Backstab
From TF2 Wiki
A Backstab is a context-sensitive attack with the Spy's Knife that results in a one-hit kill. Backstabs can be made from anywhere in the 180° range directly behind the enemy player, and take a short time to hit. A slow backstab animation occurs while walking or stationary, and a quick backstab animation occurs while running. This animation takes slightly longer to connect than a normal knife swing, and due to the fast pace of Team Fortress 2, Spies must time their backstabs carefully so that momentary delay does not cost them their kill. A backstab can be performed while you are disguised, although your disguise will be removed upon performing it, whether it connects or not.
A useful technique that can be employed by a skilled Spy is to sap an Engineer's sentry gun and immediately backstab them. As most Engineers will turn to face their sentry gun to remove the sapper, this gives the Spy an excellent backstab setup. Even trickier still is backstabbing the Engineer first, then quickly equipping and placing a Sapper before his Sentry is able to turn and fire.
Facestab
Due to an in-game glitch, a backstab can sometimes occur upon stabbing an enemy in the face. These problems have been reported to be fixed in patch notes since the October 25, 2007 Patch and February 19, 2008 Patch, but some users continue to report additional occurrences.
Technical details
Backstabs, like all melee and bullet-based weapons in TF2, use lag compensation. Because of this, some "facestabs" are actually legitimate attacks from the perspective of the attacker.
The way backstabs are calculated seems to be based more on where the Spy is, rather than where they are aiming. It is possible to get a Backstab on an enemy by aiming almost anywhere, so long as you're within range and standing in their rear 180° arc. For example, you can stand right next to an enemy and only be slightly behind them and still kill them by aiming at their front half.
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