Community Scout strategy

“

Hit the road, bozo, let a real Scout get to work! Click to listen — The Scout on impersonators

”

The Scout has the fastest movement speed, is a great Control Point capturer, and deals a decent amount of damage from short to medium range. His low maximum health of 125 makes direct combat difficult and risky. The preferred technique of combat involves circle strafing or weapon heckling.

Quick tips

• You capture twice as fast as any other class. If you're anywhere near an enemy Control Point, stand on it.
  • In Payload maps, crouch-walking behind the Payload to use it as a shield can be very effective since your hitbox is smaller than those of other classes.

• Know where the health packs are on every map, because you have the tendency to work alone.

• Never try to out-gun tougher classes, unless you know they are low on health. Your job is to deal damage and distract, then disappear before the enemy has a chance to shoot back.

• Use your maneuverability to catch enemies off-guard. Your extra speed and double-jump can get you over gaps, around corners, and over obstacles that block most of the other classes.

• Sentry Guns should be avoided, because the Scout relies on not being hit, and a Sentry Gun's attacks are very strong and its bullets never miss.
  • You can use Bonk! Atomic Punch, however, to distract an enemy Sentry Gun while a teammate destroys it, or to slip past the Sentry Gun while avoiding damage.

General

Combat

• The Scout excels at one-on-one combat. Wandering players are good targets for a Scout.

• Try to fight on open ground as much as possible; tight spaces limit your evasive options and will make staying alive much harder.

• Never stand still when you are attacking someone as a Scout. Use your speed to your advantage by strafing left and right while attacking someone. When facing other Scouts, try to mirror their strafing movements to them easier to hit.

• When low on health, wait for the correct moment to strike. Use walls and corners to gain an advantage over enemies by firing and retreating repeatedly to avoid enemy fire.

• The Scout is the smallest class and can hide behind objects better than every other class. This can be useful while waiting for a group of enemies to pass by.
  • Take note of the object you are hiding behind. If it is tall but narrow, equipping your bat will allow you to hide without your Scattergun or Pistol protruding through and giving you away. Your primary or secondary weapons, however, would be better for short but wide hiding spots.

• Try to be unpredictable while fighting classes that are using hitscan weapons, such as the Shotgun.

• Do not confront a Sentry Gun head-on. If you can approach it from behind or to the side, you can take advantage of the Sentry Gun's slow rotation speed. Pop out of cover long enough to take a shot at it, then wait about one second for the Sentry Gun to turn back to its default position.
  • It is also possible to circle strafe a Sentry Gun, as it cannot turn quickly enough to fire at you. This is very difficult, however, and requires that you be as close to the Sentry Gun as possible.

• When fighting enemy Pyros that are attempting to airblast you into a corner and kill you with the Axtinguisher, use your second jump to escape from above.

• If you find yourself circling an enemy, try to find the right moment to line up with your target and fire your weapon.

• Find a mouse sensitivity that is suitable for playing Scout. Whilst a high sensitivity may seem to pair with the speed of the class, a low sensitivity, paired with more mouse movement, makes it considerably more easy to land shots with your Scattergun.

• When playing as Scout, always be on the move. If a confrontation goes poorly, you can always continue running, using your speed to escape. You can then find a health kit and often come back to finish your opponent off before they have a chance to do the same.

Speed

• Run into players to Spy check. If you don't pass through them, and instead bump into them, then they're a disguised Spy.

• Your speed will allow a Medic using the Quick-Fix to get to the front lines much more quickly.

• Because you can easily outrun other classes, it is possible to backcap Control Points. If successful, this will lock the enemy out of capturing your own Control Point.

• Your speed allows you to decide which battles to engage in; enemies cannot run from you if you engage them, nor can they pursue you if you don't want to engage them.

• Death is less of a penalty for you since you will spend less time than other classes running to where the battle is. You are also first to the fight at the beginning of the round.

• Speed makes you more difficult to hit, and beyond certain ranges your speed can render certain projectile weapons useless, since you can always react and move out of the way in time.

• You are the ideal Intelligence carrier.

The Scout's double jump is incredibly versatile, use it well.

Jumping

• Whichever movement key is being held at the time of the double jump is the direction you will go. This allows you to immediately alter your path in mid air and confuse enemies.
  • This is especially effective against Snipers, who usually aim where they expect you to be just after their shot is fired. Skilled Snipers, however, may be able to predict the path of your second jump, since you cannot move in mid-air after it.

• Jumping in combat is a double-edged sword. Against weaker players, it can effectively throw off their aim. More experienced players, however, can wait for you to commit to a double- or triple-jump. Once you've committed, your trajectory is locked and skilled players can easily predict your path and kill you.

• Performing a double jump without pressing anything bound to the movement commands will cancel all horizontal momentum, regardless of speed.
  • As a result of this, try to predict where enemies are aiming before double jumping.

• Double jumping can save you from fall damage; simply jump just before you hit the ground.

• Use the double jump to take the higher roads over railroad cars and bridges. Most opponents tend to look forward, rather than up. If it is safe to do so, attack from above to take enemies by surprise.

• Certain ledges may require you to crouch-jump in order to reach them. Holding the crouch button while performing a double jump will allow you to reach those ledges.

• If you are under fire, try jumping over the enemy's head to disorient them. You can also use this maneuver to land a couple of extra shots at close range.

• You are able to perform a triple jump of sorts if the Force-A-Nature is equipped as your primary weapon, as the knockback from firing can be used to propel yourself a few feet upwards when aimed down.
  • Similar results can be achieved using the Boston Basher's self damage, though this is much riskier.
  • The Atomizer allows you to do a triple jump in the same manner as regular jumping, at the cost of 10 health.
    • You can use the both the Force-A-Nature and the Atomizer to perform a quad jump.

• When an enemy Soldier or Pyro decides to pull out his Reserve Shooter, try to not jump for a few seconds while fighting, as the Mini-Crit damage can be lethal. After 3 seconds have passed and the Reserve Shooter's airborne Mini-Crits buff wears off, begin utilizing your jumps to confuse the enemy while he is reloading.

Weapon Specific

Primary Weapons

Scattergun + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Stock Scattergun		6	32	85-105	10-40	3-10	180
Uncrate Festive Scattergun
Botkiller Scattergun

• When using your Scattergun, a reliable method of ensuring your target is hit is to strafe left and right with your cross-hair centered, and firing when your cross-hairs and opponent match up rather then soley using your mouse to aim. This allows you to focus on moving more efficiently and erratically, making you harder to hit, while at the same time making your aim smoother and more accurate via prediction.

• The Scattergun does large amounts of damage at close range, with three shots being enough to take out a non-overhealed Heavy. Think about how to engage your opponent without alerting them to your presence; while catching them off-guard, most classes will go down quickly.

• Range makes a huge difference to the damage the Scattergun inflicts. If you are undetected, avoid firing early. Wait until you are as close as you can get to the enemy and then open fire. This reduces the number of times you need to hit the enemy, giving them less time to react, This may also mean you won't run out of ammo or need to reload in the middle of a firefight.

