Battlefield 1 History: Body Armor in World War I

[@Gecko99]

I wish I could equip my support with some sort of body armor even if just cosmetic, its just so cool!

[@BenThomson887]

If they had taken all of the good stuff from BF5 and put it in BF1 it would be perfect

[@tommyboy1509]

I know it's crazy but I know an additional gadget for the support class to help prevent gas spam: in WW1 the British invented the anti gas fan and was used to clear German gas out of their trenches. The weapon could be used and clear the gas to less vulnerable places. Let me know what you think!

[@Flakfire]

It's not crazy, I have wanted them as a melee weapon. lol

[@tommyboy1509]

Flakfire maybe the fan could be used as a gadget and a melee weapon?

[@Eeter26]

Sounds cool

[@FXHUND-pk3gk]

Tommyboy 150 that would be cool they could be used to back fire the gas

[@BastuGubbar]

no, then enemies would throw gas grenades on the ground and then use fans to blow the gas into enemies faces or where you can't throw gas.

[@ISawABear]

Helmets and Body Armor in Modern Warfare(Free online version for y'all): archive.org/details/helmetsbodyarmor00deanuoft

[@robertopietrantoni3180]

the italians built so much armour because they were inspired to the roman times where the armour mean win the battle

[@lrballistics]

Who pissed in your coffee? The guy is right for the most part

[@kylepolocoser479]

Buck m

[@kylepolocoser479]

Dothurnaax why didnt you tag him

[@deathb4bondage558]

@@lrballistics lol he deleted his comment? what a little bitch

[@thomasb5600]

Full face and chest plate armour that stopped bullets so of the early attempts looks similar to something that worked 30 years before look up Ned Kelly.

[@Flakfire]

+Thomas B they actually had some pre-civil war.

[@spagelsmegal]

Thomas B he's an Aussie legend

[@DGneoseeker1]

Too bad the dumbass forgot to wear armoured trousers.

[@cortex8239]

@@DGneoseeker1 Dude, Ned would have collected more armor melding pieces and was planning to fire from some high ground which not a single shot would hit him.

[@TheRagingStorm98]

Wow I'm quite surprised by the variety of Armour available and how wide spread it was throughout all the warring nations. I thought it was just a rarity that only a few had armour. However you've shown me it is not the case. thx flak for the informative video ;)

[@matthewpham9525]

None of them were very effective though, that's why pretty much everyone stopped using armor.

[@fruitarmy4266]

BF1 really exaggerated WWI era armor.Back then, they could only stop pistol bullets, but rifle and lmg or mg bullets could penetrate that armor easily.

[@Brandondyberg]

Fruit Army they had to make it balanced

[@theortheo2401]

Starter Dude War is unfair, there is no such things as "balance"

[@Helpmereachsubs-nr1en]

Theortheo World is unfair*

[@yobob591]

+Theortheo it wouldn't be a fun game if it was realistic and unbalanced

[@real_Zuramaru]

Theortheo yeah and this is a video game

[@scotlandboy1441]

We need bagpipes and kilts in battlefield!

[@Plasticmercenary]

Scotland Boy yes!!!

[@Flakfire]

Technically bagpipes are in-game. They play in Operations when you are the British.

[@Lawgamer411]

Scotland Boy we also need golf clubs as melee weapons. And grenades should be improvised golf balls.

[@runawayj3389]

Lawgamer411 Have you watched Needs Gaming lately? 😁

[@scotlandboy1441]

Flakfire No I mean as a customization on your soldier or as a melee weapon as by long tradition they have been considered a weapon of war.

[@MountR]

Flakfire is one of my favorite channel without a doubt

[@edfromchowderheads1312]

Rheiko agree.

