TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

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TTHREAZ
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TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by TTHREAZ » Wed Sep 10, 2008 2:22 pm

First off, please read Thorn's Post on the subject since he touches on a lot of things I will.

The Scout

The Scout in TF2 is a challenging class to play and a very rewarding one once you get the hang of it. Known mostly for capturing points and intelligence, the Scout can be used for a variety of things from defense to harassment. It takes a special kind of player to play Scout effectively and not everyone will be cut out for it. However, if you decide to try it out, chances are you'll become addicted to the frantic, exciting gameplay that it can bring you.

1. Movement

As we all know, the Scout is the fastest class in the game. Not only is he the fastest but he has a double jump at his disposal. The combination of fast foot speed and the ability to change directions in mid-air can be quite deadly and disorienting to your enemies.

Since the Scout is the fastest class, he will usually be the first to the action. Try to let your teammates know what you see when you first come in contact with the enemy. It will help them understand what to expect when they get there. Conversely, if you can manage it, try to flank the enemy and take out any medics or snipers. Doing so will not only damage the other team but it will also help your team so they don't have to worry about ubers or snipers.

The double jump is an excellent tool at the Scout's disposal. Use the double jump to reach high places or evade enemy fire. If you plan on using it to get to higher places, remember that a crouch jump will get you a little higher than normal. For example, a Scout can double jump from the lip of the bridge on Warpath to the ridge with a crouch, totally bypassing the need to use the boxes to get up there. He can also get on top of the small building nearest to Point 2 on Warpath by using a crouching double jump. It's also possible to jump up on the extended platform outside of Dustbowl 1-1 with a crouching double jump without having to climb the wagon wheel. If you happen to be carrying the Force A Nature, your double jumps can be extremely far.

When engaging the enemy, the double jump is extremely useful when dodging enemy fire. If the terrain allows it, try to strafe and double jump as much as you can when fighting an enemy one on one. This will help confuse the enemy and you may be lucky enough to cause them to have to reload. When that time comes, lay into them with the scattergun or your FaN. Be careful when firing your FaN while double jumping near the enemy as the knockback of the FaN will change your direction.

Also, be aware that you do not have to jump once before you can double jump. It is possible to double jump while falling to help avoid taking damage if you manage to fall from a high place. Also, if you are carrying the FaN, it is not necessary to perform the second jump as long as you fire the FaN at the appropriate time. Before they removed the double jump penalty on the Sandman this was extremely useful to help mimic the effects of the double jump. However, now that the penalty has been removed, it is not required.

2. Weapons

The Scattergun

The scattergun is the Scout's bread and butter weapon. It has a good firing speed and can be absolutely devastating at close range, especially with a crit. For most close to mid range battles, use the scattergun when fighting while double jumping when necessary and reloading when backing up. Keep an eye on your ammo since you'll have to reload after six shots. Always remember to reload whenever there is no action going on. There's nothing worse than getting the jump on an enemy from behind only to find out that you have 1 round loaded and forgot to reload. As a rule of thumb: whenever you're not shooting the scattergun, you'd best be reloading it.

The Force a Nature

The Force a Nature, or FaN, is a prime example of a handcannon. Its power is amazing at close range and you truly do feel like you're plugging your enemy with a cannon. The prime benefit of the FaN is its knockback power. Firing a shot at your enemy will push them back (or up if aimed properly), somewhat similar to the Pyro's airblast. Not only can you push the enemy back with your shots, you can propel yourself with it as well. The downside to the FaN is its small clip size. Only two shots are allowed before each reload so it's best to rush in, pop your two shots into the enemy, retreat a few steps preferably behind cover), reload and come back out and fire more shots. With the added knockback effect, this will help disorient the enemy and if used from behind, they will not know what has hit them.

The Pistol

The pistol seems to be neglected by a lot of Scouts that I see. True, it is not nearly as powerful as the scattergun but it is extremely useful at mid to long range. Depending on how attentive enemy engineers are, you can actually take down their equipment from long range with the Scout's pistol. Where the pistol lacks in stopping power, it excels in distance. Whenever fighting someone, try to use the scattergun up close and then switch to the pistol when the target gets farther from you. As a point of reference, if you are both on the bridge on Warpath, the scattergun is fine. However, if you are off the bridge on opposite sides, switch to the pistol and use it instead. As with the scattergun, reload often.

