Scout match-ups

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I'm gonna headbutt ya, I'm gonna headbutt ya, I'm gonna headbutt ya! Click to listen — The Scout on his delicate battle plan

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Class			Strategy
Scout	vs.	Scout	Mirror match-up: You are most likely to run into other Scouts when both of you are away from teammates, such as during the initial rush to a map objective or at the outskirts of a battlefield. Both of you do high damage at close range and have low maximum health, so the fight will likely be over within a few seconds. Tactics: Raw skill is the greatest factor in winning a Scout duel; shoot the enemy Scout and avoid being shot yourself. Look carefully at your opponent's movement; it is easiest to hit your shots while he is moving in straight lines or landing from a double jump. You can make yourself harder to hit by changing directions unpredictably and mixing single jumps in with your double jumps. Keep the locations of nearby health kits in mind; the boost of healing they provide can turn the tide of a fight for both you and your opponent, and unlike with other classes you can't outrun him directly. If you find yourself losing, enter extremely close range to make aiming chaotic for your opponent. You will take more damage at close range, but this is less of an issue if you are already low on health, and the increased damage you will deal may turn the tide of the fight. You can also choose to retreat; because the enemy Scout is just as agile as you, it will be difficult to outrun him directly. If possible, attempt to retreat towards locations the enemy Scout is unwilling to chase you, such as a group of teammates or into the path of a Sentry Gun. Useful weapons: The Scattergun has the highest clip size of all your primary weapons, which gives you room for error in case you miss shots. Crit-a-Cola allows you to win the fight in one point-blank shot. However, keep in mind that the Marked-for-Death debuff it triggers will allow the enemy Scout to do the same to you. The Sandman's baseball will slow the enemy Scout down significantly on a long-ranged hit, taking away one of his main advantages and making it extremely difficult for him to retreat. Bleed-inflicting weapons, such as the Flying Guillotine or the Wrap Assassin, can weaken the enemy Scout to the point that a single close range shot will defeat him.
Scout	vs.	Soldier	Relative merits: Both you and the Soldier are effective close-range combatants, but you have the advantage of movement speed. A Soldier will typically aim his Rocket Launcher at your feet to deal splash damage, but your ability to double jump makes it easier to avoid being hit directly. Tactics: Try to stay in open areas to make the best use of your mobility. Try to deny the Soldier access to high ground, where he can rain rockets from above. Stay at medium range, where you are far enough away to dodge rockets but still deal respectable Scattergun damage. You can double jump to avoid rocket splash damage, but avoid double jumping so predictably that the Soldier predicts where you will land and shoots a rocket there in advance. If you need to retreat, stay alert in case he decides to rocket jump after you. Useful weapons: The Soda Popper's Hype mode lets you remain airborne for five jumps, making it almost impossible for the Soldier to hit you with splash damage. Take out the Atomizer for an unexpected triple jump to reposition yourself.
Scout	vs.	Pyro	Relative merits: You have the speed to outmaneuver the Pyro, provided you have room to maneuver, and a longer effective range. However, your low maximum health makes you vulnerable to afterburn, and the wide hitbox of fire particles means that a Pyro has an easier time hitting you than most other classes. Tactics: Defeating a Pyro is all about spacing. Use your speed to stay just outside Flame Thrower range while taking shots with your Scattergun (or Pistol) as opportunity presents. Avoid enclosed areas, where the Pyro can use the compression blast to shove you into a corner for an easy kill. Try not to get hit at all; afterburn can take off up to half of your health and may empower certain Pyro weapons, like the Flare Gun or Axtinguisher. If you are trapped in Flame Thrower range, get as close to the Pyro as possible - at point blank, your primary weapons outdamage the Flame Thrower. Kill the Pyro as quickly as possible, then retreat to a health kit/Dispenser/Medic to extinguish yourself. Useful weapons: The Force-a-Nature's knockback can force the Pyro away from you and keep you outside Flame Thrower range. The Shortstop's reduced bullet spread allows you to stand further away from the Pyro without losing too much damage. The Pistol and its variants can be used to chip away at a Pyro's health from a safe distance. The healing from Mad Milk can offset the damage from afterburn in an extended fight. It can also be thrown at your feet to extinguish yourself instantly.
Scout	vs.	Demoman	Relative merits: Both you and the Demoman have extremely high damage output. While your weapons use bullets, the Demoman's weapons all use explosive projectiles. Combined with your mobility, this means that you have a much easier time hitting him than he has hitting you, which gives you a significant advantage. Tactics: The Demoman is weakest at close range, where he cannot attack you with explosives without damaging himself. Stay outside melee range but close enough to do significant damage with your Scattergun. Alternatively, you can remain at a distance to more easily dodge the Demoman's explosives entirely. As you dodge, watch for grenades that bounce nearby and are about to explode, as even an indirect hit can take away half your health. Stickybombs are ineffective against you in a direct fight, as you have the speed to run outside their explosive radius before the Demoman can detonate them. However, a pre-laid Stickybomb trap can kill you instantly. Keep an eye out for doorways, walls, or other surfaces that may contain a trap, and avoid pursuing the Demoman into such areas. If need be, take alternate routes to avoid his traps and ambush him. A "Demoknight" using the Chargin' Targe, Splendid Screen, or Tide Turner is unable to use Stickybombs, but is also much more likely to be using a melee weapon such as the Eyelander that provides enhanced melee range. A shield-charging Demoknight is also one of the few things faster than you. Keep a respectable distance to avoid getting hit; if he charges, instead of trying to outrun him, run sideways or double jump up nearby objects to take advantage of the limited control while charging. If he is already low on health, you can also just try to shoot him mid-charge, as none of his shields grant bullet resistance. A Demoknight will usually also be using the Ali Baba's Wee Booties/Bootlegger, giving him additional speed but taking away his Grenade Launcher entirely and forcing him to use melee. If he does have a Grenade Launcher, usual anti-Demoman strategy applies, but keep your distance anyway in case he decides to switch back to his melee weapon. Useful weapons: Bonk! Atomic Punch can be used to phase past a Demoman's Stickybomb traps. The Sandman can slow a Demoknight down to a crawl on a long-ranged hit, leaving him extremely vulnerable.
