Community Hoodoo strategy

Hoodoo
Basic Information
Map type:	Payload
File name:	pl_hoodoo_final
Released:	May 21, 2009 Patch (Sniper vs. Spy Update)
Developer(s):	Tim "YM" Johnson Jeroen "Snipergen" Dessaux Fay L. "nineaxis" Fabry Drew "Oxy" Fletcher
Map Info
No. of Stages:	3
Environment:	Desert
Setting:	Daylight, sunny
Bot support:	Yes
Map Items
Health Kits:	×13  •   ×16
Ammo Boxes:	×7   •    ×19   •    ×2
Map Photos
Map Overview

This article is about Community MAP strategy.

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

Class-specific strategy

 Scout

Offense

Stage 1

• The first checkpoint is surprisingly open, allowing your excellent mobility to come to light.
• There is a tunnel beneath the Shack, which is useful for flanking behind Red Snipers on Point A.
• It is not recommended to rush through the Gates, since they are a common Chokepoint which, when defended properly, is extremely hard to traverse.
• One of the ways to infiltrate the second checkpoint is through the Flanks. Try to do this in coordination with your team, as they can clear out the Red Sentry Guns for you.

Stage 2

• At the beginning of a round, avoid going directly into the Mining Building. Instead, attack its inhabitants from the side, where the open ground is located.
• If you find that the Chokepoint is protected by to much Sentry Guns, use the Bonk! Atomic Punch in order to distract them for your team.
• Going through the Tunnels will bring you to the Concrete Platform, a large piece of high ground overlooking the second checkpoint.
  • From there, the Shortstop can be utilized to spam out enemy defenders from a safe distance.

Stage 3

• This whole stage is extremely narrow and tight. You will need to play very carefully if you wish to avoid getting obliterated within one of its numerous corridors
• You can reach the Grain Silo by double-jumping up to its window.
• By quickly taking the Shortcut, you might be able cutoff the Red members attempting to retreat from the Propane tank.
• The final checkpoint is very tricky for a Scout, since there is often an array of Sentry Guns monitoring it from the appropriately named Sentry Deck.
  • If your team cannot destroying those Sentry Guns, you should attempt to flank underneath them through a ditch, thus reaching the Industrial Building that way.

Defense

Stage 1

• There is a relatively concealed area to the left of Blu's spawn, in which you can hide and wait for attackers to come out.
• Repeatedly jumping on top of hoodoos will make you a difficult target for any projectile class.
• While the attackers are pushing through the Gates, you can use the Side Tunnel in order to flank behind them.
• Using one of Scout's jump-extending weapons, such as the Atomizer, enables you to reach the Flank.

Stage 2

• Right beside the Mining Building is a small, concealed path which directly borders the Map's limit. This route can be used to bring yourself directly to Blu's spawn.
• Even though you cannot open the gates leading to the Tunnel, one of Tunnels' openings can still be reached by Force-A-Nature jumping from the Concrete Platform.

Stage 3

• The Mad Milk is incredibly useful on this stage, whose cramped and confined corridors will force the attackers to nicely clump up together.
• Once the Shortcut is open, you can use it to organize ambushes on attackers making their way to the front lines.
• The numerous long and narrow hallways on this stage open up plenty of opportunity for weapons such as the Flying Guillotine to shine.

 Soldier

Offense

Stage 1

• Red Engineers will often position their Sentry Guns in behind the Shack. Which can be spammed out from the Cliff.
• If the Red team is fiercely defending the second point, you can try using the Battalion's Backup in order to break through their defenses.
• Both the Flank and the Side Tunnel lead to positions directly overlooking the Checkpoint B. Use their High ground advantage in order to effortlessly bombard defenders from above.

Stage 2

• As a power class, it is your task to clear out the Mining Buildings on checkpoint A, thus paving a way for your team.
• The absurd number of Sentry Guns commonly found on checkpoint B may prompt you to equip the Direct Hit, along side the Battalion's Backup.
• Taking the Tunnel will bring you to the Concrete Platform, a powerful high ground position which overviews the entire Red Spawn area.
  • This nifty little route is useful if you wish to put pressure on the Red's flanks, thus distracting them from your team.

Stage 3

• You can quickly access the Grain Shack by Rocket jumping through one of its windows.

Defense

Stage 1

• A small mound can be found on top of the Cliff, which grants you some additional height advantage.
• Enemies will often attack Checkpoint B from within the two side passages overlooking it. This can be prevented by quickly Rocket jumping up to them, thus surprising the attackers.

Stage 2

• Make use of the height advantage provided by the Rocks and the Side House.
• Thanks to your Rocket jumps, you are able to reach one of the Tunnel's passages, allowing you to infiltrate behind enemy lines.

