Community Engineer strategy

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Grr, come on!
You're all about to have a real bad day!
The Engineer to enemies before Setup concludes

The Engineer is a unique class due to his ability to construct buildings. He can get his teammates to the front lines faster with Teleporters, create a powerful Sentry Gun to ward off enemies, and can build Dispensers to heal and supply ammunition to his teammates. The Engineer's low Health and average speed make it important for him to rely on his Sentry Gun, other buildings, and his teammates for protection. While his ways can seem somewhat passive and methodical, Engineers are not to be underestimated. A talented Engineer can make it much easier for his team to hold its ground, keep up the pressure on the attack, and defend vital objectives such as control points and Intelligence.

Quick tips

  • A team without an effective Engineer is at an extreme disadvantage, especially while playing Defense on Attack/Defend maps.
  • Always stay close to your buildings. Unguarded buildings are especially vulnerable to Spies, Demomen, and Soldiers.
  • The Teleporter can be your most important contribution to your team's success. If properly placed and defended, a Teleporter will allow your team to keep the pressure on the enemy team.
  • All buildings build faster during construction if you repeatedly strike them with your melee weapon.
  • You can construct a building in safety, then right-click to haul it to the battle. It is also possible to carry buildings through Teleporters.
    • However, if you die while carrying a building, the building is destroyed.
  • You can help other Engineers by hitting their buildings with your melee weapon to speed up the building's construction or repair and upgrade the existing buildings.
  • Your Shotgun and Pistol are not useless in combat; use them in supplement to your Sentry Gun fire to peck away at the enemy's health.
  • Avoid standing in front of your Sentry Gun. This reduces the chances of your sentry shooting you, as well as lowers the chance of being shot easily, as the Sentry can intercept enemy fire.
  • When playing Arena, make sure you have Dispensers to help out teammates with ammo and health.

General

  • As an Engineer, you can do more than just upgrade and repair your buildings. If you have metal, don't hesitate to hit friendly buildings with your melee weapon to either repair or upgrade them. Watching your teams buildings allows other Engineers to set up Sentry Guns, Dispensers, and Teleporters in other areas.
  • You can rotate the placement of a building while the blueprint is out by pressing the alternate fire button. Changing a Sentry Gun's direction allows you to place them in corners and other hard-to-reach locations. Rotating a Teleporter exit affects the direction one faces when exiting. An arrow on the blueprint indicates said direction. Remember that the direction one faces could mean life or death in some situations. Rotating a Dispenser has no effect on its function, but can allow you to place it into a tight space or help conceal its location.
    • You can also place a building while it is turning to place it on a different angle.
  • Alternate fire while looking at a building you placed allows you to "haul" that building to another location. While hauling a building, your movement speed is reduced to be slightly slower than the Heavy's speed, and you are unable to switch weapons. If you are killed while carrying a building, the building will be destroyed.
    • A redeployed building will construct faster than normal without help from an Engineer, though you can still speed up the building of the structure by hitting it with your Wrench. Once built, if the building has already been upgraded to level 2 or 3, it will then undergo the animations for deploying to those levels as well.
  • Enemy players, including disguised Spies, cannot walk through buildings belonging to your team. You can use this for Spy checking by placing buildings in chokepoints, such as doors and hallways.
  • It is not a good idea to build your buildings, particularly your Sentry Gun, in the exact same location as another Engineer on your team. Clustering too many Engineer buildings together maximizes their weakness to explosives or other weapons that deal splash damage, and clustering makes it easier for an enemy Spy to sap all of your buildings. In addition, remember that friendly buildings block the line of sight and line of fire of friendly Sentry Guns.
  • If your buildings are under attack by Soldiers or Demomen, try to time your repair hits in between enemy rockets or grenades to avoid getting killed, or build your Sentry Gun near cover that you can use to shield yourself. If your buildings are under attack by multiple Soldiers and Demomen, your buildings are likely going to go down and take you alongside them unless you have support from friendly Medics, Engineers, or Pyros using the compression blast.
    • Your best friend is often an allied Pyro. Pyros are excellent for taking care of an Engineer's greatest weaknesses: keeping Spies at bay; destroying Sappers on your buildings with the Homewrecker or Maul; and deflecting incoming rockets, grenades, Stickybombs, and invulnerable enemies. This is also usually beneficial for Pyros, as they often run out of ammunition and health spamming their Flamethrower, which a Dispenser can restore, and are poor at mid to long range: an Engineer's forte.
  • Build where you can support your team and where your team can support you. Sentry Guns provide high-volume firepower at decent range, but it is still supporting fire that is best served to cover your teammates and deny areas to enemy movement. Do not expect to be able to fight off entire enemy attack groups with just your Sentry Gun. It is very unlikely that anyone on your own team will be down there with you to support you, and without your Sentry Gun in a more forward location, enemies have a much easier time getting inside the base and causing havoc.
  • Setting up a nest with a Teleporter, a Dispenser and a Sentry Gun near the front lines can help your team maintain its position. A skilled enemy team can push you right back to your first spawn, forcing you to gain ground again even if you have already captured the first point.
  • To make the best use of Setup time, it is important to know ahead of time where effective spots to build are and the best way to set up your buildings the fastest.
  • On offense, when you have a 'team advantage' (most of the enemy team or their best players are dead) and you have a Level 3 Sentry Gun, haul it and charge into the fray. Drop the Sentry Gun near the Final Capture point and attack yourself with your weapons. With most of their team dead and a Level 3 Gun suddenly appears, the enemy team will be shocked and you will most probably win, unless the enemy team uses a well-spent Übercharge. Do note that Level 2 Sentry Guns can also be used if there is no time to make the Sentry level 3 or the level 3 deployment time will take too long to be effective.
  • Out of all the Engineer's primary and secondary weapons, the Stock weapons are the weapons that can deal the most damage overall. In case it is required to equip any non-stock primary/secondary weapon, it is highly recommended to equip the other secondary/primary weapon slot with its stock weapon.
  • On offense, NEVER forget this golden rule: Level 2 is good. If you are not going to camp at your teleporter base and you don't have time to haul a Level 3 Sentry Gun, haul a Level 2. The same goes for Teleporters: A Level 2 Tele has double the recharging speed of a level 1; however a Level 3 decreases recharge time by a further 3 seconds instead of five seconds, thus having less of a reward for 200 Metal.
  • Competent teammates will likely save ammo packs for you, due to your ability to construct Dispensers.

Weapon specific

Primary weapons

Shotgun

Weapon Kill Icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point Blank Medium Range Long Range Critical
Shotgun
Stock
Shotgun
Killicon shotgun.png 6 32 86-90 24-67 3-26 180

Of the Engineer's Primary weapons, the Shotgun is the most versatile due to its larger clip size and lack of reliance on a Dispenser, a Sentry Gun, or a specific positioning of enemies.

