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Defensive Strategy

If the teams are evenly balanced in terms of skill, the defenders should probably win most of the time. Unfortunately it tends to be ‘cheap’ tactics that are the most effective, a few of which I’ll cover below. I’ll just use this first paragraph to reiterate a point very close to my heart – teleporters! Most defensive engineers simply rush to the first control point straight away to start building their sentry gun, but in fact it’s the teleporter that is the most effective form of defence. Remembering that the attackers are probably going to open with an über rush, any dangerous sentry guns are likely going to fall within the first 20 seconds of game time. On the other hand, a well hidden teleport will last until after they take the first point and proceed. Besides, it’s not as if you can’t have both, just build the teleporter entrance first. Heavies and soldiers will love you and medics become even more effective.

A pair of defensive medics going about their business, keeping their team alive

On to team strategy. The main reason for defenders losing is a poor class mix. Your team should not have more than 1 sniper or any scouts, and should definitely have at least 1 demoman and heavy and 2 medics. You should also have about 2 or 3 engineers, not too many and not too few, to allow a smooth teleportation cycle and to get some buildings up. Pyros are also very effective at repelling waves of attackers momentarily, but they have an unfortunate habit of dying. At least one gives you a nice card to pull out when you would otherwise be outgunned.

Having at least 2 medics not only doubles the team’s healing power but makes said healing self-sufficient

The most effective and cheapest tactic I know is the demoman spam. There doesn’t have to be that many, but even 4 demomen can create an almost impenetrable defence. The control points usually have 2 or 3 entrances, and if these entrances are visibly plugged with sticky bombs, few attackers will dare risk their skins, and it will come down to an übercharge to clear out the demomen. Of course the demomen can plug up the control point as well, and even if they flee the übercharge they can detonate from wherever they want before returning for reapplication. Especially effective at the beginning of stage 2 and the second half of stage 3 (through the canal thing).

A plugged up control point can not only fend off attackers, but it’s also a powerful deterrent

Engineers I said were the other crucial defensive asset. Their job should pretty much follow the 10-point plan of:

Run out of spawn
Build teleporter entrance as soon as it’s allowed
Return to spawn and restock on metal (cabinets)
Run the first control point
Find a spot behind something where the attackers won’t go (generally about a 5 second walk backwards from the control point) and build teleporter exit (please note exit direction)
Find an ammo box to restock on metal
Build a dispenser
While the dispenser is building find some more metal
Return to dispenser and build sentry gun right next to it
Look after the dispenser/sentry gun combination for as long as it survives, occasionally grabbing metal or repairing teleporters.

The place they build the sentry gun is quite important especially if it survives the opening rush. See vantage points for good locations on each stage.

An engineer looking after a strong, well shielded defensive sentry gun

Other than plugging with the demoman and building with the engineer, the rest of the classes pretty much improvise. Remember your priorities (medics first!) and if the attackers manage to take the first point, have a spy ensure their teleporters are constantly disrupted. I’ll say it again however – at least 2 medics. A quick heal from a medic can be the difference between life and a 30 second trip from a corpse back to the front line. Add up the number of lives saved and you have a lot of extra defence. And of course always stay on the lookout for spies – remember, more lives than your own may depend on your fitness.

A solo spy cutting an unprepared enemy defence apart – watch out!

Finally, even though you are defending a specific point, don’t be afraid (in fact be encouraged) to push forward about 20 metres to a point where the enemy’s entrances are easier to cover. For example on stage 1 it is much easier to defend the room with the half health and ammo boxes (on the left) and the two doors on the right than it is to sit back on or behind the control point and kill them as they come. Similarly on cap 2 of stage 2, try to control the entrances to the caves, but if you can’t at least hold the exits. Don’t let the attackers push that far up. Finally with stage 3, it is critical you hold the canals, for two reasons. Firstly your demomen make superb defenders since there is really only one way through which can be easily plugged, and secondly if you let the attackers push up and take the house thing, they can safely take pot shots at your defence, and it’s only a matter of time before an übercharged demoman or heavy storms in and ruins everything.

