Community Heavy strategy

“

Click to listen

— The Heavy

”

The Heavy, as the class name suggests, is the full frontal attack force of Team Fortress 2. The class itself is a heavy weapon - big, slow, tough, and powerful - players can wade into battles where other classes dare not. The Heavy's usefulness as a shock troop on the front lines, defense breaker, and wide-area defender should not be underestimated or ignored by either side.

Quick Tips

Hurry through any open areas. You're the favorite target of Snipers.

Look out behind you! No, seriously, there's a Spy there! There's always a Spy there. Listen for the de-cloaking sound.

The Sandvich heals crazy-fast, and will keep you in the fight. Use it from cover.

You can right-click to throw your food items to someone else, like your Medic buddy.

Consider arming the Fists of Steel while crossing open areas, and as a strategy for distracting Sentry Guns.

General

As the class with the most HP, the Heavy is capable of absorbing a large amount of damage before going down. This endurance can allow players to stay on the front lines for longer durations than other classes. Use this to keep the pressure on the enemy if teammates need to replenish their health or ammo.
- However, remember that due to the Heavy's slow speed and large hitbox, it is far easier for players to cause damage to the Heavy, so always be ready to retreat behind cover. As powerful as the Heavy is, players should keep in mind that they are still vulnerable to concentrated attacks, and that the Heavy's slow movement can increase this vulnerability.
  - Beginner Heavy players should aim to develop a mentality that they will automatically retreat no matter what when their health drops to around 125 HP (plus/minus 25 HP). As they gain experience they will be better suited to judge a situation to see if they should retreat early or to stay and fight to the death.
- With 300 HP, the Heavy is capable of being overhealed up to 450 HP, which can allow players to absorb even more punishment than ever. A Heavy with a Medic in tow is easily one of the most powerful combinations in the game.

As the slowest class in the game, Heavy players should get used to planning their moves ahead of time. Knowing what path to take, the best places to spin up the Minigun, and the shortest path to cover and support can mitigate the Heavy's slow speed.
- Similarly, Heavies are among the highest priority classes for Teleporters. While other classes like Scouts can quickly reach the front lines from their spawn point, doing so as a Heavy wastes precious time during which could be spent attacking the enemy team.
- Conversely, due to the Heavy's slow speed, successfully setting up an ambush can have devastating effects, if only for the reason that the other team will not expect a Heavy to be there. A Heavy that can surprise a group of enemies can easily kill 2-3 of the other team's members and force the rest to retreat.
- As it is relatively uncommon for players to look up, setting up an ambush from above lets players mow down unaware enemies from close range before they can react. This can negate the Heavy's slow speed as players will not have to race to chase down their targets.

Thanks to the class's size, strength, firepower, and general obviousness, Heavy players draw a lot of attention in a fight. This allows Heavies to dictate the focus and pace of a battle merely by their presence and positioning. Heavies can be used to distract enemies while more maneuverable classes such as Scouts and Pyros can ambush and flank the enemy, and their absence can be used to lead the foe into a false sense of security.

Remember that in spite of the class's considerable offensive power, the Heavy is a Defensive type class. Heavies used in defensive situations can suppress enemy movements and break up pushes, and only needing to wait for the enemy to approach negates the Heavy's movement speed disadvantage.
- A Heavy standing next to a Dispenser can get a constant supply of ammo, letting players fire their Minigun without worrying about running out of ammo.

File:Headshot heavy.jpg

Snipers can take out a Heavy with one fully charged Headshot, so keep out of their sights!

Although the Heavy has a lot of Health, a well-placed Sniper shot can take players down in one hit, and the Heavy's slow movement and large size makes things easy for the Sniper. Glowing Sniper sight dots are a warning sign to watch for. Heavies should never stand still or spin up their Minigun in open areas, and should seek safer, more closed-off spaces when possible.
- Snipers can be made to lose their aim by firing on them. Remember that while a Minigun round at long range will do negligible damage, being hit will cause the Sniper's scope to jump, making it much harder to hit any targets.

Heavies are always prime targets for Spies, especially due to their slow movement speed, so make sure to turn around every now and then to prevent a successful backstab. When spinning up the Minigun, always be sure to have a teammate watching behind, as Spies can rarely resist backstabbing a spun-up Heavy.
- Because of the Minigun's wide spread, firing occasionally out in the open can hit and reveal a Cloaked Spy. This allows players to Spy-check over longer distances.

Pushing the cart in Payload games can be quite effective if there are teammates to support the push. Use the cart as cover and aim over the top if the angle permits (bullets won't pass through it). Furthermore, as the cart acts as a moving Dispenser, health and ammo will be replenished automatically, increasing the Heavy's already impressive endurance.

Take care of Medics! A Heavy-Medic pair can be a devastating force, but only if the two of them work together. Remember that a Medic usually has other teammates to worry about besides a Heavy, so be observant of when the Medic is and isn't alongside. Pay attention to the type of ÜberCharge the Medic deploys. If carrying a Sandvich, throw it to the Medic to keep him or her healthy if an enemy manages to cause significant damage. Listen and watch for enemies attempting to attack the Medic, and keep them at bay when feasible. Medics will often help watch for Spies, but do not depend on them to be constantly aware. Always be ready to body-block any incoming explosives to protect the Medic, especially if nearly fully overhealed. Finally, always try to keep the Minigun full on ammo in order to make the most use of ÜberCharges.