Bonk! Energy Drink

Bonk! Energy Drink replaces the pistol and can be considered the poor man's version of an ubercharge. When the player takes a swig of Bonk they will become invulnerable for a short time, allowing them to slip past sentry defenses, sticky bomb traps, etc. Be warned, however, that when the effects of Bonk wear off, the player's speed decreases dramatically while he catches his breath. True, it's nice to get past a sentry that's unloading everything it has on you but you'd better be ready to defend yourself when the effects wear off, especially if you've managed to sneak onto an enemy's capture point. A good use of Bonk is to drink it and then step into the fire of an enemy sentry. This will allow your teammates enough time to take the sentry down without taking any damage from it.

The Bat

The bat is the Scout's base melee weapon and can be extremely fun to use. With the Scout's running speed and the speed at which he swings the bat, it can also be quite difficult to land hits with it. If you can manage the speed, by all means use it when the opportunity arises. I find that the best people to use the bat on are snipers that don't see me coming up from behind.

BTW, in case you were wondering, it takes exactly 47 bat hits to break each wall underground on Warpath.

The Sandman

The Sandman replaces the Bat as a melee weapon with a fun, quirky additional feature. The primary firing feature is a simple melee swing. However, by right clicking, the Scout will hit a baseball with the Sandman which will stun an enemy when hit. The farther the ball travels, the longer the enemy will remained stunned. This can be extremely useful when attempting to fight heavier classes one on one. Stunning an enemy will give you a few precious seconds to get close and plug a handful of Scattergun or FaN shots into them. If all goes well, they will die from your barrage. Be aware of how long a stun will last since the enemy will no doubt be poised to wipe the smirk off your face the second the stun wears off. Be warned that carrying the Sandman incurs a 15HP penalty, bringing your max health down from 125 to 110.

3. Class Combat

Scout

When fighting an enemy Scout, the best tip I can give is to pay attention to the player's habits. If he is a double jumper, track him and if you can manage it, pop him when he is in the air. If he stays on the ground and retreats, follow him and get in his face. Be aware if the opposing Scout is carrying the Sandman. Watch for him to pull it out and dodge the incoming ball if possible. It's hard to judge how this matchup will turn out since it all comes down to the player on the other end.

Engineer

When fighting an enemy Engineer, try to shoot some of his equipment to distract him from fighting you. If he is concerned about his equipment, he will try to repair it. If he is only concerned with eliminating you, use your speed and double jump to evade him and strike when you can. If you feel that you need to just slip past him and his sentry, take a swig of Bonk and proceed past his equipment.

Pyro

When fighting an enemy Pyro, keep your distance. Always make sure that you are slightly out of his flame's reach and you should be OK. If you run into a Pyro that uses his shotgun, double jump and evade while striking when you can.

Soldier

When fighting an enemy Soldier, be aware of the rocket concussive effect. If a Soldier manages to get you up in the air, double jump out of the way to avoid the Soldier's next rocket. Use your speed to confuse him and strike when you can with the Scattergun or FaN. If the Soldier is slightly farther away, use the pistol and dodge his incoming rockets. Due to their slow foot speed, it is possible to stun him with the Sandman. If you manage to land a stun, get in close and lay into him.

Medic

When fighting an enemy Medic, be aggressive. Their needles can be avoided relatively easily and you should never be within bonesaw range. Medics should be one of your primary targets since they can unleash ubers. If you can manage it, try to sneak around behind a group of players and go for the medic first. You may die in the process but you can either force the Medic to blow his uber early or eliminate him completely.

Heavy

When fighting an enemy Heavy, be aware of your surrounding and the presence of medics. If a Heavy has a medic healing him, forget about it. If you have the chance, try to take out his Medic while they are unaware of your presence. If there is a heavy all alone, you can definitely try to take him out. Depending on the tracking/aiming skills of the player playing the Heavy, you may have an easy or difficult time taking him out. if you come across a player that has no trouble tracking you and kills you often, move on to another target. If you find a player that has trouble tracking you, strafe side to side and double jump while firing your Scattergun or FaN to take him out. If you are carrying the FaN, it is relatively easy to knock him around while retreating to reload.

