Community Scout strategy

The Scout is the fastest class and a great Control Point capturer, and also has decent firepower. His low maximum health means that he needs to be careful in direct combat, preferring circle strafing or weapon heckling.

General

Combat

The Scout excels at one-on-one combat against other classes. Wandering or lone-wolf players are better targets for a Scout's close range weapons.

The Scout is designed to use his speed - his greatest advantage - to attack from the side or from behind, fire quickly, and retreat before the enemy has a chance to react. Scouts can die easily from a stray grenade or rocket, much less an aimed attack from an alert enemy.

Try to be as unpredictable as possible. Jumping is an easy way to stay out of the way of Rockets or Pipe Bombs, and Circle-Strafing are good ways to take down other gun-wielding foes.

When low on health, wait for the correct moment to strike. Use walls and corners to gain an advantage over enemies by firing and retreating repeatedly to avoid enemy fire.

The Scout is good at causing distractions, using Bonk! Atomic Punch or his speed to get behind enemy lines. Pestering enemies and getting them to chase him into distant areas of the map can give his team time to set up defenses or stage an assault.

Remember that retreat is an option if the situation is not ideal for the Scout. Do not attempt to gun down a Heavy/Medic combo that is aware of his presence. A retreat from a battle does not mean that the battle is lost; counter attack once enemies think he is no longer a threat.

The Scout is the smallest class and can hide behind objects better than every other class. Do not use the bat while hiding, as it may give away his position. This can be useful while waiting for a group of enemies to pass by.

Use the Scout's high speed to inform teammates of incoming attacks. The "Incoming!" command is bound by default to X + 1.

Try to be unpredictable while fighting classes that are using hitscan weapons, such as the Shotgun. Use the double jump to launch the Scout at an unexpected angle to make him harder to hit.

Do not confront a Sentry Gun head-on. If the Scout can approach it from behind or to the side, he can take advantage of the Sentry Gun's slow rotation speed. Pop out of cover long enough to take a shot at it with his Scattergun, then wait about one second for the Sentry Gun to turn back to its default position. It is also possible to circle strafe a Sentry Gun, as it cannot turn quickly enough to fire at him. This is very difficult, however, and requires that the Scout be as close to the Sentry Gun as possible.
- Alternatively, he can simply run past a Sentry Gun that isn't aimed right at him, as long as he does not pass through the Sentry Gun's field of view.

Empty a clip of Pistol ammo into the back of a slower class (Heavy, Soldier, etc...) before getting within Scattergun range, then jump over them before they turn around to see what just bruised them and finish them with the Scattergun. This may not work on enemies with a fast reaction time.

Taking on a Heavy is not as suicidal as it might seem. Circle strafe around him, firing until he spins his gun up. After he begins firing, double jump over him or try to land on his head. Aim down and fire away or switch to the Bat.

When approaching an unaware enemy Sniper, get as close to him as possible and fire the Scattergun twice. It will kill him immediately and he will have no time to react. The Force-A-Nature's knockback will disorient him even further, and may even kill him by knocking him off a ledge.

Against Pyros attempting to airblast the Scout into a corner and kill him with the Axtinguisher, use his second jump to escape from above.

An entire team of Scouts can attempt a Scout rush, but this is a risky maneuver. Joining forces with even a handful of other Scouts is still a good idea, as they can buy time for the team while the slower, stronger classes catch up.
- While participating in a Scout rush, coordinate attacks with fellow Scouts for maximum damage.

Speed

As the fastest character, it's best to keep moving at all times unless you find a safe spot to rest and heal for a few seconds.

You still run a lot faster than any other class when running backwards, so if retreating, you can still backpedal while getting a few more shots in.

When running to the front lines, run through your teammates as a form of Spy check. If you are unable to pass through your teammate, shoot the offender or bonk them on the head with your Bat a few times.

Jumping

Whichever movement key you are holding at the time of the double jump is the direction you will go. This allows you to immediately turn 90 or 180 degrees in any direction in mid air, and is a very good way to confuse defenders. This is especially effective against Snipers, who usually aim where they expect you to be just after their shot is fired. However, skilled Snipers may be able to predict the path of your second jump, since you cannot move in midair after it.

Performing a double jump without pressing W, A, S, or D will cancel all directional momentum, regardless of speed. Use this to your advantage!

- Since you cannot change direction after your double jump, predict where people are attacking before double jumping.

The double jump can save you from fall damage. Simply jump just before you hit the ground, or jump to a ledge nearby as you're falling.

Use your double jump to full advantage. Take the higher roads over railroad cars and bridges. Most opponents tend to look forward, rather than up. If it is safe to do so, attack from above, preferably on the enemy's head, to take them by surprise.

Certain ledges may require you to crouch-jump in order to reach them. Holding the crouch button while performing your double jump will allow you to reach those ledges.

If you are taking fire from an enemy, it's possible that jumping over their head and running away may disorient them and help you evade. You can also use this maneuver to squeeze off a few more shots as they try to get a bead on you.

You are able to perform a triple jump of sorts if you have the Force-A-Nature equipped as your primary weapon, as the knockback from firing can be used to propel you an extra few feet upwards when aimed down. You can achieve similar results using the Boston Basher's self damage, however this is much more risky.

Objectives

In Capture the Flag, your primary role is capture, not destruction. Evading enemy fire and then losing pursuing enemies in the map is sometimes easier than engaging them.

If you a meet a slower team-mate who has taken the enemy Intelligence, consider asking them to drop the Intelligence (Default key: 'L') so that you may carry it away faster. If they doesn't give you the Intelligence, try to draw attention away from the flag runner by harassing the other team at another location.

On Payload maps, the Scout's low profile can be hidden by crouch-walking next to the cart. This serves as a barrier from Sentry Gun fire or possibly a Heavy's Minigun fire while simultaneously pushing the cart.

Miscellaneous

As a general rule, the usefulness of Scouts is inversely proportional to the number of players in the server and the size of the map. However, even in a full 32 player server on the final area of Dustbowl a Scout can be useful on either offense or defense. But, as is also the case with many other classes, it is not a good idea to have too many.

You may want to increase your mouse (on Xbox: "Look") sensitivity if you plan to play as a Scout. When running at full speed and jumping in all directions, it will come in handy, especially in close-quarters. (see the Sniper strategy for more details.)

Alternatively, you could turn your sensitivity down. Aiming precisely may be difficult at high speed; a low sensitivity gives you more control and precision, especially when attacking mid-range with a Shortstop, Pistol, or the Sandman.

Primary Weapons

Scattergun

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Stock Scattergun		6	32	85-105	10-40	3-10	180

When using your Scattergun, a reliable way to ensure you hit consistently is to actually not use your mouse to aim, but to strafe left and right with your cross-hair centered, firing when your cross-hairs and opponent match up. This allows you to focus on moving more efficiently and erratically, making you harder to hit, while at the same time making your aim smoother and more accurate via prediction.

Teamed with a double jump, the Scattergun can be used to kill an enemy Medic with an unactivated ÜberCharge before he is aware of your presence. It is important that your first shot hits because your target will see tracers fly by and hear your gunshots, leaving them alerted to your presence. Two point-blank shots to a Medic will normally kill him, while 3-4 at medium range will do the same job.

