Scout match-ups (Classic)
| Class | Strategy | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 Scout |
vs | Scout |
Combat with another Scout is an intense encounter. It's hard to run away, you're both very difficult to hit, and one or two mistakes will lead to your death. It is critically important to be "health kit side" (closer to a health kit than the opponent) because Scouts arrive at the action faster than Medics or indeed any other class who might assist you. In certain situations (like the mid point on Granary) you are both health kit side, so this is less important initially, but if at any point during a mid duel you gain the upper hand, you should press to a health kit (his) so that the opponent cannot grab it and so that if you haven't already taken damage from the encounter, you pick up the health kit when you do. Pre-empting movement towards health kits is arguably the most important aspect of the strategic side of Scout duels (or any fight).
Many Scouts employ a rapid wiggle style of strafe in which they move one or two character widths to the left or right before changing direction. If you are having trouble hitting a Scout who does this, it may be better to keep the cross hair steady so as to catch the Scout as he returns past your cross hair. A sensible Scout will vary his wiggle with different types of strafe (side to side and back to front) and jumps to ensure he is difficult to hit. People typically have ranges at which they operate best, so once you determine which distance works best for you, try to maintain this distance. There is nothing to be said for or against varying your distance, provided you do not give up a health kit, in any mirror match. Close distances favour a strafe that is jump & double jump heavy (considering how much vertical distance can appear to affect aim up close) and medium distances tend to prefer more grounded types of strafe that include rapid changes of direction. When you consider the Fan in Scout play, it is important to capitalise on (and try to mitigate for the Fan Scout) post-double-jump firing stun (i.e. that moment after firing in the air, where the Scout is suspended and cannot move). Try to manipulate the map layout such that you encounter the Scout from a position he does not expect. The fastest route is not always the most tactically sound. Shooting accurately first can decide the duel immediately. Outside of this general advice (that considers vanilla on vanilla), there are specifics to different loadouts. Of all the Scout loadouts there are three loadouts in particular you will have to consider, Vanilla (Scattergun, Pistol, Bat or Boston Basher), Fan (Force of Nature, ..., Bat or Boston Basher) and the Milkman (Shortstop, Milk, Fish [effectively the bat]). The Milkman is arguably the strongest build of the Scout currently available. The Milk recovers health for the attacker, and the Shortstop has a better DPS at range than the Scattergun. When you throw in the +25 points of health, he becomes a very dangerous enemy. For Milkman mirrors, it is critically important to ensure your milk hits it's target. If it doesn't and the opponents does, it is probably wiser to retreat than to continue fighting. If both Milks hit, the fight can potentially go on for some time, so consistency becomes important. If you are not a Milkman, you have less health than he does, so it is more important to ambush the opponent and try to win the fight straight off. Again, if you are milked, it is safer to retreat. Assuming you are not milked, you should either aim to be very close to the milkman scout (where his damage is weaker than yours) or far away (where you can capitalise on the pistols higher DPS). The Fan is arguably the weakest of the builds - with only 2 rounds per clip and a long reload time, fights can either be won very quicky, or lost in slightly longer. Focus on the ambush outright, retreating whenever you have to reload. Ideally you should try not to be around the opponent whilst reloading, the key deficit of the weapon is the long reload which is exacerbated by the Scatter gun and the Shortstop's much faster style. Against other Scouts the Fan shows it's weakness. It is not a weapon designed for attacking aggressors. |
Scout |
vs |  Soldier (match-ups) |
A Scout is most effective at close range. So is a Soldier, but the Soldier has a Rocket Launcher. When possible, use the environment to your advantage to avoid taking splash damage from rockets. Always try to take high ground against a Soldier, and never let the Soldier get high ground on you, as this is where a Soldier is most effective. If you do end up in a frontal assault with a Soldier, try to get behind him while staying at medium range in order to avoid the deadly splash damage from his rockets (the splash damage from a rocket Critical hit. will take you out in one shot, as will a direct Direct Hit shot very often), and be wary if he switches to his more accurate Shotgun. Make good use of your double jump to confuse him. For instance, if you get shot into the air by a rocket, use your double jump to move yourself away from the area where the Soldier believes you will land, though this is unlikely to work against experienced Soldiers. If you have enough health but need to retreat, attempting to jump from the splash damage of his rockets will give you a huge speed boost to let you clear the area quickly. If possible, try to get the jump on a Soldier by running up behind him to deliver a close range shot to his back before he notices you. This should weaken him enough that another shot should hopefully take him out before he reacts. Avoid use of your Bat in this situation unless the Soldier is already severely weakened. Make use of weapon heckling tactics to disorientate him. The Sandman can be useful to stun him (which is relatively easy since Soldiers are slow). Use the stun time to get in a few hits. If you do manage to catch a Soldier completely off-guard, two point-blank shots from your Scattergun will kill him before he can react. |
Scout |
vs |  Pyro (match-ups) |
A Pyro can be one of the more deadly opponents you can face, depending on the terrain around you. In general, however, they are very easy to deal with. Just stay out of range (which is easy as you are faster) of the Flamethrower and blast away as much as possible. Enclosed areas and narrow corridors make the Pyro a much larger threat. If you are caught in such an area with a Pyro closing in, retreat into a more open space. Afterburn from fire will take off nearly half of a Scout's maximum health if left untreated. If the Pyro sets you on fire, you are almost certain to die without any healing, so always stay out of the range of his Flamethrower. If you are set on fire, immediately retreat to a Health pickup or body of water. Try to avoid fighting Pyros unless they have low health; stay out of the short range of their Flamethrower and kill them with your Scattergun or Pistol. If the Pyro is alone, weapon heckle him. Note that the Flare Gun has a longer range, but has lower mid-range capabilities, and the flares should be easy to dodge.