Spy

When fighting an enemy Spy, keep in mind that they would rather cloak and retreat than fight you. If they do happen to cloak, use the Scattergun or FaN and fire in their general direction. With the spread of the bullets, you will most likely hit them, revealing them slightly. Use this to your advantage and keep firing to keep track of where he is going. It won't be long before he dies due to the numerous Scattergun or FaN shots.

Sniper

When fighting an enemy Sniper, try to sneak up behind him and either pop a couple of Scattergun or FaN shots into his back or bat him. By the time they know you're there it will be too late. If you are fighting a Sniper head to head, use your double jump and speed to avoid his SMG fire and/or kukri attacks.

Demoman

When fighting an enemy Demoman, be aware of his stickies. A competent Demoman will lay stickies ahead of you as you advance on him, so double jump out of the way to avoid them. Try to determine if the Demoman is capable of doing this and approach with caution. If he is constantly throwing pipe bombs, be aggressive and get in his face. if he lays stickies down in hopes that you'll run over them, back off slightly and use the pistol.

Conclusion

The best tip I can give you when it comes to playing Scout is be aggressive. The Scout is a weak class when it comes to health (ESPECIALLY when carrying the Sandman) but he can be extremely powerful in the right hands. You cannot be afraid to die. You will die. You will die often. You will not go on a 30 kill spree. You need to be aggressive and in the enemy's face if you want to instill fear into them and make them paranoid. If you are doing your part, the enemy should be looking over their shoulder for you.

Like Thorn said in his post, be like a mosquito. Be annoying. Be so annoying that people will go out of their way to come kill you. If they are focusing on you, they are not focusing on your teammates. if they are not focusing on your teammates, they are not focusing on the objectives.

So, in conclusion:

- Be aggressive
- Double jump whenever possible
- Use the Scattergun or FaN up close
- Use the pistol at long range
- Reload whenever you are not firing
- Be extremely annoying and distracting


I'm sure there are some things that I missed, so I may come back to add some more. Remember, it takes some time to become a good Scout player but it is extremely worth it once you do.

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Health Management

Like Thorn said in the Tips thread, you need to know where the health packs are on all of the maps. In the course of a game, your main source of healing will be health packs, followed by dispensers and Medics. The Scout can be considered somewhat of a loner in that he can run out on his own into enemy territory, cause some havoc and then retreat to heal. Remember to thank your Medics whenever they heal you because to them, you are a lower priority than the other classes. Also, never take a health pack when you see a Medic that needs one. If needed, tell the Medic over voice comms to take the health pack because a lot of Medics are used to having their health packs stolen from them. If no Medics are around, feel free to pick up health packs as needed.

Don't forget that you are a speedy class. If you are afraid that you might die, shame on you because you're not supposed to be afraid of dying. :-P However, since you are a speedy class, you can afford to take more damage and retreat much later in battles since it won't take you much time to get to a health pack.

Offense

The Scout is known mainly for offensive purposes. He can capture a point twice as fast as the other classes so he is ideal for capturing points. While sneaking around in enemy territory, if you can manage it, try to capture points that the enemy has not made it to yet. If you are lucky, you might be able to capture it completely by the time they get there. Even if you don't, you've captured some of it and your teammates can come to finish the job.

The Scout's most effective purpose, however, is in enemy distraction. If you know that your teammates are trying to push forward, venture out ahead of them and engage the enemy head-on. If you can do it, try to slip past them and get their attention from behind. If you are annoying enough to them, they may come after you to try to kill you. If you manage to distract enough people, let your teammates know over voice comms so they can make a big push. With less enemies to worry about, they should be successful.

If needed, take a swig of Bonk and run into the fray to help distract sentry fire so your teammates can take it down.

Defense

Some people may not be aware that the Scout is useful for defensive purposes. With his speed, he can cover the battlefield very quickly and move from area to area to help defend. Whenever possible, use voice comms to alert your teammates of what you see. If you feel brave enough, and by now you should, engage the enemy head on or flank them whenever possible. Again, if the enemy is constantly trying to eliminate you, they are not focusing on their objective. Objective-minded people will try to ignore you on the way to their objective. If that's the case, take them out from behind.

