Anti-Spy strategy

“

Hey, look, you shape shifted into a dead guy! Click to listen — The Scout

”

The Spy is a cunningly swift espionage agent bent on stabbing everyone's back. He has a slim shape with a poor amount of health, but has a devastating melee attack, requiring his deceptive nature to make use of.

General

• Players of the opposite team cannot pass though each other. Use this to determine if they are a disguised Spy
• Always check for Spies. Check around corners and behind props Spies are likely to hide behind or near.
• When spotting a Spy, alert your team and try to chase down the Spy before he causes any (more) damage.
• Engineers are the only ones that can stand on top of their buildings. Anyone else is a disguised Spy.
• If a teammate is not firing at the opposing force, it's a good indication of a disguised Spy.

Weapon Specific

A list of useful tidbits about the Spy's weapons, and how to best counter them.

Revolver / The Big Kill

• The Revolver has a quick firing speed, so move and jump at the same time so you can avoid getting hit.

Ambassador

• When fighting a Spy with the Ambassador, always move in an erratic way to avoid being Headshot.

L'Étranger

• When a Spy is wielding L'Etranger, kill the Spy as fast as possible to deny him Cloak gained from hits.

Electro Sapper

• Spies can hold down Mouse1 to repeatedly place Electro Sappers. Kill the Spy before removing the Sappers if no team-mates are around to help.

Knife

Your Eternal Reward

• This weapon does not produce a scream from its victim, but it does show in the killfeed. Remember who you are with to avoid dying in a chainstab.

Disguise Kit

• Walk toward your team-mates when possible. Disguised Spies will try to steer clear of you, as they can not clip through you like a team mate would.
• Fire occasionally on your team-mates. Some disguised Spies will turn to face you or begin to flee, while most team mates will continue uninterrupted.

Cloaking Devices

• The Invisibility Watch and Dead Ringer can be recharged even if the Spy is cloaked by picking up metal. If metal is mysteriously disappearing near you, check for a Spy!
• Cloaked Spies with a disguise on can leech health and Cloak recharges from enemy Dispensers. Check near and on top of Dispensers occasionally.
• If you hear an excessive amount of voice responses near you from an unknown source, check the area around you for Spies trying to spook you while cloaked.
• When a Spy uncloaks you can hear it, if you hear this sound rather close to you, turn around because there will most likely be a Spy behind you.

Invisibility Watch / Enthusiast's Timepiece

• If a Spy tries to flee with the Invisibility Watch, grab all surrounding ammunition boxes in order to shorten the cloaking time so that you can catch up to his position.

Cloak and Dagger

• Spies using the Cloak and Dagger will often wait in corners or secluded areas to recharge their Cloak. Check those areas if you think a Spy is nearby.

Dead Ringer

• The Spy has huge damage reduction while under the effect of the Dead Ringer. Try to out-damage him before he gets away.
• When dueling someone, if you are not given a point after they die, then they died with the Dead Ringer activated.

The Saharan Spy

• Try to check your back at all times when the Spy have this set, for all the decloaking sound volume will be practically silent.
• His blinking time lasts much longer, so chasing this Spy down is much more easier if you know where he is.

See also

• Spy strategy
• Community Spy strategy
• Spy match-ups
• Team strategy