  • If you're intending to stay close to your Sentry Gun, make sure to build it in a spot where you can keep enemy players in groups. You will be able fight on more even ground after the Sentry Gun has softened them up for a Shotgun blast.
  • Its large spread pattern is quite useful for Spy checking. Fire at corners, 'teammates', or in the Spy's general direction and look for tell-tales. Often, the spread will allow for at least one pellet to hit a cloaked Spy, giving you a glimpse of his location.
  • It is good at destroying Stickybombs due to its spread.
  • It can be used to deal extra damage against enemies outside the Sentry Gun's range or who are damaged and retreating when the Sentry Gun is not in any immediate danger.
  • The Shotgun is a powerful weapon, especially at close-range. Don't be afraid to use it in combat situations; it can mean the difference between life and death.
  • Keep in mind that due to its spread, it's not suitable for engaging enimies at long ranges. Switch to the Pistol for long-range attacks.

Frontier Justice + reskins

Weapon Kill Icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point Blank Medium Range Long Range Critical
Frontier Justice
Unlock
Frontier Justice
Killicon frontier justice.png 3 32 86-90 24-67 3-26 180
Festive Frontier Justice
Uncrate
Festive Frontier Justice
Killicon frontier justice.png

The purposes of the Frontier Justice are similar to those outlined for the stock Shotgun above, but the introduction of revenge crits modifies the accompanied playstyle.

  • Sentry Guns should be built in more aggressive areas where kills and assists will be awarded relatively easily.
  • Revenge crits should be used sparingly, as the Frontier Justice's small clip size gives it a disadvantage when in combat unaided by Sentry Guns.
  • Revenge crits can support offensive pushes. Placing the Gunslinger's Combat Mini-Sentry Guns or an upgraded sentry into enemy territory and fighting with revenge crits while it builds can buy time for your Sentry to deploy and join the fight.
    • Despite this, even large supplies of revenge crits are usually insufficient to be able to take down clusters of opponents, and it is usually unwise to try.
  • Revenge crits are only granted upon a Sentry Gun's destruction: Sentry Guns that have gained kills and assists may be demolished for immediate crits. This is a risky maneuver that should only be used in dire scenarios, when moving up while playing offensively, or when combined with the more disposable Combat Mini-Sentry Guns.
    • However, "cashing-in" during a quiet period in a safe area can be useful, as you can re-build and re-upgrade your Sentry in peace and have some revenge crits on hand for a sticky situation. Just be careful about this, because if you die after redeeming the crits, they'll have gone to waste and you'll be left with a fresh Sentry empty of kills and potential crits.
  • Spy-checking with revenge crits is often unwise because if the Dead Ringer is equipped, the Spy could cause the wastage of a crit by triggering the feign death. Monitor the watches used by the opposing team.
  • Make conscious decisions whether or not to take out the Frontier Justice when not ready to fire. The crit glow on the Frontier Justice could either make you a target for the enemy team, such as Snipers, or be used to scare away stray opponents.

Widowmaker

Weapon Kill Icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point Blank Medium Range Long Range Critical
Widowmaker
Promotional/Craft
Widowmaker
Killicon widowmaker.png 1 per 30 Metal N/A 86-90 24-67 3-26 180
  • The Widowmaker uses construction metal as ammo. Only use the Widowmaker if you are confident in your aiming abilities. Otherwise, you're best off using the default Shotgun.
  • Don't try shooting enemies from afar with the Widowmaker; you'll only be wasting metal. Pick them off with your Pistol or Wrangler instead.
  • The Widowmaker is best used in conjunction with a Dispenser. Even if you miss a few shots, you can easily refill at your Dispenser.
  • When using the Widowmaker, make sure you have sufficient ammo at all times to fight off enemies. You are highly vulnerable and easy to kill at close range if you cannot fire your primary weapon.
  • If a teammate approaches and appears suspicious, the Widowmaker can be used to perform a Spycheck. If an accurate shot from the Widowmaker yields ammo, the player is a Spy - if no ammo is given back upon hit, the player is not a Spy.
  • With practice, the Widowmaker can make an effective offensive weapon. Continuous short-range usage allows you to retain ammo far away from your Dispenser, and the ability to keep shooting without reloading gives you an advantage over slower classes.

Pomson 6000

Weapon Kill Icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point Blank Medium Range Long Range Critical
Pomson 6000
Craft
Pomson 6000
Killicon pomson 6000.png 4 N/A 52-68 31-41 31-41 108-180

The Pomson 6000 functions like the Soldier's Righteous Bison in terms of its projectiles and unlimited ammo, but instead of projectile penetration, it provides anti-Spy and anti-Medic capabilities.

  • Whilst protecting a Sentry under attack is usually priority, the Pomson 6000 gives the bonus of reducing an attacking Medic's ÜberCharge faster, giving the potential of rendering an ÜberCharge push useless or - assuming you can hit the Medic within a small time window - cause him to charge into danger without a full charge.
  • On a successful hit, the Pomson eats into the Spy's Cloak, forcing him to retreat if he is using conventional watches.
    • Should the Spy be using the Dead Ringer, he will have 10% less time if he cloaks on a Pomson hit, reducing the already-low amount of time he has.
  • When the beam hits a Medic or Spy, a distinct sound is made.
    • Use this sound to tell if you have hit a cloaked Spy.
  • Due to the Pomson's nature, it excels at long-range damage and finishing off enemies but is generally poor in close quarters. As such, the Pomson is generally best used when supporting teammates at long range. Spamming shots will prevent enemies from strafing around a lot, making it easier for teammates to aim for them.
  • Shooting a friendly Sniper's Huntsman will cause his arrow to catch fire. Flaming arrows are more powerful than standard arrows, as they deal afterburn in addition to the initial hit.
    • Remember - shooting your teammates is also a measure of Spy checking, as a hit on a Spy will produce a distinct sound. The Pomson's unlimited ammo comes in handy for this, as you can spycheck often.
  • A Spy can only use his Dead Ringer if he has a full Cloak meter. If an enemy Dead Ringer Spy is fleeing to refill Cloak, you can hunt him down with the Pomson. Simply keep shooting at the Spy, and he won't be able to use his Dead Ringer. You'll also still be inflicting some damage on him.
  • Although its projectiles travel slowly and are easy to avoid, the Pomson is a very accurate weapon. It's even more accurate than your Pistol. Although you lose the close-range damage of the Shotgun and the fast reload of the Pistol, you gain a very accurate weapon.
  • The Pomson pairs well with the Wrangler. The Pomson maintains an ability to make accurate shots that you would otherwise make with the Pistol, and similarly, ammo is not an issue. Having a Pomson and Wrangler equipped gives you a high degree of accuracy.

