An example of a real life combat knife, a standard German army issued KM2000
A Knife, or known primarily as a Combat Knife or Fighting Knife is a cutting weapon designed for military use, specifically for close combat; however, since the end of trench warfare, most military knives have been primarily designed for utility/tool use (clearing foliage, chopping branches for cover, opening ammunition crates, etc.).
Battlefield 1942
In Battlefield 1942, the Knife is issued to every kit. The Allied and Axis knives are considered to be different weapons, and as such have different skins. However, they are identical in terms of functions and stats.
It should only be used in drastic close-quarters situations where the player runs out of ammo in both their primary weapon and pistol, or when sneaking up on an enemy. It can take one to four swipes to kill an opponent, depending on where the blows hit.
Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome
The Combat Knife is issued to the new factions and is replaced by the Bayonet for the Engineer kit's bolt-action rifle, which, when equipped, uses the aim button to thrust.
Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII
In Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII, the Commando Knife and the German Elite Knife are new weapons issued to the Special Air Service and to the Waffen-SS respectively. They replace the standard combat knife from the base game for these factions. They act like a normal combat knife, except they can be thrown with the primary fire key, or used as a melee weapon with the secondary fire key. Each kit comes with five knives.
The Commando knife of the SAS kits.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Battlefield Vietnam
In Battlefield Vietnam, the Knife is issued to all American and South Vietnamese kits. Its appearance is drastically different from the 1942 version, being much larger, and held with the blade down and to the side, rather than upright. However, it does the same damage. The Axis knife was also redesigned, into the Machete.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
WWII mod
In Battlefield Vietnam's official WWII mod, the Knife is issued to every kit. Like in Battlefield 1942, the knife's model varies between factions, with an Allied knife issued to the US Marines and an Axis knife issued to the Imperial Japanese Army. It uses the same models as those from the previous game, though uses very different animations. Its performance and stats are identical to those from its counterpart from the previous game.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Battlefield 2
The knife in Battlefield 2
In Battlefield 2, the Knife is issued to every kit, and can kill in a single hit. Unlike previous games, the combat knife's skin does not change between factions: there is a single game file related to the knife, which is used for all soldiers, rather than multiple for each faction.File:BF2 Knife Stab.ogg
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
A soldier holding a knife in Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
In Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, a Combat Knife is issued to the Spec-Ops kit, and kills in one hit, much like other Battlefield games. USMC and EU soldiers will be issued with a Model 15 Combat Knife, while PLA kits will have a Type 95 Combat Knife, and MEC kits will have the Kukri. Although they differ in appearance, they all perform similarly.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Battlefield 2142
The Dogtagger Dagger in 2142. Notice the dogtag on the handle
The BJ-2 Combat Knife is issued to every kit. It kills with a single hit, and a kill will award the player with the victim's dogtag.
After fifty kills with the knife, the player earns the Dogtagger Dagger, a knife replacement with a dogtag attached to the handle. Aside from aesthetics, it does nothing for gameplay.
| |||||||||||||||||
Battlefield: Bad Company
A Russian Soldier wielding a Combat Knife.
The Kniv-1 combat knife is available for use for every type of kit, and can be used to attack enemies to claim their Dog Tag and break open wooden doors and fences. A hit will result in an assured one hit kill. However, it will probably take about 2 hits to kill friendlies.
When pulling out the knife, it will automatically do a first attack. A player can quickly hit the knife button again and there will be two fast swipes which can help in a first close-quarters strike, but only when the player pulls out the Kniv-1.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Battlefield Heroes
A National Commando Using a combat knife
In Battlefield Heroes members of the Commando Class have the option to use a combat knife as a weapon.
The Combat Knife is issued to the Royal Army as well as the National Army.
The knife used in Battlefield Heroesbegins a trend of knives inflicting splash-like damage, spread in an area in front of the wielder, rather than bullet-like damage fixed on the crosshair.
 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
A render of the knife
— In-game description
Singleplayer
In Battlefield: Bad Company 2's singleplayer, the knife is the first usable weapon in the game, and can be equipped upon three occasions. The first time is after the opening cutscene of Operation Aurora where the player loses their Thompson, the player pulls out the knife and kills a Japanese guard with it. Soon after, the player receives a Type 100 and the combat knife can no longer be equipped as a stand-alone. The second time is at the beginning of the mission Upriver, when the player must use the combat knife to quietly take out a sentry at an outpost overlooking a Bolivian Militia base without raising the alarm. The third time it is used is in the beginning of Airborne, where the player is equipped with a combat knife again, this time in order to kill a Russian soldier. The player immediately picks up the soldier's AKS-74U, however, and can no longer equip the knife as a standalone weapon. Throughout most of the campaign, the player can only use the knife in an attack sequence.
Multiplayer
In multiplayer, the Combat Knife is the standard melee weapon, usable by all kits. It will kill an enemy player in a single strike. It is not a feasible stealth weapon, however. If the player misses their target, a slashing sound (and possibly a verbal cue from the character) may alert them. If the player does hit their target, the victim may choke or make another noise that alerts surrounding players. The knife is also a useful tool for knocking away certain destructible barriers, such as windows, fences, barbed wire, wooden doors, wooden railings, and many other light physical barriers in the player's path. Using the knife to knock away barriers provides the player with a way to move around more freely without wasting ammunition. When using the knife on an enemy within its range, roughly five feet, it will cause the player to lunge forward against the enemy and perform a stabbing attack. An attack without an enemy target will instead cause the player to slash with the knife. The slash attack is still capable of killing an enemy if the strike connects. Although the lunge makes knife kills more likely, it is still possible for the target to evade the swing by moving away from the attacker. The knife will kill should the victim be close enough, even if the knife would not actually hit him.