Lone Wolf/Pack of Wolves

As I said before, the Scout can be considered a loner in that he can venture out on his own and cause havoc. If you find yourself with no other Scouts, you should not feel guilty for going out on your own. While some people may view your behavior as selfish, in reality you are causing chaos behind enemy lines and allowing your teammates valuable time to capture forward points on offense.

On the other hand, if you find yourself with one or more Scout teammates, you can act like a pack of hungry wolves. Well, more like a yapping pack of Chihuahuas; a pack of yapping Chihuahuas with dangerous Scatterguns or FaNs. While one effective Scout can be dangerous, a group of two or more can be absolutely devastating. Be aware of your Scout teammates' tendencies and try to complement them with your actions. If one teammate is distracting the enemy on one side, slip by to capture the point. Conversely, if you see that your Scout teammates aren't being as aggressive, get in the enemy's face so they can capture the point.

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Common Sense

OK, this isn't something that can really be taught without coming across as a scolding. Common sense is something that you should have already but here are some things that you should know about the Scout.

1. A Scout cannot engage a sentry that is a level 2 or 3 out in the open and expect to survive in its detection range, unless it is damaged. There are times, however, when a Scout can take out a level 1 sentry by circle strafing it. If the situation allows it, it is possible to strafe from behind cover and take pot shots on a sentry. If there is no other way to confront the sentry and survive, you can always use Bonk to get by.

2. Know when to switch away from playing Scout. If you are playing a map and your team is pinned down in the only escape route by multiple sentries, please switch to another class. The Scout is good for flanking the enemy but if there is no way out of a spot, it is futile to use him. However, if you see that your team is capturing a forward point, switch back to Scout so you can get back in the action.

3. Because the Scout is good at slipping past enemy lines when nobody is looking, he can also wreak havoc on spawning players. If you find yourself back near the enemy's spawn, look around for teleporters and destroy them. If you happen to kill an enemy or two, that's OK. Hang around long enough doing it and you've become quite the jerk. The general rule of thumb with the Scout is, move in, take out equipment, maybe kill a few and get out or lure them away from the action.

4. Like the Heavy minigun, the Scattergun and FaN are ineffective at long range. Don't sit halfway across a map firing the Scattergun or FaN expecting to inflict massive damage. Remember, Scattergun or FaN up close and pistol for range.

5. Don't take Level 1 or Level 2 teleporters. Just don't. There's really no need since you are extremely fast and will probably get to the exit within seconds if you had used it. In the great heirarchy of teleporter priority, you're dead last. Level 3 teleporters are OK ONLY IF THERE ARE NO TEAMMATES AROUND.

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Quirks

There are some things about the Scout that are quite quirky and need some attention. People need to be aware of them so they can keep them in mind when they run across them.

1. The double jump will not work once you've passed the apex of your initial jump. If you want to do a successful double jump, you need to jump for the second time before you hit the apex. There is a natural timing to when the ideal time is to jump the second time. Play around with it to get comfortable with the timing and you should be OK.

This does not apply to the falling double jump I mentioned earlier. If you fall from a high point, and didn't make an initial jump, you can still successfully double jump to save yourself from fall damage. From what I've experienced in my 250+ hours as Scout, there is really no limit on when you can do this falling double jump.

2. The pistol has a weird reloading animation. If you watch it, the Scout quickly flips the pistol and reloads a clip. Do not switch weapons immediately. The pistol will not be fully reloaded until about a second after the reloading animation has finished. Try reloading the pistol and watch your ammo count. Don't switch weapons until you are sure that it says 12/XX.

-------------------------------------------------------

If anyone has any questions, please let me know. I can even come in game and show you some things if needed.
Last edited by TTHREAZ on Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:20 pm, edited 9 times in total.

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Re: TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by Nick Mame » Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:04 pm

TTHREAZ wrote:...and you should never be within bonesaw range.
Quoted for much-needed emphasis. As a medic, I have killed so many scouts in a split second with a single swing because they decided to pass near me. You do not want to be remotely near a medic who knows how to melee.

TTHREAZ wrote:...try to double jump as much as you can when fighting an enemy one on one.
Avoid this against soldiers. You have two jumps, they have four rockets. You have to be conservative so you can jump out of the blast radius of every rocket they fire. I've fought scouts who always double-jump and scouts who use single jumps until a rocket catches them off-guard mid-air. The conservative scouts are the ones who give me trouble.
Interested in custom maps? Join the [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/tvii][u]TV2 Seeding Group[/u][/url]!

