Community Versus Saxton Hale strategy

Nucleus VSH

This article is about Community VS Saxton Hale strategy.

General strategy

• Try to stick together as a team, rather than going solo, as Saxton can easily pick off any players on their own. Make sure you are not too tight together so that Saxton can easily kill your whole team.

Class-specific strategy

 Scout

• The Baby Face's Blaster is a great primary choice, letting you escape from Saxton Hale after a couple shots with your Boost meter full. Due to the overall lack of damage sources (such as the lack of Sentry Guns), there is not much to worry about losing your current amount of Boost either.
• The Force-A-Nature can be a useful tool to knock Saxton Hale back in close proximity, possibly into a hazard.
• Using the Bonk! Atomic Punch can be great to lure him out for the rest of your team to flank.
• Considering there is only one target to deal damage, the Mad Milk is an excellent choice. Letting all of your teammates heal lost health by just dealing damage on the target they were focusing already.
• Although risky, hitting with the Fan O'War marks Saxton Hale for death, letting you and the rest of your team to deal mini-crits for a short amount of time.

 Soldier

• Banners are effective in keeping your team alive or increasing the damage done against Hale.
  • Although risky, the Market Gardener can be used to instantly charge a banner.

 Pyro

• Airblasting is an effective and inexpensive tool to keep yourself and teammates away from Hale's attacks.
  • Airblast can prevent Saxton from landing his stomp attack. Use this when you see one coming!
  • Pushing Saxton upward is a good way to temporarily halt his momentum and keep him exposed.
  • Try pushing him into enviromental hazards, corners, or small spaces where Saxton cannot move easily.
• The Flare Gun combos well with Airblast, or fellow Pyros dealing fire damage. It is difficult to hit Saxton, but you will be rewarded with critical damage more often than not.
• The Thermal Thruster can be a good escape tool when you are out of ammo. Note that the increased deployment speed leaves you vulnerable for a while.
• The Axtinguisher bonus damage to burning targets stacks with Critical hits, dealing up to 300+ damage.
• The Hot Hand's double hit can be used to wall climb faster.
• Using the Phlogistinator, you can get guaranteed crits on Saxton Hale, but you will need the protection of your teammates due to the lack of Airblast.
  • The alt-fire taunt's temporary uber will protect you from Saxton's damage. If timed right, you may be able to use his knockback to get to safety, or deal crits early.

 Demoman

• Try to lure him into a hidden sticky trap to take a good chunk of his HP.
  • The Scottish Resistance is the most suitable weapon for this, as it allows Demo to set a sticky trap with up to 14 stickies.
• Consider equipping the Loose Cannon as your primary to knock him out if he starts focusing on you or is reaching too close to you.
• The Chargin' Targe, Splendid Screen, and Tide Turner can act as a one-hit immunity against Hale's primary attack. Charging can still be utilized even after the shield is broken.
• Hale receives a small knockback when he takes a melee hit. Demoknights are incredibly effective due to this, especially considering every Melee is permanently crit boosted.
• The Half-Zatoichi heals the player for every successful hit against Hale, making it an excellent option for surviving close encounters.
• The Eyelander grants heads for each successful hit against Hale. The increased movement speed can be helpful for dodging Hale's attacks, or for chasing him around the map.

 Heavy

• All Miniguns have a 40% damage reduction to Saxton Hale.
• As the class with the highest health pool, you will always survive a normal punch at full health (two if fully overhealed).
• It is very easy to run out ammo as heavy. Get the help of your fellow engineer's dispenser if possible.
• Consider using the Shotgun or Tomislav to take advantage of the higher mobility they provide.
  • The Tomislav's quicker rev-up time and better accuracy is a great all-around primary for the Heavy, considering Saxton Hale's speed, and your own speed.
• The Brass Beast is an ultimate damage dealer, especially when paired with a Kritzkrieg Medic, with its trade-off being the lack of mobility. Consider using it in high places where Hale might have difficulty reaching you.
• The Natascha's slowdown-on-hit ability has a 15% chance of applying against Saxton Hale, making it less viable to use in close proximity. Much like the Brass Beast, consider using it in spots where Hale is not able to easily reach you, especially on high places.
• The Eviction Notice's quicker firing speed let Heavies wall climb faster and to higher places.
• The Warrior's Spirit grants Heavies 50 health points for every hit against Hale, allowing for increased survivability.
• Beware of Saxton Hale's Super Punch, as it can usually deal fatal damage.
• Though risky, landing a successful critical Holiday Punch can protect you from Saxton Hale and allow guaranteed damage with your minigun.

