Difference between revisions of "Spy checking"

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(Heavy: Natascha doesn't slow down disguised spies anymore; sandwiches can be used to "heal" disguises, might need rewording)
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{{Infobox
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[[File:Spycheck_successful_harvest.png|400px|thumb|right|A [[BLU]] [[Pyro]] (left) Spy-checks teammates leaving their spawn area on [[Harvest]], revealing a Spy (right) disguised as the Demoman (middle) next to him.]]
|title=Revealing a Spy
 
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{{youtube tn|hbb78es9RKo}}
 
Pyro revealing an enemy Spy with the [[flamethrower]].}}
 
  
{{Quotation|'''The Scout''' on anti-espionage|Hard ta stab a guy in da back when he's beatin' ya freakin' head in, huh?|sound=Scout_dominationspy03.wav}}
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{{Quotation|'''The Scout''' on anti-espionage.|Hard ta stab a guy in da back when he's beatin' ya freakin' head in, huh?|sound=Scout_dominationspy03.wav}}
  
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'''Spy checking''' is a common term for the investigations players make to determine where or who enemy [[Spies]] are and eliminate them. These investigations are both useful and important because Spies can instantly kill by [[Backstab|attacking from behind]]. The process can be somewhat complicated because disguised Spies can use the [[Dead Ringer]] to make a hasty escape when discovered, or avoid taking fire damage by equipping the [[Spy-cicle]].
  
Because of the [[Spy]]'s ability to [[cloak]] or [[disguise]] as a character of the opposite team, it is useful to often check for the telltale signs of an enemy [[Spy]] in order to prevent them from [[backstab]]bing team-mates or [[sapping]] [[building]]s. This is commonly known as '''Spy-Checking'''.
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==Identifying Spies==
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===General Strategy===
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* The easiest and most common way to Spy-check is to simply shoot a teammate. Real teammates take no damage at all, while enemy Spies die after a few shots. Pyros excel at this method, as their Flame Thrower can Spy-check multiple teammates at once and will ignite a Spy, instantly ruining his disguise.
  
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* Remember that players on opposing teams cannot pass through each other. Bumping into a teammate indicates that that player is an enemy Spy.
  
==How to Spy-Check==
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* Look for teammates that are behaving suspiciously. Players in unusual positions, moving in the wrong direction, deliberately avoiding contact with teammates, or hiding in corners should all be Spy checked.
===[[Scout]]===
 
Just running into everyone (since you are the fastest class) does the trick. Also Scouts using the [[Sandman]] can stun disguised spies, while the baseball will pass through friendlies. Scouts using the [[Force-A-Nature]] can launch disguised Spies that are close enough, but not actual teammates. Even at medium range, shooting a Spy with the Force-A-Nature will knock them back noticeably, allowing you to follow up with a finishing blow. Given the right circumstances, you can even push the Spy away from teammates to prevent him from backstabbing them.
 
  
===[[Soldier]]===
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* Pay special attention to areas with health kits or ammo boxes or corners, nooks, and spots that players usually do not enter. Spies tend to use these areas to hide in while they recharge their [[Cloak and Dagger]].
Firing a rocket into groups of allies on occasion, if any teammates are sent flying, they are a Spy. If firing a rocket at close distance it should go through a teammate. If it doesn't it might be a spy. Beware of spies if low on health, the rocket damage will almost certainly kill you first / as well.
 
  
===[[Pyro]]===
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* Watch for teammates who are not firing their weapons. Spies cannot fire their weapon without removing their disguise. They can pretend to reload their weapons, keep in mind a Spy can switch weapons at the near-end of the reload animation to continuously appear to reload.  
Periodically send a puff of flames onto your teammates. Your flames do not harm your teammates, nor do they catch flame. If they catch fire, they are a spy, so finish them! Also, the Spy will burn his team color, making it even easier to tell. This is the best and most reliable method of Spy checking. Compression blast will not [[knock back]] friendly players, but will toss Spies into the air, and can be very useful in throwing off their aim if they're about to backstab a teammate, or limiting their movements to prevent them from escaping. Your [[Flare Gun]] can also catch enemy Spies on fire, they will pass through friendlies. Against Spies using the [[Cloak and Dagger]], igniting corners and crevices can usually uncover a Spy. Beware that the [[Dead Ringer]] can put out flames if they are ignited, so if you see a Spy that you've ignited suddenly drop dead, spray down the area with flames to ignite him again and use the [[compression Blast]] to keep him at bay until the Dead Ringer wears off.
 
  
===[[Demoman]]===
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* Keep an eye out for smoke surrounding players. When a Spy uses the [[Disguise Kit]], it takes a moment for the disguise to activate, during which the Spy will be shrouded in team-colored smoke. Spies can change their disguise much faster than they can apply a new one, however.
If one of your [[Grenade Launcher|grenades]] either passes through an ally after bouncing, or blows up on an ally before bouncing, that "ally" is a Spy. If splash damage from your explosives launches an ally away, you have found an enemy spy.
 
  
===[[Heavy]]===
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* If you are dead, you can cycle through different camera angles around the map while waiting to respawn. Look out behind teammates or on open points for Spies uncloaking or disguising. You can then alert teammates or Spy-check where you last saw the [[Spy]] when you respawn.
Spraying an area where a cloaked spy is thought to be is a good way to uncloak him. If a team-mate eats your dropped [[sandvich]], and was already at full health, he is a spy, unless he is a friendly disguised spy, then he might have used it to 'heal' his disguise.
 
  
===[[Engineer]]===
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* For the first few seconds after you respawn, you can see silhouettes of your teammates. If you see one appear from nowhere, it may be an enemy Spy decloaking.
[[Spy|Spies]] can camp by your [[Dispenser]] while cloaked for unlimited time using the standard cloaking watch or anywhere with the [[Cloak and Dagger]], try and check the top or the surroundings of your dispenser and if you're the only [[Engineer]] on your team and if you see another Engineer coming (and if he has your name) kill him, he's a Spy! If he cant pass your [[Sentry Gun]] or Dispenser, he's a Spy!
 
  
It is also a good idea to shoot around the immediate area with your pistol to check for spies using the cloak and dagger.  
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* If a friendly player is trying to get behind you for no reason, they may be attempting to backstab you. If a player is acting suspiciously, never turn your back on them.
  
===[[Medic]]===
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* Spies disguised as a Spy will always have the disguise mask on.
Make sure you check before you start healing anyone, unless they already performed an action impossible for a Spy (i.e. shooting). Run into them if you can.
 
If you used your ÜberCharge on someone, and they are glowing the wrong color then they are undeniably an enemy Spy If you have killed a Spy with the Übersaw and the charge hasn't increased, they are using the [[Dead Ringer]].
 
  
===[[Sniper]]===
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===Class-specific strategies===
[[Jarate]] will disable a spy's cloak, so throwing it into areas where spies are thought to be can leave them vulnerable (due to the damage increase caused by Jarate). Arrows from the [[Huntsman]] will also stick to disguised spies, while simply passing through teammates. The [[Tribalman's Shiv]] makes spies bleed, which can partially disable their cloaks and expose them to everyone.
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===={{Class link|Scout}}====
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* The Scout is the fastest class. Because of this, one effective strategy is to run around the map and try to bump into fellow teammates. As noted above, any teammate that you cannot pass through is an enemy Spy in disguise.
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* Some of the Scout's melee weapons can be used to Spy-check effectively. Refer to these and their individual articles for details.
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* [[Mad Milk]] will reveal disguised and cloaked Spies, since a [[coated]] Spy will be visible by white drips.
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* The [[Boston Basher]], [[Flying Guillotine]], and [[Wrap Assassin]] bauble will cause enemies to bleed when struck. If you hit a teammate and they begin to bleed, you have discovered an enemy Spy. Be warned that with the Boston Basher you will take damage and start bleeding if you miss, so trying to find a cloaked Spy with the Boston Basher is unwise.
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* The [[Fan O'War]] can also mark enemies for death. If you suspect a teammate of being a Spy, and cause a skull and crossbones to appear over them, you have just marked an enemy Spy.
  
