----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------Team Fortress 2 � Spy Strategy Guide----------------- Version: 2.7 This guide is subject to change, as it will continually be updated as see fit. ----------------------------------------------------------------- By nodforlife & Delkin525 (aka sR + Orca) Email: (Delkin525) - [email protected] (nodforlife) - [email protected] Steam IDs: nodforlife, Delkin525 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Intro: ----------------------------------------------------------------- The spy is considered by many to be the most difficult of the classes, and for good reason; he is. Of all the classes he demands the most micro (or coordination that is acquired over time with experience). The Spy is unique in the fact that he's not your typical first-person-shooter experience. You're goal is not to out-gun the enemy, in fact it's the exact opposite; you're striving to out-smart them, which makes it all the more satisfying. The Spy is the weakest of the classes physically, yet he makes up for it with a slew of cunning tricks that can be essential for the victory of your team. A well timed sapper can provide just enough of a lull in the opponent�s defenses to allow your team to bust through and capture a point. Flanking the entire team�s rush and stabbing their medics can end their offensive before it�s even had time to reach your front lines. Pesky heavies and camping Snipers frequently fall victim to a capable Spy�s blade. And, really, there�s nothing more satisfying in TF2 than backstabbing a Medic/Heavy combo and taking down their 600 combined health with two deft mouse clicks. The Spy is our favorite class for these reasons, and despite his obvious deficiencies he can easily dominate the scoreboards and lead his team to victory. This guide will provide for you a vast understanding of the Spy, and how he works, through the eyes of two very Spy-obsessed individuals. We'll explain in detail in-game scenarios you'll face, how to deal with specific classes, how to think like a spy, how to move like a spy, and so much more. By the end of this guide, you'll be that much closer in turning yourself into a very capable Spy. After all, the next step is taking what you learn here to heart, and thus executing your newly acquired knowledge in-game. Some of you are without doubt hardcore players, and pride yourselves on clan-related matches, and or league matches. Yet, I'm sure even a larger number of you will spend the majority of your time playing in public servers, which is fine. The true difference between the two isn't really a measure of skill. Just because you play in cal, or other such league events doesn't mean you can't be owned by someone in a pub. The difference lies in team coordination. Teamwork is immensely more coordinated in league and clan matches, and as such, the match is more difficult, much more difficult than the sparse coordination displayed in pub matches. In addition, being that league/clan players are experienced, playing with them means that you will have to utilize your Spy strategies to the utmost of precision. There can't be error, however, don't fret. There's a learning curve to the Spy and we're more than willing to start you on that curve. Essentially, league matches are void of noobs; the majority of players there have a fair degree of skill. If you take part in league matches, then you're probably treating the game more as a sport than a simple instrument of fun. What you'll find in public servers is a vast-array of skill, from very good players, to the most horrid. I've said that teamwork is sparse in public matches, this is because each team usually has a handful of people coordinating (usually via mic) to accomplish a task. The other players either go along with their direction, or wander around on their own one-man missions. With that said, in a pub match if your team isn't winning, or can't push through a chokepoint, please realize the fact that this is largely because your team isn't functioning as a single body; which is a key role in TF2 gameplay. In conclusion, this guide will provide for you details, hints, do's and don'ts, strategies, all formed around one of the most unique classes of any first-person-shooter out there; the Spy. It's truly a gaming experience like no other! The information within the premise of this guide will prove beneficial to any and all players, weather you're hardcore or just playing for the pure fun of it. Good luck! ***************************************************************** This guide is divided into 9 sections. They are as follows: To skip directly to a section, click ctrl+F (the find command), then copy and paste the section code into the space provided, make sure to include the brackets []. Then hit search... _________________________________________________________________ �Section 1) General Outline (code: [A1]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :A general outline of the Spy�s weapons and statistics. _________________________________________________________________ �Section 2) Disguises (code: [A2]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :An in-depth take on which disguises to use and which not to _________________________________________________________________ �Section 3) General Dos and Don�ts (code: [A3]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :A collection of random tips, strategies, and hints applicable to every map _________________________________________________________________ �Section 4) Targets (code: [A4]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :A detailed list of the best classes to backstab and the worst classes to stab; a class by class assessment. _________________________________________________________________ �Section 5) Map Specific Strategies (code: [A5]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :Detailed write-up of how to handle each of the 6 original maps as a Spy. If the map has attack/defensive sides then each side is discussed with a fair degree of accuracy. _________________________________________________________________ �Section 6) Spy Checking (code: [A6]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :Detailed section that states everything you need to know when Spy checking. _________________________________________________________________ �Section 7) Quick Tips (code: [A7]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :The "Sparknotes" of the guide. Contains many tips, facts, and tricks, in a very brief 1-2 sentence description. Ideal for those of you who don't want to read page after page of this guide-- though I highly recommend that you do Note: Much of this section is already revealed throughout the guide in great depth. As I've said it is for those of you that are daunted by the thought of reading... Hence the "sparknotes" reference. _________________________________________________________________ �Section 8) Closing (code: [A8]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :Closing comments, and a place where we thank those who contribute. _________________________________________________________________ �Section 9) Copyright (code: [A9]) ----------------------------------------------------------------- :Standard copyright for our faq... ================================================================= - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ***************************************************************** - Version History - ----------------------------------------------------------------- - �Version 2.7 / 02-15-2008 - -Rectified some typos - -Slight changes throughout - - �Version 2.6 / 01-15-2008 - -Added two more sections: Spy Checking / Quick Tips - -Fixed typos - -Added information, and edited randomly throughout - - �Version 2.5 / 01-08-2008 - -Fixed typos - -Added a slew of content throughout the guide - -Added to map strategies, namely Hydro specific information - -Revised information throughout - - �Version 2.4 / 12-27-2007 - -Fixed some typos (I'll always find more) - -Other various changes - - �Version 2.3 / 12-18-2007 - -Again with the grammatical/spelling errors - -Map Specific Strategies updated: CP_Well update - -Revised guide layout - -Added updates throughout - - �Version 2.2 / 12-15-2007 - -Reformatted Entire Guide - -Added New Sections - -Many grammatical/spelling errors have been fixed - -Refined initial work, added to sections - -Spy disguise officially deemed poor disguise - - ================================================================= - - - - - - - Enjoy the Guide! - - - - - - - ***************************************************************** -Section 1) General Outline [A1] ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Spy has the least amount of health that any class gets in TF2, tied with the Scout and Engineer with 125 health to start. He has five weapons/abilities: the revolver, the sapper, the knife, the disguise kit, and the cloaking devise. A good Spy will utilize all of these over the course of a match, so familiarity with all is essential. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Revolver: The Spy�s primary weapon. It holds six bullets before reload, but the reload time is fairly quick, which comes in handy during the frequent battles you will be having with the shotgun-toting Engineers, who have a very slow reload time in comparison. The Revolver does around 40 damage per shot, so it�s not completely useless, but is really only useful in taking out the weaker classes: Engineers, Scouts, and other Spies. When engaged in a firefight with the pistol, it�s best to retreat as you fire, since the Spy�s bullets do the same damage from any range, while the shotgun toting classes have their damage limited by distance, and you will be out of range of the Pyro�s flamethrower. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Sapper: For destroying buildings. If you have this selected and approach an enemy building, a white outline of the sapper will appear on top of the nearest one. Clicking applies the sapper, but does not blow your disguise. It does, however, tip off everyone nearby since they will see a supposed friendly unit and a sapped building. Planting and running is the best strategy, unless there�s a nosey Engineer around (we'll talk about how to deal with them in the next section.) Sappers will disable the operation of whatever they are applied to for the duration of the sap, eventually causing the building to blow up. The sappers slowly suck the life from their buildings and they kill teleports and dispensers fairly quickly. Fully powered up sentries take a while and the sappers will usually be destroyed by an Engineer, since most Engineers consider a Tier 3 sentry too valuable a prize to leave undefended. In this case, just reapply the sapper until the sentry dies. The sapper takes health faster than the engineer can repair it, and even if he�s pounding on it with his wrench the whole time you�re sapping it, you�ll kill it eventually. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Butterfly Knife: This is where most of your points will come from. The knife kills most classes in about four stabs from the front, but from the back, side, or even above in some cases it�s a one hit kill. You�re rewarded with two points for a backstab instead of the one for a front stab. Since most of your kills come from backstabs, this can lead to some pretty lofty scores, and a good Spy can dominate the scoreboards by double-digit points if he can knife properly. Obviously, the slower classes like Heavies and Soldiers are easier to stab since they don�t dart around and prevent you from a clear path to their backs, like Medics and Scouts tend to do. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Cloak: This is key. Knowing when to cloak is the difference between a skilled Spy and an amateur. Right-clicking the mouse will begin the cloak. It takes a moment before you�re completely transparent and enemies can still bump into you. If they do, you will shimmer for a moment and your location will be revealed. This also happens if you take damage, so staying out of the path of the Heavy�s minigun or the Pyro�s flames is recommended. The cloak lasts about 10 seconds before the meter is empty and it recharges to full as long as you�re not using it. When invisible, sentries will not shoot at you and changing disguises does not reveal you, so transforming while cloaked is advised. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Disguise Kit: Does what the name implies. You can transform into either an enemy or friendly class and you will appear to the enemy as such. It takes a moment for a disguise to take effect and a small cloud will appear around you for the duration of the change. Once disguised, only using the revolver or knife will take off the disguise, exposing you to sentries or other defenders, so only go for the kill if you a) are spotted and have to fight or b) have an easy backstab. Also, you will appear to the enemy as whichever class you�ve selected carrying its primary weapon (e.g. if you�re a Pyro you�ll have the flamethrower, a Heavy you�ll have the minigun, etc). Really, there are only three classes worth being disguised as: Pyro, Demoman, and Sniper. Soldiers and Heavies are too slow to get stabs, Scouts are too fast and a disguised Scout will be slower than a real one, Engineers almost always have their wrench out for sapper destruction/sentry upgrades and seeing one with a shotgun out is a giveaway, Medics will be expected to heal and usually don�t have the syringe gun selected, and Spies never run around undisguised, which you will look like to them if you disguise as a Spy (e.g. you won�t have a mask on). Note: In disguise, as part of cover you can call for enemy medics. No matter how much health you really have, your health to the enemy is a half filled meter. So, no matter what, you have half health in the eyes of the enemy. This is another indication that an ally could be a spy. How often is it that you have exactly half health? Further detail on disguises are discussed later in the guide-- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Spies do not show pain. If an enemy was to shoot you, and you continued with what you were doing, there is no way for them to tell if you've been injured. Sometimes pretending that you haven't been shot will make the enemy believe your disguise. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Enemy spies, in whatever disguise, always display half-health to the opposing team, as such it's another slight indicator that someone is a Spy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ***************************************************************** -Section 2) Disguises [A2] ----------------------------------------------------------------- =========[Your worst disguise options are as follows]============ -Heavy You're a huge target. Most people realize whether or not their team has a Heavy, they are a class that demands attention, whether they mean to or not. Part of the reason that a Heavy is a dead give away is the fact that they are so huge. People pay attention to you more. Not to mention that a Heavy is always situated on the front line, and is always firing away. Seeing as how you can�t shoot, you�d be a dead giveaway. Also, it�s worth noting that disguising as a Heavy will not help to kill Medics, being that you are slow moving now. Note: Most Medics know exactly how a Heavy (or anyone they are healing) should act, and deviating from that known way of acting only causes suspicion. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Scout As a Scout your speed doesn't increase. It's obvious to the enemy that you're not a Scout, because you appear slow moving to them. In addition, Scouts are frantic bastards and double jump like there�s no tomorrow. Surely a Spy can't perform as such. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Soldier This is surprisingly the slowest moving character in the game, though; his gun makes him more maneuverable than the Heavy. While the Heavy shoots he hardly moves, and it is hard for him to turn quickly, making him a target for Snipers, and spies alike. Your lessened speed and the fact that you aren't constantly jumping and rocketing is a clear sign to all that you are a Spy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Medics Medics are the WORST possible disguise. Why you ask, because they are constantly being demanded upon by their team, and as such you will have the enemy following you around, all the while begging to be healed. Because a real medic is always healing, and the fact that you can't is a dead give-away. The point of being a Spy is to bring the least amount of attention your way, and unfortunately Medics receive an exorbitant amount. Note: Another factor that contributes to the downfall of this disguise is the fact that when the enemy aims at you there is no ubercharge percentage. Typically, when you look at a medic that is on your team, you�d see an ubercharge percentage. Yet another indication and dead give away that you're a spy. Note: An experienced player will know that a Spy's physical appearance when taking on this disguise includes that he is holding his primary weapon (which is the case for every disguise); the syringe-gun. Typically, Medics are seen wielding their medi-gun, and as such anytime a Medic is seen wandering about with his syringe-gun it's worth Spy-checking him. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Spy In the beginning, early in TF2's release, the Spy was a good disguise. At this point in time however, specific details point out the flaw of this disguise. Firstly, when disguised as a Spy, you don't have a cardboard cut-out mask on your face. This means that from the enemy's point-of-view, they see you, an apparent ally Spy, who has for whatever reason decided to walk around without a disguise on. To the trained eye this is an immediate indication that you're an enemy spy. Secondly, wandering around the enemy's base, without the cover of a mask is an immediate suspicion as they'd expect to at least see you wandering the other teams base (your team), not their own. After all, how often do you as a Spy wander around your own base with no mask on? -- Good response, you never do. Note: When disguised, a cardboard cut-out mask is on your face, Only visible to your teammates, the mask represents the class that you are disguised as. However, when you disguise as a spy the enemy sees you as a spy without the cut-out mask on. It can be a dead give away to the trained eye. ----------------------------------------------------------------- =========[Your best disguise options are as follows]============= -Pyro The Pyro is probably the single best disguise ever. Why? Simple� The Pyro is a trademark anti-Spy character, and is also short-ranged. Because Pyros hunt spies, they are known to randomly wander about, having no concrete order of gameplay. In addition, because they are short-ranged, they rarely attempt attacking enemies at a distance; which means there is little suspicion of you if you aren't shooting at an enemy that would otherwise normally by out of reach for a Pyro. Oftentimes you won't be noticed, being that it�s not so suspicious of a Pyro to be anywhere and everywhere. As stated above, the Pyro is short-ranged, and as such he won't attract as much attention for not shooting constantly. Conversely, if you imitate a Heavy or Soldier, it is likely that the enemy can tell that you�re a Spy based on the fact that you aren�t shooting. Also, you aren't slowed down at all in this disguise. Note: Posing as a friendly Pyro (a Pyro of your team color) is also an incredibly effective way of scaring off, and dealing with enemy Spies. This is so for a few reasons. One, as you'll see later in this guide Pyros are the worst target for a Spy, and should be avoided at all costs. With that said, the enemy Spy will more than likely try to avoid you, this is good because if you are looking for an enemy Spy, and you notice that one of your own is avoiding you, cough, Spy. Now you can have a revolver duel, alert others, or attempt stabbing him to death. If you are really daring you could attempt all three at once! ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Engineer The engineer is one of the best disguises to take out sentries, being that it is typical of an engineer to stick near his sentry and dispenser. Sap first then stab (sapping is explained in greater depth in the target section). Sadly, the engineer is a highly suspected disguise; this is thanks to the fact that too many spies are uncreative and think there's no other way to deal with sentries than to take on this disguise. Pyros will constantly check engineer's above all else. Note: You can immediately determine whether or not an Engineer is an enemy Spy based on whether or not the Engineer is holding his wrench, or shotty. A Spy as an Engineer would be holding his primary weapon, the Shotty, where as most every Engineer wields his wrench as his weapon of choice. At a glance, if the Engineer has a wrench or pistol in hand, you know for sure he's not a Spy. This is important because too many noobs spy-check everyone, pay attention to detail... ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Demoman The Demoman is among the best in-between disguises. It's not highly expected, and it won't slow the movement of the spy. Still, if the Demoman is seen wandering in a fashion unlike a Demoman it's obvious to the enemy that you're a Spy so, be careful. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Sniper The Sniper disguise is good when you are in the appropriate place. If you are in a particular part of a map in which Snipers dwell, then props to you. Stab them Snipers! Otherwise this class is suspicious. Note: When posing as a Sniper, to avoid suspicion be aware of your surroundings, have a target in mind, and act interested in your team. Act as though they (your team) are a dynamic worry to you, strafe back-and-forth looking in the direction of your team, especially when enemies are present. As soon as a target is within range, or when the moments right, break from the act and assassinate. ***************************************************************** -Section 2) General Dos and Don�ts [A3] ----------------------------------------------------------------- While each map has specific strategies that work best, there are some basic techniques that are applicable to all stages, both offense and defense. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1) DON�T attempt to get into firefights unless absolutely necessary. You have too little health for that kind of exercise and most every other gun in the game is more powerful than yours. The only classes you have a chance of killing consistently are Spies, and Engineers. Though, Engineers they are usually guarded by their allies or sentries, since most Engineers camp nearby their teams spawn points; especially late game. Note: Surprisingly a good medic will often times out gun you, based on the fact that their Syringe gun has a much better rate of fire than the Spy's revolver. Though, the revolver is stronger than the syringe-gun per shot. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2) DON�T run toward the enemy unless you�re cloaked. Even if you are disguised as them, the fact that a supposed teammate is running at them is a dead giveaway that you are a Spy and they will kill you. Cloak, get BEHIND their lines, then stab away. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3) As an addendum to Number 2, the disguise can be pretty much worthless for fooling the other team if you fail to act appropriately. All but beginners have learned to be suspicious of everyone, and will shoot every teammate enough times to kill a disguised Spy. Be especially weary of Pyros, since being set on fire does not disappear when cloaked. In fact, steering clear of Pyros altogether is a good idea, unless they are set up for the perfect stab. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4) You should always be in disguise! If you're spotted, you should act quickly to either start killing, or cloak/ re-disguise, then scamper off, then return and continue to harass the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5) The best way to get backstabs is to cloak right before you get to the point in the map where the teams are clashing, then run back to a safe point behind their lines where you can de-cloak and �join� their team for the fight. Often times this takes agility to avoid the firefight on the front lines, but if you can juke your way around the flying grenades, rockets, and Heavy bullets, there can often be bountiful rewards awaiting your knife-wielding hands. Be careful there are no Engineers around, since they like to hang out near the rear. Usually, if you see the Medics run by that means the whole line has passed, since Medics typically run behind everyone with their beam on a Heavy or Soldier. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 6) DO stab their Medics first. They are crucial to any offensive push, especially if they can get their Ubercharge. Killing them makes a brief retreat/heal or Uber-rush for the other team impossible, effectively ending their rush and allowing your team to pick off the attackers. I list the order of priority to stab at 1) Medics 2) Heavies (since it�s really easy) 3) Soldiers 4) Demomen 5) Everyone else. Obviously, killing Engineers is important, too, but they are rarely on the front lines and can be dealt with separately. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 7) Accept the fact that as a Spy, YOU WILL DIE A LOT. Spies are weak, sapping sentries is often a suicide mission, and sometimes their front line is so full of people and firepower that sneaking by is impossible. Just suck it up, re-spawn, and go back at them. There�s a reason you get twice as many points for a backstab, since you probably die twice as much as other classes just getting into the position to get one. But oh, how sweet they are. My apologies, indeed. