Spy Tactics?

[MJ12]

I used to suck ass at being the spy, but something happened last night on the servers where I somehow just got it.

I guess I just kept remembering Hectic Glenn saying you have to be very patient. So I tried that, it's certainly more about waiting for your prey than trying to run right in there, usually you get obliterated that way. So I just carefully and slowly worked my way to where I wanted to... kill.

So I just tried being more patient, and I started getting like 5 kills in one spawn, it's definitely one of the most rewarding things to kill as a spy and get away with it, and it gets very addicting. Theres some excellent areas for the spy to hide in Goldrush.

What I figured is the best tactic, for me anyway, is I immediately put on a spy disguise, this way when the enemy sees me cloaking and decloaking around the map they usually think "Oh, spy just doing what a spy is supposed to do", this works for a little while.
It looks really bad when a spy goes in cloaked and decloaks in clear sight as any other class besides the spy. Quite obvious he's not friendly.
So once I get in a good hiding spot, I'll usually go as an engineer or a sniper, because these are two campers really, they don't run a round a whole ton, so it doesn't look unusual if you are just standing around.

I also find hiding around stairwells to be a good way to get some prey.

Anyone else have any good spy tactics?

 

[Omnomnick]

There was a thread a while back with Spy Tactics on it. Go find it

 

[MJ12]

Oh no..

 

[lefty]

cloak before disguising so you don't have smoke and shit everywhere.

 

[MJ12]

The thing that pisses me off is the time it takes to decloak seems to take forever, so by the time you decloak to go for a stab you often get destroyed.

 

[lefty]

decloak in your hiding spot, and head straight for targets. The best thing to do is to first disguise as one of your own team so people don't immedeatley get alerted to a spy's presence. Then make your way to the opponent's side of the map and hide (cloaked) until you see a wave of enemies go by. Then, you'll disguise as an enemy pyro and backstab all the main players- heavies, soldiers, etc. Then you can either stay and try to fight the medics/pyros or haul ass outta there.

 

[Omnomnick]

You can always risk it for another second or so, I'm usually not spotted while running through a crowd disguising while cloaked, especially if there is fighting going on.

 

[MJ12]

Wait..... you can disguise as one of your own team members? What? How? Man I'm new..

 

[lefty]

I think the plus/minus buttons.

 

[Omnomnick]

Its only to be used as a scare-tactic, otherwise you'll get killed all the same.

For example, disguise as a Friendly heavy and run past a hallway covered with the enemy, they will then try to chase the heavy to kill him before he finds out where your team are, but obviously, there is no Heavy so you can distract players away while taking out others...

 

[lefty]

It's also helpful so that opposing teams don't see one of their own waltzing around in the startup area or whatever. Because you know how people get when they know there's a spy around.

 

[MJ12]

Ahh, okay, well that helps. Yeah, it seems even your own team is kinda :hmph: around their own spies.

So while being the spy one time, I had these like... electric bullets? I never use the magnum, and so I was bored and just started shooting the wall while waiting for the game to begin.. I thought they were maybe the Spy's regular ammunition, guess not because I don't have them anymore.

What are they about?

 

[lefty]

uh, probably crits :|

 

[MJ12]

Crits..........? Why you giving me that face lefty D: I don't understand.

 

[Laivasse]

I find it pretty handy to disguise as my own team. When I'm trying to infiltrate the enemy lines I never like to start out undisguised or disguised as the enemy, since if you get spotted from long range then it's obvious you're a spy and they'll go on heightened alert.

So I like to go as a friendly pyro or something - which has a high fear factor and high speed - and run across the exposed ground to a hiding place near the enemy lines. From there I cloak, disguise as the enemy, and try to get as far past their lines as possible before decloaking in secret. From there I can move towards their front line from behind, without looking too unnatural.

Still get massacred most of the time, too many small things can go wrong as a spy...

And yeah, those were crits.

 

[MJ12]

I don't know what a crit is.

