Rush

“

If you know what's good for ya, you will run! Click to listen — The Soldier

”

The Rush is an offensive strategy where most of a team selects a rapid combat class at the beginning of a round, rapidly reaches and then overwhelms a position before the enemy can respond.

The strategy relies on the strength of the classes chosen. You can conceivably choose any single class for an attack, but a successful rush requires an overwhelming amount of force. Only the Scout, Soldier, and Demoman have the strength and speed necessary to succeed, so only these classes will be discussed. Other rushes may work at times, but they will succeed solely on the weakness of your enemies and not on the strength of the strategy.

Class rush strategies

Scout rush

The Scout rush is the original rush; it named the strategy. Your team sends a large number of Scouts towards the objective, such as the central Control point on a traditional Control point map like Granary or Well. With their double capture speed, overwhelming numbers and excellent damage, the Scouts have a fair chance to capture the point before the other team has enough manpower collected to contest it.

However, Scouts have no staying power. They make poor Medic buddies, and superior Medic combos with Soldiers, Demos and Heavies will eventually win a fight of attrition against Scouts.

Soldier rush

Like the Scout rush, a Soldier Rush relies on speed. With a Medic following close behind, multiple Soldiers can use a sequence of rocket jumps to beat most enemy combat classes to the objective. They can occupy the best positions, threaten enemies with spam, and become valuable Medic pockets when the Medics catch up. They're flexible and effective against any class the enemy might send.

In gameplay terms, rushing with Soldiers is really taking advantage of a competitive rollout on a larger scale. By combining this rush with a good set of Scouts, you're quite likely to handily defeat unorganized or poorly composed teams.

Demoman rush

Again, with a Medic following close behind, multiple Demomen can use a sequence of sticky jumps to beat most enemy combat classes to the objective. This Demo Rush allows players to control an entire area of the map and lock down the entrances with grenade spam and sticky traps. They're powerful fighters with great speed and top tier damage, but they have difficulty against Scouts and Soldiers at close range. They also make relatively poor Medic buddies against skilled opponents.

In gameplay terms, this too is really taking advantage of a competitive rollout on a larger scale. By combining this rush with Soldier and Scout backup, you're very likely to defeat unorganized or poorly composed teams.

General rushes

Single class rushes work when the classes have both speed and strength, but every class has its weaknesses. Soldiers and Demos need Medics to rollout, Scouts have a difficult time holding territory because they can't spam, and other classes will eventually enter the mix. Pyros, Heavies, Gunslinger Engineers, Snipers, Spies; as the initial fight turns into a regular game, pure class strategies look less like good ideas and more like gimmicks.

To make a smooth transition from the first fight into the long haul, emphasize a mixture of the rush-capable classes and follow them up with a smaller band of powerhouses and support classes. Think of a rush as a team attempt to outrace your opponent to the best positions for the most important fight of the round. Have more rush-capable combat classes than your foes, but don't restrict yourself to a gimmick which threatens to collapse after the initial surprise.

Race for the point, but be ready to play regular Team Fortress 2.