Sentry jump

A Sentry jump refers to using the knock back effect of the bullets from a Sentry Gun or the rockets from a Level 3, to propel yourself great distances at the cost of some health. This tactic can be used by Engineers with the Wrangler to go to unusual places in maps in order to place a Sentry nest that may be difficult to destroy. They may also place Teleporters in places that players would not normally go.

Basics

Sentry Rocket Jumping

The same tactics as normal Rocket jumping apply:

• Fire the rockets from a level 3 Sentry Gun at your feet using the Wrangler, crouching mid-air for maximum height.
  • Once this tactic is mastered, a skilled engineer can pack-up the Sentry gun that just launched him right before he is launched away, allowing him to redeploy the Sentry in a new place quickly (assuming he is initially next to it).
  • A simple variation of this technique is to simply crouch on top of the Sentry, aim straight down and very quickly tap Secondary Fire (to launch rockets) > Weaponswitch > Secondary Fire again (to pick the Sentry up). This will send the Engineer flying almost straight up. When mastered, the direction and height of the jump can be manipulated by aiming slightly further away on the ground and possibly through variation in timing of the actions.
  • Due to the Engineer being a low health, light framed class, when mid-air he has higher level of control over his direction and trajectory, much more than the Soldier or Demoman, and marginally more than a reflect jumping Pyro. However, he also flies higher and farther as a result, and so if you do not have enough health when making the jump you may die upon landing from fall damage. Try to be at full health when attempting this, or get a Medic to overheal you as you jump.

Bullet Jumping

• Stand on top of your Sentry and aim away from it in the direction you want to go before firing it. This requires more skill than a Rocket Jump, but often does less self-damage.

This variation on the tactic excels with the Gunslinger, for two main reasons. One, it adds an additional 25 HP to survive the Bullet-Jump, (and subsequent fall) and two, it provides you with the cheaper-and-faster-to-build, faster-firing Mini-Sentry. Since the Mini-sentry only costs 100 Metal to build, a Bullet-Jumping Engineer can switch back and forth between building a Sentry, and building a Dispenser to refuel on Health, Ammo, and Metal between progressive jumps. This process is slower, but arguably safer, than trying to jump straight towards where the player wishes to go.

Sentry Jump Strategy

• Use of good Sentry Jumps can allow the quick construction of a base in hard or impossible to reach locations. Carry a fully upgraded Dispenser with you when jumping to a location of choice, then throw up a Teleporter Exit and rebuild a new Sentry Gun at the new location. Here are some good locations to build using Sentry Jumps:
  • The roof of the bridge on 2Fort
  • The opposing Sniper Deck on 2Fort
  • The rooftops on Gravelpit
  • The top of point C on Gravelpit
  • The top of "the spire" on Badlands