Force-A-Nature

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Unlock Force-A-Nature		2	32	92-113	11-43	3-11	194

• The Force-A-Nature is an unlockable primary weapon for the Scout. It has a smaller magazine size with a faster firing speed, firing two shells in fast succession for hit-and-run tactics, along with reloading both shots instead of individually. However, the Force-A-Nature has 20% more pellets per shot in exchange for 10% less damage per pellet, forcing the player to fire much closer to use all the pellets in the shot for maximum damage. In addition, when in a close enough range, the Force-A-Nature will knock back the target, and when in mid-air, the Scout as well, confusing enemies, and allowing triple-jumps (and quadruple with the Atomizer) when firing downwards to reach places other classes cannot.

• When using the Force-A-Nature, try not to get into a firefight with more than a few enemies. The slow reload time, small magazine, and short range is not suited for these kinds of fights. Instead, try to take on one enemy, and try not to approach them from the front; instead, attack from the side or behind.

• If you equip the Force-A-Nature, equip the Pistol as well. With the Pistol, you have the ability to finish off enemies that survived your Force-A-Nature shots, without having to wait for the Force-A-Nature's reload.

• Keep in mind that you can jump even longer distances with the Force-A-Nature by jumping, aiming below you and firing at the end of your second jump. Another way is to jump, fire quickly, and jump again. Only fire one shot, as the second shot fired while in the air has no effect on you.

• Use the Force-A-Nature's knockback ability to your advantage, since two simultaneous shells can send enemies flying several meters and into hazards such as the pits in Lumberyard and Steel. It's particularly useful in places where enemies huddle together. You can jump in, blast two people away from the objective and retreat to reload and strike again.

• Use the knockback to reach high places in order to kill unaware classes from above. It lowers your chances of being killed when getting closer because other players usually don't look up. The Force-A-Nature fires faster than the Scattergun; therefore, it is best suited to killing important classes (like Engineers trying to build defenses, and Medics), and it works better while the target is busy with something.

• Be wary that a point-blank shot from the Force-A-Nature will send your target flying a significant distance. So if at all possible, determine where your shot will throw them into. It's not terribly hard to accidentally send your target into a med-kit, into the safety of Sentry Gun coverage, or even into a cluster of his teammates.

• Be careful when trying to fire at an enemy from above with the Force-A-Nature; while the knockback keeps enemies pinned down for a second, the self-knockback will keep you in the air or blast you slightly backwards, possibly throwing off your aim and sending you in a predictable line for people to aim. For this reason, the Force-A-Nature is generally better to attack enemies on the same level or from below, so that they take the full force of the knockback, and you still have control.

• When you use the Force-A-Nature, it might be wise to turn off the automatic reload feature from the Advanced Options menu. The Force-A-Nature discards the remaining round if reloaded with the other one in so you must either make a choice to fire or to reload at will.

• The Force-A-Nature can push ÜberCharged enemies. Use this either to push enemies away from your teammates, or to break the Medi Gun beam and attack the now-vulnerable target.

Shortstop

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Shortstop		4	36	69-72	24-48	6-12	144

• The Shortstop is a craftable primary weapon for the Scout. It has a fast firing speed along with a clip-based reload for prolonged combat. The reduced pellets per shot to only four pellets with double the damage for each pellet allows the Scout to keep his distance to deal good damage at mid-range, while still firing powerful shots at close range. It draws from the same ammo pool as the Pistol, burning ammo quickly, unless the Scout is using another secondary such as Bonk! Atomic Punch.

• The Shortstop pairs well with the Crit-a-Cola, as its slightly faster firing rate and quick reload can maximize the potential of the Mini-Crit boost's duration.

• Four direct hits from the Shortstop can kill most classes, but be cautious while facing off tougher classes like the Heavy, who may survive the four shots of the Shortstop and take you down as you reload.
  • This can be partially circumvented by using the Mad Milk, which heals you, effectively giving you more health to square off against bulkier classes.

• The Critical hits from this weapon will deal 144 damage at point-blank range, meaning that you cannot one-shot Medics, unless they are using the Vita-Saw. However, the Medic will be left with very little health, and you can probably finish him off with another shot before he can retreat or his teammates can react. You can still one shot light classes and will deal a good amount of damage to others.

• The Shortstop has a moderate reloading time; turning on auto-reload or holding down your reload button may cut off a good chunk of the reload time.

• The Shortstop works well for dealing with Sentry Guns. A Mini-Sentry Gun will go down in about a clip, even when you're standing outside of its range.

• Since the Shortstop uses the same pool of ammo as the Pistol does, it's best to pick up as much ammo as possible, as you will be burning through ammo frequently.

Soda Popper

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical	Distance to Activate Hype	Hype Duration
Craft Soda Popper		2	32	90	24-67	3-26	180	5200 Hammer Units	8 seconds

• The Soda Popper is a craftable primary weapon for the Scout. It is very similar to the Force-A-Nature, firing two shells in fast succession and reloading both shots, but with the damage and pellet count of the normal Scattergun, .41 seconds faster in reload time, and no knockback. The Soda Popper does not roll for random Critical hits. In addition, while running and jumping with the Soda Popper active, a "Hype" meter fills. When completely filled, the Soda Popper will grant you 8 seconds of Mini-Crit boosts for all weapons. The Hype meter takes roughly 13 seconds to completely fill.

• At the beginning of a round, you can run toward your objective with the Soda Popper equipped; when the Hype meter is almost full, you can switch to a different weapon. This way, should you encounter an enemy, you can equip the Soda Popper to get the Mini-Crit boost to defeat them with.

• The Mini-Crit boost works for all of your weapons; you can shoot an enemy with your Pistol or hit them with your bat instead of shooting them with the Soda Popper while you use the boost, even bleeding inflicted with the Boston Basher is boosted.

Baby Face's Blaster

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Baby Face's Blaster		6	32	63-73.5	7-28	2.1-7	126

• The Baby Face's Blaster is a craftable primary weapon for the Scout. It inflicts 30% less damage but is 40% more accurate, allowing for decent burst damage at mid-range. The primary hindrance is that it reduces your speed by 47%; however, it comes with a Boost meter that fills completely after 100 damage, making you 40% faster than your default speed; the Boost meter is reset upon respawn or when a jump is performed, however. Boost can be charged by damage dealt from any of your weapons.

• Try to use this weapon on flat maps. As jumping will deplete your boost, the speed for mobility trade can be countered on maps that do not require jumping.

• Use your favourite secondary to collect boost as quickly as possible. Harass enemies with pistols or the guillotine at a distance, or boost the blaster with Crit-a-Cola.

• At full boost, you will be extremely hard to hit as long as you move unpredictably. Only Sentry Guns, Natascha and Flame Throwers are constant threats.

• The weapon is useful in capture the flag matches, where your considerable speed is especially useful in grabbing the intelligence efficiently.

