So, I've played a lot of TF2 now. Seriously. I mean, for someone who didn't get it on day one and doesn't play every evening or weekend, almost 20hrs worth of gaming a week is pretty serious stuff.

Anyway, this by no means makes me an authority on the game. I still get bemused by the slick, spun by the twitchy and conned by the cunning. But I do think that I've picked up a few things that, while probably listed elsewhere, I feel it is my duty to report to you, my fellow DToidents, the tricks I have picked up that I think will help you to stay alive a little bit longer, or at the least, allow you to take a few more down with you before you go.

First off, before the proper hints, a few general pointers that could apply as much to this game as to any other FPS.

Know your maps: where you can fall, where the health and ammo are, where spies can hide and where Engys like placing their Sentries. If you can run off and grab half your health back before taking the fight to them again, you stand a much better chance of living.

Check behind you: GODS!! How many times do people have to repeat this before it gets through?! A good Spy or Scout will kill you even when you check your six regularly but if you don't look at all you might as well paint a target on your spinal column because you are going down.

Know your distances: How far your weapon fires, how far you can jump and fall, how fast you can cover the distance between the points.

It's called TEAM Fortress 2: You may think you're a one man army, hell, you might even be one on occasion in TF2, but a good team will take you down hard. Your team will take care of you if you take care of them.

Right, onto the good stuff.

Team Fortress 2 Tips 2!!

Spies glow: When a spy is changing costume or becoming visible, they glow in their team colours. See a glow that's not your own? Blow seven shades of shit out of them and keep going till they're chunky.

Stand on the point!: I've seen so many rounds and points lost because the defending team stands around and shoots AT the point rather than standing on the point itself and shooting the people trying to take it. Yes, if you are overwhelmed, run away, but if a lone scout hops onto the points, get in there with him! They can't capture it if you're standing on it in equal numbers.

Beware the Pushback: Fully upgraded Sentry Guns have a wicked pushback on top of the hideous damage they doll out. Attacking them head on, even with Uber, can be a tall order! Engineers and attacking forces, note this well. It's make or break on some maps, having good Sentry positions.

You don't have to sap everything: Spies have this tendency to sap every last thing they come across. This alerts everyone to their presence. Now, sentries? Take 'em out if you're going to be doing anything within their line of sight. But let's say you find a teleporter with a dispenser beside it. A Spy disguised as an engineer can crouch beside these things and most people won't give them a second thought. In fact, if you manage to get to an engineering setup and there's no-one around, hey, stick around for a while!

To leave a path or not?: Engineers normally have their backs to the wall. Or a Dispenser. Add a slice of corner and a dash of Sentry Gun and you have a recipe for getting your ass trapped. This can be a good thing. Spies can't get to you. Sadly, if you want to move on, things are going to have to get blown up. The best option is to leave just enough room for you to get in and out while still keeping your back to the wall but still, consider how useful the position is to the team before you go leaving a gap in your defense.

The Power of Obscured Fire: Demomen have more than one way to mess with their opponents. If you know the maps well, you'll find that there's normally a sneaky, overhead route for your grenades to soar. Even better, hold down the button on your Sticky Mines (people don't do this half enough!) as they won't just explode after a few seconds. Pump them towards where you know enemies flock or Engineers like to build. A bulk of Mines will destroy everything nearby.

Defense Doesn't Mean Sitting at the Back: If you stay at the very back, eventually the opposition are going to get their Ubers and you're all going to die. Find the choke points, stagger your defense lines and let yourselves be pushed back only to swarm forwards again.

Demomen Can Fly Too!: I love doing it but it seems that only Soldiers and Scouts seem to make full use of this technique. Drop a Sticky Mine in front of you, jump and detonate as you move over it. WHEEEEEEE!!

You Can Shoot Mines: You'll probably see Heavys and Demomen clearing the path by shooting mines out of the way but remember that ever class can do this. This technique is essential for Engineers. A well protected nest can only be defeated by a good Ubercharge or several well placed Sticky Mines. Blow them out of the way and switch back to your wrench. Also, get ready to leg it because if they know you're there and have got that close, you need to be elsewhere anyway.

Take One For The Team: You can only win by capping the points of stealing the info and, sometimes, you have to pay for it in blood. Scouts can stand on the point and get it halfway before their inevitable demise. Spies can rush the info and get it out of the line of Sentry fire. Your last rocket or grenade can take out the Engineer so that the team behind you can take out the nest. Bleed for it.

DOORS!!: When a door is shutting, it shuts all the way, then opens again. If lots of you are going through together, this doesn't make a difference, but if an enemy is just ahead of you and the door shuts just as you get to it, your character will be held up for an instant. That instant, as with many others, can be crucial. I know this sounds basic but timing on these things can be the difference between a kill and a death. Or worse, the loss of a point because you didn't make it in time.

So that's it. Unless something drastic changes in the mechanics of the game, I've got nothing more to offer you. These will be my last hints on TF2. It's not that I don't have more but, well, they're mine and you can't have them. =P I hope they've proved useful to you, one or two of them at least. Now, take it all on board, go out there and kick some ass!

Unless you're playing against me, in which case, forget I said anything.

del