Team Fortress 2: Weapon/Equipment Guide by LappyTHT2
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TEAM FORTRESS 2
(hereafter referred to as TF2)
Screw ASCII art.
CLASS, WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT GUIDE
**Now with Unlockable Weapon Info**
Final Version
June, 15 2008
by Lappy
e-mail
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SO LONG, AND THANKS FOR ALL THE EMAILS
'It is with a heavy heart that I take up my pen...'
As of May 30, 2008, I will no longer be updating this guide.  It's been
a blast playing this game and writing about it, but I no longer have
the time to do both, and as fun as writing is, playing the game is
more fun.  I know that there's plenty on the horizon as far as new
stuff for TF2; I hope that my guide will always serve as a starting
point for new players and old, from which they learn and continue to
develop their own weapon and equipment strategies. :)
Thanks to all of you for your feedback.  If you enjoyed my guide, if my
guide has made you think of TF2 differently, I highly suggest taking
the time to write your own guide. :)  It's a process I've always
enjoyed, and the way Valve is cranking out weapon updates there's bound
to be plenty of material to cover. :)
Thanks again, everyone, happy fragging.  Don't forget to Spy check.
Lappy
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VERSION CHANGELOG THAT MOST PEOPLE SKIP
BUT EXISTS FOR THE SAKE OF POSTERITY
Final Version (06/08)
Last major revision, "so Long..." note
added to the top of FAQ, manly tears
shed. ;)
version 1.4 (05/07/08)
Articles regarding the unlockable weapons.
"Teleporter Etiquette: A Guide" was
also edited due to a new TF2 patch.
version 1.34 (04/14/08)
Minor edits; clarified rocket jump
procedure in Soldier section.
version 1.33 (03/01/08)
Revised "Critical Hits and You" article;
corrected ammo counts for Demoman.
version 1.32 (02/29/08)
Updated Soldier and Demoman ammunition
reserve count; edited Flamethrower section.
version 1.31: (11/12/07)
Added the Detonator to Engineer equipment.
version 1.3: (10/29/07)
Edited the entire body of the guide, again.
I'm never satisfied.  Also added the article
"Teleporter Etiquette: A Guide."
version 1.2: (10/25/07)
The article "Ammunition: Smoke 'Em if you Got
'Em" is added, which I had meant to include
from the start yet somehow forgotten to write.
version 1.1: (10/24/07)
The guide is edited again, and articles
"Intel on the Intelligence" and "Critical Hits
and You" are added.
version 1.01: (10/23/07)
The guide is edited, and submitted to good ol'
GameFAQs.
version 1.0: (09/29/07)
The guide is born, the product of a series of
sleepless, frag-filled nights.  TF2 is still
in Beta, and the guide is unreleased.
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TABLE O' CONTENTS
Introduction
How This Guide Works
The Nine Classes
Foreword
(The Weapons and Equipment Guide)
The Scout
The Soldier
The Pyro
The Demoman
The Heavy
The Engineer
The Medic
The Sniper
The Spy
Everything That Didn't Fit Above
About This Section
Ammunition: Smoke 'Em if you Got 'Em
Intel on the Intelligence
How To Kill A ..
..Scout
..Soldier
..Pyro
..Demoman
..Heavy
..Engineer
..Medic
..Sniper
..Spy
Master of Disguises: A Spy's Repertoire
Teleporter Etiquette: A Guide
Critical Hits and You
Outroduction
Dedication, Thanks, Contact Information
Credits
Attention Thieves/Copyright Information
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INTRODUCTION
Hi there, welcome to Lappy's often imitated, never equalled
TF2 guide.
Let me start things off by saying "Holy Crap" what a game.
I'm not the only one who's been playing this thing since Beta
went live  and I've continued to be impressed by the
depth of the game, especially its emphasis on team-oriented play
as the only effective way to victory.
As impressed as I was, I had a lot of questions about the
game as I played it.  Shooters are my favorite type of game to play,
and whenever you get into a new game that noone has ever played
before, there is this wonderful period of learning where nobody really
knows the ins and outs of the maps, the strengths of each weapon, or
the full potential of each class.
I love this period of discovery in new games, and with TF2
my experience was no different.  Being confined to bedrest due to
an upcoming surgery, I've played the hell out of this great game;
and while I'm by no means an expert, I have played hard trying to
see how each class works so that I could share my experience with
others who, like me, may be wondering about just what each class
can do with the tools that they have.
So, welcome aboard.  I hope my guide helps you, in whatever way it
can.  This is my third FAQ at GameFAQs, so as you can see I'm kind of
a junkie when it comes to writing about fun online shooters.
Now, Onward!
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HOW THIS GUIDE WORKS
Read it with your eyes.
Seriously, I think you'll get the most out of this guide if you
understand what I'm trying to accomplish with it.
Soon, I'll be describing each of the nine classes in TF2, in the same
order as they appear on the class select screen.  Every
time I describe a class I'll approach it in the same way.
First I'll give you a statistical overview of the class' max health
total, the weapons and equipment they use, and how much ammunition is
given to them.  If I don't list an ammunition amount, that means the
weapon can be used continuously without needing to reload.
I'll then go in-depth about what makes the class unique, and what sets
it apart from the game's other classes, and then discuss each individual
weapon or piece of equipment, its operation, and any other tidbits that
I find helpful. I'm not perfect, nor do I pretend to be, so I am always
open to suggestions and feedback, as long as it is constructive.