Weapon Specific

Example Combinations
Combo			Usage
Minigun	or Dalokohs Bar or Sandvich	Fists of Steel	This setup is good for an all-rounded, objective oriented Heavy. As most enemies generally attack with ranged weapons, the Fists of Steel can provide 40% damage reduction from player and Sentry Gun fire, allowing the Heavy to walk right into heavily defended objectives; this increased damage resistance can also allow particularly aggressive players to use melee attacks to successfully kill players or destroy Sentry Guns. In a Payload map, the Heavy can even use the bomb cart as an additional shield, as well as health replenishment, allowing players to escort the cart with ease. The Minigun provides a modest amount of damage, while the short spin-up time allows Heavy players to switch from the Fists of Steel directly with minimal penalties. As the Minigun does not suffer any spin-up penalties compared to the Heavy's other two unlockable primary weapons. Due to the obstacles a Heavy with this loadout faces, a lunchbox item is preferred over the Shotgun. The Dalokohs Bar is useful by giving the Heavy extra health in the event that there are no Medics nearby to give a buff, or to heal 60 HP when injured. The Sandvich is useful for healing a supporting Medic to guarantee longer survivability for both.
Natascha	Sandvich	G.R.U.	A good offensive-support setup for when facing non-Heavies in close-quarter combat, and when paired with a Medic constantly. Natascha's slow effect can be used to help teammates finish off any particularly fast enemies, and a Pocket Medic allows players to sustain fire even in the face of overwhelming force. While replenishing health with the Sandvich will not always be necessary due to having a Medic along, the Sandvich can be dropped both to keep the Medic alive as well as keep other teammates in the fight if the Medic is too busy. The GRU gives players a significant maneuverability advantage, allowing them to quickly respond to enemy movements or to reach objectives more quickly, and the self-damage while equipped will build up the Medic's ÜberCharge meter faster.
Brass Beast	Shotgun	or K.G.B or Fists of Steel	This set-up is for a strictly defensive Heavy whose main goal is to mow down enemy offensive pushes and stop them from advancing. The Brass Beast's increased damage allows players to counter Sasha-wielding Heavies, but its increased spin-up time and slow movement speed means that strategic positioning is required, preferably next to a Dispenser. The Shotgun can provide vital secondary fire in the event of an ambush where players cannot spin up the Brass Beast in time. Which melee weapon to use will depend on the type of defense needed: The K.G.B. can be used to quickly give players a temporary boost in firepower to deal with offensive pushes decisively. Due to the long spin-up time of the Brass Beast, the Shotgun is incredibly useful for utilising the 5 second Crit boost. Furthermore, the K.G.B can be used to decisively deal with any Heavies on the other team who attempt to use the Fists of Steel's sheer defensive potential to accomplish objectives, due to being able to kill such Heavies quickly with melee attacks without worrying about receiving double melee damage in return. The Fists of Steel can be used to physically prevent enemies from accomplishing an objective by using the high ranged weapon damage reduction, but beware of Scouts or Fists of Steel-equipped Heavies.
Brass Beast	Buffalo Steak Sandvich	Warrior's Spirit	The Hibernating Bear Having 5% Crits protection in exchange of having max health of 280hp, this Polycount set is geared toward strategic positioning, high-damage attacks, with provisions against Crits – especially useful due to the stationary nature of a deployed Brass Beast. The Brass Beast's increased damage potential makes it a good direct assault weapon, but its slower movement speed and higher spin up time requires careful positioning on the player's part. Alternatively, it can be used for defense, especially if friendly Engineers have not had the time to properly deploy their Sentry Guns yet; the Crit protection will force opponents to be more skillful instead of relying on the random roll. In Medieval Mode, the Warrior's Spirit's higher base damage and a relatively fast swing can provide much-needed offensive potential when fighting against Demomen using the Chargin' Targe and melee weapon combination. The Buffalo Steak Sandvich can either be eaten normally to increase the melee damage and speed of the Heavy, or thrown on the ground for quick healing; combined with the increased resistance against Critical hits, this set makes the Heavy a good class for assault in Medieval Mode.
Tomislav	Sandvich	G.R.U.	One of the best setup for the offensive lonewolf. The G.R.U. allow the heavy to quickly arrive the battle, while the quick spin-up of Tomislav allows the heavy to use covers, shoot a few rounds, and then retreat behind covers to heal. Do note that the slower firing speed made it a bad choice against other Heavies, so if Minigun/Brass Beast Heavies are encountered, the Tomislav-wielding heavy should quickly retreat or attempt to take advantage of their longer spin-up time.

Minigun / Iron Curtain

The Minigun is capable of dealing significant damage at close and medium ranges; any enemy caught by its stream will usually die in seconds. However, the Minigun must first be spun up in order to fire.

Remember that holding alternate fire will keep the Minigun spun up and ready to shoot at a moment's notice; taking up station in strategic defensive positions and staying spun up is often an excellent alternative to attempting an assault as a Heavy.
- Beware that spinning up the Minigun will greatly reduce movement speed, increasing vulnerability to enemy fire. Be especially wary of spinning up in wide-open areas, where cover is scarce and enemies can attack from multiple directions and Snipers can line up easy headshots.
- Also be wary that the sound of a spun-up Minigun is highly distinctive; keeping it spun up alerts the enemy to a Heavy's presence long before they can see the danger approaching.
- Instead of holding the alternate fire to keep the gun spinning, tapping the alt-fire button allows players to enter a spin down phase, which allows Heavies to move at normal speed while still being able to deploy the gun quickly.

Although the Minigun fires bullets over a wide range, the spread of the weapon greatly reduces its utility at longer ranges, so try to use it in close- to mid-range situations; think of it as a Shotgun with no rate of fire or reloading drawbacks.

Mouse tracking speed does not decrease when the Minigun is spinning. Setting the mouse to a high sensitivity can allow players to quickly track in on targets that suddenly appear or try to circle-strafe to avoid being hit by the Minigun.