Secondary Weapons

Pistol + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Stock Pistol		12	36	20-22	10-15	8-9	45
Promotional Lugermorph

• Targets too far away for the Scattergun should be fought with the Pistol. It's also a reasonable backup weapon for when your Scattergun runs out of ammunition, and has reliable aim. It can destroy Sentry Guns, Dispensers, and Teleporters at medium range if the situation calls for it; but expect this to use up around half of your Pistol ammunition.

• When running towards enemies aware of your presence, try firing at them with your Pistol before closing in on them with your Scattergun or Force-A-Nature. When taking on lighter classes, 2–3 seconds of accurate Pistol fire can take away a quarter to a third off their maximum health, allowing you to finish them off with a strong blast of your primary weapon.

• One of the Pistol's primary uses is to finish off wounded targets attempting to retreat.

• The Pistol can waste a lot of ammunition if fired haphazardly into a firefight. Choose your targets wisely, and aim carefully.

• The Pistol reloads much more quickly than the Scattergun. When both are empty, reloading the Pistol first will have you firing sooner than reloading the Scattergun.

• Be wary of when the Pistol actually reloads. Changing weapons before it finishes reloading only means that you have to reload again. Wait until when your magazine count changes before switching weapons.

• The Pistol is also a great weapon for creating distractions. If you can run behind enemy lines and squeeze a few shots from the rear and then run away, players will often try to follow, making it easier for your team to accomplish objectives.

• The Pistol works well with the Force-A-Nature. Simply sink two shots into your enemy with the Force-A-Nature, switch to your Pistol and fire at them. Since enemies will be knocked back, you won't have to account for movement for a few precious shots.

• The Pistol is one of the more deadly weapons to get Critical hits with. If you happen to get First Blood in Arena, switch to your Pistol as it can take any class down in one magazine, including most overhealed enemies, if you fire fast and accurately enough.

• Though the Scattergun trumps the Pistol in short ranges, at medium to long ranges your Pistol is a far better option for taking out Sentry Guns than any other Scout weapon. If you're out of the Sentry Gun's range, hitting the Engineer with a Sandman ball and then destroying the Sentry Gun with your Pistol will make this job infinitely easier.

Bonk! Atomic Punch

Weapon	Ammo		Effect
	Loaded	Carried	Drink Effect	Duration	Recharge Time
Unlock Bonk! Atomic Punch	1	∞	Invulnerability but unable to attack, capture or defend	8 seconds	24 seconds

• The Bonk! Atomic Punch is an unlockable secondary weapon for the Scout. When consumed, you will become invincible for 8 seconds, although you are still affected by knockback, similar to an ÜberCharge. While active, the camera shifts to a third-person view, and the Scout cannot attack (but can still taunt-attack). The effect lasts 8 seconds and can be used again in 24 seconds.

• Use Bonk! for dodging around things you would normally run away from, like Sentry Guns, Heavy/Medic pairs, or large groups of enemies.

• While being on your own isn't all that grand for scouting as stated above, this changes when using Bonk!. It's a very good idea to take a drink before turning a corner that could potentially have a Sentry Gun or Stickybombs around it, especially if there are allies behind you. Doing so can allow for an ad-hoc Über situation where your allies can take out the opposition while you provide cover and distraction. If you have no one backing you, simply reporting what you found via voice chat or yelling "Sentry Ahead" can potentially save your teammates.
  • Be careful where you drink Bonk! - for the duration of the drinking animation, you are immobile and vulnerable to damage.

• It is very easy to distract enemies while you are under the influence of Bonk!. Enemy Snipers can be distracted as they try to shoot you or keep their crosshairs on you waiting for your invulnerability to wear off. Running into Soldiers and Demomen will usually result in them hurting themselves as well as being distracted. Heavies and Pyros are also easily distracted if you run circles around them. This strategy can also be used to counter enemy ÜberCharges; body-blocking a Medic's patient can waste up to all eight seconds of their preciously short invincibility or Critical hits period. More importantly, it saves your Medic's ÜberCharge for dealing with the enemy, rather than countering the enemy's ÜberCharge.

• Bonk! can be used as a temporary ÜberCharge for taking out Sentry Guns, as you provide a distraction while your teammates attack. This tactic is of particular use on low population servers or on Arena, where ÜberCharges can be quite rare.

• Bonk! can be used to avoid the afterburn damage from Pyros or Bleeding. Though the after-burn will continue to damage you after Bonk! wears off, the life extension Bonk! gives you just might be enough to reach a water pool, med pack or Medic before you burn to death.
  • You will continue to take afterburn damage if you are set on fire by a Flare Gun, however.

• If you drink some Bonk! after emptying your Scattergun clip, you can fully reload while you are invulnerable.

• If covered by Jarate, drink Bonk! to immunize yourself from the increased damage you will take otherwise. The combined time of switching to Bonk!, drinking it, and then waiting out the effects should be enough time for the Jarate to wear off. It's also possible to be Jarate'd during the effects of Bonk!, so if this happens, make a hasty retreat before you begin taking damage again.

Crit-a-Cola

Weapon	Ammo		Effect
	Loaded	Carried	Drink Effect	Duration	Recharge Time
Craft Crit-a-Cola	1	∞	Mini-crits dealt and received Increases speed by 25%	8 seconds	24 seconds

• The Crit-a-Cola is a craftable secondary weapon for the Scout. When consumed, the Scout will run 25% faster and all damage dealt and taken will be Mini-Crits for 8 seconds. The active weapon will glow and crackle with electricity (similar to a Crit boost, but with a much lighter color). The Crit-a-Cola has a recharge rate of 24 seconds.

• The Crit-a-Cola is a high-risk, high-reward weapon. A Mini-Crit-boosted Scattergun is a very powerful weapon, but its glow can single you out as a target, and since you'll take Mini-Crits too, you can die very fast. Because of this, the Crit-a-Cola encourages an ambush style of play.

• During the 8-second Mini-Crit period, you can fire up to 7 Scattergun shots, 6 Force-A-Nature shots, 9 Shortstop shots, or swing any melee weapon 10 times.

• At point-blank range, one blast from the Scattergun or Force-A-Nature, with the Mini-Crit buff, is capable of killing any 125-HP class from full health. Therefore, if you find yourself behind multiple Snipers, the Crit-a-Cola can theoretically give you one kill per shot.

• Sometimes, it's wiser to only fire off a few shots and run away after drinking Crit-a-Cola as opposed to staying and fighting for the whole duration, since you're very susceptible to enemy damage.

• Mini-Crits don't suffer from damage falloff, so your primary weapon will remain useful at a longer range.
  • Be aware, however, that this means that any damage you suffer while under the effects will not suffer falloff either. Attacks that may normally be nothing more than a minor annoyance at long-range can prove quite lethal to you for the duration of your crit-boost.

