Difference between revisions of "Soldier"

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[[File:SoldierIcon.png|200px|right|link=http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Soldier]]
 
[[File:SoldierIcon.png|200px|right|link=http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Soldier]]
  
The '''Soldier''' is a class played in both 6v6 and Highlander. It is the most basic of the classes and is a good all-around fighter. The Soldier's weapon of choice is the [[Rocket Launcher]], a projectile weapon with good damage spread and range.  The Soldier can adapt to most of the different situations and is very mobile. He has the second highest base health in the game (200) but is also the second slowest class behind the [[Heavy]]. However, the ability of the Soldier to rocket jump makes him more highly mobile as compared to other classes, but it comes at the expense of some health.  
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As a good all-around combat class, '''Soldier''' is a class played in both 6v6 and Highlander. His high adaptability and mobility makes him vital on any 6v6 team, though his mobility comes at the expense of some health, via rocket jumping. When his rocket jumping is restricted by low health or cramped environments, he has the second slowest ground speed behind the [[Heavy]]. His weapon of choice is the [[Rocket Launcher]], a projectile weapon with good splash damage and range, and he boasts the second highest base health in the game (200).
  
 
==6v6==
 
==6v6==
 
{{Main|Soldier (6v6)}}
 
{{Main|Soldier (6v6)}}
  
In 6v6, the Soldier will usually fulfill two main roles: [[Pocket|"Pocket"]] Soldier and [[Roaming Soldier|"Roaming"]] Soldier. The Pocket Soldier focuses on keeping his [[Medic]] alive and using heals to deal damage, take positioning on his enemies, and lead his team. The Roaming Soldier plays a fundamental role in initiating battles for his team by creating distractions and advantages and supporting his team by controlling the flank.
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In 6v6, each Soldier will usually fulfill one of two main roles: [[Pocket|"Pocket"]] Soldier and [[Roaming Soldier|"Roaming"]] Soldier. The Pocket Soldier focuses on defending the team's [[Medic]], using his high health to block damage intended for the Medic, gain advantageous positions during confrontations, and lead team pushes. The Roaming Soldier plays a fundamentally different role, and is the offense to the Pocket Soldier's defense. Instead of protecting his team, he controls the flank, utilizing his high mobility and health to rocket jump around the map. His job is to set up advantageous battles for his team by creating distractions or killing key targets.
  
The most basic role of the Pocket Soldier is keeping the medic alive and using his abundant heals to deal damage, get kills and lead the team. The Pocket along with the Medic and [[Demoman]] form the core "combo" of any 6v6 team. He will usually be the target of an [[ÜberCharge]], if not the Demoman. The Pocket is usually the third biggest pick behind the Medic and Demoman, however since he is usually at a fearsome three hundred health, it is not easy to frag him. The standard or "meta" loadout for the Pocket Soldier is the [[Rocket Launcher]]/[[Original]], the [[Shotgun]] and the [[Escape Plan]]. But some could change this up to the [[gunboats]] for their team to be more mobile in fights, although it is not the best choice for most people and or teams.
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===Pocket Soldier===
  
The [[Roaming Soldier]]'s main job is to help one of his [[Scout|Scouts]] on the flank, and create openings in the other team so that his own team can push. The Roamer is most often the player that will suicide into the other team in hopes of getting a Medic pick or to force the Medic to Übercharge. The Roamer also wants to know the ins and outs of a map so that he knows all of its hiding spots and flanks. He wants to hide so that he can easily get a jump on the enemy team and hopefully get a pick or two. Hiding also provides the advantage of knowing exactly what the enemy team is doing, allowing the Roamer to relay information back to his team and gaining an advantage over the opposition. He is considered the most "disposable" unit of the team. The standard loadout for a Roaming Soldier is the Rocket Launcher/Original, the Gunboats and the Escape Plan.
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The most basic role of the Pocket Soldier is keeping his team's Medic alive. The Pocket along with the Medic and [[Demoman]] form the core "combo" of any 6v6 team. He and Demoman are often the recipients of an [[ÜberCharge]], allowing him to push forward with no fear of damage. Though he is often the third most important pick behind the Medic and Demoman, his massive health pool makes killing him difficult. The standard - "meta" - loadout for the Pocket Soldier is the [[Rocket Launcher]]/[[Original]], the [[Shotgun]] and the [[Escape Plan]]. While the [[Gunboats]] does allow him increased mobility during a battle, it reduces his ability to follow up after spending his Rocket Launcher ammo, making it fairly situational.
  