Rescue Ranger

Weapon Kill Icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point Blank Medium Range Long Range Critical
Rescue_Ranger
Craft
Rescue Ranger
Killicon rescue ranger.png 4 16 51-55 31-35 20-25 105
  • The Rescue Ranger fires bolts similarly to the Pomson 6000, only that the projectile arcs. Take account of this when firing this weapon.
  • The hauling ability of this weapon is powerful on open maps, where you can get a clear line of sight of your buildings from a distance. Use this ability to move your buildings up front quickly, or to pull your buildings out when they are under attack, and you are too far away to retrieve them.
  • As hauling your buildings from a distance costs 130 metal, try to haul your Dispenser first. If you cannot do this, find a source of metal before you haul your buildings.
  • While not good in direct combat, the Ranger can be used for medium to long range harassment and for supporting other Engineers from long range by repairing their buildings.
  • The Rescue Ranger pairs well with Wrangler Jumping, as you don't have to destroy your Sentry Gun after the jump.
  • This weapon does not pair very well with the Eureka Effect since the long-range pickup of the Rescue Ranger is negated by the Eureka Effect's no hauling penalty.

Secondary weapons

Pistol + reskins

Weapon Kill Icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point Blank Medium Range Long Range Critical
Pistol
Stock
Pistol
Killicon pistol.png 12 200 22 10-15 8-9 45 (Range does not affect damage)
Lugermorph
Promotional
Lugermorph
Killicon lugermorph.png

The Pistol has four main strengths over the Shotgun; its greater accuracy and damage at longer distances, its large ammunition reserve, and its faster reload time. These give the Pistol several key functions:

  • It can be used to ward off Snipers by instigating recoil and dealing notable damage.
  • It can be used to pick off retreating units (who are usually doing so due to low health).
  • It can be used to peck away enemy health, especially if supplementing Sentry fire.
  • It is the most reliable weapon to use in conjunction with the Gunslinger's Combat Mini-Sentry Guns, as they also are most effective at a similar range, enabling opponents to be worn down quickly while staying at a reasonably safe distance.
  • When the Shotgun has run out of ammunition, the Pistol or Lugermorph can be switched to when in direct combat with an enemy to ensure that there is more damage per second being dealt to the opponent during the fight.
  • The high ammunition reserve and fast reload speed also allows you to provide covering fire during a firefight and support your teammates' own attacks. The higher accuracy and range than the Shotgun also means you can hang back somewhat while doing this and not expose yourself to too much fire. It is also possible to do this up close; however, it is risky without the Gunslinger and the Shotgun is much better at short range.
  • Remember that the Pistol always fires a perfectly accurate shot before its bullet spread goes into effect. However, every shot after that will be less accurate. This bullet spread resets after at least 1.25 seconds since firing the last shot. As such, it's important to keep in mind that spamming your Pistol can mean you lose a great deal of accuracy. Try to time your shots so that they can land consistently accurately.
  • The Engineer's Pistol has the highest ammo count out of any gun in the game, including the Heavy's Minigun. Keep that in mind, as you can lay out a ton of bullets in a short amount of time.

Wrangler

Weapon Kill Icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point Blank Medium Range Long Range Critical
Wrangler
Unlock
Wrangler
Killicon wrangler.png N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
About the Wrangler
  • The Wrangler is a secondary weapon for the Engineer. It replaces the default Pistol when equipped.
  • When the Wrangler is held, your Sentry Gun aims to where you point. It shoots when you click. If your Sentry Gun is level 3, you can shoot its rockets by right-clicking.
  • When being used, it forms a shield around the Sentry Gun, which absorbs 2/3rds of the damage taken by the Sentry Gun.
  • The firing rate of the Sentry Gun is doubled when fired manually.
  • A Sentry Gun being controlled by a Wrangler has infinite range.
Usage
  • You can't use the Wrangler at the same time as your Shotgun. If you need to defend yourself, use either your primary weapon or melee weapon, as it's generally easier than aiming with the Wrangler.
  • It's easier to stand close to or behind your Sentry Gun when using the Wrangler.
    • When using the Wrangler, the Sentry Gun can only shoot if both you and the Sentry Gun can "see" the point you're shooting at. Standing near your Sentry Gun minimizes situations where the Sentry Gun cannot shoot a certain target because you cannot see it.
    • The protective shield around the Sentry Gun formed when the Wrangler is equipped will also help to shield the player.
  • Pay attention. The Sentry Gun cannot automatically fire when the Wrangler is in use, so unless you manually shoot them, enemies will get by the Sentry Gun without trouble.
  • It is advantageous to have a friendly Engineer repair and supply ammo to your Sentry Gun while you are using the Wrangler, since you cannot do these things yourself at the same time.
Wrangler Jumping
  • Wrangler Jumping is a technique done by standing on your Sentry Gun, aiming it upwards, and firing while jumping. This shoots you up into the air, allowing you to reach high places.
    • Wrangler Jumping can also be done by shooting one of the Sentry Gun's rockets at your feet while jumping. This can only be done with level 3 Sentrys, though.
  • You will take a good amount of damage, so it's good to have a Dispenser next to the Sentry Gun.
  • Crouch while Wrangler Jumping. It will allow you to achieve better heights.
  • Aim the laser straight up and directly in front of you. Do not move the mouse or you may fall out of the laser's path.
  • Wrangler Jumping will take a good amount of practice, but once mastered it allows you to jump to great heights.
  • Once you've made it to the desired location, build a Teleporter exit. This means you can jump back down, grab some ammo, build a Teleporter entrance on the ground, and get back to said location without having to Wrangler Jump again.
  • A skilled Engineer can pick up his sentry immediately after a Wrangler Jump. This takes practice, of course, but will allow an Engineer to not waste metal building another Sentry Gun.
    • Alternatively, you can use the Rescue Ranger's secondary mouse fire to pick up your building from long range, but it costs 130 metal to do so.

Short Circuit

Weapon Kill Icon Ammo Damage
Loaded Carried Point Blank Critical
Short Circuit
Promotional/Craft
Short Circuit
Killicon short circuit.png 1 per 5 Metal N/A 5 18

The Short Circuit is a promotional and craftable secondary weapon for the Engineer. At the cost of 5 metal for each shot, the Short Circuit creates a small electrical charge that destroys all projectiles and does minor damage to enemies. Like the Widowmaker, it never requires reloading. However, the Short Circuit cannot score random Critical hits.

  • While it only uses a small amount of metal per shot, it is wise to equip a Shotgun other than the Widowmaker unless you're stationed in an Engineer nest, as you may find yourself defenseless very quickly with two weapons eating into the same ammo pool.
  • Note that this weapon's primary use is defensive. Should you and your sentry be cornered by a Demoman or Soldier, you can prevent them from using blast damage to destroy your sentry by vaporizing their explosives, thus forcing them to change tactics.
  • This weapon also has offensive capabilities on Payload maps; should your allies be under attack by several projectile-using enemies, you can provide reasonable protection from harm without risk of running out of Metal due to the Dispenser on the cart.
  • This weapon is extremely weak up front, dealing only 5 damage per shot, meaning its primary use should be for defense, support, or self-defense.
    • Under the right circumstances, however, it can be highly effective at eating into enemy health; since it's possible to attack near 6 times per second, it's possible to seriously harm a Soldier, Demoman, or preoccupied enemy.
  • The Short Circuit really shines in supporting other Engineers and defending nests, where there's a steadier supply of metal from Dispensers and more buildings to defend at once. You might be better off taking another secondary if you're largely working alone or your buildings are spread-out and projectiles aren't much of a problem.