• Combined with the Force-A-Nature, the Mini-Crits provided by Crit-a-Cola can become a devastating "Alpha-Strike" attack, especially if you have the drop on your opponent. This tactic is best used for taking out a single, high-priority target, such as a Medic with a prepared ÜberCharge, or distracted in the middle of a Kritzkrieg rush. At point-blank range, a single round is capable of dealing up to 150 damage, making it possible to kill any class (asides from overhealed enemies, Demoman, Soldiers, and Heavies) with both rounds under ideal circumstances.

• The Crit-a-Cola is also a good partner with the Shortstop because you can take down any class in one clip with Mini-Crits. The Shortstop's extra range and tighter spread combined with the Mini-Crits not being affected by damage falloff allows the Scout to effectively strike opponents with Mini-Crits from a safer distance than is possible with the Scattergun or Force-A-Nature.

• Using the Crit-a-Cola with the Soda Popper is not a good idea, as the Soda Popper provides Mini-Crits without much of a downside compared to the Crit-a-Cola.
  • On the other hand, the Crit-a-Cola and Soda Popper can be used in tandem to ensure a consistent supply of mini-crits, increasing the Scout's lethality. The Crit-a-Cola can be used while the Soda Popper is charging its Hype (with the increased speed helping decrease the length of time between Hype charges), while the Soda Popper's mini-crits can take over while the Crit-a-Cola recharges.

• If you're using the Crit-a-Cola, and you're lucky enough to catch several opponents unaware simultaneously, take advantage of the fact that your melee weapon is extremely quiet, and does not require reloading like guns do. This tactic works better with the standard Bat rather than The Sandman, as the Sandman lowers your total HP, making you easier to kill once your enemies catch onto your plan.

• As soon as you get covered in Jarate, drink Crit-a-Cola, because Mini-Crits do not stack. If done quickly enough, it will finish before the Jarate does.
  • Similarly, if the enemy team is pushing with any Mini-Crit boost, drink the Crit-a-Cola to level the playing field. There may be a slight advantage to using the Crit-a-Cola against an enemy who has a Critical hit Boost, as their Criticals will not stack with your Mini-Crit debuff. This, however, is a risky strategy.
  • Inversely, never drink the Crit-a-Cola when under the effects of a friendly Buff Banner, a Critical hit Boost, or when facing an enemy covered in Jarate. Your Mini-Crits do not stack with Critical hits or other Mini-Crits, and weakening yourself with a Mini-Crit debuff is detrimental.
  • The same rule applies when facing only an enemy Scout under the effects of the Crit-a-Cola; since they already receive Mini-Crits, it's redundant to drink your Crit-a-Cola. However, when more enemies are present or the enemy Scout's Mini-Crit period ends, then drinking the Crit-a-Cola gives you an advantage.

• A good tactic is to drink the Crit-a-Cola while under the effects of a friendly Battalion's Backup, since the defense boost negates the Mini-Crit damage and allows you to deal Mini-Crits for no penalty.

• Avoid drinking the Crit-a-Cola when facing alert Soldiers. You will die to a single direct hit from the regular Rocket Launcher, and if you are using the Sandman, one point-blank Shotgun shot will also kill you.

• It's recommended to avoid using the Sandman when equipped with the Crit-a-Cola, simply because the 15 health lost may be very well needed during the Mini-Crit period.

• Be careful when going up against Snipers with the Bushwacka equipped, as they will Crit you during the effect of the Crit-a-Cola, effectively killing you in one blow.

• Keep in mind when you use the Crit-a-Cola, you will automatically switch to your currently equipped Melee weapon after drinking Crit-a-Cola, so remember to either have a plan for using your melee weapon, or switch as quickly as you can to your primary weapon.

• The speed boost from Crit-a-Cola can allow you to rush very effectively; this can be useful to quickly sneak by enemies undetected or to rush to a point at the start of a King of the Hill or Special Delivery match.
  • Likewise, the additional speed may be useful to get back to the fray after respawning or retreating a fair distance behind friendly lines. Take note, however, that this means you will have to wait for it to recharge before you can use it in the battle, and that you will be more vulnerable to enemies that have wandered closer to your spawn point.
  • Alternatively, the extra speed can be used to stage a successful retreat. Doing so, however, increases the lethality of enemy attacks that may happen to hit you as you try to escape.

• When using the Baby Face's Blaster with the Crit-a-Cola, it is much easier to get your boosts (both speed and damage) at a distance. It also negates the 30% damage penalty on the Blaster due to the Mini-Crits. To add on to that, since it increases the speed you run at, it decreases the running speed penalty put on to you because of the Blaster.

Mad Milk

Weapon	Ammo		Effect
	Loaded	Carried	Effect on Enemies	Effect on Teammates	Duration	Recharge Time
Craft Mad Milk	1	∞	60% of all damage dealt is returned as health. Also shorts out Cloak.	Extinguishes flame on yourself and/or teammates.	6 seconds / 2.5 seconds	24 seconds

• The Mad Milk is a craftable secondary weapon for the Scout. Mad Milk is a thrown weapon that covers enemies in Mad Milk, causing them to have white drops of Mad Milk all over their body. 60% of all damage (except for afterburn) will heal anyone who attacks a player covered in Mad Milk. Similar to Jarate, it will nullify the Cloak of enemy Spies and extinguish teammates and the player when on fire. The Mad Milk has a recharge time of 24 seconds.

• The Mad Milk allows you to remain in a combat situation for longer without dying/retreating, as you will be regain health as you do damage.

• Aside from The Special Delivery set bonus, the Mad Milk can actually be more effective with the Scattergun over the Shortstop, as the two extra shots can keep you alive longer via Mad Milk's effect.

• While still risky, Mad Milk makes head-on approaches to bulky classes like the Heavies more viable, as it allows you to need fewer chances to drop out and hide.

• Using Mad Milk on classes like the Heavies can be a great benefit to your team because it allows your teammates to regain large amounts of health, due to the Heavy's slow speed and high health.

• Mad Milk is also a great supplement for an offensive push, allowing attackers to replenish their health quickly.
  • For example, while using the Kritzkrieg's high damage output, teammates heal a great amount of health due to the fact that they will be healing 180% (60% * 3) of the damage they do while under the effects of the Kritzkrieg.

• Thanks to your maneuverability, Mad Milk comes in handy when used against enemies in the front lines. Simply throw it in and retreat while firing to both heal yourself and teammates. This makes overpowering the enemy much easier during pushes and saves a lot of time and trouble.

• Since Mad Milk can extinguish afterburn, if you happen to be set aflame, run away to a safe area and splash Mad Milk on yourself to extinguish the flames. Your ignited teammates will also appreciate being doused.

• Hitting an enemy with the Fan O'War and dousing them with Mad Milk will return more health per hit.

• The white particles of a player dripping in milk makes them easier to see in dark maps such as Sawmill.

Winger

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Winger		5	36	25	15-19	10-12	52

• The Winger is a craftable secondary weapon for the Scout. It is much like the Pistol, but with 5 rounds per magazine and 15% more damage per round.

• The Winger is a better weapon-heckling version of the Pistol, inflicting higher damage per round in exchange for a much smaller magazine.