 

[Omnomnick]

Crits..........? Why you giving me that face lefty D: I don't understand.

Critical Hits

Just about every gun in the game gets them in some shape or form. For example, if you have backstabbed someone you will see Green writing saying 'Critical Hit!' fly out of the person's back and there will be an electrical version of the normal hit sound.
Sniper rifles get them by shooting at the head, but they can get them normally I think.

Most other weapons gain them depending on how much damage has been dealt by the player lately.

 

[Laivasse]

Most other weapons gain them depending on how much damage has been dealt by the player lately.

Plus a lot of random factor chucked in.

 

[MJ12]

Oh, so are they just more powerful ammunition rounds gained?

 

[Laivasse]

Just a semi-random chance of doing lots more damage. You can tell it's a crit because the projectile looks different, or if it's a melee attack (besides backstab) there is a different animation and an electrical sound.

Nothing to do with ammunition really since you won't know it's a crit until you fire (or if you're being kritzkrieged).

 

[Druckles]

Feckin' slow animation.

All I have to say.

 

[-Psy-]

Run and stab to initiate a quick stab. Don't bother with the normal backstab because half the time you end up missing.

There is a good guide on Youtube. Just search for OMFJNinja tutorial.

 

[Druckles]

I'm aware of that. You say it as if a quick-stab is easy.

 

[Laivasse]

They've sped up the long backstab animation but it could do with being sped up a lot more IMO.

Okay, so it's a very powerful move, but I think if you've gone through all the hard work of setting up a nice backstab, then it's a bit harsh that you then have to depend on the added luck factor of your enemy not moving out of position in the half-second the animation takes....

 

[Druckles]

Can't run past him, either, if you hit it too late.

"Oops, I'm already half way across the map and you're still where you were. That didn't work."

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Patience is the main key, assessing targets while cloaked or hiding then moving in tactically and racking up points.

That's fine, but as a spy you have a job. Like any class. And you need to weaken a defence or stifle attacks. Defence targets = sentries, heavies and scouts. Most importantly. Teleporters. Stopping enemies getting back to defend quickly will help your team so much and only spies have the ability to search them out. Teleporters get sapped very quickly before most engineers can repair them.

Medics is obvious (prevent healing and ubercharges), heavies / demomen are uber targets so worth killing too.

With regard to sentries, when destroying one you can clear a point or give your team a huge push advantage. The "sap n stab" technique should be your next thing to learn. It's INCREDIBLY satisfying. You sap a sentry (disabling it) then backstab the engie before he knocks it off. Then sap everything. Lots of points and it's YOUR JOB! As said above watch OMFG Ninja's videos on youtube how to perfect this.

Yeah so now you've got the basics, you'll need to be the spy which does his job rather than just backstabbing snipers all round!

 

[Slime]

Although sometimes it's hard to pull off, especially when dealing with moving engineers, I prefer stab'n'sap myself. Too many times I've witnessed the spy in question (be it me or someone else) get killed by the dreaded (crit:x) wrench rather than landing a succesful stab after sapping a sentry.

When the engineer is more mobile than usual it's safer to sap first, but an engineer that's sitting in a corner behind his sentry (or a similar situation when the sentry can be sapped directly after a stab) is easy prey for a a stab'n'sap.

What I like about this tactic is that after the first stage (stab) is completed, the destruction of the engie's sentry nest is all but guaranteed, as all of his toys can be sapped within a second. Some consider surviving the reflex battle against a sentry challenging, but as long as you're not in front of it, a little practise makes it joyfully easy. The only thing that can stop the sapping is another engineer, but unless it's a dual sentry nest (suicide without reinforcements, good luck or idiotic enemies) they don't usually make it in time. Even if the sentry is surrounded by other classes of enemies, as long as the engineer is immobile, there's a good chance to succesfully stab him, sap everything and enjoy a hero's funeral after you're gang raped by the witnesses.