Beware of stronger classes. Sometimes three point-blank shots with the Scattergun fails to kill enemy Soldiers, especially when overhealed.

Range makes a huge difference to the damage the Scattergun inflicts. If you are undetected, avoid firing early. Wait until you are as close as you can get to the enemy and then open fire. This reduces the number of times you need to hit the enemy, giving them less time to react, and means you won't run out of ammunition in the middle of a firefight.

Coupled with the Sandman, the Scattergun has a much higher damage potential than the Force-A-Nature. It is able to deal a maximum of around 600 damage at point blank if you manage to get all six shots in before they recover, over a period of a few seconds.

It takes roughly 2 to 3 Scattergun shots to kill a Level 3 Sentry Gun, assuming all pellets hit. Coupled with the lesser spread, higher ammo count, and steady rate of fire, the Scattergun is much better suited for 'Edging' and/or destroying a Sentry Gun than the Force-A-Nature.

When dueling an enemy Scout, staying at mid range is generally the best policy, unless you can get in close between their shots to achieve a close range meatshot and deal huge damage. By staying at mid range you allow yourself more room to dodge or hide behind cover, as well as more time to reload. That said, if your aim is good enough, close range can be just as good due to the ease of dodging by jumping over them here, assuming their aim is worse.

When attacking enemies from behind, don't ruin the surprise with an ineffective shot at long range. Close in to nearly point-blank before opening fire.

Force-A-Nature

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Unlock Force-A-Nature		2	32	92-113	11-43	3-11	194

When using this weapon, try not to get into a firefight with more than a few enemies. The slow reload time, small clip, and short range is not suited for these kinds of fights. Instead, try to take on only one enemy at a time so you don't get overwhelmed, and try not to approach them from the front. Come from the sides or behind to take him out before he knows what hit him.

If you plan on using the Force-A-Nature, you should probably bring the Pistol as well. The Force-A-Nature's small clip size means that without the Pistol, you will be essentially weaponless for the two seconds after you fire both shots.

Keep in mind that you can jump even longer distances with this weapon by jumping, aiming below you and firing at the end of your second jump. Another way is to jump, fire quickly, and jump again. Only fire one shot, as the second shot fired while in the air has no effect on you. A couple of interesting facts regarding the Force-A-Nature jump: A Force-A-Nature jump has slightly higher clearance than the standard double-jump. Finally, while at maximum speed, you can gain no forward momentum what-so-ever from the Force-A-Nature, so firing in such a way as to try and lengthen your jump is fruitless in this situation (when stationary or moving slower than normal, such as under the influence of Natascha you will gain momentum up to the Scout's normal maximum speed).
- However, you can gain rearward momentum when in the air moving backwards, so if you are traveling through an open area, you can clear large distances quickly and perhaps more importantly off the ground and out of the crosshairs of Snipers by doing a quick 180 turn, simultaneously switching from forward to backward movement, jumping, and firing the Force-A-Nature just after the peak of the jump's height.
  - Although firing a second shot in midair does not affect your momentum, it is unwise to engage an enemy with only one shot loaded, and reloading with one bullet in the barrel will throw it away. It is invaluable to know when to reload and when you can afford to save the bullet for a quick shot or another triple jump.

Use the Force-A-Nature's knockback ability to your advantage, two simultaneous shots can send enemies several meters and into hazards such as the pits in Lumberyard and Steel. It's particularly useful in Steel and Mann Manor where the enemies tend to huddle around the last point. You can jump in, blast two people right off the point and run to reload and strike again later (provided they have yet to raise the safety rails).

A good overall strategy to do with the Force-A-Nature is to use the knockback ability and then follow through by sinking a clip from your Pistol into them, it is much easier since they will be knocked back in a straight line, giving you some time to get some quick shots in. You might kill them, but even if you don't, they're probably so weak that one of your allies should be able to take them down easily; thus granting you an assist kill.

Use the knockback to reach high places in order to kill unaware classes from high, it lowers your chances of being killed when getting closer because other players usually don't look up and that way you can kill a Medic ready to ÜberCharge, because the Force-A-Nature fires faster than the Scattergun it is best suited to kill important classes (like enginners trying to build defenses and medics) and it works better while the target is busy with something.

If you spot an enemy from far away, and he hasn't spotted you, don't fire at him over a long or even medium distance. Wait until you are at point blank then fire the two shots to get the maximum effect.

Be wary that a point-blank shot from the Force-A-Nature will send your target flying a significant distance. So if at all possible, be wary of where your shot will throw them into. It's not terribly hard to accidentally send your target into a med-kit, into the safety of Sentry Gun coverage, or even into a cluster of his teammates.
- However, this same concept can be used to your advantage. You may use the knockback capabilities of the Force-A-Nature to send your enemies flying towards your teammates, who will then be able to finish them off, or into the line of fire of your friendly Sentry Guns, or even off of a cliff or into an environmental hazard, such as Trains or Saws.

Firing point blank at an upward angle, either by terrain or by crouching and looking up can send your target quite high into the sky, making falling damage a factor. It might just be enough to finish an opponent who had initially survived your two shots.

Be careful when trying to fire at an enemy from above with the Force-A-Nature, as while the knockback keeps enemies pinned down for a second, the self-knockback will keep you in the air or blast you slightly backwards, possibly throwing off your aim and sending you in a predictable line for people to aim. For this reason, the Force-A-Nature is generally better to attack enemies on the same level or from below, so that they take the full force of the knockback and you still have control.

When you use this weapon, a good idea is to turn off the automatic-reload feature if it is active. The Force-A-Nature discards the remaining round if reloaded with the other one in so you must either make a choice to fire or to reload at will.

The Force-A-Nature can be used for Spychecking effectively. Try to rush through any suspicious team mates you see, and if that fails, use the Force-A-Nature's knockback to immobilize the Spy and prevent him from killing someone quickly.

Use the extra boost to your advantage, to jump long distances double jump and then shoot. Use this to reach far places quickly such as Control Points!

A handy little trick with the Force-A-Nature is to zip away from incoming projectiles. Every now and then you'll find a projectile hurtling towards you with both of your jumps expended. Take a quick turn to the side and fire off a blast and you'll find that attack hurtling past where you used to be.

The Force-A-Nature can push ÜberCharged enemies. Use this either to push enemies away from your teammates, or to break the Medi Gun beam and attack the now-vulnerable target.

The Force-A-Nature has quite possibly the worst accuracy of the Scout's weapons. Keep this in mind when you're trying to take down an enemy. Pairing the Force-A-Nature with the Sandman works quite well as being able to stun them, even at minimum range, will allow you to get in and hit them with two quick shots.

Hitting an enemy with two Force-A-Nature shots and then running behind him as he flies backwards will allow you to hit him with another two shots. This fast combo can deal up to 260 damage, so most classes can be taken down before they have a chance to counter attack.
- Keeping that point in mind, you can use the Force-A-Nature to quickly assassinate lighter classes (e.g. Engineers, Scouts, Spies but most importantly Medics.) Use the Scouts speed to get point blank, and quickly unload the 2 shots.