Knowing when not to fire is key to good Heavy play. Wasting ammo whittling away long-range targets or on ÜberCharged pairs will leave players without bullets at a crucial point, and suddenly ceasing fire to gain a speed boost to get out of sight can allow even a lumbering Heavy to out-maneuver the other team, rather than relying on firepower in a dangerous situation.

One of the keys to using the Minigun effectively is learning to jump and spin up at the same time. As the Minigun can be spun-up in mid-air, this can be used to negate the movement penalty suffered before the Minigun can be fired. It is especially effective if done around corners, as it gives enemy players next to no warning that a Heavy is about to attack, whereas spinning up while approaching a corner on foot will slow the Heavy down and alert the enemy beforehand.

Don't forget that the Heavy has a Shotgun and Fists as well. The Shotgun is the weapon to use when quick maneuverability is needed, as it makes the Heavy a much harder target than using the Minigun (especially for Snipers). Fists are a good alternative for conserving ammo, especially if the Sandvich is being carried instead of the Shotgun. It's also good against enemies trying to fight at close range (such as Spies), though be careful not to let them run out of range and switch to a long range weapon.

200 bullets seems like a lot, but when the Minigun firing it will disappear rather quickly! Pay attention to fallen weapons of enemies/team-mates, weapon crates or Dispensers.

At mid-range or closer, the Minigun has a higher damage output than any other weapon in the game, save for Critical hits. Keep this in mind and keep on the offensive when facing opponents one-on-one.

Natascha

Natascha is an unlockable primary weapon for the Heavy. It deals 25% less damage than the Minigun and has a 30% longer spin-up time, but will cause a slow effect on any enemy that is hit, reducing their speed to roughly a third of their normal speed if hit constantly.
- Natascha's slow effect is reduced over range. Therefore, as with the Minigun, its effectiveness is best at close to medium range.

Natascha is particularly effective against faster classes (such as the Scout) since it counteracts their speed advantage. Use Natascha to prevent speedy classes from reaching cover, making them easier to pick off.

Due to Natascha doing less damage, it is best to avoid fighting Heavies that are wielding a different primary weapon (especially the Brass Beast), or an Engineer's Sentry Gun, unless a Medic is providing support or teammates are nearby.

When working with a teammate on defense such as a Demoman, Soldier, or Sasha-wielding Heavy, Natascha can make Scouts, Medics, and Pyros easier targets for slow-moving projectiles and allows other Heavies time to spin up their guns. In this manner, players can whittle down a target's health while preparing them for a finishing blow from teammates. This makes Natascha an ideal support weapon for helping teammates in preventing enemy pushes from becoming successful.

Natascha can be a better choice than Sasha for dealing with Spies, as Natascha reduces the chance of an enemy Spy successfully fleeing after a successful Spy-check.

The slowdown of Natascha also affects vertical momentum, meaning that any opponent trying to jump (including rocket jumps and sticky jumps) will come up short when hit. This can be used to defend high vantage points against Soldiers and Demomen trying to take the high ground.

Natascha can slow Demoman even when using the Chargin' Targe, so using it can prevent a Demoman from making a successful kill.

Brass Beast

The Brass Beast is a craftable primary weapon for the Heavy. It does 20% more base damage than the Minigun, but it has a 50% slower spin-up time, and reduces the Heavy's movement speed by 60%.

Due to the extremely slow walking speed while spun up, this weapon is great in defensive situations that do not require a significant amount of movement.
- Take advantage of its greater damage potential by guarding bottlenecks and chokepoints, where the enemy has less room to maneuver and avoid fire.
- When used in an assault/offensive, this weapon is more effective when used for brute force attack/support than an ambush.
- As with the Minigun, try not to spin it up in wide-open areas or places where Snipers have long lines of sight. As movement speed is greatly reduced, Snipers will have a far easier time lining up a headshot.

This weapon may occasionally be superior to a Sentry Gun:
- A Sentry Gun's placement is restricted, but a Brass Beast Heavy may deploy anywhere that players can reach.
- A level 2/3 Sentry Gun takes much longer to set up, so cannot be deployed in front of enemies.
- A Spy can easily sap a Sentry and take the objective before the Sappers are removed, while other classes can stay out of its range to destroy it. Provided a Heavy regularly spychecks, players can avoid being backstabbed and can fire at enemies from any distance.
- Automated Sentry Guns will only target and attack one person at a time. On the other hand, a Heavy may Spy-check anyone that comes near and can quickly change targets or move where necessary. Although use of the Wrangler does solve this to an extent, the Engineer has relatively low health and the Sentry Gun shuts down temporarily on the Engineer's death. Additionally, the Sentry Gun still cannot move without being packed up, and the laser sight makes its position rather obvious.
- Even a Combat Mini-Sentry has a slower deployment time than a Heavy with the Brass Beast(2.5s when building and 1.5s when moving, compared to 1.3s to spin up the Brass Beast), and is much weaker in terms of damage and health.

Using tap-spin (by tapping primary/secondary fire) allows players to quickly deploy the gun while able to walk at a normal speed. This is helpful when evading attacks or moving to a new position.

Carrying the Shotgun as a secondary weapon is recommended due to the Brass Beast's long spin-up time. This allows players to quickly have a weapon ready to fire in event of an ambush.

In team defenses, try to pair up with another Heavy that is using Natascha. The Natascha-wielding Heavy can slow nearby targets down, maximizing the amount of damage that the Brass Beast can do.

Make good use of Dispensers with this weapon. The slower movement speed when spinning means it is difficult for players to keep the Brass Beast well stocked with ammo, as others may take the dropped weapons of dead foes first, as well as making the Heavy an easier target for explosive splash damage.

Players can negate the extra spin-up slow down by using the jump and spin technique, mentioned in the Minigun strategy above.

