Control Point (game mode)

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This article is about the game mode. For the physical objective, see Control Point (objective).
This point ain't gonna cap itself! Get over here!
The Engineer

Control Point (CP) is a core game mode, featured in four of the original six maps released with the game's launch. The game mode includes various formats which revolve around capturing and/or defending various control points.

Gameplay

Offense

Control points are captured by standing on top of them. The speed at which a control point is captured depends on how many players from the capturing team are present on the point: two BLU players capturing a RED point capture that point faster than only one BLU player would. Scouts count as two players, as do Soldiers and Demomen wielding the Pain Train. There is a limit on how fast a Control Point can be captured (see Control point timing).

Defense

If players from both teams are on the same, unlocked control point, that point is said to be contested, which means no progress is made toward the point changing team control. When players from the offensive team are removed from the point, all of their progress is lost gradually over time, not immediately.

Reverting capture

When both teams are trying to capture a neutral point, captures can be reverted. If a team begins to capture a neutral point and then is driven off before capture is completed, the other team must first "revert" the progress that the first team had made before they can begin to make progress of their own.

Limitations

  • Disguised Spies can only capture control points while disguised as their own team.
  • Cloaked Spies cannot defend or capture a control point.
  • ÜberCharged players cannot capture points but can block enemy captures.
  • Scouts under the effects of the Bonk! Atomic Punch can neither block enemy captures nor capture points themselves.

Game modes

Main article: List of game modes

Symmetric

Symmetric Control Point maps play symmetrically. Both teams start with an equal number of controlled points and must capture all the points on the map to win. Due to its wide range of action, Symmetric Control Point maps place an emphasis on team movement and may be difficult for inexperienced players and those not used to playing in a coordinated group.

Symmetric maps come in two styles:

Style Description Examples
Linear Both teams start with an equal number of two controlled points and a central point that starts out controlled by neither team. At the beginning of the round, each team's control points are locked while the center point is unlocked and can be taken. Once a team takes the center point, the opponent's nearest point unlocks and can now be taken as well. From then on, no more than two points can be unlocked at a time; taking a point locks the point behind it and unlocks the one in front of it if it exists. Control points close to a team's spawn point are captured more quickly by the enemy team. Symmetric control point maps go into Sudden Death (or Stalemate) if no team captures all the points before time runs out, but if time runs out with a capture in progress, Overtime occurs, allowing play to extend should a capture be completed. Badlands, Granary, Process, Foundry
Domination Both teams start with no controlled points; all points are neutral and unlocked for capture. Once a point is taken by a team, the other team can attempt to take it back; all points are available for capture at any time and have equivalent capture times. Domination maps enter Sudden Death or Stalemate if time runs out before a team has taken all the points. They do not enter Overtime; once a team has all three points, they win regardless of how much capture progress the other team has. Standin

Attack/Defend

Attack/Defend maps, also known as Asymmetric Control Point maps, play asymmetrically, with BLU attacking and RED defending. RED begins with control of all of the points. BLU wins if they capture all of RED's points; RED wins if they prevent BLU from capturing all of the points before the timer expires. Control points may only be captured in a set order (with the exception of some maps, such as Gravel Pit and Steel). Points captured by BLU are locked and cannot be taken back by RED, and time is added after each capture. Because of its simpler format that concentrates on one point at a time, Attack/Defend is easier for newcomers to play.

Attack/Defend maps can come in various styles:

Style Description Examples
Linear single-stage BLU must capture all control points in a set order. Gorge, Mountain Lab, Mann Manor
Linear multi-stage BLU must capture a group of control points in a set order to move to the next stage. Reaching the final stage and succeeding is required to ultimately win the map. If BLU fails to win a stage, then the map is reset to stage 1 and the teams switch. Dustbowl, Egypt, Snowplow
Pyramid-style BLU must capture three points. The first two points may be captured in either order. Once both points are captured, the final point is unlocked. Gravel Pit, Junction
Centralized-style BLU's objective is to capture the central control point, which can be done at any time. There is another set of control points available, one of which is open for capture at a time in a set order. Capturing these auxiliary points makes it easier to capture the final point. Steel
Medieval-style Similar in principle to pyramid-style, with the main difference being that once the final point is unlocked, it must be taken within a specific time limit; otherwise, the final point relocks and the initial points reset to RED's ownership. Time is not awarded upon recapturing the initial points. DeGroot Keep

Strategy

Main article: Community Control Point strategy

Maps

Main article: List of maps

Control point maps carry the cp_ prefix; community maps are identified with an italic font.