"Hit and run" tactics are quite effective with this weapon. Try to fire both shells at close range, and then quickly dart behind cover or at least create some distance between you and the enemy. Time it so that by the time you are reloaded, you are back in close-quarters and ready to finish off your opponent.

Shortstop

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Shortstop		4	36	69-72	24-48	6-12	144

Halfway between a Pistol and a Shotgun, the Shortstop has advantages and disadvantages from both weapon types, making it a good choice when you want to be prepared for a little bit of everything.

The Shortstop is useful at both long and short range. Try attacking an enemy up close, then retreating to finish him off.

The Shortstop pairs well with Crit-a-Cola, as its slightly faster firing rate and quick reload can maximize the potential of the Mini-Critboost's duration.
- Using the Crit-a-Cola from range and firing off a few Mini-Crits will serve to weaken your opponent before getting up close. This will help level the playing field health-wise, since Scouts have low health compared to the other classes, and especially so if they have the Sandman equipped.
- The Shortstop's longer effective range also aids the Scout in literally avoiding the Crit-a-Cola's sole drawback. Keep moving while blasting away at your opponents with Mini-Crits; most classes with long range ability will find it difficult to keep up with a Scout's dodging speed.

The Shortstop has a very loud and distinctive boom when shot, alerting unaware enemies you may be trying to flank. Don't forget about your much-quieter Bat!

Four direct hits from the Shortstop can kill most classes, but the Heavy can survive four point blank shots, leaving you vulnerable while reloading.

When combined with Mad Milk, this weapon can be devastating against the heavier classes, healing you as you deal damage. With good accuracy, you can even take down a Heavy in 6 shots using the healing effect.

The Critical hits from this weapon are devastating. 194 damage possible per shot, with 4 fast shots, translates to 776 damage. You can easily kill an overhealed Heavy from mid-range, and if you manage to not kill your target with the Crits, you've likely wounded them enough that you can finish them off easily. If you see yourself fire a Crit, blast away!

The Shortstop draws from the same ammunition reserve as the Pistol. Pairing these two weapons will drain your ammo reserve quickly. Conversely, because the Shortstop makes the Pistol somewhat redundant, it is a natural choice to pair with any of the Scout's secondary drinks.

Remember that each shot fired brings with it mild knockback to airborne opponents, and 4 shots can push them fair distances similar to the Force-A-Nature. Use this to your advantage when fighting Scouts and soldiers trying to jump or rocket to your location or a vantage point. This can be used to cause environmental deaths, so positioning yourself on the opposite side of a hazard with an opponent between can be helpful.

The Shortstop has a capability allowing a very speedy reload. To perform this extra speedy reload when drained of your ammunition, simply hold the reload button when firing. This cuts at least 40% off of the reload time and can cause you to gain the upper hand.

The Shortstop is the Scout's most accurate primary weapon, making it a good weapon for sniping enemy Sentry Guns from a distance.

It is usually a much better idea to fire all four shots from the Shortstop rather than using just one and aiming the next three, since Shortstop´s reloading time is very fast. This is somewhat similar to what happens with the Force-A-Nature.

Secondary Weapons

Pistol / Lugermorph

Weapon	Kill Icon	Ammo		Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Stock Pistol		12	36	20-22	10-15	8-9	45
Promotional Lugermorph		12	36	20-22	10-15	8-9	45

Targets too far away for the Scattergun should be fought with the Pistol. It is also a reasonable back-up weapon for when your Scattergun runs out of ammunition, and has reliable aim. It can destroy Sentry Guns, Dispensers, and Teleporters at medium range if the situation calls for it; but expect this to use up around half of your Pistol ammunition.

When running towards enemies aware of your presence, try firing at them with your Pistol before closing in on them with your Scattergun or Force-A-Nature. When taking on 125HP classes, 2–3 seconds of accurate Pistol fire can take away a quarter to a third off their maximum health allowing you to finish them off with a strong blast of your primary weapon.

One of the Pistol's primary uses is to finish off wounded targets attempting to retreat.

Scouts only carry 36 spare rounds of Pistol ammunition on top of the 12 round magazine in the weapon. The Pistol can waste a lot of ammunition if fired haphazardly into a firefight. Choose your targets wisely, and aim carefully.

The Pistol reloads much faster than the Scattergun. When both are empty, reloading the Pistol first will have you firing much sooner.

Be wary of when the Pistol actually reloads. Changing weapons before it finishes reloading only means that you have to reload again. Wait about a half-second after the pistols reload animation finishes, and make a mental note of when your magazine count changes. It's fairly easy to screw up a reload because it doesn't exactly sync with the end of the animation.

The Pistol is also a great distraction. If you can run behind enemy lines and squeeze a few shots from the rear and then run away, players will often try to follow, making your team's life easier.

The Pistol works well with the Force-A-Nature. Simply sink two shots into your enemy with the Force-A-Nature, switch to your Pistol and fire at them. It is much easier as the enemies will be knocked back and you won't have to account for movement for a few precious shots.

The Pistol is one of the more deadly weapons to have Criticals for, if you happen to get first blood in Arena, switch to your Pistol as it can take ANY class down in one magazine including most overhealed enemies if you fire fast and accurately enough.

Though the Scattergun trumps it in short ranges, at medium to long ranges your Pistol is a far better option for taking out Sentry Guns than any other Scout weapon. If you're out of the Sentry Gun's range, hitting the Engineer with a Sandman ball and then destroying the Sentry Gun with your Pistol will make this job infinitely easier.

It is best to take the Pistol as opposed to Bonk if you are not planning on working in areas with enemy Sentry Guns, though using the Pistol as stated before is just as effective on enemy Sentry Guns.

The Pistol shares ammunition with the Shortstop, so using both together is probably a bad idea, unless you play on a map with tons of metal, such as Dustbowl.

Bonk! Atomic Punch

Weapon	Ammo		Damage
Weapon	Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Unlock Bonk! Atomic Punch	1	∞	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Use Bonk! for dodging around things you would normally run away from, like Sentry Guns, Heavy-Medic pairs, or large groups of enemies. It makes for a very good retreating device, assuming you survive the time required to bring out the can and drink from it and are also able to distance yourself sufficiently from the enemy.

While a Scout on his own isn't all that grand for scouting as stated above, this changes when using Bonk!. It's a very good idea to take a drink before turning a corner that could potentially have a Sentry Gun or Stickybombs around it, especially if there are allies behind you. Doing so can allow for an ad-hoc Über situation where your allies can take out the opposition while you provide cover and distraction. If you have no one backing you, simply reporting what you found via voice chat or yelling 'Sentry Ahead' can potentially save your teammates.

It is very easy to distract enemies while you are under the influence of Bonk!. Enemy Snipers can be distracted as they try to shoot you or keep their crosshairs on you waiting for your invulnerability to wear off. Running into Soldiers and Demomen will usually result in them hurting themselves as well as being distracted. Heavies and Pyros are also easily distracted if you run circles around them. This strategy can also be used to counter enemy ÜberCharges; body-blocking a Medic's patient can waste up to six seconds of their preciously short invincibility or Critical hits period. More importantly, it saves your Medic's ÜberCharge for dealing with the enemy, rather than countering the enemy's ÜberCharge.

