TF2 "Sapper Guide"

The Sapper, mentioned in the Sentry Operating Manual as the AM/FM Ultra-Sapper, is the default building weapon for the Spy. It is a small electric generator inscribed 'ELECTRO-SAPPER', with a carrying handle, two long yellow wires and a meter. It also features two clamps that are deployed when used.

The sole function of the Sapper is to destroy an Engineer's buildings. Should the player select the weapon and stand near an enemy structure, they will be able to see a white outline of the Sapper on the building, indicating that it is in range and can be sapped. Additionally, the needle on the gauge will move to the right red zone. Pressing the primary fire key (default key: MOUSE1), will attach the weapon, and the building will slowly be damaged until it is destroyed. A sapped building will immediately cease to function; Sentry Guns will not fire, Dispensers will not heal or dispense ammo and Teleporters will not teleport. The Engineer is also not able to use his Destruction PDA to self-destruct a sapped building. When applied to buildings, the Sapper will produce electrical sparks and a loud hissing noise. When a Sapper is attached to one end of a Teleporter, another Sapper is automatically placed on the other end of the Teleporter, if it exists and is not in building progress. If the Spy is disguised, the disguise class will play a distinct, unique animation of placing the device on the building. Unlike the Spy's other weapons, using a Sapper will not cause him to lose his disguise.

For each building the Spy player places a Sapper upon, a small window in their HUD will appear showing both the remaining health of the building sapped and the health of the Sapper on that building.

Once the building is being sapped, the Engineer owner will be alerted to it in his HUD, and will automatically play a voice clip alerting nearby players of the building's predicament. Engineers can remove a Sapper with two hits from their melee weapon (three with the Jag). When a Sapper is attacked, the Spy player will be notified by a similar alert in their HUD. If an Engineer removes a Sapper from a Teleporter, the Sapper at the other end is also removed. If another Engineer strikes the Sapper first, he can get an assist for the Sapper kill, and a Medic healing an Engineer can also score an assist in this way. Pyros equipped with the Homewrecker or the Maul can destroy Sappers in one hit (two with the Neon Annihilator). Enemies focused on removing Sappers may leave themselves open to a backstab or headshot, allowing the Spy or a teammate to distract and dispose of enemies in addition to the building in question.

The Sapper has infinite ammunition and no discernible "cooldown" time; Sappers can be placed on a building faster than an Engineer can repair the damage each one causes, which guarantees the building will be destroyed if the Spy is not dealt with.

Sapped Sentry Guns take 33% less damage from the Spy who applied the Sapper, for example when shooting it with a Revolver. Dispensers and Teleporters are unaffected by this.

In Mann vs. Machine mode, Sappers can be attached to robots, stunning them (and, if upgraded, any other robots nearby). Sappers do not damage robots - they only disable them for 4.5 seconds. Giants, being immune to stun, will only be slowed down. However, unlike regular multiplayer, sapping either a robot or a building requires the Sapper to recharge for 15 seconds before another one can be deployed.