Tomislav

The Tomislav is a craftable primary weapon for the Heavy. It takes 40% less time to "spin-up" than the default Minigun, and generates no sound while in the spin-up state. The weapon incurs a 20% slower firing rate, and unlike the other alternative miniguns has no direct damage or movement penalty.

A Tomislav-equipped heavy is ideal for surprising foes as they round corners. Ambushing a foe at point-blank range in this manner results in a very quick, nearly unavoidable kill; they cannot retreat fast enough to escape the finishing burst as you follow them, and they usually cannot outlast the Heavy's health if they choose to fight anyway.

If you find an area where you can efficiently execute such ambushes, make sure you do not use the same spot each time. Victims of your rampage will quickly warn their teammates, who will bring backup or keep their weapons ready as they close into the kill zone.

The Tomislav's rapid "spin-up" generally compensates for many of the weaknesses normally shored up by equipping a Shotgun. If your ammo efficency is good and/or you expect to use mostly defensive tactics, a consumable may be a more versatile use of your secondary slot.

An aggressive heavy can take advantage of the Tomislav's quick readiness in order to advance more quickly with almost no risk. If you run out of targets, feel free to raise your Minigun and reposition rapidly; you can re-enter the fight or respond to surprises quite rapidly.

Normally, switching to the Minigun while boosted from the Killing Gloves of Boxing is an inefficient use of the crit period; the Tomislav is a powerful exception to this rule, as you can switch to, deploy, and fire the weapon less than a second after you connect with the gloves. This is a great way to clear an area while ubercharged.

When coordinating with a Medi Gun equipped Medic, feel free to close the distance more in the early part of an offensive ÜberCharge, as you will have additional time to fire nonetheless.

Listen carefully for enemy Heavies and their Miniguns; should you engage, you will lose in a head to head fight with all but Natascha-wielding Heavies assuming both of you are spun up and ready to fire, all else being equal. Catch them close and undeployed, and you will win the damage race before they can deal too much damage.

Shotgun

The Shotgun is the maneuvering weapon of the Heavy. Use when moving from point to point, retreating, approaching a Sniper, or avoiding rockets, stickies and grenades. It is also handy if the Minigun's ammo has been completely drained.
- One major advantage that the Shotgun has over the Minigun is its lack of a noise signature. While players will immediately notice the presence of a spun-up Minigun, the Shotgun does not make any noise prior to firing.
- In particular, the Shotgun is good for ambushing enemies. Most players will expect a Heavy to use the Minigun, and will be unable to counter a maneuvering Heavy firing the Shotgun. While it cannot deal as much damage as the Minigun, using the Shotgun can deny enemies the ability to escape or use cover.
- The Shotgun can be used to run-and-gun while closing the distance to the enemy team during an ÜberCharge, since slowing down to spin-up and fire the Minigun would effectively stop the Heavy's advance.

The Shotgun is a useful fallback weapon for making pushes if spinning up the Minigun would take too much time and allow the enemy to escape.

If there are multiple friendly Medics on the team, then it may be a better idea to bring this over the Sandvich, since replenishing health is not an issue.

The Shotgun is useful in situations where the Minigun's ammo is nearly depleted, since it can be used to deal with lower-risk classes, such as Spies or Pyros, in order to conserve ammo.

Keep in mind that without the Sandvich, players will need to rely more on Health Packs and Medics to stay alive. Try to memorize the map's health pack locations, and keep within easy distance of teammates should the need to retreat arise.

Sandvich

The Sandvich is an unlockable secondary weapon for the Heavy. When eaten, it fully restores the Heavy's HP over four seconds; during this process, the Heavy becomes immobile and emits loud eating noises.

Remember to use the Sandvich only when behind cover and in the presence of teammates. As the Heavy is completely immobile while recovering health, enemies can very easily follow up at their leisure.
- Try to eat while backed up against a wall, as a Spy that happens upon a dining Heavy can spell disaster. In addition, make sure to stand somewhere where a Spy is unable to use a height advantage to climb over and perform a backstab from above.

Use alternate fire to throw the Sandvich onto the ground. A dropped Sandvich acts as a medium health pack, replenishing 50% of a player's HP when picked up, and stopping burning/bleeding damage. Use it to help endangered teammates quickly recover health. This is especially advisable for healing Medics, as they cannot heal themselves and doing so helps them to retain their ÜberCharge meter.
- A thrown Sandvich can be picked up from the ground for 150 instant healing. This can be used to quickly replenish health while moving. To do this, throw the Sandvich in the direction you are moving and then quickly pick it up, or bounce it off a wall if you desire it to fall nearer to you or movement is unwise; a dropped Sandvich can also be used to provide a quick health boost in the middle of battle if dropped behind a corner beforehand.
- On this note, if you are wounded and are retreating and/or have strong reason to believe you are being pursured; run around a corner, throw your Sandvich ahead of you and then jump-spin onto your Sandvich, turning 180 degrees in mid air in the process. Your partially restored health and readiness to fight will catch your pursurer off guard and give you a chance to kill him. This technique is especally effective against Pyros, Scouts and Spies.
- Enemies can see dropped Sandviches, so it is possible to set traps by dropping a Sandvich and ambushing enemies that try to pick it up.

The Sandvich has a 30 second cooldown if it is thrown or eaten when injured. Picking up a health item while at full HP restores the Sandvich instantly.
- This can be used to teammates' benefit when picking up small health packs, as the Sandvich can be dropped for a teammate, and the small health pack picked up to restore the Food meter, effectively turning the small health pack into a medium one

Without the Shotgun, Snipers are much deadlier, and without a fallback weapon players are forced to rely solely on using the Minigun to do damage.

By immediately performing a taunt upon equipping the Sandvich, the one-second weapon-change delay can be bypassed, allowing for faster consumption of the Sandvich.