Bonk! can be used as a temporary ÜberCharge for taking out Sentry Guns, providing a distraction while your teammates attack. This tactic is of particular use on low population servers or on Arena, where ÜberCharges can be quite rare or lengthy to build up.

You can use enemies to travel long distances using Bonk! as well. This is mainly something used in conjunction with an enemy Engineer's Sentry Gun or a Demoman's Stickybombs. With a Sentry Gun, simply jumping while being fired at will cause you to go flying in the direction the Sentry Gun is firing when you jump, combined with a double-jump you can get more height as well (Though be mindful of the map, as the Sentry Gun can easily pin you into a corner on the ceiling). A Demoman's Stickybombs can safely send you behind enemy lines; this is particularly useful on Attack/Defend maps like Dustbowl or Payload maps while on the offensive team; not only will you potentially disarm stickies at the gate for your teammates, but there's a good chance the blast will send you flying behind enemy lines.

Use Bonk! to distract enemy Demomen. If he detonates his stickies, your team is safe. If he doesn't detonate them, you will be in a prime position to take him on head to head. Often times the Scattergun will trump the Grenade Launcher due to its speed and increased close range damage. It is a lot safer for you to fight close range than it is for a Demo, just make sure to stay out of melee range.

Bonk! can be used to reset an intelligence return countdown, or to keep a Payload cart from moving backwards if it's being heavily defended. In the case of Intelligence, you can actually run off with it if you're very lucky. At the very least you should be able to move it into a more favorable position for your team.

Bonk! can be used to avoid the after-burn damage from Pyros when you're already on fire. Though the after burn will continue to damage you when Bonk wears off, the life extension Bonk gives you just might be enough to reach a water pool, med pack or Medic before you burn to death. However, you will continue to take after-burn damage if you are set on fire by a Flare Gun.

The energy drink can also be used to safely get in range to circle strafe kill a Sentry Gun that is in the open. As long as the path is clear enough for you to run 360 degrees around the Sentry Gun, you can circle strafe and kill the Sentry Gun with either Shotgun or even your Bat. Just be careful not to run too fast so the Sentry Gun switches directions and be wary of its angry owner and teammates stopping your circle strafing. This is easily one of the hardest things to accomplish as a Scout, so don't expect to walk away from these attempts often, if at all.

If you drink some Bonk! after emptying your Scattergun clip, you can fully reload your gun while you are invulnerable.

Bonk! can be used to safely kill an Engineer with his own Sentry Gun by putting him between you and his gun. Often the Engineer will be hiding behind his gun when it is firing, so you will have to loop around and hope he does not move with the Sentry Gun. If the Engineer has a Dispenser up which he is sitting in front of, you can loop around to behind the Dispenser, wait for his Sentry Gun to kill him and then crouch so that the Sentry Gun does not notice you unless you poke your head over the top. This is especially useful for taking care of the Sentry Gun assuming you don't destroy the Dispenser first, as you can edge it and use close range Scattergun shots to dispose of it as it detects you and turns.

If covered by Jarate, drink Bonk! to immunize yourself from the increased damage you will take otherwise. The combined time of switching to Bonk!, drinking it, and then waiting out the effects should be enough time for the Jarate to wear off. It is also possible to be Jarate'd during the effects of Bonk!, so if this happens make a hasty retreat before you begin taking damage again.

Crit-a-Cola

Weapon	Ammo		Damage
Weapon	Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Crit-a-Cola	1	∞	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Crit-a-Cola is a high-risk, high-reward weapon. A Mini-Crit-boosted Scattergun is a very powerful weapon, but its glow can single you out as a target, and since you'll take Mini-Crits too, you can die very fast. This encourages more of an ambush style of play for the Scout.

During the 6-second Mini-Crit period, a Scout can fire up to 7 Scattergun shots, 6 Force-A-Nature shots, 9 Shortstop shots, and swing any melee weapon 10 times.

At point-blank range, one blast from the Scattergun or Force-A-Nature, with the Mini-Crit buff, is capable of killing any 125-HP class from full health. Therefore, if you find yourself behind multiple Snipers, the Crit-a-Cola can theoretically give you one kill per shot.

Sometimes, it's wiser to only fire off a few shots and run away after drinking Crit-a-Cola as opposed to staying and fighting for the whole duration, since your opponents can kill you so easily.

Mini-Crits don't suffer from damage falloff, so your primary weapon will remain useful at a longer range.

Combined with the Force-A-Nature, the Mini-Crits provided by Crit-a-Cola can become a devastating 'Alpha-Strike' attack, especially if you have the drop on your opponent. This tactic is best used for taking out a single, high-priority target, such as a Medic with a prepared ÜberCharge, or distracted in the middle of a Kritzkrieg rush. At point-blank range, a single round is capable of dealing up to 150 damage, making it possible to kill any class (asides from overhealed enemies, Demoman, Soldiers, and Heavies) with both rounds under ideal circumstances.

Crit-a-Cola is also a good partner with the Shortstop because you can take down any class (except for a heavy) in one clip with Mini-Crits. The Shortstop's extra range and tighter spread combined with the Mini-Crits not being effected by damage falloff allows the Scout to effectively strike opponents with Mini-Crits from a safer distance than is possible with the Scattergun or Force-A-Nature.

On the other hand, using the Scattergun will allow you to deal much more damage overall during the Mini-Crit period. The Shortstop's lower damage ratio and Force-A-Nature's constant reloading prevent them from dealing as much damage as the Scattergun.

If you're using the Crit-a-Cola, and you're lucky enough to catch several opponents unaware simultaneously, take advantage of the fact that your Melee weapon is extremely quiet, and does not require reloading like guns do. This tactic works better with the standard Bat, rather than The Sandman, as the unlockable Sandman lowers your total HP, making you easier to kill once your enemies catch onto your plan.

As soon as you get covered in Jarate, drink Crit-a-Cola. If done quickly enough, it will finish before the Jarate does, making you stronger, while the Mini-Crit penalty of Crit-a-Cola does not stack with that of Jarate.

Similarly, if the enemy team is pushing with a Buff Banner (Or, of course, an enemy Scout with Crit-a-Cola), drink Crit-a-Cola. Its Mini-Crit debuff does not stack with the enemy team's Mini-Crits, while granting you Mini-Crits without a downside may level the playing field a little in terms of both teams dealing Mini-Crits. There may be a slight advantage to using Crit-a-Cola against an enemy who has a Critical hit Boost, as their criticals will not stack with your Mini-Crit debuff. This is a risky strategy, however.

Inversely, never drink Crit-a-Cola when under the effects of a friendly Buff Banner, a Critical hit Boost or when facing an enemy covered in Jarate. Your Mini-Crits do not stack with Critical hits or other Mini-Crits, and weakening yourself with a Mini-Crit debuff is detrimental.

The same rule applies when facing only an enemy Scout under the effects of Crit-a-Cola, since they already receive Mini-Crits it is redundant to drink your Crit-a-Cola. However when more enemies are present or the enemy Scout's Mini-Crit period ends, then drinking Crit-a-Cola gives you an advantage.

A good tactic is to drink Crit-a-Cola while under the effects of a friendly Battalions Backup, since the defense boost makes you immune to not only Critical hits, but Mini-Crits as well.