===[[Spy]]===
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===={{Class link|Soldier}}====
Even the spy can do a great job of spy-checking. Stab all of your teammates in the back, if you are lucky you might've stabbed an enemy spy. Also, you can cloak, and go around the map, and alerting your team of any incoming spies. As a spy, you will find your character raising his knife (just like when about to backstab an enemy) when being behind a disguised enemy spy.
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* The Soldier has few particular Spy-check strategies apart from the general ones. Spy-checking by simply shooting rockets at suspicious players is very effective because of the high damage your rockets do at close range. However, disguised enemy Spies will not receive damage knockback from your rockets.
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* When you activate a banner, nearby teammates that do not emit a glow are Spies.
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** Shooting a disguised Spy will charge a banner's rage meter.
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** The Disciplinary Action will still apply a speed boost, regardless of if the player whipped is a disguised Spy.
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===={{Class link|Pyro}}====
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* The Pyro's ability to set enemies on [[fire]] with incendiary weapons is perhaps the most useful tool for detecting Spies, since only enemies can be ignited. This is the most reliable method of Spy checking teammates. The team-colored glow produced by a burning player is especially visible when surrounding a cloaked or disguised Spy. It is recommended to use only small bursts to Spy check to conserve Flame Thrower ammunition.
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* The [[Compression blast]] is also useful in revealing Spies, as well as stopping attempts to escape. Teammates will not be affected by compression blast, so any teammate that can be pushed by it is a Spy. While flames are normally more efficient, compression blasts can be used to push Spies away from your teammates if they are in danger of being backstabbed.
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* If a Spy is using the [[Dead Ringer]], they may appear to die instantly from your flames, though the flames will tend to surround them for a little while afterwards, which can show you that they faked their death. Spray fire in the vicinity to try and reignite them, and if you find them, pursue them until they die for real.
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* Know that the [[Spy-cicle]] greatly aids Spies trying to escape or stay hidden. Be aware of its use and counter it with other weapons if necessary.
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** The [[Media:Icicle melt 01.wav|noise]] a Spy-cicle makes when extinguishing flames is very distinct.  Learn to recognize it, both when the Spy is cloaked and when they are disguised as a teammate.
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===={{Class link|Demoman}}====
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* Placing Stickybombs over a wide area can cause Spies to hesitate about traversing such minefields. Teammates have no such qualms, and simply walk across these areas.
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* Planting a cluster of Stickybombs in an Engineer nest helps to deter the buildings from getting sapped by the Spy. If your Engineers happen to yell out that they are getting sapped, detonate the Stickybombs to catch the Spy red-handed.
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===={{Class link|Heavy}}====
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* Because movement speed is greatly reduced for a spun-up Heavy, they are tempting backstab targets. This can sometimes be used as a lure to goad enemy Spies to approach. Act unaware, then turn around to surprise a possible Spy.
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* As Heavies are often coupled with [[Medic]]s, Spies place great priority upon stabbing the Medic first, then the Heavy, to deny the team the Medic's support. Turn around quickly if you hear your Medic die from a backstab.
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* Spy-check by focusing your Minigun fire on a teammate. Spies will often die in a few seconds.
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===={{Class link|Engineer}}====
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* Keep an ear out for Sapper notifications; if a teammate is standing near the sapped building, that teammate is probably a Spy.
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* Spy-check suspicious players that approach your buildings with your secondary weapon. Your primary weapon can also be used, but its ammo is often needed for other threats. Avoid chasing the Spy with your [[Wrench]], as it leaves your buildings vulnerable. The Wrench is also bad for Spy-checking since it prioritizes repairs over combat, meaning that buildings will always be hit instead of players next to them.
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* If any teammate is unable to pass through a [[Sentry Gun]] or [[Dispenser]], that teammate is a Spy. Placing these buildings in narrow passages and checking them regularly can severely slow a Spy’s forward progress.
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* The [[Southern Hospitality]] is a good weapon for spychecking thanks to its [[Bleeding|bleed]] attribute.
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===={{Class link|Medic}}====
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* As a Medic, Spies can use you to gain health while disguised. If you are particularly suspicious of a player, do not heal them. Spy-check them with your melee weapon or have your patient deal with them for you.
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* Spies may target you while you are healing a patient. Watch your back while healing. You can also have your patient Spy-check for you, though this may be difficult during intense battles. Your Medi Gun stays locked onto your patient even if you turn away, so check for your team and call out any potential Spies during firefights.
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* Spies may also simply head directly for your patient rather than yourself. If a teammate seems to approaching your patient's back, warn them of a possible Spy.
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* Avoid chasing Spies too much — your ability to heal is generally more useful. Spies can also lure you into a backstab, so be careful. Your patient is generally more suited to killing the Spy than you are.
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* Keep your back to the wall. While not exactly a Spy checking strategy, keeping your back to the wall can be important as a Medic because it makes it harder for Spies to sneak up on you (instead of having to check 360 degrees around you, you only have to check 180 in front of you).
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* When shooting at damaged teammates with the [[Crusader's Crossbow]], listen for the sounds it makes when it hits a teammate. Disguised Spies will make a distinct meat impact sound when hit.
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===={{Class link|Sniper}}====
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* Some Snipers are oblivious to their surroundings while zoomed in. Listen carefully, and check the area you are in after firing a shot.
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* Switch positions frequently and check your surroundings as you do so — newly-respawned Spies will sometimes head for where they last saw you, especially if you have recently killed them.
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* [[Jarate]] is a particularly useful Spy-check weapon, as it reveals both cloaked and disguised Spies. Use it to Spy-check suspicious teammates.
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** Equipping the [[Bushwacka]] allows you to kill a Jarate-soaked Spy instantly. Spies who understand this will often retreat if you hit them with Jarate, allowing you to follow up with a Sniper Rifle shot. Be careful — they may try to take advantage of your damage vulnerability by gunning you down with their Revolver — if you are low on health, consider retreating to heal before confronting the Spy.
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* The [[Razorback]] will prevent a Spy from backstabbing you, but doesn't protect you from being shot! Be careful when separated from your team, even with its protection.
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===={{Class link|Spy}}====
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* Spies are generally poor Spy-checkers, because they deal poor ranged damage and use tools to escape quickly. Although their backstab is very useful to protect teammates as it kills instantly, Spies spend their time best among the enemy and rarely encounter one another.
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* If you stand behind a teammate while holding your knife and it raises in the ‘backstab’ position, you have discovered an enemy Spy. Backstabbing a Spy is a guaranteed kill — not even the [[Dead Ringer]] can save them from a backstab.
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==Revealing cloaked Spies==
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* When cloaked, Spies will momentarily appear as a team-colored silhouette upon being damaged or when bumping into enemy players. Keep an eye out for when a Spy is revealed this way. Strafing left and right while navigating corridors makes it difficult for a cloaked Spy to pass you safely.
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** Note that The Dead Ringer greatly diminishes this drawback, as they can use it to escape easily.
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* Shooting into common Spy hiding places may reveal an unlucky Spy.
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* Try to listen for the sounds Spies make while cloaking and decloaking. If you hear a characteristic cloaking sound, a Spy is nearby. Remember that friendly Spies make this sound as well.
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* An ammo box or health pack that disappears without a player picking it up indicates that it was picked up by a cloaked Spy. Spy-check nearby to reveal any careless Spies.
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* In places with water, look for floating water drops. Players climbing out of water will be visibly dripping with it, including cloaked Spies.
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* An automatic door that suddenly opens without any visible player being nearby indicates a cloaked Spy passing through.
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==Protecting an Engineer's buildings==
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Since an Engineer's buildings are a major target for Spies, specific strategies may be more effective around Engineer's buildings:
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* Spy-check suspicious players that approach a friendly Engineer's buildings. Spies trying to sap buildings often run straight towards them. You can body-block Spies to prevent them from placing a Sapper.
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* As a Pyro, use Dispensers to constantly refill the ammo of your Flame Thrower. You can use this ammo to create a constant firewall that Spies cannot safely pass through or to constantly Spy-check the area. Heavies can also make use of Dispensers in this way.
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* As a Demoman, Stickybombs can be placed around friendly buildings to kill Spies who try to sap them. Place a few bombs around an Engineer's buildings and detonate them when you hear the Engineer announce that his buildings are being sapped. Watch your stickybomb counter, though — if the number begins to decrease, an enemy is destroying them.
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* As an Engineer, if a Teleporter is being sapped from its entrance, you can Spy-check the next player teleporting through once you remove the Sapper. This may be an enemy Spy trying to [[telefrag]] you, so be careful not to stand on top of it. Turning the [[telefrag]] attempt into your own surprise can frustrate enemy Spies.
  
 
==Identifying enemy Spies==
 
==Identifying enemy Spies==
===Signs that Indicate an Enemy Spy===
 
*A team-mate stops when bumping into him (true team-mates pass through you) or, conversely, a team-mate which can walk through an enemy.
 