 

[-Psy-]

I don't bother with sentries anymore unless the engineer is alone without any other team mates surrounding him.

One-hit wrench kills are the bane of playing Spy.

 

[Druckles]

One hit wrench, one hit bonesaw, one hit kiwi, one hit rocket, one hit scattergun, one hit fire, one hit natascha, one hit nades.

 

[MJ12]

I notice also, while disguised as the other team, it's sometimes good to do a taunt or try one of the class' verbal commands, it kind of throws people off, makes you think you are one of them instead of some suspicious quiet guy trying to get behind people.

Spy disguised as Heavy: "I am feeling really happy!"
Teammates: "Chuckle Chuckle oh Heav-"
*Stab*

 

[Sheepo]

Ah, Goldrush was where I first "got it" as spy as well congrats. I think I set a new record in badwater the other day...

Really my only advice: When the going get's tough, get the revolver

 

[Operational]

The scoreboard tells you which of the enemy team are dead or alive but more importantly keeping an eye on it will let you know when they respawn which is really useful when you are near their spawn.

I notice also, while disguised as the other team, it's sometimes good to do a taunt or try one of the class' verbal commands, it kind of throws people off, makes you think you are one of them instead of some suspicious quiet guy trying to get behind people.

Yeah it can work well as Spies usually don't say anything.

Spoiler

I use this script for a one-key speech:

alias bc "battlecheer"
alias battlecheer "Voicemenu 2 1; alias bc battlecheer2"
alias battlecheer2 "voicemenu 2 2; alias bc battlecheer3"
alias battlecheer3 "voicemenu 2 7; alias bc battlecheer"

bind "f" "bc"

It binds to the 'F' key but you can change it to whatever you like

Paste it into \Steam\steamapps\<accountname>\team fortress 2\tf\cfg\autoexec.cfg (if the file isn't there create it)

 

[Laivasse]

Sounds like a good tactic but make sure to stay away from those voice commands which produce echo text onscreen - stuff like 'Thanks!', etc. I'm pretty sure that as a spy and a member of the opposing team, you don't cause that text to appear for your enemies. If they're observant enough your cover will be instantly blown.

 

[Operational]

Yeah you use ones like "Cheers" and "Good Job".

 

[Druckles]

Sounds like a good tactic but make sure to stay away from those voice commands which produce echo text onscreen - stuff like 'Thanks!', etc. I'm pretty sure that as a spy and a member of the opposing team, you don't cause that text to appear for your enemies. If they're observant enough your cover will be instantly blown.

That's like saying you shouldn't call for medic. Sure, you shouldn't, if there's no-one else really around, they might look down to the chat log, but if there are thousands of other messages and people screaming, it's unlikely they'll look.

 

[Laivasse]

Calling for medic is still risky, and looks more fishy if you're doing it with full health, but the thing with the medic call is that it still produces the red cross symbol which draws people's attention (away from the chat log). Voice commands like 'Thanks!' which normally are accompanied by a text echo produce no visual sign at all as spy, which can be jarring to someone watching you. Of course in the heat of battle not many people are going to be watching the chat log, but in that type of situation you can get away with a lot more anyway.

 

[MJ12]

Well, one I occasionally like to use for my own entertainment is the spy warning. I'll work my way to the opposing team's area and I'll go up behind an engineer disguised as another engineer and hit the key to shout "there's a spy creepin' round here!" and then I'll stab them.

 

[Druckles]

That's like yelling "Incoming" just before you bonk someone over the head.

 

[FISHY CRACKERS]

I can only say that as a spy... well just remember that you're a spy. You can't really fight head on. Even though it's tempting since the revolver is more powerful then most people think, i've tried it, you may get a couple kills, but you're still just a spy and you're very much likely to get your ass kicked.

 

[Operational]

Voice commands like 'Thanks!' which normally are accompanied by a text echo produce no visual sign at all as spy

The still do the animation.