Timeline

The story of Team Fortress 2 is gathered through different pieces in history; most of this information comes from pages of Major Updates. Hidden links in these pages as well as the examination of the TF2 comic book pages contribute various dates in the Team Fortress 2 timeline.

1808

• Demoman's Scrumpy is made.

1814

• June: An editorial cartoon is published in the Gentle Manne’s Monthly, entitled “An Editorial Cartoon of Some Insighte,” starring the editorial’s mascot, the Gentle Manne of Leisure, and his Companione. [1]

1850

• The Last Will and Testament of Zepheniah Mann is written. It is a lengthy address, written on the sloughed off pieces of his own skin, describing the horrid events of the last years of Zepheniah Mann’s life. Being duped into purchasing the untamed frontier of America by his son’s Blutarch and Redmond, with promises of “gravel as far as the eye could see.” However, upon leaving his estate at Cambridgeshire in England, he contracted various unique diseases on the trip, and when arriving, discovered that it a continent of “fool’s gravel.” Mann curses the people of America, vowing to haunt any soul who taints his grave with the use of firearms. He leaves the rest of his estate to his maidservant, Elizabeth, “including all deeds, accounts, debts public and private—[his] tobacco plantation—and what remains of the fortune [his] sons [had] squandered.” He instructs her to find the gravel he could not find and to honor him by “placing it inside a pit!” To his tracker and aide in the frontier, Barnabas Hale, ancestor of Saxton Hale, he gives control of the Mann & Sons Munitions Concern. To his sons, Blutarch and Redmond, he curses them to partnership, by splitting everything they persuaded him to purchase, in half, leaving them to feud. Lastly, on a carefully hidden portion of the will, Mann promises an unknown important person “the entirety of [his]—.” He swears the stranger to the utmost of secrecy. Accompanying the will is a portrait of the Mann family. (from left to right: Barnabas Hale, Blutarch an unknown dog, Zepheniah Mann, Elizabeth, Redmond, and the Stranger). It is interesting to note that Mann’s will is incorrectly signed as ZEPH-A-NIAH, instead of ZEPH-E-NIAH. This inconsistency, seemingly from Mann’s own hand, can only prove one of three things: that his company name is spelled wrong, that he, on his deathbed, misspelled his own name, OR that his will was forged, perhaps by the stranger that Mann promised his secrets to. [2]
• Australia becomes the world's most advanced country. [3]

1857

• Abraham Lincoln invents stairs, replacing rocket jumping. [4]

1862

• August 5th: Scientists in Australia "nervously assure Earth" that there is "no gold after all." [5] [6]

1865

• Abraham Lincoln holds his Second Inaugural Address, stating, "I say this to you with unvarnished factualism of plain talk: I love Arena Mode." [7]

1869

• Shiny's Bullion is established.

1880

• Emily begins her search for Australium. [8]

1890

• Blutarch Mann commissions Radigan Conagher to build a life-extending machine. [9]
• Emily requests Conagher to build one for Redmond Mann as well. [10]

1894

• July 17th: Radigan Conagher finishes building a Life Extender Machine for Blutarch Mann. [11]
• August 3rd: Radigan Conagher finishes another Life Extender Machine for Redmond Mann. [12]

1895

• January 25th: “Hills Discovered!” In Australia, “Mysterious New Geographic Lumps Confound Men of Australian Science." [13]
• March 6th: “War, Mate!” Two months later, the king of Australia declares war on hills, stating “There will be time to study these so-called hills after they are dead.” [14]
• April 5th: “King Conquers Hill!” It is reported that the “Coward Mound Surrender[ed] Without [a] Fight.” [15]

1900

• January 23rd: "Mann Co Invents 'Ro-Bot'" Here it is revealed that Mann Co., at the turn of the century, is now an "Australian Weapons Giant." In the article, Mann Co. officials attempt to soothe public concerns over their "Ro-Bot," stating that "these automatons will only be used for violence." On a minor note, a poll shows that "Robin" is the most popular Australian girl’s name. [16]
• Australia to colonize space by this time. They seem to have failed. [17]

1921

• Franklin D Roosevelt lost both of his legs while rocket jumping. As a result he perfected the modern staircase. [18]

1949

• The Soldier attempts to enlist in the army, and is rejected by every U.S. military branch. The Soldier then decides to take matters into his own hands, and buys a ticket to Europe, where, after locating Poland, he embarks on a Nazi killing spree, only ending when he finds out the war has been over for four years in 1949. [19]

1961

• Saxton Hale’s Thrilling Tales first arrived on newstands. [20]

1962

• The RED Demoman and BLU Soldier meet at a projectile weapons expo and become friends. They visit Las Vegas, the Gravel Pits of America, attend a basketball game, and visit the Eye Museum. [21]
• One week before WAR!, Helen, the TF Industries Administrator, while about her daily business announcing to RED Team and BLU Team, is notified by her assistant, Miss Pauling, of the Demoman and Soldier’s friendship. Miss Pauling contacts Saxton Hale, requesting new weapons for a competition to break up the friendship. [22]
• Saxton Hale jumps out of a plane and crashes through his office window at Mann Co. He greets his servants, Mr. Bidwell and Mr. Reddy. He is now the 6th wealthiest man in America and sends bouquets and “You’re Dead” letters to the other 5. He receives the call of Miss. Pauling. It is implicated that the “Poopy Joe” incident was caused by Mann Co. The senate is investigating the causes of the explosion. Crates of highly experimental new ordinance, developed by Mann Co. were supposed to be onboard the space shuttle, but now reside illegally at Mann Co. Saxton Hale is all to eager to get rid of them, and Miss Pauling accepts. Hale then beats up a parking lot full of hippies. [23]
• Saxton Hale's Jungle Brawl debuted in the U.S. [24]

1963

• Only four items are being produced for the elderly: hats, meat, caskets, and Saxton Hale's Mildly Thrilling Tales. [25]

1964

• March: The first and only issue of Saxton Hale's Mail Storm is published.

1965

• The Engineer made several mechanical contraptions, including the Sentry, while under contract with TF Industries. [26]

1968

• June: The main setting for Team Fortress 2. [27]
• Boy's Adventure with Saxton Hale comes under fire from the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency. [28]