In Battlefield 4, the success of defending or attacking objectives hinges on a variety of factors including map design, game mode, and the level of team coordination. Here are several key tactical principles that players should adopt for effective gameplay:

Attacking Objectives:

1. Deep Infiltration: By pushing deep into enemy territory, your team can scatter enemy forces and create footholds that bring you closer to bomb or flag sites—particularly effective in modes like Obliteration. This strategy disrupts enemy planning and can lead to chaotic engagements that favor attackers.

2. Utilizing Flanking Routes: Instead of approaching objectives head-on, use flanking routes, cover, and elevated positions. This allows your team to surprise opponents and gain a high ground advantage, which can be pivotal in firefights.

3. Team Coordination: It is crucial to coordinate with teammates to avoid clustering and to ensure that your squad approaches through parallel routes. This minimizes exposure to concentrated enemy fire and allows for effective support during engagements.

4. Vehicle Utilization: Utilizing vehicles such as helicopters can provide rapid transport for objectives and allow your squad to swarm bomb sites. Quick insertion into a hot zone can overwhelm defenders and capitalize on their disorganization.

5. Effective Use of Grenades: Grenades can be immensely effective in disrupting defenders on objectives. Use them strategically to clear entrances or block pathways—incendiary grenades, for example, can be particularly effective when employed in narrow corridors to hinder enemy movement.

Defending Objectives:

1. Choosing Defensive Positions: Select strong defensive positions near objectives that utilize natural or destructible cover. Utilizing grenades, medkits, and high ground can help maintain control over choke points and grant your team an advantage.

2. Maintaining Tactical Distance: Avoid being too close to the objective to prevent easy targeting by enemies, yet remain close enough to react swiftly to threats. This positioning allows for effective spawn support for teammates as well.

3. Deterring Enemy Advances: Use grenades and explosives strategically to deter enemy attacks on objectives, especially at chokepoints and narrow entryways. This can significantly slow down or even prevent enemy advances.

4. Controlling Flanks: Maintain control of outside lanes or secondary objectives to prevent enemy flanking and preserve spawn points for your team. This proactive approach ensures your team’s longevity on the battlefield.

5. Anticipating Enemy Breaches: In coordinated squads, it’s essential to predict and control potential enemy breach points. Establishing a perimeter can prevent your position from being overrun, allowing for systematic defense.

General Tactics:

– Squad Spread: Spread your squad out to minimize mass casualties while ensuring proximity for squad spawn support. This balance is key to maintaining both defensive and offensive momentum.

– Dynamic Combat Flow: Keep the flow of combat dynamic by contesting multiple objectives. In Obliteration, for instance, timing your pushes according to bomb timers can radically alter the outcome of engagements.

– Environmental Destruction: Use the destructible environments to create new covers or lines of sight. Shooting explosive panels or demolishing walls can change battlefield dynamics, providing tactical advantages in both offense and defense.

Conclusion:
In summary, effective objective play in Battlefield 4 is a multifaceted endeavor that requires awareness of the map, cohesive team movement, expert utilization of cover and grenades, and judicious timing in both offense and defense. Emphasizing flanking maneuvers, securing high ground, denying enemy spawns, and defending chokepoints consistently echelons successful teams above their competition. By adopting these strategies, players can significantly enhance their chances of achieving victory in objective-based play.