Engineer match-ups

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Son, I'm gonna' blow that dumb look right off your stupid face! Click to listen — The Engineer on his battle plan

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Class			Strategy
Engineer	vs.	Scout	Relative merits: Your Sentry Gun makes you the best class for defending an area against the Scout. The Sentry Gun never misses, making the Scout's mobility completely useless, and quickly chews through the Scout's low 125 health. The Scout's weapons are not powerful enough to handle a Sentry Gun directly; the best he can do is phase through with Bonk! Atomic Punch. Away from your Sentry Gun, the two of you have similar weapons, but the Scout’s harder-hitting Scattergun and faster movement speed gives him the upper hand. Tactics: To keep the Scout away, stay near your buildings and repair any chip damage he might inflict. If you can rely on teammates to hold a main area, your Sentry Gun can be instead placed to cover flanking routes to specifically deter ambushers. If you are on the offensive or constantly on the move, you may be forced to directly fight the Scout without your Sentry Gun. In this case, strafe side-to-side, fire away whenever he enters your crosshairs, and consider using the Gunslinger and Combat Mini-Sentry Guns. Useful weapons: If the Scout uses Bonk! Atomic Punch to distract your Sentry Gun for his teammates, you can use the Wrangler to manually target other enemies. Equipping the Gunslinger gives additional health and Combat Mini-Sentry Guns, which let you dominate the match-up if you are roaming. A Frontier Justice with Revenge crits can instantly kill the Scout at point blank range.
Engineer	vs.	Soldier	Relative merits: The Soldier can freely barrage your buildings from outside your Sentry Gun's range while taking cover between shots. He also has the firepower to deal with you if you try chasing him down. Tactics: Position your Sentry Gun so that the enemy Soldier cannot freely fire upon it. You can utilize cover, ask teammates for help, or engage the Soldier himself while your Sentry Gun distracts him. If you can't do any of those, haul your buildings to a better position. Useful weapons: You can use the Wrangler to extend your Sentry Gun's range. The Wrangler's shielding also buys you time for a proper response. The Short Circuit's energy ball can destroy rockets to protect your buildings, or help you approach him for a direct fight. The stock Shotgun and Panic Attack are the most reliable options for taking out a Soldier away from your Sentry Gun.
Engineer	vs.	Pyro	Relative merits: Proper Sentry Gun placement can protect a wide area, completely forcing the Pyro away. The Pyro's Flame Thrower can damage you through your buildings, making enclosed areas more pressuring to hold. Tactics: Mindful building placement prevents the Pyro from using the Flame Thrower to attack from around a corner, while taking cover behind your buildings neutralizes any long range potential the Flare Gun holds. If your Sentry Gun is at level 3, be prepared for the occasional compression blast that reflects your Sentry Gun's rockets back to you. The Combat Mini-Sentry Gun is particularly less effective against the Pyro, as it can be easily circle strafed or destroyed during deployment.
Engineer	vs.	Demoman	Relative merits: The Demoman is one of your greatest threats. He can fire projectiles from behind cover or simply prepare a pile of Stickybombs to destroy your buildings in a single explosion, preventing any repairs. Tactics: Avoid placing your Sentry Gun out in the open or right around corners, where a Demoman can easily place a carpet of Stickybombs. Rather than sit behind and continuously repair your buildings, take the fight to an aggressive Demoman with your Shotgun or lay down suppressive fire with the Wrangler. If necessary, shoot the Stickybombs with bullets to destroy them or haul your Sentry Gun away. You have considerably less to worry about if the Demoman trades in the Stickybomb Launcher for a shield and melee weapon. Check his shoes however. If he does not have the Ali Baba’s Wee Booties, it means he has a Grenade Launcher equipped and can still pose a hazard. Useful weapons: The Shotgun is one of your best direct combat weapons for pursuing the Demoman. The Pistol has plenty of bullets to destroy his Stickybombs. The Short Circuit can destroy his explosives for as long as you have metal. In particular, you can clear Stickybomb traps so your team can safely advance.