If the Pyro is quick enough, his compression blast can deflect the Sandman's baseball, and may even stun you; don't go for the stun if you think it may get bounced. Without the Pistol, you cannot weapon heckle as well, and due to the large spread of the Force-A-Nature, a Pyro may be able to out-range you. If the Pyro sees you coming, run! Commonly, you can backpedal to pick off the Pyro (Classic) with your Scattergun, as his Shotgun is less effective in this range. Although it's hard for a novice to manage the Flare Gun in motion, beware of its accuracy and critical damage. In the hands of an expert, the Pyro can win a battle, so be especially careful past mid-range when you are lit on fire. |
Soldier |
vs |  Demoman (match-ups) |
A Demoman (Classic) is a dangerous foe as his sticky traps can take you out instantly. When using his Grenade Launcher, he can be a fairly easy target. Just dodge like mad and make good use of your double jump to avoid getting a lucky grenade to the face or simply stay at medium range while pelting him with the Pistol. If he is hiding behind a carpet of sticky bombs, your best bet is to use an alternative route to get him from behind or to destroy them with your weaponry. If you can get in close range and avoid grenades, you should be able to take him down with a combination of accurate shots and weapon heckling.
Despite the high damage range and radius of Sticky bombs, many Demomen will not expect a Scout to run directly at them while using the weapon, and will attempt to kill you by planting stickies around to try and trap you. If you can get in close, your job of killing the Demoman becomes far easier, as it is much harder for him to kill you, especially without damaging himself. Occasionally a suicide rush to make a Demoman kill himself via splash damage can be effective if trying to discourage an enemy team from pushing into an area; this can be made easier if using Bonk! and the Demoman doesn't notice until too late. In the case of the Chargin' Targe and Eyelander, merely keep your distance and blast away at him with your Scattergun, or whittle him to death with your Pistol. It may also be a wise idea to bait the Targe Charge to prevent being struck by a guaranteed Critical hit. |
Scout |
vs |  Heavy (match-ups) |
The sheer resilience of the Heavy (Classic) makes him a tough target for a Scout, as his Minigun can cut you down faster than you can pump him full of Scattergun shots. Avoid direct combat with a Heavy from all ranges unless you have the Sandman, since if the Heavy has his Minigun spun you cannot reliably win. The Heavy is an intimidating class to fight, but a Scout with enough patience and persistence can take down a Heavy in combat, or with the element of surprise can kill a Heavy in 3 Scattergun shots at point blank range. At medium range, the Heavy also makes a prime target for the Sandman stun, due to his size and slow gait. This can give you the time to cut into his health or make an escape.
Try to stay in his face and circle strafe to avoid his fire or jump over him entirely to confuse him while delivering close range Scattergun shots; he's such a big target that it's difficult to miss. Throw a few double jumps into the mix to confuse him. If you are feeling lucky, try to land on his head, as he will wonder where you disappeared to and will continue to look around, long enough for you to finish him. It's always funny if you manage this. If he is paired up with a Medic, it's generally a good idea to just run. If that's not an option go solely for the Medic first, since if you do die you've at least caused some lasting damage. You can then leave the Heavy to be dealt with by your team or you could try to finish him off using the above strategy. Alternatively, blast him when he has his Minigun powered down and get behind cover as soon as he revs his gun up. When you hear him stop spinning his Minigun, get in and do damage. Repeat this until the Heavy is dead. If he doesn't power down his Minigun while going after you, try to pop up and attack him from unexpected angles and retreat before the Heavy starts firing at you. If you have the Sandman, use it! The stun will allow you to kill him easily, though you should keep moving erratically or he may have enough time in the delay it takes for you to get close to spin up and take you out. Another strategy if you have a little bit of height and surprise on the Heavy is to jump on his head. Since players on opposite teams don't pass through each other, his head acts as a perfect platform from which to bash in his skull with your Bat or Scattergun. (Don't use the Force-A-Nature for this, the knockback will push you off his head.) Usually you can kill him before he figures out what's going on. This works the best when the Heavy's Minigun is spinning or when he's standing near a wall. That said, combat with the Heavy may be very difficult, unless you get a long stun with The Sandman on him. If the Heavy is being shot at by your team you can sneak behind him and begin hitting him with your bat as this deals damage quickly and he will not be able to tell where the damage is coming from. This is most effective when he is being damaged by another teammate. |
Scout |
vs |  Engineer (match-ups) |
A lone Engineer (Classic) is a straightforward but rare target. Tactics for an Engineer without a Sentry Gun are obvious, dodge his shots and put in your own. Watch out for his Shotgun of course, it can deal a lot of damage.