*A player on your team that appears to be traveling with the enemy and not being attacked (unless it's a friendly disguised Spy, though it could also be an enemy Spy disguised as a friendly Spy).
 
*A [[Scout]] moving at the Spy's movement [[speed]].
 
*A teammate suddenly uncloaking out of nowhere. (No other class beside the Spy can turn invisible)
 
*Having your own name, or seeing your name yell a [[voice command]] that you didn't use.
 
*Having the name of somebody you know to be elsewhere or dead.
 
*Seeing two people in the same area that have the same name. One of them is a Spy.
 
*Having a name that does not correspond with the player's current class on the scoreboard. This happens when a Spy disguises himself as a class not currently on the team. It can also happen if the person has changed class while the Spy was disguised.
 
*Not taking any damage from enemy attacks, or plain not being fired at by the enemy. (The latter does not apply if it's a friendly disguised spy)
 
*A team-mate standing on a friendly sentry gun or dispenser that he didn't build. The only person that can stand on a friendly sentry or dispenser is the engineer that built it.
 
*While [[cloaked]], briefly glowing his team color when bumped, shot, or [[bleeding]].
 
*Obstructing friendly contact projectiles such as [[Rocket]]s and [[grenade launcher|Pipe bombs]]. Such weapons will usually shoot straight through team-mates at short distance.
 
*Placing [[Sapper|Sappers]] on friendly buildings.
 
*A friendly Pyro on [[fire]] (they are normally flame-resistant).
 
*While cloaking or uncloaking, the spy is briefly shows his own team color until cloaking/uncloaking is complete.
 
*A friendly player on a [[control point]] or near a [[Payload|payload cart]] who does not seem to be capping the point or pushing the cart.
 
*A microphone indicator that is not connected to a body on an alltalk server - cloaked spies still display the team colored ! indicator.
 
*A team-mate who you can stun with the Sandman's baseball.
 
*A team-mate whose weapon sounds like the revolver when he reloads, making a clicking sound.
 
*A team-mate who is overhealed when there are no Medics on your team.
 
*A team-mate who is overhealed but still has less than full health (Happens when they switch disguises after being healed).
 
*An enemy sentry ignoring a friendly, even when the player is the closest ally to the sentry.
 
*Spies can charge their cloaks by picking up [[ammo]] packs and still stay cloaked. If you see health or ammo packs disappearing without anyone you can see touching them, it is a Spy.
 
*A teammate being healed by an enemy Medic. (Unless they are a friendly Spy, who can get enemy Medics to heal them.)
 
*A teammate on the opposite side of the gates during [[Setup]]. (However, they may change disguise or even change class before the round starts.)
 
*A friendly teammate being affected by an enemy [[Soldier]]'s [[Buff Banner]] or not affected by one of your or your team-mates Buff Banners.
 
*A Soldier with low health equipped with the [[Equalizer]] moving at his normal speed.
 
*An automatic door suddenly opening without a visible player being nearby (fire around the door to uncloak the spy)
 
  
===Signs that indicate a ''possible'' enemy Spy===
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* Various team-colored indicators definitively determine an enemy Spy or a friendly one, including:
None of these indicators are conclusive proof of a spy, but all of them would make a good time to run a spy-check:
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** The flicker a cloaked Spy makes when being bumped or injured.
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** The fading a cloaked Spy does while cloaking or uncloaking.
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** The glow a player on fire makes.
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** The smoke from a recent use of the Disguise Kit.
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===Signs that ''definitely'' indicate an enemy Spy, or lack thereof===
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==== Common signs ====
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* A 'teammate' that cannot pass through another teammate, or conversely, a 'teammate' that has been observed walking through an enemy.
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* A 'teammate' that asks for Medic and has the "wrong" cross background colour. For example, a Pyro at full health having its background red like on heavily injured teammates, or a near-dead Heavy having it white.
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* A 'teammate' who cannot enter areas open to your team (such as supply rooms), or conversely can enter areas forbidden to your team.
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* A 'teammate' placing [[Sapper]]s on friendly buildings.
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* A 'teammate' standing on a friendly Sentry Gun or Dispenser, or who cannot pass through them, and is not the [[Engineer]] who owns the building.
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* Two people that have the same name. One (or both) of them is a Spy.
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* Seeing or hearing a [[voice command]] attributed to yourself without you having used it, or more importantly, seeing "yourself" moving around.
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* A 'teammate' that is known to be dead or elsewhere.
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* A 'teammate' who has a name that does not correspond with their current class on the scoreboard. This happens when a Spy disguises as a class not currently on the team, or if the person has changed class while the Spy was disguised. Their disguise will be holding the stock weapon for that slot.
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* A health or ammo pickup that vanishes without cause; this means a cloaked Spy has stolen it. After a while, ammo pickups dropped by dead players will disappear and it does not mean it's a Spy picking them up.
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* A 'teammate' on an uncontested [[Control point (objective)|control point]] or near the [[Payload#Carts|cart]] on [[Payload]] maps who does not seem to be capturing the point or pushing the cart (assuming the point is available for capture by that team).
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* A non-Spy 'teammate' that is being ignored by an enemy Sentry Gun.
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* A non-Spy 'teammate' that is being healed by an enemy Medic or Dispenser.
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* A non-Spy, non-Heavy 'teammate' picking up a health pack at full health.
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* Due to bugs, a ‘teammate’ either holding a stock weapon while wearing a wearable weapon of that slot (e.g. the [[Darwin's Danger Shield]] and the [[SMG]]), or holding a weapon without its wearable part (e.g. a Soldier holding a bugle without its backpack).
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* A ‘teammate’ with parts of their character model missing, such as a Demoman without legs. This is a glitch surrounding Spy’s disguise — occasionally, the disguise will not display properly on enemy players’ computers.
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* A 'teammate' with an impossible health value. For example, a Scout with 300 health.
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* A 'teammate' whose name is displaying as an enemy's.
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==== Class- or item-based signs ====
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* A [[Scout]] running at an average speed while not having the [[Baby Face Blaster]] equipped.
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* A 'teammate' running at normal speed while holding a weapon like the [[Gloves of Running Urgently]] or [[Powerjack]].
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* A 'teammate' having normal class health while having a weapon like the [[Sandman]] or [[Bootlegger]] equipped
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* A 'teammate' being soaked by friendly [[Jarate]] or [[Mad Milk]], or not being affected by the enemy's.
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* An [[Engineer]] with his [[Hotrod]] down despite not carrying a building.
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* If the Spy is disguised as an Engineer equipped with a [[Beep Boy]], the facial expression on the Beep Boy will always be sad.
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* A 'teammate' with an incorrectly coloured [[Grandmaster]].
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* A Spy who does not move at the speed of his disguise.
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* A Soldier or Demoman whose [[B.A.S.E. Jumper]] renders incorrectly as a scrunched-up parachute.
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* A disguised Spy shot with the [[Huntsman]], [[Rescue Ranger]] or [[Crusader's Crossbow]] will make the same noise as an enemy being hit.
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===Signs that ''suggest'' an enemy Spy===
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None of these indicators are conclusive proof of a Spy, but all of them would be a good time to Spy check:
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==== Common signs ====
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* A teammate trying to stay behind other teammates, as if trying to backstab them.
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* A teammate not firing at the enemy.
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* A teammate who is in the direct firing line of an enemy but is not being fired at.
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* A teammate who retreats backward upon seeing other teammates, while still facing those teammates.
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* A teammate who appears to be dodging your team's attacks or backpedals immediately after seeing loose grenades or a carpet of friendly Stickybombs.
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* A teammate that deliberately avoids walking through other teammates, especially in tight corridors. Spies will strafe and dodge other players to avoid bumping into them.
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* A teammate with an entirely stock loadout (occurs when a Spy disguises as a class the team does not have).
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* A teammate being attacked or accused by real teammates who believe the player is a Spy.
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* A teammate holding their primary weapon for longer than they should. In particular, it is unusual to see Spies, Engineers, Medics, and Demomen holding their primary weapons for long, as they will usually switch to other weapons.
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* A teammate hanging around areas that are advantageous to Spies, such as dark corners and nooks.
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* A teammate that isn't displaying the player's usual behavior.
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* Someone standing still. This could be a Spy trying to line up an [[Ambassador]] headshot.
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* A teammate that appears to be looking more at your team than at the battle. Note that this is normal behaviour for Medics.
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* Being suddenly blocked for no apparent reason. This may indicate a cloaked Spy passing through.
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* A teammate suspiciously near Sentry Guns or Teleporter Exits, especially if they are attempting to move behind the Engineer tending them.
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* A teammate acting inappropriately for their class, such as an Engineer with no nearby buildings or a Sniper near the [[Intelligence]] but not scoped in.
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==== Class- or item-based signs ====
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* A full health Soldier who doesn’t Rocket Jump to the front lines.
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* A burning Pyro (only the [[Gas Passer]] can burn Pyros for that long).
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* A full health Demoman who doesn’t Sticky Jump to the front lines.
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* A Heavy that does not spin his primary weapon, even when enemies appear.
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* An Engineer that does not appear to be upgrading or repairing buildings.
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* A Medic without any Übercharge built up.
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* A Medic who isn't healing anyone.
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* A Sniper who does not stop to zoom in.
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* A Spy who is not behind the enemy.
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* A Spy that ignores targets that were in a prime position to be taken care of, such as not Backstabbing unaware enemies or sapping unattended buildings.
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* A person you know that is using a weapon that they don't normally use (i.e. a friend who normally uses the Huntsman, but appears as using the stock Sniper Rifle; meaning a Spy is disguised as a Sniper when your team doesn't have any) or not wearing hats if they wear them (again, a Spy disguised as a class your team doesn't have).
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*A teammate holding an inappropriate weapon, such as a Medic holding (but not firing) a Syringe Gun while there are teammates around.
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===Signs that indicate a teammate is ''not'' an enemy Spy===
 +
These actions prove that a teammate is definitely not an enemy Spy. Performing any of these is a good way to inform your teammates that you are not an enemy Spy.
 +
 
