Community Junction strategy

Junction
Basic Information
Map type:	Control Point
File name:	cp_junction_final
Released:	February 24, 2009 Patch (Scout Update)
Developer(s):	Sean "Heyo" Cutino
Map Info
Environment:	Spytech
Setting:	Indoor
Map Items
Health Kits:	×8  •   ×1
Ammo Boxes:	×7
Map Photos
Map Overview

This article is about Community Junction strategy.

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

General strategy

Offense

• Point B is generally more defensible than point A, with the limited approaches and enclosed point. This makes it advisable to go after point B first, when the enemy's defense is split. Defense at Point A can be more easily overcome.

Defense

• Take advantage of the enclosed points B and C for grenade and rocket Splash damage. This can make clearing points much simpler. A Pyro also can do some damage if there are many players huddled together on the point.

Class-specific strategy

 Scout

General

• Junction is not a map that Scouts can work on as effectively as other maps, mostly because it is very limited in its space and all of the capture points are in very small, cramped areas that can easily be rushed or spammed by the RED team if you are capping. Conversely, RED Scouts will have a hard time flanking the enemy as the corridors are so tight and the escape routes you may need to take are limited at best. As such, the Scout works better as an ambush class on Junction, with many corners and little rooms to hide in for passing targets.

• A very team oriented, and more importantly, effective loadout for both offensive and defensive Scouts includes the Scattergun, Bonk! Atomic Punch or the Mad Milk, and the Sandman. As attack routes for both sides are limited, the goal of this loadout aims to protect your team from enemy Spies, support in larger fire fights near chokepoints, and assist in taking down high value targets. Bonk! Atomic Punch is preferred for offense while Mad Milk is preferred for defense.

Offense

• As mentioned above, offensive Scouts have very few options as to what they can safely do when attacking the points. If a Sentry Gun is set up, with the Engineer or another class alive to protect the Sentry Gun it will be almost impossible to destroy on your own as most Sentry Gun placements in this map will be in raised areas that can aim directly at your spawn doors. Instead, act as a supporting role and run in with your teammates so you can boost the cap speed and even distract enemies with Bonk! should you need to.

• Bonk! Atomic Punch is another way you can help your team to spearhead pushes into the point areas, as it will allow you to distract Sentry Guns long enough for your team to take it out/the Engineer out. Try to drink Bonk! as close to the Sentry Gun as you possibly can, as it means you will be the closest target (and therefore the one it focuses on), preventing any teammates from being killed off by it.

• The Scout can also take advantage of some of the pathways (such as the route to C from the A-B corridor) to flank and kill single enemies or Teleporters. While this may not seem like a worthy effort, remember that every effort to delay reinforcements for the RED team makes your team's job a whole lot easier (though this also becomes near impossible if a Sentry Gun is set up on C, protecting the paths to the areas behind the RED defenses).

• If you manage to start capturing either of the first two points, stay in a spot where you can see RED players coming in from C. This allows you to drop down or loop round behind them and then take them by surprise, possibly preventing that one enemy from stopping the capture.

• When capturing the last point, do not run onto the point itself if there are already 3-4 people standing on it. Instead, stand on the top left ledge or doorway and ambush enemies rushing out of spawn, preferably with Crit-a-Cola to increase the speed of the process and your chance of success (prioritize on Soldiers, Demomen and Pyros though, as these classes with their explosives/flames can wreak havoc on the small area the point is in).

Defense

• Once again, defending Scouts will have a hard time directly engaging the BLU team as any pushes they make in such a small map with have multiple people and at least one heavy class, so try to single out key targets and pick them off when they stray too far from their teammates.

• Alternatively, use Crit-a-Cola and the regular Scattergun to ambush BLU players passing one of the numerous hiding spots or corners in the map. Be careful when doing this however, as you will need to escape immediately before you can be hit for lethal amounts of Mini-Crit damage.

• If you are using the Force-A-Nature, use the self knockback to your advantage and jump to higher areas or across gaps to stay on the move and prevent yourself getting cornered when flanking.

 Soldier

General

It is worth noting that for both teams, rocket jumping is very limited in its usefulness on this map as a lot of the larger areas have ceilings to cut you off at the apex of your jump. If you can horizontally rocket jump though, it can be used for quick crossing of the larger areas and corridors.

Offense

• When attacking the area at A, try to go through the right doorway or even through one of the areas behind the point, as the bottom left one will be at the mercy of Pyros waiting to ambush you and Demomen firing Grenades down there. However, if you are sure it is clear, the stairway can be used to attack any Sentry Guns positioned on the point itself.