Stage 3

• The Buff Banner is very effective on stage 3, which, due to to its narrow nature, forces attackers to clump up together. Leaving them very susceptible to Crits.
• Try to prevent the attackers from taking over the Shortcut, since its powerful height advantage is simply too good to give up.
  • Plus, its cramped corridors make your explosives quite potent.

 Pyro

• Pyros have a some advantage on this map, as there are no available water sources for players to reach. Use the hit-and-run tactic to kill other players by Afterburn.
• No matter what stage you are on, the Dragon's Fury is, in general, very useful on Hoodoo. Especially if you are on offense, where you will encounter plenty of Sentry Guns.

Offense

Stage 1

• At the beginning of the round, expect the Red team to launch a wave of projectiles into your spawn, so be ready to utilize your Compression blast in order to clear the way.
• The first checkpoint is actually quite open. Use on of your Flare Guns in order to harass enemies from a distance.
• The Side Tunnel is an excellent flank route, use it when you want to surprise your opponents.

Stage 2

• Checkpoint A encapsulates a fairly large area, allowing the Manmelter's 50% faster projectile speed to come to light.
• There is a tiny flank routes underneath the Mining Building. Red Spies will often use it for infiltration, so beware.
• Unless a Medic decides to directly ÜberCharge, there is quite little you can accomplish on the second point. Best thing to do is to help your team by reflecting explosives.

Stage 3

• You can Detonator jump up to the Grain Shack.
• If there are no Sentry Guns present, you can use the Thermal Thruster to quickly reach the Sentry Deck.
• When assaulting the final checkpoint, try to take over and secure the Flanks, where you can comfortably duel opponents inside close-quarters.

Defense

Stage 1

• Blu Spies can often be found moving throughout the Side Tunnel, so make sure to regularly Spy check that area.
• As the attackers are pushing through the Gates, they will be forced to nicely clump up together, leaving them vulnerable to the Phlogistinator.
• Enemy Soldiers love to rain down rockets from the Flank and the Balcony. Use your Compression blast in order to prevent them from causing severe harm.

Stage 2

• Try to stick to the Mining Buildings on checkpoint A, as their enclosed spaces ensure that you are always in Flamethrower range.
• However, if you prefer a more flank-oriented playstyle, you can use the Side House's roof as a hiding spot. Patiently waiting on it for the attackers to turn you their backs.
• The Detonator can be utilized to reach the Tunnel.

Stage 3

• This stage is filled with numerous little nooks and crannies in which you can hide and wait for the attackers to pass you. This is especially well done with the Backburner.
• Quickly dropping down from the Metal Bridge and flaming everywhere around you is a sure way to surprise many opponents, at a cost to your own survivability.

 Demoman

Offense

Stage 1

• As you are advancing up to the Shack, you can plant sticky bombs in front of the Gates, in order to prevent Red members from escaping, as well as additional reinforcements.
• If a Medic is willing to Über you, you can head straight through the Gates and make your way to Checkpoint B.
• The Balcony and the Flanks offer a good vantage point over the second checkpoint, allowing you to safely take out and Sentry Guns guarding it.

Stage 2

• Utilize the arc of your projectiles by launching them from behind the Rocks, which offer plenty of cover.
• Breaking through the Chokepoint is best done with the help of a Medic, since the sheer volume of Red Sentry Guns you will usually encounter is often overwhelming.
• From the Concrete Platform you can "snipe" Red Sentry Gun positions with the Loch-n-Load.

Stage 3

• By Sticky jumping, you will be able to reach the Grain Shack.
• After securing the Shortcut, you can lay sticky traps behind the Propane Tank, and that way block of the escape route for any defenders still remaining.
• Focus on taking out the Sentry Guns on the Sentry Deck in order to clear out a path for your team.

Defense

Stage 1

• Ask a Medic to Kritz you at the beginning of a round. Due to the way the Blu spawn is structured, your explosives can travel deep within it, causing vast damages.
• The Gates act as a natural chokepoint to Checkpoint B. Spam them with explosives in order to make nearly impassable for the attacking team.
• Watch out for Blu Scouts flanking you from the Side Tunnel. Remember that you, a Demoman, are particularly susceptible to them.

Stage 2

• You can camp on top of the Side House and "snipe" enemies from a far with the Loch-n-Load or the Quickiebomb Launcher.
• After getting pushed back to Checkpoint B, try to defend the Chokepoint as much as possible, since your explosives excel in that location.

Stage 3

• Use the Metal Bridge's height advantage to bombard attackers from a far.
• The Attackers are usually very keen on capturing the Shortcut as soon as possible. A few well placed Sticky traps can take big advantage of this.
• The long, narrow hallways of Stage 3 can make the charged up sticky bombs of the Quickiebomb Launcher quite deadly.

