Basic Soldier strategy

The Soldier is a tough, all-purpose assault class that excels at both offense and defense. Although slow on foot, he can rocket jump to cover distances quickly and reach unpredictable locations. His weapons are capable of taking on multiple foes at once, but run out of ammunition quickly. A good Soldier should avoid spamming and make each shot count, leading targets properly and aiming at the feet of enemies to maximize splash damage. The Soldier makes an excellent Medic buddy, as he can damage himself to help build the Medic's Übercharge for later use.

Primary Weapons

Rocket Launcher

The Rocket Launcher deals heavy damage in a wide splash radius, allowing you to efficiently deal damage by aiming at the feet of your enemies. Always try to keep it fully loaded for combat and rocket jumping. The reloading process is relatively slow, so use the Shotgun to finish off weakened enemies if you run out of rockets. Using a rocket to bounce an enemy into the air makes them an easy target for a follow-up shot.

Direct Hit

As the name implies, the Direct Hit promotes a different sort of Soldier playstyle, allowing players who can land direct hits to deal more damage. The increased rocket damage makes you more effective against immobile or slow targets, such as Sentry Guns or Heavies, while the increased rocket speed makes landing aerials easier. Although the Direct Hit's explosive radius is smaller than that of the standard Rocket Launcher, rocket jumps will still function normally.

Black Box

Use the Black Box for prolonged combat, where you will have time to constantly reload. However, the reduced clip size impairs your immediate staying power and makes offensive rocket jumping less effective. Overall, the Black Box increases your survivability but reduces your offensive capability.

Rocket Jumper

The Rocket Jumper completely nullifies your primary weapon and is not meant for serious combat. If you really decide to use it, equip the Shotgun as well so that you have some way to deal ranged damage. The additional damage you'll take from the increased vulnerabilities will make you useless in firefights, so just use the Gunboats alongside the standard Rocket Launcher if you want to constantly rocket jump.

Liberty Launcher

The increased rocket speed of the Liberty Launcher makes it much easier to hit individual targets, especially in the air. Unlike the Direct Hit, the splash radius of your shots remains the same, allowing you to still take on groups of enemies. However, like the Black Box, the reduced clip size impairs your immediate staying power and makes offensive rocket jumping less effective. Overall, the Liberty Launcher increases your effectiveness in duels but reduces your overall offensive capability.

Secondary Weapons

Shotgun

The Shotgun is as powerful as many other primary weapons and can be used to easily finish enemies off at close to medium range, so don't hesitate to switch to it when you're out of primary ammunition. It effectively counters Pyros who can skillfully airblast and Demomen who use the Chargin' Targe.

Buff Banner

Use the Buff Banner in conjunction with the Rocket Launcher, Black Box, or Liberty Launcher as the wide blast radius offered by those weapons will make it easier to build your Rage meter. The Buff Banner is effective when used alongside a friendly Medic's ÜberCharge to lead charges into enemy territory. The area of effect is large and passes through any obstacle, allowing your teammates to easily follow you.

Battalion's Backup

Use the Battalion's Backup when you are fighting at the front lines. Because you must take damage to build your Rage meter, it is almost necessary that you stay near a friendly Medic or another consistent source of healing to stay alive long enough to activate it. Once charged, you can use the Backup's defensive aura to lead an attack, hold an area, or counter the critical hits granted by the Buff Banner and Kritzkrieg.

Concheror

Unlike the damage boost or reduction provided by the other banners, the healing provided by the Concheror isn't so effective when used only on yourself, as you won't be able constantly fire your Rocket Launcher to recover health. It is best to activate its area buff when near allies, so that they can also stay healthy and take some damage during an offensive push. Pairing the Concheror with the Black Box gives you a high degree of survivability, allowing you to outlast enemies when in a defensive situation.

Gunboats

The Gunboats allow you to perform multiple rocket jumps in succession without having to rely on a Medic for healing. They are most effective when you are constantly roaming around the map and do not need your Shotgun to fend off enemies.