Scout	vs.	Heavy	Relative merits: The Heavy is, in many ways, your exact opposite - he lacks your mobility, but makes up for it with a much higher health pool and the Minigun's rapid stream of damage. In a direct fight, he is able to out-damage you; don't engage against a Heavy unless you have some sort of advantage to work with. Tactics: The element of surprise is your strongest weapon; if you catch him unprepared, you can kill a Heavy with just a few point blank shots before his Minigun has time to be spun up. If his Minigun is already spun up, attempt to approach from behind to make it harder for him to react. Once he has his sights on you, weave in and out of cover between shots, circle strafe, or double jump over his head to make it harder for him to track you and minimize the damage you take. While his Minigun is spun up, a Heavy is effectively immobile; this makes it very hard for a wounded Heavy to run away from a fight, or for him to pursue you if you need to run away. Note the sound his weapon makes before deciding to fight - the distinct whir of the Natascha, which can slow you to a crawl, is a sign to stay back. Useful weapons: Crit-a-Cola will allow you to match the Heavy's obscene firepower, but will also cause you to take more damage; it is best used for ambushes against Heavies who are unaware of your presence. Mad Milk can help you survive the damage from his Minigun in a sustained fight.
Scout	vs.	Engineer	Relative merits: An Engineer has similar weapons to yours, but far less mobility, giving you a descisive advantage in a fight. However, he will commonly be patrolling around his Sentry Gun, which has perfect aim and extremely high damage. You are ill-equipped to deal with Sentry Guns on your own; avoid them at all costs. Tactics: Avoid routes covered by Sentry Guns and check around corners before blindly rushing into new areas. If you locate a Sentry Gun, steer clear of that area and inform your team of its location so they can take care of it for you. If the Sentry Gun is unattended, you might be able to slowly chip away at it from far away with your Pistol or the Shortstop. Otherwise, when an Engineer is near the Sentry Gun, the best you’ll be able to do is harass him from long range. An Engineer using the Gunslinger will build Mini-Sentries instead of regular Sentry Guns; Mini-Sentries build much faster and are just as accurate as regular Sentry Guns. However, they also have a lower damage output and less health than even a Level 1 Sentry Gun; it's possible, but risky, to circle-strafe around a Mini-Sentry and destroy it in two shots. Useful weapons: Bonk! Atomic Punch can be used to distract a troublesome Sentry Gun while your teammates destroy it, or to run past an area being watched by a Sentry Gun. The extra mobility granted by the Force-a-Nature Soda Popper, Winger, Atomizer, and/or Boston Basher can be used to take alternative routes to avoid Sentry Guns.
Scout	vs.	Medic	Relative merits: A Medic provides valuable healing, overhealing, and ÜberCharges to his teammates. Because of this, he is one of your highest-priority targets. The Medic himself is extremely weak in a fight, but usually surrounded by his teammates, making him difficult to reach. Tactics: The Medic will likely stay near his teammates to heal them - these enemies will have plenty of health and are therefore more difficult for you to pick off. Additionally, the Medic is free to turn around and assess the battlefield while healing, so you need to approach carefully. Wait for when the Medic and his teammates are unaware or distracted, and fire a few carefully-aimed shots at the Medic to drop him. Don't get greedy; if you get noticed after (or before) you kill the Medic, feel free to fall back to avoid the wrath of his patients. An ÜberCharged Medic and his patient are extremely dangerous. Your speed lets you quickly retreat from such a pair until the ÜberCharge wears off. Alternatively, you can use your speed to get right in the ÜberCharged pair's face and attempt to dodge their shots; this is dangerous, but can help draw fire away from the rest of your team. Useful weapons: The Sandman's baseball can slow a Medic down, which can separate him from his team and make it harder for him to retreat.
Scout	vs.	Sniper	Relative merits: Your mobility makes you difficult for a Sniper to hit. However, if you do get hit, one headshot or fully charged bodyshot will instantly kill you. Move unpredictably to throw off the Sniper's aim, and attempt to engage him at close range, where he is much weaker. Tactics: Ideally, take a route where the Sniper will not see you coming. If you do need to enter his sightline, zigzag, jump, and strafe to become a difficult target to hit. If possible, harass the Sniper with your Pistol at long range to throw off his aim. Once you close the distance, you have the advantage. Even at close range, take care, as the Sniper may try to quickly scope in and headshot you anyway. Useful weapons: Bonk! Atomic Punch can give temporary invulnerability if you need to directly approach the Sniper.
Scout	vs.	Spy	Relative merits: Your speed makes you hard to backstab and allows you to chase fleeing foes, making you one of the Spy’s deadlier opponents. He has some of the game’s weakest weapons, so once you spot him, a fight is heavily in your favor. Stay vigilant; if you let your guard down, a Spy you didn't see might backstab you at an unexpected moment. Tactics: You can easily Spy-check by simply running into your teammates; if you can’t move past them, they’re a Spy. If he Cloaks and flees, use your Scattergun's spread or other useful weapons to reveal him and give chase. If the Spy stays for a direct fight, strafe back and forth, land solid Scattergun shots, and take care not to expose your back to his Knife in the heat of the moment. Useful weapons: Mad Milk and bleed effects from the Boston Basher and Wrap Assassin can reveal a Cloaked Spy.

See also

• Team strategy
• Scout (competitive)