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Re: TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by TTHREAZ » Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:14 pm

Yeah, I mention that in the Soldier section.



EDIT: Moved to first post.
Last edited by TTHREAZ on Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Infusions » Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:18 pm

[quote="TTHREAZ";p="119211"]Spy

When fighting an enemy Spy, keep in mind that they would rather cloak and retreat than fight you. If they do happen to cloak, use the scattergun and fire in their general direction. With the spread of the bullets, you will most likely hit them, revealing them slightly. Use this to your advantage and keep firing to keep track of where he is going. It won't be long before he dies due to the numerous scattergun shots. MEAN YOU NO HARM AND WISH TO BE FRIENDS SO YOU SHOULD JUST STAND STILL AND TAUNT AS A GESTURE OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP AND THAT YOU ACCEPT THEIR ALLIANCE. ANY STABBING THAT MIGHT OCCUR IS MERELY A FORM OF SHAKING HANDS. DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY AND SWITCH TO PYRO TO GET REVENGE.[/quote]

okay

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Post by mujo » Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:31 pm

:clap:
Adversities do not make a person weak, they reveal what strength he has. -Kierkegaard

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Re: TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by Yahoo!! » Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:40 pm

Yup, a spy will usually run. Just fire randomly and there is a good chance you will hit him. If he isn't using his cloak, don't use your bat (please do actually, I get a lot of weird backstabs from scouts). Just strafe and shoot. A spy will die.

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Re: TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by TTHREAZ » Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:58 pm

EDIT: moved to first post.
Last edited by TTHREAZ on Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by Ian_Suffix » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:07 pm

[quote="Nick Mame";p="119219"]
TTHREAZ wrote:...and you should never be within bonesaw range.
Quoted for much-needed emphasis. As a medic, I have killed so many scouts in a split second with a single swing because they decided to pass near me. You do not want to be remotely near a medic who knows how to melee.

[/quote]

Man, if people abide by this, 15% of the fun I derive from playing Medic is going to go out the window. I've ubersawed Scouts going over my head.

Just the same, Scouts are a mortal enemy of Medics when they perform surprise attacks of any kind.

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Post by Plinko » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:21 pm

[quote="TTHREAZ";p="119265"]
Common Sense

OK, this isn't something that can really be taught without coming across as a scolding. Common sense is something that you should have already but here are some things that you should know about the Scout.
[/quote]

Agree with all this.

What abouyt advanced advice for those of us that have the basics down but find ourselves somewhat ineffective at times?
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Re: TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by TTHREAZ » Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:54 pm

Advanced as far as what? Movement? Weapons?

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Post by Portland_BEER » Wed Sep 10, 2008 11:22 pm

advice like... never take a tele. ever.
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Re: TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by TTHREAZ » Wed Sep 10, 2008 11:35 pm

OK, I added that to the Common Sense area and added some more to the bottom.

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Post by Infusions » Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:37 am

[quote="Yahoo!!";p="119263"]
Yup, a spy will usually run. Just fire randomly and there is a good chance you will hit him. If he isn't using his cloak, don't use your bat (please do actually, I get a lot of weird backstabs from scouts). Just strafe and shoot. A spy will die.
[/quote]

hey man! protect the class!

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Post by Thorn » Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:37 am

Really nice guide TTHREAZ, and thanks for citing. This is much more of a guide with more detailed information than what I wrote. Good stuff. :)

Although I will have to slightly disagree with you on the sentry thing, there are many times where, if a sentry is left unattended, even at level 3, a scout can quickly "strafe shoot" behind a corner and take out the sentry, the scout will take damage, but depending on how far away the sentry is, it will die first. This is particularly useful on CTF maps. Often times engies will build a sentry in the intelligence room, and then go out shotgunning out in the battle field, I have capped the int many times by strafe shooting level 3 sentries since most engineers don't expect a scout to get passed it.
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Re: TTHREAZ's Scout Guide

Post by TTHREAZ » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:08 am

I should have clarified on that point. There definitely are times where you can take one down when you have some cover to use and can sneak up on it. However, if there is a sentry out in the open and you have no way to get close to it or you can't plink at it from long range, you have no chance.

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