• Much of the strategy incorporated with the use of the Pistol can be used with the Winger, but players must be wary of the Winger's quick, but frequent, reloading.

• The higher base damage of the Winger makes it better suited for taking out Sentry Guns at a distance; remember that shots fired at buildings don't factor in damage ramp-up/fall-off.
  • However, the larger clip of the Pistol makes for more sustained damage; choose whichever one is preferable for the engagement.

• While at first the 5-shot magazine of the Winger appears a disadvantage, it lets you more carefully manage the smaller total ammo.

• Since the Winger does higher base damage than the Pistol, it could be used to squeeze in some rounds while you close in and then switch to your primary weapon to finish off your target.

• Despite its drawback, the Winger can be seen as a direct upgrade to the Pistol. Its drawback, 5 rounds per mag, allows players to manage the ammo pool of the Winger more easily, and the increased damage, while not as great as the Pistol's damage-per-second due to its larger clip, is still useful as a backup weapon with your primary weapons. Consider this when determining your loadout.

• The Winger is a more precise and rewarding version of the Pistol. If you can't aim well, consider using the Pistol.

Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol		12	36	22	13-17	8-10	45

• The Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol is a craftable secondary weapon for the Scout. It boosts the Scout's max health to 140 and negates any fall damage, but comes with a 50% fire damage increase (including afterburn) and fires 25% slower than the stock Pistol.

• It is generally best to avoid direct fights with Pyros and not engage unless you are ambushing them. If you are lit on fire, the afterburn will cause a very high amount of damage and likely kill you unless you find a health kit, Medic, or any other fire-extinguishing source.

• The Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol's health boost will nullify the health penalty of the Sandman, so consider using both together.

Flying Guillotine

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
		Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Critical	Recharge Time
Craft Flying Guillotine		1	∞	50	150	6 seconds
Bleeding		N/A	N/A	40 damage over 6 seconds	N/A	N/A

• The Flying Guillotine is a craftable secondary weapon for the Scout. It is a thrown weapon that causes bleeding when thrown at an enemy. It does not roll for random critical hits, but instead deals mini-crit damage provided the weapon has been thrown from a long range. It also gains 100% critical hit damage when thrown at stunned enemies.

• The Flying Guillotine deals no damage to buildings: when thrown at any building, the weapon will simply bounce off.

• One can pair the Flying Guillotine with the Sandman which can provide a deadly combination: stunning an enemy with the Sandman's ball and then following up with the Flying Guillotine will gain you an automatic critical hit on that enemy.

• Bleeding damage included, a regular hit will fill up half of the Baby Face Blaster's boost gauge in one hit.

• This weapon can be very useful on Payload matches because when pushing the cart, most players will be moving slowly and/or not paying attention to whatever doesn't pose an immediate threat to themselves, so you can dish out a solid amount of damage, plus the added bleeding effect negates the healing from the cart and you can move in and kill the player from a pair of shots from your Scattergun.

• Paired with the Force-A-Nature on Arena, you can use the Flying Guillotine to cripple an enemy's health greatly, and while they go to find a health kit, you can chase them down with the Force-A-Nature and finish them off with 2 quick shots to the back. This works better with lower health classes like Sniper, Spy, or even another Scout, while leaving the classes with more health to your teammates.

Melee Weapons

Bat + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Stock Bat		0.5 seconds	35	105
Promotional Saxxy
Drop Conscientious Objector
Uncrate Festive Bat
Promotional Frying Pan
Promotional Freedom Staff
Drop Bat Outta Hell
Drop Ham Shank

• You may prefer to kill situationally-unaware or aiming-impaired Heavies with the Bat by circle strafing around them or jumping on top of their large bodies. A couple of fast hits with the Bat can take out injured or weaker classes quickly. This is useful when you're low on ammo, or your primary weapon needs reloading.

• When wielding the Bat, try to always circle strafe your victim. You'd always be better off using your Scattergun otherwise.

Sandman

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical	Stun Time	Recharge Time
Unlock Sandman		0.5 seconds	35	105	N/A	N/A
		0.25 seconds	15	45	1-7 seconds	15 seconds

• The Sandman is an unlockable melee weapon for the Scout. With secondary fire, the Scout will launch a baseball that will stun an enemy on hit for 1-8 seconds varied by distance, but carrying this weapon will lower the Scout's maximum health by 15, for a total of 110. Stunned targets are not totally immobile, but are considerably slowed and cannot jump. Hitting an enemy with the ball at maximum range will render the target immobile. The ball has a recharge rate of 15 seconds, or can instantly be reused by picking up a baseball that has been launched by the user or another Scout.
  • The ball counts as a projectile, and can be airblasted.
  • A launched ball lingers for 3 seconds if it hits someone, or 15 seconds if it doesn't.

• The Sandman is a great tool for stunning key targets, like upfront attacking classes, or support classes like Medics and Snipers.

• Critical hits lengthen the stun time. The baseball also uses the same base crit chance of 17% as any melee weapon, making such criticals common.

• When equipping the Sandman, beware of the -15 health loss. A Soldier can kill you with a single rocket up close, as well as a Demoman with a well placed explosive. This can be a hindrance when trying to get up close to most other classes.

• The Sandman can be a great supportive weapon for your team. Stunning a target that has a Kritz activated on them can hold great benefits for your team. However, this can be a risky maneuver on your part.

• The Sandman is great against classes who you can't normally get close to, like Heavies and Pyros.

• If you are caught in a bad situation, the stun can buy you enough time to get to safety.

• Similarly, if you are in a situation to get the first strike, stunning your opponent can give you time to do fatal damage before they can respond.

• A lone Engineer is another prime target for the Sandman's ball. While stunned, the Engineer cannot repair his Sentry Gun. Use this opportunity to attack the Sentry Gun. This is especially useful if the Sentry Gun is being Wrangled; stunning the Engineer will deactivate the Sentry Gun.

• Aiming the stun ball isn't all that easy, but in certain cases it can be. For example, the bridge in Badlands is just long enough for you to hit an enemy with a moon shot, maximum strength stun ball, and it is quite simple to hit someone with it since it is a straightaway.

• Avoid using the Sandman with Crit-a-Cola, as the -15 health loss doesn't go well with the Mini-Crits you may take while using it.

Holy Mackerel + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Craft Holy Mackerel		0.5 seconds	35	105
Craft Unarmed Combat
Uncrate Festive Holy Mackerel

• The Holy Mackerel and Unarmed Combat are craftable melee weapons for the Scout. Each hit will be announced on the kill feed, and with a kill will show "FISH KILL!" or "ARM KILL!", but otherwise functions the same as a Bat.

• Hitting a cloaked Spy will be displayed on the kill feed. Conversely, killing a Dead Ringer Spy or hitting a disguised Spy will not be displayed in the kill feed.

• The Holy Mackerel and Unarmed Combat will display your presence to any enemy who looks at the kill feed, and draw attention to you.

