Summary
- Back to Karkand revamped classic maps in Battlefield 3, setting the tone for future DLCs.
- Turning Tides in Battlefield 1 introduced naval warfare and an Elite class for intense battles.
- Dragon's Teeth in Battlefield 4 focused on close-quarters urban combat with unique gadgets.
There’s something special about a great expansion pack. It’s not just more maps or new guns; it’s a reason to reinstall a great Battlefield game years later and still get sucked in like it’s day one.
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Whether it’s fresh locations, inventive modes, or sheer chaos dialed to eleven, these expansions didn’t just pad the base experience — they transformed it. Here are the best expansion packs that did exactly that.
6 Back to Karkand (Battlefield 3)
The Nostalgia That Shot First
Battlefield 3
- Released
- October 25, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Sometimes, the best expansions are the ones that know exactly what fans want. Back to Karkand was just that; a love letter to Battlefield 2 veterans wrapped in the slick new engine of Battlefield 3. It remastered four of the most beloved maps: Strike at Karkand, Gulf of Oman, Sharqi Peninsula, and Wake Island. And they weren’t just ports. Every location was rebuilt from the ground up to take advantage of Frostbite 2’s destruction physics and refined movement systems.
What really gave it legs, though, was the addition of legacy weapons and vehicles. The F35B Jet, Desert Patrol Vehicle, and the infamous DAO-12 shotgun made comebacks, each one invoking both awe and rage, depending on which end of the barrel players were on. It was also the first BF3 DLC and helped set the tone for what followed. For many, it made Battlefield 3 feel like the true sequel to Battlefield 2.
5 Turning Tides (Battlefield 1)
The DLC With a Sixth Sense for Naval History
Battlefield 1
- Released
- October 21, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
There was always something haunting about Battlefield 1’s tone. It was somber, muddy, and chaotic. Turning Tides expanded on that, bringing naval warfare and beach assaults into the spotlight with a quiet sort of intensity. Set during the Gallipoli campaign and the North Sea conflict, it featured a mix of amphibious landings and ship-to-ship battles that were unlike anything in the base game. Maps like Cape Helles and Heligoland Bight had players storming beaches while dreadnoughts shelled the shoreline.
But it wasn’t all spectacle. The new class, the Infiltrator Elite, could deploy mobile spawn points while calling in artillery strikes (basically a one-man offensive support team). Combined with the inclusion of the L-Class Destroyer and C-Class Airship, Turning Tides felt like DICE experimenting with naval warfare in ways that weren’t just cosmetic. It didn’t always stick the landing, but when it worked, it felt like playing through a history documentary with better explosions.
4 Naval Strike (Battlefield 4)
Surf’s Up, Missiles Down
Battlefield 4
- Released
- October 29, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
When Naval Strike dropped, Battlefield 4 finally got the large-scale water warfare it was always teasing. Suddenly, the ocean wasn’t just a pretty thing to crash a jet into; it became the battleground. The centerpiece was Carrier Assault, a modern take on Battlefield 2142’s Titan mode, where teams battled to destroy the opposing aircraft carrier by first taking control of missile sites. Few things felt as cinematic as storming the enemy’s carrier while rockets lit up the sky.
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The maps were tailored for chaos, like Wave Breaker’s underwater tunnels, Lost Islands’ zip-lines, and Nansha Strike’s open-sea combat. They all added to the sense of verticality and unpredictability to Battlefield 4. It was one of the few expansions that justified the presence of sea vehicles beyond novelty, giving boats actual strategic importance in conquest and obliteration modes. Plus, those explosive mid-match weather shifts? Still hard to top.
3 Bad Company 2: Vietnam (Battlefield: Bad Company 2)
What If “Rush B” Meant Rush With a Flamethrower?
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- Released
- March 2, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
There’s alternate history, and then there’s Bad Company 2: Vietnam, which somehow made a 20th-century jungle war feel like a fever dream of smoky firefights and thumping '60s rock. Swapping modern-day gear for M16s, napalm, and authentic era weaponry gave everything a grounded brutality. This wasn’t just a visual makeover. Gunplay felt heavier, engagements tighter, and the terrain far more unpredictable. Maps like Hill 137 and Phu Bai Valley forced players to rethink the usual run-and-gun.
It also leaned hard into immersion. Helicopter blades whirred through the trees while The Rolling Stones and Creedence Clearwater Revival blared from in-game radios. With no lock-on launchers or high-tech gadgets, victory often came down to smart flanks and well-timed suppressing fire. It was a rare expansion that felt like a standalone game — and, in many ways, better than most of them.
2 Dragon’s Teeth (Battlefield 4)
Urban Warfare With a Dentist’s Nightmare
Battlefield 4
- Released
- October 29, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
If Naval Strike was all about open seas, Dragon’s Teeth was the opposite — tight, gritty, close-quarters combat in the shell of once-modern cities. Set across locations in Asia, the expansion ditched long-range showdowns in favor of brutal firefights in alleyways, plazas, and high-rises. Maps like Propaganda and Pearl Market were practically tailor-made for those who preferred SMGs and shotguns over sniper scopes and bipods.
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It also introduced the R.A.W.R., a remote-controlled ground vehicle armed with a machine gun and grenade launcher. On paper, it sounded like overkill. In practice, it was one of the most entertaining (and infuriating) additions to the game. Add in the Ballistic Shield for the Assault class and the chain-linked Levolution events on each map, and Dragon’s Teeth became the most mechanically playful Battlefield 4 expansion. Even now, many veterans still cite it as the spiritual cousin to Close Quarters from BF3.
1 In the Name of the Tsar (Battlefield 1)
Cold Front, Hot Lead
Battlefield 1
- Released
- October 21, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Out of all the expansions across Battlefield’s lifespan, none matched the sheer ambition of In the Name of the Tsar. It added six new maps set across the Eastern Front, introduced the Russian Empire, and brought with it one of the most visually distinct and tactically varied experiences in the series. Whether it was the frostbitten charge across Brusilov Keep or the cavalry-focused warfare of Galicia, every map had a different rhythm.
The DLC also introduced the Scout-class friendly Mosin-Nagant M91 and the devastating Ilya Muromets Heavy Bomber, giving snipers and pilots new toys that weren’t just for show. But the standout? The Women’s Battalion of Death. As part of the new Russian Scout class, this addition marked the first playable female soldiers in a core Battlefield title. In the Name of the Tsar didn’t just expand content; it expanded the franchise’s voice and identity, making it a standout not just for Battlefield 1, but for Battlefield as a whole.
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