[@ekolimitsLIVE]

Interesting. What if you could pick body armor in the load out screen for each class

[@jfv2312]

ekolimits what if you could fully customize your soldier aesthetically? (Helmet, vests, anti-shrapnel visors, hair, skin, even different kinds of coats or capes we can see). I 'm loving the BF1 experience, but cuatomization definetly went backwards since BF4

[@craftygamers596]

Javier Fernández That would be a great add-on

[@crabstick8675]

ekolimits it would be good if u could unlock a bullet proof piece of steel at the front of the helmet for snipers

[@frostenz2207]

It wouldn't be fair because the rich kids would buy the best ones and brag about being stronger than everyone.

[@lucapiemonti3584]

It could be made fair by not having the armor for sale, but rather earned trough ranks.

[@cameronbohlke6684]

notice how all the armor covers there privates

[@articcenturion8387]

You get hit there, you might not die, but to say that you would be combat ineffective would be an understatement.

[@wesleygaray2666]

If only hitler haf that

[@7CubedFilms]

@@wesleygaray2666 If only hitler died instead

[@itsaboveyoupleasedontlooku299]

@@7CubedFilms if only he didn't fail art school

[@ACE1918]

Very good work Flackfire. Something I felt important to add when comparing the body armor of World War I to modern day variants is that the rifle rounds typically used in World War I were more powerful per shot than the intermediate rounds used in a typical modern Assault Rifle. The 30-06 round used by the US for example had more energy at 400 yards than a 7.62X39 does from the muzzle.

[@Flakfire]

certainly, although it would have to be said the AP capabilities of certain service rounds today are more impressive.

[@mxferro]

Not just in WW1 but also the vast majority of CASUALTIES in WW2 were also primarily from artillery and mortars. Another reason why soldiers in WW2 weren't issued body armour. The odd thing is why the armour in WW1 were more of over lap style for better flexibility. And why so many of the plates were slightly curved were as angular separate plates would have been stronger and lighter as a collective. Those solid ones must have been incredibly hot.

[@Oh-bt5wp]

The Germans had the coolest stuff during ww1 and 2

[@scotlandboy1441]

Yaiboipat 1234 they did but Scottish soldiers had bagpipes and kilts.

[@CleveAneki]

*giant eyeroll*

[@justinh.1773]

Yaiboipat 1234 yeah germany always had the best technology and ingenieurs the only reason america has a good technology nowadays because they got our ingenieurs after ww2

[@paullytle246]

Dr. Anonymus what about the m1 garand an m16

[@paullytle246]

Paul Veldman we actually devolped the nukes and we had early night vision too scopes too we actually used more scopes and sound cannons wearn't very effective

[@dariomasi9]

One of your best videos yet Nice edited and informative

[@alesba1187]

3:47 The soldier of the right is using a tankgwewr like Battlefield 1

[@lrballistics]

Dude german soldiers were complaining about how much that monster hurt after like 20 shots lol

[@alexvazquez6432]

@Lucky Strike The recoil was so wild that it can actually dislocate or break their shoulder.

[@JoeV-vq7zd]

@Муслим Бекмурзаев That gun is as tall as him he's breaking something

[@jacobkeary6740]

*_There was also massive amounts of hand to hand combat, so there's that_*

[@TWO_BLACK_CATS]

I have a new appreciation for the character designers and R&D at DICE after watching your video.

[@LucasStoten1]

It would be cool if they used some of the other armour designs for future elite classes - perhaps the Italian or Austin-Hungarian body/shield design paired with a rifle of some kind could be a new elite.

[@azagar5044]

3:21 that should've been the helmet for support or the scout class for the German empire on bf1. it would make much more sense.

[@tmoney007confederation7]

Did you know the ALLIES also used improvised body armour in WW1 & WW2? Such as wear shovels over chest area to shield against blades and some bullets. Also another trick they used in the field was to filling life jackets or gasmask assault bags with sand. Fun fact of history!

[@firebird4491]

The helmet used on the german support class troops was incredibly rare and I think they should've went with the standard issue helmet for that class for a bit more historical accuracy. Plus it looks fucking ugly.

