The Heavy: A revolutionary (not really) way of thinking
Now, I’m not saying I want Team Fortress 2 to be a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game, (I’m now rethinking my dislike of accronyms,) but if this was so, I’d be a Heavy.
Heavy has the qualities I like in an RPG (GAH) character, high health and biggest weapon. He’d be the tank of any good adventuring party. The Heavy would probably fare much better in a TF2 MMORPG than he is in FPS TF2, where a dedicated Heavy player is hard to find, and Heavies have very little place in competative TF2.
Now that the introduction is out of the way, I’ve told you a little about myself, and stated what you already now, we come to the part where I tell you why you’re all playing the Heavy wrong.
Now, not all of you are playing Heavy wrong. Some people get it. The ones who are playing wrong are the one who play 30 minutes of Heavy, then never touch him again, saying he’s useless on a push without a Medic and too vulnerable to Snipers out in the open. These people are wrong, and here is why.
Check it out
Do you see that picture? Good, now tell me what class type Heavy is under.
That’s right, Defense.
I propose this, Heavies and Sniper should not cross paths. Ever. Unless you have a suicidal Huntsman Sniper or a Heavy who is playing wrong. Snipers should stick to the wide-open spaces, while Heavy takes the insides of buildings.
Let’s use 2Fort as a wider example of where the classes should be. If you’re on 2Fort playing Pyro, you want to be down in the sewers, preforming hit-and-runs on the enemy base. If you’re a Soldier or a Scout, you want to run for the intelligence. If you’re a Sniper, you’re camping the balcony. If you’re an Engineer, you want to ensure a stalemate by building three Sentries in the ramp room with your Engineer buddies.
And if you’re the Heavy? Where to you want to be? You want to stick inside your base, on DEFENSE. You’re pretty much a mobile Sentry without auto-aim. Say what you want about Heavy being useless without teammates to help him, if you run into a lone Heavy in a 2Fort base, you are going to run, or die.
The Heavy is like his best friend the Medic, in that he should always have someone with him. Other players seem to begrudge the Heavy for this, but not the Medic, because if you protect a Medic, he will heal you. However, if you protect a Heavy, he brings his Minigun, his 300 health, and his giant “hit me first” sign to the table. Unless you’re a Medic, you will probably not be the first target while travelling with a Heavy.
In closing, the reason players denounce the Heavy is that he doesn’t fit into a roll they’ve designed for him. The Heavy truly shines in a defensive position, with friends watching his back. If you simply must charge out into the open, don’t expect to be able to survive headshots. Despite what the Heavy himself will have you believe, he is not bulletproof, don’t expect him to be.
Sheepshifter on June 29th 2009 in game classes, heavy weapons guy, rants, tactics, team fortress 2
Stumble it!
DoomGuy responded on 29 Jun 2009 at 9:21 pm #
THANK YOU.
You are 100% right. Even when moving in, the smart heavy finds a enclosed place to “set up”. He doesn’t just go out in the open and shoot randomly until a sniper kills him.
Tiger205 responded on 29 Jun 2009 at 10:16 pm #
Well I agree with this article almost entirely but look. Demoman is (or is supposed to be) a defensive class, yet he’s extremely effective as an attack class too when he’s alone. Heavy on the other hand is only really effective when on defense or if he’s with a Medic or some other guys to support him when attacking. Alone he’s only good against noobs who don’t know how to handle him and if he has a lot of luck. And don’t say I don’t know anything about Heavy. He’s my soon to become 2nd most played class with over 25 hours so I know at least something about playing this class.
Killa-Ewok responded on 29 Jun 2009 at 10:36 pm #
The Defense, Offense and Support types are only to distinguish the classes from each other and to provide some info to newbies as to how they should be played.
Alexnader responded on 29 Jun 2009 at 10:46 pm #
I for one don’t believe the heavy is a class of skulking around corridors and hiding oneself from the harsh world of snipers and spies. A REAL MAN would go out regardless of the conditions whether cloudy (with arrows) or clear.
The heavy’s main role in my opinion is that of like you said, a moving sentry gun. Admittedly like a sentrygun you don’t want to spend too long out in the open but you, as a heavy, are essentially THE frontlines of most battles. As long as you and your medic are there the rest of your team will use you as a base for any push or simply as a mobile health cabinet.
You should be out there supporting your team, it can be frustrating when snipers get you but you have to push forward.