Engineer	vs.	Heavy	Relative merits: Your Sentry Gun has plenty of firepower and bulk, but you yourself do not. Your Sentry Gun may need support to hold an area against an aggressive Heavy. Tactics: Repair your Sentry Gun as it does your dirty work, crouching between your buildings to minimize the damage you take. At medium range or beyond, a level 3 Sentry Gun under constant repair can tank a Heavy's fire for the full duration of an ÜberCharge. At point blank range, however, a Heavy can easily destroy any Sentry Gun, no matter how fast it's being repaired. If the knock back from your Sentry Gun can't keep him at bay, flee. Useful weapons: The Shotgun or Widowmaker are your best bets in a direct fight against the Heavy; attempt to circle-strafe and bring him down with 3 well-placed shots. The Wrangler's shield can help your Sentry Gun survive against a Heavy at close range. The default Wrench gives the best repair rate against a Heavy's continuous assault at medium range.
Engineer	vs.	Engineer	Mirror match-up: Because of your defensive nature, you’re unlikely to come up against another Engineer unless one of you moves to an aggressive position. Tactics: More often than not, both of you will have a full nest of buildings that deters the other from attacking, so leave taking out enemy buildings to your teammates. If he’s near his Sentry Gun, the best you’ll probably be able to do is harass him at range with your Pistol. In an offensive push, hauling a level 3 Sentry Gun up to a chokepoint can give you zone control against the enemy Engineer. Useful weapons: In a one-on-one fight, an Engineer with the Gunslinger and the ability to place Combat Mini-Sentry Guns for quick support will have an extreme advantage.
Engineer	vs.	Medic	Relative merits: An enemy Medic provides healing to his team as they harass your Sentry Gun from behind cover. Without interference from your team, it is only a matter of time before you cannot keep up with repairs. A lone Medic is at a slight disadvantage with you if fighting one-on-one, but that will rarely happen. Tactics: Evaluate the enemy team as they harass your position. If you think your team can hold, crouch behind your Sentry Gun while repairing to minimize the damage you take. Otherwise, haul one building out and regroup for the next fight. The main threat brought by a Medic is his ÜberCharge, which will render a chosen teammate immune to your Sentry Gun's firepower. While invulnerable, he will generally run in front of his patient to draw fire and knock back from the Sentry Gun, allowing his patient to get close and easily destroy it. Useful weapons: The Wrangler can be used to shield your Sentry Gun and manually knock away a single ÜberCharged enemy. The Rescue Ranger may be useful for hauling your buildings away from an ÜberCharged enemy at long range.
Engineer	vs.	Sniper	Relative merits: You have no long ranged options, so a Sniper can freely target you and a poorly positioned Sentry Gun. Your Shotgun holds the advantage at close range, should you pursue him. Tactics: A Sentry Gun that is placed in a bad position can be easily picked off. If you use the Wrangler to fight back or try to repair your buildings, you risk being shot yourself. For this match-up, consider a more concealed spot for your Sentry Gun, even if it covers a smaller area. If you are desperate, use your Sentry Gun as impromptu cover as you continuously repair it. Useful weapons: The Rescue Ranger can repair your buildings without you having to expose yourself. The Pistol is your best option for harassing the Sniper at range to throw off his aim. The Short Circuit's energy ball is bright and completely opaque. At close to medium range, it can be used to "flashbang" the Sniper to prevent quickscopes. Its damage is low, so switch to your Shotgun to finish him off.
Engineer	vs.	Spy	Relative merits: The Spy is your natural predator. A disguised Spy doesn’t draw your Sentry Gun’s fire, allowing him to use Sappers to disable all of your buildings so his team can freely attack. Tactics: If your buildings aren't under enemy fire, stay busy by looking for enemy Spies. Use your Shotgun or the Wrangler to Spy-check anyone that comes within range of your Sentry Gun and listen carefully for the Spy’s decloaking sound. To prevent backstabs as you work, glance over your shoulder between swings of your Wrench to check for any approaching “teammates”. If a Spy saps your equipment, eliminate the Spy first, as he can place Sappers faster than you can remove them, and be ready for any enemies that might simultaneously attack. Refrain from standing on your Teleporter Exit at all times, as even an undisguised Spy can come through to telefrag you. Useful weapons: The Southern Hospitality inflicts bleed, which can help track down a Spy trying to sneak away. Consider calling over a friendly Pyro to guard your buildings and help Spy-check with his fiery weaponry.

See also

• Team strategy
• Engineer (competitive)