Ambushing

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Surprise. Click to listen — The Spy

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Ambushing is "an act or instance of attacking unexpectedly from a concealed position".
This strategy is most useful to classes that are more effective at close range or rely on the element of surprise, such as the Pyro, Heavy, Scout and Spy, bypassing the problem of these classes having to get close to opponents who are more effective at medium to long range combat, but it is also generally useful to any other class. By hiding around corners or behind an obstacle, the player can catch passing foes unaware, ideally killing or severely damaging them before they can react.

Flanking is effectively the same as ambushing, involving catching a player from the side or behind while they are distracted by a frontal attacker. It involves less of the element of waiting as straight ambushing does.

Bait

Sometimes the enemy needs some convincing to fall into an ambush, and so, it falls to you or one of your team-mates to assume the role of 'Bait'. The following is an assessment of the nine classes, and their 'target priority':

• Scout - Low. Scouts are weak, with weapons that are most effective at close range, which normally, would make for an ideal target. However, Scouts are usually too small, too fast and too nimble for any enemy force to invest a serious amount of effort in chasing.
• Soldier - Medium. Soldiers, being a large and relatively slow-moving opponent can often be enticing for the occasional enemy to chase. However, the amount of damage a Soldier can do, even while unassisted, offsets these weaknesses. If you retreat while reloading, the enemy may assume you are wounded and give chase anyway. Pulling out your Equalizer may also lure in enemies, as they will assume that you are low on health and are trying to escape.
• Pyro - Medium-Low. Pyros have limited range and are generally seen running towards enemies rather than away from them. Enemies might be tempted to chase a fleeing Pyro, but they may also be wary of a Pyro turning an about-face and catching them at a corner.
• Demomen - Very Low. Ambushes are extremely popular with Demomen, and most players will expect a fleeing Demoman to leave Sticky-Bomb traps in his wake. Enemies will generally fall back unless they can safely defuse the stickies or push them away with an Airblast.
• Heavy - Medium. Heavies make slow and obvious targets, but their Miniguns can put out a lot of damage in a very short space of time. Heavies who are not spun-up make slightly more appealing targets, since it takes roughly a second before they can launch an effective counter-attack.
• Engineer - Medium-High. Engineers have only basic weapons to defend themselves, and if they're caught away from their Sentry Guns, they're largely considered easy prey by the other classes. However, Engineers have been known to set up their own ambushes using their Sentry Guns.
• Sniper - High. Snipers operate best when they can put significant distance between themselves and their opponents. At close-range, Snipers are out of their element and will often retreat to regain the advantage.
• Medic - Very High. Medics are usually the number one target when it comes to the order of elimination. A slim profile and faster-than-average speed make them superb (albeit valuable) bait for ambushes.
• Spy - High. Undisguised Spies draw a lot of attention from enemy players, who will want to eliminate the threat before the Spies have a chance to Cloak or disguise.

Class-Specific Ambush Tactics

Soldier

• Rocket jump onto high places that are above the player's average eye-level (e.g on top of doorways, on top of a pile of crates). When the enemy runs through the doorway, rain down rockets upon them.

Pyro

• Lurking around corners or next to entryways into different areas of the map to enable him to take advantage of the limited range of the Flamethrower.
• Players tend to watch on their front and flanks, but not above them, so another form of ambush is dropping from above onto approaching enemies. This form of ambush can land you in the middle of a group of attacking enemies, allowing you to douse the entire group in flames in a second or so by spinning around. It has the advantage of speed, as free fall is significantly quicker than foot speed. It is only possible wherever a ledge exists for you to drop from, and this can be anticipated by the enemy team.

• When lurking switch to your Axe to prevent the end of your Flamethrower sticking out you can then try to chop them from behind before finishing off with your Flamethrower.

• The Backburner rewards Pyros with its 100% Critical hits when attacking an enemy from behind, making it an excellent ambush weapon.

Demoman

• Your sticky-bombs are tailor-made for ambush purposes. Doorways, corners, and anywhere the enemy doesn't normally look when passing makes a great location for a potential sticky-bomb trap.

• Thanks to the abilities of the Scottish Resistance, you can set up a multi-ambush. When waves of enemies approache you, detonate your first batch of stickies to take out the first wave, then detonate the second batch for the second wave, and so on.

• Since confined locations are generally used for ambushing, it is best to place sticky-bombs in tight clusters of 3-4, as opposed to covering a large area. The affected area is decreased, but the explosive damage from each sticky-bomb stacks, and even the minimum splash damage will generally kill any class with a single detonation.

Heavy

• A Heavy can jump around corners, spinning his Minigun on the way down, and proceed to wreak havoc on an unsuspecting, approaching enemy team. This works particularly well because the Heavy's DPS is particularly high up close.
• With the Gloves of Running Urgently, you can use the added momentum to jump further in the air, allowing more unpredictable attacks.
• Using Natascha when ambushing enemies can be quite effective, as the slowdown effect prevents enemies from fleeing, and the reduced damage is made up for by the increased damage when fired in close range. In addition, Natascha is quieter when spinning than the Minigun, making it harder for approaching enemies to anticipate an ambush.