• The tight spaces of this map make the normal Rocket Launcher your best bet, as you can take advantage of the large amount of splash. It may also be worth using the Buff Banner, as it is for this same reason that you can build up a rage very quickly (and the absence of rocket jumps makes the Gunboats somewhat impractical).

• Point B is a lot harder to access as both of the spawn doors are in relatively easy to access places for the RED team, meaning that a sticky trap or Kritzkrieg waiting is likely. The door on the far left that comes from A isn't much better either for solo attempts, as it is underneath a ledge that enemies can easily fire down at you from, but if your team charges from multiple exits OR you know that there are no traps waiting, you can move towards and between the crate stacks to stay in cover.

• If RED team members are standing on the point in the small room (viewable through the windows), edge around the corner on the right side and fire normal rockets in to deal major damage to anybody standing there. That being said, be careful of any Pyros trying to airblast your rockets, as the tight space makes it even riskier thanks to the Mini-Crits they get when reflecting.

• As your team captures B, look through the door towards C occasionally to stop RED pushes from storming in and retaking the point/stopping the capture. If you want to maintain an element of surprise, stand in the corridor to the left between B and C and ambush enemies as they rush towards the B area, being careful not to move too close to the C point as you will be spotted through the windows.

• In the corridor between A and B is the entrance to a very small corridor that goes directly to C. This area can be used as another entrance out of the many to C, and you can also reach the A point halfway through it, coming out on the same level as the point itself. Keep this in mind if you need to flank enemy Sentry Guns or even as a place to jump and escape to if RED push back onto A.

• Point C is very difficult to attack directly as it has a lot of cramped entrances (being easy for the RED team to chase you into or set traps around) and is small enough to allow Sentry Guns to detect anybody coming through any one of these entrances. Therefore, try to push in with your team when there is an ÜberCharge ready, or when teammates are pushing through other entrances simultaneously.

• If you can find an angle to look at a Sentry Gun while being outside its range, use the Direct Hit to destroy it. This is important on point C as Engineers can tank their Sentry Guns very easily due to the confined spaces making Spies difficult to use effectively. Otherwise, try to take them down while the Engineer goes for metal, and convey to your team when it's safe to push in.

• When capturing the point, stand on the side nearer the enemy spawn, as the tight room the point is in is very susceptible to splash damage and Pyros. By standing on the near side, you will be somewhat out of the range of any projectile spam being fired from their spawn due to the angle, and hopefully be able to capture the point via your survival.

Defense

• Defending this map will be especially easy if you can have a friendly Medic build up a Kritzkrieg ready in case you need a quick solution to stop a point from being captured. The very small space in which the enemy team can stand to capture points makes any critical rockets even more deadly than before, and in the confined space and with the element of surprise it is unlikely a Pyro will be able to successfully reflect your rockets.

• The spawn doors of the BLU team are visible from the A and B points if you stand directly on them. This is useful as you can spot and call out any BLU charges, and jump down from the high ground to get behind them when they come up the stairs at either point.

• At point A, try to stay out of sight and wait for the enemies to come to you, as the wide open area at the front is a poor place to take enemies on in comparison to the narrow stairwells. Alternatively, stand on the left ledge across from the point and fire rockets at the BLU team as they congregate on the point itself.

• Do not try to ambush BLU players as they come out of spawn, as they have control of the doors and can easily retreat should they feel in over their head. Instead, wait until they have advanced to a distance where they cannot retreat easily, then strike.

• Standing on the A point and shooting down onto incoming BLU players is a bad idea as Pyros can easily reflect your rockets at that distance and you may be sniped from the lower spawn.

• At B, try keeping yourself hidden or in the halls between B and C when you anticipate a BLU push coming in, and push back towards the point or the spawn doors to suppress anybody you meet and stop reinforcements to those that have reached the point. Once again though, do not fire rockets directly at the spawn doors as they can be easily reflected. Watch out on the right corridor also, as if A has been captured it is the most direct route to B.

• When defending C, only push out when you have adequate support or a charge to survive with. Otherwise, you are very likely to be killed with any sticky traps that the BLU team have placed to secure their front lines. You can also jump into the windows in the center, to take them from the sides at B.

• You can also go through the path from C to the A-B corridor, to get behind enemies coming from either side. Be careful though as you will likely pass by their spawn doors, allowing them to warn their teammates and box you in if you're not cautious.