 Heavy

Offense

Stage 1

• Try to take the left spawn exit when leaving your spawn, since it puts you at high ground and offers better protection against Snipers.
• One of the ways to assault the second checkpoint is to jump out directly of the Balcony, to the surprise of your opponents.

Stage 2

• You can hide behind the Mining Building in order to safely heal up there.
• Utilize the Rocks as cover when approaching the first checkpoint.

Stage 3

• This stage is fairly tight, so the stock Minigun is probably the best choice here.
• As the main punching force of your team, focus on securing the Shortcut and the Metal Bridge, which are usually heavily defended.

Defense

Stage 1

• You can hide in one of the small dugouts beneath the Shack and wait for unsuspecting attackers to approach.
• Use the Ditch as cover when defending checkpoint B. Remember, bullets actually originate from your eyes, so you only need to expose your head to fight back.

Stage 2

• There is a small room in the Chokepoint, which you can use as an effective ambush spot.
  • Just make sure that enemies do not see you enter it. Also, it is advised to use the Tomislav if you plan on doing this strategy, as its silent rev will not give you away.

 Engineer

Offense

Stage 1

• Due to the way Blu spawn is structured, it might be a good idea to use the Short Circuit at the beginning of a round, especially if Red team is using the Kritzkrieg.
• The first section of the map is quite open, use the Wrangler to harass Red Snipers in the distance.
• Your teammates are bound to take a lot of damage while pushing through the Gates. Make sure to setup a Dispenser nearby so that they may recover.
• If the coast is clear, you can move up your Sentry Gun onto the little balcony which overviews Checkpoint B.

Stage 2

• Thanks to a small area in front of Blu spawn, you can build up all your buildings before the round even starts.
• When attacking Checkpoint A, try to position your Sentry Gun somewhere near the Rocks, so that is can cover a vast area, while still being partially covered.
• After the first checkpoint is captured, you have two choices of action: Either setup a Sentry nest right behind the Chokepoint and support your team over there, or sneak through the Tunnels and build a Teleporter in there.
  • The latter option is useful if your team simply cannot break through the Chokepoint. Forcing you to attempt an attack from the flanks.

Stage 3

• Using the Sentry jumping method, you can reach the Grain Shack and establish a temporary foothold there.
• This stage is extremely chokey and usually filled to the brim with projectile spam. Use the Shortcut to make your life a little bit easier.

Defense

Stage 1

• Setting up behind the Shack acts as a good passive position on checkpoint A.
• Due to the long Sniper sightlines on checkpoint A, it is recommended to use the Rescue Ranger, so that you can safely heal your buildings from a distance.

Stage 2

• If you plan on doing some "ninjaneering" later in the round, you can leave a hidden Teleporter exit behind or on top of the Side House. Another spot is below the Mining Building.
• It is not recommended to setup too far forward when defending the first checkpoint, due to a lack of good Sentry positions anywhere beyond the Chokepoint.
• When defending the Valley, beware of any Blu Soldiers or Demoman attempting to bombard you from the Concrete Platform.

Stage 3

• The Metal Bridge is probably the best Sentry position for defending checkpoint A.
• The appropriately named Sentry Deck serves as a last line of defense.

 Medic

Offense

Stage 1

• Watch out for enemy Kritzkriegs and Snipers at the beginning of the round, since they can get you even when you are inside the spawn.
• You usually do not need an ÜberCharge in order to safely exit your spawn. Save it up for later.
• A good strategy for attacking checkpoint B is to Overheal teammates on the flanks, while you take the main assault through the middle chokepoint.
  • This way, you will be applying pressure to the enemy from all sides. Ensuring that they lose on all fronts.

Stage 2

• Utilize the Rocks for cover against Red Snipers.
• Even after capturing checkpoint A, some defenders can still stay behind the Side House. Prioritize cleaning them up, so that they do not give you a surprise later on.
• An ÜberCharge is usually required in order to safely traverse the Chokepoint.
• The Crusader's Crossbow is useful for healing teammates on top of the Concrete Platform, without having to cross the Valley.

Stage 3

• Blu team starts out in the low-ground. So prioritize healing classes which can blast jump, such as Soldiers and Demoman, in order to make up for that disadvantage.
• Focus on securing the Shortcut with your team, since you do not have to worry about Red players flanking you from there while you capturing checkpoint A.
• Stock Medi Gun is usually a must when attempting to capture the Final point. If the Red team managed to fortify in time, you can expect an array of Sentry Guns in your way.

Defense

Stage 1

• Use the Kritzkrieg. Due to the way Blu spawn is structured, Crit projectiles can reach deep within it, possibly killing the enemy Medic before he even got time to deploy his Über.
• Beware of Blu Snipers while retreating towards the Gates or the Side Tunnel, as you will be in their sights for a not-insignificant amount of time.
• The Ditch serves as excellent cover during an enemy Über push.

