TF2: Scout Tips

Heyllo there loyal followers. Started making a new little series to help people with playing certain classes on Team Fortress 2, feel free to add a few tips in the comments if you'd like.

The scout, the fastest class in the game.

First of all, get to know how other players percieve you. Most players - pyros especially, it seems - seem to dismiss scouts as annoying flies and prioritise more dangerous targets such as heavies, engineers (turtling ones especially), pyros and soldiers. However, a good scout is as dangerous as any class when used correctly. Try and lure them into danger by shooting them a few times so they come over to try and get rid of you in the most brutal way possible, as is TF2. Now (this works well on heavies) trick them with your speed and double jumps, and keep shooting. Obviously if the enemy is being healed by a medic you should probably back off and leave them to some allies with more firepower.

Use your pistol if you have it in your loadout. If you're using the Force-a-Nature or the Soda Popper and have the pistol as a secondary, don't forget to use it. Take them on with your primary and when you need to reload it, switch to your pistol. I've lost count of how many times I've gotten a kill using this strategy instead of just reloading and probably letting them get away or kill you. At close range it has quite a large damage output - around 20 damage per shot if I recall correctly, with 12 bullets in the clip, so 20 x 12 = 240 damage per clip, more than enough to kill nearly every class as long as they're not overhealed. and to severely weaken overhealed heavies and soldiers.. 

Know how to use Bonk: Atomic Punch. Don't just run into battle using it like an overenthusiastic baboon, you'll probably get killed the instant the effect wears off. Instead, do what your name suggests: scout around, checking for sentries and heavies. You can then press U to give this information privately to your team, for example, if you saw 3 engineers camping on a balcony, each with a level 3 sentry, tell any demomen to try and stickybomb them. If you see any heavies, especially ones being healed, tell your snipers and spies to try and pick them off. I've done this every time I've had Bonk in my loadout and it's really helped.

Use your speed and abilities to your advantage. If you're taking on a Heavy or a Soldier one-on-one, trick them by running around them in circles and changing directions every now and then, double-jumping over them, and using the pistol when you run out of ammo for your primary. If a medic comes and heals your target, back off. They will kill you. The medic can totally undo any damage you've done in a few seconds and overheal them too; leave the sentries, heavies, soldiers, and spies to take care of them. Dodge and fire at them while running away if you have to.

Only use your melee in dire situations. The scout is, essentially, a class which is designed for close combat and as long as the target isn't too dangerous, you can easily take care of them with the right strategies.  Don't go around trying to kill everyone with your bat; the sentries will inevitably mow you down before you manage to hit anyone, let alone kill them. Only use it when very low on ammo or if the enemy is already very weakened so you can save ammo. Using it when the enemy has full health and your primary and secondary weapons have ammo is, if I'm honest, stupid. Saying that, don't forget to always use the Sandman's alternate fire if you're using it; from afar, it can easily make them vulnerable for any snipers and any other players on your team.

Don't forget, you capture points twice as fast as other classes. But don't just stand there while capturing your point; move around, zigzag while still on the point. Snipers and spies will easily take you down if you're just standing there like a retarded goose. Playing as a scout is great on maps with control points that don't take too long to capture such as Dustbowl and the final control points of places like Egypt.

I hope you've enjoyed this guide, and as I said in the beginning, feel free to add some more tips in the comments. More coming soon. Probably.