by Michael Dishon

Created on: June 10, 2009   Last Updated: June 12, 2009

The Heavy. The biggest, meanest character in Team Fortress 2. As the heavy you are both the team's steamroller when moving forward and the rock solid wall on defense. With an arsenal consisting of a Mini-gun, Shotgun and your own two fists, the Heavy will be ready to kill anything that crosses his path.

So, how should you go about playing this meat shield? First we'll start with some of the basics, the Heavy is SLOW. Especially while firing that infamous mini-gun of his. Now, your sensitivity. I suggest you turn it up, and find a comfortable spot so you can mow down anyone who thinks they can simply run past you. Also, I suggest practice shooting at a wall to get a feel for the accuracy of your main weapon, as it tends to get a little wild at even medium range. A good tip is to also get in the habit of using the alternate fire for the mini-gun to spin your barrels without firing. This will allow you to not only quickly fire when the enemy appears, but conserve ammo when you're on the front lines with no supplies.

Once you get an idea of how the character acts, it's time to put him to use. First, let's think about when and where you should pick your fights. One thing you'll learn quickly is that corners are always bad. Don't play peek-a-boo with anyone, as you will most likely lose. You're a slow meat tank, you want to try and get them in narrow hallways, or in the field where there is no cover for them to hide. As for distance, try and stay mid range to fairly close to your target. The spread of your shots will make you almost useless at long range.

Next look at your second weapon. Yes, the heavy has a second weapon, this shotgun. Not the most intimidating weapons, but this baby will let you hold your own when using the mini-gun is impossible. Just remember this is mainly for close combat, and shouldn't replace the mini-gun in the field. Also, he has a strong couple of fists for when someone wants to get in your face.

Now, with your basics taken care of, let's review some tips before diving into class specific strategies. The first tip, is the jump and spin. When you know where the fight is, and are running up to it from around the corner, make sure your ready to surprise everyone. Face the direction you plan to turn, and strafe (side-step) towards the corner. Then, jump and spin your mini-gun. Make sure to jump first, otherwise you'll only slow yourself down and the jump will be pointless. When you land, you should be firing already, giving your enemies

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