2fort
From TF2 Wiki
| 2fort | |
|---|---|
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| Basic Info | |
| Map Type: | Capture the Flag |
Contents
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General Description
Two mirror image forts oppose each other, separated by a Water-filled moat. A covered bridge spans the moat, and Sniper decks on each fort provide excellent positions from which to assault oncoming players.
There are three entrances into each fort, not all of which are available to all players. The primary entrance is the two openings on ground level. There are short ramps leading up to each entrance, and they converge under an open grate allowing defenders to shoot at attackers from above. The second entrances is through the sewers that run underneath each base. The entryway between the sewers and the base features a stairway and a pool of water deep enough to douse flames if crouched in. This area is a viable chokepoint. The third entrance is the battlements of each base, and can only be accessed by Scouts, Soldiers and Demomen. Soldiers and Demomen can rocket jump into the battlements, and Scouts can run across the roof of the bridge and jump in.
2fort's bases are the easiest to defend of all stock CTF maps due to the long, easily-blocked passages leading to and from the enemy's flag room. Every capture will require a substantial amount of team coordination, especially when the player count is high.
Introduction Video
Goal
In 2fort, you must capture the opposing team's Intelligence, and bring it back to the desk of your Intelligence room. By default, the first team to make 3 captures wins, but this can vary from server to server.
Note that, unlike other variants of Capture the Flag, you can make a capture without having the Intelligence in your base.
If you are killed while carrying the Intelligence, it will drop to the ground and stay there for a minute - the icon floating above the Intelligence indicates how much time is left before it is teleported back to the enemy Intelligence room. During that time, your team must touch it to take it again, and the enemy team will try to defend it on the spot (Note that they cannot move or reset the intel themselves). Each time the Intelligence is picked up and dropped, the one-minute timer is reset, so even if you get blown up immediately after touching it (say, by a Demoman's minefield), it is to your advantage to at least touch it and reset the timer.
Locations
Bridge
The bridge connecting the two forts. In the TF2 incarnation, the bridge is covered allowing Scouts to double-jump from the top of the one deck, run across the bridge roof, and onto the opposing deck. The roof also provides cover for advancing players, and generally moves the action on the 2forts map into the bases.
Commonly, Scouts will have no problem jumping onto the bridge, but will falter on the second jump to the opposing sniper deck, landing squat in front of one of the doors. The very edge of the bridge roof is bugged; If a Scout attempts to jump from the very edge, in terms of game mechanics, they will be "falling" and thus have only one jump to use, rather than two. Jumping a second or two earlier is enough to remedy this problem.
Entrance
After crossing the bridge, there are two ground floor entrances into the base. The "Entrance" extends from those two doorways into the base a short distance. There is a stairway down into the sewer on the left. There is a small room leading to the ramp room on the right. And there is a hallway straight ahead that provides an alternate route to the ramp room.
Deck
The Sniper deck is on the front of the second floor of each base. It has a center "bunker" section. Scouts can double-jump from the bridge onto the opposing deck. Soldiers can Rocket jump onto the deck from the ground outside the base. Demomen can also Pipe jump onto the deck. In TF2, the Sniper deck is also referred to as the "Battlements," because of the signs posted around the second floor of the fort. Other names used in teamspeak are "Balcony" and "Sniper Ledge".
The Sewer
The tunnels leading from the Water up into the "Entrance" are referred to as "The Sewer". There is now a nice little room down there that makes an excellent place for a forward Teleporter exit.
Ramp Room
Once you pass through the entrance, the ramp room is on your right. It's the room with two ramps leading up the second floor. This is a prime defensive point, and Engineers often build Sentry guns here. It is also referred to as "The Courtyard" in teamspeak.
Upstairs
The large room on the second floor, adjacent to the main resupply room. The upstairs has an exit to the Sniper deck, the "Grate", the "Top of the Spiral," and the "Ramp Room". This room is heavily trafficked, but rarely occupied. This location is also commonly referred to as the "hay room" or "hayloft" (due to the large piles of hay on the floor), "upstairs lobby", or "top of spiral".
Grate
This is the small room with the grate floor right above the "Entrance." It has a square hole in the floor to allow defenders to shoot down, and talented Soldiers and Demomen to jump up.
