Scout match-ups

“

I'm gonna headbutt ya, I'm gonna headbutt ya, I'm gonna headbutt ya! Click to listen — The Scout on his delicate battle plan

”

Class			Strategy
Scout	vs.	Scout	You most likely meet other Scouts when both of you are away from teammates, such as during the initial rush to a Control Point or at the outskirts of a battlefield. He's just as fast as you, so keep your aim steady. Switching directions with your jumps to go over him or behind cover is an effective strategy for messing up his aim. Quickly decide the bout with a few well-placed shots, and control the area around health kits just in case. If you need to retreat, keep fighting back so he can't take free shots. The Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol's health-on-hit can give you much-needed longevity in what may otherwise be an even fight.
Scout	vs.	Soldier	Both you and the Soldier are effective at close range. A Soldier will typically aim his Rocket Launcher at your feet; stay in the air to make hitting you more difficult. Your speed and double jump should be enough to avoid being directly hit by a rocket while nearby cover can be used to avoid the splash damage. Use your mobility to never allow the Soldier access to high ground, where he is deadliest and can rain rockets from above. It may be optimal to maintain a medium distance from a Soldier so that you have sufficient time to dodge his shots. If you need to retreat, stay alert in case he decides to rocket jump after you. Added jumping ability such as the Soda Popper, Winger, and/or Atomizer may be helpful for making your aerial movement less predictable.
Scout	vs.	Pyro	Defeating a Pyro is all about spacing. Untreated afterburn will take off up to half of your health, so it's best to avoid his Flame Thrower entirely. To do this, use your speed to stay outside his Flame Thrower's range, switching between your Scattergun and Pistol as opportunity presents. Avoid enclosed areas, where the Pyro can use the compression blast to shove you into a corner for an easy kill. Be wary if the Pyro is equipped with the Degreaser — it lowers his weapon switch time, improving how well he might adapt to your movements. Mad Milk can be used to extinguish flames. If you don't have a pistol, the Shortstop deals the most damage of any scattergun from outside a flamethrower's effective range.
Scout	vs.	Demoman	When out in the open, you are easily capable of dodging a Demoman’s indirect projectiles; his high damage output means nothing if he can’t hit you. Your speed lets you quickly get within close range of the Demoman, past his Grenade and Stickybombs, where he is weakest and can damage himself. If need be, take alternate routes to avoid his Sticky traps or ambush him. A Demoman with a shield equipped is vulnerable to weapon heckling; stay at medium range to avoid his melee attacks, then close in once he switches to the Grenade Launcher. Be careful in case he suddenly decides to charge at you, as he will move even faster than you when he does so.
Scout	vs.	Heavy	The Heavy is perhaps your exact opposite. Be cautious when approaching a Heavy from any range; with his Minigun, he can kill you faster than you can kill him. The element of surprise is your strongest weapon; you can kill the beefy Heavy with just a few point blank shots. If his Minigun is already spun up, note the sound his weapon makes before deciding to fight - the distinct whir of the Natascha, which can slow you down, is a sign to stay back. In a direct confrontation, try popping in and out from behind cover between shots, staying in his face while circle strafing, or double jumping over his head to confuse him. Particular items that are useful against a Heavy are the Backscatter, Crit-a-Cola, and Mad Milk; your high speed allows you to get behind the Heavy easily, activating the Backscatter's mini-crits; Crit-a-Cola will allow you to match the Heavy's obscene firepower; and Mad Milk can help you survive his massive damage.
Scout	vs.	Engineer	A lone Engineer is a simple target; his weapons are similar to yours, but he has less mobility. If you don’t have to deal with his Sentry Gun, simply dodge his shots while returning fire. The Sentry Gun, however, deals heavy damage and can track your movements, rendering your fast speed useless. If you're caught, the Sentry Gun’s knock back will pin down and kill you. Avoid routes covered by Sentry Guns and check around corners before rushing into new areas. If the Sentry Gun is unattended, you can slowly destroy it from far away with a pistol or the Shortstop. You run faster than a Sentry Gun can rotate; although difficult, it is possible to circle strafe a Sentry Gun that has been placed around a corner and not yet locked on to you. A common tactic against a problematic Sentry Gun would be to use the invulnerability granted by Bonk! Atomic Punch to run past it or distract it while your teammates destroy it. You can also use the invulnerability to direct the Sentry to shoot the Engineer while it is aiming at you, by moving so that he is between you and the Sentry. However, be mindful of the bullets' knockback and your Bonk's duration for your eventual escape. Otherwise, when an Engineer is near his Sentry Gun, the best you’ll be able to do is harass him from long range.
Scout	vs.	Medic	The Medic will likely stay near his teammates to heal them - these enemies will have plenty of health and are harder to pick off. However, the Medic cannot overheal himself. If you can make your way into the enemy team's backline, the Medic is another class that you can quickly take out. Maneuver past his patient or approach the pair from behind, and pick the Medic off with a few point blank shots. Don't get greedy - consider retreating if you think his former patient is too healthy.
Scout	vs.	Sniper	While you’re one of the best classes to deal with a Sniper, if the Sniper can hit you, one headshot or fully charged bodyshot will instantly kill you. Your speed and mobility can prevent this - zigzag, jump, and strafe to become a difficult target, and sneak up on him by accessing alternate routes. Once you close the distance, your weapons have the advantage. Even at close range, take care, as the Sniper may try to headshot you anyway. If you have trouble getting close without getting one-shot, Bonk! Atomic Punch will give you invulnerability until you're close enough to kill him.
Scout	vs.	Spy	Your speed makes you hard to backstab and allows you to always chase fleeing foes, making you one of the Spy’s deadlier opponents. He has some of the game’s weakest weapons, making a normal fight with him simple; circle strafe, and take care not to expose your back to his Knife. If he Cloaks, use your scattergun’s spread, Mad Milk, or the Boston Basher’s or Wrap Assassin's bleed effect to reveal him and give chase. With its wider spread, the Backscatter is especially good for spychecking. You can easily Spy-check by simply running into your teammates; if you can’t move past them, they’re a Spy.

See also

• Team strategy
• Scout (competitive)