Avoid drinking Crit-a-Cola when facing alert Soldiers. You will die to a single direct hit from the regular Rocket Launcher, and if you are using the Sandman, one point-blank Shotgun shell will also kill you.

It's recommended to avoid using the Sandman when equipped with Crit-a-Cola, simply because the 15 health lost may be very well needed during the Mini-Crit period.

Be careful when going up against Snipers with the Bushwacka equipped, as they will Crit you during the effect of the Crit-a-Cola.

Keep in mind when you use Crit-a-Cola you will automatically switch to your bat after drinking it, so remember to either have a plan for using your bat, or switch as quickly as you can to your primary.

Crit-a-Cola synergizes best with the Shortstop because its tight spread allows the Scout to fight at a distance. This reduces the danger of being hit by enemies and also means the Scout doesn't need to waste most of the drink's active period closing in on enemies for an up-close shot.

Mad Milk

Weapon	Ammo		Damage
Weapon	Loaded	Carried	Point Blank	Medium Range	Long Range	Critical
Craft Mad Milk	1	∞	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Mad Milk allows you to remain in a combat situation for longer without dying/retreating, as you will be regaining health as you fight.

Aside from The Special Delivery set bonus, the Mad Milk can actually be more effective with the Scattergun over the Shortstop, as the two extra shots can keep you alive longer via the milk's effect as well as kill an enemy the latter gun would not have.

While still risky, it makes head-on approaches to bulky classes like Heavies more viable, and you will need fewer chances to drop out and hide with the more shots you land on your target. A Heavy's slow speed combined with his high Health allows you or your teammates heal a lot of health.

Mad Milk is also a great supplement for an offensive (or defensive) push, allowing attackers to replenish their health quickly.
- A good example of this is when your team is pushing through with a Kritzkrieg. The high damage that your teammates will do should keep them restoring their health at a high rate, healing 75% of the high x3 damage they'll be doing. Be sure to highlight the milk being thrown to your teammates if possible, as this will allow them to prioritize.

Thanks to the Scouts maneuverability the Mad Milk can come in handy when used against enemies in the front lines. Simply throw it in and retreat while firing to both heal yourself and teammates. This makes overpowering the enemy much easier during pushes and saves a lot of time and trouble.

Don't be afraid to throw milk at Spies rather than some groups of enemies. This could save the lives of Heavy-Medic combos and other important classes.

It also gives you some of the benefits of Jarate: extinguishing teammates or yourself, and shorting out nearby Spy cloaking devices. Note that covered Spies won't take any extra damage, so you will need to chase them for longer.

Mad Milk is hard to notice on an affected person's HUD (a small white drop next to the health icon). If you can cover someone in milk in the middle of an assault or push, it is unlikely they will notice and could put themselves into a situation that will greatly benefit your teammates.

While not directly associated with Mad Milk, unless you are utilizing the extra 25 health from the Scout's pack bonus, try to wear other hats than the Milkman. Enemies will expect you to use the milk if you have the hat on, and dodge accordingly.

Since the Mad Milk can extinguish afterburn, if you happen to be set aflame, run away to a safe area and splash Mad Milk on yourself to douse the flames.
- This is most efficiently used if you're with a group where a Pyro ambushes the group. Since the group travels as one big pack, splash the Mad Milk in the center to extinguish everyone.
- Alternatively if you're alone, you can splash the Mad Milk at the Pyro and time your shots so you can completely negate the afterburn effects.

Melee Weapons

Bat

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Point Blank	Critical
Stock Bat		0.5 seconds	35	105

You may prefer to kill situationally-unaware or aiming-impaired Heavies with the baseball Bat by circle strafing around them or jumping on top of their large bodies. A couple of fast hits with the Bat can take out injured or weaker classes quickly. This is useful when you're low on ammo, or your Scattergun or Force-A-Nature needs reloading.

While using the Bat you may need to somewhat compensate for the movement of your targets, especially against other Scouts.

Against any class other than the Pyro or Heavy, the Bat is an excellent weapon if you've already closed with them. Remember that fast things appear to be going faster the closer they are to you; just jump into a group of enemies and start running around, swinging as fast as you can. You won't be terribly accurate but neither will they, and you swing faster with your Bat so you should connect enough times to get a few kills. This is a dangerous tactic but when it works it can be devastating.

When wielding the Bat, try to always circle strafe your victim. You'd always be better off using your Scattergun otherwise.

The Bat can be effectively used to circle strafe lower-level Sentry Guns, especially when used with the Force-A-Nature, since it will not run out of ammo or need to reload.

Often times a swing of the bat can effectively kill a player that has been weakened by your Scattergun.

The bat is useful when the -15 health from the Sandman causes problems. (ex. While using Crit-a-Cola)

The bat is much more ideal to destroy Dispensers and Teleporters due to its constant rate of fire compared to the Scattergun.

Sandman

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Point Blank	Critical
Unlock Sandman		0.5 seconds	35	105
Unlock Sandman		N/A	15	45

This is a great tool for stunning key targets, like upfront attacking classes, or support classes like Medics and Snipers.

When equipping the Sandman, beware of the -15 health loss. A Soldier can kill you with a single rocket up close, as well as a Demoman with a well placed pipe bomb. This can be a hindrance when trying to get up close to most other classes. Also be aware that you also recover less health from Medkits because of the less overall max health.

This weapon can be a great supportive weapon for your team. Stunning a target that has a KritzCharge activated on them can hold great benefits for your team. However, this can be a risky maneuver on your part.

This weapon is great against classes who you can't normally get close to, like Heavies and Pyros.

If alone against a Heavy on Arena, you can use the Sandman to your advantage. Whenever you are being chased by a Heavy, possibly around a corner, stun him and shoot him as much as possible before he regains control again. When he does, duck behind the corner and to the nearest escape route. Repeat if needed.

If a Heavy catches you with the Natascha, you have a precious few seconds to fire the ball and stun him. This can give you enough time to close the gap and attack him, or retreat.

If you're taking on a Heavy or Soldier, it may be in your best interests to bring the Sandman along, stun them, and then make your approach. They can both survive two shots from your Scattergun, so by stunning them, it gives you an opportunity to fire both shots, then switch to your Bat and kill them.

A lone Engineer is another prime target for the Sandman's ball. While stunned, the Engineer cannot repair his Sentry Gun. Use this opportunity to attack the Sentry Gun. This is especially useful if the Sentry Gun is being wrangled since hitting the Engineer with the ball will effectively deactivate it.

Hitting the ball into a Sniper nest will stun any Snipers there, since they often stay still while scoped, and you don't have to be in their line of sight to attack them. This can be a great aid to your team's Snipers.

When fighting close to a Supply Closets, firing Sandman balls and running back to restock may be effective to support the team. It is not a good idea to attempt to taunt kill enemies who are stunned, unless he is alone and you hit him with a Crit baseball at short range. The taunt kill is very long and your target will likely recover and move out of the way before they get hit.

A Mini-Crit Sandman ball, whether by Jarate, Buff Banner or Crit-a-Cola, will often stun an enemy long enough for you to kill them, even at the minimum stun range.

