Backcapping

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Is-is anyone even payin' attention ta me? Click to listen — The Scout

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Back-capturing, or Back-capping, is the act of capturing an enemy point on a 5 Control point map whilst one of your team's points is being captured. This tactic requires a considerable risk, but if it is successful, it will also reap significant rewards. If your team successfully back-captures a point, it will effectively leave the enemy team a long way from their own base and up against a team that is moving forward. If your attempt fails, then your team will be disadvantaged by the absence of you and any other players who were trying to capture the point which may significantly weaken your team's defenses.

Back-captures are most effectively performed by Scouts and Spies due to their ability to pass through enemy territory with ease. Another advantage that these classes have, is their ability to flee the point and return to safety if there are problems, effectively providing them a second chance at back-capturing. That said, Soldiers and Demomen are capable of effectively backcapping with the Pain Train in their loadout thanks to the increased capture rate it grants, at the cost of being vulnerable to scouts or heavies preparing to defend the point. Because of this, a Soldier or Demoman will probably have better chance at defending themselves so they can capture the point, but do not have as much potential for a safe escape.

One thing to keep in mind is that the time required to capture each point varies depending on its location on the map. Generally, the center point of each map is the point that that takes the most time to capture. Because of this, trying to back-capture the center point while the opposing team are capturing a point closer to your base is a bad idea. If you find yourself in this position, it is far more useful for your team to play defensively, and wait to make your push when the point has been successfully defended.

An ideal time to attempt a back-capture is when your team controls the center point of the map, and your opponents are trying to take it back. As your opponents will be trying to push forward and will probably have a majority of their players on the front line, you will often find yourself in situations that provide you with an opportunity to enter enemy territory and capture the fourth point with relative ease. Successfully doing so will leave a large number of enemy players on a locked point and in a tight corner, rushing back to their base as the flow of the battle shifts. With a bit of skill and some luck, you can effectively open up a probably under-defended final point and win the round for your team. Keep a close eye on your HUD, however, and if you see that the enemies will capture a point before you, head back to help out your team, or at the very least do not blow your cover by stepping onto the point.

Attempting to back-capture the final point of a map can be difficult due to the number of enemy players who will most likely be trying to defend it, but as the point captures so quickly, it may be worth a shot. In such instances, Spies are preferable to Scouts as they can sap any Sentry guns that may be surounding the point, then attempt to capture it. That said, if the point is just unlocked, it may be worth running on as a scout as the point will capture so quickly that enemies may not be able to run on it in time, and lower level sentries may not kill you fast enough to stop it (though this is predictable, so enemies may already be standing on the point itself). Some maps are easier than others to back-cap the last point due to this time but on others, like Gravelpit C, it may took too long to capture and be interrupted by enemies arriving or soldiers rocket jumping to the point.