Payload
| “ | Onward, great bomb-cart!
Click to listen
— The Heavy
|
” |
In Payload maps, BLU team must escort a cart full of explosives through a series of checkpoints and into RED's base within a certain amount of time. BLU team members move or 'push' the cart by standing next to it - the more people nearby the cart, the faster it moves. Any RED team member standing near the cart will stop it from venturing further. If no BLU player pushes the cart after 30 seconds have passed, the cart will start moving backwards slowly until it reaches a checkpoint/BLU spawn or a BLU player stands next to it again. The cart works as a level 1 Dispenser for the BLU team (and disguised enemy Spies) to restore health and ammunition to those pushing it.
Payload maps may or may not be split into multiple rounds. Some maps traditionally have one-way routes from the BLU side, sometimes closed off until a specific point is taken.
Some maps such as Gold Rush, Hoodoo and Thunder Mountain are split in three stages that BLU must advance through and win. Stages one and two have 2 checkpoints and stage three has 3 checkpoints (2 for Hoodoo), counting the final point as such. Badwater Basin and Upward maps have a single round with 4 checkpoints, counting the final point as such. Advancing the cart to the next checkpoint gives the BLU team extra time. Advancing it to the final point moves the map onto the next stage. When the cart reaches the final point on the final stage, the Payload explodes, killing anyone standing too close to it and destroys RED's base, symbolizing BLU's victory.
Contents
Payload Race
Unlike standard Payload maps, Payload Race maps feature both RED and BLU issued with a cart, thus teams are not defined to an attacking or defending role. To win, each team must simultaneously push their cart through enemy territory to reach the finishing point while preventing the enemy team from doing the same. As with Payload mode, team members push the cart by standing next to it, with more members increasing the speed of the cart and any opposing team member standing near the cart will stop it. Also like Payload, each cart works as a Level 1 Dispenser for their team (and disguised enemy Spies), restoring health and ammunition to those pushing the cart.
Unlike Payload mode, the cart will not move backwards after any duration of time and there is no time limit; the map will only end when one team successfully pushes their cart to the finish point. However, parts of the track may feature slopes or other obstacles on which the cart will quickly roll back down to the bottom unless it is being constantly pushed. Sections of the track that can do this will have chevrons on the progress bar to help show how far the cart must be pushed to overcome them.
Payload Race maps are either multi-stage or single-stage. Pipeline and Nightfall are split into 3 stages, whereas Hightower is 1 stage only. Winning in each of the first two stages will give an advantage to the winning team in the next stage (the cart is pushed slightly forward from the starting point).
Strategy
Maps
Payload
Payload maps carry the pl_ prefix; community maps are identified with italic font.
| Name | Picture | File name |
|---|---|---|
| Badwater Basin | 160px | pl_badwater
|
| Frontier | 
|
pl_frontier_final
|
| Gold Rush | 
|
pl_goldrush
|
| Hoodoo | 160px | pl_hoodoo_final
|
| Thunder Mountain | 
|
pl_thundermountain
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| Upward | 
|
pl_upward
|
Payload Race
Payload Race maps carry the plr_ prefix; community maps are identified with italic font.
| Name | Picture | File name |
|---|---|---|
| Hightower | 
|
plr_hightower
|
| Nightfall | 
|
plr_nightfall_final
|
| Pipeline | 
|
plr_pipeline
|
Carts
Carts are the objective and focus of the Payload and Payload Race game modes.
Carts are attached to a line of railroad tracks; the objective is to push the cart along said tracks, while the enemy team attempts to stop it. The cart is pushed by standing next to it – the more people, the faster it moves (up to a maximum of 3 – see Speeds section below). If any opposing team member gets near the cart, it is blocked and the cart will not move until any opposition is removed. If any buildings get in its way, the building is destroyed as the cart runs into it. The cart acts as a level 1 Dispenser for the team that owns it, restoring health and providing ammo and metal. However, unlike level 1 Dispensers the cart has no limit in the amount of metal it can give to Engineers.
If a cart is left unattended on specific slopes that ramp backwards, it will naturally roll down it. The cart-pushing team must push it continuously to get it up such hills, whereas reaching a downwards slope becomes a sort of checkpoint that the cart cannot reverse past. As of the Engineer Update, the Cart has a glowing, team-colored outline effect that enables its position to be identified through walls and from further away, allowing players to keep an eye on its whereabouts at all times.