In higher levels of play, the pocket will usually match the main caller. This means that the pocket will be calling plays such as pushing or falling back. Another thing the pocket should call is when to pop the Übercharge.
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===Roaming Soldier===
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The [[Roaming Soldier]]'s main job is to help one of the [[Scout|Scouts]] on the flank, and create weaknesses in the enemy combo so that his own combo can follow up. He is considered the most "disposable" unit of the team, and will often launch suicide attacks against the enemy combo in an attempt to force the enemy Medic to use his Übercharge - or kill him outright. In order to accomplish this, he must know all the nuances of a map - hiding spots, flanks, rocket-jumping patterns. By utilizing this knowledge, he can remain undetected or out-of-range until an opportunity presents itself. Even if he does not find a chance to attack, he can still relay information back to his team, who can exploit this knowledge to gain an advantage. To maximize his mobility while retaining his firepower, the most common loadout for a Roaming Soldier is the Rocket Launcher/Original, the Gunboats and the Escape Plan.
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In higher levels of play, the Pocket Soldier will usually be the main caller; he will lead team plays such as pushes, retreats, ambushes, and even directing ÜberCharges.
  
 
==Highlander==
 
==Highlander==
 
{{Main|Soldier (Highlander)}}
 
{{Main|Soldier (Highlander)}}
  
In Highlander, there is only one Soldier on each team.  This Soldier often functions like a Roaming Soldier would in 6v6. As such, many 6v6 Roamer strategies can be applied to Highlander as well. Often used as a roaming pick class, the Soldier is mostly run with Gunboats and the stock Rocket Launcher, The Original or the Black Box. A well-coordinated team can organize pick classes to work together for a common goal, like forcing a Medic to use his [[ÜberCharge]] or taking out an Engineer nest. In most maps, the Soldier is used to control the flank. He is used to defend the flank of his own team and in turn harass his opponents. Some teams will run the Soldier closer to the combo so that he can use his splash damage to protect the combo.
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In Highlander, there is only one Soldier on each team.  He often functions like a Roaming Soldier would in 6v6. As such, many 6v6 Roamer strategies can be applied to Highlander as well. Often used as a mobile pick class, he is mostly run with Gunboats and the stock Rocket Launcher/Original, Black Box, or Direct Hit. A well-coordinated team can organize pick classes to work together for a common goal, like forcing a Medic to use his [[ÜberCharge]] or destroying an Engineer nest. In most maps, Soldier is used to control the flank; his job is to prevent enemies from ambushing his team, or ambushing the enemy himself. Some teams will place Soldier closer to his team's combo so that he can defend them with his splash damage.
  
 
==Rocket Launchers==
 
==Rocket Launchers==
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|description = The '''Rocket Launcher''' is the default primary weapon for the Soldier, due to its versatility. The combination of high splash and direct damage, four rocket clip size, knockback and the ability to rocket jump make this the most popular choice for almost every Soldier.
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|description = The '''Rocket Launcher''' is the default primary weapon for the Soldier, due to its versatility. Its high area-of-effect damage, four-shot clip size, and good knockback make this the best choice for almost every game.
 
