Heavy match-ups

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Entire team is babies! Click to listen — The Heavy on his tactical analysis of the opposition

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Class			Strategy
Heavy	vs.	Scout	The Scout is mobile but fragile. In a direct fight, the Scout will try to dodge your fire or use hit-and-run tactics to wear you down. Anticipate where he will attack you from and react quickly enough. If the Scout is too difficult to hit thanks to his double jump or him constantly changing directions, Natascha can slow him down to a crawl. If he keeps running away before you can retaliate, consider using the faster Tomislav or switching to the Shotgun. When fighting other enemies with a spun up Minigun, keep in mind that the Scout can quickly join the action.
Heavy	vs.	Soldier	You are the only class that both boasts more health and firepower than the Soldier. The Soldier will be aware of this and either abuse cover or high ground to bombard you with rockets. Your slow speed and large size makes avoiding rockets difficult, especially if he uses the Direct Hit. If he's not out in the open, lay down oppressive fire to wear down his health and stop him from rocket jumping away. In particular, Natascha's slow can significantly throw off a Soldier's rocket jumps, the Shotgun lets you stay mobile and dodge his rockets, and the Fists of Steel can help you survive a retreat.
Heavy	vs.	Pyro	At close range, your Minigun deals more damage at close range than the Pyro’s Flamethrower. The Pyro should resort to ambushing you, using certain weapon combinations to burst you down before you can react. Like when dealing with the Scout, note possible routes you can be flanked from. If you can react in time, jump backwards to create some distance while revving your Minigun, then fight back. Once in a head-on fight, keep your crosshair steady as the Pyro attempts to circle-strafe or airblast you. Watch out for Flare Gun shots at long range, as they can wear you down if you stay in the open. Your lunchbox secondaries can be thrown as small health packs to extinguish teammates - of these, the Second Banana recharges the fastest.
Heavy	vs.	Demoman	The Demoman’s explosives can easily match your large damage output, especially from medium range and beyond. A smart Demoman will keep his distance while lobbing grenades, which can kill you with only three direct hits. At the front lines, you want to force him behind cover just so you can hold position, which in turn allows him to reload and attack you again. If a teammate is not available to move ahead of you, take out your Shotgun and close the distance, taking care for any Stickybomb traps he is luring you into. Pay attention to the Demoman's loadout; a Demoman who runs at you with his melee weapon and a shield should be a much easier kill.
Heavy	vs.	Heavy	Both of you will often be fighting on the front lines when you meet one another. The encounter will be decided by who has more health, who fires first, and which primary weapons the two of you are wielding. Even alone, it is possible to take down an enemy Heavy that is paired with a Medic by simply being the first to fire. Generally, a Heavy wielding Natascha or the Tomislav, weapons with lower raw firepower, will lose to one wielding any other available primary weapon.
Heavy	vs.	Engineer	A lone Engineer is far weaker than you in a straight-up fight. Regarding his buildings, if you can get the drop on even a Level 3 Sentry Gun at close range without getting pushed back, your Minigun can actually destroy it faster than it can kill you. If you need to deal with a Sentry Gun at a longer range, it’s best to come back with teammates, as all of your weapons suffer at longer ranges. In particular, your firepower combined with a Medic's Übercharge should be enough to defeat any Sentry Gun. If necessary, you can switch to the Brass Beast or Fists of Steel, weapons with damage resistance, to help you or your teammates approach.
Heavy	vs.	Medic	A lone Medic in the open should be easy to dispatch with your Minigun, but is more than capable of running away while taking potshots. The Medic is typically accompanied by a Medic buddy that can steadily wear your health down. Even if you chip away at his patient’s health, the Medic will be there to heal him. Thus, avoid the pair unless you have teammates nearby or can get the drop on them at close range.
Heavy	vs.	Sniper	Your slow speed and large frame make you an easy target. A fully charged headshot will instantly kill you, no matter how overhealed you are, so it’s best not to go out into any open areas that a Sniper is watching. At medium range, you can nick him with enough Minigun or Shotgun bullets to severely impede his aim as you close in; occasionally steer to the sides to add some unpredictability to your movement. Once you're in range, he will stand no chance. Equipping the G.R.U. or Fists of Steel can make crossing a Sniper’s field of view a little bit easier.
Heavy	vs.	Spy	Your propensity to lead team charges makes you an important target for the enemy Spy. Don't completely rely on teammates to Spy-check for you - if a friendly Medic stops healing you or teammates disappear, be suspicious. Use short sprays from the Minigun to Spy-check teammates. If the Spy uses his Cloak to retreat, fan the Minigun or Shotgun over a wide area to try and reveal him. The Huo-Long Heater deploys a ring of fire around you when revved up, which can reveal nearby Spies that you should react to quickly.

See also

• Team strategy
• Heavy (competitive)