Melee weapons

Wrench + reskins

Weapon Kill Icon Attack Interval Damage
Point Blank Critical
Wrench
Stock
Wrench
Killicon wrench.png 0.8 seconds 65 195
Golden Wrench
Promotional
Golden Wrench
Killicon golden wrench.png
Saxxy
Promotional
Saxxy
Killicon saxxy.png
Festive Wrench
Uncrate
Festive Wrench
Killicon wrench.png
Item icon Rust Botkiller Wrench.png Item icon Blood Botkiller Wrench.png Item icon Silver Botkiller Wrench.png Item icon Gold Botkiller Wrench.png Item icon Carbonado Botkiller Wrench.png Item icon Diamond Botkiller Wrench.png

Botkiller Wrench

Killicon wrench.png
  • When a Spy is repeatedly sapping your Sentry Gun in an attempt to destroy it, your Wrench serves two purposes. First, you can use it to swing at the opposing Spy, 2-3 hits being enough to kill a Spy, ignoring Critical hits. After that, you can quickly turn around and repair your Sentry Gun. Two strikes from the Wrench will disable a Sapper and halt the progressive damage it causes; you can then fully repair the Sentry Gun after the Spy is killed. A good strategy would be to hit the Sentry Gun a single time, and then change targets towards the Spy, kill him, and then take off the Sapper with another swing.
  • While it may be tempting to use the Wrench's high critical hit rate to club enemies to death, melee combat is usually not where the low-health Engineer shines. Use the Shotgun instead at close range in order to quickly finish off the enemy.
  • Team Fortress 2 prioritizes repairing buildings over melee combat when using the Wrench. This means that if there is an enemy -- say, a Spy -- next to a friendly structure and you are using the Wrench to attempt to kill the enemy, you will find the Wrench hitting the building near or even behind the enemy you are trying to strike instead of the enemy. Switch to the Shotgun or Pistol to deal with enemies that are very close to one of your buildings to avoid this.

Gunslinger

Weapon Kill Icon Attack Interval Damage
Point Blank Critical
Gunslinger
Unlock
Gunslinger
Killicon gunslinger.png 0.8 seconds 65 195
Killicon gunslinger triple punch.png N/A

About the Gunslinger

  • The Gunslinger replaces the normal Sentry Gun with a Combat Mini-Sentry Gun. The Combat Mini-Sentry Gun is a smaller, quick-building version of the Sentry Gun.
  • It provides an extra 25 health, for a total of 150. This allows for more a more aggressive fighting style, as opposed to the Engineer's usual defensive fighting style.
  • If an enemy is hit three times in a row with the Gunslinger, the third hit will be a critical hit.

Usage

  • A Mini-Sentry is good for being deployed quickly and picking enemies off.
  • Do not expect the Mini-Sentry to last very long. Its low health means that it is very vulnerable.
  • When paired with the Wrangler, the Mini-Sentry can be deadly. The Wrangler gives it more health and a much longer range.
  • Unless you're only covering a short distance, it's usually not worth hauling a Mini-Sentry, as carrying it causes you to walk a lot slower. If you want to change its location, destroy the previous one and place the new one.
  • If a Mini-Sentry gets destroyed, replace it as soon as possible.
  • With the Gunslinger equipped, it may not even be worth building a Dispenser near it. A Mini-Sentry is, in most cases, not powerful enough to defend a Dispenser on its own. Don't let that stop you from building Dispensers at all, though. Even if you're not setting up camp, leaving a Dispenser at a good fallback location can do wonders for you and your team.
  • The Mini-Sentry cannot be repaired, but can be given ammo. A good strategy to use with the Gunslinger is to destroy your Mini-Sentry when durability is low, and replacing it with a fresh Sentry Gun. This allows to keep the pressure on the enemy without having to constantly worry about it being destroyed.
  • A Mini-Sentry costs 100 metal to build, as opposed to a regular Sentry Gun, which costs 130. The reduced metal cost allows you to place a maximum of 2 (3 if you haul one in) Mini-Sentry Guns on the battlefield before having to collect more metal. Take advantage of this, as you will be able to keep the pressure on the enemy for a longer period of time.
  • Pair the Gunslinger with the Widowmaker (provided you're confident in your ability to aim) to act as an effective and easy-to-set-up defense for your team while gaining metal for both the weapon and for future buildings.
  • Pairing the Gunslinger with the Frontier Justice will often grant you frequent revenge crits, although in smaller quantities than if a regular sentry is destroyed.

Placement

  • Place your Mini-Sentry in an area where enemies pass through frequently. Using a Mini-Sentry as long term defense is not recommended.
  • It's a good idea to place your Mini-Sentry near a health pack, since health packs attract low-health enemies - easy kills for a Mini-Sentry.
  • Try putting your Mini-Sentry around a corner, or on top of a high building. If enemies can't figure out where a Mini-Sentry is before it kills them, it'll be less likely for them to destroy it.
  • Since the Mini-Sentry has a relatively short range, smaller spaces are preferable to wide-open spaces, where Snipers, Soldiers, or other classes can pick it off without the Mini-Sentry being able to defend itself.
  • A Mini-Sentry hidden away underwater can temporarily confuse enemies as to how they're being shot.
  • For a rather cruel, ironic twist, hide Mini-Sentry Guns under large ammo boxes. The Mini-Sentry is just small enough that the only part of it not covered is the kickstand, though the particle effect from the light can sometimes be seen.
  • When playing the role of a Battle Engineer, get into the habit of dropping a Mini-Sentry on a whim, without any real rhyme or reason to its placement. This can grant you vital cover-fire and provides a distraction should the situation go south.

Southern Hospitality

Weapon Kill Icon Attack Interval Damage
Point Blank Critical
Southern Hospitality
Craft
Southern Hospitality
Killicon southern hospitality.png 0.8 seconds 65 195
Bleeding Killicon bleed.png 40 damage over 5 seconds N/A N/A
  • The Southern Hospitality is nearly as versatile as the normal Wrench, with only a few situational weaknesses. As such, it is an upgrade to the default Wrench unless the enemy team has more than one actively attacking Pyro. The lack of random crits is compensated for by the Bleed status and the retained ability to wear opponents down further with other weapons.
  • The Southern Hospitality favors a defensive playstyle. Camping Engineers rarely encounter Pyros without having a Sentry Gun in between to win the skirmish whereas when pushing into enemy territory, should the Engineer encounter a Pyro, then the Engineer is at extreme disadvantage due to extra 20% fire vulnerability.
  • The presence of bleeding on this weapon makes it an excellent anti-Spy tool, allowing you and your teammates to monitor their movements should they try to escape. However, the inability to randomly crit makes killing Spies more difficult in a short span of time. Instead, hit them repeatedly with the Southern Hospitality, thus doing more average Wrench damage and resetting the Bleed timer each hit, or hit them with the Southern Hospitality, then switch to your Shotgun or Frontier Justice to finish them off.
  • ÜberCharged Pyros are a major threat with the 20% increase to fire vulnerability. If one approaches, the most valuable building should be moved to a safe(r) location to be ready when the ÜberCharge wears off. If the Pyro is too close for you to haul a building to safety, flee, and be prepared to rebuild.
  • The Southern Hospitality is very viable within Medieval Mode as the 40 damage added by Bleeding is a strong buff, and sources of fire damage are reduced significantly.

