Of all the classes in Team Fortress 2, the Scout is likely the one with the steepest learning curve. He can be very challenging to play with, simply because his advantage is in speed, and with speed, comes difficulty.
The scout has a number of weapons and abilities, each of which must be used efficiently if the Scout is to be successful.
The Scattergun
This is the gun that the Scout starts with. To use it effectively, one must:
- Continually reload. All the breaks in the action must be used to reload.
- Keep moving but never stop firing at the target.
- Get close as the weapon is most powerful at short range.
A Scout is also able to positively affect a match by applying damage and then retreating, allowing more offensive classes to finish the job. This provides distraction and will keep the enemy searching for the source of damage. Likewise, when an opponent is attacking another teammate, the Scout’s speed can be used to get close and add additional damage.
The Force-A-Nature
This gun replaces the scattergun and is a considerable upgrade for The Scout. It fires far more quickly, has a faster reload rate but only has two shells. The caveat of the gun is that it will push enemies back when it hits them, or The Scout backwards if nothing is hit. Of course, the same skills that apply to the scattergun apply to The Force-A-Nature.
- Can be used to jump to heights previously unattainable.
- Can knock opponents away from mission objectives.
- Knock enemies into the path of Sentries and allied fire.
The Pistol
The pistol is a secondary weapon, mostly used as a back-up. Most Scouts will use this weapon very rarely and will be looking to find the better secondary item, The Atomic Bonk Punch.
- Try not to use as a “long-range” weapon as it is mostly a waste of time.
- Can be useful for distracting an enemy who is chasing a teammate.
Bonk! Atomic Punch
This found item replaces the pistol as the secondary weapon in The Scout’s arsenal. It increases The Scout’s dodge chance so that enemies cannot hit him for a short period of time. However, it also slows The Scout down after it’s used; meaning a period of vulnerability is inevitable.
- Very useful for getting past Sentries and behind enemy lines.
- Try not to suicide with the weapon just to provide a distraction. A Scout is more useful alive.
- Plan out your route so that you have an area to hide for the slow period.
The Bat / The Sandman
Initially, the Scout only has access to the Bat. This is a melee weapon, added to the game as a standard (all classes have a melee.) However, when The Sandman is discovered, this melee weapon becomes just as useful as The Scattergun or Force-a-Nature.
- The Ball stuns opponents, even Ubercharged ones!
- Use it to stun, get close and finish an opponent with a gun.
- Can be used as a distraction when a teammate is engaged with an enemy.
The bottom line with The Scout is that they must keep moving and use their speed to their own advantage. A reliable strategy is to get close, fire off a few rounds and then move back. If The Scout catches an enemy by surprise, they will often kill them off before the opponent realizes what is going on. In direct confrontation, The Scout will often be killed by the enemy’s superior firepower.
For additional Team Fortress 2 hints, please look at the articles for The Sniper, The Soldier and The Heavy.