When players knife an enemy player in Battlefield: Bad Company 2, they receive an award called a dogtag. These appear as bronze, silver or golden dogtags, depending on the victim's rank, with their name written below them. There are also several awards related to knife kills which the player can acquire. The dogtags from all of a player's past victims can be viewed in the Main Menu, providing a running tally of how many individual dogtags players have acquired as well as player-specific ones.
Players can kill certain enemies in vehicles, if they are in an exposed position, such as the Quad Bike, both of the boats featured in the game, or a gunner in a light vehicle.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Battlefield Play4Free
The Combat Knife returns in Battlefield Play4Free as a weapon issued to every kit. It is the standard and currently
The Knife in Battlefield Play4Free.
only melee weapon in the game. It cannot be equipped, as it works like in Battlefield: Bad Company 2, performing a slash animation when used. The knife always results in a one hit kill but, unlike other Battlefield games, it won't reward the player with your enemy's dogtag. Though, the player earns 20 more points with a "Close Quarters Kill" bonus.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Battlefield 3
— Battlelog description
In Battlefield 3, the Knife is a melee weapon. Unlike in previous titles, there are different ways to use the combat knife. The weapon can also be used in all three modes in the game (singleplayer, co-op, and multiplayer).
Knife attacks (whether quick or standard) can destroy chain link fences and window glass with a single blow, allowing passage through them (although there are some exceptions such as the Russian spawn building windows in Operation Metro).
In singleplayer, Blackburn's and Dima's knifes are different cosmetically, Blackburn's being an M9 bayonet and Dima's being a Spetsnaz Machete.
Takedown
— A loading screen tip regarding Knife Takedown
Holding the attack button and approaching an enemy while behind him will perform a fatal Takedown attack. Knife takedowns can be performed when close to an enemy. The knife is held horizontally when equipped if there is no target, or if the target is not in range. However, when in range of a takedown target, the knife is raised to a vertical 'ready' position. Players have to decide whether the extra time and exposure during a takedown are worth the risk, especially when other alert enemies are nearby.
There are twelve takedown animations in all, four for each stance. If an enemy begins to turn toward you while you start a knife animation, the front animation for that stance will play. When a takedown is performed, the knife user is awarded the victim's Dogtags which is unobtainable in any other way.
When attacking with a knife, you do not appear on the radar; however, knife sound effects may reveal your position. There is no counter to the knife, though people can be killed while knifing. Sometimes lag may cause your attacks to kill the person knifing you mid-animation, and vice versa.
In the singleplayer campaign, some enemies will try to perform a takedown on you if you get close enough to them. To counter it, simply press the attack button and the enemy trying to kill you will be killed instead.
The takedown animations during alpha were considerably longer. DICE switched to shorter animations that incorporate the removal of the victim's dogtags, and keep the first-person view steadier so the player is more aware of their immediate surroundings.
During the release of Close Quarters, takedowns were given less priority, causing the player to sometimes "quick knife" or to not attack at all.
Quick Knife
Battlefield 3 also brings back the "Quick Knife" attack used in Bad Company 2. The player can attack without unsheathing the knife (as in games before BFBC2), but only removes 50% (before the March 27 update 33-50%) health. The player automatically returns to their prior weapon, increasing the time between quick knife attacks. It is often faster to equip the knife, use standard slash attacks, and kill them. With the 1.04 Version patch, knifing speed has been increased. If a player is not directly above an enemy in prone position, they will automatically "quick knife" them unless they prepare a takedown.
On the PS3 and 360 versions, the Quick melee attack and the wieldable knife are bound to the same button, so tapping the button will execute a quick slash and then return to the previous weapon or equipment, while holding down the button will execute the slash and keep the knife held out. PC players can choose whether to bind the functions separately or together.
Battlefield Premium
— Battlelog Description
The ACB-90
The ACB-90, colloquially known as "The Boxcutter" is a melee weapon in Battlefield 3. It is acquired after buying Battlefield Premium, and replaces the standard Knife. There is no functional difference between the ACB-90 and regular knife. It's also worth noting that it has its own kill message, "ACB-90" instead of "Knife." However, ACB-90 kills are still tracked as 'Knife' kills. It uses a crosshair reticle as opposed to the standard knife's dot reticle.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Trivia
- Mortar users are immune to takedown attacks—vehicle operators cannot be taken down, and the mortar is considered a vehicle for gameplay purposes. It is possible to provoke the user into exiting the mortar, although there is a slight risk of being struck by an outbound smoke mortar (the regular HEDP mortar round does not inflict damage until it falls).
- A glitch may occur where the player may continue holding his knife in takedown position while running after a takedown, even if no enemies are available.
- A complicated glitch allows players to teleport to an arbitrary point above certain maps after performing a takedown, with enough height to safely parachute down.
- The ACB-90 knife given to Battlefield Premium users is based off the United Cutlery M48 Kommando Survivor Knife.
- Battlelog tracks knife swings under "shots fired".
- It is possible to score a headshot with the knife.
- A glitch introduced after one of the 2012 patches limited the number of consecutive takedowns to one, causing players to not attack for up to five seconds. It has since been patched in the October 11th server update.
Videos
[[Video:BFV knifing|thumb|left|300px|Knife combat in Battlefield Vietnam, on the map Operation Flaming Dart.]] thumb|right|300px|Gameplay with the Combat Knife in Battlefield: Bad Company 2's multiplayerthumb|right|300px|Different knife takedown animations in Battlefield 3.