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|6s      = true
 
|6s      = true
|ugchl  = true Fuck pyros
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|ugchl  = true  
|etf2lhl = false
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|etf2lhl = true
|rgl6s  = true fuck pyros
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|description = The '''Air Strike''' is a community-created primary weapon. While rocket jumping, its attack speed is increased by 65%. In addition, on each kill using the weapon, its clip size is increased by one, up to 8 rockets after 4 kills. The projectiles fired by this weapon deal 15% less damage (both to enemies and the Soldier when rocket jumping) and have a 10% smaller explosion radius. Its blast radius is further reduced by 20% while rocket jumping.
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|description = The '''Air Strike''' is an unlockable primary. Each kill Soldier gains with this weapon increases its clip size by one rocket, up to a maximum of eight. As a drawback, the projectiles fired by this weapon deal 15% less damage and have a 10% smaller explosion radius. While rocket jumping, its attack speed is increased by 65%, allowing Soldier to rain explosives down on his enemies. He must aim precisely during an "air strike," however - his rockets' blast radius is further reduced by 20% while rocket jumping.
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|description = The '''Black Box''' has identical stats to the stock Rocket Launcher, except for the fact that there is 3 rockets in the clip instead of 4, but the user can gain up to 20 health for every attack. This makes the Black Box ideal for roaming around the map without a Medic. Pioneered by Vhalin, the black box can be used effectively to increase survivability for Highlander Soldiers. This is sometimes paired with the shotgun for when the 3 rockets do not kill.
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|description = The '''Black Box''' deals the same damage as the stock Rocket Launcher, but heals Soldier by up to 20 health when he damages an enemy. To compensate for this increased survivability, his clip size is reduced, leaving him with only 3 rockets. In order to offset this downside, Soldier may choose to equip his stock shotgun in case he fails to kill his enemies before running out of ammo.  
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The Black Box is most often used by a Roamer attempting to create a distraction rather than kill enemies, especially in Highlander. First popularized by Vhalin, the Black Box can be used effectively to increase survivability for Highlander Soldiers.
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|description = The '''Beggar's Bazooka''' is perhaps the most unique rocket launcher out of the 7 choices. Instead of having 4 rockets loaded like most others, it starts with zero loaded, and the player is required to hold down their Primary Attack button to load the rockets. Only 3 rockets can be held at one time, and loading additional rockets will cause the launcher to overload, damaging the Soldier and any players in the immediate area. The Soldier can intentionally overload, and use the damage to jump across large areas, similar to a rocket jump, albeit much more powerful. This attribute was once often used to bomb into the enemy from far away with 3 rockets already loaded. However, the Bazooka was changed to remove a rocket for every overload and later given 20% less blast radius, limiting the power of soldier bombs with this weapon. Bazooka is also very inaccurate at mid-to-long range due to its random projectile deviation.
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|description = The '''Beggar's Bazooka''' is arguably the most unique rocket launcher out of Soldier's arsenal. Instead of firing rockets and then reloading, Soldier must load up to three rockets, then fire. Loading additional rockets will cause the launcher to overload, damaging Soldier and any enemies next to him. Soldier can intentionally overload, and use the damage to rocket jump across large areas extremely quickly. It cannot be used to fly across the map to bomb enemies, however - each overload jump removes a rocket from Soldier's clip, and its reduced blast radius prevents him from shredding the enemy combo. It also cannot be used at mid-to-long range, as its random projectile deviation makes it highly inaccurate at this range. The Beggar's Bazooka can be extremely powerful when holding a choke point, but is inferior to the stock launcher in most situations.
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|description = The '''Cow Mangler 5000''' has infinite ammo, and can slowly charge a powerful shot that mini-crits, disables buildings and applies afterburn on hit, but the weapon itself only does 20% damage to buildings and mini-crits when it would normally crit. The Cow Mangler is very bad at dealing with Sentries and Mini-Sentries as a result, but its charged shot can allow co-ordinated allies to take down buildings. Medics using [[Medic#Secondary|Kritzkrieg]] should not use their Ubercharge to help Cow Mangler users, as the crit boost will only give mini-crits.
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|description = The '''Cow Mangler 5000''' has infinite ammo, and can slowly charge a powerful shot that mini-crits, disables Engineer's buildings and sets enemies on fire. However, it only deals 20% damage to buildings and only mini-crits when it would normally crit, preventing Soldier from making much use of a [[Medic#Secondary|Kritzkrieg]] ÜberCharge. In the standard 6v6 format, however, Engineer is rarely run outside of last point holds, and Medics almost always run the stock Medi-Gun, making the Cow Mangler a direct upgrade to the stock Rocket Launcher in nearly all situations. As a result, this weapon is banned in most 6v6 leagues. In Highlander, it can be used to disable a Sentry, allowing Soldier's teammates to follow up without being killed.
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|description = The '''Direct Hit''' is a primary that allows for precise shots due to the reduced spread and buffed damage. Granting mini-crits for airshots and destroying level 3 buildings in 2 shots, the Direct Hit is a great weapon to counter jumping Soldiers or to take out the enemy sentry. The projectiles travel 80% faster and do 25% more damage, but have a -70% reduction in explosion radius.
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|description = The '''Direct Hit''' is a primary that rewards precise aim due and punishes inaccurate shots with its reduced spread and increased damage. While it can no longer be used to damage multiple enemies, it can destroy any Engineer buildings in two hits, and mini-crits blast-jumping enemies. The projectiles travel 80% faster and do 25% more damage, but have a -70% reduction in explosion radius.
 