At the end of the meaty part of the guide, I'll finish up with some
details on class weaknesses, and supplemental info.  valve, being
the hard-working, well funded developers that they are, well likely
continue to update this game with tasty new weapons as the years
go by, but my guide will always be the focus of the original weapons
that all of the unlockables are based on. :)  While newer weapons
may not be featured here, the strategies presented here are designed
to introduce you to the concepts and fundamentals of the game, which
will be applicable to all weapons and equipment future patches may
bring.
A note: Some of my class descriptions are longer than others.  Do not
interpret this as me devoting more space to classes that I think
are superior to the others.  Classes like the Spy and Engineer have
more equipment than a Scout or Sniper, and take me more time to
talk about.  All classes are equally viable, and equally useful
to their team.
I will NEVER EVER tell you what class to play, or that any class
is better than the next.  The classes are what you make of them, and
I will always be of the opinion that the best class is the class that
is the most fun for you.  I can't stand FAQs that say stuff like:
"X class/weapon sux LAWL use Y class/weapon cuz tats wut I use!!one!1"
Use what makes you happy, and helps you help your team. Hokay? :)
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T H E  N I N E  C L A S S E S
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FOREWORD
A final word before I begin with the classes.  If you're new to this
game (and since I'm writing this two weeks after the Beta was released,
I'm guessing you are) you'll notice that there is an Achievement you
can unlock called 'Head of the Class', which is awarded to players who
play a full map round with each class at least once.
I recommend that every player try to get this Achievement first.  No
guide can substitute for in-game playtime, and by forcing yourself to
stay with each class for a full map round, you'll get a good idea of
not only how that class plays, but how other classes respond to it.
The more familiar you are with a class, the better suited you
are to combat enemy classes of that type, and the better you'll
understand and adjust to the limits of the classes your teammates are
playing as.
No class in this game can win the game by himself.  This is *Team*
Fortress 2.  My guide will not help you find a class that will enable
solo victory, but will attempt to show you what makes each class
the best for certain situations.  Combining the best aspects of
each class as a team is what enables victory.  Don't forget that.
Now, on with the FAQ!
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THE SCOUT
Health: 125, 185 with Medigun buff
Weapons:
Scattergun
Ammunition: 6 Shells
Reserve Ammo: 32 Shells
Pistol
Magazine Capacity: 12 rounds
Reserve Ammo: 36 rounds
Melee Weapon:
Baseball Bat
WHY THE SCOUT IS THE BEST CLASS TO PLAY:
Think of the way you play other shooters.  Do you like to hurl yourself
at objectives with little regard to yourself?  Are you the sort of
player that enjoys strafing and leaping to throw off enemy aim?  The
Scout is the best class for this style of play, hands down.
The thing to keep in mind when playing the Scout class is that your
greatest weapon isn't a gun, it's your speed.  Scouts are CRAZY
fast.  They fly across maps, and the best Scouts never run in a straight
line; they zigzag across maps so that the Heavies, Demoman grenades and
Soldier rockets never hit them.  What more, a Scout is the only
class that can do a double-jump ala Mario; and just like
Nintendo's plucky plumber, the Scout can change direction in mid-air.
Use this to your advantage as a Scout.  Spin around your enemies, speed
into capture zones (Scouts even capture control points twice as fast
as other classes) and most importantly: Never. Stop. Moving.
A Scout doesn't have the health bar or the raw weapon power to outlast
opponents, but he doesn't need them, because of his ridiculous speed.
Scouts are the ideal flag-runners (although in TF2 we steal
Intelligence briefcases, and not flags.) He's the running back to
his team's offensive line.  Sure, you may not get a touchdown
right away, but no class is better at swooshing past enemy
defenses, nicking the dropped Intelligence, and hopping away before
anyone can react.  If they shoot you again, so what?  You can run
faster than they can relocate their defense, and you've already
reset the Intelligence timer.  The points are practically already
on the board.
Scouts are the perfect decoys, keeping defenses busy while your
offense pushes in.  Besides being natural Intelligence runners
and always appreciated in a cap zone, Scouts can quickly (see the
emphasis here?) move between offensive and defensive fronts to
help where he can.  Every team should have one.
WEAPONS
SCATTERGUN:
Most Scouts fall into one of two archetypes, those who prefer the
Scattergun, and those who prefer their Baseball Bat.  Really, each
playstyle is valid, and boils down to a matter of preference. When you
try out the class, give each a go and see what works best for you.
The Scattergun is an ideal weapon for the Scout.  Similar in output to
the standard Shotgun many classes carry as a secondary weapon, the
Scattergun packs a bit more oomph and a bit wider of a spread.  This is
really the best sort of primary weapon a jumpy, speedy class like the
Scout could ask for, as the spread nature of the weapon means the
Scout doesn't have to slow down and aim in order to take a chunk of
health out of his opponent.  That said, the more comfortable you get
aiming with the Scattergun, you'll find that it can be very, very
powerful, capable of one-shotting weaker enemies like Engineers, Medics
and rival Scouts if you're close enough - and with the speed of the
Scout getting close shouldn't be a problem.
The Scattergun isn't as useful as the other classes' Shotgun at
longer ranges... as useful as a Shotgun can be at range, anyway.  The
Scattergun is amply suited to destroying enemy Dispensers and
Teleporters, but even a Scout isn't fast enough to outrun a Sentry
Gun; leave those for the Demomen, Soldiers and Spies.