[@wytchboard3754]

The body armor of WW1 was interesting. I especially studied the German lobster body armor, which was used for stationary infantry in trenches as well given to machine gun squads. I remember watching The Great War's reaction to the first Battlefield 1 trailer and they responded to the armor in Avanti Savioa as "Absolutely ridiculous" (not in an offensive way, but they found the idea interesting, but extremely unrealistic). Also, the Support class for the Austro-Hungarian Empire in MP has a Great Helm style helmet. Were those used in WW1? Or did the Austro-Hungarians use that for that matter?

[@Flakfire]

I am certain that type of helmet was probably used, or at least tested. As for the armor, yes it's unrealistic, but the tech existed.

[@wytchboard3754]

Daniel Antony It's not the same except for the chest plate and again I quoted The Great War's opinion. The chest plate was the only thing the Arditi used as far as I know

[@wytchboard3754]

"As far as I know"... but okay. Does look legit, the first link anyway

[@hippopotamus7032]

Dude u have the best voice ever you sound like the guy from how it's made and it's awesome.

[@Flakfire]

Thanks :)

[@MrEfren77]

Great video Flak!

[@alexwinchel25]

Another awesome video man love all the history

[@das_edelweiss8736]

I guess Avanti savoya did get it accurate with the body armor :/

[@Flakfire]

Not as hokey as one would think. :)

[@ISawABear]

yes and no. From what i've read Farina armour was more common for engineers attached to wire cutting parties and trench raiders. These unit were however eventually selected to later form Arditi units so there's that.

[@firebird4491]

No they certainly did not get it accurate with the body armor....at all. The body armor in the war (which was very rare i might add) was used for machine gunners and didnt do much as it would only help against low caliber rounds. So when one italian guy walks up and starts eating bullets from bolt actions, smg's, machine guns, etc. that is fucking stupid.

[@emperorconstantine1.361]

Der 4th Reich it's a business, so if u find out that some models were created in ww1, would u not want to use this somehow in making the game? But ur right about the most being for machine gunners and certain snipers.

[@lrballistics]

So how much would the armor found in Avanti Savoia weigh exactly if you could give a guesstimate?

[@al_gh96_68]

different hats and hats' skins would be a nice little addition.

[@Afrojackfan]

Great Video again!! Thanks Flakfire !!

[@Flakfire]

Thanks Bimmer Mike!

[@jessem.5867]

Your videos are always informative! Keep it up

[@drewcostello8647]

I've always liked your videos man! keep it up

[@definitelynotsadperson8610]

Man I wish Wolfenstein was real... History:you were this close ✌️

[@beertjeswiss1023]

Dice needs to add the belgian army to the game ! I am belgian and we all know one of the biggest battles took place at ypres were the belgian and french army stopped the german army by letting the river overflow so everything became mud . Not only the french and the russian army were important ! The first country the german army attacked was belguim ! Like if you think the same as i do !

[@willrogers3793]

Not to mention, some of the earlier battles, with the Germans attempting to take the Belgian forts through a variety of means, including the introduction of Big Bertha. Those could make for some very cool maps/missions.

[@nyranstanton203]

the ardennes forest are all through the games. Battle of the bulge i think is in every single WW2 video game. From the original Medal OF honor allied assault , through to Call OF Duty 1 and 2 and WW2, plus Battlefield games. Heres an actual list lol Call of Duty (video game) Call of Duty 2: Big Red One. Call of Duty: Black Ops III. Call of Duty: Finest Hour. Call of Duty: United Offensive. Call of Duty: World at War - Final Fronts. Call of Duty: WWII. Company of Heroes 2.

[@kentchr76]

Your voice is pleasant to listen to, you don't screeeeeaaam, and you videoes are good and informative. Subscribed.