Jag

Weapon Kill Icon Attack Interval Damage
Point Blank Critical
Jag
Craft
Jag
Killicon jag.png 0.8 seconds 49 146
  • Due to a bug in how construction rate is calculated, the Jag only adds a 15.79% faster build rate to under-construction buildings being hit with it. Consider this when determining your loadout.
  • Try to avoid melee combat due to the damage penalty. If your team is good at Spy checking, however, the loss of damage won't matter much.
  • Get in the habit of hitting your buildings all the way to completion as soon as you plant them. Where the Jag really shines is in the construction of Dispensers. Taking 84.21% of the time to build a Dispenser speeds up supply of Metal, which in turn speeds other upgrades and buildings.
  • The Jag is also useful in situations such as rebuilding a destroyed Teleporter Entrance or Exit while the other half is still up; being able to speedily rebuild the destroyed half means you can teleport back to your other buildings a few seconds faster.
  • The Jag is a great weapon for "helper" Engineers who are only being Engineer temporarily to help other Engineers upgrade or repair their buildings.
  • The Jag pairs well with the Rescue Ranger by being able to quickly deploy buildings hauled from long range; however, it becomes detrimental to equip the Pistol because the Jag is a straight downgrade to the default Wrench in combat and the Ranger is not very good at combat either. You may switch to the Wrangler if you prefer to keep your distance or try and Wrangler jump to unusual locations. This provides great utility with the Ranger by being able to pick up your sentry while jumping then teleport your Dispenser to yourself.

Eureka Effect

Weapon Kill Icon Attack Interval Damage
Point Blank Critical
Eureka Effect
Craft
Eureka Effect
Killicon eureka effect.png 0.8 seconds 65 195
  • The Eureka Effect functions the same as the default Wrench, but it comes with the secondary ability to teleport back to spawn in exchange for being unable to move buildings.
  • Triggering a teleport forces the player to wait 3 seconds while the Engineer performs a brief taunt; since taunting leaves the Engineer completely defenseless, retreating with low health or when the enemy is advancing can result in death if care is not taken.
  • The Eureka Effect can be extremely useful in game modes lacking a source of healing (such as a health pickup, Medi Gun, or a Dispenser). You can engage an enemy, go to safety when you're at low health, teleport back to base, come back with full health (and metal), and repeat.
  • The Eureka Effect can be useful in setting up and upgrading a Sentry nest quickly; having it equipped means an Engineer is able to run back and forth between spawn and their nest very quickly by using the Eureka Effect's taunt and an active teleporter, allowing an instant metal refill with each trip.
  • The Eureka Effect gives the defending team an advantage on attack/defense maps; if the penultimate point is being captured, a tactful teleport can allow an Engineer to fall back and prepare for an incoming attack.
  • The teleport action also allows a teleporter exit to be placed at the front lines during setup on Payload maps; a quick teleport back to spawn and the teleporter is ready to go quickly.
  • This Wrench is best avoided when on the attacking team, as teleporting back to spawn requires you to abandon potentially vulnerable buildings, and you can't move buildings up when your team advances.
    • Although, you can sneak past enemy lines on maps where the spawns change (such as Frontier), and set up a teleporter exit near the last point. Then, you can teleport back to spawn, restock, and take the teleporter to the point. Getting some of your teammates to take the teleporter can effectively "sandwich" the enemy, making for an easier fight.
    • On the other hand, if a Spy has destroyed your teleporter entrance or is currently spam-sapping it, the Eureka Effect allows you to surprise any Spies and/or rebuild an entrance.
  • Crafty Engineers can possibly carefully sneak past enemy lines and plant a teleporter exit in a place where the other side won't suspect it will be, such as the Control Point building in Dustbowl after it's captured, and then teleport back to the spawn safely where they can upgrade and repair it as needed. This allows for other classes, like Spies, to quickly go to that area without raising much suspicion.

Buildings

Sentry Gun

Level Kill Icon Health Cost Weaponry Damage Ammo
1

RED Level 1 Sentry Gun.png

Killicon sentry1.png 150 (effectively 450 with the Wrangler shielding) 130 Metal Semi-Automatic Firing Barrel Damage: 16
Shots per second: 4 (8 with Wrangler)
Average DPS: 64 (128 with Wrangler)
100 rounds
2

RED Level 2 Sentry Gun.png

Killicon sentry2.png 180 (effectively 540 with the Wrangler shielding) 330 Metal Dual Rotational Minigun Barrels Damage: 16
Shots per second: 8 (16 with Wrangler)
Average DPS: 128 (256 with Wrangler)
120 rounds
3

RED Level 3 Sentry Gun.png

Killicon sentry3.png 216 (effectively 648 with the Wrangler shielding) 530 Metal

Dual Rotational Minigun Barrels

Target Guided Rocket Launch Support System

Damage: 16
Shots per second: 8 (16 with Wrangler)
Average DPS: 128 (256 with Wrangler)

  • Rockets fire every 3 seconds (slightly faster with the Wrangler), dealing 53 to 150 damage on direct hit (falloff is calculated from the distance of the Engineer to the target, not from the Sentry to the target). The rockets can be deflected with the Pyro's compression blast.