And remember, as the Scout loads new shells into his empty Scattergun
(shells which I suspect are filled with nails, as the TFC Scout
carried a Nailgun) you can interrupt the reload to fire off whatever
shells you have currently loaded.  So if you're reloading and
backpedaling and a Demoman launches a few grenades your way, by all
means double-jump away and fire whatever you've got to scare him
off.
PISTOL:
The Pistol that Scouts carry shoots straight, reloads quickly and fires
as fast as you can click the mouse.  It is a reliable secondary weapon
for finishing off a fleeing opponent when your Scattergun is empty,
although many Scouts, due to their speed, prefer their Baseball Bat
in a similar situation.
The Pistol is also useful at longer ranges, where the Scattergun
becomes less effective.  Don't expect to outdo your team Sniper, but if
you need to finish off a fleeing, burning opponent without putting
yourself in harm's way, the Pistol will be a surer bet than your
Scattergun.
BASEBALL BAT:
The Scout's small Baseball Bat is his melee weapon of choice and primary
weapon of choice for many career Scouts.  The Bat isn't any stronger
or weaker than the other melee weapons in the game; like them all, it
will deal a small chunk of damage in front of an opponent, and more if
you are behind them.
What makes the Bat so deadly is its pairing with the Scout's unrivaled
speed.  See a Heavy wailing away across a bridge?  Zig-zag across,
double-jump over his head, and with a few BONKS! the Heavy won't be a
problem anymore.
While the Engineer perhaps gets the most use out of his melee weapon,
I'd say the Scout comes close, for some.  Sure, it's dangerous
to take a bat to a gunfight, but it can be fun as hell too.  It's
at least worth trying out, to see if it works for you.
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THE SOLDIER
Health: 200 | 300 with Medigun buff
Weapons:
Rocket Launcher
Ammunition: 4 Rockets
Reserve Ammo: 16 Rockets
Shotgun
Ammunition: 6 shells
Reserve Ammo: 32 shells
Melee Weapon:
Shovel
WHY THE SOLDIER IS THE BEST CLASS TO PLAY:
Soldiers are hostile, versatile, integral classes to the success of any
offensive push.  Demomen may have more explosive power, Heavys more
raw firepower, and Scouts more maneuverability, but a good Soldier can
still do it all, right when his team needs him.
At 200 Health (300 buffed by a Medic), a Soldier is one of the most
resilient classes in the game, second only to the Heavy.  Demomen
may be able to bounce grenades around and lob Sticky Bombs, but there
is no substitute for the all-range, all-purpose devastation that the
Soldier's Rocket Launcher brings to a fight.
Good Soldiers frustrate their enemies constantly by outlasting them
with their combination of high health and offensive power.
Pyros and Scouts who rush up close either catch a rocket to the face
or several rockets exploding on the ground and walls around them.  The
Pyros and Scouts are in pieces; the Soldier is at half health and
reloading; ready to send a barrage of rockets across the map to a
Sniper nest, or pop around a corner, firing with precision at Sentry
Guns.
Though the Soldier runs slower than some, he is still faster than
the Heavy, and in a crude way shares the Scout's airborne mobility:
Firing a rocket at the ground and jumping at the same time propels
the Soldier high into the air and forward... and over walls, over
defenses, and into capture areas.  With practice, a Soldier can get
almost anywhere he needs to be, when he needs to be there.
Every team should have one.
WEAPONS
ROCKET LAUNCHER:
As a Soldier, you're going to be shooting this a lot, so lets get the
details straight up front: The Rocket Launcher can shoot 4 rockets at a
time, and shoot them fairly quickly.  This may startle those of you
out there who are used to traditional Rocket Launchers in shooters that
are single-shot and take a while to reload (DoD:S, I'm looking at you.)
The next happy surprise is the speed with which the Soldier reloads his
rockets.  If, for example, the first four rockets don't get the job
done, a fifth can be fired pretty quickly. Remember, you can interrupt
the reload process to fire... you don't have to wait for the Soldier to
load four more rockets.
You'll be called to a variety of tasks by your team as a Soldier, all
of which your Rocket Launcher should be able to handle.  Soldiers are
excellent at removing Sentry Guns in the absence of a Demoman or a Spy,
esepcially at longer ranges.  When you fire at stationary targets like
those built by Engineers, be sure to take time to line up your shot -
the goal is to demolish the Sentry quickly so your team can advance.
Don't worry, the Soldier's ample health will keep him alive long enough
to line up a proper shot.
Against moving targets, you'll find that the slow propulsion of the
rockets makes things trickier.  One of the best tips is straight from
Valve (the people you bought the game from.)  Aim at the ground.
Enemies, especially those rascally Scouts, can easily sidestep rockets
fired from afar - but when you aim for their feet, or a nearby wall,
the splash damage of the explosion will either kill them, or at least
wear them down for a friendly Heavy or Pyro to finish.
As a Soldier, you aren't a Heavy, but you're the next best meatshield
there is.  Follow your Medics (actually, have them follow you :p), and
when you hear "UberCharge is up! Go buddy Go!" charge forward and
blow up that enemy base.
SHOTGUN:
You'll get more use out of this baby than you might think when you
start out as a Soldier.  Rockets are powerful, but when they miss and
the Pyro is charging you, or the Demoman hailing you with grenades,
the Shotgun will get you out of a jam if you don't trust your up-close
Rocket aim.