 +
==== Common signs ====
 +
* Any usage of a weapon or item ([[taunt]]ing, shooting, swinging, scoping, eating, drinking, etc). This does not apply to reloading, however, as Spies are able to imitate a reload by reloading their Revolver whilst disguised. However, they can only pretend to ‘reload’ once — a class with an individual reload weapon out reloading two or more shots is real.
 +
* A teammate that passes through other teammates, or yourself, as opposed to being blocked. (However, this can also happen if both ‘teammates’ are enemy Spies).
 +
* A teammate entering an area forbidden to the enemy, such as resupply rooms.
 +
* A teammate who appears to take damage from enemy fire.
 +
* A player who can pass through friendly buildings.
 +
* A teammate that is carrying the enemy team's [[Capture the Flag#Intelligence|Intelligence]] or capturing a control point for your team.
 +
* A teammate using certain [[response]]s which a Spy cannot imitate himself.
 +
* A teammate that can be spectated while dead. Note that spectating through the menu moves you to a new team and that a few servers allow spectating enemy players.
 +
* In [[Mann vs. Machine]] mode, a teammate that jumps. [[Spy Robot]]s never jump.
 +
 
 +
==== Class- or item-based signs ====
 +
* Any usage of class-specific abilities, e.g. Scouts double jumping, Heavies spinning their Minigun, Snipers that are scoped in, etc.
 +
* A Scout moving at his normal movement speed.
 +
* An Engineer holding the Destruction PDA or a toolbox.
 +
* A Medic with any amount of Übercharge built up (Medic disguises always display 0% Übercharge).
 +
* A Spy holding their Sapper. If a Spy disguises as an enemy Spy, the disguise can never hold the Sapper.
 +
* A Spy without a disguise on. If a Spy disguises as an enemy Spy, the disguise will always have a disguise on.
 +
 
 +
==Spy-checking Spies with items==
 +
{{main|Anti-Spy strategy}}
 +
 
 +
===Dealing with the [[Dead Ringer]]===
 +
The Spy has the ability to feign death with one of his unlockable items, the Dead Ringer, so always be wary upon killing enemy Spies, as they may still be alive elsewhere. Thus, it's best to know some of the signs that tell that the Spy may not really be dead. Spies using the Dead Ringer cannot manually Cloak, and cannot use any weapons while invisible.
 +
 
 +
* If an enemy dies to a single weak hit while approaching friendly lines without firing his weapon, it is most probably an enemy Spy disguised as one of his teammates. Most players don't run in with such low health, and a Spy disguised as a teammate will drop a corpse of the class he was disguised as.
 +
** Similarly, if an enemy Spy disguised as a teammate approaches the front lines from the enemy's position, he is most likely using the Dead Ringer, even if he doesn't ‘die’ from the first hit. Remember that the Dead Ringer cannot Cloak at will, so a Dead Ringer Spy will rely on opponents' fire activating his feign death in order to become invisible.
 +
** In general, if a player that has been identified to be an enemy Spy seems to be approaching a teammate suicidality, he is probably trying to get damaged so that his Dead Ringer will be activated, so try to track him down and kill him.
 +
 
 +
* The decloaking sound of the Dead Ringer is very distinctive but requires players to be within a certain distance to hear it. Listen for it.
 +
 
 +
* When a Spy is killed, check to see if their username is darker. If their username becomes normally colored after 3 seconds or less, that means they feigned their death.
 +
 
 +
* Picking up the Spy's dropped ammo box does not replenish ammo or metal. This is an easy way to double-check if a recently-killed Spy is using the Dead Ringer or not.
 +
** However, health packs dropped by a Spy which has activated the Dead Ringer (e.g. faking death in [[Medieval Mode]]) will still return health.
 +
 
 +
* Being stopped while moving and not bumping into any visible objects can indicate that a Spy whose Dead Ringer was activated is trying to pass through.
 +
 
 +
* If the Spy uses his Disguise Kit shortly before being "killed," the smoke effects will follow the Spy for the time that it takes for the Disguise to be equipped. Try to track any smoke that continues to move after an enemy Spy was killed.
 +
 
 +
* If it is safe to do so, stand still or use a cancellable taunt after "killing" a Spy known to use the Dead Ringer. This may provoke the Spy into uncloaking nearby and making himself vulnerable. You can also check the scoreboard during this time, to see if the Spy "respawns" much faster than they should be able to.
 +
 
 +
* Ragdoll physics not reacting proportionally to damage dealt.
 +
 
 +
===Dealing with the [[Cloak and Dagger]]===
 +
The Spy's Cloak and Dagger allows him to stay cloaked indefinitely, and to hide in unconventional places while waiting for the right time to strike. An area that may seem impossible for a Spy to hide in may be sheltering a particularly cunning Spy who knows where the enemy team will not check for Spies.
 +
 
 +
* In general, most Cloak and Dagger Spies will try to hide in corners in order to avoid being bumped into as they recharge their Cloak. Try to occasionally fire into corners or vantage points with wide fields of view.
 +
 
 +
* One brute-force method for dealing with the Cloak and Dagger is to simply repeatedly check an area where the Spy is hiding. As the Cloak and Dagger has a relatively short charge meter, the Spy cannot make too many movements or their Cloak will run out and show their silhouette. If the Spy has [[L'Etranger]] equipped, however, chasing him down will be harder, as he will benefit from the extended cloak time, allowing him to dodge your attacks or simply sneak off elsewhere.
 +
 
 +
* Some unconventional Spies will hide out in the open rather than against walls or in corners. This allows them to maneuver easily to avoid detection, and easily avoids the most often checked areas of a map. Try to keep this in mind if you suspect that a Spy is in the area.
 +
 
 +
===Dealing with [[Your Eternal Reward]]===
 +
An enemy Spy using the Your Eternal Reward will instantly disguise as a teammate upon backstab without leaving a corpse. A Spy using [[Your Eternal Reward]] can be difficult to detect even when he is killing teammates nearby.
 +
 
 +
* If one of your teammates gets backstabbed without appearing on your kill feed, identify their name and class, and by extension the Spy's disguise. Note that the Spy can manually change his disguise at the cost of the entire cloak meter.
 +
 
 +
* If you get backstabbed by the Spy, clearly announce this to teammates, as well as the class that the Spy is now disguised as, to make sure that they know who he is disguised as. Again, beware that the Spy can manually change his disguise at the cost of the entire cloak meter.
 +
 
 +
* When the Spy backstabs with Your Eternal Reward, the faint sound of the melee hit can be heard if close enough. This can serve as a key warning that a Spy might be killing your teammates in your immediate vicinity.
 +
 
 +
* Remember that any backstabs made using Your Eternal Reward will not appear on the opposite team's kill feed. Pay very close attention to teammates' movements and listen for any melee hit sounds nearby.
  
