Community Altitude strategy

Altitude
Basic Information
Map type:	Control Point
File name:	cp_altitude
Released:	December 2, 2021 Patch (Smissmas 2021)
Developer(s):	Evan "Defcon" LeBlanc Alex "FGD5" Stewart Liam "Diva Dan" Moffitt
Map Info
Environment:	Alpine
Setting:	Daylight, snowy
Hazards:	Pitfalls
Bot support:	Yes
Map Items
Health Kits:	×6  •   ×11  •    ×1
Ammo Boxes:	×2   •    ×8   •    ×1
Map Photos
Map Overview

This article is about Community Altitude strategy.

Note: It is recommended to read the main Altitude article first to become familiar with the names of key map locations used in this article.

General Strategy

Offense

• Every control point has multiple flank routes leading up to it. If one particular path is not working out, then try another.
  • However, these very same flank routes can be utilized by the defenders, so beware!
• Due to drastic variations in elevation, having the ability to quickly change one's vertical position is quite important for a successful assault.
• Certain locations, such as Cliffs, Warehouse or B Hut usually become the epicenters of Red defenses. As such, they need to be secured first, before checkpoints themselves.
  • The Cliffs can be captured by either sneaking up to them from the left side, or by quickly Rocket jumping to their top.
  • The Warehouse is prone to being cut of from the Rocks.inc, thus isolating its defenders.
  • The B Hut has an opening in its roof, through which explosives can be hurled.

Defense

• If the opportunity is right, Red members can occasionally outflank the attackers by making use of the various flank routes present.
• Defensive strategies such as laying Sticky traps and Turtling, which may work on other maps, are not particularly effective here, due to a general lack of Chokepoints.
• A Red team should not rely on Snipers for defense, since good sightlines are often broken up by multiple pieces of cover.
• This map contains lots of nooks and crannies, which serve as excellent hiding places for ambushes. They include, but are not limited to:
  • Top of a bookshelf inside the Side Building.
  • Under the Water tower.
  • Under a staircase in the B Hut.

Class-specific strategy

 Scout

Offense

• Sneaking through the Side Building will allow you to get behind the Cliffs.
• By reaching the Rocks.inc, you will be able to flank behind the Warehouse and subsequently its defenders.
• Having either the Soda Popper or the Atomizer equipped grants you ability to jump on the B Hut's roof.
• Avoid heading directly into the B Hut, due to its cramped interior and the usual presence of a Sentry Gun.
• Move carefully through the Cable Cars' terminal, as its enclosed and compact nature ensure that you are at a disadvantage.
• Bonk! Atomic Punch is useful for distracting Sentry Guns on the final point, which are numerous.* Sneaking through the Side Building will allow you to get behind the Cliffs.

Defense

• You can launch valleys of Mad Milk, as well as other projectiles, from the elevations of Cliffs.
• Counter-flanking the attackers can be achieved through the Side Building.
• The Gated Shortcut can be quickly ascended with the help of the Force-A-Nature's self-knockback.
• Blu attackers love to setup a forward base in the Server room. Although you cannot destroy it singlehandedly, you can still harass it by doing swift attacks from multiple sides.
  • Particularly helpful here are weapons which can deal high burst damage, such as the Flying Guillotine, as these allow you to pull of hit-n-run tactics

 Soldier

Offense

• It is important that you contest the Cliff position immediately after exiting the spawn, due to its immense High ground advantage.
  • You can do this by utilizing your Rocket jump ability.
• There is a small opening in the B Hut's top, through which it is possible to launch rockets onto the defenders below.
  • Of course, this requires you to first take control over the B Hut's roof.
• Due to the abundance of Sentry Guns found on the last control point, it is advised to use the Direct Hit.
  • The Battalion's Backup is also useful in this case.
• Approaching the Server room from the direction of Red's first spawn will put you at an advantage.

Defense

• Beware of enemy Soldiers attempting to steal your high ground on the Cliffs.
• Rocket jumping to the very top of B Hut will give you a good overview of the map, but will leave you exposed to enemy Snipers.
• The Gunboats are very effective in the middle part of the map, where there is plenty of space for Rocket jumping.
• Use your explosives to wreck havoc on Blu Sentry nests commonly positioned in the Server room.
• Equipping one of the Banners will significantly boost the defenses of the last control point, where team coordination is more important than individual performance.
  • For example, a good Buff Banner charge can completely obliterate a push coming through the main Chokepoint.

 Pyro

Offense

• Since the Blu team starts out in the low ground, Compression Blast will be needed in order to protect against incoming Red Projectiles.
• Using the Powerjack, a Pyro can swiftly flank through the Side Building and reach the Cliff's Rocks.inc.
• Due to a common Sentry Gun position, it is advised against going directly in the B Hut. However, a simple ÜberCharge can solve this problem.
• It is possible to sneak up to the Red's final spawn from its left side, from which you can spam Flares onto the defenders below.
  • This also allows you to blockade the Red spawn, all while avoiding the common Sentry positions around checkpoint C.

Defense

• Blu Spies like to infiltrate in through the Side Building, something you can put an immediate stop to.
• Once the Cliffs get captured, be prepared for a hail of Blu projectiles to be hurled against you and your teammates.
• The Cable Cars' terminal offer plenty of tight, congregated spaces which your shot-ranged flames can take advantage off.
• The Thermal Thruster is useful for quickly reaching the catwalks above the Server room.