144 rounds
20 rocket salvos

Combat Mini-Sentry Gun

Level Kill Icon Health Cost Weaponry Damage Ammo
N/A

Red Mini Sentry.png

Killicon minisentry.png 100 (effectively 300 with the Wrangler shielding) 100 Metal Semi-Automatic Firing Barrel Damage: 8
Shots per second: 6 (12 with Wrangler)
Average DPS: 48 (96 with Wrangler)
100 rounds
  • The difference between excellent Sentry Gun placement and average Sentry Gun placement can sometimes be very little; a matter of inches, or an angle that is off by a few degrees, can determine whether a Sentry Gun can effectively cover a certain approach, whether it will give away its location to enemies too easily, whether it will take too long to rotate into firing positions, and so on. This does not mean that you should take a long time to adjust the Sentry Gun blueprint before placing it – doing so is a hallmark of inexperienced Engineer play. However, observe how certain placements perform, and if the Sentry Gun demonstrates any weaknesses in that position, try to place the Sentry Gun so it will be more effective in the future.
    • A good rule of thumb for Sentry Gun placement is a location that maximizes the Sentry Gun's range while minimizing its corner weakness. In other words, any location where approaching enemies will likely receive fire from the Sentry Gun at close to its maximum range but will be unable to fire back from outside that range. This is because Sentry Guns do not suffer from damage falloff at range. While this does not always limit the damage your Sentry Gun will take in return (damage falloff due to range does not apply to damage done against buildings), it does reduce the damage you will take while you maintain the Sentry Gun, and it also reduces damage from short-range and/or high spread weapons such as the Scattergun, Flamethrower, and Minigun. Making good use of the Sentry Gun's range also gives the Sentry Gun a bigger field of fire and it gives you more warning of approaching enemies (and incoming projectiles), while denying the largest area to your enemies, one of the Engineer's primary roles.
  • Sentry Guns are usually best built on high ground. However, you should avoid choosing an elevated spot that allows your Sentry Gun to be seen by enemies from beyond its ability to fire back. The best Sentry Gun placements allow a Sentry Gun to shoot at enemies at the same time or even a little before enemies are able to see and shoot back at the Sentry Gun, and high ground can help achieve this, as the diagram below-right demonstrates.
    • High ground is also great because it makes the Sentry Gun harder to hit with splash damage. As long as it is not built with its back to a wall, most projectiles will arc either too high or too low to hit hard, and the precision aiming required forces enemies to take the Sentry Gun's full weight of fire to try to take their shot. Conversely, low ground creates the opposite effect, effectively "funneling" even stray projectiles such as Grenades right into the Sentry Gun. Avoid low ground positions such as pits and valleys.
    • High ground is also very useful by making it more difficult for Spies to get into sapping range. High ground placements reduce the number of routes Spies can use to get close, making it easier for you and your team to discover and remove potential Spy threats before they get a chance to disable your Sentry Gun.
  • Build in areas that are open, but not too open, and give you some room to work. This allows you to dodge and gives yourself good angles for using the Wrangler while keeping a safe distance from your Sentry Gun if it is under fire. If possible, have a wall or other cover near to the Sentry Gun that you can use as cover while you repair, but try not to have an obscured view of what is attacking your Sentry Gun.
  • Avoid "gimmicky" Sentry positions such as looking down holes in ceilings, in the middle of narrow hallways, or around sharp corners. Sentry Guns can certainly get kills in such positions, but while these positions can surprise the enemy temporarily, they aren't terribly effective since they won't seriously interfere with your opponents' movement. High level Sentry Guns take a lot of time and resources to make, so building them in areas where they will be useful only rarely is a waste.
  • Great Sentry positions will allow the Sentry Gun to put suppressing fire on a number of key areas and also allow it to act as a first line of defense for your team. A Sentry being repaired or Wrangled (or both) is excellent at absorbing damage that would otherwise be directed at your fellow teammates.
    • Sentry Guns should not therefore be viewed as a "last line of defense". Building with this mentality is flawed, because while an Engineer and his Sentry can fend off most lone opponents fairly effectively, as little as two enemies can overwhelm an unsupported Engineer position, even if the base is well constructed and the Engineer is skilled.
  • Don't build yourself into a corner if you want to be hanging around your Sentry Gun repairing; you deny yourself a line of retreat and ensure that you get damaged as much as your Sentry Gun. Sentry Guns right around corners can catch enemies off guard, but if you build such an "ambush" Sentry Gun, don't sit right on it. Leave it on its own and maybe support it offensively with your own weapons, and then move it or rebuild it once it becomes ineffective.
  • In addition to building on high ground and in a moderately open area, you should build the Sentry Gun such that it covers narrow areas in the map called "Chokepoints". This maximizes the area your team has to work with and minimizes the maneuvering room for attackers. This forces the enemy team to bunch up in narrow hallways and doorways, making them easy prey for your Sentry Gun's rockets or the splash damage from your team. Sentry Guns are at their best when they force enemies to fight from a disadvantageous position.
  • Take note of where other Engineers have set up their Sentry Guns and set up yours to create overlapping fields of fire that can catch opponents in crossfire. Being within sight of another Engineer on your team makes it easy for you to help one other repair during times when either of you is dead or occupied. It also concentrates your team's defense and prevents your team from spreading too thinly. Two Sentry Guns that are spread out yet still covering the same choke point combined with adequate Spy checking can be an absolute nightmare for the enemy team to deal with and forces them to either come with everything they have or not come at all.
    • Conversely, try not to build two Sentry Guns next to each other; this doesn't help cover a wider area and allows a Demoman or Spy to take out both Sentry Guns at once.
  • After building a Sentry Gun, stand behind it and build a Dispenser behind your position; if a few enemies or an ÜberCharged enemy comes, you can crouch behind the Sentry for protection and continually repair the damage done to it while having your Metal replenished by the Dispenser behind you. This strategy works well wherever enemies are forced through a bottleneck while approaching the Gun or have no line of sight to the Dispenser, but does not work well in open areas where the Dispenser can be targeted from the side or from above.
Figure 1. Dustbowl, Stage 2, Point B example of excellent Sentry placement. Both Sentries A and B are on high ground in open areas covering chokepoints, with double coverage of two major chokes. Both Sentries are nearby and face each other, making it easy for each Engineer to watch the other.
Figure 2. Illustrates the advantages of elevated placement. Sentry is in the open covering a chokepoint, is able to lock on and begin firing an instant before approaching enemies, preventing abuse of cover and maximizing Sentry damage. Attacking Demomen in particular will have poor attack angles.


Dispenser

Level Health Cost Resource Output Rate
Health Ammo Metal
1

Lvl1dispenser.png

150 100 Metal 10/sec 20%/sec 40/5 sec
2

Lvl2dispenser.png

180 300 Metal 15/sec 30%/sec 50/5 sec
3

Lvl3dispenser.png

216 500 Metal 20/sec 40%/sec 60/5 sec
  • Build your Dispenser in a convenient location for your teammates to reach.
  • Do not place your Dispenser in areas with lots of enemies nearby. Dispensers are fragile, and without anything to guard them, they will be destroyed quickly. Try to locate the Dispenser behind an obstacle, such as a crate or a low wall, which will shield it from a fair amount of incoming damage.
  • It's a good idea to place your Dispenser next to your Sentry Gun, and stand in a position where you can reach both with your Wrench at the same time. This allows you to receive ammo and upgrade/repair your Sentry Gun instantly, instead of having to carry the ammo across long distances.
  • Make sure your Dispenser isn't blocking your Sentry Gun. Enemies can take advantage of blind spots behind Dispensers to destroy your buildings.
  • A savvy Engineer can use his Dispenser to 'Dispenser jump.' An Engineer can jump on top of his Dispenser and then reach an otherwise unreachable ledge.

