Towing

For the anti-tank weapon, see TOW.

Towing is the process of coupling two or more objects together so that they may be pulled to a different location. This is normally accomplished by motorized vehicles, animals, or humans through the use of a chain, rope, cable, hitch, etc. In regards to militaries, vehicle recovery is normally performed by towing to free immobile vehicles. Likewise it has been used to move weapon emplacements to favorable positions.

Battlefield Vietnam

An ACH-47 airlifting a Sheridan

In Battlefield Vietnam, The ACH-47 and both Huey variants have the ability to Airlift US vehicles.

Airlifting a vehicle can be done from the pilot seat by holding alternative fire over a US vehicle. The helicopter will need to hover over the vehicle and wait for the winch to fully deploy as indicated by the red and green lights in the bar. Both vehicles should remain as still as possible while moving the hook into the airlift point's radius. Once the hook is in the radius, the red light will flash, the bottom bar will fill up over the course of 0.4 seconds, and the light will turn green, signaling that the vehicle is hooked up and ready to be airlifted. The pilot can release the hook by pressing the same button that brings down the hook; additionally, the driver of the vehicle can simply accelerate to detach or avoiding being hooked.

Airlifting has multiple uses, including moving vehicles from point A to point B faster, as well as transporting players within vehicles behind enemy lines to capture flags.

Certain vehicles have a modifier that makes them harder to transport and control while towed; M151s and M113s are the easiest while heavier vehicles such as the M110 and the M48 Patton are the hardest.

NVA/VC vehicles cannot be airlifted due to lacking a "hook". However, this does not stop an NVA/VC player from stealing a Huey and airlifting a US Vehicle.

Battlefield V

A Panzer 38(t) towing a Flak 38

Towing is a new gameplay mechanic introduced in Battlefield V. It allows players to hitch emplacements such as artillery or machine guns to vehicles and move them to more favorable locations. Additionally, emplacements may still be used while they are being towed. In order to hitch an emplacement to a vehicle, the driver must first back into what they intend to tow and then press the Self Repair button to perform a successful hitch.

Only emplacements that spawn near a vehicle at deployment may be towed. This excludes emplacements situated on the map, and those built as a fortification.

Towable items

• PAK 40
• Flak 38
• QF 6 pdr

The Churchill Crocodile tows its own fuel trailer that is permanently hitched.

Trivia

Battlefield V

• During the Beta and at release, towing stationary weapons caused significant physics issues, especially when driving a vehicle in reverse in a confined area, to the point where the weapon and vehicle could be damaged. This has since been patched.

• The towed vehicle is still counted as a separate vehicle, and can be entered and used by the other team.

• If a friendly player on the towed gun kills themselves, the towing player is awarded a Driver Assist.