• If the BLU team is attempting a rush on the point and has a few players on the point itself, fire normal rockets directly through the doorways as the splash will do major damage to a likely already damaged group. With a few rockets, you will be able to kill off any players inside, saving the point and preventing the BLU team's victory.

 Pyro

General

• The various corridors on this map offer little room to evade flames. Running through a corridor whilst flaming is a good way to kill unaware enemies or cloaked Spies.

• For the same reason, airblasting can be a lifesaver on this map. An enemy Soldier or Demoman will not have space to dodge if you can airblast one of their projectiles at close range.

• While the crit boost on the Phlogistinator can be nice, you sacrifice your airblast for it. Consider equipping it alongside one of your two shotguns so you can still remove enemy sticky bombs.

Offense

• Because of the enclosed nature of the control points, an airblast is unlikely to be effective at removing sticky bombs and will simply waste ammo. Use your Shotgun or the Reserve Shooter instead when approaching trapped points.

 Demoman

General

• Junction is an excellent map for Demomen as the tight spaces make sticky traps and grenades much harder to evade for your enemies. As such, do not use the Chargin' Targe or the Splendid Screen as there is not enough open space around the map to warrant their effective use.

• Remember the ricocheting properties of grenades here, as many potential Sentry Gun spots can be reached by bouncing them off of adjacent or nearby walls or pillars.

Offense

• At A, your main role will be to deal with any Sentry Guns that have been set up around the point (one of the most popular places overlooking the entire area from the safety of the point itself). To deal with them, use the lower left spawn door to come out on a set of stairs where you can crouch and safely arc grenades at any faraway defenses (when doing this, be careful of Pyros or Spies waiting to ambush you on the computer terminals outside the door).

• It would also benefit your team to leave or stand at the edge of the point when the coast is clear and laying traps on the door to C. This will stop the RED team from rushing in to try and retake the point, or allow you to kill them if they do not notice the stickies.

• Make use of the tight corridors leading up to the point by firing grenades in there while your team captures the point. Once again, this acts as a deterrent for the enemy team and takes advantage of the tight space via splash damage.

• If you want to keep yourself safe but still protect the point, stickyjump to the ledge opposite the point. It is rarely checked by the enemy team unless they know you have been using it, and allows you to watch over both the door to C and your team as they capture the point (you can later use this ledge to access a corridor to C, though it is of limited usefulness).

• When attacking B, make sure there are no Sentry Guns before storming in without an ÜberCharge. You can use the windows next to the spawn doors to check this, but be warned, as the enemy team can also see you checking and will know where you're going to come out of the spawn.

• If possible, try to access the B area from the connecting corridor from A, or from the rear area behind C. This will prevent the RED team from seeing you coming in, and may also allow you to kill any Engineers behind Sentry Guns quickly and safely.

• When capturing B, again put a sticky trap around the doorway to C, but try to vary the location of the trap somewhat if you have to reset your trap multiple times (or if you are using the Scottish Resistance). This will prevent the enemy from catching on to your plan, and so you can kill them much earlier or later than they would expect otherwise.

• If you are using the Scottish Resistance, you can layer your traps to progressively wear down any pushes towards the point as it is being captured. To do this, simply place a few stickies on one of the doors connecting to C, then a few on a door nearer the point, and so on. Be sure to pick areas where you will know when it is the right time to detonate, and to leave them up even when the point is captured to deny the enemy access to your lines.

• Attacking C will be incredibly difficult without an ÜberCharge ready to use, as there will almost always be at least one Sentry Gun covering the entire area (usually on the walkway next to the point room). If the Sentry Gun is shifted to one side of the area, try to fire grenades at long range from one of the doors at the opposite end of the area, or back up anybody trying to take it out by firing simultaneously (thus damaging it faster than the Engineer can repair it).

• When capturing the point, put stickies outside the doors to the point room. This will at the very least prevent Pyros from rushing in and wreaking havoc with their flames, as well as any other enemies trying to run in.

Defense

• This map is practically made for the Scottish Resistance, as its numerous doorways to each point and tight spaces make multiple sticky traps a godsend. Try to use layered traps as much as possible, and take advantage of the various alcoves to hide stickies in.

• Keep stickies on the BLU spawn doors as much as possible, and reset said traps immediately once they have been detonated. This will always act as a deterrent to the BLU team from coming via the easiest way, and will prompt them to try coming through alternate pathways (most of which are typically difficult for them to access).