*A Spy will want to have a [[backstab]], so if you see someone who tries to stay behind friendlies, they may be a Spy.
+
* When a Spy with the Eternal Reward backstabs a teammate, their body disappears, but their weapon remains sitting on the ground. If you see one of your teammates and their weapon on the ground, it's not a bad idea to Spy check them.
*Anyone hovering near sentries or dispensers, especially if they are attempting to move behind the engineer tending them, or are at full health.
 
*Anyone running in an unexpected direction - a friendly Pyro, with full or nearly full health, running away from the enemies, is possibly a spy.
 
*Someone acting inappropriately - a Pyro who stays near the Snipers, a Demoman who is near a point, but has not placed sticky bombs, etc.
 
*An idle Sniper not having their rifle to their eye from a distance.
 
*A team-mate that deliberately avoids walking through you in tight corridors.  Many spies will strafe walk and dodge other players to avoid bumping.
 
*A team-mate not firing at the enemy (as a Medic when your healing a team-mate, and you notice they're not firing back at the enemy [[bonesaw]] them just in case).
 
*An apparently injured team-mate running around the spawn area doing nothing or calling for a medic, when he could easily get health from the spawn.
 
*A team-mate keeping some distance from Pyros, which pose a great threat to Spies.
 
*Someone who hesitates before running past friendly Snipers with the [[Razorback]].
 
*Someone hiding in the shadows while in friendly territory (or where no enemies can be seen).
 
*They fail to point out players that definitely are enemy spies, or do not spycheck. An exception is when one walks into the other. You still may want to check just in case.
 
*A Medic with 0% [[ÜberCharge]]. An enemy spy disguised as a medic's fake uber percentage is always 0.
 
*Someone who runs back when he sees you, usually still facing you.
 
*People calling for medic with full health, while coming into your base or otherwise.
 
*A team-mate that is going towards your teams intelligence room without a reason. (Usually only Spy-Checking Pyro's, Demomen with sticky launchers, Engineers and players who are carrying enemy intels have a reason to go to your intel room)
 
*Someone who tries to strafe-stab you (turn right when he passes above you to backstab you)
 
*Someone who isn't firing on the battlefield
 
  
===Signs that indicate a teammate is ''not'' a Spy===
+
== Related achievements ==
*Able to be passed through a team-mate, as opposed to stopped short.
+
=== {{Achiev type link|scarechievements}} ===
*Shooting a weapon.
+
{{Achievement table
*A Scout moving at the normal Scout movement speed.
+
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Halloween|Costume Contest}}
*A Scout [[double jump]]ing.
+
}}
*A Scout under the effects of [[Bonk! Atomic Punch]].
 
*On fire and glowing your team's color.
 
*Entering the resupply area.
 
*[[Taunt]]ing.
 
*Carrying the enemy [[Intelligence]].
 
*A [[Sniper]] with his [[Rifle]] to his eye (instead of holding it idly).
 
*A [[Heavy]] spinning his [[Minigun]].
 
*A friendly player who is using their microphone: A symbol appears over the player's head. In servers with [[Voice chat|sv_alltalk]] enabled, the symbol is tinted red or blue according to the player's true team allegiance.
 
*If being fired at by enemies and is taking [[damage]].
 
*Being able to pass through friendly buildings.
 
*Engineers carrying PDAs or toolboxes.
 
*A [[Demoman]]'s eye is glowing from decapitating enemies with the [[Eyelander]].
 
*A Soldier with a [[Buff Banner]] flag on his back.
 
*Spies with their [[Sapper]]s out.
 
*Spies without a mask on (not disguised as anyone).
 
  
===Proving that you are not a Spy===
 
  
This is short set of ways to stop your team-mates from needlessly spy checking you.
+
=== {{Class link|Soldier}} ===
 +
{{Achievement table
 +
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Soldier|War Crime Spybunal}}
 +
}}
  
*Shoot your weapon (a real Spy drops his disguise by attacking).
 
*Agree to a sequence of moves in set up time (e.g. crouching twice).
 
*[[Taunt]].
 
*Use your voice chat to say that you are not a Spy (e.g. "Just me").
 
*Walk through a team-mate.
 
*Do anything listed under the signs that indicate that a team-mate is ''not'' a Spy
 
  
===Did the Spy really die?===
+
=== {{Class link|Pyro}} ===
 +
{{Achievement table
 +
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Pyro|Firewall}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Pyro|I Fry}}
 +
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Pyro|Got A Light?}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Pyro|Spontaneous Combustion}}
 +
}}
  
The Spy has the ability to feign death with one of his unlockable items, the [[Dead Ringer]], so your Spy check may have not killed the Spy, but rather he is still alive and in your base, or worse, right behind you. Thus, it's best to know some of the signs that tell that the Spy may not really be dead.
 
  
*An enemy that dies upon the first hit. (Most players don't run in with that low health)
+
=== {{Class link|Demoman}} ===
*An enemy Spy that suddenly stops attacking before dying on the next hit.
+
{{Achievement table
*Hearing the sound of a Spy uncloaking via the Dead Ringer after you killed somebody.
+
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Demoman|Shorn Connery}}
*A Spy that appeared as if he wanted to get himself killed. (e.g. Running undisguised into Sentry Guns or revved Heavies)
+
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Demoman|Spynal Tap}}
*Picking up the Spy's dropped weapon does not give you ammo or metal.
+
}}
*A disguised spy lets out a death cry of the class he is disguised as when using the dead ringer. So if for example you "kill" a spy disguised as a soldier he will let out a soldier's death cry. This death cry also follows the disguised spy. If a scream appears to move, then try to follow the sound of the voice and pinpoint which direction the spy went.
 
*If you can't move briefly after killing a spy, he was probably trying to get past you.
 
*Seeing nearby health and ammo disappear.
 
  
Note: When playing Pyro, even when the corpse drops after you flare or torch them, colored team glow will still run with the Spy for a second. Use this to help alert others to the Spy, and to continue to chase and/or kill them. The [[Jarate]] also works in a similar way.
 
  
 +
=== {{Class link|Heavy}} ===
 +
{{Achievement table
 +
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Heavy|Spyalectical Materialism}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
 +
=== {{Class link|Engineer}} ===
 +
{{Achievement table
 +
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Engineer|Fistful of Sappers}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Engineer|Quick Draw}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Engineer|The Wrench Connection}}
 +
|2 =  {{Show achievement|Engineer|Get Along!}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Engineer|Search Engine}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
 +
=== {{Class link|Medic}} ===
 +
{{Achievement table
 +
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Medic|FYI I am a Medic}}
 +
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Medic|Hypocritical Oath}}
 +
}}
 +
 +
 +
=== {{Class link|Sniper}} ===
 +
{{Achievement table
 +
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Sniper|Consolation Prize}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Sniper|Kook the Spook}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Sniper|Shoot the Breeze}}
 +
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Sniper|Jarring Transition}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Sniper|Shock Treatment}}
 +
}}
  
<br/>
 
{{Spy Nav}}
 
  
__NOTOC__
+
=== {{Class link|Spy}} ===
[[Category: Strategy]]
+
{{Achievement table
[[Category: Glossary]]
+
| 1 = {{Show achievement|Spy|A Cut Above}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Spy|Spies Like Us}}
 +
| 2 = {{Show achievement|Spy|Counter Espionage}}
 +
      {{Show achievement|Spy|FYI I Am a Spy}}
 +
}}
  
 +
{{Spy Nav}}
  
{{Languages}}
+
[[Category:Glossary]]
 +
[[Category:Strategy]]

Latest revision as of 18:44, 29 November 2024

A BLU Pyro (left) Spy-checks teammates leaving their spawn area on Harvest, revealing a Spy (right) disguised as the Demoman (middle) next to him.
Hard ta stab a guy in da back when he's beatin' ya freakin' head in, huh?
The Scout on anti-espionage.

Spy checking is a common term for the investigations players make to determine where or who enemy Spies are and eliminate them. These investigations are both useful and important because Spies can instantly kill by attacking from behind. The process can be somewhat complicated because disguised Spies can use the Dead Ringer to make a hasty escape when discovered, or avoid taking fire damage by equipping the Spy-cicle.