[@BFViking]

Flak dude. We need some live commentaries

[@darthvader431]

I see you everywhere

[@michaeleast4979]

BFViking I see you in every bf1 video

[@jackcottrell703]

BFViking Everyone is always finding you everywhere😂😂 I've found you on Jackfrags, LevelCap, Matimi0, and now FlakFires videos😂

[@anthonyrogers4011]

I've seen u before

[@danconti5984]

All this to get to the iconic flak jacket of vietnam, to the flak vest of the modern times and now the even smaller flak vest that special forces soldiers wear. We've come a long way from armor. The lemon, the Brodie, Adrian. All the way to the k-pot and now the tactical helmet. What's interesting is how armor is now becoming less and less important on the body as most modern armies don't employ as much armor as was thought. It seems mobility has overpowered strength

[@LinkSinck]

I absolutely LOVE these videos. So interesting. Keep up the good work flak! You deserve more subs!

[@jackfrost5808]

Flak how would you feel about an elite class with fast hitting sword and low damage handgun. This elite would also run faster and crouch lower as well as being imune to gas but vulnerable to fire? The elite would also wear body armour on his arms which would cause 65% less damage and for chest 45% for heads 35%. he could also block melee and bayonet attacks.

[@svenska0749]

The body armor was so impractical that it was rarely seen in battle

[@Flakfire]

Less impractical than you'd think. Read the post-war report in the vid description. :)

[@MarcusofMenace]

who else saw this guy on a bf1 vid on the home page of the actual game

[@Tucher97]

at times in battlefield 1 i wish that a crutch was a medic exclusive melee weapon also interesting about body armor, since there were no balanced armor in ww1 but a single bullet could put you out of commision is showned in BF1 as you take more hits while in battlefield 4 which is more modern, you can quite a bit of hits from small fire arms and have atleast a little less from sniper rounds, i say 40% but in BF1, if you take a direct hit form a sniper round you are left with 20% or 30%, i cant say exactly as i try to avoid getting shot

[@EpicThe112]

Nice and for the Italian body armor perhaps DICE went to the museum to where its stored for accurate measurement then rendered into Xbox One PS4 & PC graphics. Not sure if these world war 1 body armor can stop a 13.2mm rifle ammo fired from the tank gewehr used in battlefield 1 by the Tank Hunter & Lawrence of Arabia War story and also modern day equivalents the American M82 sniper rifle British AS-50 sniper rifle and the Russian ASVK since they fire 12.7x99 NATO (M82 & AS50) but 12.7x108mm for the ASVK rifle

[@lfcethan_]

At 5:52 who sees that face in the hole in the left shield?

[@JustAwesome360]

They made steel helmets because a common artillery round was a shrapnel round which explodes in the air and rains metal shards on their target.

[@TacticalViper]

Very nice video! :)

[@habanzu]

Awesome video! But can you start mentioning metric units too? That would be nice :)

[@Flakfire]

tbh the research wasn't done in metric and I was lazy. Next time. :)

[@danielflanard8274]

There is no joke a BattleSafe Brand Vest advertisement under the video.

[@markhovscrch4050]

I just put flex tape between cutted Spade shovel and clothed and shoulder so i can flank them with shotguns and rush them

[@michaelbrowning1476]

Flak, could you imagine how WWI would have turned out if they had the body armor selections of today?

[@jacobbuxton932]

Fascinating video!

[@thomasleifseth5201]

Flakfire, I like your videos so much, realy no one makes videos like you, and I think most of us would agree on that fact !!

[@Flakfire]

Hey Thomas, thanks for the nice note. Glad you're enjoying the videos!

[@MrSnafu-1973]

Great video, great channel

[@pooeyrooey]

Thanks Flak XD :) I'm hoping to see more of these vids

[@fernandomorales4753]

3:53 the far to the right has the anti tank sniper

[@SlavaUkraini85]

excellent video!

[@justinbrown9901]

If they have just given their troops body armour they would have saved so many lives

[@CazmaRazz]

interesting vid; caught my attention! Subbed.

