Part 8

Master Dustbowl Part 8 in Team Fortress Classic with class-specific strategies for offense and defense, focusing on SGs and gate assaults.

Offense

Scout: Useful for Spy checks after the initial chokepoint is passed.

Sniper: If you are a good Sniper, you can be an asset. Prime your Sniper Rifle and aim at one of the SGs (Sentry Guns). When the gates open, fire on that SG immediately. Taking out an SG right away is a huge help to your team. However, it's generally not a good idea to be a Sniper as the enemy will likely slaughter you before you have a chance at a good shot.

Soldier: When the gates open, rush forward and throw as many grenades as possible. Do this until things clear up a bit, then aim rockets/grenades at the SGs if no one else has taken care of them yet. Other than that, just do your normal Soldier things; kill Snipers, shoot rockets, etc.

Demoman: Rush the gates and throw as many grenades as possible. If you manage to survive long enough to use all your grenades, then switch to the grenade launcher. If you survive even longer, try to take out some SGs or kill a few Snipers. However, after the initial rush, changing to a Soldier or Heavy would probably be more useful.

Pyro: Use your fire grenades to cause annoyance for the defense. Use your incendiary cannon to target Engineers and their SGs.

Spy: The Spy plays a critical role. Since SGs won't mow down disguised Spies, it is usually the responsibility of the Spy to get past the defensive spamming and take out the SGs. This will usually take a few tries and will be much more difficult if the enemy has good Snipers. Keep trying. Throughout Dustbowl, try to take out the enemy defenses.

Defense

Scout: Useful for Spy checks, especially after the initial chokepoint is passed.

Sniper: This is a map where good Snipers can be a great asset. Before the gates open, find yourself a good Sniper spot. In the first fortress, standing on the high cliff (next to the grenades), aiming at the main gate, is one good spot. The other good spot is standing right above the secondary entrance. Near the Capture Point (CP), there are numerous good Sniper spots, including in the building near the CP, the area above the CP (accessible by a ladder near the respawn (where you reappear after dying)), and standing behind the boundary of the CP. For the second fortress, the first good sniping spot is behind the "grenades" sign, or on top of the building that's near the gate. When your defenses are pushed back a bit, there are three more good sniping points: to the left of the CP (further from respawn), above where the double-entrances are, and right on the CP, facing the double doors from afar. In the third fortress, just find a position that's far from the gates, and be sure to zoom in. When your defenses are moved back, there's a nice big final area with a bridge leading to it; just hide in one of the nooks and crannies there and snipe away. In general, in this level, find a safe place to snipe that's far away from the gates. There will be plenty of grenades going off around the gates, and you don't need to deal with that. Finally, be extra vigilant looking for spies. Spies are often the ones that will kill you and your team's SGs; they are very dangerous.

Demoman: The Demo has one of the most important jobs. This job is simple to accomplish; just fire your Grenade Launcher at the gates as soon as they open. About 7 seconds before the gates open, place a detpack (detonator pack) near the gates, to give the first few rushers a nice little surprise. After that, just let loose with your Grenade Launcher and grenades. If there's another Demo, try to make sure that one of you is spamming the enemy entrance at all times. Get more grenades when it's safe, and continue to spam. If the enemies get past your first line of defenses, switch to another class before they get the actual CP. Then switch back to Demo, and begin the spamming anew. Very important on Dustbowl.

Engineer: The Engineer has potential to rack up a very nice score on Dustbowl. There are ample places to build an SG, and since the Attackers' only hope is largely to charge the gates, you will likely get a good score. In the first fortress, good places to build an SG are on top of the secondary entrance, and along the edge of the cliffs that frame the main entrance. When your defenses are knocked back, build one either in the building next to the CP, near the arch that's close to the CP, the space above the CP, in the doorway to the building near the CP, or on top of one of the two passages that lead to the second area. In the second fortress, build an SG in the first building (in the window), on top of the small building near the gates, and tucked in between the small building and the cliff face. When your defenses are knocked back, build the SG either above the double-entrance, somewhere in the nearby building, or in the area directly around the CP. In the third fortress, build it in the small building with a window. If your defenses are knocked back, build the SG in the last line of defense fortress, and in the area directly before you cross the bridge (in the nook). In general, try to stick close to your SG, and be ready to repair it any instant. If you have grenades, then throw them. But, mainly, make sure your SG is always up and running.

Pyro: Since Spy detection is critical on Dustbowl, if friendly fire (FF) is off, fire that incendiary cannon at everyone you see. If they catch on fire, they are a Spy, and you should try to kill them. If your teammates are smart they will try to do the same thing.