Identifying Spies

General Strategy

  • The easiest and most common way to Spy-check is to simply shoot a teammate. Real teammates take no damage at all, while enemy Spies die after a few shots. Pyros excel at this method, as their Flame Thrower can Spy-check multiple teammates at once and will ignite a Spy, instantly ruining his disguise.
  • Remember that players on opposing teams cannot pass through each other. Bumping into a teammate indicates that that player is an enemy Spy.
  • Look for teammates that are behaving suspiciously. Players in unusual positions, moving in the wrong direction, deliberately avoiding contact with teammates, or hiding in corners should all be Spy checked.
  • Pay special attention to areas with health kits or ammo boxes or corners, nooks, and spots that players usually do not enter. Spies tend to use these areas to hide in while they recharge their Cloak and Dagger.
  • Watch for teammates who are not firing their weapons. Spies cannot fire their weapon without removing their disguise. They can pretend to reload their weapons, keep in mind a Spy can switch weapons at the near-end of the reload animation to continuously appear to reload.
  • Keep an eye out for smoke surrounding players. When a Spy uses the Disguise Kit, it takes a moment for the disguise to activate, during which the Spy will be shrouded in team-colored smoke. Spies can change their disguise much faster than they can apply a new one, however.
  • If you are dead, you can cycle through different camera angles around the map while waiting to respawn. Look out behind teammates or on open points for Spies uncloaking or disguising. You can then alert teammates or Spy-check where you last saw the Spy when you respawn.
  • For the first few seconds after you respawn, you can see silhouettes of your teammates. If you see one appear from nowhere, it may be an enemy Spy decloaking.
  • If a friendly player is trying to get behind you for no reason, they may be attempting to backstab you. If a player is acting suspiciously, never turn your back on them.
  • Spies disguised as a Spy will always have the disguise mask on.

Class-specific strategies

Leaderboard class scout.png Scout

  • The Scout is the fastest class. Because of this, one effective strategy is to run around the map and try to bump into fellow teammates. As noted above, any teammate that you cannot pass through is an enemy Spy in disguise.
  • Some of the Scout's melee weapons can be used to Spy-check effectively. Refer to these and their individual articles for details.
  • Mad Milk will reveal disguised and cloaked Spies, since a coated Spy will be visible by white drips.
  • The Boston Basher, Flying Guillotine, and Wrap Assassin bauble will cause enemies to bleed when struck. If you hit a teammate and they begin to bleed, you have discovered an enemy Spy. Be warned that with the Boston Basher you will take damage and start bleeding if you miss, so trying to find a cloaked Spy with the Boston Basher is unwise.
  • The Fan O'War can also mark enemies for death. If you suspect a teammate of being a Spy, and cause a skull and crossbones to appear over them, you have just marked an enemy Spy.

Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier

  • The Soldier has few particular Spy-check strategies apart from the general ones. Spy-checking by simply shooting rockets at suspicious players is very effective because of the high damage your rockets do at close range. However, disguised enemy Spies will not receive damage knockback from your rockets.
  • When you activate a banner, nearby teammates that do not emit a glow are Spies.
    • Shooting a disguised Spy will charge a banner's rage meter.
    • The Disciplinary Action will still apply a speed boost, regardless of if the player whipped is a disguised Spy.

Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro

  • The Pyro's ability to set enemies on fire with incendiary weapons is perhaps the most useful tool for detecting Spies, since only enemies can be ignited. This is the most reliable method of Spy checking teammates. The team-colored glow produced by a burning player is especially visible when surrounding a cloaked or disguised Spy. It is recommended to use only small bursts to Spy check to conserve Flame Thrower ammunition.
  • The Compression blast is also useful in revealing Spies, as well as stopping attempts to escape. Teammates will not be affected by compression blast, so any teammate that can be pushed by it is a Spy. While flames are normally more efficient, compression blasts can be used to push Spies away from your teammates if they are in danger of being backstabbed.
  • If a Spy is using the Dead Ringer, they may appear to die instantly from your flames, though the flames will tend to surround them for a little while afterwards, which can show you that they faked their death. Spray fire in the vicinity to try and reignite them, and if you find them, pursue them until they die for real.
  • Know that the Spy-cicle greatly aids Spies trying to escape or stay hidden. Be aware of its use and counter it with other weapons if necessary.
    • The noise a Spy-cicle makes when extinguishing flames is very distinct. Learn to recognize it, both when the Spy is cloaked and when they are disguised as a teammate.

Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman

  • Placing Stickybombs over a wide area can cause Spies to hesitate about traversing such minefields. Teammates have no such qualms, and simply walk across these areas.
  • Planting a cluster of Stickybombs in an Engineer nest helps to deter the buildings from getting sapped by the Spy. If your Engineers happen to yell out that they are getting sapped, detonate the Stickybombs to catch the Spy red-handed.

Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy

  • Because movement speed is greatly reduced for a spun-up Heavy, they are tempting backstab targets. This can sometimes be used as a lure to goad enemy Spies to approach. Act unaware, then turn around to surprise a possible Spy.
  • As Heavies are often coupled with Medics, Spies place great priority upon stabbing the Medic first, then the Heavy, to deny the team the Medic's support. Turn around quickly if you hear your Medic die from a backstab.
  • Spy-check by focusing your Minigun fire on a teammate. Spies will often die in a few seconds.

Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer

  • Keep an ear out for Sapper notifications; if a teammate is standing near the sapped building, that teammate is probably a Spy.
  • Spy-check suspicious players that approach your buildings with your secondary weapon. Your primary weapon can also be used, but its ammo is often needed for other threats. Avoid chasing the Spy with your Wrench, as it leaves your buildings vulnerable. The Wrench is also bad for Spy-checking since it prioritizes repairs over combat, meaning that buildings will always be hit instead of players next to them.
  • If any teammate is unable to pass through a Sentry Gun or Dispenser, that teammate is a Spy. Placing these buildings in narrow passages and checking them regularly can severely slow a Spy’s forward progress.
  • The Southern Hospitality is a good weapon for spychecking thanks to its bleed attribute.

Leaderboard class medic.png Medic

  • As a Medic, Spies can use you to gain health while disguised. If you are particularly suspicious of a player, do not heal them. Spy-check them with your melee weapon or have your patient deal with them for you.
  • Spies may target you while you are healing a patient. Watch your back while healing. You can also have your patient Spy-check for you, though this may be difficult during intense battles. Your Medi Gun stays locked onto your patient even if you turn away, so check for your team and call out any potential Spies during firefights.
  • Spies may also simply head directly for your patient rather than yourself. If a teammate seems to approaching your patient's back, warn them of a possible Spy.
  • Avoid chasing Spies too much — your ability to heal is generally more useful. Spies can also lure you into a backstab, so be careful. Your patient is generally more suited to killing the Spy than you are.
  • Keep your back to the wall. While not exactly a Spy checking strategy, keeping your back to the wall can be important as a Medic because it makes it harder for Spies to sneak up on you (instead of having to check 360 degrees around you, you only have to check 180 in front of you).
  • When shooting at damaged teammates with the Crusader's Crossbow, listen for the sounds it makes when it hits a teammate. Disguised Spies will make a distinct meat impact sound when hit.

Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper

  • Some Snipers are oblivious to their surroundings while zoomed in. Listen carefully, and check the area you are in after firing a shot.
  • Switch positions frequently and check your surroundings as you do so — newly-respawned Spies will sometimes head for where they last saw you, especially if you have recently killed them.
  • Jarate is a particularly useful Spy-check weapon, as it reveals both cloaked and disguised Spies. Use it to Spy-check suspicious teammates.
    • Equipping the Bushwacka allows you to kill a Jarate-soaked Spy instantly. Spies who understand this will often retreat if you hit them with Jarate, allowing you to follow up with a Sniper Rifle shot. Be careful — they may try to take advantage of your damage vulnerability by gunning you down with their Revolver — if you are low on health, consider retreating to heal before confronting the Spy.
  • The Razorback will prevent a Spy from backstabbing you, but doesn't protect you from being shot! Be careful when separated from your team, even with its protection.

Leaderboard class spy.png Spy

  • Spies are generally poor Spy-checkers, because they deal poor ranged damage and use tools to escape quickly. Although their backstab is very useful to protect teammates as it kills instantly, Spies spend their time best among the enemy and rarely encounter one another.
  • If you stand behind a teammate while holding your knife and it raises in the ‘backstab’ position, you have discovered an enemy Spy. Backstabbing a Spy is a guaranteed kill — not even the Dead Ringer can save them from a backstab.

