Sudden Death

Heavies in Melee only Sudden Death

“

You've failed. Prepare for sudden death!

Click to listen

— The Administrator

”

Sudden Death mode is activated if neither team scores enough points to win the map and the timer runs out. Sudden death is a server-side CVAR (control variable) and by default is disabled on the PC version.

Like normal rounds, Sudden death still has a time limit, however there are several restrictions. The supply cabinets in the respawn area are locked; when an Engineer dies, all his buildings are destroyed; and no player will respawn after dying. The only way to heal is either from a Medic, Mad Milk, a Dispenser, or a Sandvich, as the normal Health items throughout the map are also unavailable.

At the beginning of the Sudden death period, you may still re-select your class as long as you have not left the spawn room yet. If you leave the spawn room, and then choose a new class you will die if the option "Suicide upon class change" is checked and have to wait until the next map starts to play again.

There are several other types of Sudden death, and the type played depends on server variables:

Single Class: Every player is the same class and cannot switch.

Melee-Only: Only melee type and Invisibility watches may be used.

Melee-Only Single Class: Only melee type and special weapons may be used, and every player is the same class

Unlike normal rounds, you can win in one of two ways. Either by completing the original objectives (capturing the intelligence, capturing the control points, etc), or by killing all the enemy players. If neither happens before time runs out, the match ends in a stalemate.

Getting the most points in Sudden Death without killing anyone as a Medic will award the "First Do No Harm" achievement.

Tactics

Standard

Before leaving the spawn room, take a moment to evaluate and possibly change your current loadout. Some weapons, like the Vita-Saw, may have only downsides in sudden death rounds.

Stick together, especially if your team has Medics. A group of players is much more difficult to wipe out than individuals.

Protect your Medics and Engineers as they are your only source of health, save for a convenient Sandvich.

Seek out and destroy lone players with your teammates to slowly reduce the number of enemy players.

Play defensively when you have no Medic support, as every lost Health point cannot be earned back.

Engineers should build Dispensers before building anything else, to provide health for teammates and metal for other buildings.

Melee Only

As with Standard play, stick together! The lack of splash damage with melee weapons means that bunching up is a good tactic, allowing for multiple hits against opponents.

Regular melee tactics apply; try to feint and dodge your opponents attacks, landing your own hits when he cannot attack back.

Medics cannot heal you and Engineers cannot build Dispensers, so every health point is precious. Play defensively and attempt to ambush your opponents.

Demomen with the Chargin' Targe are very dangerous, as a guaranteed Crit can easily kill many classes in one hit, especially if they are using a Scotsman's Skullcutter or Ullapool Caber.

The Spy is particularly dangerous with his backstabs, attempt to get behind the enemy and try not to get cornered. If all else fails, going for a lucky backstab is better than simply slashing their face.

Update history

September 26, 2007 Patch

When a round finishes, if there's less than 5 minutes left on the timelimit, the server now goes ahead and switches level right away, instead of going into Sudden death.

October 8, 2007 Patch