Candy Cane

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Craft Candy Cane		0.5 seconds	35	105

• The Candy Cane is a craftable melee weapon for the Scout. When the player kills an enemy, a small Health pack is dropped regardless of what weapon the player was using in order to kill the enemy. As a drawback, the Scout takes 25% more damage from explosives.

• Killing an enemy with any of your weapons while you have the Candy Cane equipped will drop a health kit.

• Make sure to avoid or dodge Soldiers and Demomen due to the explosive damage penalty. With the Candy Cane equipped, a direct hit from any of their primary weapons at point-blank range will instantly kill you.

• Using the Candy Cane and Mad Milk can allow you to fully heal yourself and teammates if no Medics or Health kits are nearby.

• Use the Candy Cane to check for Dead Ringer Spies, as feigned deaths will not drop Health kits.

• A successful kill with the Candy Cane in Medieval mode will cause two health kits to be dropped instead of one.

• The Candy Cane can be both a blessing and a curse when fighting groups of enemies. While the dropped Health packs can allow you and your teammates to stay in the fight for longer, they can also be picked up by the enemy, in turn making them more difficult to kill.

Boston Basher + reskins

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Craft Boston Basher		0.5 seconds	35	105
Promotional/Craft Three-Rune Blade
Bleeding		40 damage over 5 seconds	N/A	N/A

• The Boston Basher is a craftable melee weapon for the Scout. On hit, the enemy will bleed for 5 seconds, but on miss, it will apply the damage and bleed effect to the user. The user will not be damaged when hitting a teammate, any world geometry, or a prop.

• Don't hold the attack button. Instead, keep tapping it when the enemy is close to minimize misses.

• The bleed effect can be useful for preventing Spies from escaping by cloaking. However, trying to hit a Spy that has already turned invisible is inadvisable.

• The Crit-a-Cola can be useful with the Boston Basher; self inflicted damage will not be boosted by Crit-a-Cola's effect, and the Mini-Crits will greatly increase the bleed damage on an enemy player.

• By hitting yourself while being healed, you can boost a friendly Medic's charge speed.

• By swinging right before jumping, you can boost yourself with the self damage of the Boston Basher to heights comparable to the Soldier's rocket jump.
  • By combining the boost of the Boston Basher with the 3 jump ability of the Force-A-Nature, one can jump over massive parts of a map & get to some places that require more than one rocket to reach.

• If you land a successful hit on an enemy using the Boston Basher while the enemy is coated in Mad Milk, the bleed damage will heal you.

• If you end up making yourself bleed, you can stop the bleeding by drinking Bonk! Atomic Punch and getting a Health kit to recover.

Sun-on-a-Stick

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical
Promotional/Craft Sun-on-a-Stick		0.5 seconds	26	79

• The Sun-on-a-Stick is a craftable melee weapon for the Scout. It delivers 25% less damage than the Bat, but guarantees a Critical hit whenever you strike a burning enemy.

• Only equip the Sun-on-a-Stick when you have a Pyro on your team, as the Critical hits only come into play when your opponent is suffering from afterburn.

• If you see an unaware opponent suffering from afterburn, charge at him and try to kill him.

• The best uses for this weapon come in Medieval mode. Snipers and Pyros can light opponents on fire with the Huntsman and the Sharpened Volcano Fragment.

Fan O'War

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical	Marked for Death Time
Promotional/Craft Fan O'War		0.5 seconds	4	13	15 seconds

• The Fan O'War is a craftable melee weapon for the Scout. A player hit by the Fan O'War will be "marked for death", indicated by the hit enemy having a skull with crossbones floating above their head, and all damage they take will be Mini-Crits. The "marked for death" effect lasts 15 seconds. As a drawback, the Fan O' War deals 90% less damage on hit.
  • The Fan O' War's effect can only be applied to one enemy at a time.

• Remember that the Fan O'War is essentially the melee equivalent of Crit-a-Cola; while you don't receive critical damage, it still requires that you get within point-blank range of enemies, so timing is still vital.

• Note that ambushing and good maneuvering are crucial with the Fan O'War; whether you're using it on the front lines or the opposing base, remember that surprising the enemy is key to landing a hit (as rushing straight towards almost any class is not a great idea).

• Whilst hit-and-run techniques are not recommended during areas with high enemy traffic, it's still remotely easy to kill lone enemies with it; hitting an enemy and weapon heckling will cause most classes to flee due to your obvious advantage, allowing you to close the gap and finish them.

• The Fan O'War is perfect for countering Spies; even if a marked Spy cloaks with a Dead Ringer, the skull symbol will remain above their head, allowing you and your team to prevent their escape.

• Because of the giant decrease in damage, the Fan O'War is not a weapon for dealing damage. Use your Primary and Secondary weapons to deal damage.

Atomizer

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			On Enemies	On Buildings	Self-Damage	Critical
Craft Atomizer		0.65 seconds	28	35	10	84

• The Atomizer is a craftable melee weapon for the Scout. It grants the Scout the ability to triple jump with a cost of 10 self-damage on the third jump, but also has a 30% slower swing speed followed by 20% less damage done to players.

• The Atomizer's third jump can be useful, but choose wisely when to triple jump. Those 10 health points can be critical at times.

• If you are about to take fall damage after using your double jump, don't be afraid to use the triple jump to save yourself. It is less risky to lose 10 health than to take more damage from falling.

• With the Force-A-Nature equipped, you can perform a Quad Jump by combining the Atomizer's triple jump with the Force-A-Nature's knock back; you can perform four jumps in quick succession.

• Consider bringing the Bonk! Atomic Punch when using the Atomizer, as the self-damage from the triple jump is negated by Bonk!'s invulnerability boost.

• Using the Atomizer's third jump, you can often take shortcuts into places in the map you couldn't get to otherwise. Try using them for devastating flanks.

• If you have the Force-A-Nature equipped, it's normally a better idea to use the knock back instead of doing a triple jump, as this won't waste any health.

Wrap Assassin

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
			Point Blank	Critical	Recharge Time
Craft Wrap Assassin		0.5 seconds	11	32	N/A
		0.25 seconds	15	45	15 seconds
Bleeding		40 damage over 5 seconds	N/A	N/A	N/A

• The Wrap Assassin is a craftable melee weapon for the Scout. It allows you to launch a Bauble similar to the Sandman's baseball, causing damage and bleed on hit instead of stun. The drawback is its melee damage, which is reduced by 70%.

• The bleed damage of the Wrap Assassin can greatly benefit from Crit-a-Cola or the Soda Popper as it wil deal a greater amount of damage on enemies.

• Try to aim at groups of people clustered together, such as near a control point, for maximum amounts of damage.

Taunt attacks

Home Run

	Kill Icon	Weapon	Damage	Duration	Details
Grand Slam		Sandman Atomizer	500	5 seconds	The Scout points to the sky, winds up, and swings a deadly blow.

• It is advisable to only use your killing taunt on scoped Snipers, very distracted Heavies, or someone that has been stunned by a critical ball, because the taunt animation takes so long.