• If you have the time, lay sticky traps in less obvious spots directly on the point you are defending. This means that in the worst case scenario, with the BLU team being in the process of capturing the point, you can detonate them to possibly stop the capture, kill one or two people or heavily damage them.

• You can also stand away from either of the points as they are being captured and fire grenades and offensive stickies through the doors, possibly ricocheting the grenades off walls as necessary. Using this method also reduces the amount of damage you take as a result, but utilizing the Demoman's indirect fire capabilities.

• At C, the Scottish Resistance truly shines, as it has a large amount of small doorways and tight corridors leading to the main area from the other points. Always keep stickies hidden around the most common entrances (the far left stairs and windows and right side doors) and stay alert as to when to detonate which traps where (it may be useful to stand directly on the point when doing this, as you will be completely unreachable to the enemy team, aside from Spies or Scouts with Bonk! creeping in).

• Laying stickies on the walkways around the point room also helps, as they prevent anybody from safely entering the capture zone and forces them to either destroy them, airblast them away or take the risk of running over them (which will kill them if you are about to detonate).

 Engineer

General

Engineers are most useful when placing Sentry Guns directly on or near the control points.

• The point area itself on A is a good Sentry Gun spot as it watches over the entire area of A, with its only major blind spot being the lower BLU spawn (though if you use your Pistol or send friendly players to lock it down, this threat can be temporarily eliminated via deterring the enemy).

• The raised ledges around the B point provide good Sentry Gun spots, covering the main open area outside the BLU spawn doors. However, building it too far to the left will make it vulnerable to attacks from the corridors going to A and C, so make sure your team is defending those well or that A has not been captured.

• The main Sentry Gun placements in C are at the top of the stairs either side of the point, and on the walkways overseeing the many entrances to the zone. The further to the left you shift your Sentry Guns, the less likely they are to be attacked from the B doors and windows, but the easier they are to kill with ÜberCharges and Demomen arcing grenades (they also get further away from the point). As you shift your Sentry Gun to the right more, however, it becomes less likely to let enemies in through the bottom right and central doorways but will be more open to long range rockets and grenades from the far left doorway and windows.

• At C you can also put a Sentry Gun on the top right ledge, overseeing the entire top level of the point. This is good for covering the point itself as it can see into the point room (to a degree) and prevents enemies from running up to the point from one side, but it can be easily rocketed from the far left or even directly below it like other far right Sentry Guns.

 Sniper

General

• Using the Rifle on Junction is fairly ineffective, as there are few areas where the distance between you and your target will be longer than the Huntsman can manage. As such, using the Huntsman is recommended as it can be used effectively in nearly any part of the map (its fire-and-forget playstyle is also useful when trying to lay down suppressing fire through chokepoints).

• Jarate is usually the best option for this map on either team, as the tight space means you'll often splash multiple enemies and Spies will have little space to dodge in once you have soaked them. However, be careful of your teammates when throwing Jarate, as the corridors may cause the jar to break on them and not your enemies if used in an enclosed area.

Offense

• At points A and B, use the Huntsman to take quick shots out of the spawn doors before retreating back in to evade any projectile spam from outside. If you feel you can act fast enough, use the Rifle to increase the likelihood of your shots hitting.

• When your team is charging for the point, hang back and aim toward the doors or corridors that go to C. This will be where enemy reinforcements come through, and if you either fire arrows or train your laser dot in a clearly visible spot, it will deter the RED team from coming through.

• If there are multiple enemies on the point, throw Jarate onto it through a doorway. This will make any pushes onto the point from your team a lot more effective, and may scare off valuable targets such as Medics or Heavies if timed right.

• Do not use the SMG for Spychecking or killing Spies going in for the kill, as it is far too slow in terms of damage and it will allow them to make a quick getaway through the numerous corridors. Instead, use Jarate and/or the Tribalman's Shiv to put pressure on the Spy and make him easily trackable.

• At C, try attacking solo from different angles via the many different doorways. This will make the enemy's job of staying out of potential sniping zones a lot harder, and also may allow you to get into a Sentry Gun's blind spot.

• If you are attacking C from the connecting B corridors, try to fire arrows around the corner at the middle windows. This will allow you to freely attack the main area assuming there are no Sentry Guns present on the left side of the near walkway (the Rifle can also be used here, though you will not be able to retreat after firing immediately, in the event of a Soldier, Scout or Demoman jumping through the windows).

Defense

• Use Jarate to make points easier to retake if the BLU team is capturing them. This will enhance the effect of Soldiers, Demomen and Pyros directly attacking the point, and the combination of explosive damage, fire damage and Jarate will finish off any enemies quickly.