Sure his role may be defence but I think that word encompasses HOW he should fight and not where (i.e in the base). He should be used conservatively, not camping on defence but not charging forward with the soldiers and scouts. Hang back a bit within range of some cover and sit back and watch the assists roll in as steadily as your minigun spins. Basically one word sums up at least my playstyle of him. Natascha. While it may be less useful in direct combat, try fighting anything when you’re getting slowed to heavy speed periodically and slowly being chipped down by that heavy way outside effective range.
As for the medic philosophy im 100% with that. I mean I know penny arcade told us to shoot that **** of a medic but honestly, he’s so fat… and round… and shiny…
Monchberter responded on 29 Jun 2009 at 11:13 pm #
Heavy does have a role, and a good, coordinated heavy/medic pair can decimate on attack and defense. The best pairings for heavy can sometimes surprisingly be heavy/heavy, one with the minigun, one with Natascha, they will wipe the floor with anyone at mid / close range and as long as both stay healed up considerable damage can be done. And let’s not forget the sneaky heavy can be a great melee fighter. dropping in unannounced on a player you can drop players before you take too much damage, if they retreat out of range then it’s minigun time.
The point about staying hidden is right, but to minimise getting headshotted, shoot, run, shoot. Keep repositioning, and if you have a medic, then this will also help keep them alive.
GeneralGoose responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 12:43 am #
Surprise heavy is a very effective tactic as well (basically ambushing enemies.) Very useful on payload.
Bahrbarian responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 12:45 am #
Wow, this article really has been an eye opener for me. I’ve tried playing heavy a few times, but I suck! That’s why it’s my second to least played class. I now realize my mistake, charging out onto the front lines. Even with a medic I am too slow and big, and therefore too vulnerable. Because of the heavy’s speed, or lack of, and his high damage at close range, assaults in wide open areas are just not an option for him. This article really has already improved my heavy playing, and I haven’t even played yet!
Bahrbarian responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 12:46 am #
Wow, this article really has been an eye opener for me. I’ve tried playing heavy a few times, but I suck! That’s why it’s my second to least played class. I now realize my mistake, charging out onto the front lines. Even with a medic I am too slow and big, and therefore too vulnerable. Because of the heavy’s speed, or lack of, and his high damage at close range, assaults in wide open areas are just not an option for him. This article really has already improved my heavy playing, and I haven’t even played yet since reading this!
Paper Shadow responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 1:58 am #
Don’t know why you added a picture of The Black Watch at the end there. He’s the guy who laughs at your theory before screwing it up into a paper ball and dominate you before you can write a counter-arguement to this comment!
Xriloku responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 2:08 am #
Personally, I agree with you for the most part. However, a shotgun heavy can be pretty devastating if he use the KGB a lot. I only use my minigun when I’m entering new territory, just hopping around corners. Although, he’s real good for ambushes. Just get behind the threshold of a large door and keep your gun revved up.
Keel all thee leetle babies!
Plasto Joe responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 2:16 am #
It’s likely all these people you refer to, who dismiss the heavy so easily, are the same ones who roll Scout or Pyro and run off into the fray, blowing right past the trundling Heavy next to them. Only Medics seem to stick around Heavies for any length of time, but that’s usually only to fill their ubercharge meter. Once that’s taken care of, they too zoom off to kritz a soldier or some other less meaty class.
There’s a surprising amount of patience involved in playing Heavy. It takes a while to walk, it takes a while to shoot. And a good number of people just don’t have what it takes.
Johnny Bulwharks responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 4:32 am #
I’ve found that on maps such as dustbowl, an offensive heavy can be invaluable. Particularly on Stage 2, Cap 2, where an uber heavy can usually clean the area of sentries.
Alex responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 4:35 am #
I like what you did with the title – ‘revolutionary’ (you know, as in the minigun spinning. Not sure if it was intentional, but hey)
I agree with what you say. I find however that medics and whatever scream at you to attack particularly if they have an uber ready, which is fair enough I suppose, which then affect people’s technique, thus increasing the tendency of heavies to go on the attack.
AlphaTM responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 4:47 am #
I really don’t think those classifications for the classes mean anything. Example; The Pyro can be all three types. Offense, Defense, and Support. So can all the other classes. And I’ve been an amazing Heavy on offense(Specifically 5 CP maps) without being bothered by the Spies or the Snipers. Well, half my deaths are because of them, but that doesn’t get in the way of a 3-1 KDR (I help capture the points too, shut up). But, I guess this article was talking to the people who can’t play Heavy, so whatever.
Sir Digby responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 5:00 am #
I disagree in part.
An offensive heavy can be massively dangerous in the right situation – not for breaking the front line but for pushing forward once the defense is down.
Works especially well on payload – standing on the kart gives infinite ammo, healing, faster moving speed and there are plenty of team mates to distract snipers.