Of course, the Shotgun is also a natural clean-up weapon for targets
of your own who are wounded from the explosions, or passing
enemies who've been lit on fire and aren't really worth the rocket.
My advice: get some experience playing the class, and decide for
yourself when the Shotgun best helps you.
SHOVEL:
I like the collapsible Shovel that the Soldier carries, but maybe that's
just my DoD:S experience talking.  As a Soldier I find I will more
often than not finish off an opponent with my Shotgun, but if you can
get behind an enemy and resist the urge to blow them up, by all means
thwack them with this.
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THE PYRO
Health: 175 | 260 with Medigun buff
Weapons:
Flamethrower
Can be fired for 200 seconds, fully loaded.
Shotgun
Ammunition: 6 shells
Reserve Ammo: 32 shells
Melee Weapon:
Fire Axe
WHY THE PYRO IS THE BEST CLASS TO PLAY AS:
Who doesn't like running around setting things on fire?  The Pyro is
a class unlike any other, and is easily the most deadly close-range
attacker in the game.
As a Pyro, your goal is simple: set as many people and objects on fire
as you possibly can.  People on fire who are foolish enough to stay in
your jet of flame will die at a quicker rate than those smart enough to
run away - who will still die, either from burning alive while running
around (which is hilarious to watch) or being shot while burning alive,
many times by the Pyro's trusty Shotgun.
But the fire does more than quickly eat away at enemy health bars: it
disorients them, and confuses attacks.  A Pyro crouched around a corner,
or underneath a ramp, or just inside a door is ideal; When the
incoming attackers or defenders are suddenly ablaze, their coordination
breaks down, their vision is blurred by flames on-screen, and their
ranks break in search of a Medic, medkit or pool of water to stop
the burning.
When the enemy defense is occupied with a frontal assault, a backdoor
attack from a Pyro and an UberCharged Medic can create unrivaled
chaos.  Heavys, Soldiers and Demomen love the "I'll set em
up, you knock 'em down" nature of the Pyro. Defensively, Pyros melt
fragile cloaked Spies, Scouts, Medics and Engineers with ease,
keeping the capture point or Intel safe from attack. Every team
should have one.
WEAPONS
FLAMETHROWER:
The Flamethrower is instantly fun, very lethal, and can also be a bit
frusterating if you don't understand the mechanics of it.  With
practice, however (and a handy FAQ to read :p), you'll become more and
more comfortable with it.
With the Flamethrower, the closer an enemy is to the Pyro's jet of
flame, the quicker his health will decrease.  The best thing to do then
is trap your opponent in a corner or narrow hallway, where you will
have an easier time keeping your flame centered on your hapless
opponent.  Obviously, people don't like being lit on fire, and they
will do everything they can to escape your deadly flame, from running,
jumping, and of course, shooting at you.
The best idea here is to strafe around your opponent in such a way that
forces them towards a wall, while keeping you safe from counter-fire.
True, even if that Soldier or Demoman hits you with an explosive in the
face, you'll probably melt him to death anyway (Opponents will stay on
fire and lose health unless they find a Medic, medkit, pool of water
or Dispenser), but its better to live to burn again.
The biggest hurdle new Pyros tend to encounter when playing is the
range of the weapon.  It is easy to light someone ablaze, see that the
enemy is on fire, and chase them with your trusty Flamethrower spewing,
thinking that, since the enemy is still on fire, he is still
within your Flamethrower range.  One way to know for sure if you're
searing your opponent is to listen for a "sizzling" sound (think
bacon frying in a pan) which you will hear when your Flamethrower is
still on target.
Also, the length of the Flamethrower flame is longer when the Pyro
is standing still, and shorter when he is moving.  Often, if chasing
an opponent refuses to ignite them, stopping for a second (extending
the length of the flame) will work! Bottom line, if you aren't sure,
I'd switch to your Shotgun.
Finally, due to the close-range nature of the weapon (and class), you
should understand that a Pyro does not belong in open areas or at the
end of long corridors alone.  Your Flamethrower can't help you there.
Stick with your team, scratch their back, and they'll scratch yours.
SHOTGUN:
Pyros are tied with the Engineer in my book as the class most reliant
on his Shotgun, although both rely on the weapon for different reasons.
When I started playing the Pyro class, I didn't really use the Shotgun.
Why? I thought.  I have a Flamethrower... I'm a Pyro, I light people
on fire.  What I didn't realize is how quickly a Shotgun can finish off
a burning opponent.
The Flamethrower burns people pretty quickly, as you'll see the first
few times *you* get lit on fire.  The tendency for most new Pyros is
to chase people down with their Flamethrower, and opponents will take
advantage of this and just run away, creating a distance disadvantage
for the Pyro.
If you fall into this category, listen to me: pull out your Shotgun
early in the fight, and unload it.  You will be pleasantly surprised
at how quickly the Shotgun will either put them down, or accellerate
your enemy's death-by-burning.  And don't be afraid to hold your ground
as a Pyro.  You may not have the health of a Soldier or Heavy, but
175 health in a fire-proof suit is nothing to sneeze at, especially
with a Medic around. (Fun Fact: Pyros take damage from Flamethrowers,
but do not burn over time.)
The Pyro Shotgun, like all of the Shotguns, reloads quickly, has decent
stopping power, and surprising range.  Use it.
FIRE AXE:
The Fire Axe is a fitting weapon for the Pyro, although many Pyros are
so comfortable at close range with their Flamethrower, they forget to
use it.