 Engineer

• The Rescue Ranger is a great pick to pack up your Sentry Guns when Saxton Hale is damaging it, as well to repair friendly Sentry Guns from other Engineers.
  • The Wrangler is a good tool to tank damage before teleporting your Sentry Gun.
• Try to hide your Dispenser out of sight or in places where Saxton Hale does not pass through, communicating to your team where you have placed it can be helpful to ensure they have a safe place to retreat.
• Place your Sentry in clear view of where Saxton will likely be to maximize time spent dealing damage.
  • Sentries are a very good deterrant that may take attention away from your teammates.
• Due to the lack of respawn, Teleporters can be used as an escape option rather than for quick reinforcements.
  • The Eureka Effect can let you hide Teleporters more easily, but beware of the long taunt animation.
• Dispensers, Teleporters, and Sentries can be used to block Saxton's movement on the ground. This can slow him greatly in corridors or other areas of importance.
  • Teleporters are effective on ramps and inclines where the incline may prevent you from simply stepping over the teleporter.
  • Be careful however, an experienced Saxton can tear through your buildings with his charge attack.

 Medic

• Medics take only 70% damage from Hale's fist, allowing you to survive a hit.
• All Mediguns have a quicker ÜberCharge rate with the Ubersaw equipped.
  • The Ubersaw also grants 50% uber per hit, needing only 2 hits to have full Über.
• Prioritize the classes closest to Saxton Hale, as they are the ones in the most danger.
• The stock Medi Gun's ÜberCharge is best used on teammates that can deal large amount of damage, either if they are about to die or if they are very close to Saxton Hale. This can force him away while dealing a lot of damage.
  • Changing targets during ÜberCharge is very important, considering the Saxton Hale player may focus other teammates close to him when he sees someone being ÜberCharged.
• Although risky, consider going off alone and baiting Saxton Hale into following you, then use your ÜberCharge when he is near you. This can waste his time and allow your team to deal a lot of damage in the meantime.
• The Kritzkrieg is a great damage dealer, but as a trade off it makes you and other allies more vulnerable during Über. Considering equipping it only if there is another Medic running the default Medi Gun.

 Sniper

• You will want to pick high areas to get a better vantage point on Saxton's head, and have an escape route downward if he spots you.
• You are the easiest class to get picked off. Avoid the attention of Saxton by hiding in low-visibility spots, or having a route to teammates that can protect you.
• The Sydney Sleeper is a great support tool to shoot Saxton Hale from far away and increase your team's damage output.
• The Bazaar Bargain is highly recommended, as its higher charge rate increases your damage output greatly.
• The Machina has the potential to deal large amounts of damage, but will also have a larger chance of giving away your position to Hale.
• Although very risky, the Huntsman and the Fortified Compound taunt kill can be used to stun Hale, allowing your team to pile on some damage for free.
  • Saxton Hale can break out of a stun after 2 seconds, blasting everyone away from him.

 Spy

• Use the Dead Ringer to survive a hit from Saxton Hale. Consider luring him away from your team first to buy more time for them to deal damage.
• The Kunai and the Big Earner on kill effects trigger on backstab, allowing you to escape more easily.
• Consider disguising as a friendly teammate with the Disguise Kit to conceal that you are a Spy or gain the Enforcer's damage bonus.