NotPigeon responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 6:08 am #
The thing with Heavy is that he’s a beast on offense with proper backup.
You’re right, a Heavy just charging into the frontlines is doing it wrong.
When played right, an offensive Heavy does not [i]charge[/i] the front. He [i]is[/i] the front. He is a slow-moving, bullet-spewing death machine, and if you put a Medic or two on him he’s pretty tough to kill.
Still, that’s not enough. He also needs to have the rest of the team backing him up. The Demos and Soldiers need to help him fight, the Engineers need to teleport him, the Pyros need to pway a weal cwass, the Medics need to heal him, and the Snipers, Spies, and Scouts need to get rid of the other team’s Snipers.
Basically, for an offensive Heavy to be effective, you need to babysit him (oh, the irony!). However, if you do, the benefits are massive.
It’s sad that there aren’t more offensive Heavies on Payload. A team with a Heavy, a Medic, and a bunch of assault classes on the cart is practically unstoppable to your average pub defense.
Scrub responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 6:31 am #
Funny about how in a heavy/medic combo the heavy is usually the first target. As a spy, I usually go for the medic, but they move and strafe so fast that I usually miss that backstab and then just go straight for the heavy. Either way, it ruins their fun
Captain Hank responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 6:54 am #
I disagree, sneaky heavy is more fun
Himmelstoss responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 7:27 am #
I love how you write all about this, and then include a screenshot of Black Watch.
On offense.
Good game, bro.
RealLifePudding responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 8:24 am #
i love the heavy.
but he is also a good offensive class. if you know how to jump across a corner, so that your gun is ready to fire, you will get some kills. also noone expects a giant russian man jumping around a corner.
when i play heavy, i prefer a hit-and-run taktic (when i’m on my own) when i have a medic behind me i make the attacks longer and the runs shorter (for ammo pickup).
DoomGuy responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 9:38 am #
None of you are getting it.
When he says Defense, he means staying in enclosed areas as much as you can. The picture with Black Watch shows you that he is in a enclosed area (Which means nobody will be able to snipe him from afar; they need to charge in, and the heavy is going to win) and is near a medkit. (Which’ll stop “attrition” damage from building up.)
That’s the right way of doing it. Heavy is a defsense character in that whenever he moves anywhere, he must set up somewhere good. This applys in your base, and in their base too.
His point still stands.
Xander -ll- responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 9:53 am #
*role
HardQuor responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 11:53 am #
You’re only half right. Yes, heavy is a defensive class, but you’ve got it all wrong about what he’s offending. I wish everyone who played could reorient themselves in relation to the front line. If you’re playing a defensive class, you should be holding the front line, if you’re playing an offensive class, you should be trying to push it forward, and support classes should be helping either one, somewhere in the middle.
Dark Master responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 12:39 pm #
The Heavy is actualy one of the most stratigic classes, you have to always be aware, how much health you have, how many enemies are there, what are your chances of being sniped, how much ammo do you have left, where are the nearest health kits, ammo kits and such. A great heavy keeps track of all those things and desides what to do based on the situation.
Oddly enough, he is also the one class you will get the most chance to think about those things, due to his speed and lack of need for precition amming.
imPacTedLegend responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 12:42 pm #
While I agree partially with your interpretation Doomguy, the Heavy is very difficult to shift when in an enclosed space with access to health, I think that you’re ignoring Sheepshifter’s assertion that the Heavy should be “inside [his] base”, and operates as a “mobile sentry gun”, essentially implying that the Heavy should only ever be used when defending and only then to act as a sentry that can retreat and prioritise targets.
I agree that the Heavy is a defensive character, at his most effective when the enemy has to come to him rather than he to them, but the statement that the Heavy should “not cross paths”, with Snipers essentially tells everyone that going into the open as a Heavy, at any time, is potentially “playing wrong”.
I also find it odd that Shifter says that the people who say the Heavy is “useless on a push without a Medic and too vulnerable to Snipers out in the open”, are wrong, before talking about how the Heavy shouldn’t be in those situations – because he will die.
The idea that Heavies should only operate “inside of buildings”, presents a bit of a problem for the class as a whole as it massively limits how he can be used on the majority of maps; you can have defensive Pyros or offensive Engineers, but how can you use an offensive Heavy if, by the inference of this post, you’re playing the class wrongly by, say, pushing the payload cart on most stages of Goldrush. Besides a few short sections of the map the Heavy has to be exposed to Snipers, so what should he do?