• The taunt is best used for a little revenge during humiliation. If you're on the losing team, try to lure an enemy close to you but be sure to take heed of the taunt's attack time so that you can get them right as you're about to do your called shot. For example, if an enemy comes around a corner, you can hit them with the taunt and kill them without them knowing what happened. It also works when you're on the winning team if the other player isn't moving too much. However, one of three things usually happen: other players are hiding (so you can't kill them), they're actively dodging you, or your allies will kill them before you can.

• If you manage to hit a target with a ball at just over the range required to halt their movement completely, if you start running towards them before the ball lands and do the Sandman's taunt-kill, you can finish the animation before the target is able to move out of the way. You need an area long enough to hit a ball far enough to get the complete stun effect, an unobstructed straight path to your stunned target, and a good deal of luck to pull this off.

• If equipped with the Bonk! Atomic Punch, drink it, then immediately unleash the Bonk Taunt in front of an enemy re-spawn or around corners to avoid being hit. The enemy will think you are unarmed and charge at you with a primary or melee weapon.

• This taunt is completely quiet until executed. However, the kill gives off a much louder sound upon Execution. Be sure to get ready for any attention you'll draw to yourself from the loud cheering sound after a successful Home Run.

Item set effects

Special Delivery

Main article: Item sets

The Special Delivery
	Shortstop Mad Milk Holy Mackerel Milkman
Effect	Leave a Calling Card on your victims

• The +25 health The Special Delivery gives you is a great help when fighting other Scouts, trying to outlast after-burn, surviving wayward explosives, or even survive a fully charged body-shot from a Sniper Rifle on servers with random damage spread enabled.

• Using Mad Milk in combination with the Shortstop will allow you to take advantage of your health increase even more, staying in battle for much longer.

• The health bonus from using The Special Delivery allows you to survive four Shortstop shots at medium range, point-blank Direct Hit rockets, and other high damage sources that would normally kill you.

• This is one of the best loadouts for Scouts who like to fight with their teammates and fight from a distance. The Shortstop is for keeping the distance part, the Mad Milk is for stick with the team part.

• This set has two main downsides. The first being lacking the power the Scattergun provides at close range and the other one being losing the utility of your other melee weapons, because the Holy Mackerel being a reskin.

• The Holy Mackerel and the Mad Milk are both useful for tracking enemy Spies, providing further team support.

• The Milkman indicates that you may be using the set; be prepared that in large fights, enemies may concentrate fire on you to take you down, due to them believing you have the Special Delivery set bonus.