Engineer

• Level One Sentry Guns are small and relatively quiet, making them ideally suited for planted ambushes and traps, much in the same way Sticky-Bombs are suited for trapping doorways.
• Similar to the Level One Sentry Gun, the Combat Mini-Sentry Gun has the additional advantages of a rapid build time and low construction cost. This allows you to quickly set ambushes in contested areas or delay pursuers if you are forced to flee.
• Know where your Sentry Gun's 'blind spots' are, and learn what areas nearby set up ambushes for those spots. This goes a long way to supplementing your Sentry Gun's strength, and protecting it from potential aggressors.

Spy

• Cloaking/Disguising while hiding behind an object or around a corner is a common strategy for Spies. Await an oblivious opponent to pass your hiding place, and then deliver the unsuspecting backstab. The Dead Ringer can make this strategy a lot easier for people.

• If there is a large-scale, heated battle taking place, try using the Cloak & Dagger to hide in the corner of the area. When there is a group of enemies plowing into your allies, close in from behind and deliver your backstabs.

• Hiding and using the Your Eternal Reward is a new, effective strategy. Uncloaking right behind enemies in the heat of battle and then giving them a quick jab can leave very little impression of you ever being there, thanks to the dagger's effects.

Surviving Ambushes

Since an ambush is, by definition, an attack of total surprise, usually the only way to escape is to retreat, or go back the way you came. But there are steps you can take to stop your team from triggering an ambush in the first place.

Avoidance

• Look for Sticky-Bombs and shoot them out of the way, whenever possible.

• Anticipate the places the enemy will be hiding and enter from the far side while Strafing. (Note: most people are right handed so will instinctively hide on the right hand side for them, the left hand side to you)

• Move quickly through confined spaces, or if possible, avoid them altogether.

• Be on the lookout for the nozzle to the Pyro's Flamethrower/Backburner. It is a large and longer weapon than most and tends to stick out if he has it equipped.

• Listen out for noises that certain classes make, such as a spinning Minigun, or the decloaking sound of a Spy.

• When entering doorways or moving around corners, it is often good to move out and back quickly, allowing you to catch a glimpse of the area and any potential ambush, and move away before any enemies have the chance to react.

Countering

• Don't follow the same path twice, if you can avoid it. Enemies may be watching you to see which paths are ideal for ambushes.

• If you have a Spy hidden behind enemy lines, he can relay the enemy's ambush locations back to you.

• Unless you have an ÜberCharge at the ready, don't ever think you can 'punch through' an ambush. This is most often suicide.

Map-Specific Ambushes

2Fort

• Inside the hooded plaza entrance to the Intelligence area

• Around the corner from either of the two entrances to the enemy base

• Around the corner from either of the two sewer entrances

• The small corner round the bottom of the stairs leading from each base to its sewer

• The small pile of crates (RED) or barrels (BLU) upon ascending the stairs from the sewer

• The 'Grate' room in either base. Allows a good view of the front entrance.

• The shelf and 'work-sink' between either Team's Base Entrance and the Courtyard. (Enemies tend to charge directly from the Entrance to the Courtyard and then stop, ignoring this corner completely)

Well

• Next to the rail tracks at the middle Control point on the outside of the entrance or on the inside of the exit.

• Next to the doors into the fourth Control point (this is close to water for Pyros though)

• Behind any of the rail cars

• Next to the well entrances / exits

Dustbowl

• Stage 1, behind the small house outside of the BLU exit leading directly to Control point 1: while it is easy to be spotted from the exit across the ravine, it is ideal for ambushing BLU players heading straight for the control point, as well as dropping down on players approaching the control point from within the ravine.

• Stage 1, above the stairs leading to the small building across from Control point 2: players heading up the stairs tend to go straight up the stairs and onto the building, sometimes ignoring you.

• Stage 2, end of tunnels leading to Control point 2 area: there is a wooden walkway above these tunnel exits (Engineers like to build Sentry Guns on it) that a Pyro can drop down from on emerging attackers, or for RED players to attack BLU attackers heading straight for the control point upon leaving the tunnels.

Granary

• On the overhead path with the circular exit leading from Control Point 2 to the central Control Point.

Steel

Steel plays well to the short-range classes' abilities, as a large percentage of the map contains blind corners, choke points, and narrow corridors.

Some specific ambush locations include:

• The Window Room overlooking Control Point E. This is accessible from A, just beside the RED team's Spawn Room. A BLU Spy can easily use this to slip in amongst enemy players incognito.

Pipeline

• Stage 1, The staircase leading up to the Sniper nest next to spawn: Jump down to the bottom of the stairs while your enemy is walking up them to get to the Sniper nest, effectively cutting your enemy off from the exit.