Sentries and Placement

[sturmwalzer]

Hey folks -

I was playing earlier today, and I got bored of Medic, was doing awful as Demoman, and getting sniped to death as a Heavy, so I went Engineer and was doing OK, but I have a bit of a problem.

When it comes to rotation maps (as in capture point maps) I'm pretty clueless as to where to build sentry guns to be the most effective. Dustbowl is simple enough, and Goldrush I just like to be annoying... it's other maps I'm pretty clueless on.

I apologize for the fairly noobish question, but do you guys have any recommendations on where to build Sentry Guns on capture point maps? I'd like to learn to play Engineer effectively on something besides a CTF map, so any input would be appreciated.

[Tippo]

put it where people least expect it i guess, preferably against a wall in high traffic areas. but also hard to hit

[Virigoth]

since the pyro patch you have to put them farther away from entrances to due to their health boost they can get closer before they die and can end up killing your dispenser/gun if your not careful.

[Guarana]

I play a lot of engi, and i like to run around for kills with my shotgun and wrench too, so i build is somewhere that i can run away from enemies and pull them right into it. just have to be careful not to stand in front of it yourself, it also helps to build off walls so you dont take splash damage from rockets hitting them. i also like to build so that enemies wont be running into the gun but perpendicular to it, seems to help where theere are a few guys.

[Xzi]

I myself, Build sentry's in the most random of places~ Even out in the open just a bit off to the side, people NEVER expect it. But that is generally for battle engie. Usually when I'm on defense I try to put my gun up a little bit, but still able to watch the point from atleast 1 entrance and just sit and wait.

Alot of spots in the maps we play are horrible due to bad spies (like myself) who just sit there and spam sap your gun from infront, and you cannot do anything about it.

I would say try building not so much behind walls, but a bit out in the open. Call me crazy, but it works.. Untill someone goes demo of course, but either way your gun is dying :P

There are also always maps like you mention dustbowl and goldrush, maps that have ALOT of tunnels I try to be sure to build up my gun in the tunnels. Things like Goldrush and a few others have an open sided tunnel, so I try to get as far behind the nearest wall as possible while my gun can still see downwards AND watch the entrance.

I probably wasn't much help, but just explaining what I do, maybe you could try em out ;)

[*david*]

Though I don't play engy that much I may be able to contribute something here.

There is a big distinction between being a battle-engy or a defense-engy. I was blown away a couple days ago by some Mephisto guy who was building lvl 1 guns in the craziest places in Goldrush part 3, on offense. Finding a little nook somewhere near some stairs, or in a low tunnel appearantly can net you alot of surprise kills.

In terms of strong spots to camp for defense, I can think of a few obvious ones for Badlands and Well.

In Badlands, inside your team's house, facing the middle point, shooting through the window, and once you've capped it, moving up to actually being on the bridge near or on top of one of the cargo containers. I've seen Stinky put sentries down at the lower corner of his team's house, on top of the rock next to the middle point, or over in the bushes near where snipers usually shoot from the third pt to the opposing team's battlements. A sentry on your battlements when you're pushed back to guarding second point, or in a corner near the last point are also pretty effective at preventing a rush.

On Well, you can put a sentry right in the middle of your team's moat area, and when you cap the middle, can move to the upstairs doorway on their side of the point. Of course a sentry on a higher level at the second cap is a no-brainer, though I think they're easier to take down since the extra stairs were added to the map (from the well room). If you're defending the last point, you can get some surprise kills by building against the wall on the opposite side of the room from the point. It's also possible to build up high in there, but I've never seen a lone sentry in there fully repel a concentrated attack. One sentry on either stair is pretty effective, though.

Remember that 2 sentries that complement each other can make a huge difference from a defensive standpoint, as long as they're not too close together (gotta make a demo-uber work for it :p).

The best thing to do is to just put one up and see what happens. It doesn't cost you anything but a little metal. Just don't get killed trying to keep it alive. :)

[Timmah!]

Yeah, I've seen some crazy sentry placements. ape has a knack of getting behind enemy lines, especially on badlands, and getting a level 1 sentry up in an obscure location that nets a few kills before someone takes it out.

I second the notion of what I call inter-locking sentries (sentries that can range each other to prevent a spy from back-stabbing either engi, and allows for the 2 engi's to help each other out - building and removing sappers).

I don't think anyone else has mentioned building your sentry somewhat near an ammo pickup - it makes it all that much easier to upgrade your sentry quickly.

It's not so much where to put your sentry but where not to put your sentry. For example, don't put it way back in a large, open area, where soldiers, demos, and snipers can easily outrange it.

You may also want to avoid re-building sentries (once they're destroyed) in the exact same place as it's too predictable.

[sturmwalzer]

Thanks for all the ideas, guys. I'll keep them in mind if and when I play Engineer again!

They all look like excellent places and ideas.

[Iron Lung]

Its been said, I'll say it again, offensive engi can be a powerful tool. Get good with your shotty, pick up a pair of steel balls and see where you can get a lvl 1 or even lvl 2 sentry up to harass the enemy supply line. Never know, may bag a medic that had saved an uber up, or a spy before hes disguised himself. At the very least you're buying time and enemy attention that could they could better be sending towards the points you're defending.

[sturmwalzer]

Its been said, I'll say it again, offensive engi can be a powerful tool. Get good with your shotty, pick up a pair of steel balls and see where you can get a lvl 1 or even lvl 2 sentry up to harass the enemy supply line. Never know, may bag a medic that had saved an uber up, or a spy before hes disguised himself. At the very least you're buying time and enemy attention that could they could better be sending towards the points you're defending.

Indeed, that's basically what I did in Goldrush once.

It'll just take some adjusting from defensive Engineer to offensive, at least in terms of Sentry placement.