Spiral
The spiral ramp that leads from the "Basement" up and out of the base. This is one of only two egress routes for a stolen Intelligence. Sometimes jokingly called the Handicap Accessible Ramp for it's lack of stairs.
Top of the Spiral
The small room at the top of the "Spiral."
L-Shaft
This room is a long ramp running from the back of the ramp room into the basement. It is the other egress point for a stolen Intelligence. It is named the "L-Shaft" because it contained an elevator in previous incarnations of the 2forts map. In teamspeak it is often called the "back stairs", "long stairs" or "straight stairs".
Basement
The space downstairs between the "Spiral" and the "L-Shaft" is the "Basement." It leads to the Intelligence room. There is a resupply point at the end nearest to the "L-Shaft.". There is a medkit and ammo kit in the middle of the basement - added in April 25 patch. This makes strategies like 'Demoman basement defense' partly obsolete and its overall harder to defend intel room now.
Intelligence Room
This is the room that contains the flag. Or, in the case of TF2, the Intelligence. It has two entrances from the "Basement." This is the primary defense point. Engineers live here.
Common Strategies
Initial rush
This will generally only work for your first grab of the Intel from the enemy base. Split your team up into two teams of Scouts. All of them jump onto the roof of the bridge and after half the team have gained the battlements the other team drop down and head for the ramp room, while the battlement team use the spiral stairs, everyone heads for the Intel and when its grabbed provided enough players are alive you protect the carrier by leading him back through the ramp room (to draw Sentry gun fire) and thus back to your base. By having a stream of players lined up the Intel if dropped is quickly regained and moved on. The whole point of this co ordinated Scout rush is to overwhelm the defense on two fronts at start up as generally only one can be adequately defended. If you get to the enemy Intel and find it unguarded and have spare Scouts leave one or even two behind for an immediate second capture.
Engineer stack the Intel room
This strategy is rather simple to execute and enforce to high efficiency. It comprises of an Engineer building a Sentry gun on top of or directly next to the Intel briefcase, and putting a Dispenser directly behind him. A Teleporter exit is usually placed in the room as well, for speedy access by team-mates. The Engineer will sit on the table behind his Sentry gun and simply wait for someone to enter the room. He will then begin shotgunning them repeatedly until he establishes that they are not a Spy. Once he is satisfied the new arrival is legitimate, he simply reloads his Shotgun.
Otherwise, if he notices that they are indeed a Spy, he will notify teammates and keep shooting until the Spy approaches to place a Sapper on his buildings. Once the Spy does so, he runs the risk of bumping into the enemy Intel and auto-dropping his Disguise as a result. This will result in his immediate death from the Sentry gun. If the Spy plays well and avoids the Intel, he still must enter a very narrow corridor of fire that the Engineer will be able to predict.
Ideal placement is to place the Dispenser to the side of the desk nearest the window but with space behind for the Engineer to stand. The Sentry gun can then be positioned to cover both entrances and as much of the room as possible. The Engineer can then sit in the hole with his back covered.
This tactic gets even more effective if a Pyro stays with the Engineer laying down cover to detect cloaked Spies while using the Dispenser to stay topped up. The Spy's best tactic is to get alongside the wall and sneak a Sapper onto the Sentry gun then Backstab the Engineer as he tries to disable the Sapper.
The Engineer could also consider placing Teleporters just round the corner to the two entrances to the intel room. Most Spies will be unable to resist Sapping these on their way into the room giving the Engineer advance warning of their approach even if cloaked.
Generally, the only consistent methods of defeating this setup are an ÜberCharge from a destructive class. Two Spys one to sap the Sentry gun the other to take the Intelligence A Demomans Stickies for an instant kill if the Sentry gun placement is favorable, otherwise the Engineer will be able to repair his Sentry gun while being healed by his Dispenser until the attacking Demoman runs out of ammo or is killed. Two coordinated Demomen could probably deal enough damage quickly enough with Sticky bombs and grenade spray to dislodge the Engineer, as well. Also, a skilled Soldier may be able to hit the area with splash damage without being in range of the Sentry. This requires at least one or two crits to be effective. A Sniper can stand just out of range and take down the Engineer and then the Sentry gun in the corner, Snipers however are rarely used on offense.
