Anti-Heavy strategy

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The Heavy is the sturdiest class, but also the least maneuverable. He has a huge amount of health and heavy firepower, but is poor at speed and maneuvering, requiring the swift observation behind himself and ambushing. Generally, going against a Heavy head-on is suicide: his Miniguns can mow down any class within seconds at close range, and Medics tend to hang around Heavies for protection and kill assists. While not having quite as a diverse loadout as other classes, the Heavy can nevertheless change his gameplay in several different ways, including the ability to heal, run substantially faster than normal, and even shrug off a majority of ranged damage. Surprise is often the best way to overcome a Heavy's massive amount of firepower.

General

Attributes Anti-Heavy Strategy
Heavy emblem RED.png Role
  • The Heavy's large size and weapon makes him a great shield for his allies. Taking him out can make your assault far easier.
  • The Heavy is often the focus of many pushes. Taking out the Heavy can often defeat an entire push.
Leaderboard class medic.png Health
  • The Heavy can soak up a lot of damage, especially if overhealed. Teams should focus their fire on Heavies in order to take them down quickly.
Leaderboard class scout.png Speed
  • The Heavy's slow movement speed makes him an easy target for Snipers and Spies. Try to catch him off guard and take him out quickly, before he can spin his gun up and start firing on you. Effects that depend on hits such as Jarate and The Buff Banner will be very effective due the Heavy's inability to dodge.
Leaderboard class soldier.png Power
  • The Heavy's Minigun is quite a formidable weapon. It will quickly take care of any unaware class in seconds, so remain far away and wait for the Heavy's Minigun to stop spinning to strike.

Weapon Specific

A list of useful tidbits about the Heavy's tools, and how to counter them.

Primary Weapons

  • All of the Heavy's primary weapons all require a moment to spin up before he can start firing. This makes him vulnerable to ambushes.
  • When any of the Heavy's weapons are spun up, the Heavy moves much more slowly. A preoccupied Heavy can easily be taken down.
  • Keep your distance from Heavies with their miniguns spun up, as at close range, a Minigun can mow down enemies.


Weapon Anti-Heavy Strategy
Item icon Minigun.pngItem icon Iron Curtain.png
Minigun / Iron Curtain
  • The Minigun has a shorter spin-up time than the Heavy's other primary weapons. Be aware of this and retreat if you are facing a Minigun-wielding Heavy at mid-to-close range.
Natascha
Natascha
  • Natascha has a longer spin-up than the Minigun. Hit-and-run tactics are more effective on Heavies using this weapon.
  • At long distances, this weapon's slow down has little effect, but don't get caught at mid-range or closer, or you'll likely be unable to escape.
Brass Beast
Brass Beast
  • With the Brass Beast spun up, the Heavy becomes slightly more vulnerable to projectile weapons fired from afar. Take advantage of this and attack the Heavy outside of his weapon's effective range.
  • The Brass Beast has an even longer spin-up time than the Natascha, so hit-and-run tactics are much more effective here.

Secondary Weapons

Weapon Anti-Heavy Strategy
Shotgun
Shotgun
  • Heavies will switch to their Shotgun when their primary weapon runs out of ammunition. Try to take them down before they find more.

Edibles

  • Dropped edibles can be picked up by anyone. Try to steal them before the Heavy or his team reaches them.
  • Watch for Heavies retreating from a fight to run around a corner. They are probably low on health and about to use an edible. At this point, even a low-damage attack might finish them off before they get the chance.
  • Edibles make a distinct noise when being eaten. Use this sound to track down the retreating Heavy.
  • The Heavy is relatively defenseless when consuming an edible. Try to attack a Heavy while he is eating.


Weapon Anti-Heavy Strategy
Sandvich
Sandvich
  • The Sandvich replenishes health quickly. Make sure you can out-damage him while he's eating before engaging him. A kill taunt may be best to quickly kill him.
  • The Heavy can drop the Sandvich to recover health quickly. Try to grab the dropped Sandvich before the Heavy gets near.
  • A majority of the time, the Heavy will try to place himself between the Sandvich and you. His back would most likely be to you as he tries to ingest the Sandvich. At this time, you can prepare for your next move as the Heavy might prepare to replenish his Health.
Item icon Dalokohs Bar.pngItem icon Fishcake.png
Dalokohs Bar / Fishcake
  • This weapon only heals the Heavy for 60 health, making him more vulnerable while eating it than with the Sandvich.
  • However, it gives him more maximum health for a short period of time, so try to kill him when he is eating it.
Buffalo Steak Sandvich
Buffalo Steak Sandvich
  • Attack from a distance while retreating, as the Heavy can only use his melee weapon when under this item's effect. He will receive Mini-Crit damage from all of your weapons.
  • The Buffalo Steak Sandvich provides the Heavy with no health when eaten via primary fire, rendering him extremely vulnerable.
  • With the Bushwacka's special effect, you can kill even an overhealed Heavy in 3 hits. Circle strafe around the Heavy while spamming your attack.

Melee Weapons

Weapon Anti-Heavy Strategy
Fists
Fists
  • The Heavy's slow speed is a disadvantage that can be exploited by faster classes during a melee fight.
Killing Gloves of Boxing
Killing Gloves of Boxing
  • If the Heavy has a critical buff from the K.G.B., stay back until it wears off. Your death will just extend the effect.
  • The Heavy can also apply his K.G.B. Crit bonus to his other weapons when switched. Take him down as fast as possible to prevent this from happening.
Gloves of Running Urgently
Gloves of Running Urgently
  • A Heavy will usually only have these selected whilst running to a contested area on the map then change to a Minigun when he gets closer. Therefore, the Heavy will likely not expect an attack; this is a good time to ambush him.
  • Beware that enemy Heavies will try and chase you down with the increased movement speed from these gloves. Try to kill them before they switch to their primary weapon and spin it up.
  • A Heavy with the GRU equipped is an easier target than most, not only will his health be slightly below maximum, but in order to cause any significant damage, he will have to switch to his Minigun and spin it up - this extra time may be all you need to kill him.
Warrior's Spirit
Warrior's Spirit
  • The Warrior's Spirit inflicts more damage per hit than other melee weapons. Try to retreat from a melee battle with a Heavy wielding them unless you know that you are able to kill him.
  • A Heavy with these in his loadout will have 20hp less than default. While still the highest-hp class in the game, he will be that much easier to take down - afterburn or bleed effects might finish him off when they ordinarily wouldn't.
Fists of Steel
Fists of Steel
  • Heavies take double melee damage with the Fists of Steel equipped. However, they tend to switch to their primary weapon when you approach them with your melee weapon out. Try to ambush them from behind instead if you're trying to take them out with your melee weapon.
  • If the Heavy is taking any fire from a teammate, switch out a melee weapon to trick him into pulling out his Minigun or Shotgun, thus making him receive full damage from your teammate. Otherwise, hit him with the melee weapon.
  • A Heavy with the Fists of Steel out is hard to kill, even without a Medic. Use teamwork to take down the Heavy from outside of melee range.

Class Set

Set Anti-Heavy Strategy
The Hibernating Bear
The Hibernating Bear
  • A Heavy wearing this set is especially vulnerable to ambushes, because of his lower health, slow wind-up speed, and slow movement with the Brass Beast spun up. Hit-and-run tactics may prove to be effective against a Heavy using this set.
  • A Heavy using this set can heal themselves quickly by using alt-fire to throw out their Buffalo Steak Sandvich for themselves to replenish their health, providing more reason to finish them sooner.

See also