The pyro – a great class for keeping attackers out of enclosed spaces (hog the health boxes)

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There are currently 4 responses to “Defensive Strategy”

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1 On April 15th, 2008, Still Learning said:
“The main reason for defenders losing is a poor class mix. Your team should not have more than 1 sniper or any scouts, and should definitely have at least 1 demoman and heavy and 2 medics.”

It hurts my pride as a scout player to read that A scout on the defense can have similarly huge value as a spy or sniper. While he can’t effectively deal with sentries, he’s good for sneaking around and taking out teleporter enterances ( exits are often guarded by sentries ), and if teh scout player knows what he’s doing, can apply a tremendous pressure on the attacking team by popping up around the corner, quickly taking down a key demoman or medic, disappearing again, coming up from a different angle, getting rid of the spy as he’s just about to disguise himself, disappear again, etc, etc. Especially effective on Dustbowl 2, also somewhat on D1, after the first wave of attackers is dealt with – forcing medics to pop ubers early, and to charge them in the safety of their point, too ( few things are as frustrating as having a scout pop up behind You and blast You to oblivion with two shots, leaving no time to activate the ubercharge).

Also, although it’s true that it’s rather silly to go scout when You see 3 snipers and 4 spies on the team already, there are two things to remember: One, the team is probably doomed anyway, because there are seven other morons on it , two: A skilled scout is better than a rookie demoman. Speaking from experience here; I can’t seem to get the demoman to work for me, and have changed often from scout to demoman or soldier when my team complained. I seldom manage to contribute anything to defense like that.

posted on April 15th, 2008 at 8:03 am
2 On April 16th, 2008, Pie21 said:
Granted, scouts can be useful. Perhaps “no scouts” is a bit excessive, but I stand by no more than 1 sniper, and more than 1 scout would be eating up valuable defensive class spots. A scout can “have similarly huge value as a spy or sniper”, but that’s not saying much Actually spies can be incredibly effective against unparanoid attackers, but again you CAN have too many.

At the end of the day, going medic is probably going to be more help than going scout or sniper, unless you’re particularly skilled with the above. That’s what I was trying to get at.

posted on April 16th, 2008 at 2:59 am
3 On October 15th, 2009, Hash Classic said:
For the first stage, second control point, one of the best defenses I’ve seen is for a Heavy to stand on the point with a dispenser to the right of him. The Heavy is now looking at four exits (both tunnels and 2 grates) and can supply a tremendous amount of cover fire to any enemy approaching the cp from the front and has unlimited ammo from the dispenser (as long as there is a dispenser, the Heavy need not spin down his gun). Ubercharged enemies can still push through so it is important for any Spies on the team to target the Medics; otherwise, its basically an impenetrable defence.

As a Heavy deploying this tactic, be sure to sweep your gun over all four visible exits constantly and make sure your ammo is nearly full at all times (occasionally a demo or soldier will destroy your dispenser). Keep an eye out for cloaked Spies trying to sneak through your fire; and if an Ubered opponent does reach the point TRY TO STAY ALIVE! once their Uber runs out take out the pair and conserve your ammo until your Engie rebuilds the dispenser (remember there is a small health and ammo spawn close by, use it if you have to).

This tactic works best when your team’s Spies are taking out their Medics; having a friendly Medic running back and fourth between you and your AggroDefence (Soldiers, Demos, Pyros trying to push the enemy back) is a good idea – if your Medic doesn’t mind sitting on their UberCharge, have him be able to run to your position to pop the Uber in case a enemy Uber gets to the point. Otherwise, just hold down leftmouse until time runs out.

posted on October 15th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
4 On October 15th, 2009, Pie21 said:
What about Snipers though? I find they’re a much more common counter to Heavies than Spies are. Either way, putting a sentry or two to the right of the Heavy in that position make it virtually impenetrable from down the stairs, except for an uber.

posted on October 15th, 2009 at 10:24 pm