If the Engineer is with a Sentry Gun however, he becomes a very high threat to your well-being. If possible, try to avoid any routes covered by Sentry Guns altogether and check around corners before rushing into new areas - or you could be taken down in seconds. If you are quick, you can run past a Sentry Gun before it targets you, but placement does not usually allow this. With luck you may be able to take out the Engineer, in which case you can stay out of the Sentry Gun's range while taking shots with your Pistol until you destroy it (don't use your Scattergun to do this, as its spread makes it less effective). In certain placements, like right around corners, you may be able to run circles around a Sentry Gun while attacking it with your Bat or Scattergun until it is destroyed, as the Sentry Gun rotates slower than you can run. Do not try this on a Level 3 Sentry Gun, as the rockets will probably get you as you try to circle strafe. The Shortstop is very effective at taking down unattended Sentry Guns of any level, four well placed shots from just outside of a Sentry Gun's range is usually enough to destroy it. Another thing to consider when trying to best Sentry Guns is the knock-back of its fire. Sometimes you can aim your trajectory to land out of its range by double jumping strategically into its fire, taking some damage but getting pushed past it by the Sentry Gun itself. If there is no route around or past the Sentry Gun, you can use the invulnerability granted by the Bonk! Atomic Punch to run past it, or distract it long enough for a teammate to demolish it. If you attempt to destroy one of his buildables with your Bat (a popular option for apparently unattended buildings), he may notice you and Wrench your face in, which will kill you in 2 hits, or even 1 if the first is a Crit. Keep this in mind. The best opportunity to go after an Engineer is when they are hauling buildings as they are unable to attack back, and you will also destroy what they are carrying. |
Scout |
vs |  Medic (match-ups) |
A Medic (Classic) is usually a very easy target for a Scout. When battling a lone Medic, simply strafe and double jump at close range to avoid his Syringe Gun shots and Bonesaw, and give him a few blasts with your Scattergun. He should go down fairly quickly. If he has a Medic buddy, attempting to take down the buddy is highly inadvisable. If the Medic is healing an enemy, approach from behind without being noticed and take him out while he is busy healing. Two shots from the Scattergun at point blank range will kill him. After killing the Medic, you should run before his former healing target can react, as he may still be overhealed. Medics commonly resort to the Bonesaw, try weapon heckling. If they don't see you coming, use the Force-A-Nature to sneak up and blast the Medic, to either kill him or separate him from his Medic buddy. Avoid facing a Medic at point blank, however, as the Syringe Gun will do very high damage (and heal a lot if he's using the Blutsauger, as all the hits will connect). In fact, if he is carrying a Blutsauger and you don't think you can take him down quickly, it is recommended you run, unless he does not see you coming, is on low HP or is especially aiming-impaired.
Medics are very rarely alone, however, so when you see one go for him straight away then run, so his Medi Gun target drops down to 100% (from 150%) health, then attack again. |
Scout |
vs |  Sniper (match-ups) |
At long range, zigzag, jump, crouch, and strafe constantly to make yourself as difficult a target for the Sniper as possible. Bonk! Atomic Punch or the Sandman's stun can also allow you to cross otherwise Sniper-friendly corridors. A fully charged shot from a Sniper Rifle or an uncharged headshot will always kill you if it connects. If you are able to get up behind a Sniper who is scoped in, you should be able to take him out with your Scattergun before he can react, or if you feel like conserving ammo, beat him to death with your Bat. When meeting a Sniper on the move or one that has noticed you, attack in the normal way, strafing at close range with the Scattergun. Chances are he will either die or attempt to get you with his SMG or Jarate. A Sniper using the Huntsman is deadlier when his arrows are ignited, you are almost guaranteed to die from a single charged arrow if it is lit on fire.
Something you should watch out for when at close range is the Sniper's Kukri, or even worse, the Tribalman's Shiv. Both of these items can deal massive damage to you in a relatively short space of time, so despite your dodging abilities, you have to be careful at close range. Especially when a Jarate and Shiv combination will kill you in one hit via bleed damage. |
Scout |
vs |  Spy (match-ups) |
You are one of the deadlier classes for a Spy, since you're usually too fast to backstab unless you are standing still (which as a Scout you shouldn't be), and your Scattergun is good for up close Spy checking. Be careful when retreating though, because if you back into him you're going to feel a large, deadly prick. Also, avoid running in straight lines, even if no enemies are present (if no teammates are around); any competent Spy can do a turn-stab, killing you as you run past. When in a firefight with a Spy, simply strafe as usual while taking shots at him with your Scattergun. If he runs away or you see a Cloaked Spy at any time, use the spread of your Scattergun to reveal their location then try to predict his movements while continuing to fire. Similarly, if they are using the Dead Ringer and you can tell you have triggered it, run in the direction he was running when it happened, or to the nearest ammo kit to cut him off should he make a beeline for it. Be wary of his Revolver at close range, it can take you down in 3 shots if he has good aim (2 shots at close range if you carry the Sandman). |
