Suppressors Are a Noobs Best Friend

Suppressors are weapon attachments that go on end of a firearm and greatly reduce the loud bang produced by the shooting of a gun, they also reduce the muzzle flash generated by the burning gasses leaving the firearm.  These attachments do the same in the same in Battlefield 4 as they do in real life, but in the video game they also keep you off the minimap while shooting.  The drawback is weapons outfitted with a suppressor in game have a lower muzzle velocity and increase bullet drop.   At short distances neither of these things matter, but at longer distances you will have to compensate by leading a moving target and shooting higher at all distances to adjust for the bullet drop.  For a noob this can be difficult, but I think the positives greatly outweigh the negatives for players new to BF4.

I found that the best thing for me when learning the game was not to be seen.  Not being detected gives the newbie a few extra seconds to take careful aim, or when your outgunned, you can make a retreat, or take better advantage of cover.  The main benefits come from keeping off the mini map.   

Be sneaky like a ninja with a suppressed G18 pistol

The other great thing about suppressors in BF4 is hiding the flash.  In many BF4 maps there are dark corners, hallways, tunnels and other dimly lit places where shooting without a flashhider immediately gives away your location it is like turning on a flashing light that says shoot me now.  If you have a suppressor your shooting won’t be seen.  If there are friendlies in the same area they will be seen and targeted first.  This gives you time to take out the attacker.  This is very helpful when the enemy is attempting to break through choke points in Operation Locker.  Chances are a half dozen of your teammates will be there are the muzzle flashes will attract the attention of the aggressive enemy.

Using a suppressed weapon while flanking is also very helpful.  Those enemies that use their minimap frequently won’t know you are tearing up their flank until they hear the suppressor, and then they will have to look around and try to find you.  This gives you time to take them out.  

Suppressors are available to unlock with most weapons either by getting the required number of kills, or opening a battle pack and getting lucky.  Only one gun is available at the beginning  of the game, and that is the Groza -4, other guns like the AS-Val and the CS5 come with suppressors out of the box.  It is a PDW, only available to the engineer class, with a permanently fixed suppressor.  A few guns like the Groza 1, revolvers, and all shotguns cannot be equipped with a suppressor in Battlefield 4.