Backcapping
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— The Scout
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Back-capturing, or Back-capping, is the act of capturing an enemy point on a five-point Control Point map while one of your team's points is being captured. However, with the addition of game modes such as Attack/Defend and Payload, back-capping has been extended to capturing any control point while behind enemy lines.
Back-captures are most effectively performed by Scouts and Spies given their speed and elusiveness respectfully. However, it is still viable to backcap with other classes, the specifics of which are discussed here.
Contents
General Strategy
Back-capping can be a considerable risk, but if it is successful, it will also reap significant rewards. If your team successfully back-captures a point, it will give your team significant gained territory as well as cut the enemy team off from reinforcements. If your attempt fails, which it often will, your team will be without one potential player that could change the direction of a fight.
The time required to capture each point varies depending on its location and on the map. Generally, the center point takes the most time to capture, and is a bad target to try and back-cap.
An ideal point to back-cap is one that takes a short amount of time to control or one that is not rapidly defensible, such as point C on Gravel Pit.
An ideal time to attempt a back-capture is when the enemy team has the majority of their forces starting to capture a point and has left their point, which captures much faster, unguarded. With a bit of skill and some luck, you can back-cap the final point and win the round for your team almost single-handedly. Keep a close eye on your HUD, however, and if you see that the enemies will capture a point before you, head back to help out your team and try to avoid being detected by not attempting a futile back-cap.
Attempting to back-capture the final point of a map can be difficult due to the number of enemy players who will most likely be trying to defend it, but as the point captures so quickly, it may be worth a shot. In such instances, Spies are preferable to Scouts as they can sap any Sentry Guns that may be surrounding the point, and then can attempt to capture it. If no Sentry Guns are in place, Pyros can also be a good choice to back-capture the final point with their Compression Blast ability; it will allow them to push any defenders off the point, preventing them from blocking the capture. That said, if the point is just unlocked, it may be worth running on as a Scout as the point will capture so quickly that enemies may not be able to defend it in time, and lower level Sentry Guns may not be able to stop you in time. Some maps are easier than others to back-cap the last point due to this time but on others, like Gravel Pit C, it may take too long to capture to be feasible.
Class Strategies
Scout Capping
Scout Capping is considered the standard back-cap technique given the Scout's focus on capturing points. The Scout has the speed and the capture rate to make back-capping successful in many situations. In addition, this speed can be used to escape if a back-capture goes wrong, or just to evade any defenders. With Bonk! Atomic Punch equipped, the Scout can slip past enemy lines and if left unchecked, poses a significant back-cap threat.
Spy Capping
Spy Capping is the act of infiltrating the enemy base as Spy and capturing a point the moment it unlocks. While the Spy only has a 1x capture rate and is relatively weak, it is much easier to get behind enemy lines as a Spy and get into position. This works particularly well on Attack/Defend maps given the ample hiding locations and the standard difficulty of breaking enemy lines.
The Cloak and Dagger is useful because of the infinite Cloak capability, but enemies may Spy-check in anticipation of a Spy cap. The Dead Ringer is also useful in that it makes getting behind enemies lines much easier, but provides little hiding ability.
Spy capping can be quite powerful, but is easy to counter if the defending team thinks it may be tried. All it takes is one player to Spy-check the final point and a potential round-winning capture can be averted.
Soldier/Demo Capping
Soldier/Demo Capping is generally only viable with the Pain Train equipped, as it gives the user 2x capture rate much like that of a Scout. Soldiers and Demomen can use their explosive jumping ability to get past defenders or onto difficult to access points. Additionally, both classes have good offensive capability and are able to defend themselves during a back-cap, but will take more bullet damage with the Pain Train equipped.
Engineer Capping
Engineer Capping is more difficult to do than other back-cap methods, but can be the most devastating. It involves the Engineer getting behind the enemy lines and constructing a base in anticipation of the final point becoming unlocked. This could involve building a teleporter, a Sentry Gun, or both. Allied players could use the teleporter to mount an attack from behind and have an early presence on the final point before it becomes unlocked. The more devious strategy is for an Engineer to just build and upgrade a Sentry Gun, hauling it to the final point, and to spawn-camp or use it for protection while capping. Gunslinger wielding Engineers can also pull out a Mini-Sentry right over the control point and be able to rebuild them, were they destroyed, in almost no time.
Pyro Capping
Pyro Capping is best suited to Pyros carrying a Flamethrower or Degreaser for their Compression Blast ability. The Pyro takes a completely defensive stance, Compression Blasting any enemies attempting to block the capture off the point, and also blasting away any projectiles shot at him. Pyro capping may succeed where Spy capping and Scout capping will fail if there are opponents around to block the capture. Even if the Spy or Scout is able to kill these opponents, time is wasted fighting over the point and the entire team is alerted to the capture attempt. With Pyro Capping, you have the ability to still capture quickly, even if there is 1 or 2 defenders standing on the point; this includes ÜberCharged enemies attempting to block.
Medic Capping
Medic Capping is typically not performed on its own, but a Medic can offer large benefits to any other class when back-capping. The Medi Gun which gives the ÜberCharge ability allows a team of a Medic and another class to pierce the battle line of the opposition with impunity. This allows the Medic to facilitate a back-cap for a class unable to bypass the battle lines on their own. Then once behind enemy lines the Medic can heal their partner or attack to increase their partner's effectiveness in the back-cap. The downside is that using the ÜberCharge to push through lines is fairly noticeable. This can still offer benefits though. The enemy team may over-allocate players to deal with your back-cap attempt, leaving their defenses weakened.
Heavy Capping
Heavy Capping, previously a very difficult tactic, is made much easier with the addition of the Gloves of Running Urgently: with the gloves equipped, the Heavy can move into position much more quickly. The Heavy's high damage output makes defending a small or enclosed point much easier (such as Point C of Gravel Pit). For more open points, Natascha can prevent enemies from reaching the point to block the capture. Eating a Sandvich while capping may provide enough time to capture the point before succumbing to Sentry Gun fire.
Sniper Capping
Sniper Capping is difficult, as the Sniper is weak at close range. Jarate and the Bushwacka may provide enough damage to prevent a short-range defense; while on more open points, the Sniper may be able to headshot approaching enemies. Huntsman is preferable as a primary weapon, but still not a perfect choice to defend oneself.
Related Achievements
Scout
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Spy
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