Spy (6v6)
Overview
The spy is considered an offclass in the 6v6 metagame. As a low health class, the Spy is designed to get behind the enemy team and get a pick to turn the advantage in his teams favor. Most often, this pick is the enemy Demoman or Medic and the objective is to use or drop the opposing team's uber. The spy relies on the ability to be unexpected. Thus, it is rare to run a Spy more than once or twice during a full game. As a spy, there is often only one chance to get a pick on the opposing team, before the spy's cover is blown and it is thereafter expected. For a spy to be "worth it" he must pick the enemy Demoman, Medic, or (when applicable) Heavy. As it is often a Scout or Soldier that offclasses to Spy, a pick on an opposing Scout or Soldier (or any offclass besides Heavy and Engineer) would be considered a trade and not a pick and will often not create a sufficient advantage.
Strategies + Tips
- Always focus on the Medic. If you have to, pick the Demoman, but there is only one try when running a Spy. Make it worth it.
- Try to make sure that you time your attack as spy with your team. If you attack when the enemy team is preoccupied by your combos spam you have a much higher chance to get a pick.
- Be patient! Sometimes waiting for just a moment will give you the opening you need to get a pick, but don't wait too long or your opportunity might be lost.
- Be sure to walk backwards.
- Disguise as enemy scout, you might be spotted earlier because you move slower than a "real" scout, but you don't lose any speed like you would if you disguised as enemy demo or soldier. Jump and crouch a lot to disguise your slower speed.
- When pushing last, you can disguise as a friendly Sniper and peek at the enemy to give the impression you are playing Sniper instead of Spy, because teams almost never run two pick classes.
- Consider using the Kunai over the Stock Knife, if it's available. It gives you a 50% health boost after a stab, enabling you to maybe get another pick with the revolver. The disadvantage is being very fragile when peeking as a Sniper and being unable to get a revolver pick after failing a stab.
- Another way to play is to use the Dead Ringer. You can fake the death of an important class when holding last, such as Demo or Heavy, make them push, and then win with your full team against theirs. While it drops a Spy corpse and a death cry, competitive players usually turn ragdolls off to increase FPS, and you don't lose anything because the Dead Ringer gives you temporary invincibility.
Counters
- The key to beating a Spy is awareness. Be wary of Scouts or roamers suiciding, they could be switching to Spy. In matches, stalk the other team so you can see if they have a player who likes to play Spy.
- If you suspect they have a Spy, you can keep the Medic's back to a corner for maximum protection, or have him stand in a difficult-to-reach place (like the tank on cp_snakewater last) or both.
- Go Pyro for a second and spray flames around.
- When checking hiding spots, remember that Spies like to stand on props. Check vertically as well as horizontally!
- Jumping and spamming crouch makes it more difficult to be headshot by the Ambassador.