The Sandman can be used as a effective escape weapon, when being chased by a enemy that can be a threat that you can't handle, you can take out your Sandman, start running backwards, and easily hit your chaser then flee from battle.

Aiming the stun ball isn't all that easy, but in certain cases it can be. For example, the bridge in Badlands is just long enough for you to hit an enemy with a moon shot, maximum strength stun ball, and is quite simple to hit someone with it since it is a straight away.

Home Run

	Kill Icon	Weapon	Damage	Duration	Details
Grand Slam		Sandman	500	5 seconds	The Scout points to the sky, winds up, and swings a deadly blow.

It is advisable to only use your killing taunt on scoped Snipers, very distracted Heavies, or someone that has been stunned by a critical ball, because the taunt animation takes so long.

The taunt is best used for a little revenge during humiliation. If you're on the losing team, try to lure an enemy close to you but be sure to take heed of the taunt's attack time so that you can get them right as you're about to do your called shot. For example, they come around a corner and right as they do, you hit them with the taunt. It also works when you're on the winning team if the other player isn't moving too much. However, one of three things usually happen: other players are hiding (so you can't kill them), they're actively dodging you, or your allies will kill them before you can.

If you manage to hit a target with a ball at just over the range required to halt their movement completely, if you start running towards them before the ball lands and do the Sandman's taunt-kill, you can finish the animation before the target is able to move out of the way. You need an area long enough to hit a ball far enough to get the complete stun effect, an unobstructed straight path to your stunned target, and a good deal of luck to pull this off.

If equipped with Bonk! Atomic Punch, drink it, then immediately unleash the Bonk Taunt in front of an enemy respawn or around corners to avoid being hit. The enemy will think you are unarmed and charge at you with a primary or melee weapon.

Along with the Sniper's Skewer Taunt and the Medic's Spinal Tap Taunt, this taunt is completely quiet until executed. Unlike those two taunts though, the kill gives off a much louder sound upon execution and gives no stun. Be sure to get ready for any attention you'll draw to yourself from the loud cheering sound after a successful Home Run.

Be aware that stunned targets can use taunts kills. This can be a problem if you try to taunt kill or melee someone who has been completely immobilized. Heavies can also attack using their secondary fire when equipping their melee when stunned (Need confirmation). However, the likelihood of this happening to you is very slim, and you shouldn't even be doing this if you aren't playing seriously, so this shouldn't be problem if you get killed.

Demonstration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25-Ytf61EZE (This needs to be fixed)

Holy Mackerel

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Point Blank	Critical
Craft Holy Mackerel		0.5 seconds	35	105

The Holy Mackerel is more akin to a regular bat in practice, but is quite humiliating to be killed by, as it is announced with each consecutive hit and has a very distinct wet slapping sound on contact.

Using the Holy Mackerel on scoped Snipers is the safest option, but because of the noise the fish makes on contact they may realize even faster that you're there and will have ample time to turn around and melee you. Snipers with the Darwin's Danger Shield will have even more health than usual, so if you see the crocodile skin and tail on their backs it may be easier to shoot them instead.

The question of whether the Bat and The Holy Mackerel have any significant choice differences has been debated, but the difference is in its ability to grab attention. Any player that knows the location of the teammate a Scout has been humiliating knows everything they need to know:

There is a Scout, forewarning what to expect and act accordingly.
His location, giving the player an element of surprise and superior location when approaching the Scout.
The fact that he is using his melee weapon, giving a huge advantage to any player with guns at the ready.

If a Scout wishes to avoid giving all this information away, then the Bat is far more subtle.

Alternatively, The Holy Mackerel is a great way to quickly communicate with your teammates, especially on defense: the kill is much more noticeable than other weapon kills, teammates will know that enemies are around your location, if the enemy is not killed then your team will know as well, and it is a great Spy detector, as it is not always clear when an invisible Spy is hit.

The Holy Mackerel does not provide a FISH KILL notice when triggering a Spy's Dead Ringer.

Any fish hits on a cloaked Spy will continue to be displayed on the kill feed.

Fish hits on a disguised Spy will not display in the kill feed.

Candy Cane

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Point Blank	Critical
Craft Candy Cane		0.5 seconds	35	105

Use the Candy Cane to support your team with health packs.
Using the Candy Cane can restore your health after a kill (it supplies health kit regardless of weapon use)
Make sure to avoid or dodge Soldiers and Demomen due to the explosive damage penalty. With the Cane equipped, a direct hit from any of their primary weapons at point-blank range will instantly kill you.
Using this and Mad Milk can allow you to fully heal yourself and teammates if no medics or health packs are nearby.
Use this to check for Dead Ringer Spies as they will not drop health kits.
A successful kill with this weapon in Medieval Mode will cause two health kits to be dropped, instead of one.

Boston Basher

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Point Blank	Critical
Craft Boston Basher		0.5 seconds	35	105
Craft Boston Basher		(Bleed)	40 damage over 5 seconds	N/A

When using this weapon, make sure not to miss your enemy or you'll hit yourself.
Don't hold the attack button. Instead, keep tapping it when the enemy is close to minimize misses.
The bleed effect can be useful for tracking down Spies.
- However, at the same time, the Basher is bad at finding Spies as you can not spam Melee to reveal one without hitting yourself.
Crit-a-Cola can be useful with this, but also very deadly if you happen to miss.
This can be used for a "Hit and Run" tactic as you can hit someone and finish them off with you primary weapon.
By hitting yourself while being healed, you can boost a friendly Medic's charge speed.
By swinging right before jumping, a Scout can boost himself with the self damage of the Boston Basher to heights comparable to the Soldier's rocket jump.
If you use this with the Mad Milk, the bleed damage will heal the Scout.

Sun-on-a-Stick

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Point Blank	Critical
Promotional/Craft Sun-on-a-Stick		0.5 seconds	30	90

Only equip this weapon when you have a Pyro on your team, as the Mini-Crits only come into play when your opponent is suffering from afterburn.
If you see an unaware opponent suffering from afterburn, charge at him and try to kill him.
The best uses for this weapon come in Medieval mode. Snipers and Pyros can mark opponents with their fiery tools, however you should be quick while attacking them due to the ground being usually filled with small medikits.

Fan O'War

Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Damage
Weapon	Kill Icon	Attack Interval	Point Blank	Critical
Promotional/Craft Fan O'War		0.5 seconds	4	13

Remember that the Fan O'War is essentially the melee equivalent of Crit-A-Cola; whilst you don't receive critical damage, it still requires that you get within point-blank range of enemies, so timing is still vital.
Note that ambushing and good maneuvering are crucial with the Fan; whether you're using it on the front lines or the opposing base, remember that surprising the enemy is key to landing a hit (as rushing straight towards almost any class is not a great idea).
Whilst hit-and-run techniques are not recommended during areas with high enemy traffic, it's still remotely easy to kill lone enemies with it; hitting an enemy and weapon heckling will cause most classes to flee due to your obvious advantage, allowing you to close the gap and finish them.
The Fan is perfect for countering spies; even if a marked Spy cloaks with a Dead Ringer, the critical symbol will remain above their head, allowing you and your team to prevent their escape.