Another good tip for this tactic, is to shoot your opponents and attempt to lure them into the Intelligence room and thus into your Sentry gun for annihilation.
Booby-Trap the Pool
If the opposing team is abusing the sewers, placing a Sentry gun in the water under the bridge or in one of the corners near the enemy base can be quite useful, both for scoring easy kills and mindgames. This works especially well for the blue team as their buildings blend in with the water. Just don't get caught erecting the guns, as you are an especially easy target for Demomen.
Invade the enemy base
If your enemies are foolish enough to leave the sewer entrance to their base unguarded, punish them for it by using the area to establish a foothold in their territory. After ascending the stairs from the sewers, immediately place a Dispenser on the wall to the right of the stairway. Then place a Sentry gun just outside the door, opposite the corridor leading to the Ramp Room. An upgraded Sentry gun in this position can effectively cut off the enemies access to the entire first floor of their base. A Teleporter exit placed behind the stairway can be used as a safe entry point for your team. The only weakness of this system is that it is possible for a Demoman to lob grenades at the turret from the stairway, however this is easily negated by having a Pyro nearby. This setup is nearly impenetrable without an ÜberCharge.
Grate Room Rocket Jump/Sticky Bomb Jump
Skilled Soldiers and Demomen can use their explosives to launch themselves up through the grate in the main entrance hallway, bypassing the Ramp Room entirely. This will give them direct access to the main upstairs room, and the spiral ramp leading down to the Intelligence. If opposing Engineers have their Sentries directed toward the Ramp Room entrance, they will take time to turn around and target you. However, rocket/pipe bomb jumping comes with the obvious downside of reduced health once you have made it up. If at all possible, have a Medic heal you while you jump so that your health is still full when you reach the top. There is also of course the possibility of missing the jump and hitting the ceiling, costing you valuable ammo, health, and time. Some Engineers may take notice to this strategy after one or two successful captures, and then trap it with a Sentry. At this point, the main entrance to the base is now defended, and can usually only be defeated by an Übercharged Heavy or Soldier, or a clever Demoman.
Sniper Deck Harassment
As a Scout, if the "Upstairs" room is defended by a sentry, you can still do something for your team on the Sniper Deck at least. The trick is simple, jump up to their Sniper Deck, kill a sniper and retreat on the small ledge right in front of their Bunker (note: if the Deathcam is activated, they will know where you are if you retreat there too soon). Most players will assume you simply jumped down and retreated. When the sniper comes back, simply jump back to the deck and kill him again. Be mindful of enemy spies which can block your way back, or the other classes which can be a thorn in your side (snipers that change classes too!). If your health gets low, it is time to retreat.
As a Soldier, you can harass them temporarily. Rocket jump from ground level to the left wall on the Sniper Deck. Snipers usually are too busy and oblivious to anything but their prey, so unload two rockets or so at their feet to kill them. Be aware that they might know you're there now and might change class accordingly. If you're precise enough, you can also jump on the ledge in front of the Bunker. The Soldier can handle most classes and free your team from pain on the bridge (you could also clear that sentry next to their spawns to give your Scout(s) a chance).
Demomen can do this too. They can jump using two sticky bombs from their Sniper Deck to land on the enemy's, or simply one from the ground level, though the low health doesn't make it possible to last as long. It's possible for them to land on other ledges though, such as the lamp attached on the Bunker, the edge of the roof near the left wall and also on a small invisible ledge over their bunker's front roof (requires to be crouched).
Forward base in the Water
An Engineer builds a Teleporter exit in the small room connecting the water tunnel to the stairway up into the entrance. This area can then be reinforced with a forward Dispenser (usually at the bottom of the stairs) and a Sentry gun.
This forward Teleporter allows newly-spawned players to quickly proceed deep into the enemy base without having to fight their way over the bridge.
The weakness to this strategy is that the forward base defenses are generally easily defeated by a small strike force dropping in from the bridge side on the tunnel. To help prevent this, have an Engineer place a Sentry in the Water outside of it; due to it being under water, it will be harder to attack. Also, reserving one or two people (typically Soldiers or Demomen) to defend the point will make it almost impossible to remove short of using an ÜberCharge.