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 8) Plan proactively. If you can see your team has a capture well in hand, try to sneak onto the next point for an easy capture before the enemy can get its defenses up. This works great on the final points on Granary and Well since they capture really fast and you can almost always get the point before they can stop you. Then you can rush into their spawn before your team can get there and steal all the juicy free kills. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 9) Don�t get greedy with sapping. When you put a sapper on something, be sure you can get away cleanly unless you�re just trying to get a sentry and dying is expected. If there are four enemies with their backs to you and an enemy teleport nearby, LEAVE IT ALONE. If the Engineer is nearby, he�ll announce that he�s being sapped and his team will raise hell looking for you. Besides, killing the enemy troops is worth more points, and is usually better for your team, especially if there're Medics in the bunch. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10) DON�T use teleports. Your feet will glow for a few seconds with your team color, even if you�re cloaked, and it takes about as long for the glow to go away as it would just to walk to the spot where you exited. Unfortunately, Spies have to walk everywhere if they want to be undetected. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 11) The true skill that comes into play while playing Spy is speed. The only time you should sit still, if ever, is to recharge your cloaking, and that's only if you are in a very secure spot. Otherwise, constantly change your disguise after being spotted, and while cloaked might I add. Spies are hunters; sometimes they let their prey come to them. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 12) As a Spy, you have to avoid your own team when passing a choke point, no not because you are afraid to be seen with your team in an enemy disguise (giving away the fact that you're a spy), as you can easily cloak and sneak away. The problem is that when you move with your team, even whilst invisible, you'll likely be shot in the crossfire and often times killed. For example, if your team goes to point A, go to point B. Or, if they go to point A go to point B and make your way to point A. Take the most convoluted way possible, and kill everyone along the way. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 13) Don't worry about what classes the enemy team has when it comes to deciding upon a disguise (unless it�s a very small game). The enemy is usually too busy running about and won�t notice what their entire team is comprised of. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 14) Also, be on the lookout for enemy Spies, they are up to the same things that you are, so expect what they're up to before they even know what they're doing. There is nothing like out- spying a Spy. Keep track of enemy Spy movement especially after having breached the enemy�s side of the map. Oftentimes you�ll see an enemy Spy take on a disguise in plain site. Also, if you want to hunt enemy Spies who are plaguing you team, one good strategy is to disguise yourself as a Pyro of your own team. Spies usually fear Pyros, and don�t attempt stabbing them. This will usually give you an edge over enemy spies. Make sure to watch for typical de-cloaking areas that you would use as a Spy to catch their Spies in the act. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 15) If you're chasing down an enemy, and can't catch up, gun them down. The revolver isn't the most powerful weapon, but if used correctly (and by all means this is correctly), there are many scenarios in which it can prove effective. Though, must I remind you that as a Spy your primary focus should be that of your knife. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 16) Sometimes you�ll be caught in a scenario where you�ll have no choice but to pass straight by an enemy who will soon hopefully walk right by you without suspicion. A few tips will aid you in doing so with little suspicion. Firstly, don�t look straight at them, look straight ahead. Don�t act like you�re afraid of them, try to act natural, so in this case no backing off then proceeding forward again. At the very instant that you're about to pass by each other, turn to them very quickly and stab their side. If your stab lands on their side near enough their back, it's a one-hit-wonder (which will usually be the case in this scenario). This is such a satisfying way of dealing with the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 17) When cloaking/de-cloaking always do so out of enemy site, and give the cloaking/de-cloaking process time to complete before you run out of cover. Many Spies don�t realize that when they de-cloak, they appear differently to the enemy, it takes about two seconds to fully de-cloak for them to look like their disguise. Otherwise they will be half translucent for a few moments, and then their cover is blown. The same issue is involved with cloaking. If you cloak and immediately try to run by enemies they will see you for a second, shoot in the area that you were headed, causing you to become slightly visible, and continue to shoot you. Heavies will do this all the time, if they are shooting and clip a Spy, they will follow the invisible Spy based on the translucent figure they saw when they hit you. Usually a Heavy will finish you like this, which is very annoying. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 18) Sometimes people like to rely on hard facts to consider how they might go about playing. For example, many people would say never get in a fire fight with a Spy because his revolver is among the weakest weapons in the game, and the Spy also has little health in comparison to other classes. Though, those people fail to take into consideration the obvious. Often times when you use the revolver, the enemy will not expect it, and would be used when backstabbing isn�t possible. If the enemy isn�t aware of you to begin with, you�ll easily land multiple hits, usually enough to kill, before they even have time to react. So, stats aside, it�s still a handy weapon, when used accordingly. Note: When dealing with the Heavy, Soldier, and any other class with a considerable amount of health use the revolver as a last- ditch effort, seeing as how they won't go down easily. In fact, you're better off fleeing said classes rather than engaging in a fire-fight with them. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 19) Furthering #18, in some cases you�ll be forced to use your revolver because you�ve run out of cloak and the enemy has already fired a few shots at you. Just take your time, and strafe to avoid their fire. One strategy I�ve found to increase accuracy when the enemy is wildly moving about is actually to let strafing act as a sort of aiming. Once you�ve got your crosshair on the same level as the enemy, for example, on the same level as the body, strafe in whichever direction the enemy is moving, to line-up your shot on them. For example, an Engineer is running back and forth firing off shotty rounds at you, sometimes simply aiming can work great, but it�s also easy to miss, and you only have six shots. Move your crosshair so that when you strafe to the left or right it will fall upon the enemy; once you lineup with the enemy; fire. Sounds odd, but it works incredibly well. Why would you do this? Well, seeing as how you�re adding strafing as a way of lining up your shot, you�re increasing the difficulty for your enemy to hit you. Try it out, practice. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 20) Walking backwards towards your enemy ("retreating to them") can sometimes be one of the most discrete ways of sneaking amongst enemy ranks. Though, abusing your option of doing so could manifest a growing suspicion of you in the eyes of your enemy. Walking backwards is usually done when you are running out of cloak in, or amongst enemy ranks, and it's always done when your team is present so it appears as if you are concerned with them. For example, one time I was running out of cloak, so I quickly looked for a spot to de-cloak, which in this case was on the other side of some rather large crate. After de-cloaking I quickly left my position joining nearby-by enemy forces (which were within my relative vicinity). I decided to face where the choke point was (thus facing my team) and I evasively backed off. This is effective because moving like the enemy makes you appear more believable in their eyes. ----------------------------------------------------- Sometimes backing up can be risky, here are a few tips: ----------------------------------------------------- A. Try to avoid bumping into an enemy while backing- up. This is an immediate give away to most every enemy. ----------------------------------------------------- B. It's also useful to appear as if you are fearful of your own team. For example, if they are launching rockets at near-by enemies, you should dodge your own teams rockets, and other such gun fire. Again, if the enemy sees you dodging rockets, and other firepower, they'll be more likely to believe that you're one of them. ----------------------------------------------------- C. Don't walk backwards in areas where it wouldn't make sense to do so. For example, once you are far from a choke point you'd tend to assume that there aren't many enemies near-by, so walking backwards and darting around as if to be afraid of your own team that is across the map looks incredibly suspicious. I've seen some foolish spies do this before. The outcome is death. ----------------------------------------------------- D. Getting caught in crossfire is the leading cause of death. Which for whatever reason is usually a rocket to your back. Attempt avoiding crossfire to the best of your ability. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 21) Once you're behind a bunch of enemies who are all facing away from you, there is a certain way that you should go about stabbing them. Try to stab each enemy in succession from closest to furthest enemy from you. That way each enemy that you kill will be taken out outside the visual scope of the enemies in front of them, granting you the option of stabbing them next. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ***************************************************************** -Section 3) HOW TO HANDLE ENGINEERS [A3] ----------------------------------------------------------------- As a Spy, you'll spend a great deal of time taking out both Engineers, and their establishments. The following is a list of many of, if not all of the possible scenarios you'll experience in dealing with them. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1.) Sometimes you�ll find that an Engineer has left his establishment unattended, in which case sap everything in site. Though, most Engineers are smart enough to baby-sit sit their sentry gun, dispenser, and usually a tele exit. So, it�s not always this simple. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2.) When they are camping their sentry gun and dispenser take note of a few things. Firstly, where is the dispenser in relation to them? Usually they crouch with their sentry gun to their front and their dispenser to their rear. Secondly, where are you in relation to your target Engineer? If you come at the Engineer from the front, and he can see you, even in disguise, he will suspect that you�re a Spy, and will greet you with a few shotty rounds or a pleasant smack of the wrench to your face. So it�s imperative to cloak and get by the target Engineer, then de-cloak in a safe place. Now, coming from a natural place, approach the Engineer. Usually, approaching from behind yields the best results being that you have the element of surprise on your side. If this is the case, you have a few options. ----------------------------------------------------- A. Sap everything near the Engineer and attempt to stab him.(Sometimes risky because he could repair the sentry just as you stab him and you�ll probably die. Though, sometimes you can get a clean stab at his back.) ----------------------------------------------------- B. Backstab the unsuspecting Engineer then immediately sap the sentry followed by the dispenser.(which is the most risky thing to do with a tier 3 sentry as it could turn and kill you faster than you can sap it). ----------------------------------------------------- C. Sap everything, then strafe like mad re-sapping as the Engineer knocks off your sappers. keeping the Engineer as busy as possible is key. During this sap-fest, if the moment presents itself, backstab the Engineer. If not, continue to re-sap, while attempting to kill the Engineer. Overwhelming the Engineer is always advised. (You might use C when an Engineer builds his things in such a way that his back is to a wall and he can�t be backstabbed. Which is often times the case for certain areas of many maps. Usually in said scenario the Engineer will be sitting on top of his dispenser, which is against the corner of a room.