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|description = The '''Liberty Launcher''' is not often seen in competitive. It grants faster-moving rockets, an extra rocket in the clip, and 25% less self-damage, at the cost of dealing 25% less damage to enemies. The extra projectile speed and clip size make it excellent for easily catching fast-moving Scouts, and the reduced self-damage can be combined with Gunboats for extremely low Health costs on rocket jumps. The damage penalty is negligible when accounting for all five rockets, so it is a good choice all around. However, It is not a good weapon against a heavy, as a soldier would need to dish out damage quickly to counter the prior's high health pool.
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|description = The '''Liberty Launcher''' fires faster rockets, has an extra rocket in its clip, and reduces self-damage by 25%, but deals 25% less damage. While the extra projectile speed and clip size make it excellent for catching fast-moving Scouts, and the reduced self-damage can be combined with Gunboats for extremely low Health costs on rocket jumps, its reduced base damage allows enemies more time to retreat or counter-attack. While it deals respectable damage, the stock Rocket Launcher grants Soldier much greater firepower, making the Liberty Launcher a rare sight in competitive games.
 
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|description = The '''Original''' is considered by many as a reskin of the '''Rocket Launcher'''. This is objected by others due to the fact that this weapon shoots from the center of the player model as opposed from the right side, or the left for players using left hand sided view models. It was banned from use in the early days of leagues such as [[ETF2L]], which only allowed the weapon [[ETF2L 6v6 Season 12|after Season 11]].
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|description = Some consider the '''Original''' to be a reskin of the '''Rocket Launcher'''. Others argue that the fact that it fires down the player's crosshair (as opposed to other weapons firing from the side of the crosshair) makes it more useful the stock launcher in most situations. It was banned from use in the early days of leagues such as [[ETF2L]], which only allowed the weapon [[ETF2L 6v6 Season 12|after Season 11]]. Aside from the mechanical difference in rocket jumping, there isn't much difference between the Original and stock launcher, making these weapons mostly interchangeable.
 
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|description = The '''Rocket Jumper''' deals no damage, to the user or enemies. It is often used as a training weapon for rocket jumping, and thus is rarely seen outside of pubs/jump servers, as it denies the Soldier one of his greatest strengths through the use of large, area-of-effect damage.
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|description = The '''Rocket Jumper''' deals no damage, to the user or enemies. It is often used as a training weapon for rocket jumping, and thus sees no significant use in competitive games, as it denies Soldier his main source of damage.
 
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|description = The '''Shotgun''' is the go-to secondary for pocket Soldiers in the 6v6 game style. It is useful in a variety of situations. For instance, the Shotgun provides the user with extra firepower should the user have no rockets loaded or if the user is out of ammo. This extra damage can help protect a Medic should he be harassed while out of rockets.
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|description = The '''Shotgun''' is the go-to secondary for Pocket Soldiers in the standard 6v6 format. It grants Soldier vastly increased staying power, which allows him to remain in battle after firing all of his rockets.
 
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|description = The '''B.A.S.E. Jumper''' deploys a parachute upon a second tap of the jump button. It allows the user to glide to the floor at a vertically steady rate but with. 50% less air control. This, in turn, also removes any potential for fall damage.
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|description = The '''B.A.S.E. Jumper''' deploys a parachute when attempting to jump while midair. It allows Soldier to slowly glide to the ground, which can negate fall damage, but makes him extremely vulnerable to attacks, as its 50% reduced air control prevents him from dodging attacks while airborne.
 
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|description = The '''Battalions Backup''' provides a defensive boost to all nearby teammates, with an additional resistance to sentries while activated. It also counters the effect of the [[Kritzkrieg]] and grants the Soldier +20 max health. This makes it useful to run during pushes, and as a way to coordinate a retreat without getting wiped.
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|description = When activated, the '''Battalions Backup''' provides a defensive boost to Soldier and all nearby teammates, with even greater resistance to Sentry Guns. It completely negates the effects of a [[Kritzkrieg]] ÜberCharge, blocks critical hits, and grants Soldier 20 extra points of max health. The buff, which requires 600 points of damage to charge, allows Soldier to protect his team during pushes and retreats, but shares a weakness with the other banners: Soldier loses his Shotgun, preventing him from following up after running out of rockets. As Soldier's team size increases, his buff becomes more powerful - as such, it is rarely run in 6s. In Highlander, it can be used for both offensive pushes and defensive holds.
 
