Community Bigrock strategy

Bigrock
Basic Information
Map type:	Mann vs. Machine
File name:	mvm_bigrock
Released:	December 20, 2012 Patch (Mecha Update)
Developer(s):	Valve
Map Info
Environment:	Desert
Setting:	Day, sunny
Hazards:	Pitfall
Map Items
Health Kits:	×1  •   ×12  •    ×2
Ammo Boxes:	×12   •    ×5
Map Photos
Map Overview

This article is about Community Bigrock strategy.

Note: It is recommended to read the main Bigrock article first to become familiar with the names of key map locations used in this article.

General strategy

• Resistance is an ideal upgrade to go with, as there are a lot of Crit Robots and Giants.
• Teamwork is a must, without teamwork, you'll most likely always fail.
• When an Engineer Robot comes into the map, quickly find it and kill it, along with destroying its nest. Teleporters can bring Robots closer to the bomb and hatch, and the Teleporter can even teleport Giants. Engineer bots won't become a threat if you don't let the bomb leave the cave.
• If you're having a hard time trying to stay alive and the Dispensers or Medics (if there are any on your team) are not healing fast enough to save you from being killed, try buying "Health on Kill" Upgrades.
  • Pairing this upgrade with Resistance will make you useful to your team, as you can act like a tank to them, taking a lot of damage and gaining it back.
• Consider running a Spy instead of a Scout for this map. There is plenty of cash to upgrade Spy to full power quickly, and many inexperienced players struggle with killing the Giant Medics in Broken Parts and Bone Shaker.

Class-specific strategy

 Scout

• As there's not much space in this map, a Scout has an easier job collecting the cash, due to the fact that it won't be spread out as much.
• It is wise for a Scout to get their Resistances to max or as close to it as they can, as there is a lot of fire, bullets, and explosives, a number of which have crits. If the Scout doesn't have Resistance against these, it'll be a lot harder for them to collect the cash.
• A fully upgraded Mad Milk is definitely credit to team. Because when it hits a group of robots, your team will heal 60% of the damage and the robot's speed will be decreased by 35%.
• The Fan O'War is also a public choice, because it marks robots for death when they're hit, and makes all incoming damage Mini-Crits!
• Crit Soldiers pose a big threat to Sentry Guns on this map, but they aren't very mobile. As a Scout, you can easily evade their rockets, making it easier for you to kill one, especially if you bought the increased clip size upgrade, and have bought Crit Canteens.
  • If you haven't bought the increased clip size upgrade or Crit Canteens, you can always bait the Giant Robots so that they aim at you, letting your team safely destroy them.
• ÜberCharge Canteens will also let you get down to the battlefield in a tough time, and get the money, so it won't expire before there's a free space, for you to get it. It will also help you get to the giants, and mark them to death with your Fan O'War.
• The mark target upgrade for the Sandman can also be useful on this map, as you can mark giants for death without having to jump into the middle of the robot horde to get to them.

 Soldier

• A Soldier is good for dealing with Engineer Robots, as your rockets are able to move quickly, and the splash damage can help damage the nest.
• It's a good idea to get the faster reload speed and faster firing speed upgrades for your Rocket Launcher, as there are a lot of robots. This will help you damage a lot of them in a short space of time.
• The Righteous Bison can be useful in the chokepoint at the end of the cave, due to the fact the Righteous Bison's projectile penetrates through enemies. It can deal a bit of damage to the robots if fired from the front or the side, but it can deal a lot more damage if it's fired from behind them, as it'll follow them as they walk.
• Crit Canteens will be good for dealing with either more enemies at the same time or giant robots. Use your crits when the bomb is about to be deployed, or if you have a good chance, to take care of more giant robots at once!
• The Buff Banner will also help your team a lot, dealing with strong enemies, large groups of robots, and of course the tanks. Every time you have hurt enough robots to fill your rage meter, you can activate the Buff Banner's buff which will help your team a lot by turning their normal damage into mini-crit damage. To deal the most damage with it, stay close to teammates. Since all robots (excluding tanks) come out of one spawn point, launching rockets directly at the spawn point is an easy way to build up rage.

 Pyro

• There is one spot in the map where the bomb can be reset, so it's best for the Pyro to try to airblast the bomb carrier down the gap in the fence in the mine. Upgrading the airblast force will make this job a lot easier.
• It might not be a long reset, but it can help if the robots have gotten out of the mine, or if there is a giant robot.
  • This will also help prevent Engineer Robots from spawning as they spawn when the bomb is past a certain point and resetting the bomb stops any Engineer Robots from spawning until the bomb reaches the same spot as before.
  • Despite there only being one reset spot, you can airblast the bomb carrier into other spots, like the sides of the lanes the robots go down, and under the bridge near the hatch. This will buy you precious time, as the robots will have to go around to get to the bomb.
• A Pyro using the Phlogistinator can be very useful against Tanks, as they can get the 'Mmmph' bar filled quickly, allowing Critical hits to be applied without the use of a Canteen, saving money for other upgrades.
• This can help the rest of the team massively, as they can deal with the other robots as well as the robot carrying the bomb.
• When the Phlogistinator is low on ammo, its effectiveness is reduced. To counteract this, make sure you have bought ammo capacity upgrades, and know where Ammo Pickups and Dispenser(s) are if there are any currently on the map.