[@Henbot]

Great video

[@RobPento]

2024: And Google sends me a link to this woderful and informative video. I love these ❤

[@aalmi002]

I'm just curious as to whether the sentry class as depicted in BF1 is realistic at all. It seems like it's not, but I do see how it was inspired by reality.

[@philthephilosopher9235]

Don't forget the chest plate on the British desert Calvary.

[@felynequeen]

Yeah sure the full body plate armor issued by the Italians and Germans were heavy as can be but good god were the soldier's wearing them terrifying to see. Hell, with all that weight the big fella could kill you just by sitting on you.

[@brandonjew1397]

Wait, i just realized that in the campaign the guy with armor took his helmet off for close combat. This seems stupid already but where is his mask after taking it off? Check 0:12 and pause.

[@impulzivity1665]

Brandon Jew I know your comment is 3 months old but I still feel like it can be explained. During war, many commanders and soldiers found that speed was better than armor. And in the game from when he takes his helmet off, he begins looking for his family member so he isn't joining the fight and huddling down, he is on the move. Also, you can see his armor his damaged, not heavily, but noticeable. So if he were to take off his other body armor, he would no doubt take off the helmet since as you can see, it weighs a lot and constricts his vision. While in warfare, most bullets will hit you in the chest, legs, arms etc. So, protecting his head when it is less likely to be hit and having to deal with that weight and constructing vision, it would not be worth it. For the mask being gone, that is definitely an animation error from the developers lol. Hope I explained it enough. :D

[@samuel10125]

There you go everyone people complaining about battlefield1s body armour can now relax

[@Flakfire]

Doing the reading, I was surprised at how effective some of the stuff was.

[@samuel10125]

Flakfire​ some of the things they came up with that normally you say your mad actually worked. WW1 being the birth of modern warfare it is amazing how we went from steel plate to this we've come a long way haven't we. _lh3.googleusercontent.com/zW0pLfRM9sKaHj1gO-hGLRhzuAcIYWgWMwq0BlnqahUMqjdK7ukRQlOHX-yNLcTe9-3mHVN7cQ_

[@zingustryhard9456]

I wonder how long it will be until they add skins for elite class, besides the fact that i GET A COMMON EVERYTIME I OPEN A BATTLEPACK

[@cjf-rw8vl]

very good vid, i love the american model 8!

[@SteezeMcQueen]

awesome :)

[@sirsee1914]

Informativ Video

[@harveyhunter3021]

that's my history lesson done lol

[@joshuabacharach8124]

I would run lobster armor, stahlhelm, browplate, browplate as a chin guard, left arm armor. I am very scared of death

[@yesitisilordmegatron9967]

body armor in ww1 : didnt actually protect soldiers Ned Kelly : P a t h e t i c

[@ElViperr408]

Can you do the history about the Dreadnought?

[@GHOST11656]

Hey did you battlefield bad company 2 and battlefield 3 are now backwards compatible on the Xbox

[@louxnewnewman2699]

Customisable armour found in battle packs!!!!! Needed Support needs protective armour Assault standard armour Scout low armour Medic standard armour

[@maxsteinberg9932]

Hey Flakfire, love your vids. You should do a live stream.

[@Flakfire]

Working on revamping my twitch for a regular stream.

[@nton8057]

I thought uniforms were the pinnacle of body armour in ww1

[@michaeleast4979]

What I want in bf1 is a fricken band so when where going out in war they play music

[@nooneknowswhoiam5205]

3:44 is that the anti tank classes primary gun

[@macko1416]

Hey flak can you talk about periscope rifles? They were made in Gallipoli and I wouldn't mind seeing it in battlefield one

[@coltm4a186]

Macklin John People would complain that it's worse than head glitching.

[@Flakfire]

Kinda hope they aren't in-game. It's legit head glitching.

[@coltm4a186]

Flakfire It'd be good in the Verdun game.

[@macko1416]

It would be good for trenches if they ever add them

[@coltm4a186]

Macklin John DICE could balance it by letting the enemy break the rifle if they shoot it once or twice.