Item Sets

The Special Delivery

Main article: Item sets

The Special Delivery
	Shortstop Mad Milk Holy Mackerel Milkman
Effect	Leave a Calling Card on your victims

The +25 health this item set gives you is a great help when fighting other Scouts, trying to outlast after-burn, or surviving wayward explosives.
Remember though that your only ranged weapon will be the Shortstop, which is ineffective at ranges where the Pistol is. Therefore, you are restricted to being able to reliably damage enemies at close and mid ranges.
Using the Mad Milk in combination with the Shortstop will allow you to take advantage of your health increase even more, staying in the battle for much longer (assuming you hit with your shots).
As above though, the Holy Mackerel has its own share of problems. If you are not particularly enticed by the +25 health, use the regular Bat.
The health bonus from using this set allows you to survive four Shortstop shots at medium range, point-blank Direct Hit rockets and other high damage sources that would normally kill you. (If they aren't Crits or Mini-Crits)
The Milkman hat is a dead giveaway of a Milkman set Scout, so be prepared that in group fights enemies may concentrate a great deal of fire on you to take you down because of the health boost.
This setup is extremely useful in Medieval Mode, allowing yourself to heal yourself and others, and reveal cloaked Spies, as well as the health bonus adding to increased chances of survival.

Weapon Combinations

Example Combinations
Combo			Usage
Scattergun	Bonk! Atomic Punch	Sandman	This setup is most useful when you need to get by enemy Sentry Guns in order to capture a control point or intelligence, as Bonk! Atomic Punch will allow you to run past unharmed. The Scattergun's larger magazine size compared to the Force-A-Nature's makes up for the lack of a Pistol. The Sandman's ability to hit a stun ball can serve as a last minute attack when the last shell has been fired, or as an offensive mechanism to get in a couple of good hits when attacking. It also gives a better long range alternative, since the Scattergun is useless beyond close range. In medieval mode, this setup is good to leap over enemy lines, while providing some minor ranged attack with the stun ball.
Force-A-Nature	Pistol	Sandman	A modification for the Force Knockback Setup in which the normal bat is replaced with the Sandman. Use caution while using this setup though; The Sandman's -15 health drops the Scout's health down to only 110, making the Demoman or a Soldier be able to kill you in one shot. On the bright side, this setup has a very effective use. Get up close and personal with your opponent with the Force-A-Nature and knock them off balance with it. Should you do something wrong and not make the kill, use your stun ball as you retreat and plan again for another strike.
Force-A-Nature	Pistol	Bat	This specified loadout is useful on defense. The knockout from Force-A-Nature can quickly force enemies near the control point or Payload off, providing you are close enough. When you don't have enough time to reload your Force-A-Nature, the Pistol provides good damage when you retreat to mid-distance. When combined with the Bat, you can survive longer than Sandman, but you lose the ability to stun your opponents.
Shortstop	Mad Milk	Holy Mackerel	The Special Delivery Setup This setup is the weaponry of The Special Delivery pack, and when paired with the Milkman, will provide 25 extra health. The Shortstop deals 20% less damage than the Scattergun, and holds less slugs, but fires quicker, and has a much faster reload. The Mad Milk is great for when you're against more than one enemy, or when you've taken considerable damage. The Holy Mackerel is a re-skin of the Bat, and has the same capabilities and downfalls as it. Use this setup when you know you'll be facing multiples of enemies, or when there are few medics on your team.
Shortstop	Crit-a-Cola	Boston Basher	Pairing the Shortstop with the Crit-a-Cola is a smart way to deal massive damage. The Shortstop deals great damage with even Mini-Crits, and paired with 4 rounds per mag and a speedy reload, it is potentially lethal to Heavies. The Boston Basher is great with the Crit-a-Cola due to its bleeding effect. Given that Crit-a-Cola also makes you prone to guaranteed Mini-Crits as well, it is important to have a nearby healing source or Medic in case one misses with the Boston Basher.
or Shortstop or Scattergun	Mad Milk	Sandman	A great combo when you want to help your team survive longer. The Shortstop and Scattergun are excellent weapons when you don't have your Pistol equipped. When your team's Medic is not around, Mad Milk's ability will provide your teammates an opportunity to heal when they hit a soaked enemy. Mad Milk will also reveal a cloaked Spy, aiding your team with Spy-checking. The Sandman's ball can stun the enemy — changing the situation, and allowing your teammates to quickly kill him.
Shortstop	Mad Milk	Candy Cane	An ideal setup in Medieval mode, and an acceptable supportive mode in normal gameplay. Since the only explosive attack is from the Ullapool Caber, the Candy Cane, coupled with the Mad Milk, can help you and your teammates survive long enough to capture a point. In normal gameplay, however, players with this setup have to be careful from explosive damages, and thus should not be engaging in front line combat unless required. Using Shortstop or Scattergun allow killing of further away enemies and convert their deaths into health packs, and thus would be more useful as a support (Medic covers the close range healing)
Scattergun	or Pistol or Lugermorph	Fan O'War	This combo best uses the new Fan O'War, as it allows you to get the most of the Mini Crits with weaponry that has the the most ammunition and the overall best power output. Using the Fan O'War will make the best out of a bad situation, such as when going up against a Heavy with the Natascha, or a Soldier or Demoman in a tight corridor. Overall, use this set up when you know you will be facing high HP enemies.
Scattergun	Mad Milk	Sun-on-a-Stick	This combination is reccommended if you want to provide a support for Pyros in your team. The Sun-on-a-Stick Mini Crit for burning players allows you to quickly dispatch them. Mad Milk will provide more health for your Pyro against a group of enemies. The Scattergun can damage burning enemies on distance making them to die quickly from afterburn or weaken high HP classes such as Heavy or Soldier.
or Shortstop or Scattergun	Mad Milk	Candy Cane	This setup is excellent for Arena mode, as it provides health to both you and your team. Combined with the firepower of the Scattergun or good ranged damage of the Shortstop, Mad Milk will help you recover pretty much any damage you or your allies may have taken. Take advantage of the Candy Cane's small health kits which will drop upon killing a player, or direct hurt teammates toward them.
or Shortstop or Force-A-Nature	Mad Milk	Fan O'War	This setup is for an entirely support-based Scout. The Mad Milk can be thrown onto any approaching enemies to allow your teammates to restore health, while the Fan O'War allows your team to deal more damage to high-priority targets. Both of these weapons can also be used to reveal cloaked or disguised spies; Mad Milk will drip from them when hit, and the 'Marked for Death' symbol will remain above their heads for 10 seconds after a successful hit. Both of them are also unaffected by the Dead Ringer, making them yet more effective. The shortstop's fast firing rate and short reload time make up for a lack of pistol (or melee weapon), whereas the Force-A-Nature makes upp for a lack of firepower, and at close ranges can knock enemy players away from important locations and allow the Scout to reach more advantageous positions to throw milk from, or hide ready for an oppertunity for the Fan O'War.