Stage 2

• Friendly Soldiers will often take up a position on the Side House. Use the Crusader's Crossbow to heal them from a far.
• When defending checkpoint A, avoid straying past the Rocks. As doing this will put you in Blu's sightlines.
• If you have an ÜberCharge or Kritzkrieg ready, the best time to deploy them is during an enemy push through the Chokepoint.
• While defending checkpoint B, watch out for Blu Snipers trying to shoot you from within the Tunnel.

Stage 3

• Stay on top of the Metal Bridge. You can still heal teammates from up there, all while holding the high ground.
• If the enemy had taken the Shortcut, do not bother with staying around the Propane tank, as you will make yourself vulnerable to being cut off.
• The Sentry Deck acts as a good platform from which to launch a last-ditch counter-attack.

 Sniper

Offense

Stage 1

• The left most spawn exits offers you a slight height advantage. Use it to get a better overview of the area.
• As your team is pushing up to the first checkpoint, keep an eye out on defenders retreating from the Shack, as they will have to cross your sightlines.
• You can snipe with ease on the balcony gate overlooking Stage A second point, hiding behind the gate while aiming.

Stage 2

• Watch out for the Side House, since rocket jumping Soldiers often originate from there. If you are quick enough, you can take them down in their flight.
• After Checkpoint A is captured, you should advance into the Upper Tunnel, which grants you a full overview of the Valley.
• You can throw Jarate from the Concrete Platform and onto the defenders in the Valley.

Stage 3

• If you position yourself near the Side Route, you can get a small glimpse into the Grain Shack.
• Even through there certainly are many long sightlines on this stage, they are usually narrow chokepoints, which are very dangerous due to Red's explosive spam.
  • Because of this, the Huntsman might be a better choice here, since its increased charge time allows you to quickly fire off a shot and swiftly retreat back to cover.

Defense

Stage 1

• On the first checkpoint, try to position yourself closely to the Gates, so that you may have an escape route nearby.

Stage 2

• On defense, each rollout offers you long site lines, but you can be easily flanked on the Stage B rollout.
• Look out for enemy Snipers getting a shot on you from the Tunnels.

Stage 3

• The Machina is simply perfect for this stage. The numerous long, narrow corridors ensure that the attackers often clump up together. Allowing its penetrating shot to shine.

 Spy

Offense

Stage 1

• There is a tiny passage underneath the Shack, which can be utilized for a cloak-less infiltration.
• Although the Side Tunnel is a good infiltration route, you need to be careful about getting accidently bumped when inside it.
• Since there is not much ammo around the Second checkpoint, it is recommended to use the L'Etranger if you plan on staying there for prolonged periods of time.

Stage 2

• There is a Large Ammo pack near the Side House. Use it to refill your Cloak meter before proceeding through the Chokepoint.
• If you plan on traversing the Chokepoint, you should do so before the fighting has moved over to it. Otherwise, use the Tunnels for reaching Red lines.
• The Valley is largely devoid of any significant ammo packs. Try using the Cloak and Dagger in case operating within it proves to be too difficult.

Stage 3

• Due to extremely claustrophobic spaces on this stage, getting behind enemy lines is difficult, unless you are using the Dead Ringer.
• After reaching the Shortcut, you can proceed to "wrap around" the Propane Tank from the other side, thus putting you behind anyone near the Metal Bridge.
• Although the narrowness of Stage 3 does make it harder for you to penetrate Red's backlines, it also ensures that enemies back up into you in a predictable fashion.

Defense

Stage 1

• There is a relatively concealed area just to the right of Blu's spawn. Assuming no one checks it, you can sit in it and wait for the attackers to come out.
• Attackers will often be very distracted when attacking the Gates. Many open backs will await you if you manage to take advantage of this.
• You can wait under the Flanks for attackers to basically drop into your "caring" arms.

Stage 2

• The area behind the Rocks serves as an excellent decloak spot. Same goes for a piece spacing underneath the Mining Building.
• Blu members pilling up in the Chokepoint are often too occupied with your team to bother checking for Spies.
• When the attackers begin exiting into the Valley, you can position yourself behind a group of boxes near the Tunnel's exit, from which you will be able to sneakily attack them.

Stage 3

• There are many nook and crannies on stage 3, in which you can hide with the Cloak and Dagger and wait for an opportune moment to strike.
• When attacking the final checkpoint, the Blu team's eyes will be fixated on the Sentry Deck. Take note of this information, so that you may position accordingly.
• At the beginning of a round, Blu Snipers are usually inside their spawn. However, later on, they will move up to either the Shortcut or the Propane tank.