Sandviches cannot be eaten in situations where the Heavy is considered airborne or swimming. However, it can still be thrown with secondary fire.

Take advantage of the Sandvich being a projectile to throw it over ledges to teammates in need.

Dalokohs Bar / Fishcake

The Dalokohs Bar is a craftable secondary weapon for the Heavy. Consuming the Dalokohs Bar restores 60 HP over four seconds when eaten, and increases the Heavy's maximum health to 350 HP for 30 seconds. As with the Sandvich, the Heavy becomes immobile and makes highly audible eating noises.
- At the end of the 30-second time limit, any health over 300 becomes overheal health, and will fully drain away in around 7 seconds.

Unlike the Sandvich or Buffalo Steak Sandvich, the Dalokohs Bar has no cooldown timer, and thus can be consumed consecutively multiple times to restore health. However, be wary that consuming it will still take time, so it is often wiser to simply look for more health pickups if the chance of being ambushed by enemies is high.

Like other lunchbox items, the Dalokohs Bar cannot be eaten while in mid-air or swimming. However, unlike the other lunchbox items, the Dalokohs Bar cannot be dropped, meaning that players cannot heal endangered teammates.

The extra 50 HP allows the user to withstand a minimum of one more shot from the Scattergun, the Grenade Launcher or the Sniper Rifle (minimally charged headshots or bodyshots). It may also allow a minimum of one more shot from the Stickybomb Launcher and Direct Hit when fighting outside very close range. All of these weapons are used by the Heavy's most common enemies and the extra hit may give the Heavy time to finish off his opponent, however without the 100% healing power of the Sandvich they will be troubled to find healing afterward.

The Dalokohs Bar can be particularly useful for Heavies that can obtain a constant source of healing but lack a nearby friendly Medic for overhealing or a Dispenser for healing.

Even though the Dalokohs Bar increases maximum health to 350, Medics can still only overheal the Heavy to 450 HP, making the bar less effective when there are numerous friendly Medics.
- Furthermore, due to a bug Dispensers will still only heal Heavies up to 300 HP.

Buffalo Steak Sandvich

The Buffalo Steak Sandvich is a craftable secondary weapon for the Heavy. When consumed, it increases the Heavy's movement speed by roughly 35%, and makes any damage dealt and taken by the Heavy Mini-Crits for 15 seconds. For the duration of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's effects, the Heavy is limited to using only melee weapons.

Like the Sandvich, the Buffalo Steak Sandvich can be dropped with alternate fire. A dropped Buffalo Steak Sandvich behaves the same as a regular Sandvich, replenishing 50% of the health of whoever picks it up.

The speed boost can be handy in more ways than simple offense; it can aid in scouting and can help get players to their destinations quickly. Note, however, that players are more vulnerable to attack after eating a Buffalo Steak Sandvich due to having Mini-Crits inflicted on them.
- A particularly effective tactic is to use the Buffalo Steak Sandvich at the start of Arena mode's setup time; the now-faster Heavy will be able to reach the front lines faster and the effect will wear off as combat begins, allowing players to make surprising offensive rushes and ambushes against lighter classes.
- The speed boost can also be used to gain access to places that were previous inaccessible to Heavies. Some jumps that would normally only be accessible to most other classes can be done by a Heavy under the effects of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich.

If an enemy is chasing at a distance, turn a corner and use the Buffalo Steak Sandvich. Using the third-person camera, it is possible to spot the enemy whist eating and, with good timing, pop out again with a surprise melee attack.

Make sure not to charge at enemies because they can still use their projectile weapons at range, which can result in swift death when combined with Mini-Crits.

The Fists of Steel can be combined with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich for considerable effect, however be especially wary as all melee attacks by the enemy will inflict double damage on top of Mini-Crits.

Family Business

The Family Business is a craftable secondary weapon for the Heavy. It has a 40% increase in clip size over the Shotgun, but deals 15% less damage per shot.

Though the decreased damage makes it less useful in straight combat, the increased clip size makes it useful for picking off distant, wounded targets. It is also extremely useful against Snipers. Sustained fire against an enemy Sniper will mess up his aim and let you move across the field quickly.

Fists / Saxxy

Fists are a fallback weapon, and are the Heavy's only fallback weapon if the Sandvich is equipped. It is also good against any class that is cornered or not expecting a Heavy to engage in melee combat.

Pressing secondary fire will cause players to punch using their right arm. This is purely cosmetic and has no effect on gameplay. However, critical hits will automatically default to a right-handed uppercut, even if the primary fire is used.

Showdown

Keep in mind the attack speed for this taunt. If it can be timed right, it is a perfect revenge tool during humiliation. It also can be used against either distracted Heavies or scoped Snipers, saving ammo for other classes.

Unlike other taunts, the Showdown taunt must be manually aimed. This allows players to hit targets from above or below, as long as the target is within the player's line of fire when the "lethal" portion of the taunt is executed.

The Showdown acts as a short ranged but very wide hitting Pistol, making it the only kill taunt with range. In melee-only Sudden Death, this can provide a considerable advantage.

In Attack/Defend and Payload maps, it is possible to achieve a kill with this. Stand in front of the gates, and taunt when there is a second left on the Setup clock.

The taunt attacks in a straight line, so it is possible to aim it through tight spaces and surprise unaware targets. It is possible to do a "Pinshot" by aiming the taunt through a thin crack that leads to another part of the map. For example, a crack under a bridge can be exploited to hit someone under or above the bridge.

Killing Gloves of Boxing

The K.G.B. are unlockable melee weapons for the Heavy. Upon killing an enemy, players are guaranteed Critical hits for the next 5 seconds, and can kill additional enemies using the K.G.B to continually reset the boost time. However, the K.G.B. has a 20% slower swinging speed.