I like to take out the Axe against opponents like Heavys and even
Soldiers, who have tons of health (particularly with Medics.)  Heavys
burn for a long, long time, whereas a Minigun can shred a Pyro in
seconds.  If you can get close enough to a Heavy, I think it better to
stow the Flamethrower and Axe him in the back.  See what works for you.
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THE DEMOMAN
Health: 175 | 260 with Medigun buff
Weapons:
Grenade Launcher
Ammunition: 4 grenades
Reserve Ammo: 16 grendades
Sticky Bomb Launcher w/ Detonator
Ammunition: 8 bombs
Reserve Ammo: 24 bombs
Melee Weapon:
Bottle
WHY THE DEMOMAN IS THE BEST CLASS TO PLAY:
Hands down the most explosive class in TF2, the Demoman can frustrate
enemy attacks better than any other class, shelling them from afar with
his Grenade Launcher, booby trapping routes and defensive areas with
Sticky Bombs - and never putting himself in the line of fire.
Nothing disrupts enemy advances, and encourages retreat like a steady
hail of grenades, tumbling over cover, around corners, into buildings
and control points; but it's not just infantry that Demomen can assault.
Engineers learn to loathe a good Demoman, as grenades and Sticky Bombs
are the best (and only) way to indirectly destroy otherwise well
protected Sentries and sheltered Dispensers.  Spies can Sap them,
but they put themselves in harm's way to do so.  A Demoman need never
even see the Sentry, he just waits for the successful explosion.
Sticky bombs do more than defend control points, they allow the Demoman
to create choke points. Seemingly safe waypoints are transformed into
an explosive death trap, forcing the enemy to either retreat or push on
through the ensuing detonation - and into whatever trap the Demoman
sets up next.  Every team should have one.
WeAPONS
GRENADE LAUNCHER:
The Demoman is a unique class to play, as all of his weaponry is
indirect.  He doesn't have anything that shoots bullets or shells -
which changes the way you have to approach certain combat situations.
The best thing to do is play to the Grenade Launcher's strengths.  The
best part about playing a Demoman is that you don't
have to put yourself in the line of fire to rack up kills.  Grenades
work best when bounced off walls, around corners, down hallways, into
rooms an enemy is defending, pretty much anywhere you would expect
the other team to be.
Unless your grenades hit your opponent directly (and if so, watch as
he goes BOOM) they will take a few seconds to explode, at which point
your opponent will usually retreat.  Don't think of this as a
failed attack - keep the pressure up!  Even if you aren't blowing up
your opponents, you'll be forcing them back and back, allowing your
team to advance.  Remember, although you'll fire off 4 grenades pretty
fast, the Demoman can interrupt his reload to fire off an emergency
grenade or two if need be.
The more practice you can get using the Grenade Launcher to ricochet
grenades into enemy bases the better.  As I said above, there's really
noone better suited to dispatching enemy Sentries and Dispensers safely
than a Demoman; as you become more practiced in placing your grenades
where they need to be, you'll find few problems you can't solve with
an explosion or two.
STICKY BOMB LAUNCHER:
Sticky Bombs are wonderful or terrible, depending on whether they're
friendly or not.  These small, round spikey doodads can make capture
points impossible to take, and choke points impossible to pass, if
a wary Demoman is present.
Sticky Bombs are always the color of the team of the Demoman who shot
them.  So if you're RED, don't run over blue bombs, and if you're BLU,
don't run over red bombs.  By holding down the fire button, the
Demoman can "charge" his shot, propelling each Sticky Bomb as far as he
needs to.. into Sniper nests, at out-of-range Sentries, etc.  And
when these babies explode, they can do massive damage, especially in
clusters.  Only the Demoman can detonate them, but he can do so
whenever he needs to, regardless of what weapon he is holding, by
clicking secondary fire - even if the bombs are in mid-air!
A Demoman can place up to eight Sticky Bombs at a time.  If he shoots a
ninth, the first Bomb that he launched will explode.  There really
isn't a bad place to put these bombs, and true to their namesake, they
will stick to anything, including walls and ceilings.  Putting them
in plain sight on top of control points discourages smart opponents
from advancing, and encourages dumb opponents to set them off.
But the best thing to do with Sticky Bombs is create your own choke
points, luring your enemies into following you (or as a defense
against enemies who are chasing you.) You can coat the floor with
Bombs in a pinch, but if I have time I like to stick them around the
outer edges of doorframes and support beams, behind crates and along
rooftops - guaranteed to shake up a few hapless opponents, and make
the rest of their team think twice before taking that route.
Sticky Bombs are also wonderful ways to destroy entire Engineer bases.
The idea is to launch as many Stickies into the base around the
Sentries and Dispensers as possible, because unlike grenades, all of
the bombs will explode at once when detonated, giving no time for
repair to the Engineer (who will instead likely be in pieces.)
I think, though, that practicing this sort of Sentry extermination
with your Grenade Launcher is important, in addition to using your
Sticky Bombs.  Why? Because it saves you from having to detonate
your Sticky Bombs, which you may have already set as a defensive
trap, and take longer to shoot and reload than the Grenade
Launcher's grenades.
Granted, there are some jobs that only a Sticky Bomb can handle,
but a good Demoman doesn't rely on his Sticky Bomb Launcher alone;
he uses both of his Launchers together to trap his opponent in an
explosive demise. :)
Oh, and before I forget - a Demoman can use his Sticky Bombs the same
way Soldiers use their Rockets to reach high places.  By detonating
a Sticky Bomb underneath his feet, the Demoman can make a powerful
leap (in the old days it was called a 'pipe bomb jump') to get to
hard-to-reach areas, and set up ambushes from there.
