Granary (competitive)

This article is for competitive play, based on the standard community competitive format. For the generic article on this topic, see: Granary.
The community competitive scene changes frequently. Some or all info may be outdated.

Granary is a map that was available for play with the game on release date. The map had a setup timer, à la Well, added with the April 29, 2008 Patch. They were later removed in the October 21, 2008 Patch. This drastically changed the competitive metagame of this map.

The objective of Granary is to control all five capture points. Each team starts with their second and final control points locked, leaving only the middle point available. In order to advance to the next Control Point, the current one must be captured.

In competitive play, Granary is among the most popular maps played in both official matches and unofficial matches. Along with Badlands, Granary is perhaps the first map players new to competitive TF2 will play.

Place names

All place names are given from the perspective of defense as their primary name (in terms of left and right), except obviously for the middle control point.

Control Points 1/5

• Left Gate (Right Gate on Offense): The left gate into the last capture point. Demomen usually guard this gate due to the lack of a sightline, which therefore conceals sticky bombs placed on the other side of the gate. On offense, the main Medic/Soldier combo should push through this gate with ÜberCharge.
• Lower Pipe/Left Pipe: The pipeline on the left side as you come out of your spawn. This pipe is a common entry location for a roaming Soldier, as it allows immediate height advantage and can act as a flank or distraction to the opposing team. Soldier with his Medic (also known as the Pocket Combo) usually stands on this pipe to avoid getting spammed and sniped.
• Upper Pipe/Top Pipe: The highest point in this area. Usually, whatever team has control of this pipe will win the fight, as it provides superior height advantage for Soldiers to spam down onto the enemy.
• Window Room: The upper right area of last point, there is a window that players can jump out of onto the Upper Pipe. There is a small health pack inside this room. The window is a common place for a Demoman to spam through, as the pipe bombs can roll onto the second control point. On offense, a skilled roaming Soldier can jump out of the window onto the upper pipe, providing an immediate height advantage for the team's final push.
• Right Gate (Left Gate on Offense): The right gate into the last capture point. Demoman can guard this as well, but usually are guarded by a Roamer Soldier playing on top of the upper pipe, or by a Sniper along with a partner utilized to open the gate as to provide a clear line of sight. On offense, this door should be kept closed until ready to push, as a Sniper will have a clear line of sight onto the second control point. Scouts utilizing Bonk! Atomic Punch or accompanied by a roaming Soldier should push through this gate.
• Base: The area behind the capture point, shut in by two metal shutter gates, that leads into spawn room. Scouts can use this area to trick or distract the enemy while their team's main force pushes.

Control Points 2/4

The capture point building itself.

• Main Entrance/Left Gate: The left gate into the control point. This door should be watched by a Demoman on defense, as the ability to place sticky bombs in many unseen places forces the other team to be more cautious, possibly forcing them to use an ÜberCharge early. On offense, always be aware of unseen sticky bombs, and play cautiously, utilizing splash damage to knock down bombs from common locations.
• Z: The small hallway in the middle of the building that leads directly onto the health pack and ammo box, as well as the control point. As this area is a choke point, most teams will not push onto the second control point through Z unless there is a clear advantage that will allow them to enter uncontested. The Demoman can watch this entrance as well, but generally, the only players that will enter though here are flanking players such as Scouts or Soldiers, and it is advantageous to watch the main gate, as it should be prioritized over this small choke point.
• Right Gate/Garage/Flank: The right gate into the building. This leads to the Upper Z area and acts as a flank onto the main point. This gate should be watched by the Roamer Soldier and at least one Scout, and these players should try to harass the enemy team as much as possible. On offense, the roaming Soldier and the Scouts should be watching this gate, looking for an opportunity to move in. As your main force pushes, the roaming Soldier should try to get above and behind the enemy team. Note: You should refrain from calling this area "Garage" as this leads to ambiguity between this area and the Middle Garage area.
• Upper Z/Stairwell: The stairwell area with the health pack and ammo box. This stairwell leads to Overpass and the upper area of the control point. This is a good area to flank on offense and thus should be watched carefully on defense.
• Overpass/Dropdown: The narrow hallway going over Yard and drops down in front of the Middle Garage entrance. On defense, Scouts should be watching this to avoid any unseen flanks. On offense, try to coordinate picks on the enemy through this narrow opening and set up traps to force players into "sandwich" situations.

Yard: The area outside of the building that players must go through before they reach the middle capture point.

• Left Yard: The left area of yard. Connected to Middle through the left Choke entrance and the Garage entrance.
• Shed: The small shed on the left side of Yard. This should be held by a Soldier, as the height advantage proves to be very advantageous on both pushes and defenses.
• Right Yard: The right area of yard. Connected to Middle through the Garage Entrance. This area should be watched by both Scouts to prevent enemy flanks from leaking through the defenses. When pushing into Yard, the flanking combo (Scouts and roaming Soldier) should try to push through here to create a hole in the enemy team's defense.
• Garage: The right entrance into the Middle control point. The Yard-side entrance should be watched by a Demoman's sticky trap. When pushing, check for traps by utilizing splash damage to knock down traps.

Control Point 3

Because of the symmetrical style of Granary, each team shares a similar landmark/location on their respective sides of the middle point. A popular method to counteract this is to add the prefix "our" or "their", e.g. "their choke".

• Battlements: The thin metal platform on either side that overlooks the control point, as well as the metal crates. This is a popular location for Demoman to spam down onto the point from.
• Choke: The left entrance into the Middle area, this entrance leads to a major choke point, and the Medic should be escorted out of this area as quickly as possible. There is a health pack immediately to the right of Choke, under Battlements.
• Garage: The right entrance into the Middle area, this entrance should be taken by Scouts and usually the Demoman. It leads onto the Battlements via a ramp. There is a small health pack in Garage.
• Main Crate/"Our" or "Their" Crate: The first crate you see as you enter Middle through Choke. Should be immediately taken control of by one or both Soldiers. The crates provide a height advantage over the rest of the arena, and a skilled jumper can navigate to almost any other part of this area from a crate with a single jump.
• Garage Crate: The crate perpendicular to the main Crate, it is in front of Garage on either side. A common roll-out is to immediately take this crate so your team can be close to the enemy's choke with a height advantage.

The roll-out

There are many roll-outs to Middle, the most common being a 3-3 split, where the Demoman and Scouts will go through Garage while the main combo will go through the Choke entrance to Middle. However, a team can run a "Garage" roll-out, where the main combo, accompanied by the Demoman can go through Garage to immediately take the enemy's side of Middle, while the Scouts provide flanking support through the Choke entrance.

Demoman

The Demoman should be the first to Middle. Due to the wide and open nature of the map, the Demoman can jump unrestricted through the areas and can reach Middle before anyone else. The Demoman will usually go through Garage and provide spam support for the rest of his team, yet if he is getting overrun by Scouts early during the Middle fight, he should go with the main combo for more protection.

Soldier

As a Soldier, at Middle, you should be controlling the crates, and the height advantage that comes with them. Many roaming Soldiers will use the Gunboats for Middle, as it allows them to reach Middle very quickly and helps them control the crates easily with the reduced rocket jump damage. A common strategy is to have both Soldiers taking the main Crate while the Medic is escorted by the Scouts and/or Demoman, and they will follow the Soldiers under their position on top of the crates so the whole team can be protected. Once the enemy is weakened by spam or a pick is attained, one or both of the Soldiers should try and control their crates, and perhaps should try and kill more of the enemy team. The Gunboats are banned in Europe, so the roaming Soldier will normally equalise to the middle and the pocket will jump.