I’ll admit that I am being quite, unnecessarily, aggressive in my response here but, as a guy who generally plays Heavy these days, I tend to be using him in those situations you’re advising against. The thing about the Heavy is that he provides a focal point for both teams, as a marker of the frontline and a large, loud, bullet-spewing target.
I’ve heard the Heavy described as “a bundle of disadvantages wrapped around a core of pure dps”, and I think this is, to a certain degree, correct. Why I like playing Heavy, besides his personality and equipment, is that no other class, in my opinion, provides the same agony and ecstasy in victory and defeat. I’m playing a class which, on a bad day, can condemn me to 1:5 or worse k:d ratios but has also seen me reach the heady heights of 7:1 on offence. In the same way that people make “How to kill a W + M1 Pyro”, guides you could easily make one on how every class, excepting perhaps the Medic, can easily kill a Heavy if they’re given the chance. In my opinion, being a good Heavy involves avoiding impending death despite everything your enemies can throw at you, and going on to kill or outsmart them through any means necessary.
While staying indoors is one way of doing this, to play the class exclusively that way is like only ever playing defensive Engineer: your team will thank you for it, probably, but without thinking, and playing, outside the standard mindset you’ll always be playing exactly the same way. While this is, arguably, the best way to play the Heavy, I don’t think it’s a strategy I could stand playing for any long period of time.
If playing Heavy on offence means I’m being as much of a credit to my team as the three Spies or Snipers attacking on Goldrush then so be it. I’m having fun, I’m playing a class I like and at least I’ll be one person trying to push forwards.
Furious Badger responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 1:34 pm #
“Defense” doesn’t mean hanging back on the last point.
“Defense” means you protect the push. If the team moves forward, you move with them. Your job is not long-range destruction. If you’re Ubered, sure, you can rip up a close-by sentry nest, but so can a Pyro, a Demo, etc. Your job is to make sure that anyone that tries to get close to the push dies a horrible, horrible death.
Demos work the same way. Sure, they’re strong on “offense”, because they’re actively destroying sentry nests that would wreak havoc on their team and nuking strong points with indirect fire to soften the enemy up. This is not offense. This is defense. Defense of the team, by destroying their enemies.
Yes, this blurs the line between offense and defense a fair bit, but this is in part because you cannot ever do one or the other, you must always do both, or lose. A sniper who ignores the heavy/medic team charging across the open field with an uber charged, heading for his team’s strong point, and instead shoots at the other sniper, is being offensive. In both senses of the word. Even engies work this way; a good engie is doing one of two things; controlling a point so that his team need not worry about it and leave anyone else to defend, or setting up advance bases as they move so that there’s an express route to the front line, and a secure location guarded by sentry to fall back to. Heck, he can even play offensive by dropping random L1 sentries far forward to harass and distract. Even here, it’s mostly a defensive act, though, since it serves to take pressure off the main push, either through random occasional kills or simply by distracting a few enemies to take the sentry out.
TL:DR — “Defense” does not mean “turtling”.
Borg184 responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 2:12 pm #
WRONG SIR! I cannot tell you how many points I have gotten from being a Huntsman sniper camping in your sewer and shooting to the other side. Holy crap.
Jiggles the Fat Man responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 3:45 pm #
It’s quite easy, really, to play heavy, just make sure to never be overwhelmed.
Oh, and dodge.
Jiggles the Fat Man responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 3:53 pm #
And another thing, I see the classes operating like this
Scout: Offesnive Support
Soldier: Offensive Offensive
Pyro: Offesnive Defensive
Demoman: Defensive Support
Heavy: Defensive Offensive
Engineer: Defensive Defensive
Medic: Support Support
Sniper: Support Defensive
Spy: Support Offensive
imPacTedLegend responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 3:57 pm #
Furious Badger:
I’d actually like to look at this from a different approach and say that while, true, “Defense” does not mean “turtling”, in the same way attacking does not mean defending.
The clean cut difference between the two is that the aim of the defenders is to prevent their enemy from achieving their objective, while the aim of the attackers is to completely destroy the defenders so they can complete thier objective. While defending doesn’t strictly mean turtling, it is intrinsically more static as you generally have to hold a position and therefore it makes sense for it to be heavily fortified.
In your example of a Sniper attacking another Sniper, ignoring a Heavy-Medic pair, he is still carrying out a defensive act. Admittedly the Sniper is something of an idiot, not willing to “take one for the team”, but he hasn’t ceased to play on the defence, just because he’s made a really bad judgement. If he’s trying to kill the attackers then he’s still acting on behalf of the defence, although certainly not in the most useful way possible.
