What is the best way to be an effective scout?

[I_ripped_cheaks24]

I've tried multiple things and tactics and i still suck honestly. I mainly die from soldiers and idk what i should do.

[Eighteen-Counts Trevor]

When you see a projectile, move out of the way. Projectiles are inherently easier to dodge than hitscan because travel time is a factor, and Scout is the fastest class in the game, so pay attention to the projectiles and don't get hit.

If you can't get that down, avoid confrontations with Soldiers. You have the speed to just not engage most of the time. If Soldiers are that troublesome and you can't beat them no matter how hard you try, don't fight them at all.

[I_ripped_cheaks24]

thx for the help

[Eighteen-Counts Trevor]

Originally posted by I_ripped_cheaks24:

thx for the help

Oh yeah and before you use that second piece of advice, I would only recommend using it when you want to win games. If you want to improve at combat, it'll hurt you more than it will help. In an actual game, you could use the time spent respawning should you fight a Soldier and lose on taking down a more valuable enemy like a Medic.

[Lyncurion]

Originally posted by I_ripped_cheaks24:

I've tried multiple things and tactics and i still suck honestly. I mainly die from soldiers and idk what i should do.

I mainly play as sniper and one of the few things that counter me are flanking scouts that keep quiet. Picking off good snipers is key to pushing forward, in other words, one scout that focus on the task of sniper elimination is better than the top of the scoreboard.

Have a sip of bonk and get past the frontline chaos. Find a hiding spot and keep quiet. When the coast is clear you go on a sniper elimination spree. Try to kill lone medics and engies as well, two point blank scattergun hits is all it takes If the enemy spawn doors are clear of danger you can shoot those teleporters as well.

[Artek [General]]

You basically play him like spy: flank, ambush, get away before dying.
Honestly same, i just don't get how people play scout. Everything kills you in 2 hits and good soldiers never miss, they aim straight for your toes, laser precision. I can barely upkeep K/D of 1. If you don't kill the opponent in 2 flawless meatshots - you're usually already dead.

I hate playing scout so much.

[I_ripped_cheaks24]

thx again

[STOP KILLING ME]

only fight people when you know you're gonna win
get good aim
avoid enclosed spaces/choke points
flank
jump on geometry
air strafe

[I_ripped_cheaks24]

thx

[QIBLI ✦]

Be unpredictable with your movement

[KaizoTrooper]

Post made by another user a long time ago.

Originally posted by trash:

playing no-flow open ended maps populated by crappy players where a scout can just play solo, pick and choose any fight, and rack up effortless kills uncontested will not help you improve
most of koth and the entirety of ctf is like that
the exceptions are like viaduct/badlands which are more contained and require more out of a scout instead of just giving them 24/7 free flanks on oblivious support classes

scout isnt exclusively a flanker, you should still feel connected to the team and be contributing to direct teamfights
scout can provide immense presence and put up as much of a deterrent to enemies as a soldier/demo/heavy/pyro would in the right circumstance, assuming you have the aim to back it up
flanks aren't holding w to go down an alternate path either, they're simply anything that allows you to attack enemies from positions they haven't prepared for
you shouldnt be looking for 'how do i get behind enemies' as much as 'how do i put pressure on the weak spots of the enemy's position, either offensively or defensively'

play against competent scouts/soldiers/demos that demand better movement / aim / positioning to survive, 5cp on competitively played maps is decent for that
play pl/ad defense and learn to play around more cramped map spaces and where to put your focus in spammy situations where you cant directly interact with the enemy
explore pl offense when you get more comfortable
experiment with unusual map geometry during combat or when repositioning / initiating fights, and try out the winger and see what you can get out of it compared to vanilla jumps

Some other stuff to mention:

1. 66 fps is the optimal minimum for making the most of hitscan (bullet) classes. If you want better internet speed, try placing your internet router closer to your gaming PC. You could also try using a ethernet cable for wired internet if your router allows it. If you're using a laptop, try keeping it charged in while gaming to give it maximum performance.

You could also try installing masterconfig to your TF2 files and adding a null-cancelling movement script; there's youtube tutorials on it.

2. Open TF2, click on "settings", "mouse", and disable mouse acceleration and enable raw input to prevent your crosshair from spinning all over the place.

3. Same process as #2, but instead change your mouse cursor to a small dot or ring for more consistent accuracy.

4. Open TF2, click on "advanced settings" and reduce the size of your viewmodels so they don't up your screen.

5. Making yourself stay alive should be your top priority even if it means being less helpful in firefights. Running in only to die 2 seconds constantly in is a lot worse than staying dealing moderate chip damage or spamming projectiles and feeder weapons exist (weapons that grant bonuses everytime you kill someone). If you're not confident or capable at aiming with Scout, it's fine to sit back and take pocket shots at enemies from mid-range as it help divert enemy's attention away from your team.

6. Be cautious of tight spaces and corridors where a Scout could easily get trapped. Remember a Scout's job isn't to only focus on flanks, you should still feel connected to your team. A good scout can just be as dangerous as a good soldier, demo, pyro, or heavy in the right scenarios. It's not always feasible to rush into a packed group of enemies and hope for a pick; you'll just die a lot without understanding how or why you've died.

7. If you're in a tight space and there's a lot of enemies/spam, wait for the enemies to be distracted or dump their clips so you can rush them. Take the time needed to aim your shots, and retreat quickly if you feel you missed out on your shots.

8. Try following a Medic + Damage class combo if there's one in your team and you can just observe their behavior and see how they do. Provide some support by protecting the Medic and chasing down weakened players.

9. Relax your arm and hand movements while aiming, don't force yourself to be jittery. There's a secret tip to improving your aim as Scout; trying aim strafing.

Video on what it is with timestamp:
https://youtu.be/mR-Lo_xWz8g?t=175

[PMR]

Originally posted by Artek General:

You basically play him like spy: flank, ambush, get away before dying.
Honestly same, i just don't get how people play scout. Everything kills you in 2 hits and good soldiers never miss, they aim straight for your toes, laser precision. I can barely upkeep K/D of 1. If you don't kill the opponent in 2 flawless meatshots - you're usually already dead.

I hate playing scout so much.

Interesting...i wonder if the spy scout connection was intended from the beginning?

[I_ripped_cheaks24]

thx again for the help