BOTTLE:
Now, at close range, the Demoman doesn't have many options, and short
of a direct shot with a grenade, or quick, mid-air Sticky detonation,
the Bottle is the only other thing a Demoman can turn to. (That
was a pun.)
But hey, the Bottle can get the job done up close, especially if your
enemy has been weakened by grenade/Sticky Bomb explosions.  When it
comes down to the difference between taking potshots with grenades
and wildly swinging an empty whiskey Bottle, I think personal
preference should be the deciding factor.
########################################################################
THE HEAVY
Health: 300 | 450 with Medigun buff
Weapons:
Minigun
Ammunition: 200 rounds
Shotgun
Ammunition: 6 shells
Reserve Ammo: 32 shells
Melee Weapon:
Fists
WHY THE HEAVY IS THE BEST CLASS TO PLAY:
Absolute, unrelenting firepower.  There are many powerful weapons and
lots of creative equipment in TF2, but *nobody* outguns the Heavy.
There is simply no outshooting a Heavy.  If you like to be the guy with
the BFG, the Heavy is for you.  The Heavy is like a mobile upgraded
Sentry, sweeping the Minigun back and forth, mowing down enemy troops,
laughing all the way.  If you need a class to hold the line or capture
point, you need a Heavy.
Offensively, Heavies are like battering rams, punching through enemy
lines with their powerful Minigun, marching towards control points,
clearing the way to the Intelligence.  Will he be shot at?  Sure.
Will he care?  Likely not.  Rockets and grenades blow up the other
classes with a single hit, but not the Heavy.  Pyros melt down Scouts,
Spies, Medics, Demomen and the like with ease, but not the Heavy.
Why not the Heavy? It's simple, really.  Medics look for Heavys all
the time, because when buffed with the Medigun, Heavies carry a
whopping 450 health.  That's not a typo.  Heavies are always getting
shot at, but with a health pool that big, and a Medigun trained on him,
he's going to outlast any class shooting at him, unless his opponent
outguns him.  And nobody outguns the Heavy.  Every team should
have one.
WEAPONS
MINIGUN:
This is the reason you play as a Heavy, to get to use this weapon.
Arguably one of the more satisfying weapons in the game to fire, the
Minigun is like a death hose, the ultimate example of quantity over
quality.  With practice, there are few weapons as lethal as a Minigun,
as long as it is used in the right situations.
Heavies aren't very fast to begin with (300 health is a lot to lug
around) and firing the Minigun slows him down even more.  So, there
are things to keep in mind when using this weapon to compensate for
the Heavy's sluggishness.
First, you need to get the barrel of the Minigun spinning before it
will actually start to fire.  If you hold down primary fire, the Heavy
will lower his weapon, there will be a delay as it begins to spin, and
then it will fire.
A good Heavy, however, will hold down his secondary fire button, to spin
the barrel of the gun ahead of time.  This is useful when rounding
corners, entering enemy buildings, and anticipating attacks, as you
can fire immediately when you see an enemy.  Spinning the Minigun
barrel gives off a kind of whine, which will alert nearby enemies to
your presence; but hey, you aren't a Spy, you aren't trying to hide,
and given his size, the Heavy would have a job hiding anyway.
The second thing to remember when using the Minigun, is that although
your forward, backward and side to side movement is slowed when the gun
is lowered/firing, your aiming speed does not slow down.  This is
very important to remember when dealing with Pyros and Spies who are
going to try to ambush you up close, and also pesky Scouts who will be
running circles around you.  You can pivot as quickly as you can move
your mouse, and short of a backstab, there is nothing as lethal at
close range as the Minigun.
The Minigun is unstoppable at all but long ranges, but even so, it is
unwise to plod into enemy territory alone.  The Heavy is a big target,
and as good as the Minigun is, it works much better with teammates.
Cover your teammates, and they'll cover you. Finally, as I mentioned
above, Medics are very fond of Heavies, especially as recipients of
UberCharges - but you must communicate your ammo level to any Medics
following you!  Some Medics are twitchy when it comes to their
UberCharge and hit you with it as soon as it's up, but it does your team
no good if the Minigun is empty.  Fully loaded and invicible, there
is little the Minigun can't accomplish.
SHOTGUN:
The Heavy's Shotgun is just like the others used by Engineers, Pyros
and Soldiers, but often doesn't see as much use, and understandably so.
At the ready, a Minigun will be a much more effective tool for Heavies
at killing.  However, an ambushed Heavy who doesn't have his Minigun
ready to fire wastes precious seconds getting it going, and in these
situations I like to rely on my Shotgun, rather than my health bar.
Alternately, you can use the Shotgun to conserve Minigun
ammo before an UberCharge.
Although the Heavy is slow, the Shotgun doesn't impair his speed,
giving him the most mobility he can get when he needs it most.
With a few quick shots, the Shotgun will hopefully beat ambushers back
long enough for the Heavy to start up his Minigun, if not finish them
off.
FISTS:
Heavies rely on their knuckles to solve any problems up close.  True,
the noise that the Minigun makes, the Heavy's naturally slow speed, and
his impossible-to-miss size makes sneaking up on anyone about as
likely as a Sniper getting an UberCharge; but overcoming those odds and
delivering a knockout punch is very satisfying.