Symmetric

Name Picture File name
5Gorge 5gorge1.png cp_5gorge
Badlands Badlands2.png cp_badlands
Coldfront Coldfront5.png cp_coldfront
Fastlane Fastlane1.png cp_fastlane
Foundry Cp foundry mid.png cp_foundry
Freight Freight1.png cp_freight_final1
Granary TF2 Granary Map.jpg cp_granary
Gullywash CP Gullywash 3.png cp_gullywash_final1
Metalworks Cp metalworks b22 5.jpg cp_metalworks
Powerhouse Cp powerhouse.png cp_powerhouse
Process Cp process middle point.png cp_process_final
Reckoner Cp reckoner.png cp_reckoner
Sinshine Cp sunshine event.jpg cp_sunshine_event
Sunshine Sunshine main.png cp_sunshine
Snakewater Snakewater mid.jpg cp_snakewater_final1
Standin Cp standin B.jpg cp_standin_final
Vanguard Cp vanguard.png cp_vanguard
Well TF2 Well Map.jpg cp_well
Yukon CP Yukon overview.png cp_yukon_final

Attack/Defend

Name Picture File name Type
Altitude Cp altitude.png cp_altitude Linear single-stage
Brew Cp brew.png cp_brew Linear single-stage
Carrier Cp carrier.png cp_carrier Linear single-stage
Coal Pit Cp gravelpit snowy.png cp_gravelpit_snowy Pyramid
DeGroot Keep Degroot Keep Castle.png cp_degrootkeep Medieval
Dustbowl TF2 Dustbowl Map.jpg cp_dustbowl Linear multi-stage
Egypt Egypt 01.jpg cp_egypt_final Linear multi-stage
Erebus Cp ambush event.png cp_ambush_event Linear multi-stage
Frostwatch Cp frostwatch.png cp_frostwatch Linear multi-stage
Gorge Cp gorge.jpg cp_gorge Linear single-stage
Gorge Event Cp gorge event.png cp_gorge_event Linear single-stage
Gravel Pit Tf2 gravelpit.png cp_gravelpit Pyramid
Hardwood Cp hardwood.png cp_hardwood_final Linear single-stage
Junction Junct 01.jpg cp_junction_final Pyramid
Lava Pit Cp lavapit final.png cp_lavapit_final Pyramid
Mann Manor Mannmanor cp 01.png cp_manor_event Linear single-stage
Mercenary Park Yetipark 5.png cp_mercenarypark Linear single-stage
Mossrock Mossrock main.jpg cp_mossrock Linear single-stage
Mountain Lab Art Pass Winner 3DNJ.jpg cp_mountainlab Linear single-stage
Sandcastle Cp degrootkeep rats.png cp_degrootkeep_rats Medieval
Snowplow Cp snowplow.jpg cp_snowplow Linear multi-stage
Spookeyridge Cp spookeyridge.png cp_spookeyridge Linear single-stage
Steel Steel Main.png cp_steel Centralized
Sulfur Cp sulfur.png cp_sulfur Centralized

Update history

October 10, 2007 (Initial Game Release)
  • Added Control Point mode.
  • Added maps: Granary, Well, Dustbowl, and Gravel Pit.

February 14, 2008 Patch

  • Added map: Badlands.

April 29, 2008 Patch (Gold Rush Update)

  • Added Stopwatch Mode to Tournament Mode which is automatically used on Attack/Defense maps.
  • Fixed rare client crash on level change during control point capturing.

June 19, 2008 Patch (Pyro Update)

  • Added map: Fastlane.

August 19, 2008 Patch (Heavy Update)

  • Added map: Steel.

February 24, 2009 Patch (Scout Update)

  • Added map: Egypt and Junction.

August 13, 2009 Patch (Classless Update)

  • Added map: Yukon.

December 17, 2009 Patch (WAR! Update)

  • Added map: Gorge.

April 28, 2010 Patch

  • Added map: Freight.

July 8, 2010 Patch (Engineer Update)

  • Added map: Coldfront.

October 27, 2010 Patch (Scream Fortress Update)

  • Added maps: Mann Manor and Mountain Lab.

December 17, 2010 Patch (Australian Christmas)

  • Added map: DeGroot Keep.

January 19, 2011 Patch

  • Added map: 5Gorge.

October 13, 2011 Patch (Manniversary Update & Sale)

  • Added map: Gullywash.

December 15, 2011 Patch (Australian Christmas 2011)

  • Added map: Foundry.

November 29, 2012 Patch

  • Fixed missing materials in the control point HUD on attack/defend maps.

February 14, 2013 Patch

  • Fixed a client crash related to the HUD control point maps.

July 10, 2013 Patch

  • Added maps: Standin and Process.

July 2, 2015 Patch (Gun Mettle Update)

  • Added maps: Powerhouse and Snowplow.

October 28, 2015 Patch (Scream Fortress 2015)

  • Added maps: Gorge Event and Sinshine.

December 17, 2015 Patch (Tough Break Update)

  • Added map: Vanguard.

July 7, 2016 Patch (Meet Your Match Update)

  • Added maps: Sunshine and Metalworks.

October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update)

  • Added maps: Mercenary Park and Mossrock.

October 5, 2021 Patch (Scream Fortress 2021)

  • Added map: Erebus.

December 2, 2021 Patch (Smissmas 2021)

  • Added map: Altitude.

October 5, 2022 Patch (Scream Fortress 2022)

  • Added map: Spookeyridge.

December 5, 2022 Patch (Smissmas 2022)

  • Added maps: Coal Pit and Frostwatch.

July 12, 2023 Patch (Summer 2023)

  • Added maps: Hardwood, Reckoner, and Sulfur.

October 9, 2023 Patch #1 (Scream Fortress 2023)

  • Added maps: Lava Pit and Sandcastle

December 7, 2023 Patch (Smissmas 2023)

  • Added maps: Brew and Carrier.

See also