The guaranteed Critical hits can be transferred to other weapons as well. Therefore, it is possible to kill an enemy, then quickly switch to another weapon to kill enemies beyond melee range. However, switching weapons wastes precious time, and spinning up the Minigun wastes even more; in addition, the Shotgun's Criticals are less powerful than those of the K.G.B. If possible, get multiple kills (2 or more) with the K.G.B. before switching to another weapon.
- Keep in mind however that spinning up the Minigun eats up a lot of the Crit-boost time as stated in the in-game hints. The Shotgun is a much more effective pairing since it can fire immediately upon equipping, not to mention that most classes (unless overhealed) will succumb to a single critical Shotgun blast at close range.

The slow swing speed coupled with the Heavy's slow movement speed makes using the K.G.B. a risky prospect. It is best to use them when facing a cornered enemy, or have a Medic to provide constant healing.
- However, if the Crit-boost can be achieved in tight corridors, keep using the K.G.B. while there are still enemies around; a Critical hit with the K.G.B. will kill all non-overhealed classes with a single hit except Soldiers, Demomen (with the Eyelander and with 4 or more heads) and Heavies, who will fall if a second hit is landed.

Using the Buffalo Steak Sandvich can assist in getting the first melee kill, as players will be able to move faster and deal Mini-Crits. However, beware that all damage taken will be Mini-Crits for the duration of the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's buff, so try to time an attack so that the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's effects run out as soon as a melee kill is achieved.
- This strategy is even more effective in Medieval Mode, as most other enemy classes will not be carrying long-range weapons. Just one kill with the gloves, while under the steak's effect, will make the Heavy an incredibly powerful class.

Gloves of Running Urgently

The G.R.U. are craftable melee weapons for the Heavy. While equipped, the Heavy's movement speed is increased by 30%, but players lose 6 HP/sec. Furthermore, all melee damage dealt is reduced by 50%.

Use the G.R.U. to reach the front lines faster and keep up with teammates, but make sure to know the location of health kits on the map, have a Medic to negate the health loss, or have a lunchbox item equipped, so as not to begin a fight with insufficient HP.
- The G.R.U. can also be used to escape losing combat situations. This can allow players to survive and rendezvous with teammates to continue the fight, rather than be killed and forced to respawn.
- Dodging enemy fire is also more effective when using the G.R.U., since players can use the increased maneuverability to actively dodge explosives as well as arrows fired by the Huntsman and Crusader's Crossbow.

With a Medic tagging along, the -6 HP/sec penalty can be nullified, which can also help to build the Medic's ÜberCharge meter as well. A Sandvich can also be used to sustain health where necessary. The Dalakohs Bar works as well, but the lower health regained and the need to stop and eat, rather than a quick throw, makes it less effective compared to the Sandvich. The Buffalo Steak Sandvich, like the normal Sandvich, can be dropped as well.
- Remember that the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's speed boost does not stack with that of the G.R.U. A Heavy under the effects of both will still only move at a maximum speed of 311 HU/sec.

As with the Buffalo Steak Sandvich, players can use trick jumps that the faster classes can do, like jumping onto the bridge awning on 2Fort.
- The damage penalty also adds a very slight amount of knockback while airborne. It is possible to time the damage intervals so that one in the middle of a jump will propel the Heavy slightly further, thus allowing players to reach even more previously inaccessible places (such as point E in Steel).

If possible try to use the momentum from the G.R.U. to quickly switch back to the Minigun and revving it up for added jump distance.

Remember that the G.R.U. does much less damage than standard melee weapons, so it may not be wise to get into a melee fight unless at an advantage (such as a nearby health kit, a friendly Medic, or if the enemy has been previously damaged).

When under the effects of an ÜberCharge, use the G.R.U. to push in closer to a Sentry Gun until close enough to nullify its knockback. The extra acceleration allows players go straight up to a Sentry Gun and use the Minigun's full damage potential, rather than at longer ranges where the spread makes a Heavy ineffective.

Beware of running out of ammo on all other weapons. Remember that when a weapon runs out of ammo, the Heavy will automatically switch to an alternate weapon, and then the melee weapons as the final resort; situations may arise where players will be forced to equip the GRU against their wishes, and taking damage.

If you have the Sandvich equipped, and you are about to enter contested territory after a long G.R.U dash. use the Sandvich it to replace lost health before proceeding. As a rule of thumb, try not to let your health drop below 150 when doing this, as you might be forced to choose between finding a health pack, entering combat at less than maximum health or wasting time to eat.

Consider using this with the Dalokohs Bar, as the +50 maximum HP buff can be used to reach the front lines faster, with less base health lost.

Warrior's Spirit

The Warrior's Spirit are craftable melee weapons for the Heavy. The Warrior's Spirit deal 30% more base damage, but reduce the Heavy's maximum HP to 280.

The Warrior's Spirit can be used to give players an edge in melee fights. As the Heavy already has a significant amount of HP, being able to deal more damage allows players to kill their enemies before they take too much damage.

Due to the health penalty, the maximum amount of health that a Medic can overheal the Heavy to is 420 rather than 450.
- The Dalokohs Bar can be used to partially negate the health penalty. However, this does not increase the maximum overheal health.

Fists of Steel

The Fists of Steel are craftable melee weapons for the Heavy. While equipped, the Heavy takes 40% less damage from ranged weapons. However, players will take double damage from melee attacks.

The Fists of Steel can significantly reduce the Heavy's vulnerability if ambushed or when attacked while traversing areas. As the Heavy has effectively 500 HP, it is possible to survive fully-charged headshots under certain conditions.