Just don't get your hopes up :).
########################################################################
THE ENGINEER
Health: 125 | 185 with Medigun buff
Weapons:
Shotgun
Ammunition: 6 shells
Reserve Ammo: 32 shells
Pistol
Magazine Capacity: 12 rounds
Reserve Ammo: 200 rounds
Melee Weapon:
Wrench
Equipment:
Construction PDA
Detonator
Metal
Carrying Capacity: 200 pieces
WHY THE ENGINEER IS THE BEST CLASS TO PLAY:
Do you like to set up impenetrable defenses, enabling victory by
bolstering your teammates, creating moving bases that suffocate enemy
defenses?  The Engineer is the class for you.
There is nothing like a good Engineer.  While on their own they aren't
as powerful or healthy as ther peers, their devices make or break
victory for their team.  Harvesting metal from the weapons of fallen
enemies and destroyed devices, Engineers construct powerful
Sentry Guns to hold off enemy advances, and use the metal they
collect from their fallen enemies to upgrade their Sentry to an
even deadlier model.
But the Engineer isn't limited to building guns. Engineers create
Teleporter entrance and exits, providing their team with quick access
to vital defensive points, or secret access to their opponent's base.
Engineers also create Dispensers which serve as stationary Medics,
replenishing health and ammo to nearby teammates, and slowly refilling
the Engineer's metal supply.
Good Engineers not only defend their base, they create forward bases as
their team advances, building Teleporters and Dispensers, encouraging
their team to press the attack.  There isn't a friendlier sight in the
world when turning into enemy territory than seeing an Engineer
banging out a Dispenser behind cover. Every team should have one.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
SHOTGUN:
The Engineer's Shotgun is the same model that the Soldier, Pyro and
Heavy carry, and is just as reliable.  As a primary weapon, it
certainly doesn't stand up against the others (but hey, you still
out-gun the Spy!).  Your Sentry Gun is really more of a primary
weapon; it's the Shotgun's job to assist and defend the Sentry, and
it'll be working overtime.
When you're out in the open scavenging for metal, or if you have
to defend yourself in the middle of a build, the Shotgun can get
you out of a jam.  The Engineer reloads it quickly, and the Shotgun
has decent range and spread.  Hopefully, if you have to resort to your
Shotgun there will be teammates nearby to assist you.  In fact, I
recommend budding Engineers to always travel with their teammates; they
can keep you safer than your Shotgun can, and buy you time to build
stuff.
PISTOL:
The Engineer's Pistol is just as good as the Scout's Pistol, firing as
fast as you can click, reloading fast, and with surprisng accuracy at
longer range.  The Engineer also packs a whopping 200 extra rounds for
his Pistol.  Maybe it's spillover from the Sentry Gun ammo.
As an Engineer, you'll be building and maintaining Sentry Guns,
Dispensers and Teleporters primarily, so choosing to use your Pistol
over your Shotgun will likely boil down to personal preference and
circumstance.  Naturally, I find the Pistol more suited to targets
who are further away from me.  Just don't expect to out-snipe a Sniper.
WRENCH:
Aha! Now this is probably the most used melee weapon in the game, and
not for any added lethality - as a weapon the Wrench is no more or less
effective than any other.
Engineers, however, use their Wrenches constantly to build, upgrade and
repair their devices.  If, say, an Engineer decides to build a Sentry
Gun, he can hit it with the Wrench repeatedly to speed up the build
process.  In a similar fashion, Engineers bang on damaged or Sapped
devices to restore their health and save them from being destroyed.
But wait, that's not all! Engineers can upgrade their Sentry Guns if
they have enough metal to do so.  By hitting a completed Sentry with
the Wrench, metal is deducted from your inventory towards the total
amount required for the Sentry upgrade (200 metal).  Even if you don't
have enough metal for the full upgrade, you can start to upgrade the
Sentry with the metal you have, then collect more and finish the job.
Also remember that any Engineer can use his Wrench to repair and
upgrade any other Engineer's Sentries, Dispensers and Teleporters.
For my money, one Lvl. 2 Sentry at the start of a map does a better job
repelling Scouts than two Lvl. 1 Sentries.  Work together, and your
base will be impregnable in half the time!
Soooo.. it is not uncommon for an Engineer to be found hovering over
his creations with his Wrench, in a constant state of repair/defense
against enemy Spies - who you may often find disguise themselves as
Engineers and act as though they are busy repairing the Sentries, when
in fact they are sabotaging them.  How to spot the Spy?  A Spy that is
disguised as an Engineer will not be holding a Wrench, but instead a
Shotgun.  If you see a Shotgun-toting Engineer suspiciously near some
damaged Dispensers, sending over a Pyro would be a good idea :).
CONSTRUCTION PDA:
The Engineer's Personal Digital Assistant is where he
builds all of his handy constructions.  Here is a breakdown of what
the Engineer can build, and how much metal it costs.
Lvl. 1 Sentry Gun: 130 metal
-Lvl. 2 Sentry Upgrade: 200 metal
-Lvl. 3 Sentry Upgrade: 200 metal
Dispenser: 100 metal
Teleporter entrance: 130 metal
Teleporter exit: 130 metal
Engineers start with their full capacity of 200 metal, and so can build
anything they want to right off the bat.  After selecting what to build,
the Engineer will take out his toolbox and an image of what you
selected will appear in front of you, so you can pick out where to
place your device; just click primary fire when you're ready, and
don't forget to bang away with the Wrench to speed up the process.