Forward outpost in the front porch
Engineer builds a Dispenser and a Sentry gun in the right-side entrance of the enemy base. For maximum effect, there should be two Engineers there to keep the Sentry gun intact, and one or two Pyros to root out Spies who come to sabotage the operation. This surprisingly defensible position makes it difficult for enemy units to enter and exit their base. The common configuration is to place the Dispenser in the corner of the room, sandwiching the Engineers between it and the Sentry gun. However, this plan is rather quickly defeated by a single Demoman dropping 8 Sticky bombs onto the group via the ledge above the sentry gun. From there, he can drop the bombs with impunity, and detonate for complete destruction and kills. Thus, if you are going to attempt this strategy, it is best to ensure that you have good Sniper cover.
Engineer flanking
Most Engineers do not use this tactic as they generally sit back and try to repair their Sentry gun and would rather not use their Shotgun for anything other than Spy checking. Place your Sentry gun against the Intelligence, either on top of it, or in the corner against the glass. This way, when enemy Soldiers, Heavies, and Demomen come around the corner, they immediately get shot and back away. After the enemy has retreated and cannot see you, immediately go into the alternative corridor and flank the opponent. This also works well with a Medic and Medic buddy pair; flank the pair while they are concentrating on trying to take down your Sentry, kill the Medic and retreat back to your Sentry to repair it. This defeats everything short of an ÜberCharged combo. The short corridors in the basement are perfect for trapping your opponents between your Sentry and your weapons fire.
Demoman basement defense
This is a setup that allows a lone Demoman to efficiently defend his basement against enemies.
First, place 3 Sticky bombs on the first left wall of the left Intel room corridor, near the entrance, as shown. These three bombs should not be seen by enemies coming from the spiral, but should be able to kill anyone that enters the corridor.
Next, place 3 Sticky bombs on the left wall of the right Intel room corridor, near the corner, as shown. As with the first bomb spot, they should be placed so they are not visible to enemy attackers until they turn the corner.
Finally, place the remaining 2 Sticky bombs near the Intelligence, in the middle of the basement, or around the corner of the "L-shaft" left exit. You are unlikely to actually use these, but their mere presence can make attackers hesitate before making their move, giving you more time to react. Since 3 Sticky bombs is enough to trap each corridor, these 2 remaining bombs are basically free-form, but remember that placing them too much forward might alert enemies to watch out for further traps.
When the sticky bombs have been placed, position yourself with your back to the basement resupply room, so you can see enemies coming from either of the basement entrances, and keep your Grenade launcher ready to use.
- If an enemy comes from the Spiral to your right, he will see you far away in the back of the basement, and will probably try to run straight to the Intel room via the left corridor, without fighting you directly. This is exactly what you want: as soon as you see the enemy turn the corner, detonate the bombs and the enemy will die. If he wisens up and doesn't charge the Intel room, just keep him at bay with your Grenade launcher, but be sure to stay close to the resupply room and heal as needed. Stay defensive and you will wear him out.
- If an enemy comes from the "L-Shaft" or straight staircase to your left, he will come face to face with you. Fight him off with your Grenade launcher, and if you are wounded, simply take a few steps backwards to heal in the resupply room. If the enemy tries to run straight for the Intel room, detonate your sticky bombs as soon as he turns the relevant corner.
- If the basement is clean, and you hear a battle near you, prepare yourself for attackers coming from the left straight staircase. You are very close to the straight staircase, so consider surprising any left-attackers by intercepting them in that staircase with your Grenade launcher. Be careful, however, not to leave the right spiral entrance unattended for long.
- If two attackers rush the Intel room, you kill one of them with your Sticky bombs and the other gets in the Intel room, hurry up and immediately trap the two corridor exits with new sticky bombs. Intel carriers will likely be very brash and try to run through them directly - that's your chance to detonate the trap and kill the enemy carrier before he gets away.
How to defeat the Demoman basement defense
There are three ways for attackers to defeat this setup:
- Brute-force: Multiple attackers. One attacker sacrifices himself and walks near the Sticky bombs so the Demoman detonates them, and the remaining attackers can then proceed to the Intel room. This is a risky move, since the Demoman can trap the exits if he's fast enough.