Weapon Heckling

Overview

Weapon Heckling refers to the Scout's ability to exploit other classes' varied weapons using his speed. By rapidly changing his weapons and spacing from the enemy, he forces them to switch their weapons, and then exploits its shortcomings, effectively allowing the Scout to defeat any class in a one on one fight. The concept is described and demonstrated in detail in EvilDaedalus's How to Play the Scout. Note: most veteran players will most likely stick to one weapon, so be warned. Also be warned that this strategy is very hard without the Pistol, but not impossible if you carry only the Scattergun. It still works in combination with the Force-A-Nature and Pistol, albeit less effectively. Also, it can be used with help from the Sandman, although this can sometimes be difficult. Classes that can be heckled:

Heckling a Scout

Heckling a Scout is a bit harder to do. If he's using the Force-A-Nature or the Scattergun, stay out of his range and Pistol/Shortstop him to death. If he switches to the Pistol, switch to your primary weapon and get in close for a point-blank attack.

Heckling A Soldier

The Rocket Launcher is most deadly at close range, but outside of that, a competent Scout should be able to dodge all of a Soldier's shots. Almost verbatim from heckling a Pyro, pester him at medium range, he will quickly realize his rockets are worthless. As he switches to Shotgun, give him a nice buckshot greeting. Run back when he switches weapons. Repeat. If he sticks to his Shotgun, try to attack from another angle. Be careful if he is using an unlock that replaces his Shotgun, because if he does, he will more than likely keep firing rockets. If you get too close, you could easily be killed. If you're equipped with the Bonk! Atomic Punch use it to run into the Soldier, blocking his movement and rockets. This can cause him to be hit by his own splash damage seriously wounding or killing him.

Heckling A Pyro

The Pyro is the classic heckling target, because he uses his two weapons, the Flamethrower and Shotgun or Flare Gun, in two different spaces. The Flamethrower inflicts massive damage at close range, but outside of that he must switch to his secondary weapon to be effective. The Scout relies on a window of vulnerability to inflict massive damage.

Pester the Pyro with the Pistol or Scattergun just outside his Flamethrower range so that he must switch to the Shotgun to damage you. As he is switching to Shotgun, take this opportunity to get close and blast him a few times. If he then switches to his Flamethrower, run away from the Flamethrower's range and repeat until he is dead. A Pyro with a Flare Gun, however, is not a threat outside the Flamethrower's range; just be careful not to run into the Flare.

Avoid Degreaser Pyros: Their fast weapon switching can make it extremely dangerous to heckle them.

Heckling A Demoman

Any of the Demoman's ranged weapons will kill you in two direct hits, but none of them are particularly suited for close or long range. Jumping into close quarters will force the Demoman to shoot stickies under his feet (in which case he can damage or kill himself) or pull out the Bottle/Eyelander - in both cases you can simply jump outside of the Demoman's range and fill him with buckshot as he frantically tries to reload. More experienced Demomen will use their Grenade Launcher for close range combat, and although grenades may be difficult to dodge, the Grenade Launcher runs out of ammo quickly. Stay out of his range, dodging his grenades until he has to reload. When he does reload, run in and blast him. He will then try to melee you to death or try to reload, either way you can again pull out and shoot him a few more times. If he is carrying the Chargin' Targe instead of the Sticky Launcher or the Scottish Resistance, use the Grenade Launcher strategy. When he runs out of ammo for the Grenade Launcher, he will only be able to melee you and he might use up his dash to retreat instead, during which you can stop him from fleeing with the Pistol.

Heckling a Heavy

The Heavy is extremely deadly, and can cut through you like butter at any range, but he has one weakness: Minigun-spinning. Get in when he does not know you are there, and quickly pump 2 scatter gun shots into him. He will turn around and attempt to fire his gun at you, at which point you can retreat behind a corner. He will likely ignore you after you've fled, starting to fire at something else or going off to find a medkit. At this point, you can repeat the first 2 steps until he is dead. If he is smart enough to switch to his Shotgun, then run in, jump around to mess up his aim, and fill him with buckshot. He will then pull out his Minigun again, so then repeat the first steps. If he sticks to his Shotgun or carries a Sandvich to eat during your pause, its best to run as he can simply outlast you until you die. Be careful if the Heavy starts eating a Sandvich, as his healing may cause you to use all your Scattergun shots to try and kill him, leaving you with no loaded ammo. If you know for sure that the Heavy is almost dead, then a few shots can kill him as he is eating.

A Heavy using Natascha is extremely difficult to deal with as a Scout, as one single hit from its bullets will slow you enough that the Heavy can aim right at you, causing almost certain death. Just attack him while he has his gun spun down, and escape before he spins it up. Repeat as necessary.

Listen carefully for the sound of a Heavy when he spins down- astute players can discern from sound the type of Minigun the Heavy is using (Minigun or Natascha) and then plan tactics accordingly. If he's using Natascha, wait for him to stop spinning, although greater risks can be taken if the heavy prefers Sasha.

Heckling an Engineer

Weapon Heckling can also be used on the Engineer, although doing this is relatively pointless and over-complicates the encounter. Only heckle if the Engineer is in plain sight, as he may have a nest set up around a corner or on a higher elevation that he can Wrangle his sentry from and kill you with relative ease. Further complicating matters is if the Engineer has a Gunslinger or Southern Hospitality instead of a regular Wrench, as a Gunslinger Engineer can deploy a sentry behind you that will finish assembly before you have time to turn around, bleed you to death with his Hospitality or critical you if he has any saved up with his Frontier Justice.

Heckling A Medic

Heckling a Medic is almost the opposite of heckling a Pyro or Soldier. When fighting a Medic, he will probably have his Syringe Gun or Blutsauger out and shooting you from medium range. Get in close, dodging as many needles as you can and attack him. He will then whip out his Bonesaw and attempt to melee you to death. Once this happens, move out of his range and keep attacking him until he either dies or pulls his Syringe Gun back out, then repeat. If he sticks to his Syringe Gun at point blank or he has good aim with the Blutsauger, immediately pull out before you die.

Heckling a Sniper

Heckling a Sniper is harder than most of the classes, due to the Scout's weapons not being too accurate at long ranges. The Pistol is the most useful against a Sniper; try to keep the fire on him to prevent him from hitting you. Remember, a fully-charged body shot will kill a Scout. Above all else, keep moving unpredictably. Also, try to look for a Sniper with the Razorback or Jarate, as they won't have an SMG to deal with you. This means they will have to rely on trying to snipe you at close range or pull out the Kukri. These attacks can be dodged by an observant and quick Scout.

Heckling a Spy

Spies typically wish to avoid a heckling situation by retreating while firing one of the many revolvers they have or attempting to Cloak outright and hide. Scouts can take advantage of their great speed to get in close to retreating or hiding Spies using the Bat or Force-A-Nature. Typically, the success of a heckling situation is dependent upon the distance between the Spy and the Scout. Longer distances provide the Spy with the greater advantage to hide, change disguise or get assistance from teammates. It is inadvisable to attempt to heckle an uncloaked Spy up close using the Bat or Sandman if the Spy is wielding his knife due to the chance of a lucky backstab. In this situation, switch to the Force-A-Nature, or Scattergun for best results. Scouts can cover much more distance faster than any other class, use this to your advantage when dealing with a Spy that tries to Cloak and hide by swinging your bat constantly as you run through an area you suspect a Spy is hiding in. Many Spies will continue to attempt to stay cloaked and hide once they are bumped into (or damaged) providing you enough time to eliminate them.

External links

TF2 - How to play the Scout by EvilDaedalus