[@stiergesichtbrigade9126]

i heard a sniper shot a bullet throw the little eye hole through the metal German face mask thing.

[@hawkecrail5186]

Not likely, but very possible

[@Blank-qf6ui]

i need customizable soldiers to be a member of the black watch lol

[@camrendavis6650]

Adrien Brody helmets

[@SuperBrendanMurphy]

Maybe a flak jacket gadget adding 50 extra health or something

[@articcenturion8387]

More like reducing damge Increasing HP would be more like eating 80 sandwiches.

[@CMG3d0u4rdFR]

hey flak do you know Apocalypse : The First World War ?

[@burnt_toast1218]

deus vult

[@Mr.LunaRivera]

i remeber a old pic dipicting a british solider holding a his helmet that he was wearing that had a hole turns out he srvrive a headshot

[@BENSGAMEPLAY_DerpyBen_MC]

how can a man hold a MG08 when the armour is already extremely heavy -_-

[@firebird4491]

Thats battlefield 1 for you. Fun but inaccurate as all hell.

[@TroopperFoFo]

Well the Gunny picked up a Browning M1917 and hip fired it. He wasn't wearing armor but for a 60 some year old man it was pretty impressive. Also Othias has a short video where he is walking and firing an MG-08. Search Sauntering fire. So it can be done. Its not practice at all.

[@jthibb7103]

TroopperFoFo Exactly.

[@theortheo2401]

TroopperFoFo lel try to fight in a trench for 5 min with a hip fire MG08/15 + a big ass plate armor, you wouldn't stand 30sec

[@Ghostscar]

Ben Gaming This Italians armor guys are the Arditi, a elite troop of WWI, they are specialists with all kinds of weapons, but in real life they usually invades enemy's trench just using their armor and daggers, slashing all enemy's troops.

[@Mr00934]

biggest change in american battle armor: invention of kevlar

[@spiritalhunter_ii6408]

0:40 why is he using a Chauchat?

[@frostghost75_6]

It’s like knights with guns

[@explosiveswine7354]

Adrien Brody helmet

[@dark_unit2409]

At first I thought it was stupid and inaccurate for battlefield to add that type of armor. Till I watched this video

[@dioniciozeferino8214]

What is the armor wore in bf1 😅tho that one looks badass

[@newrecru1t]

10/10, would wear WWI armor against an M1 Abrams crew...

[@raymondcarter7216]

WW1/WW2 body armor was more bullet resistant than bulletproof.

[@sap9245]

What is with the ottomans FlakFire

[@DerSpiess11]

Life was cheap in WW1 particually, & effective armour was expensive to produce, had every soldier been issued with it, hospitals would have been choked with casualties, of soldiers that would have otherwise died from their injuries.

[@goranjezercic8385]

how that battlefield 1 song ya hahed calls

[@untrucmarrant]

Why in hell are we not building these kind of armor nowadays ?! Like the juggernault armor from call of duty modern warfare 2 /3 ans ghost.. They look amazing, protective and portable as fu**!

[@mekingtiger9095]

Except in real life with current technology they *aren't.* Specially the "portable" part. Making a human "Juggernaut" today would be far too costly and inefficient and would lead to severe problems with movility while not even guaranteeing the ability to protect against the majority of the threats the infantrymen would face. Even if it would give them a limited scope tactical advantage, a couple few ultra-expensive "Juggernauts" here and there wouldn't be enough to be relevant in modern warfare in the grand scheme of things. We may be evolving our methods of personal armoring as of recently with the advance of material sciences to hte point it has become feasible to equip infantrymen with plate carriers again, but we're far from "Juggernauts" being an actual viable choice. Also, mobility issues.

[@jevyason1225]

What about the Austrian support helmet in bf1

[@Flakfire]

A lot of designs were experimental or proprietary. I don't have anything on that one, although I didn't deliberately seek it out.