Battlefield 5 is all about teamwork, and the Support class has a central role to play in all of it. Even the best marksman will eventually run out of ammo, making the Support class any player’s best friend. Their ammo resupplies and vehicle repairs help to maintain the team’s forward momentum, but they also carry their own set of gadgets that can be used in individual as well as team-based play.
From the good old ammo crate to the hilarious-to-use lunge mine, BF5’s Support class boasts an array of gadgets that are mainly there to blow up the enemies. However, not all Support gadgets are created equal — read on to find the best of the best.
7 AT Mine
As the name suggests, the anti-tank mine shreds enemy tanks. Placed on the ground, they detonate whenever enemy vehicles pass over them. Alternatively, players can shoot or throw a grenade on top of the AT mine to detonate it manually. This can be useful for quickly damaging a tank that is next to, but not passing over, the mines.
Enemies can destroy AT mines before running over them, though, so it’s good practice for players to hide the explosives as well as they can. Frequently traversed areas, especially chokepoints like gateways or narrow outdoor passages, are prime locations to place them down.
Players can carry two AT mines by default upon spawning in, but as many as six can be carried after visiting an ammo station in the level. Mines persist even after a player’s death — however, placing more AT mines will replace any that are already in use.
6 Shaped Charge
A throwable explosive with an incredibly short range, the shaped charge is useful for sneaking up on tanks. Players get two of these to start with, which is enough to disable but not necessarily kill heavy armored opponents. However, quickly using the Support’s ammo crate to replenish one charge will help players pack in some extra damage.
Alternatively, combine the shaped charge with the sticky grenade to quickly finish off damaged tanks while playing Support. Keep in mind that shaped charges detonate automatically after three seconds, while sticky grenades take a whole six seconds. While that sounds short enough, it only takes one second for a tank driver to take a player out.
5 AP Mine
The anti-personnel mine is a simple yet brutal device. Players get one of these so-called “bouncing Betties,” which can be placed on the ground or even on certain surfaces like map-based ammo stations.
While enemies can escape death by quickly going prone, AP mines can be easily hidden around corners, just out of view of a doorway, or more sadistically next to ammo and health stations. A rushing player is unlikely to see the mine, but patience and good placement are key to getting kills with this gadget.
AP mines are excellent choices for indoor areas (maps like Operation Underground are a prime location for these bad boys), so don’t expect to get any kills on BF5’s empty battle royale servers.
4 Lunge Mine
There’s probably nothing with more meme-potential in the Support kit than the Lunge Mine, which is basically a bomb on the end of a stick. Looking uncannily similar to an extra-long toilet plunger, the Lunge Mine is based on a real-life Japanese weapon from World War II. Soldiers ran into tanks, releasing a pin in the explosive when it pressed up against a target. Unlike in real life, thankfully, BF5’s Lunge Mine doesn’t kill its user (although it does self-inflict 20 damage and knock down its carrier upon detonation).
Tanks, by definition, are a pretty unstoppable force. (After all, not even planes are safe from enemy armor.) The Lunge Mine, by comparison, isn’t always up for the task, as it can disable but never destroy heavy armor. While it can certainly help a squad with other anti-armor capabilities, the Lunge Mine really shines (and memes) brightest when used against infantry.
Reminiscent of Battlefield 1’s bayonet charges, players can gain a speed boost while charging with the Lunge Mine. If it comes into contact with an enemy player, it’s a guaranteed instant kill. However, charging a machine gunner head-on is ill-advised. Go for the flank instead.
3 Kampfpistole
A very situational weapon, the Kampfpistole is nevertheless an effective anti-infantry grenade launcher — especially when used on Operation Underground (which is itself based on the legendary Operation Metro). With a frustratingly long fuse, it’s not advised to use this launcher against rushing enemies. Instead, use it at chokepoints to clear out camping enemies, or even bounce it around corners to attack unseen opponents.
Players start with three rounds that can be replenished by an ammo crate, meaning Support players can lock down hallways — especially if another Support player has thrown down additional ammo boxes. Whether players are clearing out sniper’s nests, houses, or long corridors, the Kampfpistole is a fearsome choice for bottlenecked CQB.
2 AT Grenade Pistol
Similar to the Kampfpistole, the AT Grenade Pistol is designed to deal heavy damage to vehicles, but it’s surprisingly effective against infantry, too. Direct hits can’t kill players instantly, but the explosions will knock enemies’ health down enough that sneezing in their general direction should secure the kill. Unfortunately, the gadget’s splash damage is so weak it’s practically non-existent.
However, the AT Grenade Pistol poses a significant threat to enemy armor, assuming the Support player attacks from the rear. Hitting tanks' weak points will make the grenades much more effective, although they still lag behind the much more effective anti-tank launchers used by the Assault class. Combine the AT Grenade Pistol with a resupply from the ammo crate — or bring along a friend to tag-team a tank — and this launcher can deal serious damage against enemy vehicles.
1 Ammo Crate
It’s been mentioned countless times on this list for a reason: the ammo crate is a soldier’s best friend. It’s bad enough running out of ammo for one's primary weapon, but nothing is worse than running on empty with a favorite gadget. The ammo crate fixes all that, supplying both the Support player who dropped it and any friendlies who interact with it.
Unlike the more portable ammo pouch, the ammo crate resupplies soldier gadgets in addition to the bullets players that receive from the pouches. A stationary object with a relatively lengthy (but not intolerable) cooldown for gadget resupplies, the ammo crate is indispensable for any serious Battlefield player.
Once players have resupplied, they can even reload in style with this trippy telekinesis easter egg. As mesmerizing as that special reload is, the real magic has always been the teamwork the Support class brings to a game of Battlefield.
Battlefield 5 is available on PC, Xbox One, and Playstation 4.