Teleporter

Teleporter
Level Health Cost Recharge time
Level 1 150 125 Metal 10 seconds
Level 2 180 325 Metal 5 seconds
Level 3 216 525 Metal 3 seconds
  • Place your Teleporter Entrance close to your team's respawn point in plain sight.
  • Place your Teleporter Exit either -
    • Somewhere hidden within enemy territory, such as behind a crate or on the rooftop of a shed.
    • Near your other buildings.
  • Avoid standing right on top of your Teleporter Exit, so as to avoid being telefragged.
  • Make sure which direction to head is obvious to your teammates. When the Teleporter is being carried, pressing Alt-Fire rotates it 90 degrees. Use this to face your Teleporter away from walls, corners, etc.
  • During setup time, or at the start of a round, it's a good idea to build a Teleporter entrance. This is a good preparation strategy. It gives you the ability to deploy an exit on demand, and respond to changes in the front line by relocating the exit.
  • When defending a highly-trafficked chokepoint, you may want to place a Teleporter entrance or exit somewhere where attacking enemies will see it as they are entering your area of the map. They will often destroy it, giving you a heads-up about their presence. Beware that some players will be suspicious of the Teleporter's real function as an early warning system and will purposely leave it alone so as to retain the element of surprise.
  • Avoid building Teleporters during Arena mode. The quick nature of Arena maps and the scarcity of ammo during such games means that you're better off using your metal to build Dispensers or Sentry Guns.

Taunt Attacks

Dischord

Kill Icon Damage Duration Details
Dischord
Guitar Smash
Killicon guitar smash.png 500 4 seconds The Engineer takes out his loyal guitar, plays a chord, and then hits it into the head of any enemy that's in the way.
  • Dischord can be used on immobilized, unaware, or distracted enemies. However, the chord may give you away.
  • Dischord can be useful during Humiliation or Stalemate.

Organ Grinder

Kill Icon Damage Duration Details
Organ Grinder
Arm Blender
Killicon arm blender.png 500 4 seconds The Engineer pulls a rip-cord from his mechanical prosthetic, revving the hand of his Gunslinger up to vicious speeds, after which he thrusts it forward, gibbing any enemy player within reach.
  • With correct timing, you might be able to kill a distracted enemy, so keep in mind that it takes some time for the Engineer to spin his hand up.
  • You can use the stunning effect of Organ Grinder to stun ÜberCharged enemies and waste their über time.
  • Organ Grinder is also effective during humiliation.

Weapon combinations

Class Combat Strategies

See also: Engineer match-ups

Leaderboard class scout.png Scout

  • Scouts are a fragile class and usually don't bother Engineers. However, they can be quick to arrive before you can set up your buildings in 2-sided game modes such as Capture the Flag. and King of the Hill. Scouts excel in one-on-one combat so the best options of countering are either to use the Gunslinger and have a Combat Mini-Sentry Gun or to have support from your team mates.
  • A Scout's greatest asset is his speed and evasiveness. While the auto-targeting of your Sentry Gun can render this moot, an experienced Scout will utilize the rotation time of the Sentry Gun, as well as nearby Dispensers or map scenery as protection, allowing them to fire at you and your buildings from a location that may be inconvenient to you. Be aware of your surrounding environment and make sure that there is nowhere for enemies to hide from your defenses.
  • Should you find yourself face to face with a Scout without the assistance of your buildings or team mates, switch to your Shotgun and attempt an evasive retreat to safety. Sometimes the Scout's speed can play against him in terms of accuracy, so if you are ducking and diving out of danger he can have a much harder time landing a hit on you.
  • Be aware that a Scout under the effects of Bonk! Atomic Punch won't take damage from your Sentry Gun, and that the Sentry Gun will continue to fire on the invulnerable Scout so long as he is in range, providing a distraction for his team. Using this, the Scout may allow an opening for enemy team mates to attack or retrieve Intelligence while your Sentry Gun fires pointlessly at the invulnerable Scout.
  • While under the effect of Bonk! Atomic Punch, a clever Scout may attempt to focus Sentry Gun fire at you. So long as you are aware that this could happen, you can easily escape the line of fire once the Sentry Gun locks onto the Scout and pushes him away.

Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier

  • Directly, a Soldier is a very powerful adversary. A single shot from his Rocket Launcher could be the end of you. Only fight head on if necessary, otherwise, try and lead him into your Sentry Gun.
  • Because of his range, a smart Soldier will try to attack your Sentry Gun from out of range with his Rocket Launcher. If this happens, remain in cover while repairing your buildings.
    • If necessary, use the Wrangler in an attempt to fire back and increase the life span of your Sentry Gun.
    • The Short Circuit will stop any incoming projectile fired from any primary weapon that the Soldier possesses.
  • While the Righteous Bison deals greatly reduced damage to your buildings, it will still hit you through them.
  • The Cow Mangler 5000's charged shot can disable any building. You can repair the damage while the building is disabled, but any building won't perform its function until the 4 seconds are over. 4 seconds without buildings such as the Sentry Gun or the Dispenser could lead to your position being overrun. It may be in your best interest to fall back and live to build again if the Soldier is not alone.
  • When the Frontier Justice is equipped, attacking Soldiers who have activated their Battalion's Backup with Revenge crits is unwise; switch to another weapon or use your Sentry to attack the Soldier instead if waiting for it to wear off is not ideal.

Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro

  • As with most other classes, it is not recommended to face a Pyro head on. What the Flamethrower lacks in range, it makes up for in damage. Stay out of its range and pick away at the Pyro's health with your Shotgun and Pistol.
    • Due to the short range, they may switch to the Shotgun or Flare Gun in an attempt to harm you or your buildings from a distance. Due to the Flare Gun's guaranteed Critical Hit on a burning target, if you are hit once or already on fire, take cover to prevent a possibly fatal shot.
  • If using the Gunslinger, don't be afraid to drop a Mini-Sentry as a distraction to escape. They always deploy with full health and as a result can keep a Pyro busy just long enough for you to retreat to safety and let your team handle him.

Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman

  • Because of his Stickybombs and Grenades, the Demoman is a worthy adversary in one-on-one fights and while you are protecting your nest. His weapons cause a lot of damage and are deadly at close range.
  • If placed in the open, your buildings could easily be destroyed by a Demoman's Stickybombs. If he keeps firing, it's better to haul the building or run away than try to constantly repair your buildings and be killed. Think about this when building near a corner or in an open area.
  • A smart Demoman will arc his grenades over your Sentry Gun in order to harm you, so don't rely on it to provide a shield.
  • The Short Circuit can render a Demoman virtually ineffective against you. Even though equipping it means you have to rely on your primary weapon, the trade-off is often worth it especially when in a nest with other Engineers who can provide mutual support.
  • Be cautious of using the Wrangler when a Demoman is nearby, as you cannot pick up your building or repair it with the Wrangler active.

Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy

  • With the amount of firepower the Heavy possesses, it is unlikely that you will survive a one-on-one encounter unless you ambush him.
  • Remain close to your buildings if a Heavy is lurking around. Without proper surveillance, a Heavy can single-handedly destroy any Engineer outpost.
  • If you're facing a Heavy and Medic pair and the Medic deploys an ÜberCharge, you may be able to fend them off until it wears off, if your Dispenser and Sentry are level 3. Crouch behind your Sentry with your Dispenser nearby. They will likely shoot your Sentry Gun, so crouch behind it and keep repairing it. However, if the two are accompanied by teammates or are in close quarters, it's better to flee to safety than die alongside your buildings.
  • Heavies aren't as big of a threat if at long range, as they are primarily a point blank class. Use a Wrangler to take out Heavies from a distance.

Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer

  • Because of the defensive nature of the Engineer, it is unlikely that a head on conflict will occur. From a distance, deter him with your Pistol and if they move in close, use your Shotgun.
    • It might also be a good idea to draw them into your nest if possible.
  • Your Pistol is quite effective against enemy Sentry Guns and because damage fall-off is not counted against buildings, this is a quite effective (and often necessary) strategy but remember to stay out of the Sentry Guns' range; otherwise you are asking to be gunned down.
    • Watch for enemy Engineers utilizing this strategy. The Wrangler is a good counter to this.

Leaderboard class medic.png Medic

  • A Medic's ÜberCharge is very problematic for an Engineer.
  • Once ÜberCharged, especially with the default Medi Gun, the first priority of any experienced ÜberCharged enemy is to destroy your buildings.
  • In most situations, you are helpless against ÜberCharges. The best option is usually to grab a building (preferably the most upgraded one) and get out before being killed.
    • However, if the ÜberCharge lacks support from the Medic's team, use the Wrangler to give your Sentry extra health! As the targets are invincible, it does not matter for any damage output. But as the Wrangler can increase a level 3 Sentry Gun's health to (roughly) 648, you can switch on and off the Wrangler to maintain this health pool, and repair. This can be best seen agaisnt a ÜberCharged Heavy.
  • Kritzkrieg ÜberCharges, however, are somewhat neutral. On a positive note, all buildings are unaffected by Criticals, giving some surivability. On the other hand, the crits can dispatch of you easily. Be prepared if a Medic decides to go in with this charge.
  • Quick-Fix ÜberCharges are fairly easy to take out. However, the tripled heal rate requires a concentrated amount of consecutive damage to take out, so make sure to switch to another weapon or use your Wrangler for the increased firing rate to help increase the damage the ÜberCharged enemy is taking.
  • Similar to the Quick-Fix ÜberCharges, the Vaccinator ÜberCharges can be fairly easy to take out. The damage resistance works with one type of damage, and your Level 3 Sentry Gun does two types of damage at the same time, so use the Rockets as well when using the Wrangler. In other situations where a Level 3 Sentry is unavailable, either fire with your weapons, or use the Wrangler for increased fire rate to counter the lack of damage.

Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper

  • Because Snipers fight at long range, it is unlikely that either of you will come in contact. If you do, odds are that it will be away from your Sentry Gun. Use your Pistol for long range and your Shotgun for close range combat.
  • Due to the long range of Snipers, they can easily pick off any building that is placed in the open. Try to keep from placing your buildings in areas with large lines of sight.
    • Snipers using a Machina are capable of destroying your buildings in two shots, with only one of them needing to be charged. Keep this in mind when building a nest for yourself.
  • If you are soaked in Jarate, you will have extra troubles if your nest is attacked. Stand next to your Dispenser as it halves the time you will be covered.
  • If you happen to spot a Sniper trying to destroy your Sentry Gun, wrangle your sentry to try and pick him off. Remember that when wrangled, your Sentry Gun has unlimited range.

Leaderboard class spy.png Spy

  • The Spy is typically the mortal enemy of the Engineer. Due to the Spy's ability to sap your buildings, it makes him more than a match for you in a strategic sense. Sappers shut down your buildings immediately, leaving them effectively "destroyed" until you remove them. A building that gets Sapped while under fire is typically impossible for a lone Engineer to save.
    • The Spy's ability to disguise himself as any class on either team is also quite bothersome. While wearing a friendly disguise, the Spy has access to your buildings, allowing him to restore health and Cloak from your Dispenser and travel through your Teleporters. Note that this also prevents your Sentry Gun from shooting at him.
  • Watch for Spies using the Your Eternal Reward. This knife, upon a backstab, allows the Spy to take the form of his victim without dropping his disguise. Spies using it will not hesitate to backstab you or your allies within range of an active Sentry Gun if they get the chance.
  • Spies have the potential to hide anywhere and appear as anyone. As such, you cannot rely solely on your Sentry Gun to protect you. Remain alert at all times and refrain from being stationary even while protecting your position to prevent Ambassador headshots and backstabs. If someone seems suspicious, don't be afraid to Spy-check them.
  • A good Spy will often appear without warning, quickly sap your Sentry Gun, and start attacking you immediately with his Revolver or Knife, especially if you are alone. If you come under attack in this way, worry about the Spy first. A Spy can place Sappers faster than you can remove them and repair your buildings. It is much more important to eliminate the Spy before he causes any more damage. Use your Shotgun or melee weapon to dispatch the trespasser before repairing your buildings.
  • Most of the time, you should save your Dispenser first, as it will break from a Sapper faster than an upgraded Sentry Gun, and regenerating its Metal supply takes a lot of time. If you are staying in the same spot, saving your Dispenser first will always allow you to rebuild much faster because you'll have more Metal available. However, if the Spy has removed his disguise nearby, or there's urgent need for offense, you should save your Sentry Gun first. On some maps, your Teleporter can actually be your most important building as it allows your team to keep a constant stream of reinforcements going. Losing your Teleporter is especially annoying due to the fact that you will lose both ends of it, requiring you to travel all the way to your Spawn to replant your Entrance. If you have sentry-jumped to your location, you may wish to save your teleporter so you can get back. Teleporters take the longest to get destroyed from Sappers, but you should still try to save them. Deciding which Building to save first always depends on the circumstances. Practice is the best guide.
  • While being in a crowd of your own teammates usually helps you defend against Spies more easily, it can sometimes be difficult to pick out which one of your "teammates" is actually a Spy placing Sappers. Even though placing Sappers will not break a disguise, the disguised Spy will actually move his hand in a "placing" motion at your Building when it does so. This is subtle, but you may be able to use it pick out the Spy in a crowd. If you are letting your team deal with the Spy while you remove Sappers, keep your back to something.
  • A creative Spy will often disguise as an Engineer to try to fool you and your allies into thinking he is an Engineer trying to remove Sappers when he is in fact the one sapping. They may even use the voice command warning about Spies to add to the deception. Watch for teammates who aren't swinging or firing their weapons, as a disguised Spy cannot attack. Even better, Spy-check anyone nearby.
  • If you have revenge crits, try to save some of them for the inevitable Spy attack. Having a glowing Frontier Justice out can be enough on its own to deter a Spy. While it's true that you might waste a shot on a Dead Ringer Spy, don't be afraid to do it. A Spy who feigns death likely won't be attacking you for at least a short duration, giving you time to call for help.
  • Simply standing with your back facing the wall or continuously moving hugely minimises the Spy's danger to you as it makes it harder for them to instantly kill you. The Spy is therefore forced to attack one of your buildings, which destroys their disguise. In this case, make it your priority to kill the Spy before attending to your buildings.

See also