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3.) The Engineer is building a sentry. Approach him from behind making sure that his sentry is facing AWAY from you, backstab him, and then IMMEDIATELY sap the sentry. It�s not worth making it known to the Engineer that you are there. So sometimes stabbing first is the way to go, and can save you the pain of being beat to death by an angry wrench-wielding yellow-helmeted Engineer... Ultimately, I ALWAYS recommend you stab them in the back first, so long as you are directly behind the sentry-- it is key that the sentry is facing away from you, you'll be able to stab then sap before it can fully turn to you. This grows increasingly more risky as the sentry advances in tech level. Stab-sapping is generally made easier when you strafe around the turret, attempting to avoid the revolving sentry so to provide you the oppertunity to sap it. You'll fild this useful with tier three sentries, try it out, experiment... Note: This works on each level sentry, though the risk increases as the sentry advances. For example, if you backstab the Engineer then fail to sap his tier 3 sentry before it turns to shoot you; you're more than likely dead. Speed is everything here. Note: This becomes more difficult to pull off when an Engineer is sandwiched between a dispenser and his sentry, because in this case, usually you can't situate yourself directly behind the sentry unless you are sitting atop his dispenser, then stab, then sap. Note: If a sentry turned fast enough to shoot you... you can take quite a few hits from a tier 1 sentry before you die. So you have time to approach it and sap, even from the front. A Tier 2 sentry is more deadly, but still if you get clipped you'll survive plenty long enough to sap it. Finally, as I've mentioned, if a tier 3 sentry turns quickly enough to fire at you the rocket pods will kill you in one strike. Note: #3 is absolutely the way to go in handling Engineers in sudden-death mode. It's especially helpful in this scenario because so long as you backstab the Engineer so to do you destroy their establishment. So in this case you don't have to worry about which way the their sentry is facing, but rather you want to make sure that if you attempt striking them in the back, don't miss. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4.) Sometimes you will find a sentry and dispenser off to the side, with no protection, but you know an Engineer is near enough that he can get there in time to halt your sapping. The best thing to do in such a scenario is to shoot whatever it is that you sapped with your revolver, thus blowing your cover. This is the smartest thing a Spy can do given the situation and scenario. While something is sapped it is loosing health rapidly, and sometimes not quickly enough for it to die before the aid of a near-by Engineer, so shooting the target, while sapped will surely get the job done. This strategy is usually done when no one is around to kill you when you come out of disguise. Though, it is also sometimes a last-ditch effort to ensure that a sentry dies before you die. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5.) The last word of advice I have for you is how to deal with one of those smartass Engineers who figures out how to get to an area that is typically out of reach, thus making sapping impossible. Seeing as how you can get behind enemy lines fairly easily as a Spy, position yourself in or near the enemies base, the best place being a somewhat secluded area. Then, shoot the dispenser with your revolver, it may not seem so accurate, but you'll soon see the dispenser smoking, and catch ablaze. It only takes a few shots from even quite a distance to take out a dispenser; taking out the sentry is next on the list. Fire away at the sentry, it will take a clip or two, so between 6 and 12 bullets to kill a tier 3 sentry. Note: Always use #5 when dealing with an Engineer who is too difficult to take out, for whatever reason (it could be that he has Pyros protecting him). Make sure to position yourself outside the sentry's range. Specific Map Examples of #5: ----------------------------- Gravel Pit When on the offensive, you might notice that at point C, some rather intelligent Engineer has built his stuff on the roof of the tower at C. Not that platform near the control point, but the slanted roof on the backend. That Engineer's sentry can do quite a bit of damage to your team because he is relatively safe and can easily repair without worry of spies and whatnot. Or is he? Position yourself in the far corner of the enemy base, where the Snipers hang out, more specifically, in the corner near the enemy's right spawn point door against the wall. From their, you'll avoid a fair amount of enemies as they may spawn and run right past you, also you'll have a perfect line-up to that little roof and the Engineer. Take out the dispenser first, shooting it wildly. Then destroy as much as you can, I�d recommend taking out the sentry next. Also nearly every time this map is played an Engineer sets up on the left side of C, on that ramp just beyond the spawn entrance. If that Engineer has been giving you trouble, I'd advise following the above steps in taking out his sentry as well. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Well In Well, I find it to be necessary on occasion to shoot an Engineer's set-up from the third floor area above the 2nd control point (this is the highest area in which there is a large rectangular gap in the floor). Assuming you're at the enemies base, and there is no threat up there with you. You may find that the best way to take out the Engineer's stuff is crouching, and making sure you are positioned in such a way that enemy sentry gun(s) can't hit you, then take out the dispenser, and sentry gun(s) with your trusty revolver. Sometimes this is more useful than sapping, because often times you die when sapping because another enemy intervenes you, like a Pyro or Soldier. If you're quick enough you can kill off one structure at a time without the Engineer knowing where you are, and how his stuff is dieing. ***************************************************************** -Section 4) Targets (Who and who not to stab) [A4] ----------------------------------------------------------------- =======================[Best Targets]============================ Despite the fact that every enemy is a target, there are certain classes that should be targeted more so than others, here is that list, allow me to explain� ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Heavy: Due to the heavies slow movement, large figure, and the fact that he is a huge threat to your team, Heavies are probably the most satisfying targets to take out with one swift stab to the back. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Medics: Hunting Medics is often times critical in keeping the enemy from advancing. Anytime you kill a Medic you are decreasing the enemy's opportunity of ubercharging and pushing. With that said, you can save your team quite a bit of trouble taking them out. Here�s the problem with hunting Medics� A good Medic knows enough to keep his ass in constant motion while healing, so, they move randomly, and often times spin around. If you can�t backstab the Medic easily or, you miss, forget it and hurry to whomever they are healing, which is usually either a Heavy or a Soldier, and backstab them instead. As I've stated, you'll oftentimes find a good Medic to be very difficult to take out, they are o'so aware of spies. Half the time you attempt to kill one, or, even much of the time that you manage to kill the person they were healing, they will hunt you down and destroy you with their bonesaw. Talk about terrifying and if that's not bad, you can expect to die too many times to a bombardment of syringes. So despite the fact that Medics are crucial targets oftentimes, they are still very difficult ones. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Snipers: What better target than a Sniper? Snipers are usually a great distance from your team situated in some perch, or, at the very least, are looking through their scope somewhere far-off completely unaware of their surroundings. Often times if you find one Sniper, you find two or three more (which is often times the case if 2fort), Happy stabbings! ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Engineers (and all that they create): *** See the above section; "HOW TO HANDLE ENGINEERS" *** ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Demoman: The Demoman can oftentimes be a great target because they typically play defensively, setting up sticky bombs and waiting for the helpless to pass by them. As such he'll be waiting nearby, carefully eyeing his stickies. Waiting comes in a few ways for a Demoman. Either he will be crouched somewhere eyeing his stickies, or he'll be frantically moving around an area within visual range of his stickies (The ladder half being the more difficult to take out. Because of this, they can be great targets. The only time they can be a pain is in the above case where they may move about in a frantic, erratic way. Also, if they do see you, they can on occasion be easy to deal with even if they are shooting at you from point-blank range, this is because they don't rely on sheer impact but explosions to kill their enemies. Up-close, a smart Demoman will resort to beating you with his bottle, in which case, good luck! ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Soldier: The soldier is another great target, and can easily be backstabbed due to his cumbersome nature. You better make sure he doesn't see you coming, if he does, you may be greeted with a rocket; which Upon impact you will blow you to pieces. It's a risky class to deal with, because of the fact that their rockets are so lethal to the Spy. If you fail to backstab a soldier and thus reveal yourself to him, don't expect to make it away alive. That point can prove true to most classes, missing a backstab will usually result in death. Also, another almost comical situation that you may face when dealing with a Soldier is getting blown up when he is innocently rocket-jumping somewhere. It happens, the splash damage is enough to kill the Spy, watch out! ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Spy: Surprisingly, Spy vs. Spy can be quite effective. Though one must take a different approach in dealing with Spies. Don't go looking high and low for the enemy Spies, just keep your eyes open, and check your teammates by attempting to walk through them. Oftentimes once on the enemy's turf, you'll see their Spies leave spawn and take on a disguise. You can chase them and stab them, which can become really easy depending on the disguise they choose seeing as how some disguises hinder the Spy's overall speed. If you can't catch up, you may consider dueling the enemy Spy with your revolver, may the better Spy win! For the record, more typically Spies are a class that you kill when they happen to cross paths with you, you don't go looking for them. You might see a supposed teammate acting suspicious, good kill him, stab him in the back he's a spy. You may also witness that Spy break disguise and start backstabbing your teammates, again, stab him in the back. As far as your overall desired targets, enemy Spies should not be a primary focus, but rather a spur of the moment one. With that said, if while in the enemy's base you see a Spy take on a disguise, or if you see a disguised Spy (which is easy to spot seeing as how they are probably disguised as your team's color, and aren't getting shot at by your enemy around them) I'd usually recommend ignoring him, continuing on with bigger, better things. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Tele-Entrance: It is worth noting that the easiest target is a tele entrance, based on the fact that nothing is around to protect it but that of enemies who re-spawn near them. ----------------------------------------------------------------- =======================[Worst Targets]=========================== -Pyro: Enemy Pyros are a Spy�s greatest fear, and will cause the most aggravation. This is because Pyros tend to spray randomly, and oftentimes in that random spraying of their fire, they will singe you and catch you ablaze. Once you are on fire, you are tagged to the entire enemy team. Now they can all see that you're a Spy. usually, If you walk into a Pyro, even for a second, they burn you to death, so avoid them above all else. Also, probably the most aggravating of all is the fact that they help baby-sit sentry guns and dispensers with the Engineers; making it very difficult for a Spy to do any real damage, though, on occasion, a Spy can still be successful in sapping and destroying things even in the presence of a Pyro. Messing with an enemy Spy will almost always result in being burned to death. If you are on fire, can't escape for health (which stops you from burning), and can't jump into water, then don't go down without a fight. Sap stuff, stab people, go out and take the entire world with you. ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Scout: Sure Scouts are typically thought of as weak, and puny, this maybe so through the eyes of a hulking Heavy, or a psychotic rocket-wielding Soldier. However, from a Spy's point-of-view, Scouts can be devastating. Most Spies probably have nightmares of their rapidly swinging bat. The reason Scouts are so deadly to Spies is as follows. First of all they are so fast. When you turn corners while cloaked a Scout might come out of nowhere and run into you, in this case you are almost always dead. You've been discovered... They will run around shooting their scatter gun and pummeling the air with their bat, covering far more area than you at a much more quickly rate. If you run out of cloak, forget it, back stabbing, or at the very least, stabbing them to death is very difficult, and unless you are dead-on with the revolver, expect to see that bat finding its way to your face! ***************************************************************** Section 5) Map Specific Strategies [A5] ----------------------------------------------------------------- -Preface: Most of these strategies utilize the concept of "looping". The idea of looping, in short, is finding a path in a map that will easily take you behind the enemy, and in a congested area. Kill as many of said enemies as possible, then cloak and make your way to the path that brought you behind the enemy in the first place. Repeat the slaughter. Hence the "looping." Even if you aren't always able to survive long enough without dying, this technique usually guarantees cramping up your enemy quite a bit. The following examples are brought to you nearly entirely by nodforlife. Kudos to him as he has spent quite a bit of time going over many of the maps in considerable detail. Though don't worry, Delkin didn't slack here entirely. The only map specific strategy that he's responsible for is that of CP_Well. In addition he added to many of the sections, namely the Hydro additional information and tips, and a brief opening for Gravel Pit. We hope this section illustrates the effectiveness of the above strategies, and ideas. ================================================================= Hydro ================================================================= This is probably among the most difficult maps to play Spy on, since the distance between your base and theirs is usually large and takes up your entire cloak meter, often causing you to reveal yourself in the middle of their base and subsequently be shot. Don't worry, the key here is experience. With practice, you'll learn where best to cloak, and where best to de-cloak. In which case you'll find yourself lined up for tons of kills on this map. There are two ways to play Hydro as a Spy: rush- stopper or base-sapper. Most variations of Hydro have two paths to the enemy side, so bottlenecking occurs frequently. If you decide to be a rush-stopper, find a decent nook in the pathway between bases to cloak, wait for their rush to go by, then try to kill their Medics, Heavies, etc. For the Spy on Hydro, the best defense can really be a good offense, because you will stop their rushes cold before they can cause any damage to your side. Your ally Snipers may hate you for stealing their kills before they are in range, but hey, they should be less cowardly anyway. The other option is to try to destroy the opponent�s defenses. This takes more finesse, since killing a sentry on Hydro is less important than other maps. Because of the distance between control points, the Engineers often have time to repair their destroyed buildings before your team can bust through their lines and take advantage of the lull in defense. I'd only recommend trying to sap their defenses if you can time your saps with your team�s rushes, sapping them right before your team makes a big offensive push. Often, the opponents will become so preoccupied with trying to kill the Spy they will be caught off-guard by the rush and your allies can get the point. ---------------------- �Additional Hydro Tips ----------------------------------------------------------------- I've received e-mails from people still experiencing difficulty on this map, namely the fact that they don't have enough cloak to maneuver around safely, and as such de-cloak in sight of enemy forces and die. As stated above, Hydro is a difficult map to play as Spy for a few reasons, primarily due-to-the-fact that the map is large, and rather wide-open. Your cloak meter is just barely enough to reach the enemy's side, let alone navigating it. Here are some furthering pointers that will hopefully aid you. Keep in mind that Hydro is one of the more difficult maps as Spy because you need to be at the peek of your game to truly do well, as it demands the utmost of Spy coordination. Sure a newer Spy can become lucky and do well, but if there are experienced players lurking, a new Spy can only get so far. Here are some keynotes to aid in the success of Spying in this map: 1. Cloak at the last possible second-- though always before entering enemy sights. (this ensures that you have the max amount of cloak available when sneaking around the enemy's base.) 2. Chose disguises quickly, and effectively. Pyro is one of the best disguises on any map. In addition, this map is a major Sniping map, and as such executing a Sniper disguise when in the appropriate area is immensely effective, namely when taking out snipers. Also, Engineers go nuts on this map, which again points to the fact that an Engineer disguise will often prove effective. Beyond said disguises, Demoman isn't bad either, as it doesn't decrease your speed much. 3. When de-cloaking, obviously de-cloaking behind cover is essential in the success of a Spy. Though, sometimes things don't work out so smoothly, at the very least, de-cloak far out of enemy range or sight (e.g. if you're on the enemy's side, and are running out of cloak and can't reach cover in time, try to back as far from the enemy as you can and don't stop somewhere to replenish cloaking. Just pray that your sloppy de-cloaking was unseen by the enemy). Keep moving once on the enemy side. One great place to de-cloak on many versions of Hydro is under one of the many bridges. I recommend that you scurry to the furthest bridge in an enemy base when de-cloaking-- again don't wait under the bridge for your cloaking to replenish as enemy's will kill you on- sight, immediately suspecting that you're a Spy. 4. Always try using the back-way first (try to avoid moving with your team). Though, sometimes it's not quite that simple, you may find that every time you attempt to use a back-way, which tends to be a narrow path, you run into an enemy who also decided to play it sneaky, as such you could die in a heart- beat. Though, if you are able to bypass an entrance as such, it will be far more easy to slip through the enemy's base, and usually with more cloak at your disposal. If a back-way continually fails, the primary path(s) can be just as effective if not more so, it's just a matter of cloaking at the right moment which in this case, and all cases, is the last possible second, just before entering enemy sights. 5. Hydro is a perfect map for "Looping," that is circling an area that typically repopulates with new targets, taking out as many enemies as possible with each pass. Use your cloak to get just beyond the midpoint of a map, crossing into enemy territory, then de-cloak somewhere rather close, then join enemy forces as they string together up ramps, stairs, into halls, whatever the case, make sure they are facing away from you which will usually be the case as typically they will be on the lookout for, or dealing with your team. For example, In one version of Hydro, on the far left side of Red's base there is a metal stairway that leads to a boulder cliff. This cliff brings you to a slope, and another path that lead to Blue's base. Say I'm a blue Spy, in looping, I might head to the boulder-ledge area (the area that overlooks the entire Red base--as such Red Snipers have a field day killing Blue on this cliff), cloak just before becoming visible to the enemy, and walk off the side of the cliff, landing in the shallow water of Red's base below. I'd quickly find a spot near-by to de-cloak, then I'd turn and head up Red's stairway (the one that heads to the boulder cliff that I just dropped from) Approaching this cliff from the enemy's side grants access to a slew of unsuspecting enemies, as such, I'd backstab as many as possible, then cloak, and repeat the process. This is an example of "rush-stopping," or what I also consider to be "looping." 6. In this map especially it is ill-advised for a Spy in enemy territory to lay-low allowing the replenishment of cloaking, especially if you are standing still. If say you decided to chill out under a bridge you can expect to be Spy-checked by any passing enemy, the result being death. This map demands that you keep in constant motion, especially on enemy turf. Always formulate a plan quickly, and execute it. 7. Targets: This map is a Sniper's dream-- with that, so to is it a Sniper's nightmare, as an experienced Spy will gut him like a fish. Always take-out Snipers, as they are easy targets, and on this map there's a wealth of them. Also, Engineers go absolutely crazy on this map, they have a total and utter field day. Make sure to take out Engineers and their establishments to greatly aid your team's chances of breaking the enemy line, and thus dominating their base. In addition to Snipers, and Engineers, pay special attention to Medics, as this map is all about uber-pushing. Attempt taking out any Medic combos, especially Medic/Heavy combos. 8. As with any map, experience is key. With it, you learn where to cloak, how to move, where to de-cloak, in addition to how the enemy works together, namely how they will move. This experience can only be grasped through playing the map, and running through trial and error. No matter how many times you read this guide that will remain the case. Though thankfully, it's a learned, passive ability that you'll acquire just from playing. Whether or not you do well, you'll still gain new knowledge of a map, and as such go about things differently. Don't give up. ================================================================= Gravel Pit ================================================================= An excellent map for the Spy, as it's ample with Engineer establishments, and offers plenty of hiding places. In Gravel Pit, It is advised that you stray from moving in conjunction with your team, at least avoid moving to close to your team. This map offers a plethora of options, and paths, and as such you should execute them. Make on offense, be sure to take the more convoluted path (e.g. take the long way in meeting up with your team, corrupt the enemy along the way). When defending, wait at A, even if your entire team is holding B (which is usually the case). Don't expect to hold A yourself, just aim to kill as many enemies as possible, slowing them down hopefully to some degree. Once you are done pestering the enemy at A, join in the effort of holding B. Offense: ----------------------------------------------------------------- First, your team should all rush the same site. Splitting up the rush is almost always doom, since sentries make defense easier to do with less men than offense. Assuming that, the best strategy is to kill the sentries first, then try to get their Medics and Heavies. Killing Pyros is difficult as a Spy, but do it if you can, since a Pyros flames can take out several of your allies at once, especially if they�re all standing on the control point. For Site A, I usually cloak as soon as I get within sight range of the area (e.g. right before you drop down onto the dirt) then make a mad dash for the point, where the sentries are usually located. Hopefully the Engineer is alone and killable, but even if he�s not, you can cause a distraction and allow your team to make it up the hill and take out their defenses. Also, since a sapped sentry doesn�t shoot at anyone, the jumping and re-sapping strategy is very effective, since the path up to A is fairly short and you can often survive long enough to allow your team to scramble up the hill without taking any turret fire. Most teams devote most of their resources to defending Site B, so A usually has only one sentry, if that. Capture, then move on to Site B. For B, I usually take the left entrance, since it gets you into the site faster. As before, cloak before you enter so as to avoid Snipers and entrance-camping Pyros and Demomen. Rush into the site and try to sap like crazy, or rush around to the other side and take out the troops guarding the other exit. You�ll die a lot doing this, but the combination