- Siege the Demoman: Kill the Demoman. Once the defending Demoman dies, all his Sticky bomb traps disappear harmlessly, giving you complete freedom to capture the Intelligence. Resist the temptation to run to the Intel room blindly if the enemy Demoman is still alive. The Demoman is most vulnerable from the "L-Shaft" straight staircase, since he will not see attackers as fast. A quick, decisive strike is needed to kill him before he retreats into the resupply room to heal.
- Sneaky Sneaky Spy: A cloaked Spy can walk right past the Sticky bombs without being seen. Simply walk into the base, uncloak to the side that the Demoman isn't facing, and either Backstab him or shoot him repeatedly. It can be dangerous to get into melee range with the Demoman, because point blank grenades from his primary gun will do high damage to the Spy, as does his melee weapon. Choose your spot, strike fast, and strike hard. Any mistakes can be quickly fatal.
Defense
One problem that can occur on this map is that an enemy force can be established outside the main spawn - in particular, a Demoman with a Medic. The Demoman will then sticky trap the main spawn exit, making it impossible to exit. The solution to this is to select a different class; when this is done, the player respawns in a randomly chosen spawn room. There are two spawn rooms on 2fort, on the left and right sides on the Sniper deck. So if you are stuck in a spawn room by a sticky trap, simply change class until you respawn in the other spawn room.
Team Balance
The above advice should help you make an informed decision on what class to choose for this map, but be sure to consider:
- Engineers help to protect your intel and choke-points into the base, and may establish forward bases deep in enemy territory.
- There's a sniper deck for a reason: If you are not proficient as a sniper, you can try the Soldier's rockets to keep opposing Snipers busy.
- Demomen are a potential alternative to defensive engineers, while also capable of taking out Sentry guns on offense.
- Medics. While there are plenty of supply rooms in your base, there are few health packs anywhere else, making a medic a valuable "Credit to team!"
See previous sections for counters to specific set ups.
Breaking Up the Classes
2fort has a large amount of open area that can be exploited or used to the benefit of either team. Almost every class can be used to its full potential in this widely expansive map. Below are some ways to break up your forces and utilize your classes to their potential.
- Scout- The Scout can easily double-jump onto the main bridge's roof to jump from one set of battlements to the other. However, heavy cover on the enemy's side can lead to problems if he has no Sniper support. The corridors within the bases of both teams wind enough that the Scout's speed can easily maneuver through the corridors without being overwhelmingly damaged. The Scout is one of the best classes to be tasked with retrieving the opposing team's intelligence.
- Soldier- Depending on his use, the Soldier can be either an asset or a hindrance to either team. Many tend to stay on a defensive plan by firing rockets either from their team's battlements or the opposite shore. However, staying in large or open rooms or corridors that wind very quickly, the Soldier loses his defensive use. However, corridors such as the sewers under either team base are a good place for the Soldier to take an offensive stand and clear paths for others attempting to follow behind him.
- Pyro- With the Pyro's incredible mobility, it has become a very powerful and useful class. In 2fort, the most appropriate use for the Pyro comes from his defensive capabilities. The Pyro's main flamethrower is incredibly effective for pushing back enemies, both offensively and defensively. Open rooms often cause enemies to give the Pyro a wide berth and allow him to damage many enemies with little movement or retreat. The Pyro's upgraded Backburner is especially effective for camping. Two small holes, both directly outside/near the team spawns, can be camped over and used to obtain quick critical hits on incoming enemies. The hole above the main lower entrance to the forts is especially effective for stopping incoming heavies. The Pyro's Flare Gun can also be incredibly effective in taking out Snipers or camping enemies both at close and long range. Incredible accuracy is required, and only skilled Pyros are encouraged to utilize the Flare Gun.
- Engineer- Perhaps the most commonly used class on 2fort, the Engineer's buildings are incredibly helpful both defensively and offensively. Dispensers are commonly placed in team battlements to quickly aid Snipers who are damaged (most commonly from Sniper duels). The Dispenser can also be placed in the lower area of the main entry of the forts to aid defense/offense teams who are openly engaged in combat. The Engineer's Sentries are incredibly effective in three major areas. Defensive/offensive teams may commonly need a Sentry or two to be placed along their progress route, to both aid their efforts and hold their ground in case of setbacks. Placing Dispenser/Sentry minibases within Intel rooms also provides a safe defense from most slower enemies. The main water trench can hold turrets as well, which become very effective if enemies are moving along sewer routes. Teleporters are most commonly effective when used to direct allied forces from spawns to either enemy sewers or directly to enemy intel rooms (though the latter requires incredible skill on the Engineer's part).