Demomen are strong on offence because they are capable of fighting both directly and indirectly and have access to high-damage splash weaponry. Moving ahead of the team to destroy enemy sentries is an offensive act as you are attacking the enemy’s positions to clear them out; your goal on the attack is to make sure the area is clear when your team arrives.
Offensive Engineers are separated from the regular kind by the fact that their Sentries are placed in hostile territory, with the intent of killing/inconveniencing as many enemies as possible and with no intention of being a long-term investment. While this really does blur the line, as you are effectively defending an area by attacking, this is down to the Sentry’s nature as a static structure; a Sentry, literally, cannot go on the offence as it cannot leave it’s position.
A Sentry set up within your own territory, or with the intention of setting up a forward base, is intrinsically defensive as it is intended to protect something. In theory the difference between an offensive and defensive Sentry could be a teleporter exit or a single friendly player, besides the Engineer.
Defence does not mean turtling, but it tends to lead to it.
Attacking the enemy is not a defensive act, unless it is to keep them out of an area you already own.
2tone responded on 30 Jun 2009 at 8:20 pm #
Good article, man.
(I took that screenshot btw :3)
Coming Second responded on 01 Jul 2009 at 1:48 am #
Funnily enough I saw exactly what this article describes just last night on Badlands. Our team took the first two points with ease but we could do nothing about the last because of a Heavy patrolling his base with a Medic, tongue wedged firmly up his partner’s arsecrack. They utterly refused to step out from their base; they just circled the corridors, mowing us down with the occasional kritz. There wasn’t anything that could touch them in those close environments.
The two of them had far more points between them than we did. The thing is, they still lost. Eventually I managed a spy cap. It really annoyed me because neither of them even tried to go for the Spire cap. Presumably they thought that was a job for the rest of their team. I still think it was poppycock and essentially cowardice. If I had been that Heavy, I would have risked going out into an open environment to at least attempt to break the deadlock. Sure I might have ended up with an arrow in my head, but I would have tried and it might have spurred my own team on.
Call turtling “strategic assessment of the strongest environment to fight in” if you like. It’s still a negative way to play whatever class you’re rolling, and it will still usually end in your team’s defeat.
Pyrit responded on 01 Jul 2009 at 2:51 am #
While I agree with your points, likewise with what everyone else has said, don’t underestimate an offensive Heavy. The Heavy is a class I’d call a pusher, who is usually at the frontlines backed up by his team. While ’sneaky heavy’ is a good tactic, I think it’s more important that Heavies keep the team moving forward/the offense backwards. With a Medic, or sometimes even by themselves, they can clear areas of enemies very efficiently and seriously backtrack the other teams progress.
imPacT is right, I think the main reason people hate Heavies is because they aren’t patient enough to walk/spin up, but I also think it’s the deception of his large health pool. His 300 hp gives people the impression that he can go rambo. Though I think the benefit of his large health is only to compensate for his massive size, because the Heavy is such an easy target to hit and you’ll go through health like water goes through a sponge.
randombaddie responded on 01 Jul 2009 at 2:55 am #
Heavies are incredibly bad at capping spire, leave it to the anyone with either regular movement speed or a bomb jump :S
Wargod responded on 01 Jul 2009 at 3:28 am #
YEY, i’m playing the Heavy the right way!
Couldn’t agree more, mate!
Although, sometimes its really fun to play the heavy a bit more offensive … but well … just as mentioned, you will die alot more … alot … ^^
gelugon2105 responded on 01 Jul 2009 at 6:09 pm #
“…and Heavies have very little place in competative TF2.”
You ought to be using the spell-checking feature of any word processor that you are using.
I would prefer to believe that any class can move anywhere, even the Heavy moving out into the wide open, but if and only if the player playing that class knows the disadvantages and advantages of that class inside out.
A Heavy running out into wide open spaces with little cover and spinning his weapon is Sniper fodder and Soldier snack, of course. I have seen rookies did exactly what you said – play the Heavy a little while and ditched him later for another class.
(Or ditching that class later, and then another, repeatedly, until he/she mutters aloud that TF2 is a crappy game and then quits. This happened to me during the Sniper/Spy update, when Steam let all users pre-load the game for a week.)
Misanthrope responded on 11 Jul 2009 at 10:07 am #
Wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgZJIWQlz5U
FlyingHat responded on 16 Aug 2009 at 3:32 pm #
You tell us that the HWG is a class that plays best by staying inside defending, then put up a killcam of the BLU Heavy on Gold Rush?
Uninformed Republican Pundit responded on 16 Sep 2009 at 8:48 am #
The Black Watch’s face in that screenshot is absolutely glorious.