Anti-Soldier strategy

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Dammit Boys.
Oi, lend us yer shovel, so I can dig yer grave!
The Sniper

The Soldier is a devastating, bulky predator who has an above average amount of health and is capable of effective attacks from any range. While slow on foot, the Soldier is known for his trademark rocket jumping ability which allows experienced players to quickly move around a map and reach high areas at a cost of self-inflicted damage. Generally, the best way to engage a Soldier is in an open area where you can avoid his rockets and counterattack. The Soldier is also disadvantaged when he has the lower ground in a battle, if he is forced to fire his rockets at uphill angles, it will limit and or eliminate his ability to deal splash damage depending on his opponents positioning. Keep in mind that the Soldier has a number of different loadout options that allow him to give offensive and defensive buffs to teammates, heal himself, and wield the most dangerous melee weapon in the game if his health is low enough.

General

Attributes Anti-Soldier Strategy
Soldier emblem RED.png Role
  • The Soldier is an all-around class with a dangerous primary weapon and few exploitable weaknesses. He is particularly strong when he takes the high ground.
Leaderboard class medic.png Health
  • The Soldier has the second largest amount of default health of all classes, and when overhealed, can be very difficult to take down.
Leaderboard class scout.png Speed
Leaderboard class soldier.png Power
  • The rockets that Soldiers fire are highly damaging at close range, but are less powerful and can be dodged more easily at long range.

Weapon Specific

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

Primary Weapons


Weapon Anti-Soldier Strategy
Rocket Launcher
Rocket Launcher
  • The Rocket Launcher is a very versatile and powerful weapon, but it can only hold four loaded rockets at a time. Watching the Soldier's actions and attacking when he has no rockets loaded can grant you an immense advantage.
Direct Hit
Direct Hit
  • The Direct Hit can one-hit-kill weaker classes at close range. Keep your distance, and try to fight at mid-to-long range where the Direct Hit's low splash damage radius becomes readily apparent.
  • The Direct Hit's rockets are much faster than normal ones. Move quickly and take advantage of the minimized splash range.
  • The Direct Hit deals more damage than the regular Rocket Launcher so be careful to try not to take a direct hit.
Black Box
Black Box
  • Mobility is key, as the Black Box will grant the Soldier with 15+ health each time he hits you.
  • The Soldier only has three shots granting you an immense advantage to attack while he's reloading.
Rocket Jumper
Rocket Jumper
  • Although there is practically no use for the Rocket Jumper in serious gameplay, the Soldier might use this to attack or secure higher positions easily, so tread carefully with a height advantage.
  • Note that the Soldier is more vulnerable to most projectiles, bullets and fire. Take advantage of the weakness.
Liberty Launcher
Liberty Launcher
  • The Liberty Launcher is very effective at close-to-mid range due to the rockets being 40% faster. Try to keep away from him and fight in long range combat.
  • The Launcher only has three shots granting you the chance to attack while he's reloading.

Secondary Weapons

Weapon Anti-Soldier Strategy
Shotgun
Shotgun
  • The Shotgun is typically used when a Soldier does not want to use the Rocket Launcher, either because he is out of loaded rockets (or wishes to conserve them) or he is fighting a close-range target and does not want to take self-damage. Either way, he is more vulnerable to attack with the Shotgun out than when he wields any of his primary weapons (excluding his Rocket Jumper).
Gunboats
Gunboats
  • Soldiers using the Gunboats often take the high ground. Prevent this from happening; on the ground, the Soldier is less effective without his Shotgun. Attack the Soldier vigorously, as he has no secondary weapon to aid him in combat.
Reserve Shooter
Reserve Shooter
  • The Reserve Shooter draws 15% faster than the standard Shotgun and mini-crits airborne targets for 3 seconds after switch. Try to stay on the ground, as even jumping could give him the bonus damage.
Mantreads
Mantreads
  • The Mantreads deals 3x his fall damage when he falls onto a enemy, so stay in closed areas such as rooms and flat areas.
  • The Mantreads reduces knockback. Try to avoid doing knockback kills such as: shooting him off a cliff, shooting him into a train, and launching him skyward.