• Use the Sniper Rifle to aim directly at the BLU spawn doors from the safety of the raised areas around the points, as you will be able to kill enemies instantly instead of having to predict when they are going to come out of the spawn with the Huntsman.

• Spycheck people regularly with Jarate or the Tribalman's Shiv. This will prevent any sudden attacks from the corridors behind or between A and B, and allow your team to quickly identify them as a threat should you die.

• When defending C, you can stand on the top right ledge with the Rifle to pick off any targets trying to come through the far left corridors from B. However, be careful of Spies coming up behind you, along with the usual threats of enemy Snipers and long range rockets from the far left.

 Spy

General

• Spies are great for offense on this map because of the many different routes and connections between all of the control points. It is possible to fool the RED team without even cloaking behind their front lines. Using your Cloak only for getting behind Control Point C will heed great results.

• Junction is a map best suited for the Dead Ringer, due to its tight spaces and few possible hiding spots. You can use the normal Invisibility Watch or the Cloak and Dagger on offense quite well (with the numerous areas around the RED spawn letting you watch over the enemy Teleporters), but if you want to survive long enough to do some damage, use the Dead Ringer before running to the nearest BLU spawn door. On defense, any of the watches can be used depending on your personal preference, but be careful when using the Cloak and Dagger as the narrow halls and lack of potential hiding places make you easily bumped into no matter where you hide.

Offense

• Try not to rush into a point area on your own, especially if there are many RED players lying in wait. The tight space and aforementioned lack of suitably dark places to uncloak mean that should you be discovered (likely, due to the enhanced effect of splash damage and flames the cramped space grants) you will almost certainly not make it out alive (unless using the Dead Ringer, in which case be sure to retreat to spawn and not behind the enemies as they will be able to feel you pushing through them).

• Only sap Sentry Guns when your team is absolutely ready to charge in and take it out while you are sapping. Otherwise, it is likely the Engineer will be able to keep his Sentry Gun alive and for one of his teammates to kill you as you are sapping.

• When attacking A, try to use the corridor that links A and B together to access the raised area from C that is normally inaccessible except to Soldiers and Demomen. This place is a good, out of the way area to watch over the point, Scout out any potential threats to your team and also remain until your team makes their push.

• Do not hide in the stairwells that go directly to the point, as they are too tight and well-lit to allow adequate hiding or waiting.

• At B, you can use the crates dotted around the hall as cover, and move directly onto the point. Here you can uncloak safely unless there is a RED player directly on the point, and you can then walk down the stairs and stab anybody locking down your spawn.

• If possible, try to get into the hallway behind B that joins onto C, as this area is a good, dark spot for uncloaking and following key targets.

• At the last point, focus more on sapping Sentry Guns and killing Engineers than actually trying to capture the point. The point itself is far too cramped and easily accessible to the RED team for you to attempt a backcap, and does not capture fast enough for you to do it as soon as both previous points have been captured (by which time the RED team will have already begun setting up at C).

• If you are unsure of where exactly all the Sentry Guns are located, try to access the upper left ledge (though the stairwell in the windows). This lets you survey the entirety of C, and also is a good spot for uncloaking and/or hiding while the enemy team is looking for you.

Defense

• Use the pieces of cover at A and B to hide behind, chasing enemy players as they rush into your point. This works better with the Cloak and Dagger, as you will not be seen until the last moment, if at all.

• The multiple sets of stairs up to each point allow you to come from the least watched side of the point when the BLU team are in the process of capturing. Do not try this if there are more than 4 people on the point (or more than 2 Scouts/Pain Train Soldiers or Demos due to their increased rate of capture), as it will mean that even killing one person will not affect the maximum capture rate.

• If you are trying to thin out the BLU team as they capture A, try using the Ambassador from a range. With enough people on the point, it is likely you will often get a headshot, and may damage them enough to either kill them or weaken them for your teammates to kill them when blocking the capture.

• When defending C, use the many different corridors going to A, B and the area between to get behind the enemy lines. Then, run back toward C via the main entrances and stab anybody moving towards the point. This will not only foil enemy pushes from that side, but also increase the likelihood of you surviving thanks to the instant transition to a safe area (C, assuming there is a least one Sentry Gun guarding the doors).

• If the BLU team congregate on the point itself, rush in with your Knife. It may be possible to get a stab or two and block the capture slightly, thus creating a window of opportunity for your team to aid you.