.
Assault - Wears a scarf and a covered Brodie helmet. With smaller details such as a leather pistol holster on his chest pack and ammo pouches around his stomach, along with shotgun shell holsters and a small backpack, and, like all Assaults, an Anti-Tank Grenade on his waist.
Medic - A soldier from a Indian descent, he wears a turban and a blanket that wraps around his body from the right shoulder. Additional details include ammo pouches on his waist and a pair of crutches on his back, like most other Medics.
Support - Wearing a scarf and a Brodie helmet equipped with the Wilmer Model Eye Defense visor. Additional details include a canteen on his hip, a shovel on his back, and a bandolier wrapped around his torso.
Scout - A soldier of African or Caribbean descent, wearing a poncho and a Brodie helmet. Additional details include a bandolier that adorn the front part of his body.
Cavalry - Wears a peaked cap, a scarf, and armor on his torso. Smaller details include a sidearm holster on his chest and ammo pouches at the end of his armor.
Tanker - Wears a brown jumpsuit with sidearm holsters on their chest and a Brodie helmet with a splinter mask.
Pilot - Wears aviator goggles and leather helmets, with brown gloves/boots and khaki jackets. Scarf is striped with light and dark blue.
On these maps, the faction's appearance is modified to reflect the environmental and historical setting, representing the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force which fought in Gallipoli. The Assault wears a peaked cap with a sun cape and a rolled up sleeved uniform, but equipment is derived from the base game. The Medic represents the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, wearing the iconic ANZAC slouch hat and a rolled up sleeved blue shirt. The Support wears a Pith helmet, with the addition of equipment such as crossbody belts of exposed ammo and another one strapped on his waist. The Scout is also used to represent ANZAC troops, but those of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (evident by the "lemon squeezer" hat worn and its red-stripped puggarees).
During the singleplayer prologue My Country Calling, the British Army appear as friendly forces during the 1940 and 1944 segments, and as an enemy force in 1941. They are also featured in Under No Flag, appearing at the end of the story at the airfield in Crossing Line. Some British soldiers are also seen in The Last Tiger.
The British Army typically wears khaki/brown uniforms with Standard Brodie helmets, although their outfit and equipment combinations varies somewhat throughout the singleplayer. The United Kingdom also serves as the friendly force during Basic Training and on the Practice Range.
Assault - Soldiers wearing The Mechanic torso and The Wanderer legs can be seen in the 1940 and 1944 segment of My Country Calling and the end of Under No Flag, with them wearing white tunics and USM1 helmets in the former. They are equipped with STEN guns.
Medic - Uses either a brown or white version of The Phantom torso with crutches on the back, and brown The Wanderer legs. In the 1940 and 1944 sections of My Country Calling, a Medic will revive the player if they are downed before their scripted death at the end of the sequence. Seen also in Basic Training, where the class wears a white version of the torso and is equipped with the Turner SMLE.
Support - These troops wear the full The Wanderer set and carry the FG-42. Occasionally seen with Panzerfausts on their backs. Appear during the 1940, 1941, and 1944 segments of My Country Calling.
Recon - Wears The Patriot top and The Wanderer legs and use only the Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk I. During The Last Tiger, they instead wear The Phantom top and The Patriot legs.
In Multiplayer, the United Kingdom is one of two multiplayer factions that appeared at launch, opposed by Germany on maps set in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, North Africa and Greece. Although primarily based on the British Army as evidenced by available vehicles and voice-overs, the faction also includes cosmetic items from other real-world Allied powers such as the United States (such as the Flim Flam set), France (Liberté) and other resistance organizations.
The shoulder insignia of the British soldiers in Battlefield 1 reads "RAILWAY BTN. 17", which refers to the 17th Northumberland Fusiliers known as the North Eastern Railway Pioneers.
The HUD icon for the United Kingdom has changed several times throughout the game's history:
In the Battlefield 5 Teaser Trailer, the ticket counter at the top of the screen shows the same icon as the current version. This has been used up to the Closed Alpha.
Since the Open Beta, the ticket counter showed an icon that would be reused by the United States later. However, in other places, such as the end-of-round screen, scoreboard or on vehicles, the icon remained identical to the Closed Alpha.
After the United States was added as a separate faction, the icon in the ticket counter returned to that of the Closed Alpha, reunifying the two icons.
Afrika Korps
Royal Italian Army
German Empire
Ottoman Empire