Weapon combinations

Example Combinations
Combo			Usage
Force-A-Nature	Bonk! Atomic Punch	Bat	This set focuses on capturing the intelligence in a Capture the Flag game or a point in Control Points. The Bonk! Atomic Punch allows you to pass enemy Sentry Guns with ease, while the Force-A-Nature allows you to finish off any injured opponents that may stand in your way.
Scattergun	Bonk! Atomic Punch	Sandman	This setup is most useful when you need to get by enemy Sentry Guns in order to capture a control point or intelligence, as Bonk! Atomic Punch will allow you to run past unharmed. The Scattergun's larger magazine size compared to the Force-A-Nature's makes up for the lack of a Pistol. The Sandman's ability to hit a stun ball can serve as a last minute attack when the Scattergun's last shell has been fired, or as an offensive mechanism to get in a couple of good hits when attacking. It also gives a better long range alternative, since the Scattergun is useless beyond close range.
Force-A-Nature	Pistol	Sandman	A modification for the force knockback setup in which the normal Bat is replaced with the Sandman. Use caution while using this setup though: the Sandman's -15 health drops your health down to only 110, allowing Demomen and Soldiers to kill you with one shot at close range. On the bright side, this setup has a very effective use. Get up close and personal with your opponent with the Force-A-Nature and knock them off balance with it. Should you do something wrong and not make the kill, use your stun ball as you retreat and plan again for another strike.
Force-A-Nature	Pistol	Bat	This specified loadout is useful on defense. The knockback from Force-A-Nature can quickly force enemies near the control point or Payload off, providing you are close enough. When you don't have enough time to reload your Force-A-Nature, the Pistol provides good damage when you retreat to mid-distance. When combined with the Bat, you can survive longer than Sandman, but you lose the ability to stun your opponents.
Shortstop	Crit-a-Cola	Boston Basher	Pairing the Shortstop with the Crit-a-Cola is a smart way to deal massive damage. The Shortstop deals great damage with Mini-Crits, and paired with 4 rounds per magazine and a speedy reload, it's potentially lethal to Heavies. The Boston Basher is great with the Crit-a-Cola due to its bleeding effect. Given that Crit-a-Cola also makes you prone to guaranteed Mini-Crits as well, it's important to have a nearby healing source or Medic in case you miss with the Boston Basher.
Shortstop or Scattergun	Mad Milk	Sandman	A great combo when you want to help your team survive longer. The Shortstop and Scattergun are excellent weapons when you don't have your Pistol equipped. When your team's Medic is not around, the Mad Milk's ability will provide your teammates an opportunity to heal when they hit a soaked enemy. The Mad Milk will also reveal a cloaked Spy, aiding your team with Spy checking. The Sandman's ball can stun the enemy – changing the situation, and allowing your teammates to quickly kill him.
Shortstop	Mad Milk	Candy Cane	An ideal setup in Medieval Mode, and an acceptable supportive mode in normal gameplay. Since the only explosive attack is from the Ullapool Caber, the Candy Cane, coupled with the Mad Milk, can help you and your teammates survive long enough to capture a point. In normal gameplay, however, you need to be careful, and not engaging in front line combat unless required.
Scattergun or Force-A-Nature	Pistol	Fan O'War	This combo best uses the Fan O'War, as it allows you to get the most of the Mini Crits with weaponry that has the the most ammunition and the overall best power output. Using the Fan O'War will make the best out of a bad situation, such as when going up against a Heavy with the Natascha, or a Soldier or Demoman in a tight corridor. Overall, use this set up when you know you will be facing high HP enemies.
Scattergun	Mad Milk	Sun-on-a-Stick	This combination is recommended if you want to provide a support for Pyros in your team. The Sun-on-a-Stick's guaranteed Critical hits on burning players allows for easy kils. Mad Milk will provide more health for Pyros against a group of enemies, and allows them a critical hit if they are using the Neon Annihilator. The Scattergun can damage burning enemies from a distance, making them die quickly from afterburn, or weaken high HP classes such as the Heavy or Soldier.
Shortstop or Scattergun	Mad Milk	Candy Cane	This setup is excellent for Arena mode, as it provides health to both you and your team. Combined with the firepower of the Scattergun or good ranged damage of the Shortstop, Mad Milk will help you recover pretty much any damage you or your allies may have taken. Take advantage of the Candy Cane's small health kits which will drop upon killing a player, or direct hurt teammates toward them.
Shortstop or Force-A-Nature	Mad Milk	Fan O'War	This setup is for an entirely support-based Scout. The Mad Milk can be thrown onto any approaching enemies to allow your teammates to restore health, while the Fan O'War allows your team to deal more damage to high-priority targets. Both of these weapons can also be used to reveal cloaked or disguised Spies; The Mad Milk will drip from them when hit, and the 'Marked for Death' symbol will remain above their heads for 10 seconds after a successful hit. Both of them are also unaffected by the Dead Ringer, making them yet more effective. The Shortstop's fast firing rate and short reload time make up for a lack of Pistol (or melee weapon), whereas the Force-A-Nature makes up for a lack of firepower, and at close ranges can knock enemy players away from important locations and allow you to reach more advantageous positions to throw Mad Milk from, or hide, ready for an opportunity to strike with the Fan O'War.
Force-A-Nature	Pistol or Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol	Atomizer	This combination allows you to reach tremendous heights by using the Atomizer's triple jump ability in combination with the Force-A-Nature's knockback jumps to pull off a quadruple jump to reach great heights. However, as the Atomizer does little damage, it's best to use Force-A-Nature blasts, followed by a retreat with the Pistol if you don't have enough time to reload the Force-A-Nature. If you have the Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol in your disposal, you will be given the advantage of some extra health as well as immunity to fall damage, so you don't have to worry to much if you fall from a great height. Remember that the Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol fires 25% slower than your stock Pistol, as well as you will take 50% more damage from fire.
Soda Popper	Crit-a-Cola	Fan O'War	This loadout is for Scouts who want to hit hard and hit often. All three weapons in some way bestow mini-crits, allowing you to keep up a constant stream of high damage. The Crit-a-Cola can be used to immediately run in with Mini-crits, while running around with the Soda Popper out will increase its own Hype gauge. Controlling how often you run and what weapon you're holding when you do will allow you to activate the Soda Popper's mini-crits as soon as the Crit-a-Cola's effect wears off, or to wait until the next skirmish. The Fan O'War will allow you to mark a single enemy to continue the mini-crits against while your other weapons' effects recharge, and your teammates will be able to mini-crit him as well should you get killed. Just keep your gun stocked, because with the Crit-a-Cola in your secondary slot, you'll be left with nothing but the Fan O'War to defend yourself should you run out of ammo, which is pathetically weak on its own. Also, beware of Engineer buildings and enemies buffed by a Batallion's Backup, as mini-crits are useless against either.
Scattergun	Mad Milk	Boston Basher	This loadout is good for surviabilty and is best when combining the Mad Milk's self healing with the the Bleeding by the Boston Basher or Three-Rune Blade, causing self healing over time. As a plus, the Scattergun can quickly dispatch enemies at close range that the Mad Milk has missed, or if you are waiting for it to recharge.
Baby Face's Blaster	Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol	Bat or Sandman or Candy Cane	The Public Enemy Setup When used together, The Public Enemy Setup can be very effective. The Baby Face's Blaster's discourages jumping, which the fall damage negation presented by the Pocket Pistol complements. The boost provided by the Baby Face's Blaster presents more opportunities for ambushes, which makes the Pocket Pistol effective. Stay away from Pyros, however, as they will be your biggest threat. When using the Candy Cane, if you are set alight, you can improve your chances of survival by extinguishing yourself with a dropped health pack.
Baby Face's Blaster	Pistol or Winger or Flying Guillotine	Wrap Assassin or Sandman	This set is centered on building Boost quickly, and then using the increased speed to an advantage, such as in Weapon Heckling. A Pistol is recommended over the other Scout secondary’s, as their higher rate of fire and quick reload can make it easier to quickly build Boost quicker than the Baby Face's Blaster. While the Pistol and Lugermorph do less damage, their clip size makes them easier to spam, and is recommended for Scouts who are not as accurate when in motion. The Winger does more damage, and a full clip of damage can mostly fill up Boost, but the reduced clip means a less accurate Scout may spend more precious time reloading rather than doing damage. The Flying Guillotine can also build the boost very quickly. Although it is harder to land hits, a single hit will fill the boost most of the way. The Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol, however, doesn't build the boost as quickly do to its slower firing rate, and the fire vulnerability of the Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol will make a Pyro encounter almost assuredly lethal, especially if Boost is too low at the time to outrun the Pyro. However, you must be careful near drops, as if you fall, you will have to choose between either taking fall damage or giving up your boost. The Wrap Assassin is the preferred melee weapon for this set. The damage reduction is negligible at first, as melee weapons will not be as useful with an initially low speed. However, the ability to inflict Bleed at long ranges can build Boost at least half way if the Bleed effect carries on fully. Also, this allows the Scout to be able to build Boost over time without having to necessarily put himself in harm’s way. However, if you are using the Flying Guillotine, another bleeding projectile is redundant. The Sandman's stun can make it easier to land hits on an enemy, building your boost, and giving a critical hit with the Guillotine. Also, it deals full damage, so once your boost is full, you have a functional melee weapon to fight with. However, you must be very careful, as your survivability is reduced with the health penalty. While the Boston Basher and Three-Rune Blade can also inflict Bleed, the Scout will not be able to catch up to an enemy quickly with a low Boost, and when Boost is high, the Scout may be going too fast to hit accurately with a melee weapon, and thus risks inflicting Bleed on himself.
Baby Face's Blaster	Bonk! Atomic Punch	Sandman	This set monopolizes on your ability to make quick getaways and hit-and-run tactics. While using this set initially leaves Scout vulnerable with his slow starting speed and 110 HP, the reward is often worth the risk. The Baby Face's Blaster gives the Scout 172.5% base speed at full boost, allowing him to fly in and out of battle with blazing speeds. Pairing this with the Bonk! Atomic Punch's effects gives you the absolute epitome in infiltration and retreating potential. Capture the Flag maps become fairly easy for grabbing the intelligence if the opposing team doesn't have many Sentry Guns. Arena and King of the Hill modes are also less intimidating in the fact that you can retreat to heal with minimal chance of being injured while running away. The Sandman is used to stun enemies, further opening your window of opportunity to escape on a whim.
Force-A-Nature or Soda Popper	Crit-a-Cola or Flying Guillotine	Sandman	This setup mainly focuses on the Scout to use alternitive routes in order to sneak up from behind opponents and deal heavy damage in a short amount of time. The Force-A-Nature and Soda Popper are prefered over the other Scatterguns due to the faster firing rate. If using the Force-A-Nature, the Crit-a-Cola is the prefered secondary weapon of choice, being able to kill most classes in a single Force-A-Nature clip. If not, the Flying Guillotine can be used as a long ranged backup weapon, and can deal more than 100 damage over time if boosted by the Soda Popper's mini crits. The Sandman's ability to fire stun balls due be used to ambush or escape combat more effectively. If using the Flying Guillotine and Sandman together, you can stun enemies and follow up with a critical cleaver.
Unless marked with a †, all weapons can be substituted with reskins.

See also

• Team strategy
• Double jump