Payload
In Payload mode, BLU must push a cart through a series of checkpoints and into RED's base within a certain amount of time. Reaching a checkpoint adds time to the timer. If no BLU player pushes the cart after 30 seconds have passed, the cart will start moving backwards slowly until it reaches a checkpoint/BLU spawn or a BLU player stands next to it again. If the cart is not moving backwards when time runs out, Overtime will occur, which gives the attacking team five seconds to move the bomb, or they lose. The timer resets each time the cart is touched.
Payload Race
In Payload Race mode, both teams are issued with a cart. The teams must simultaneously push their cart through enemy territory while preventing the enemy team from doing the same. Unlike Payload mode, the cart will not move backwards after any length of time (unless it is on a downward slope) and there is no time limit; the map only ends when one team successfully pushes their cart to the finish point. Payload Race maps tend to use rolling slopes much more than standard Payload ones.
Lil' Chew Chew
In the Payload map Frontier, a substantially larger mechanized train engine known as "Lil' Chew-Chew" is used in place of the standard BLU cart. Providing cover from frontal attacks, the train is capable of instantly killing anyone that is in its mouth when it's moving forward (whether willingly or forcibly) in addition to having a rideable platform and built-in Dispenser for BLU. However, those riding on the platform will have trouble seeing directly in front of the cart as the large train bit and mouth are in the way, and this train. The instant-kill ability is contingent on at least 3 players pushing the cart. The cart will only do significant damage if there are one or two players pushing the cart, with damage rising with more players pushing. It has a noticeably increased pushing range when compared to normal carts.
Cart speeds
The speed of the cart depends on the amount of people (the multiplier) that are pushing. Currently, all stock Payload maps use the same speeds. Speeds are measured in Hammer units per second. Note that the capture limit is 3 players, and any additional players who push will not increase the speed further.
| Multiplier | Speed | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| (Backwards) | -9 | -10% |
| x1 | 50 | 55% |
| x2 | 70 | 77% |
| x3 | 90 | 100% |
Gallery
Carts
The BLU bomb cart.
The RED bomb cart, seen only on Payload Race maps.
The special model for the cart on Hoodoo.
The special cart, Lil' Chew Chew, found on Frontier.
Concept art
Li'l Chew Chew Render
Lil' Chew Chew finished sketch
- Lilchewchew concept03.jpeg
Lil' Chew Chew draft sketch
Lil' Chew Chew size comparison to older train cart
Unused models
The following models are present in the game files, however, remain unused.
The prototype rideable bomb cart.
The prototype rideable bomb cart undercarriage.
The prototype rideable bomb cart car.
The prototype rideable bomb cart car undercarriage.
Cart bomb model found in game files that resembles below concept art.
Related Achievements
Scout
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Soldier
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Demoman
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Heavy
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Engineer
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Spy
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Update history
April 29, 2008 Patch (Gold Rush Update)
- Added the Payload gametype
- Added Gold Rush map
August 19, 2008 Patch (A Heavy Update)
- Added Badwater Basin
- Added proper handling of cart blocking recognition to Payload maps
- Added new community contributed Payload Cart response rules for Sniper.
Trivia
- The default Payload takes the shape of a "Fat Man" implosion-style plutonium Atomic Bomb. This type of bomb was dropped over Nagasaki, Japan on August 9th, 1945 at 11:02 JST.
- Originally, an Engineer could upgrade the Dispenser on the cart, allowing it to give increased healing, ammo and metal. This has since been fixed.
- Hoodoo uses a different cart model. The map description reveals the cart to be carrying a 'dirty bomb'; a nuclear explosive consisting of little more than radioactive material strapped to conventional explosives, such as TNT.
- On all of the carts, there is a Heavy quote written into the paintwork:
- The default cart bears the words "Cry some more" scratched into the paintwork.
- The Hoodoo cart has the words "So much blood!" painted in white on the front-most barrel and the word "Bonk" written in dust underneath one of the straps (likely by the Scout).
- Lil' Chew Chew bears the words "All of you are dead!" scratched into the paintwork in front of the smoke stack.
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