When retreating, equipping the Fists of Steel can increase the chances of a successful escape. Enemy players trying to finish such a fleeing Heavy will not be able to deal enough damage to get a kill before the Heavy can retreat behind cover or find some health.

The Fists of Steel are extremely valuable for accomplishing objectives such as capturing points, pushing the Payload cart or capturing the Intelligence. As most players will often try to protect objectives from a distance, using the Fists of Steel can give the Heavy a much greater chance of success at accomplishing such objectives.
- A Heavy with the Fists of Steel pushing the Payload cart can be especially hard to defeat. As the cart still heals the Heavy at the normal rate and the Heavy takes reduced damage, a Heavy pushing the cart can last for a long time.

Make sure not to get into a melee battle due to the doubled damage an enemy can deal with their melee weapons. Therefore, do not equip this in Medieval Mode.
- Be especially wary of Pyros equipped with the Axtinguisher, as successive Critical hits are virtually guaranteed to kill a Heavy in such a situation, even if the Heavy switches to another weapon to deal with the Pyro.

A Heavy with the Fists of Steel equipped can effectively shield a Sentry Gun from a barrage of rockets with ease, and soak up quite a bit of Minigun damage, which makes it ideal for protecting friendly Sentry Gun nests against an enemy ÜberCharge. Using the Fists of Steel can turn a Heavy into a mobile shield that can protect teammates and friendly buildings against damage.

The Dalokohs Bar can be a useful lunchbox item to take with the Fists of Steel. As Medics will generally avoid pocket healing a Heavy that only has melee weapons equipped, the Dalokohs Bar can give players an additional 50 HP edge, which translates to an extra 83 HP worth of projectile damage

The Hibernating Bear

Main article: Item sets

The Hibernating Bear
	Brass Beast Buffalo Steak Sandvich Warrior's Spirit Big Chief
Effect	No effect

With critical damage resistance players can counter Crit-boosted enemies. Combined, it's excellent for defense purposes, with a moderate to good performance in direct, well planned assault.

The reduced Critical damage extends to Mini-Crits as well. This makes the Heavy more effective in the face of Jarate and the Buff Banner.

While it may seem the tradeoff of health (-20 HP) for Crit protection make the item set bonus moot, note that Crits are highly damaging. If facing an enemy that deals Critical hits and Mini-Crits on a consistent basis, the overall damage resistance can negate the health tradeoff.

Note that a Heavy using this item set cannot survive a fully charged headshot even when fully overhealed, as a headshot will still do 428 damage, while the Heavy's maximum HP when overhealed is 420.

Another strategy is to eat the Buffalo Steak Sandvich, and sneak behind an unaware opponent, taking him out in approximately two hits. The full set will give you a higher survival chance if the opponent notices you, as it weakens the Buffalo Steak Sandvich's self Mini-Crit effect.

Class Combat Strategies

Scout

As Scouts cannot take Heavies on in direct confrontations, most Scout players will rely on flanking and ambushing their targets and retreating before they can counterattack. As such, make sure to be careful of being ambushed whenever pushing forward, and always be aware of possible side paths that Scouts may use to try to perform flanks.
- While the Minigun is capable of killing Scouts almost immediately upon targeting them, good Scout players will only attack moving Heavies and retreat before they can spin up. Using the Shotgun can provide some measure of self-defense against Scouts when on the move.
- Scouts using the Force-A-Nature are particularly deadly, as they can land two shots inside of one second and retreat before the Heavy can react, on top of the knockback preventing players from pursuing. Always be ready for the Scout to follow up with another attack from a different direction.

Be especially careful when using a lunchbox item. Unlike other classes, Scouts can easily pursue Heavies and attack from unexpected directions. It is usually better to simply drop a lunchbox item while moving rather than stopping to eat if the enemy team has Scouts.

Because a spun-up Heavy is an easy target, Scouts using the Sandman can easily stun Heavies over long distances, leaving them vulnerable to subsequent attacks. Try to minimize this by fighting at close ranges, where a Sandman stun will only last for a short duration.

A Scout using the Fan O'War can mark inattentive Heavies for death, allowing their teammates to deal Mini-Crit damage. If marked for death, it is usually wise to retreat away from enemy fire until the effects disappear.

Soldier

When shooting your Minigun at the Soldier, remember that you are extremely slow, so the Soldier's Rocket Launcher will almost always hit you. If possible try to be followed by a Medic when facing a Soldier.

Fire at the Soldier for as much time as it takes to damage him, strafe, then attempt to make another shot.

The Shotgun is an effective weapon choice against the Soldier, as it can deal high damage without a slow spin-up and moving speed penalty.

Pyro

Regard Pyros with the same kind of caution you would Scouts. Pyros will adopt similar tactics like ambushing, but can do it with the added effects of Afterburn and more health. Unless you have seen the Pyro outside of close range and can spin up your Minigun before closing in, keep your Shotgun handy. This is imperative for Brass Beast users, whose primary of choice takes especially long to spin up.
The Compression Blast of a Pyro's primary weapon can be an especially great nuisance to a Heavy, particularly a Heavy under the effects of an ÜberCharge. Even if the Pyro is killed while repelling a Heavy on the move in this manner, the Heavy's slow foot speed and reliance on prior positioning make it time-consuming to return to the fore, especially when on the front lines and in the middle of combat. If opposing Pyros are using these tactics, consider countering by advancing with teammates who can engage the Pyros quickly, allowing you to cover ground lost to a Pyro playing keep-away using Compression Blasts.
If you engage a Pyro one-on-one, keep your opponent at arm's length. You have the advantage of at least one extremely powerful midrange weapon in the form of your primary, and have a 125 Health advantage to outlast damage from Shotguns or ignition from a Flare Gun. Keep the Pyro in sight at all times: Pyros run faster than Heavies, and if the Pyro gets out of your sight that may be all that is needed to get within Flamethrower range.