Revealing cloaked Spies

  • When cloaked, Spies will momentarily appear as a team-colored silhouette upon being damaged or when bumping into enemy players. Keep an eye out for when a Spy is revealed this way. Strafing left and right while navigating corridors makes it difficult for a cloaked Spy to pass you safely.
    • Note that The Dead Ringer greatly diminishes this drawback, as they can use it to escape easily.
  • Shooting into common Spy hiding places may reveal an unlucky Spy.
  • Try to listen for the sounds Spies make while cloaking and decloaking. If you hear a characteristic cloaking sound, a Spy is nearby. Remember that friendly Spies make this sound as well.
  • An ammo box or health pack that disappears without a player picking it up indicates that it was picked up by a cloaked Spy. Spy-check nearby to reveal any careless Spies.
  • In places with water, look for floating water drops. Players climbing out of water will be visibly dripping with it, including cloaked Spies.
  • An automatic door that suddenly opens without any visible player being nearby indicates a cloaked Spy passing through.

Protecting an Engineer's buildings

Since an Engineer's buildings are a major target for Spies, specific strategies may be more effective around Engineer's buildings:

  • Spy-check suspicious players that approach a friendly Engineer's buildings. Spies trying to sap buildings often run straight towards them. You can body-block Spies to prevent them from placing a Sapper.
  • As a Pyro, use Dispensers to constantly refill the ammo of your Flame Thrower. You can use this ammo to create a constant firewall that Spies cannot safely pass through or to constantly Spy-check the area. Heavies can also make use of Dispensers in this way.
  • As a Demoman, Stickybombs can be placed around friendly buildings to kill Spies who try to sap them. Place a few bombs around an Engineer's buildings and detonate them when you hear the Engineer announce that his buildings are being sapped. Watch your stickybomb counter, though — if the number begins to decrease, an enemy is destroying them.
  • As an Engineer, if a Teleporter is being sapped from its entrance, you can Spy-check the next player teleporting through once you remove the Sapper. This may be an enemy Spy trying to telefrag you, so be careful not to stand on top of it. Turning the telefrag attempt into your own surprise can frustrate enemy Spies.

Identifying enemy Spies

  • Various team-colored indicators definitively determine an enemy Spy or a friendly one, including:
    • The flicker a cloaked Spy makes when being bumped or injured.
    • The fading a cloaked Spy does while cloaking or uncloaking.
    • The glow a player on fire makes.
    • The smoke from a recent use of the Disguise Kit.

Signs that definitely indicate an enemy Spy, or lack thereof

Common signs

  • A 'teammate' that cannot pass through another teammate, or conversely, a 'teammate' that has been observed walking through an enemy.
  • A 'teammate' that asks for Medic and has the "wrong" cross background colour. For example, a Pyro at full health having its background red like on heavily injured teammates, or a near-dead Heavy having it white.
  • A 'teammate' who cannot enter areas open to your team (such as supply rooms), or conversely can enter areas forbidden to your team.
  • A 'teammate' placing Sappers on friendly buildings.
  • A 'teammate' standing on a friendly Sentry Gun or Dispenser, or who cannot pass through them, and is not the Engineer who owns the building.
  • Two people that have the same name. One (or both) of them is a Spy.
  • Seeing or hearing a voice command attributed to yourself without you having used it, or more importantly, seeing "yourself" moving around.
  • A 'teammate' that is known to be dead or elsewhere.
  • A 'teammate' who has a name that does not correspond with their current class on the scoreboard. This happens when a Spy disguises as a class not currently on the team, or if the person has changed class while the Spy was disguised. Their disguise will be holding the stock weapon for that slot.
  • A health or ammo pickup that vanishes without cause; this means a cloaked Spy has stolen it. After a while, ammo pickups dropped by dead players will disappear and it does not mean it's a Spy picking them up.
  • A 'teammate' on an uncontested control point or near the cart on Payload maps who does not seem to be capturing the point or pushing the cart (assuming the point is available for capture by that team).
  • A non-Spy 'teammate' that is being ignored by an enemy Sentry Gun.
  • A non-Spy 'teammate' that is being healed by an enemy Medic or Dispenser.
  • A non-Spy, non-Heavy 'teammate' picking up a health pack at full health.
  • Due to bugs, a ‘teammate’ either holding a stock weapon while wearing a wearable weapon of that slot (e.g. the Darwin's Danger Shield and the SMG), or holding a weapon without its wearable part (e.g. a Soldier holding a bugle without its backpack).
  • A ‘teammate’ with parts of their character model missing, such as a Demoman without legs. This is a glitch surrounding Spy’s disguise — occasionally, the disguise will not display properly on enemy players’ computers.
  • A 'teammate' with an impossible health value. For example, a Scout with 300 health.
  • A 'teammate' whose name is displaying as an enemy's.

Class- or item-based signs

  • A Scout running at an average speed while not having the Baby Face Blaster equipped.
  • A 'teammate' running at normal speed while holding a weapon like the Gloves of Running Urgently or Powerjack.
  • A 'teammate' having normal class health while having a weapon like the Sandman or Bootlegger equipped
  • A 'teammate' being soaked by friendly Jarate or Mad Milk, or not being affected by the enemy's.
  • An Engineer with his Hotrod down despite not carrying a building.
  • If the Spy is disguised as an Engineer equipped with a Beep Boy, the facial expression on the Beep Boy will always be sad.
  • A 'teammate' with an incorrectly coloured Grandmaster.
  • A Spy who does not move at the speed of his disguise.
  • A Soldier or Demoman whose B.A.S.E. Jumper renders incorrectly as a scrunched-up parachute.
  • A disguised Spy shot with the Huntsman, Rescue Ranger or Crusader's Crossbow will make the same noise as an enemy being hit.

Signs that suggest an enemy Spy

None of these indicators are conclusive proof of a Spy, but all of them would be a good time to Spy check:

Common signs

  • A teammate trying to stay behind other teammates, as if trying to backstab them.
  • A teammate not firing at the enemy.
  • A teammate who is in the direct firing line of an enemy but is not being fired at.
  • A teammate who retreats backward upon seeing other teammates, while still facing those teammates.
  • A teammate who appears to be dodging your team's attacks or backpedals immediately after seeing loose grenades or a carpet of friendly Stickybombs.
  • A teammate that deliberately avoids walking through other teammates, especially in tight corridors. Spies will strafe and dodge other players to avoid bumping into them.
  • A teammate with an entirely stock loadout (occurs when a Spy disguises as a class the team does not have).
  • A teammate being attacked or accused by real teammates who believe the player is a Spy.
  • A teammate holding their primary weapon for longer than they should. In particular, it is unusual to see Spies, Engineers, Medics, and Demomen holding their primary weapons for long, as they will usually switch to other weapons.
  • A teammate hanging around areas that are advantageous to Spies, such as dark corners and nooks.
  • A teammate that isn't displaying the player's usual behavior.
  • Someone standing still. This could be a Spy trying to line up an Ambassador headshot.
  • A teammate that appears to be looking more at your team than at the battle. Note that this is normal behaviour for Medics.
  • Being suddenly blocked for no apparent reason. This may indicate a cloaked Spy passing through.
  • A teammate suspiciously near Sentry Guns or Teleporter Exits, especially if they are attempting to move behind the Engineer tending them.
  • A teammate acting inappropriately for their class, such as an Engineer with no nearby buildings or a Sniper near the Intelligence but not scoped in.

Class- or item-based signs

  • A full health Soldier who doesn’t Rocket Jump to the front lines.
  • A burning Pyro (only the Gas Passer can burn Pyros for that long).
  • A full health Demoman who doesn’t Sticky Jump to the front lines.
  • A Heavy that does not spin his primary weapon, even when enemies appear.
  • An Engineer that does not appear to be upgrading or repairing buildings.
  • A Medic without any Übercharge built up.
  • A Medic who isn't healing anyone.
  • A Sniper who does not stop to zoom in.
  • A Spy who is not behind the enemy.
  • A Spy that ignores targets that were in a prime position to be taken care of, such as not Backstabbing unaware enemies or sapping unattended buildings.
  • A person you know that is using a weapon that they don't normally use (i.e. a friend who normally uses the Huntsman, but appears as using the stock Sniper Rifle; meaning a Spy is disguised as a Sniper when your team doesn't have any) or not wearing hats if they wear them (again, a Spy disguised as a class your team doesn't have).
  • A teammate holding an inappropriate weapon, such as a Medic holding (but not firing) a Syringe Gun while there are teammates around.

Signs that indicate a teammate is not an enemy Spy

These actions prove that a teammate is definitely not an enemy Spy. Performing any of these is a good way to inform your teammates that you are not an enemy Spy.

