Basic Soldier strategy
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— The Soldier
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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 / Festive Rocket Launcher
The Rocket Launcher fires slow rockets that deal heavy damage in a wide splash radius. If you lead your targets properly, you can efficiently deal damage by aiming at the feet of your enemies. The Rocket Launcher runs out of ammunition quickly, so make each shot count. The reloading process is relatively slow, so use the Shotgun to finish off weakened enemies if you run out of rockets. You can use the explosion from a rocket to rocket jump at the cost of health, a technique which is commonly used to approach enemies from above and lower travel time. 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. Its smaller explosive radius is significantly less effective against clustered enemies and encourages you to single out individual targets. The increased rocket damage makes you stronger against immobile or slow targets, such as Sentry Guns or Heavies, and allows you to to instantly gib weaker classes (dealing 140 damage up close, and 110-120 with long range direct hits) such as Scouts, at close range. Another Prime target for this weapon is Snipers who will have a harder time dodging the faster rocket, even at longer ranges. For more experienced players, the increased rocket speed makes landing devastating aerials easier.
Black Box
The Black Box will heal you for 15 health (It is important to note that the Black box's healing cannot overheal, unlike the Powerjack or Eyelander) if you damage an enemy with its rockets. However, the reduced clip size impairs your immediate staying power; in particular, offensive Rocket Jumping becomes less effective due to the lack of ammunition and long reload time. Use it in prolonged combat, where you will have time to constantly reload and outlast your enemies, or combine with the shotgun or reserve shooter for a backup weapon.
Rocket Jumper
The Rocket Jumper completely nullifies the rockets from your primary weapon, allowing you to practice rocket jumping without taking any self-damage. In actual combat, it has the most synergy with the Mantreads and Market Gardener, weapons that require the user to rocket jump into melee range of enemies. If you insist of using the Rocket Jumper in serious combat, equip the Shotgun as well so that you have some way to deal ranged damage.
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.
Cow Mangler 5000
The Cow Mangler 5000, with its increased clip size and infinite ammunition, greatly increases your presence in large firefights. The charged shot is best used at long range or on groups of enemies, as the damage it deals can be matched by just a few standard rockets and is not worth using an entire clip at close range. While you might not be able to destroy Engineer buildings yourself, if you come across a troublesome Sentry Gun, use a charged shot to disable it while your teammates finish the job.
Original
The Original is statistically identical to the Rocket Launcher. However, its rockets travel directly down the crosshair, rather than slightly to the right as those from the Rocket Launcher do. This subtle change means that all shots fired by the Original will be consistently accurate, even at close range. However, it will be more difficult to fire around corners without exposing yourself.
Beggar's Bazooka
The Beggar's Bazooka has the ability to store up to three rockets, then release them in one barrage. The barrage can be used to quickly eliminate single targets or deal with groups as long as you begin charging from a safe location. Rockets fired from the Beggar's Bazooka have some random deviation, making precision shots, especially aerials, less reliable. Additionally, the Beggar's Bazooka cannot collect ammunition at a Dispenser, so you'll need to collect ammo from spawning pickups or the weapons of dead players.
Secondary weapons
Shotgun
The Shotgun is as powerful as many other primary weapons and is effective at close to medium range. If your Rocket Launcher is out of ammunition, the Shotgun makes for a decent backup weapon and can be used to finish off injured enemies. Alternatively, you can switch to it at close range when you don't want to suffer from your own splash damage.
Buff Banner
Take advantage of a primary weapon that has a wide blast radius to quickly fill the Buff Banner's 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.
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.
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 critboosts granted by the Kritzkrieg or Buff Banner.
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 to 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.
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.
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 magazine size makes it an unreliable sidearm in comparison to the stock Shotgun, due to frequent reloading. Make use of its faster weapon switch time to finish airborne enemies off with precision before you become vulnerable.
Righteous Bison
When compared to the Shotgun, the Righteous Bison is weaker at close range; it deals reduced damage, has a smaller magazine size, and its projectiles are slower than standard bullets. However, it is accurate at longer ranges, does not require ammo, and reloads quickly, meaning that it can be used to constantly harass enemies. The piercing nature of shots fired by the Righteous Bison make it effective against clustered or fleeing targets. Although it deals reduced damage to buildings, its piercing shots allow you to damage an Engineer taking cover behind them.
Melee weapons
Shovel / Frying Pan / Saxxy / Conscientious Objector
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
While at full health, the Equalizer deals half of the Shovel's base damage. However, you generally won't need to use your melee weapon when you are at full health. The Equalizer will grant a dramatic increase in damage as your health decreases, allowing it to be used as a last resort to engage pursuing enemies. Remember to put it away if you want a friendly Medic to heal you.
Pain Train
Only use the Pain Train when actively capturing control points or pushing Payload carts; the increased capture rate 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 healing the Half-Zatoichi provides on a kill just might be worth fighting at melee range. Be sure you have a clear opportunity to kill an enemy before you unsheathe it; because you cannot switch weapons once Honorbound, your slow speed will make chasing a target very difficult.
Disciplinary Action
The Disciplinary Action has an increased melee range but deals slightly reduced damage. The main draw of this weapon is that it allows you to strike a teammate to temporarily boost both of your running speeds. Thus, you can use it to increase your mobility without sacrificing health via rocket jumping. Stay near allies so that you can make use of the speed boost more often; it can be used when running to the front lines, retreating, or chasing after faster opponents.
Market Gardener
The Market Gardener can be useful if you actively rocket jump while in combat. While it is simpler and more practical to continue firing rockets while airborne, the style points gained from landing a melee attack while rocket jumping cannot be disregarded. To increase the chances of landing that critical melee hit, familiarize yourself with the mechanics of rocket jumping. Rocket jumping over obstacles or up to higher elevations can greatly aid in catching opponents by surprise.
Escape Plan
As your health decreases, the Escape Plan will grant you increasingly faster speed, allowing you to escape attackers with ease. Additionally, you can use the Rocket Launcher to damage yourself so that you can quickly reach the front lines; if doing so, make sure you don't get picked off by a stray enemy before you can find a source of healing. Remember to put the Escape Plan away if you want a friendly Medic to heal you.
Item set effects
The Tank Buster
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Leave a Calling Card on your victims |
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 take Sentry Gun fire while your teammates destroy it.
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