Demoman

Heavy

Heavy vs Heavy fights usually boils down to a few simple factors:
- Who attacks first
- Who has a stronger weapon
- Who has more health
- Who has a Medic healing them
- Who gets random critical hits first

If you believe you have the disadvantage, do not engage the enemy Heavy first; whenever possible let your teammates distract or soften him up before you attack.

Cooperative Class Strategies

Scout

Heavies are masters of covering fire when on the advance, and this perfectly supplements a Scout's speed. With a Heavy's firepower dealing damage, Scouts can more safely push carts, capture control points, steal intelligence or ambush enemies.
A Heavy with a Sandvich can be invaluable to the fragile Scout. If you're both in a secure place and you do not need to use a Sandvich, handing one out to the more easily-wounded Scout can make all the difference when away from a Medic, Dispenser or supply cabinet.
Consider pairing up Natascha with supporting a Scout. Natascha's slowdown effect can more effectively delay or halt enemy pursuit of a Scout on the move.

Soldier

Together, a Heavy and Soldier duo make a tough pair, second in combined health only to two Heavies working together.
The Soldier's Rocket Launcher gives a Heavy-Soldier pair something the Heavy lacks alone: range. Rockets can travel over a long distance, and a Heavy's Minigun tracers can effectively point at enemy positions a Soldier can quickly light up.
On the offense, being under the effect of a Buff Banner can make a Heavy-Soldier combo devastating. On the defense, a Concheror or Battalion's Backup Soldier can effectively make a Soldier-Heavy pair a very formidable wall of HP and projectiles.

Pyro

Pyros are one of a few excellent distractions for incoming Heavies. The chaos that a Pyro can cause by setting whole chunks of the enemy team on fire can draw attention away from a spun-up Heavy.
In direct combat, Pyros can frustrate the efforts of Soldiers and Demomen with well-timed Compression Blasts, leaving them open to a Heavy's sustained fire.
Pyros have one main weakness when supporting Heavies, and that is the lack of any real long-range attack capability. Rockets or Grenades that a Pyro cannot spot, long-range Revolver or Ambassador attacks, Sentry Guns, other Heavies and, of course, Snipers all pose major threats to both Pyro and Heavy. This makes Pyro support a strictly close-to-midrange affair.

Demoman

Heavies can be just as good as Demomen at area denial for specific locations. Pinning down enemies with the speed of Minigun fire while a Demoman throws out a Grenade Launcher barrage can easily make up for the latter's relatively slow rate of fire and lengthy reload time.
Never underestimate the power of cooperation. A Heavy and a Demoman working together can herd enemies into a Sticky Bomb trap by laying down suppressive fire.

Heavy

Covering fellow Heavies is imperative for a pair or group of Heavies on the move. Unless you are certain where your enemies will be coming from, check each others' blind spots often and scan for threats. If a single Heavy is a conspicuous presence, a group of them is near impossible to ignore.
On the attack, deliberate maneuvering and timing are key. Heavies are slow, and if an attack is mistimed or its angle chosen badly, the defense can pick apart a multi-Heavy assault. Cover areas other Heavies are not attacking and come together as one single blow: if a group of Heavies gets flanked it's hard to stem off being entirely surrounded due to their sloth.
Consider remembering what Heavies on your team have Sandviches or similar food items and which don't. When away from Medics or nearby Health Kits, passing out food to other Heavies is vital to extended autonomy.

Engineer

You are like a moving Sentry Gun if you stand beside an Engineer's Dispenser. Tell the Engineer to put a Dispenser in a key point, and begin firing your Minigun for access denial by the other team.

If needed, stand beside a Sentry Gun if it's under fire, your presence will force the enemy to choose between shooting you or the Sentry Gun and your combined firepower will stop everything short of an ÜberCharge.

If the Engineer is trying to deploy an Offensive Level 3 Sentry Gun, hang just in front of him and try to absorb a bit of fire that is directed at that Sentry Gun and also help him Spycheck. Most of the time, this will mean the difference between a Lvl 3 Sentry wiping the other team or you and the Engineer ending up dead.

Medic

The Heavy is an ideal Medic buddy in almost any circumstance; he has a huge amount of health (especially when overhealed), a large hitbox to hide behind, and is usually very effective when Ubercharged. When coupled with a Medic, take advantage of these characteristics to keep him alive to help you wade through your foes.

Sniper

Supporting a Sniper as a Heavy can be as easy as using your large amount of HP and presence to draw enemies out into the open. By giving the enemy something very conspicuous to fight against, a Sniper can go unnoticed until the kills start to stack up.
Snipers at midrange can benefit greatly from the suppressive fire of a Heavy. Anything too far away to be greatly damaged by the Minigun can be dealt with by accurate Sniper fire from a position behind, even if it's not an ideal shooting spot for the Sniper.

Spy

As with supporting Pyros, Heavies make a fantastic distraction to draw enemy attention away from a Spy sneaking behind enemy lines. A Heavy who is good at drawing fire and prolonging combat can help keep the pressure off a fragile Spy until it's too late for the enemy.
Avoid sticking too close to a Spy. Heavies are prime targets for Pyro ambushes, Soldier rocket attacks and Demoman grenade strikes, and having a Spy damaged as collateral can very rapidly blow their cover.
As tempting as it may be, try not to throw a Sandvich out if a friendly Spy is in the area. Tossing food items around to someone who should be invisible to the other team is a surefire way to blow a friendly Spy's cover.
Learn to do cleanup. A Heavy's Minigun barrage can easily rectify a botched backstab on a fleeing enemy.

Community Heavy strategy

Contents