In the Name of the Tsar update releases for Battlefield 1 today

In the Name of the Tsar

It’s been a long time coming, but we’re finally about to get our hands on some new content for Battlefield 1. “In the Name of the Tsar” is the title of the new DLC, which releases today; focusing on the Russian front of the Great War. The new content is exclusive to Premium pass holders for the first two weeks. After that, the general populace will be able to purchase the new content.

This is the second of four pieces of DLC that is releasing for Battlefield 1 in the future. EA recently made the announcement that Battlefield 1: Revolution is now available; pulling together the base game and the premium pass into one good value bundle. There has been some debate amongst the online community as to whether this is too early to release; premium pass holders are still waiting for content to drop. The World War One shooter has also just entered the EA Access vault, bringing more value to the subscription service.

You can check out the trailer for “In the Name of the Tsar” below:

Details from EA of the new DLC and what is included can be seen below. There are also a number of fixes available to all Battlefield 1 players which will be available to download now and is required to play online:

Fixes

Service Assignments and Specializations

Prepare for battle like never before with the Specialization system.  New customization options will allow you to enhance your effectiveness on the battlefield and tweak your soldier to explore new ways to play.  All players will start with a set of basic Specializations and many more can be unlocked by completing Service Assignments.

Service Assignments are a new set of challenges that will test your mettle as a soldier. Show that you’ve got what it takes with the “Getting Started” assignments before moving on to the more difficult “Staying Focused” challenges. Will you pick one kit and master it, or complete them all and become a jack of all trades?

HDR10 Support
  • Added support for HDR10. With HDR (High Dynamic Range), the visuals of Battlefield 1 will be even more breathtaking for owners of the required tech (a screen with HDR support together with a console/PC with HDR capabilities.) HDR expands the contrast ratio and color palette to offer more realistic, immersive, and natural visuals. 
Persistence
  • Fixed issue where the Origin Access dog tag was not being unlocked when subscribed to Origin Access.
  • Added Service Assignments and Specializations.
UI
  • Fixed issue where the wrong rank icon was displayed on the Kill Card for Rank 110.
  • Fixed issue where some weapons were not being fully customizable from the front end.
  • Replaced shortcuts on Home Screen with dynamic Battlepacks and Service Assignments widgets.
  • The name filter now trims empty filter texts in the Server Browser.
  • Game servers with custom configuration are now designated as CUSTOM in the Server Browser.
  • Fixed issue accessing Options menu after leaving the server queue.
  • Fixed an issue in the End of Round screen where all Class Rank icons were gold instead of the corresponding Gold, Silver, or Bronze Rank value.
Vehicles
  • Bombers should no longer take multiple damage pings from a single bullet.
  • Changes to stationary weapon repair and respawn – if not repaired for two minutes, the QF1 AA, FK96 Field Gun, and 305/52 O Coastal Gun will be restored to full health. Players can still use a repair tool to get them back into action faster.
  • Fixed issue where dismounting a horse while it was jumping would cause it to get stuck in the jump animation.
Weapons & Gadgets 
  • Fixed issue where it was possible to spawn with duplicate gadgets.
Maps & Modes
  • Fixed collision on staircase in Fort de Vaux to allow players to climb them while prone.
  • The Best Squad screen will now appear after an operation is completed.
  • Fixed issue where character models would appear blurry in the Best Squad screen.
  • Improved loading of the Customize Soldier screen on the main menu.
  • Fixed issue where the kill card would sometimes not show while spectating other players.
Netcode
  • Fixed display conditions for latency variation icon.
  • Improved server-side player latency stability.
RSP
  • Increased RSP map rotation limit from 15 to 24.

In the Name of the Tsar

In the Name of the Tsar content update

New maps

Five new maps will be available in the “In the Name of the Tsar” DLC, including:

  • Galicia – An entrenched fight across a war-torn river valley.
  • Brusilov Keep – A small village high in the Carpathians braces for a Russian siege.
  • Albion – German ships invade the West Estonian Archipelago.
  • Tsaritsyn – Old and new Russia clash in the war-torn streets of Tsaritsyn.
  • Volga River – An epic tank battle along Volga River.

New game mode – Supply Drop

Resupplying troops was essential to victory in WW1, and the use of airplanes to deliver much-needed supplies was a completely new tactic. In the new Supply Drop mode, airdrops will appear periodically, and your team must defend the drop location to recover those supplies. The team that recovers the most supplies at the end of the match wins.

New operations

  • Brusilov Offensive – The Russian army deploys new tactics on the Eastern Front in 1916.
  • Red Tide – The Russian Red Army and White Guard clash in civil war during 1919.

New factions

  • The Russian Empire’s White Guard
  • Red Army

New vehicles

  • Putilov Garford
  • Ilya-Muromets
  • Y-lighter
  • 305/52 O Coastal Gun
  • Hussar Cavalry Unit

New weapons

Assault
  • Model 1900
  • SMG 08/18
Medic
  • FA Automatic Rifle
  • General Liu Rifle
Support
  • Parabellum MG 14/17
  • Perino Model 1908
Scout
  • Mosin Nagant M91
  • Vetterli Vitali M1870/87
Tanker/Pilot
  • C93 Carbine
Sidearm (all kits)
  • Nagant Revolver
  • Obrez Pistol
Melee (all kits)
  • Cossack Dagger
  • Dud Club

It’s certainly a substantial update. It’s nice to see more content made available for the popular shooter. Hopefully the wait for DLC three and four won’t be as long. “Turning the Tides”, the third DLC pack, is due in December 2017. “Apocalypse”, the fourth DLC, is due in “early 2018”.

Will you be picking up “In the Name of the Tsar” in a couple of weeks? Or are you diving in as a premium pass member today? Any fixes still missing that are sourly needed? Let us know in the comments below or over on the RGM Twitter.