Reserve Shooter

When you bounce an enemy into the air with a rocket, you typically want to finish him off before he can land and retaliate. The Reserve Shooter is great for doing so, especially since landing an aerial with your Rocket Launcher can sometimes be difficult. However, the reduced clip size makes it an unreliable sidearm when you run out of primary ammunition. Make use of its faster weapon switch time to finish airborne enemies off with precision before you become vulnerable.

Mantreads

The decrease in knock back offered by the Mantreads allow you to more easily hold an area and maintain a high ground advantage, especially against common threats such as Demomen and Sentry Guns. While the Mantreads do allow you to deal moderate damage by landing on a foe after rocket jumping, it's more efficient to simply kill him with rockets before you land.

Melee Weapons

Shovel / Frying Pan / Saxxy

The Shovel is comparable to the default melee weapons of most other classes. However, your slow speed puts you at a disadvantage in melee duels. Unless you excessively engage in melee combat when near a friendly Medic, you're better off equipping a different melee weapon.

Equalizer

As a Soldier, you generally won't need to use your melee weapon when you are at full health. Thus, the Equalizer is essentially a straight upgrade to the Shovel. Because its damage and move speed granted will dramatically increase when you're injured, you can use the Equalizer as a last resort to engage or escape enemies. However, keep in mind that medics cannot heal you while you are wielding the Equalizer, so remember to switch back to your rocket launcher/shotgun as quickly as possible when a friendly medic is nearby.

Pain Train

Only use the Pain Train when actively capturing objectives; it is useless when playing Capture the Flag or in any defensive scenario. If you have a reliable source of health, you can equip it when actively rocket jumping around the map to give yourself the mobility and capture rate of the Scout.

Half-Zatoichi

The Half-Zatoichi instantly heals its wielder to full health upon kill, which may justify using it, but even if you succeed in killing your initial target, it is often difficult to gain additional kills as you cannot switch to ranged weapons once the Half-Zatoichi is drawn because of its honor-bound attribute. This, coupled with the relatively slow speed of the Soldier, make it extremely difficult to chase down opponents with the Half-Zatoichi without being easily picked off. This weapon is especially useful when fighting at Degroot Keep, as the honor-bound attribute is particularly useless as everyone else is stuck with a melee weapon too!

Disciplinary Action

The Disciplinary Action allows you to increase your mobility without sacrificing health by rocket jumping. It is best used on slower classes such as the Demoman, Heavy, or another Soldier to help them reach the front lines faster. Although you won't use it specifically in melee combat, the speed boost can also be used to chase after weak but faster opponents.

Market Gardener

The Market Gardener may prove useful if you actively rocket jump while in combat. While the guaranteed critical hits while rocket jumping should kill most enemies, it is definitely easier and may be more practical to simply continue firing rockets while airborne. Unless you are actively relying on critical hits, the Market Gardener is a straight upgrade to the Shovel.

Item sets

The Tank Buster

Although the set bonus is meant to help you against Sentry Guns, the reduced clip size of the Black Box means that you probably won't be able to destroy an attended one yourself, even if Übercharged. You can, however, use the set effect and the Battalion's Backup to tank Sentry Gun fire while your teammates destroy it.

General's Formals

The General's Formals can be useful for quickly traveling to and securing an area, particularly patches of high ground where you can easily be displaced by an explosive. You'll only have the Rocket Launcher as a reliable source of damage, so use the Disciplinary Action to bring along slower teammates that can provide additional firepower.

The Airborne Armaments

This item set focuses on mobility and quasi-aerial warfare. The Liberty Launcher's faster rockets and the Reserve Shooter's mini-crits on airborne targets are both designed to quickly neutralize airborne opponents. Beware of the smaller magazine capacities on both weapons, as after a few shots you will be completely vulnerable to retaliation while you reload. To take best advantage of this set, one must constantly try to juggle enemies in the air with the Liberty Launcher, while simultaneously using the Reserve Shooter for added damage. Keep an eye out for scouts, as they spend a lot of their time on the battlefield in mid air. The Market Gardener is not very effective in a straight up melee duel, but if ever you come upon an enemy in mid-air, it can be devastating.