Rush

“

If you know what's good for ya, you will run! Click to listen — The Soldier

”

The Rush is an offensive strategy involving members of a team selecting a single class and attempting to push through the enemy together for a brief period.

Coordination and the element of surprise are required for the Rush to work. The aim is to use the chosen class's advantages, along with sheer numbers, to overcome the opposing force. Often than not, the Rush may result in an opportunity to seize an objective, resulting in a quick decisive victory.

Class Rush Strategies

Scout Rush

“

Let's get 'em! Click to listen — The Scout

”

The Scout rush strategy requires all team members (or at least a large majority of the team) to choose the Scout class and 'rush' towards the objective, such as the center Control point on traditional Control point maps such as Granary or Well. The large number of agile Scouts all taking advantage of their double capture speed makes it likely they will capture the center point before the other team has enough manpower in the area to contest it. While the capture is still in progress, the remaining Scouts use their speed to slip past the advancing front of the opposing team to the perimeter control point and then the final point.

Scout rushes can also work on Capture the Flag maps. Several Scouts taking different routes into the enemy base may overwhelm the emerging enemy team and not give opposing Engineers enough time to erect Sentry Guns.

Note: Some servers impose a limit upon number of players in any given class. Limits on the Scout class can reduce Scout rush effectiveness.

The best counter for a Scout rush is several Sentry Guns, as their automatic tracking renders the quick speed of the Scout nearly useless. Multiple Pyros are also a good counter, due to the spread of the Flamethrower and the fact that the afterburn will remove nearly half of a Scout's health. A Natasha-wielding Heavy may also spell death at longer rangers; especially if he has Medic support.

Soldier Rush

The Soldier rush is quite deadly at close to medium range with an entire volley of rockets being harder for the enemy team to dodge. Your shock tactics and high mobility may allow you to steamroll over the enemy for a quick and decisive victory. A Soldier rush can be foiled however by a combination of sticky bomb carpets, Snipers and/or Spies. Also without Medics on hand, your Soldiers will suffer high damage that is unlikely to be healed, though Equalizers will substitute for that to kill off distracted opponents. Pyros setting multiple Soldiers on fire can spell doom for the rush. All in all, the Soldier rush is a "do or die" tactic, where you will either win easily, or die quickly. Some Soldiers will carry Buff Banners to aid the assault.

Pyro Rush

The Pyro rush can be an effective tactic in some cases, but is ineffective in most. While a high number of close range attackers with disorienting Fire damage can leave a team in chaos, you are also in deep trouble if you should encounter a Heavy/Medic pair with a ready ÜberCharge (highly likely at the end of setup time) who are likely to mow you down before you can deal serious damage. Also several Sentry Guns can easily foil a rush.

Demoman Rush

A Demoman rush or Demo rush combines a solid defense with strong offensive capabilities, with volleys of stickies preventing the enemy from moving forward or even leaving the gate. If they manage to get on the point and booby trap the entrances to the area then they can weather a sustained assault. The Pain Train is a very helpful weapon to carry if your focus is on capturing Control Points. A Demoman Rush is one of the few class rushes that is able to overcome an ÜberCharged pair. However, the rush is vulnerable to Spies and skilled Pyros. Many Demomen rushes consist of the team using a combination of Sticky bombing Demomen (Using the regular Stickybomb Launcher) and Chargin' Targe Demomen.

Heavy Rush

The Heavy rush is a tactic where you use the superior health and firepower of multiple Heavies to create a steamrolling vanguard few opposing teams can withstand. However, with low mobility and the absence of Medic partners this can prove a risky tactic. Eventually, the enemy is likely to overpower you and your slow speed may prevent you reforming the vanguard before the enemy have set up stronger defenses. On an unprepared foe this tactic can be devastating, though they are likely to be prepared a second time, and counter.

A subset of this rush is a Heavy+Medic Rush, in which half the team are Medics and the other half Heavies. This allows for a series of ÜberCharges that can quickly destroy any unprepared enemy defenses.

Engineer rush

The Engineer rush is normally ineffective except in specific circumstances. This tactic is best used with a large number of Gunslingers ready to place Combat Mini-Sentry Guns to cover the construction of regular Sentry Guns. In general, Engineers lack high direct damage attacks and Sentry Guns take time to build. It is often best to let the enemies get themselves killed on your Sentry Guns before rushing forward against their reduced numbers. This is far more effective on defensive maps and games such as the RED team in Payload maps, and it can also be used for more effective turtling.

Medic Rush

The Medic rush is a tactic where you have an entire team of Medics paired with other Medics. If you can make sure half the Medics have Blutsaugers and half Mediguns, this will make it harder to kill individual Medics. If all the armed Medics fire at once it can create a volley of syringes that will be difficult to dodge, along with a succession of ÜberCharges which can make for an almost unstoppable assault. ÜberCharges necessitate a high level or coordination and teamwork however, and once they fade out you will be left vulnerable. This can be effective for capping individual points however.

A "Medic Rush" can also refer to half of the Medics using the Übersaw while the other half ÜberCharge them. This is known as a Chain Über. The tactic requires good communication between players, and can be prolonged indefinitely with skillful switching between Übersaw and ÜberCharge roles.

Sniper Rush

The Sniper rush is very rare. Unless your whole team can aim extremely well, it will likely fail. The Huntsman may increase your chances of success, due to its strength at closer ranges. If your team is made up of effective players, then a Sniper rush's biggest impediment are fast classes, Sentry Guns and Spies. The Sniper rush is most effective on maps which maintain large stretches of open space. Maps with tight choke points or an abundance of corridors can cripple the Sniper rush.

Spy Rush

The Spy rush is an uncommon tactic. It involves a large number of a team becoming Spies, then disguising as various classes and rushing the enemy base. If used correctly, then the Spies can sow confusion among the ranks. It may also allow the Spies to take down well-guarded turrets with the advantage of numbers and a larger supply of constant Electro Sappers. A successful Spy rush may well give the Spies' team an opportunity to slip past the group hysteria and proceed with the fulfillment of the objective. Pyros can spell death to this tactic however. An alternative play on the Spy rush is to adopt friendly disguises and equip the Dead Ringer, this may lead the opposing team to assume they have killed everyone, while the Spies sneak cloaked onto the control point.