Product (competitive custom map)

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 Some or all info may be outdated.

Product (competitive custom map)
Basic Information
Developer(s):	Unknown
Map Info
Environment:	Temperate, Alpine
Setting:	Daylight

Product is a King of the Hill map, a modified version of Viaduct that has been tailored to competitive play. The biggest changes are retexturing and an extra opening in the midpoint wall that contains a small health pack. Product may be less laggy for older PCs due to the lack of snow effects.

Locations

Spawn

Spawn is the area between the spawn building and the first row of buildings. There are boxes, logs, and various other cover to fight on or around in this area.

Valley

Valley is the area between the first and second row of buildings, and the small rocky area containing a medium Health pack. The Valley itself is sparse, and the only defensive position in it is the building near the point.

Cliff

Cliff is the large rocky outcrop that overlooks the point and valley, and the wooden pathway connecting it to the middle building. There is a medium Health and ammo pack at the ramp up to it.

Point

The point is surrounded on two sides by logs and a sign. Adjacent to the point is a concrete platform.

Tactics

General

• Product is very offclass-friendly, and you may find the standard competitive class composition not to be the most efficient.
  • Your flanks can run Heavy and Sniper almost full time, and running a Spy is often viable.
  • Your pocket can also run Heavy, or switch to Gunboats while letting the Medic primarily heal the Demoman or the Heavy.
• Product encourages using the Kritzkrieg.
  • If you are running Kritz, your demo should be getting most of the heals, and you need to be pushing as fast as possible to prevent the other team from getting Über.

Pushing to the Point

• When you don't control the point, there are multiple points to hold.
  • You can hold near the medium Health pack with your combo, and have your flank on the other side.
  • Your combo can hold under the walkway connecting Cliff and House while you have a flank class on Cliff and near the medium Health pack.
  • You can put your combo right behind the sign blocking the point, giving yourself a very strong push, at the cost of being easy to bomb.
• When you have Über advantage, you need to act quickly, and try to kill the enemy Medic before he gets his Über.
  • If you have Kritz, pop on the Demoman and try to clear the point and kill the combo.
  • If you're running a Heavy, use the Über to walk him onto the point, and force the other team back to their valley.
• If you're at disadvantage or have no Medic, your first priority should be killing the other team's Medic.
  • If you have no Medic, it can be worthwhile to sacrifice 2 or even more players in an attempt to kill the Medic.
  • If you're at a disadvantage, pulling out all the way to your Spawn is the best way to ensure that your Medic doesn't die.

Holding the Point

• After you control the point, you need to decide where to hold based on multiple factors:
  • If you have Über advantage, more players, or feel confident, you can push all the way up to the other team's Valley, or even attempt a spawn camp.
  • If your Medic died, you have fewer players, or you don't feel confident, you should pull back to where you originally were holding, and wait for the enemy push.
• The best way to counter an Über on Product is to try to kite it, then collapse immediately after it expires.
  • Often, Medics will switch to Kritz if they went down, so as to make up for Über advantage. If you've capped the point, be expecting a Kritz, and be ready to pop.