Common signs

  • Any usage of a weapon or item (taunting, shooting, swinging, scoping, eating, drinking, etc). This does not apply to reloading, however, as Spies are able to imitate a reload by reloading their Revolver whilst disguised. However, they can only pretend to ‘reload’ once — a class with an individual reload weapon out reloading two or more shots is real.
  • A teammate that passes through other teammates, or yourself, as opposed to being blocked. (However, this can also happen if both ‘teammates’ are enemy Spies).
  • A teammate entering an area forbidden to the enemy, such as resupply rooms.
  • A teammate who appears to take damage from enemy fire.
  • A player who can pass through friendly buildings.
  • A teammate that is carrying the enemy team's Intelligence or capturing a control point for your team.
  • A teammate using certain responses which a Spy cannot imitate himself.
  • A teammate that can be spectated while dead. Note that spectating through the menu moves you to a new team and that a few servers allow spectating enemy players.
  • In Mann vs. Machine mode, a teammate that jumps. Spy Robots never jump.

Class- or item-based signs

  • Any usage of class-specific abilities, e.g. Scouts double jumping, Heavies spinning their Minigun, Snipers that are scoped in, etc.
  • A Scout moving at his normal movement speed.
  • An Engineer holding the Destruction PDA or a toolbox.
  • A Medic with any amount of Übercharge built up (Medic disguises always display 0% Übercharge).
  • A Spy holding their Sapper. If a Spy disguises as an enemy Spy, the disguise can never hold the Sapper.
  • A Spy without a disguise on. If a Spy disguises as an enemy Spy, the disguise will always have a disguise on.

Spy-checking Spies with items

Main article: Anti-Spy strategy

Dealing with the Dead Ringer

The Spy has the ability to feign death with one of his unlockable items, the Dead Ringer, so always be wary upon killing enemy Spies, as they may still be alive elsewhere. Thus, it's best to know some of the signs that tell that the Spy may not really be dead. Spies using the Dead Ringer cannot manually Cloak, and cannot use any weapons while invisible.

  • If an enemy dies to a single weak hit while approaching friendly lines without firing his weapon, it is most probably an enemy Spy disguised as one of his teammates. Most players don't run in with such low health, and a Spy disguised as a teammate will drop a corpse of the class he was disguised as.
    • Similarly, if an enemy Spy disguised as a teammate approaches the front lines from the enemy's position, he is most likely using the Dead Ringer, even if he doesn't ‘die’ from the first hit. Remember that the Dead Ringer cannot Cloak at will, so a Dead Ringer Spy will rely on opponents' fire activating his feign death in order to become invisible.
    • In general, if a player that has been identified to be an enemy Spy seems to be approaching a teammate suicidality, he is probably trying to get damaged so that his Dead Ringer will be activated, so try to track him down and kill him.
  • The decloaking sound of the Dead Ringer is very distinctive but requires players to be within a certain distance to hear it. Listen for it.
  • When a Spy is killed, check to see if their username is darker. If their username becomes normally colored after 3 seconds or less, that means they feigned their death.
  • Picking up the Spy's dropped ammo box does not replenish ammo or metal. This is an easy way to double-check if a recently-killed Spy is using the Dead Ringer or not.
    • However, health packs dropped by a Spy which has activated the Dead Ringer (e.g. faking death in Medieval Mode) will still return health.
  • Being stopped while moving and not bumping into any visible objects can indicate that a Spy whose Dead Ringer was activated is trying to pass through.
  • If the Spy uses his Disguise Kit shortly before being "killed," the smoke effects will follow the Spy for the time that it takes for the Disguise to be equipped. Try to track any smoke that continues to move after an enemy Spy was killed.
  • If it is safe to do so, stand still or use a cancellable taunt after "killing" a Spy known to use the Dead Ringer. This may provoke the Spy into uncloaking nearby and making himself vulnerable. You can also check the scoreboard during this time, to see if the Spy "respawns" much faster than they should be able to.
  • Ragdoll physics not reacting proportionally to damage dealt.

Dealing with the Cloak and Dagger

The Spy's Cloak and Dagger allows him to stay cloaked indefinitely, and to hide in unconventional places while waiting for the right time to strike. An area that may seem impossible for a Spy to hide in may be sheltering a particularly cunning Spy who knows where the enemy team will not check for Spies.

  • In general, most Cloak and Dagger Spies will try to hide in corners in order to avoid being bumped into as they recharge their Cloak. Try to occasionally fire into corners or vantage points with wide fields of view.
  • One brute-force method for dealing with the Cloak and Dagger is to simply repeatedly check an area where the Spy is hiding. As the Cloak and Dagger has a relatively short charge meter, the Spy cannot make too many movements or their Cloak will run out and show their silhouette. If the Spy has L'Etranger equipped, however, chasing him down will be harder, as he will benefit from the extended cloak time, allowing him to dodge your attacks or simply sneak off elsewhere.
  • Some unconventional Spies will hide out in the open rather than against walls or in corners. This allows them to maneuver easily to avoid detection, and easily avoids the most often checked areas of a map. Try to keep this in mind if you suspect that a Spy is in the area.

Dealing with Your Eternal Reward

An enemy Spy using the Your Eternal Reward will instantly disguise as a teammate upon backstab without leaving a corpse. A Spy using Your Eternal Reward can be difficult to detect even when he is killing teammates nearby.

  • If one of your teammates gets backstabbed without appearing on your kill feed, identify their name and class, and by extension the Spy's disguise. Note that the Spy can manually change his disguise at the cost of the entire cloak meter.
  • If you get backstabbed by the Spy, clearly announce this to teammates, as well as the class that the Spy is now disguised as, to make sure that they know who he is disguised as. Again, beware that the Spy can manually change his disguise at the cost of the entire cloak meter.
  • When the Spy backstabs with Your Eternal Reward, the faint sound of the melee hit can be heard if close enough. This can serve as a key warning that a Spy might be killing your teammates in your immediate vicinity.
  • Remember that any backstabs made using Your Eternal Reward will not appear on the opposite team's kill feed. Pay very close attention to teammates' movements and listen for any melee hit sounds nearby.
  • When a Spy with the Eternal Reward backstabs a teammate, their body disappears, but their weapon remains sitting on the ground. If you see one of your teammates and their weapon on the ground, it's not a bad idea to Spy check them.

Related achievements

Pumpkin.png Scarechievements

Costume Contest
Costume Contest
Kill a Spy disguised as your current class.


Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier

War Crime Spybunal
War Crime Spybunal
Kill a Spy who just backstabbed a teammate.


Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro

Firewall
Firewall
Ignite 5 Spies who have a sapper on a friendly building.


I Fry
I Fry
Ignite 10 disguised Spies.
Got A Light?
Got A Light?
Ignite an enemy Spy while he's flicking a cigarette.


Spontaneous Combustion
Spontaneous Combustion
Ignite 10 cloaked Spies.


Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman

Shorn Connery
Shorn Connery
Decapitate a cloaked Spy.
Spynal Tap
Spynal Tap
Kill 20 Spies within 5 seconds of them sapping a friendly building.


Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy

Spyalectical Materialism
Spyalectical Materialism
Kill or assist in killing 10 cloaked Spies.


Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer

Fistful of Sappers
Fistful of Sappers
Destroy 25 sappers on buildings built by other team members.


Quick Draw
Quick Draw
Kill a Spy and two sappers within 10 seconds.


The Wrench Connection
The Wrench Connection
Kill a disguised spy with your Wrench.
Get Along!
Get Along!
Manage to get to, and then remove, a sapper placed on your building while you were several meters away.


Search Engine
Search Engine
Kill 3 cloaked Spies with a sentry gun under control of your Wrangler.


Leaderboard class medic.png Medic

FYI I am A Medic
FYI I am A Medic
Use your bonesaw to kill a spy who has been calling for 'Medic!'.
Hypocritical Oath
Hypocritical Oath
Kill an enemy Spy that you have been healing.


Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper

Consolation Prize
Consolation Prize
Get backstabbed 50 times.


Kook the Spook
Kook the Spook
Kill 10 Spies with your Kukri.


Shoot the Breeze
Shoot the Breeze
Kill a fully invisible Spy in a single hit.
Jarring Transition
Jarring Transition
Use Jarate to reveal a cloaked Spy.


Shock Treatment
Shock Treatment
Kill a spy whose backstab attempt was blocked by your Razorback.


Leaderboard class spy.png Spy

A Cut Above
A Cut Above
Kill a gun-wielding Spy with your knife.


Spies Like Us
Spies Like Us
While cloaked, bump into an enemy cloaked Spy.
Counter Espionage
Counter Espionage
Backstab a disguised Spy.


FYI I am a Spy
FYI I am a Spy
Backstab a Medic who has healed you in the last 5 seconds.