 Demoman

Offense

• Use the arc of your projectiles in order to shower the Cliff in grenades.
• At control point A, You can block the Red team's escape route by laying sticky traps just in front of Blu's second spawn.
• Approaching the B hut from its left side will give you a good angle on the Sentry Guns within it.
  • Just beware of that Pitfall on the side while doing this.
• Defenders will often fortify the final point by setting up a Sentry nest right below the Server room, making it hard to approach without an ÜberCharge.
• The compact nature of the Cable Cars' terminal allow your opponents to close the distance between you much faster. Something to be wary of.

Defense

• The Scottish Resistance is particularly effective on Control Point A, where you can overlook nearly all Blu spawn exit from the top of the Cliff's.
• The presence of various flank routes, combined with a general lack of Sentry Guns, makes Demoknight a good pick on Altitude. Especially on defense.
• Trimping can be effectively performed on the B Hut's roof.
• Blu Engineers love to setup a Teleporter exit in the Gated Shortcut, whose gates you can then sticky trap.
• Although this map does not contain many Chokepoints, there are still some cramped areas through which attackers like funnel, such as: The Cliff's Rocks.inc building, the Triangular House, the Server Room and the chokepoint beneath it.

 Heavy

Offense

• It is of upmost importance that you provide suppressive fire to fellow attackers attempting to seize the Cliffs.
• Although Snipers are not much of a threat on this map, they can still be lethal on the first control point, which is quite open.
• You can surprise your opponents on Control Point B by dropping through an opening in B Hut's roof.
• Red Snipers usually do not watch the Final point's right flank, giving you an opportunity to accomplish something.

Defense

• You will mostly encounter medium-range combat during the first part of Altitude, making the Tomislav a good choice here.
• Staying in the Warehouse is not recommended, since if you wish to retreat to Jenkin Coal.co, you will have to traverse a big sightline.
• As your team is retreating to Point B, you can act as a rear guard by defending the Valley.
• Due to various flank routes present, the Buffalo Steak Sandvich can be used somewhat effectively around the area of Control Point B.

 Engineer

Offense

• Setting up a Sentry nest in the Side Building will allow it to support Blu teammates attacking Point A.
• Remember to replace your Teleporter Entrance after the first point is captured.
• The Triangular House serves as good construction grounds for a Sentry nest on Control point B.
• Once again, due to the changing spawns, make sure to replace your (now) old Teleporter Entrance after Point B is secured.
• In preparations for an attack on Point C, you should setup a forward base in the Server Room, where it can directly support your teammates.

Defense

• Common Sentry positions on Point A include: Cliffs, Warehouse, Side Building for watching the flanks and Rocks.inc as a last line of defense.
• The Short Circuit is quite important in the cramped corridors of B Hut, where explosive projectiles are of significant threat.

 Medic

Offense

• Unlike on some other maps, an ÜberCharge is not required to safely exit the spawn, so save it for later.
• Overhealing friendly Soldiers will allow them to safely rocket jump onto the Cliffs.
• By sneaking an ÜberCharge through the Rocks.inc, you will effectively cut of the Red team's escape route from Point A.
• Positioning yourself in the Triangular House puts you (mostly) out of harm's way, while still allowing you to heal teammates assaulting the B Hut.
• The Server room acts as a good springboard from which to launch an attack.
  • While in it, it is good practice to climb onto the Servers themselves, as this will give you a slight leverage.

Defense

• While staying on the Cliffs, beware of Blu members flanking through the Side Building.
• Staying inside the Warehouse is risky, since if you have to retreat, you will have to traverse a big Sniper sightline.
• Scouts and other highly mobile classes excel on Control Point B, so it might be worthy to prioritize healing them.
• As you are withdrawing from the B Hut, beware of enemies attacking you from its roof, which is usually the first to fall.
  • The Overdose's speed boost can aid you in avoiding this.

 Sniper

Offense

• Exiting through the right most spawn exit will bring you to a small, slightly elevated wooden platform.
• Once Cliffs get captured, you should advance forward and take a position on them, so that you may target enemies defending the point.
• The Gated Shortcut grants you a powerful sightline directly to Point B.
• There is a flank route on the right side of Point C, which you can utilize to get a good angle on the Red's back line.

Defense

• Keep in mind that good Sniper sightlines are far and few in between on Altitude. As such, the Classic Sniper Rifle is quite limited here.
• Due to a lack of decent Sniping positions, the Huntsman-Sniper playstyle might be more viable, at least in certain situations.
• On Control Point B, the B Hut's roof is a rewarding, albeit risky position.
• You can surprise many attackers by starring down the Server room from the right flank.

 Spy

Offense

• After infiltrating through the Side Building, you can either proceed to the Rocks.inc in order to get behind Red Engineers, or move up behind the Cliffs.
• Be careful when sneaking through the Valley, since it often becomes a battlefield between the two teams.
• Red Snipers usually like to sit in a predictable position, that being the B Hut's roof.
• There are a couple of underground callers directly below the B Hut, in which you can safely hide, refit and heal up without being interrupted.
• The Your Eternal Reward is immensely useful on the last control point, which often becomes riddled with Sentry Guns.

Defense

• Since there is not much Ammo present around Point A, it is advised to use the L'Etranger when traversing it.
• Equipping the Cloak and Dagger allows you to indefinitely sit on top of the Valley's central rock.
• You can sneakily position yourself below the Water Tower and wait for attackers to fall right into your hands. This works even when uncloaked.
• Blu Engineers like to setup their Teleporter exits in the Gated Shortcut, something which a Red member can access only from the Side Buildings.
• In general, it is good practice to stick to the right side of Point C, since the Point itself is slightly to the left, meaning that Blu will not be looking to the right as much.