Community Payload strategy

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Badwater Basin

This article is about Community Payload strategy.

General strategy

• A good defending team sets up their defenses on more than just near the first Capture Point, while still defending the cart as well. Setting up at one single location is never a good idea, as a single entity can take out the whole makeshift "base", while spreading out too much won't do any better, as this might lead to stretches where there isn't any defense to halt the process of BLU.
• Remember that working as a cohesive unit produces results on either team, both attacking and defending. A single Heavy-Medic pair on either team can instantly halt or speed up the cart's process, depending on their side.
• On some stages, there are locations on the cart's path where leaving the cart will make it fall back to a certain point due to hills. This means that BLU will need to work together even more at these points, as leaving the cart for a mere second can almost bring the Cart back to the bottom.
• Even though team strategy is almost required on this game mode, that doesn't mean trying to go in as one class can't produce results. However, constantly attempting will only hinder your team.

Class-specific strategy

 Scout

• Scouts are much more effective on offense, as they count as two entities when pushing the cart. They are good on Payload for leading pushes or as last-ditch efforts, pushing the cart sometimes far enough to get bonus time or to win the round.
• While not nearly as effective, Scouts can be good for defense as well. Using Mad Milk, they can heal teammates so there isn't a frantic scramble by RED to get Health kits.
• Bonk! isn't much use for defense or offense, but it can still be used to draw the other team away from the cart, or to help deal with Sentry Guns near it.
• Using the Sandman, Scouts can also help by stunning a dangerous target.
• Scouts can also rush in as soon as the round begins, pushing through the still-preparing enemies and making routes for their team.
• Jumping into the cart and escaping then attack from a different angle can annoy and delay the cart's movement.
• Scouts, with their small hitboxes, can hide behind the cart and push it, avoiding Sentry Guns.

 Soldier

• Soldiers can ambush the cart effectively with their explosive weapons and splash damage.
• Likewise, the attacking Soldier can clear out any defenses near the cart.

• The Soldier is also useful for taking out unsuspecting Engineers and their nests.

 Pyro

• With the Backburner equipped, try and outflank the attacking team and come at them from behind. This works well in the earlier stages of a game and can kill or cause tremendous damage to multiple opponents at once.

• Hiding beside the attacking team's spawn can sometimes allow you to get the jump on and kill unaware players, though spawn-camping isn't encouraged in many servers.

• Pyros can cause chaos and disarray for either team by lighting other classes near or on the cart, though this isn't always effective on other Pyros or classes with certain weapons.

• Check for Spies when pushing the cart. Your ammo will be refilled and it may save your teammates' lives.

• The Flare Gun is good for igniting enemies near the cart or around a point, without taking much risk.

• Puff enemies with fire and then airblasting them can get them off the cart.

 Demoman

• While defending, place stickybombs around the Payload. The opposing team's progress will be completely halted until they dare to approach the sticky-laden cart.
• Place stickies in places where they will remain unseen (for example: grass, bushes).

 Heavy

• To stay with the bomb cart while spinning up your primary weapon, stand in front of the cart and it will move forward, healing you even though the cart is pushing you. Note that to receive ammo, you have to go towards the end of the cart. This strategy is not recommended for Frontier, due to instant death if the cart is being pushed by enough players.
• The Heavy is very important for mounting or repelling attacks, but it is also very useful to have a Heavy push the cart and check for Spies. Consider taking a Medic with you and clearing the cart's path beforehand, when Sentry nests have not yet been set up.

 Engineer

• Using the Teleporters to bring reinforcements back to the front line may needed more than Area of Denial with the Sentry Gun. On Gold Rush Stage 3, having no Teleporters can lead to a 30 second walk back to the cart for most classes. (This can lead to about minute for a BLU Heavy not in the action, if counting the longest possible respawn time.)
• The Sentry Gun cannot see the other team hiding on the other side of the cart. This could allow a single person to use the cart as shield to walk pass a Sentry Gun without it even firing.
• The cart acts like a Level 1 Dispenser with infinite metal. If it is safe to do so, stand near the cart to receive extra metal. In some maps' stages, such as Pipeline stages 1 and 2, the cart is available in your team's preparation area, allowing you to build your gear quickly.
• The Cart will destroy any building in its path. Avoid building on the tracks ahead of the cart, if you need to the building to survive.
• It is a good idea to use the Short Circuit if you're on BLU team, you can disintegrate any projectiles flying at you while you're pushing the cart, since the cart supplies you with infinite metal, you can spam the Short Circuit with short pauses, and you can easily take care of stickybomb carpets around the cart.

 Medic

• As the Bomb Cart acts like a Level 1 Dispenser, it can heal you if there are no health packs nearby. However, the cart is also the target of traps and attacks.
• Healing someone such a Heavy while they push, you can keep them alive longer, due to the healing effect of both cart and your Medi Gun.
• Healing a person being healed by the cart slows down your Ubercharge rate. If there is no danger, consider healing people not being healed by the cart.

 Sniper

• Using Jarate on the Payload will often allow you to spread its effect to multiple players at once, easing you and your teammates' efforts in killing them. However, Jarate wears off faster than normal due to healing effect of the cart.
• As a Sniper, you're more useful on the sidelines than the front lines, taking out important opponents with ease and giving your team an easier time.

 Spy

• While the attacking team is pushing the cart, use the Your Eternal Reward to backstab the player positioned the furthest to the rear. This will allow you to disguise as them and momentarily take their place as you target and kill some of the more dangerous classes, easing up your teammates' efforts in halting any further advancement.
• As a Spy on BLU, you are most useful moving ahead of the cart's current point and sapping any buildings that might be further ahead. This will give your team a better chance of getting the Payload to each point.