Banners

  • Killing the Soldier using a banner buff will end the effect immediately.
  • A buffed Soldier needs to stay within range of his team while buffed to benefit them the most, making splash damage and other attacks affecting multiple enemies, such as Jarate or the Flamethrower, incredibly effective.
  • Soldiers will often make a quick retreat in search of their team when they have a full charge. If you see this happen, give chase.
  • Soldiers using a banner lack a mid-range weapon. Stay close enough to ensure that they will take self-damage from rockets but far away enough to avoid the rockets.


Weapon Anti-Soldier Strategy
Buff Banner
Buff Banner
  • The Mini-Crit buff has a short range, encouraging the enemy team to cluster. Use (critically-boosted) rockets, grenades, and stickies to quickly kill or break them up.
Battalion's Backup
Battalion's Backup
  • This weapon will make Critical hits useless. Quickly eliminate the Soldier to ensure your Critical hits register.
  • Since this builds up whenever a Soldier is hurt, focus your attention on any nearby health kits or resupply rooms. The Soldier could have attacked you in order to draw your fire and build up his buff.
Concheror
Concheror
  • Mobility is the key here, as any enemy buffed with the Concheror will regain health when they damage you.
  • A well-organised team should concentrate their fire on one target at a time, as any buffed enemy left to their own devices will quickly regain any health they have lost. The ideal target is, of course, the Soldier who created the buff.

Melee Weapons

Weapon Anti-Soldier Strategy
Item icon Shovel.pngItem icon Frying Pan.png


Shovel / Frying Pan

  • Due to the Soldier's slow movement speed, one can usually defeat a Soldier with the Shovel or Frying Pan simply by moving backwards and attacking him. If you cannot avoid the Soldier, fight him head-on, as you should have an advantage.
Equalizer
Equalizer
  • If an enemy Soldier is running quickly with the Equalizer out, it may be more useful to try and pick him off with a hitscan weapon such as the Shotgun or Pistol.
  • On the other hand, if he's slowly moving towards you, be careful to deal enough damage to kill him before he can catch up, as his speed and attack will greatly increase as he takes more damage.
Pain Train
Pain Train
  • If you see a Soldier with the Pain Train, take advantage of his vulnerability to bullets, and watch your control points more carefully, as the extra capture speed is significant.
Half-Zatoichi
Half-Zatoichi
  • A Soldier who draws out his Half-Zatoichi cannot switch to another weapon until he kills someone with it. Use this to your advantage as he will be helpless if you harass him outside of his melee distance. Keep in mind that a Half-Zatoichi that has killed someone will be covered in blood.
  • A Soldier who just killed someone with his Half-Zatoichi will regain all his health, so be careful if you just saw him kill one of your teammates with it.
Market Gardener
Market Gardener
  • Try to attack a Soldier who has the Market Gardener on the ground, since he can deal crits during a rocket jump.
Disciplinary Action
Disciplinary Action
  • The Disciplinary Action does 25% less damage to enemies, use this as an advantage and try to pick him off.
  • When he hits someone with a Disciplinary Action, the Soldier is able to boost his speed for one second, so try to avoid him in close combat and slay him in mid-to-long range combat. If possible, attack him at close range when there are no nearby enemies for him to hit.

Class Set

Set Anti-Soldier Strategy
The Tank Buster Set


The Tank Buster

  • A Soldier using the Tank Buster item set will be less vulnerable to Sentry Guns, but he can only fire three rockets before a reload, and lacks a Shotgun. If you can catch the Soldier before he reloads, you will have a major advantage over him.
  • Because of this Class Set giving off a more defensive asset for the Soldier, try to not attack this type of Soldier on the enemy's territory since he would have the distinct terrain advantage.

See also