- Heavy- As with most maps, the Medic is the Heavy's best friend and vice-versa. Teams of Heavy-Meds are most useful when used for offensive pushes, where the Heavies often lead their teams into battle with their wide range of fire. The Heavy's greatest asset is his minigun. Its incredible firepower and ammo load makes it a powerful weapon when used in the right hands. In many cases, the Heavy is most useful when given a regular ÜberCharge by an allied Medic, giving him a small window of opportunity to clean out any enemies within the immediate area.
- Demoman- The Demoman, though not incredibly strong in open combat in 2fort, is most useful in his ability to support and defend key areas for their team. If the user is playing a Defensive game, Sticky bombs are best used to cut off enemies before they arrive. A good example of this would be to place large quantities of Sticky bombs within the sewer tunnels or fort rooms to deter or completely stop the progression of enemy forces. The Demoman has to remain moving at almost all times, however, as his versatility and ability to launch multiple timed explosive projectiles can make him a lethal force in the hands of a pro. For an Offensive game, the Demoman can most commonly be used to fire explosives up at enemy battlements to stop Snipers and Scouts attempting to use the open areas of 2fort to their advantage. Sticky bombs also become very useful when a quick retreat is needed, as well as to cut of ambush points where enemies could flank and cut off an attacking team.
- Medic- A Medic's survival relies almost entirely upon his ability to defend and heal nearby allies. Being alone behind enemy lines as a Medic is a recipe for complete disaster. Of all classes to stick next to, staying with an experienced Heavy is one of the smartest moves the Medic can ever make. When playing in open areas while supporting allies (such as the large bridge areas or the rooms of the forts), a normal ÜberCharge is his best bet, as the Heavy is often fired upon heavily due to his firepower. When in smaller areas where a Heavy's health isn't the primary concern, the use of the Kritzkrieg's critical-hit booster can be incredibly helpful when attempting to clear out a small amount of resistance.
- Sniper- There are multiple ways to play the Sniper to his full potential. One of the most commonly used ways to play the Sniper is to camp in the battlements of your fort and snipe at both enemy snipers on the opposing battlements as well as opposition attempting to cross the bridge below you. A Sniper's major concern is the Scout, who can attempt to cross the bridge roof and jump into the battlements, becoming a real problem for Snipers, Pyros and Soldiers who are unprepared for a quick enemy. Snipers attempting to play an offensive game often run into problems due to their cumbersome movement and lack of powerful weapons. A smart offensive Sniper will sit in the small room of an enemy's sewer, picking off targets from a distance in order to support a campaign to breach a fort through the sewer instead of over the main bridge. Waiting for your scope to fully charge can be the major difference, in all situations, in a split-second chance to either live or die.
- Spy- The Spy, in almost all situations, is most useful in the hands of an experienced player. The ability to blend in, notice changes around you, and stay moving are necessary. An offensive/supportive plan is the easiest and most effective to follow; playing defensively is something that requires a large amount of time to both learn and experience before you can attempt it. Your primary goal is to, after you spawn, change into a disguise of an enemy class, pull out your primary weapon, and cloak before jumping from your team's battlements either down into the bridge or into the water. As you progress through the round, make notes of which classes your enemy team is using, and which it isn't. A class that has a a large amount of people is the best one to impersonate (due to the lower chances of running into the person you're impersonating). As you pass through areas where there are no enemies, your primary job is to change the class you are impersonating, thereby confusing anyone following you and to strengthen your chances of slipping through undetected. Though it isn't always a wise idea to go after the enemy Intel, it is possible if you are quick and have enough of an open passage with which to slip by unnoticed.
Other methods can be developed, but they usually come at the preference of the user after continued experience and knowledge gained from constantly playing through the classes.
| Official Maps | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arena | Capture the Flag | Control Point | Territorial Control | Payload |
| Badlands • Granary • Lumberyard • Ravine • Well | 2fort • Turbine • Well | Badlands • Dustbowl • Fastlane • Granary • Gravelpit • Steel • Well | Hydro | Badwater Basin • Gold Rush |