Sentry Guns are the backbone of any defense, and should be a build
priority.  Once you have set up a good base of operations for
yourself and your teammates, you can move on to upgrading the Sentry.
When placing a Sentry, you need not worry about aiming it in a
certain direction; each version of the Sentry Gun rotates and auto-
shoots any enemy in sight.  However, you can right click while
placing the Sentry to rotate the direction it will face by default,
which can be useful in speeding up the auto-target process.
Keep in mind that although the Sentry Gun becomes stronger and shoots
faster with each upgrade, Sentries cannot see through a Spy's cloak
or disguise, and will only fire on the Spy when he reveals himself,
usually by stabbing or shooting someone.  And that someone is often
the Engineer :).  It is very important to be wary of Spies, as an
Engineer without his Sentry is a sitting duck with 125 health and
an ordinary Shotgun.
Depending on your team, the map, and the stage of the game, you can
get all sorts of requests on what to build. I find that initially
Dispensers are great.  Teammates love free ammo and health refills, and
Dispensers can help replenish your metal supply automatically, allowing
you to quickly build more devices to help your team.  In Sudden Death,
Dispensers NEED to be your first priority, because in Sudden Death
Dispensers are the only source of health for your teammates other than
a Medic.
Dispensers can be very helpful to your team if placed correctly, and
one thing to keep an eye out for is how far your team is progressing/
pushing into enemy territory.  As they advance, one of the best things
you can do is build a Dispenser nearby, behind some cover.  If your
offensive classes see that they have a fall back point nearby, they'll
be much more encouraged to sustain the attack.
Teleporters are also a great thing for forward bases, and also for
defense.  You'll need to build both an entrance and an exit for the
gizmo to activate, but when it does, it provides instant
transportation with only a slight recharge delay between Teleporters.
Heavys, Soldiers and Medics can then get where they need to be right
away with a Teleporter, and good Teleporter placement can really
prolong an attack, or bolster a defense.
The key with Teleporters is communication: talk to your team.
Let them know that you're building Teleporters, where the entrance is,
and where it will take them.
In fact, communication is good across the board with the Engineer.
Rather than randomly placing Dispensers and Sentries, ask your team
where they will help the most, and monitor their effectiveness.  An
informed Engineer is a very serious threat.
DETONATOR:
Engineers can only have one Sentry, Dispenser and Teleport
exit and entrance built at one time.  They can detonate their devices
with their Detonator so they can build another one, as needed as their
team advances, but the Engineer will have to start over with a Lvl. 1
Sentry Gun.
Engineers can salvage the metal from their destroyed buildings, making
it a little easier to relocate and rebuild quickly.
########################################################################
THE MEDIC
Health: 150 | 225 with Medigun buff
Weapons:
Syringe Gun
Clip Capacity: 40 syringes
Reserve Ammo: 150 syringes
Equipment:
Medigun
Melee Weapon:
Bone Saw
WHY THE MEDIC IS THE BEST CLASS TO PLAY:
Medics enable victory.  Period.  If you want to be the reason your team
succeeds, the reason the Heavy stays alive long enough to hold back
an attack or capture the game-winning flag - play a Medic.
Medics in the right place make their team unkillable, make defenses
unbreakable, and make any control point or Intelligence Briefcase
takeable.  Teams need Medics like Enginners need metal, or Heavys need
bullets.  There's just no way around it.
Good Medics aren't just portable Dispensers.  Medics who bust their ass
every time they hear their teammates cry out not only heal them, but
buff their teammates' health up to 150 percent! What more, Medics are the
only class capable of rendering a teammate invincible.  More often than
not, an UberCharge on the right class at the right time is the only
way to win a control point, a map, or both.
No class is more appreciated when around, or missed when absent, than
the Medic.  When teams reach a stalemate, when it comes down to the
wire, you won't hear "Where's the Pyro?" or "Can we get a Spy up
here?"  When your team needs victory, your team needs a Medic.
Every team should have one.
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
SYRINGE GUN:
Playing as a Medic, you'll more often than not be called on to use your
Medigun to keep your teammates in top shape.  However, this being a
frantic team shooter, you will be called on to defend yourself now and
then.  Fortunately for you, the Syringe Gun is an excellent weapon to
use in these sorts of situations.
The Syringe Gun shoots hypodermic needles at full auto. At 40 needles
per clip, and good stopping power, Medics can hold their own when they
have to - just remember that Medics really shouldn't have to.
When shooting the Syringe Gun, you'll notice that the Syringes arc
downward as they shoot (damn gravity) and as such you'll need to
compensate when you're aiming it at range.  The best idea for needling
down your opponents is to get as close as you safely can to your
opponent; the goal is to land lots of needles on your opponent as fast
as you can, because as a Medic you're generally outgunned and weaker.
Fortunately, as a Medic (particularly a Medic who has read this guide)
you'll be tagging along with bigger, stronger classes with bigger,
stronger guns.  In the case where you'll have to use your Syringe Gun,
you should have a buddy nearby to help you.  No matter who you're
with, keep moving and don't stop shooting till they keel over.
MEDIGUN:
Now this is the great part about playing a Medic - who'd have ever
thought that keeping teammates healthy would be easy and fun?
The Medigun in operation is kinda like the Proton Pack from
Ghostbusters (my favorite movie, if you haven't seen it stop reading