of sapped sentries and an ubered-Soldier or Heavy should give your team enough of an edge and allow you to take the point. As for Point C, you could try sneaking up to the top before your team has fully captured A and B, but experienced players will set up preliminary defenses to prevent this. I usually take the path through A, then go out the right side which points straight toward the tower. Cloak before you exit, hop on the little shack, then run up to the top of C. There will usually be someone up there, so try to stab them. Hopefully they will be distracted by Soldiers firing from the place you just exited, and you can get some stabbing done. If there�s a sentry, sap it. Aside from this, Engineers are fond of placing sentries on the slanted ramps right outside their spawn, crouching down and hitting them with their wrenches, and being low enough that they are out of range for your team�s snipers and rockets. This is where you come in. Use the stab n� sap like previously discussed, and run away quickly before their team spots you, but you�ll probably get burned by a Pyro. Defense: ----------------------------------------------------------------- When defending A, I like to crouch down on top of the little shack on the lower right, near their exit. Most opponents won�t see you peaking down at them, giving you time to cloak, run behind their lines as they run up the hill, then get your stab on. As always, Medics first. Never forget there�s health directly under the capture point. You will need this frequently, mostly from Pyros. When defending B, I usually camp by the fence by their right exit. From here you can peak through the little crack in the fence to see the exit nearest you, but still see across the area to the other exit by the big boulder. Wait until there�s a rush, cloak, then stab. Be careful of Pyros, since the nearest health is too far away to grab, and it�s the small health at that. For C, you can try to cloak and sneak back toward A or B and flank them, which works sometimes. Most of the time, I creep around the right and left exits, leaving the center one for the solders on the top of C to deal with. Since the right and left entrances have two ways in and out, I cloak, go in one, then walk to the other. Hopefully, you�ll flank someone and can get some stabs. If there�s no one around, just wait a second until your cloak replenishes, then repeat. There�s only three ways in, so you�ll see someone eventually. Also, Engineers are fond of setting up buildings here, but they should be easy to sap since their team is in full offense mode and won�t spend time protecting their ally�s investments. ================================================================= Dustbowl ================================================================= This is by far the best map for stabbing. You can often dominate the scoreboards here, basically by running the same route over and over. People never learn. It�s amazing. Offense: ----------------------------------------------------------------- For the first point on the first section, wait a few moments after the match starts to let all the spamming Soldiers and Demomen have to reload, then cloak and run out the exit to the railroad tracks. You have just enough cloak to get to the far shafts, where there is usually a sniper sitting. Stab him, the run back into their base and re-disguise yourself. Then, rush into the point and sap like mad. You�ll die a lot, but if you can get the sentry down long enough for your team to get in their and kill it, you�ll be solid. For the next point, take the shaft to the right, walk up the steps, cloak, then jump down off the bridge behind their lines. There�s usually a sentry on the right behind the corner. The sap n� stab usually works here, since there�s not much roaming room for the Engineers. Also, Snipers usually camp the upper bridge, and are usually alone and out of eyeshot of the rest of their team. You know what to do there. If you can get the sentry on the right down, that�s usually enough to get your team to bust through to the point. If they don�t, just keep re-sapping the same sentry that the Engineer will probably keep putting in the same place. You�re team should eventually get through. On the first point of the next section, cloak as you walk down the little ditch before being exposed to their defenses. They will often have a sentry on top of the shack to the right. Rush up and sap it. If there�s smart they�ve got a Pyro up there to watch for Spies, so you�ll probably die a lot, but really all you need to do is get the gun down long enough to give your Demomen and Soldiers time to kill it. Aside from this, there are usually Snipers in the back, or in the window of the building. They are easy prey. I will often cloak, run behind the building, allow my bar to recharge a bit, then run back toward where they come out from, stabbing them as they get to the fight. You can also jump up the tires to the point and attempt to sap the sentry that�s usually in the doorway to the room by the point, but that�s usually best killed by coming in from the ground entrance. Often that room is deserted except for the Engineer, so you can usually kill the sentry no problem. Capture the point, then move on. Now, the next point is one of the hardest for a Spy, since there�s often multiple sentries along the right wall by their spawn. You�ve got two choices: try to sap the sentries, which almost never works because there�s tons of defenders and Engineers to repair the sentries after they�ve been wounded. I�d recommend sapping the guns only if your team is coordinating an attack and they will rush out right after you�ve sapped their guns and distracted their defense. The other choice is to rush out the main gait to this section while cloaked, run under the building, go left and up the steps to the railing. Often there are Demomen and Soldiers up here spamming all the exits. Stab them, since you are most often out of sentry range at this point. Sometimes Engineers will place a sentry on top of the exit you came out of, but there are basically defenseless up there and can be easily destroyed with a little persistence. Capturing this point definitely takes a lot of teamwork, but a Spy can be instrumental in getting the final push off the ground. For the first point on the last section, I like to exit from the right most doorway by the hallway, since you�re out of the line of most of the fire. Just be careful to avoid spamming Demomen and Soldiers. There�s often a sentry on the left behind the wooden steps. Cloak, get behind the Engineer and give him the stab n� sap. There�s usually a sentry in the elevated doorway across from you on the left, but it�s out of the range of your sappers and should be avoided. Your teammates will have to take care of that one. For the last point, depending on how far up your line has pushed their defense, adjust your cloak accordingly. If their team is still clogging the hallway, it�s very difficult to sneak by, but if you do, run immediately to the little door directly to the right of the bridge. Grab the health if you�re weak, then hop down the upper door and flank their team, stabbing all who you can. This will hopefully allow your team to move up and establish an outpost with teleports by the bridge. Once they do that, keep cloaking as you run across the gap to the door you went in before, but this time wait a second in the upper room, out of the line of fire. Allow your meter to recharge, then cloak again and exit at the upper door that leads toward their spawn. Run back to the very rear of the level, behind the control point. Analyze where their sentries are and try to sap them. Getting this point is very difficult, and like the final point of part two of this map, it takes teamwork, but as before a Spy can be instrumental in getting a successful rush off the ground. Also, there�s usually Snipers in the back that you can stab if you want, but you�ll usually get killed by a sentry or a Pyro. Defense: ----------------------------------------------------------------- For the first point of the first section, it�s very hard to get stabs since there�s no real good way to get behind the other team. The best way is to cloak, then run along the ridge on the left, watching the canyon below. If enemies rush out, jump behind them and stab. Once they get the first point, however, the fun begins. Rush out either the right or left exit back toward the first point, and retreat quickly if you see someone coming since there�s not enough room for you to go around him and you will be revealed. Sneak inside the shack where the first point is and walk up the steps. Watch where their team is going and get behind them. If they go in either one of the bottom entrances, follow and stab. Often they�ll try going to the right and up the steps to the bridge on your side, but you can usually stab them before they get there, and it�s such a small room before the bridge that their Medics are usually stationary and easy targets. Often their team will attempt to set up an outpost in the top shaft to the right of the control point, since your team has no way to get in there except for running all the way around to the first point and up the steps. Hard for a Soldier or Heavy, easy for a Spy. Get in there and sap if you can, teleporter first if they�ve got one. Since you can only win by defending for a time limit, slowing their advance onto your soil is the best strategy besides outright killing. Often two or three enemies will become clogged in the doorway that leads down to your point. If you see this, smile largely, my friend, because you just got a couple backstabs. Be careful of sentries in this room, as well as suspicious Pyros. Often, trying to kill enemies in here is more trouble than it�s worth. At this point, I�d recommend sneaking back toward their spawn and sapping the teleporter entrance that�s usually right outside their exit on the right. The engineer is probably halfway across the map at this point, so you should get it easily, but you might get killed by the exiting troops. On the first point of the next section, cloak, run down into their spawn, wait for the rush to walk by, then stab. If you survive, run back toward the control point and recharge your cloak in the shack, grab the health, then cloak again. Rush toward the shack with the ladder beside it, run up the ladder, jump down and run back into their spawn. Stab again. Repeat this over and over. My record is 12 backstabs without dying. How can you do? On the next point, rush toward the middle-right exit of the four, cloak right before you round the corner and can be seen, then rush through the little alley in between the building and the fence. Grab the big health if needed, then camp in the corner between the first control point and the fence. Wait for their team to rush by, then walk out and join them. A lot of times they�ll set up a little outpost here with a sentry. I don�t usually try to kill this, since it�s usually more trouble than it�s worth. Just follow their team wherever they�re going and stab them if you don�t get killed by suspicious enemies. The other tactic on this section is to run up the ladder to the ramp above the two exits across the section from your spawn and wait for guys to come out. Often they will set up an outpost in the far left shaft, down toward the one-way gate. Don�t bother trying to kill this. The corridor is so small you�ll probably get killed by the time you can sap anything. You�ll have more luck stabbing the guys that flow out. If you want, you can try sneaking all the way back to their spawn and sapping the teleporter entrance, slowing their advance. On the first point of the last section, I usually take the far left entrance to their spawn, run down along the hallway, then loop up the steps behind their lines. Stab at will. If the hallway is clogged, just retreat. You�re invisible, so as long as they don�t bump into you or shoot you can get away cleanly. Just repeat this over and over, killing Medics first as always. On the final point of the map, rush down the path, turn right, head straight and go up the steps to the little room on top. Grab the health if you need to and recharge the cloak for a bit. Then, run along the railing while cloaked. Go out and to the left, then jump over their advancing lines and de-cloak by the first capture point. Approach their backs and stab. Often, they�ll set up a sentry here to prevent this, but you can get a sapper on it and kill a couple people before it gets repaired or you die, or you can use the stab n� sap on the engineer, although it�s not really that important. You could just follow the lines around the bend and out of its path, or you could camp in the upper room on the right with the health and wait until their team walks by underneath you. Killing medics on this part is essential, since often the only way to win is with the ubercharge to take out your sentries. Don�t let them get it. ================================================================= Granary ================================================================= The key here is to know where the front lines are. Just cloak as your run through the room where the embattled control point is and dip behind their lines. For the center one, I find cloaking and climbing the ramps give you a good vantage point to see where the most stabable enemies are. Be sure you�re disguised as a Sniper or Engineer here, since a Pyro would have no reason to be up that high. For the other points, just slip around their defenses and take out their Engineers before they can get sentries up, or if your team is on the defensive, their Medics and Heavies. Use the upper ramps that lead down the long corridor and cloak before dropping down the circle exit in the floor. You can usually flank an attacking team that way, exposing their Medics to the stab. For the last point, sneak onto it early if you can, since it captures fast enough you can usually take it before they can get to you. If that�s not the case, cloak right before you enter the last area, rush all the way back to the point, then don�t de-cloak until there�s no one standing on it. If there is, stab him. If there�s a sentry around, killing it should be your priority, since you�ll die from its bullets too quickly to get the capture (remember, you can�t capture while disguised or cloaked). Even if you don�t get the capture, hopefully you can move the capture meter far enough along before you die that your team can finish it off. ================================================================= CP_Well : Among Delkin's favorite maps!!! Strats by Delkin :D ================================================================= First of all, when reading this, read it slowly, and carefully. I tried to write it as best I could and as simply as I could. Hopefully, you'll find that it's written well enough to visualize. So, please try to picture the map, and exactly what this strategy pertains. It's recommend that you have a basic understanding of the map before reading the below strategies. It's a step-by-step walkthrough of what I do on this map. What I believe all Spies should do. Offense: ----------------------------------------------------------------- At the start of the match, exit your building, and head to the water nearest your base. At the waters edge, wait for the setup countdown, perched there carefully, all the while eyeing the submerged waterway which leads to the mid point area. If you dive into the water at exactly 3 seconds and go straight to the water entry at the mid point, the gates will open precisely when you arrive at them. Before exiting the submerged path to the floors of the middle point, make sure to apply cloaking as to avoid being seen. While cloaked quickly cross the room diagonally (crossing both railroad tracks), then de-cloak once you�re in the tiny room that has the water entry that leads to the enemy base. Carefully swim along towards the enemy's base via their water- network until you reach one of the two bridges, I usually head to the left bridge (which from the enemy's point-of-view is the right bridge). Once you reach the bridge rise against the underside of it to get air (this way you don�t surface for air in-sight of the enemy). From beneath the bridge you will be able to see if there is an Engineer establishment in the area; in addition, you can track some enemy movement. Now cloak, jump from the water, and run to the nearest corner beside one of their big garage doors (the corners that are on the left and right side of the entrance doors when you leave their base structure) then de-cloak while standing in the corner. Make sure the coast is clear before you continue onward, or wait for a few enemies to leave the doors (running by you) then follow them. I'd advise that you avoid joining the advancing enemies when the door is still open. It closes quickly, so let it close after they run out, then follow them. If you don't wait for the door to close and you join the enemy ranks, enemies further behind will see you come from nowhere to join their comrades, and will grow suspicious of you. At this point, follow the enemy over the bridge (the bridge that you once hid beneath), and head towards the side entrances of the mid point. You'll more than likely be surrounded by the enemy, as they will populate this area. As such, you'll be presented with a slew of options here. With a congestion of enemies around you, assess your best possible targets, and quickly execute your attack! When attacking, You may decide to sap like mad, get a few backstabs, and conclude with a stealthy retreat. Or, you could focus entirely on backstabs, remembering to attack those nearest you first, heading to further enemies next. Just be efficient in executing your plan. After the initial attack, I highly suggest you retreat to the nearest safe area while cloaked (this could be the water, or the mid-spawn-point area if your team has seized it). Now you have a few options at hand. First, you could repeat the above process, thus continually ambushing the enemy via their water path. I suggest however, that you mix things up; keep the enemy on their toes. Your next option, which is quite effective, is to head up to the Sniper battlement that overlooks the enemy's base. From there, hide in one of the corners of the room, avoiding both random enemy fire and pesky Snipers. Your goal now is to get a visual of enemy movement so you can plan a quick stab/sap run accordingly. Cloak yourself, and either jump out the window or exit to the roof via one of the two windows situated on the left and right sides of the room. Make sure to return inside quickly to de-cloak, thus using only a smidgen of your cloak meter. Now that you have an understanding of where your enemy is, quickly make your way down to them via any of the windows (I'd suggest the left and right ones again). Dart down there quickly, jumping evasively to avoid potential Sniper fire. Of course, if you wanted, after the initial sighting of enemies you could have stayed cloaked, then scurried to them and de-cloaked in a corner, but I've found jumping down with a disguise is usually enough to get the jump on them (quite literally). Snipers usually choke-up when deciding to shoot you, thinking you're one of them. Kill as many as you can, then once again attempt to vanish, only to soon after execute a re-appearing act, repeating the looping. You'll notice that thus far we have only discussed dealing with the enemy whilst they charge for the mid point. Once your team pushes them back to their base, I suggest you do this. In the safety of a corner, or at the very least in a safe location, wait for the cloak meter to fully re-charge (standing in a corner is good because it gives you a chance to keep your eyes open for enemy Spies, which you may see readying to kill your allies). In this case, I would once again situate myself in one of the corners near their base's entrances. Once fully charged, immediately cloak whilst running into the enemy's base, through one of the two doors. Nothing fancy here, kill any stray enemies you can, though I strongly advise you just avoid everyone and quickly scurry to the stairs in the second control point room. Quickly run up whichever stair is closer, then head to the hall that leads to the Sniping battlements, and third floor. Your cloak will deplete precisely as you reach and enter this hall. That's assuming you haven't been slowed down anywhere, which does happen because you MUST avoid bumping into enemies. Wait somewhere safe for your cloak to charge. You now have two options at hand. Which you'll have to decide upon quickly and on the fly. The first option is to take out the Sentries found on the ramp near the second control point on the second floor, not to be confused with Sentries on the third floor. You may have to loop around the sniper area to gain better access to the Engineer and his establishment. So, if that's the case, do so. I recommend you sneak your way into the control-point room, sap then back off to the safety of the hall, then shoot the sapped establishment with your revolver to quickly finish it. Of course, if you can stab the Engineer do so, but don't bother if doing so will put you in range of yet another sentry. So yes, the enemy is now fully aware of you, at the very least we know the Engineer is. Retreat to the third floor via the hallway, stealth if you must. If there is anything on the third floor, take the respective measures in dealing with your findings. Once on the third floor, you can either pester the Engineers below by shooting and killing whatever they build even as soon as they place it. In which case they may run off towards the battlement hall with wrench swinging vigorously. In said scenario, you can either attempt to kill the quickly approaching Engineer, or after having saved a bit of cloaking charge, you could make your way to their final point, and hide in the room in an obscure spot. Now if you were lazy, you could wait for your team to capture the second to last point, thus granting you the option of capturing the last one. If you plan to do this you better be quick to the point, as to beat the mad rush of enemies to the point. Or, you can head off and apply the above strategies. Defending: ----------------------------------------------------------------- If your team is base-bound; that is, trapped in their own base. This can be one of the best positions for a Spy, because the work is done for you, the enemy is coming to you. Spies are actually quite effective at defensive play. So, being that your team is having a war at the entrances to your base, this maybe a good time in taking the emergency exit. Yes, the emergency exit, isn't that great? Every base should have one. Before leaving your base, between the two garage doors is a room with ammunition in it; head there. Also, you'll see that there's an escape hatch that drops you into the water below the base. Head down into the water. You can either cloak, and then emerge from the water, find a corner and then de-cloak. At this point you'd go on a stabbing/sapping rampage. Conversely however, you could swim all the way to the mid point, or further, then join their team as they make their way to your base, killing them along the way. Make sure to sap as you go, taking specific care to teles. It's also a good idea to pay the enemy's base a visit, even despite the fact that your own is under siege. While at the enemy's base, sap their entry-teleporters which will be situated on the left side of their base. It may be to your advantage to use the right door as to avoid being seen by the enemy. You can, from within their base backstab the enemies as they spawn, but be sure to flee quickly, as they will be quick to hunt you down. Make them think that you left, perhaps hide in the third floor area. Wait a few moments then, when the moments right, and they have placed new tele- entrances, drop down and continue to sap and slaughter. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Note: Obviously this is not a seamless process, you will be caught and killed many times. Though, the above strategy is absolutely the way to go as spy, and learning the above strategy will pave the road for your handlings on each and every map. Note: Yes, I know... If you go by this particular map strategy word for word-- well you can't. Though, I've stated nearly every scenario you can experience here. You'll have to apply the strategy on the fly. Though, it will come to you after having read this, so, fear not. I will tell you for a fact that when the round starts you should absolutely follow my initial looping strategy, joining their forces, then repeating, as it works every time. Note: I advise finding typical enemy paths in every map, then, from a natural area join the flow of enemy movement. The reason this proves effective is because your enemy won't be suspicious if they see a pyro running behind a string of other allies as they near the front lines. It's the best way to blend in, hands down. *Essentially the idea to playing Spy well on any map is to out- smart your enemy. This we know. Did I fail to mention that often times the enemy is more dumb than you'd think? You can typically do a great deal of damage looping the enemy into submission. As I've said, and hopefully by now you realize, "looping" is finding an area in any map where the enemies congregate, and while facing away from you. Kill as many as you can by way of your trusty backstabbing powers, then vanish once more and once again find your way to the path that started you on your venture. ================================================================= 2fort ================================================================= Ah, 2fort. For me, spy is the only class worth playing on this stage, unless the intel is in the open and a Scout can grab it. As a Spy you'll usually get a bad score, but will be instrumental in the key first movement of the intel out of their intel room and (hopefully) away from most of their defenses. As for your plight, the best way to go is out the 'Battlements' exit, cloak as you round the corner so you don't get sniped. Then, check to see if anyone's coming across the bridge*. If not, just walk across un-cloaked (but disguised, I like Pyro since he's the fastest class that doesn't arouse suspicion). Once inside their base, turn right into that room adjacent to the courtyard and cloak. You should have enough cloak to get up the far steps and down the long staircase into their intel room. I usually de-cloak at the top of the staircase to the basement to conserve the meter. Walk toward the intel room, then use the last slice of your cloak meter right as you enter the intel room, allowing you to scope their defenses. If they've got a sentry or two, plan your attack accordingly. If there's an engineer around, I suggest sapping the sentry first, then shooting the engineer with the revolver. If he is hell-bent on repairing the sentry rather than shooting you, just keep sapping it and eventually it will blow up. Once it's dead, you can try and kill him but usually he's close enough to you (since he was repairing the sentry) that his shotgun is a one-hit kill. I just try to run and get the intel and dash for the exit, jumping and juking along the way. With any luck, you can make it out to the right and up the spiral ramp, where the turns will prevent the slightly slower engineer from following you and shooting you in the back. Then, just run like crazy back to your base. Hop in the water if you're getting shot as you exit their fort, usually the bridge will provide a few key seconds of cover so you can get around the corner in your sewer pipe and grab the health down there. From here it should be smooth sailing back to your intel room for the score, and even if you die, their intel is in your base so your team can grab it. You won't get any points for this adventure, since you probably won't get the capture, but if winning the map is more important, this is my best strategy. *If there are enemies on the bridge, stay invisible and hop in the water. De-cloak as soon as you get under the bridge and walk through their sewer, up the sewer exit steps. In my experience, there are rarely people guarding the sewer, but if so just cloak and walk around them. After exiting the sewer, check to see if there's anyone in the front rooms of their base, then turn left into the 'L' shaped hallway leading to the courtyard. Cloak right before you make the right turn in the 'L' since there are often nosey engineers and pyros protecting the sentry guns that are always in that courtyard. DO NOT TRY TO SAP THEM. You will just blow your disguise and get killed. Once in the courtyard, hope up the steps on the right and head down into their intel room. See above instructions for what to do from here. ================================================================= -Section 6) Spy Checking [A6] ----------------------------------------------------------------- This section will depict many hints and things to look for when trying to decipher whether or not someone is friend or Spy ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Spies, while in disguise display 50% (half) health to the opposing team. How often is it that one is damaged to exactly half health? 2. Any "friendly" Spy you see that isn't wearing a mask is either a really dumb ally Spy, or an even more stupid enemy Spy, as enemy Spies don't even display a mask. It's usually safe to assume that if you see a Spy without a mask, holding his revolver, and is at half health; he's an enemy Spy. 3. If you see a Medic with no uber-charge percentage, he's a Spy without question. In addition, if that's not obvious enough, he'll have half health, and will be holding his Syringe-gun; three red flags without even having to bump into him. 4. All Spies, while in disguise, appear to be holding their primary weapon. As such, it's safe to assume that any class holding anything aside from their primary weapon is immediately not a Spy. So, no need for false checking, and wasting ammo. 5. If you bump into an ally and can't pass through them, you've found yourself a Spy. 6. Many Spies take on the disguise of the Engineer, though, more often than not a real Engineer will be toting his wrench. If the suspected Engineer is holding his shotty, check him out. 7. "Tab" anyone? It's there for a reason. Keep track of what classes you have on your team, in addition to who is what class. 8. Look for an Ally who has your exact name. What a coincidence right? Wrong, it's just a Spy, no checking here, it's obvious. 9. Posing as a friendly Pyro is helpful in that enemy Spies will more than likely avoid you, thus revealing that they are a Spy. 10. With the above factors in mind, also consider the whereabouts of the target, and pay attention to suspicious movement and activity. ================================================================= -Section 7) Quick Tips [A7] ----------------------------------------------------------------- This section contains brief tips, hints, and info, that are intended for those of you who don't want to read the entire guide. Though, even if you have read the entire guide, going over this section won't hurt. Essentially, this is the "sparknotes" of the guide-- you may even find something new! Again, keep in mind that if you've read the entire guide then the majority of the information below has already been provided. We're just stressing the important stuff... ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1) � Never disguise as Medic: You don't display uber-percentage to enemies. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2) � Never disguise as Scout: You can't move like them (e.g. double jump). ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3) � When disguised as Spy, you don't have a mask on to the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4) � Avoid Pyros at all costs, as they will burn you alive. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5) � Don't bother with Scouts unless the scenario provides that they are an easy kill. They are fast-- and deadly to the Spy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 6) � Cloaking/De-cloaking takes a few seconds to take full effect. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 7) � Once disguised, you always appear to have 50% (half) health to the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 8) � When shot whilst in disguise, the enemy can't tell that you've taken damage. If you don't react from being shot, you can trick the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 9) � The Butterfly knife is the best melee weapon in the game when in the form of a swift backstab, and conversely is the weakest in head on fights. Avoid using it face-to-face. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 10) � Stabbing from above, and from the side, usually register as a backstab. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 11) � Always assume a disguise, and change disguises once you've been discovered. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 12) � Always Stab the enemy nearest you first, then proceed to those further from you. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 13) � The Pyro is among your best disguises. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 14) � The Demoman is not far behind when it comes to disguises. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 15) � To the enemy, When your disguised, you appear to be holding the primary weapon of your disguised class. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 16) � When Spy checking, keep an eye on the target's health, name, class, whereabouts, and weapon. If the target is holding his secondary weapon, you know right off the bat he's one of your own. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 17) � When in disguise, you always have half health to the enemy, and as such can call for Medic without looking too suspicious. Though, calling for enemy medics is usually a bad idea, as it brings about unneeded attention. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 18) � When disguised, you take the name of a member of the opposing team who is of the respective class of your disguise. If you chose Pyro, and the enemy has no Pyro, an enemy name will be assigned randomly. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 19) � Calling for the enemy Medic is risky because in doing so you may reveal yourself to the person who's name has been assigned as your cover (e.g. Dan sees that "Dan" is calling for a medic... cover blown). ----------------------------------------------------------------- 20) � "Retreating" to the enemy (running backwards, facing your own team) makes you appear far less suspicious to the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 21) � Your revolver loads fast, has 6 shots per round, and has 24 bullets in reserve for a total of 30 shots. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 22) � If the Sentry is facing away from you, and the Engineer tending to it, stab the Engineer, then Sap immediately. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 23) � If you stab the Engineer first, and are dealing with a tier 3 sentry, strafing around the sentry in a fashion to avoid the rotating barrels helps to avoid being shot while trying to Sap. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 24) � Find areas in maps where enemies seem to congregate (e.g. choke points), come from behind and stab them. Then repeat the cycle in a "looping" fashion. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 25) � Try to join enemy ranks from a natural place to avoid suspicion, this will also lead way to many backstabs. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 26) � While cloaked, disguise, or change your disguise, as to avoid the "cloud" effect from giving you away to the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 27) � Always cloak at the last possible second, though always before entering enemy sights. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 28) � Disguising as a friendly Pyro is a great way for handling enemy Spies, as they will avoid you in an obvious fashion. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 29) � Use of Teleporters is ill-advised, as the glowing effect it causes reveals you to the enemy, even while cloaked. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 30) � Hunt enemy medics, as they are critical to the enemy's advancement. ***************************************************************** -Section 8) Closing [A8] ----------------------------------------------------------------- We've spent a ton of time on this faq, and as such we hope it has proven helpful to you. The Spy is truly a one-of-a-kind class, an experience that you won't endure in any other game. We hope that through our efforts you guys are honing your Spy skills, becoming better and better each day. For many, a Spy faq has been greatly desired, and hopefully this faq is the answer that you've been looking for. Good luck on your quest of mastering the Spy! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Email Us: Feel free to e-mail either of us with suggestions (we're always open to suggestions!), or comments. You could also e-mail us as a form of thanks and praise, haha. jk. --but you could. :P If you suggest something that isn't already in this guide, and we decide to post it, we'd be more than happy to accredit you having helped us out, and will mention your suggestion below. (Delkin525 aka sR + Orca) - [email protected] (nodforlife) - [email protected] ================================================================= Accredited Suggestions ----------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Lancevol: For pointing out other points that make the Spy disguise a risky one. After having received your comments I took to swapping the Spy disguise from the good disguise list, to the bad disguise list. -Delkin ----------------------------------------------------------------- ***************************************************************** -Section 9) Copyright [A9] ----------------------------------------------------------------- �2007/2008 Please don�t post this faq without giving credit to us (delkin525 / nodforlife). If you decide to post this else where, please e-mail us notifying us of its location. In addition please don�t edit this faq or take from it our content. Thanks ----------------------------------------------------------------- This guide is also hosted on the following websites: ----------------------------------------------------------------- � www.gamefaqs.com � www.mycheats.com (a branch of the 1UP network) � www.supercheats.com � www.neoseeker.com ***************************************************************** Note: This faq will be updated as we see appropriate. Be sure to check back from time to time.
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