Engineer match-ups

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Son, I'm gonna' blow that dumb look right off your stupid face! Click to listen — The Engineer on his battle plan

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Class			Strategy
Engineer	vs.	Scout	If you’re alone, a Scout is a dangerous opponent; he’s like you, but faster and armed with a better Shotgun. Pepper him with your Pistol from far away and try to land Shotgun blasts once he inevitably gets up close. If you're defending a position, however, your Sentry Gun can track his movements and completely deny him access to an area. An experienced Scout can duck in and out of cover to deal chip damage before your Sentry Gun can turn on him, so you still need to supervise your buildings. Additionally, he can use Bonk! Atomic Punch to become invulnerable and distract your Sentry Gun for his teammates; this can be countered by using the Wrangler to manually target other enemies. The Scout can arrive before you can set up your buildings in game modes such as King of the Hill; the best way to immediately deal with him one-on-one is to equip the Gunslinger and deploy a Combat Mini-Sentry Gun.
Engineer	vs.	Soldier	It is unwise to directly face a Soldier, as two shots from his Rocket Launcher are enough to end you. If you do encounter one, try to lead him into your Sentry Gun or simply retreat. A smart Soldier will use his Rocket Launcher to take out your Sentry Gun from outside its range, take cover between shots, or simply target you first. His rockets' splash damage can hurt multiple buildings at the same time, so space them apart. Against such a pesky Soldier, you can use the Wrangler to fight back, fire the Short Circuit to destroy his rockets, or simply haul your buildings to a better position. If holding your current location is too important, ask teammates for help or engage the Soldier yourself.
Engineer	vs.	Pyro	If you are alone, a Pyro can deal with you with either the Flame Thrower or Shotgun, thanks to his higher health pool. With good Sentry Gun placement, you can deny the Pyro entrance to a wide area. While it may seem like your Sentry Gun can gun down an approaching Pyro before it's too late, you must be wary of his compression blast, which can be used to send your Sentry Gun's rockets right back at you. If your Sentry Gun is in a poor position, a Pyro can use the Flame Thrower's wide spread to attack from around a corner. The Combat Mini-Sentry Gun is particularly less effective against a Pyro, as it is easily circle strafed or destroyed during deployment. Be wary of Pyros carrying the Dragon's Fury, which deals its full damage against buildings due to the weapon always considering them as "on fire," meaning an ÜberCharged Dragon's Fury Pyro can swiftly destroy an entire nest in a couple of shots.
Engineer	vs.	Demoman	A Demoman can fire explosive projectiles to attack you and your buildings from behind cover. Multiple Stickybombs, in particular, are capable of destroying your buildings in just one explosion, rendering you unable to repair them. Avoid placing your Sentry Gun out in the open or right around corners, where a Demoman can easily place a carpet of Stickybombs. Rather than sit behind and continuously repair your buildings, take the fight to an aggressive Demoman with your Shotgun or lay down suppressive fire with the Wrangler. If necessary, shoot the Stickybombs with an appropriate weapon to destroy them or haul your Sentry Gun away.
Engineer	vs.	Heavy	It's unlikely that you can survive a direct encounter with a Heavy, even with the extra firepower your Sentry Gun provides. Instead, stay behind and repair your Sentry Gun as it does your dirty work, crouching between your buildings to minimize the damage you take. At medium range or beyond, a level 3 Sentry Gun under constant repair can tank a Heavy's fire for the full duration of an ÜberCharge. At point blank range, however, a Heavy can easily destroy any Sentry Gun, no matter how fast it's being repaired. If the knock back from your Sentry Gun can't keep him at bay, flee. Consider using the Wrangler to take advantage of the Heavy’s slow speed and counter his massive firepower. If a Heavy is not spun up and not paying attention, you can attempt to circle-strafe him and bring him down with 2 or 3 well-placed Shotgun shots. This sort of direct fight is best done with a Combat Mini-Sentry, as it may provide a vital distraction as you pump the Heavy full of lead.
Engineer	vs.	Engineer	Because of your defensive nature, you’re unlikely to come up against another Engineer unless one of you is moderately aggressive. More often than not, both of you will have a full nest of buildings up that will deter the other from attacking, so leave taking out enemy Engineer buildings to your teammates. If he’s near his Sentry Gun, the best you’ll probably be able to do is harass him at range with your Pistol. In a one-on-one fight, an Engineer with a Gunslinger and the ability to place Combat Mini-Sentry Guns for quick support will have an extreme advantage. If you are part of an offensive push, hauling your standard Sentry Gun up to a chokepoint can give you zone control against the enemy Engineer.
Engineer	vs.	Medic	A lone Medic is fodder for your Sentry Gun and generally at a slight disadvantage with you if fighting one-on-one. He will usually be found with teammates, so you probably won't get to pick him off. The main threat brought by a Medic is his ÜberCharge, which will render a chosen teammate immune to your Sentry Gun's firepower. While invulnerable, he will generally run in front of his patient to draw fire and knock back from the Sentry Gun, allowing his patient to get close and easily destroy it. If you think your team can hold the position, crouch behind your Sentry Gun while repairing to minimize the damage you take. If you choose to use the Wrangler, you can switch between it and your Wrench to maintain the shield and still repair your Sentry Gun. If you know you can't remain in the area, haul one building out and prepare for the next fight. The Rescue Ranger may be useful to haul your buildings away from the pair at long range.
Engineer	vs.	Sniper	The two of you will likely meet away from your Sentry Gun, as Snipers tend to stay out of its targeting range. If either of you is approaching the other, harass him with your Pistol from far away. Once you’re close, your Shotgun or Combat Mini-Sentry Gun can make short work of him. A Sniper is most deadly to you on more open maps. A Sentry Gun that is placed in too forward of a position can be easily picked off at a distance. If you use your Pistol or Wrangler to fight back, you’ll end up exposed. In this case, it’s best to just find a more concealed spot for your Sentry Gun; if the Sniper kills you, he is then free to pick off your structures at his leisure. If you’re desperate, use your Sentry Gun as impromptu cover as you continuously repair it.
Engineer	vs.	Spy	The Spy is your natural predator. A disguised Spy doesn’t draw your Sentry Gun’s fire, allowing him to use Sappers to disable all of your buildings. If your buildings aren't under enemy fire, stay busy by looking for enemy Spies. Use your Shotgun or the Wrangler to Spy-check anyone that comes within range of your Sentry Gun and listen carefully for the Spy’s decloaking sound. If a Spy saps your equipment, you’ll want to eliminate the Spy first, as he can place Sappers faster than you can remove them. To prevent backstabs as you work, glance over your shoulder between swings of your Wrench to check for any approaching “teammates”. Refrain from standing on your Teleporter Exit at all times, as even an undisguised Spy can come through to telefrag you. The Southern Hospitality inflicts bleed, which can help track down a Spy trying to sneak away. Consider calling over a friendly Pyro to guard your buildings and help Spy-check.

See also

• Team strategy
• Engineer (competitive)