 Demoman

• Station yourself behind the wire fence on the left side of the mine, and get one point of health on kill upgrade. Using the medium ammo pack, you should be able to severely thin out the horde before they reach the top of the hill, all while remaining safe yourself unless your teammates are completely overrun.
• It's wise to set up Stickybomb traps at the choke points, as this will stop the Robots from getting through easily.
• Some good places for these are the exit of the mine and the bridge near the hatch.
• Since Engineer Robots build a Sentry Gun to guard their Teleporters, you are one of the best classes to destroy the nest.
• The Scottish Resistance is useful for setting up traps, as you can remotely detonate sets of Stickybombs, rather than all of them at once.
• Setting up a Stickybomb trap where the Robots come out can be useful, especially when there are Medic Robots and Giant Robots. If done correctly, you can destroy the Medic Robots before they get a chance to use their Über.

 Heavy

• Since there are a lot of robots on this map, the projectile penetration upgrade can be very useful, as it will let you damage more robots without using more ammo.
• The rage knockback upgrade can work well with this, as you'll be able to push back the bomb carrier a lot more easily due to how much damage you'll be outputting. This is useful if the Robots are near the hatch, or if they are near the reset pit. Don't be afraid to use it at anytime, as pushing the bomb back will always help your team.
• Due to the shape of this map, and the fact that some of the waves have Spy Robots as normal, the Huo-Long Heater will be useful if near a Dispenser or Ammo Pickups, as you'll be able to burn them before they get near.

 Engineer

• You can build your Sentry Gun on the far rocks on your left as you enter the mine. You can then build the Dispenser behind the wire mesh, and either hide behind the wire mesh, or crouch behind the rocks and your Sentry Gun while you repair it.
• Alternatively, you can place your Sentry and Dispenser next to and behind the large rock formation in the middle of the mine, near the reset pit. Not only will your Dispenser heal you and any Heavy or Sniper standing on the rock, but your Sentry will clean up whatever makes it past the Demoman/Sniper/Soldier/etc while blocking Super Scouts. This positioning avoids popping Über Medics before they can be killed and is much more stable than an overly aggressive one.
• Your Teleporter Exit can be built behind the wire mesh of the entrance of the tunnel. This area is very rarely attacked by Robots, and allows for quick access to the battlefield.
• This area can be easily swarmed if the Robots manage to get out of the mine, especially if there are Scout or Soldier Robots. However, this area can also be used for attacks from behind if you manage to survive.

 Medic

• With the amount of Robots around, it is best for a Medic to either use the stock Medi Gun with Crit Canteens, or the Kritzkrieg with Über Canteens. This can help increase the chance of survival, as you'll be able to use both Über and Crits.
• If you get your Resistances high, you'll have a higher rate of survival, allowing you to heal your teammates more, increasing their survival rate as well.
• Be careful when there are Spy Robots about, as you might end up healing one of them instead of a teammate. Make sure that you Spy check, but don't stop healing.
  • If you have a Pyro on your team, you could stay back and let them burn the robots, and then go back to healing.

 Sniper

• Buy Explosive Headshots to clear out more robots.
• Use the long stretches of ground to land hits on the robots more easily.
• Sniper can be very useful for taking out Engineer Robots and its nest, as he can deal with them over a longer distance than the other classes.
• Standing on top of the large rock located inside the cave straight from the entrance will provide a massive sightline into the robot's spawn, and it provides protection from backstabs due to its height, making it an optimal starting position for each wave.

 Spy

• As for the Über Medics, you can wait where the robots come out and quickly stab the Medic then retreat before the other robots come out.
• As the Robots generally come out in packs on this map, a Spy with an upgraded Sapper can sap some or most of them, allowing your teammates to destroy them quickly.
• Even if you get killed, the Robots are still disabled, and won't be able to do anything until the Sapper comes off.
  • The Giant Robots don't get disabled when Sapped, but they do get slowed down, which can help your team if they are having trouble with Super Scouts. Keep in mind, however, that the slowing effect is very short-lived, and a single backstab will nearly kill a Super Scout. Use your discretion.
• Engineer nests are best taken down with Stab-and-Sap tactics, otherwise the Engineer bot will simply remove your Sapper. If both buildings are functional when the robot dies, sap the Sentry if there are teammates nearby to take out the Teleporter. You may want to sap the Teleporter first if the Sentry isn't an immediate threat to anyone.
  • An Engineer Robot's Teleporter isn't disabled when you sap it, so more Robots are able to teleport in. If you are nervous about this happening, you can sap the teleporter, and shoot at it with your Revolver to take it down faster.
• Using an Ammo Refill Canteen can get around the Sapper recharging, as it recharges your Sapper instantly.
  • Keep in mind you will still need to wait for the last Sapper you placed to lose its effects before being able to place another Sapper.