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|description = The '''Buff Banner''' grants the user and his teammates nearby Mini-Crits. It is not widely used in competitive sixes but is sometimes used in Highlander. It can be useful during big pushes, especially on King of the Hill maps.
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|description = The '''Buff Banner''' grants Soldier and nearby teammates mini-crits. It is not widely used in sixes due to requiring Soldier to deal 600 points of damage to charge, but is sometimes used in the slower-paced Highlander. It can be useful during team pushes, or to halt an enemy push, but replaces Soldier's shotgun, reducing his staying power. While rarely used in 6s, it can be used to great effect in Highlander, especially during defensive holds; Soldier and Demoman can use the mini-crits to quickly force enemies off the objective.
 
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|description = The '''Concheror''', while its effect is activated, provides a speed boost and returns 35% of damage dealt as health for nearby teammates, as well as giving the Soldier passive health regeneration, starting at 1 heath/second and scaling up as more time passes without taking damage to a maximum of 8 health/second. This is very useful for large pushes, especially for slower, tanky classes.
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|description = The '''Concheror''', requires 20% less damage to charge than the other banners, When activated, it provides a speed boost and heals Soldier and his teammates by 35% of damage dealt. When equipped, Soldier gains passive health regeneration, which starts at 1 HP/second increases to 4 HP/second if he avoids taking damage for a while. The buff, which requires only 480 points of damage to charge, is extremely useful for improving a team's survivability during a push or hold, but like the other banners, denies Soldier use of his Shotgun. In Highlander, it can be used similarly to the Battalion's Backup, though its protection is less potent than its counterpart.
 
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|description = The '''Gunboats''' give the user a 60% reduction in damage taken from rocket jumps, at the cost of an effectively empty secondary slot. This is a common choice for both the roaming Soldier role in 6v6 and for Soldiers in Highlander. The reduced rocket jump damage further allows Soldier's to perform what is called a [[bomb]]. For more information on this item, see [[Gunboats]].
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|description = The '''Gunboats''' reduce health lost from rocket jumps by 60%, at the cost of Soldier's Shotgun. The reduced rocket jumping damage allows Soldier to [[bomb]] enemies with a far lower health cost, making it the go-to Secondary for Roaming Soldiers in 6v6 and for many Soldiers in Highlander. For more information on this item, see [[Gunboats]].
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|description = The '''Mantreads''' give the Soldier a passive -75% knockback reduction, the ability to deal 3x falling damage to an opposing player that he lands on, and 200% more air control. This weapon is not seen often in competitive play, as its benefits are too situational.
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|description = The '''Mantreads''' give the Soldier a passive 75% knockback resistance, the ability to deal 3x falling damage to enemies he lands on, and 200% more air control. This weapon is rarely used in competitive play, as the minor increase in movement control is almost never worth losing the Shotgun or Gunboats.  
 
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|description = The '''Reserve Shooter''' deals mini-crits to airborne enemies up to 5 seconds after switching to this secondary. The Reserve Shooter has 4 shots in its clip, and also increases weapon switch speed by 15%. The Shotgun is generally considered superior to the Reserve Shooter, as it has a full 6 clip and can deal a great amount of damage on its own.
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|description = The '''Reserve Shooter''' deals mini-crits to airborne enemies. It has 4 shots in its clip, and deploys 15% faster. While the stock Shotgun is usually superior for the Pocket Soldier, the Reserve Shooter's stellar damage against explosive-launched opponents makes it extremely powerful for a Roamer to follow up with after bombing the enemy combo, as staying power is less of an issue. As such, this weapon is banned in most 6v6 leagues. In Highlander, Soldier's mobility is greatly restricted by Engineer and Heavy, so the weapon remains whitelisted.
 
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|description = The '''Righteous Bison''' functions as an alternative to the Shotgun that excels as midrange spam. This role is fulfilled by three attributes of the weapon: decreased ramp up (resembling the Rocket Launcher or Sticky Launcher's damage curve), and infinite ammo. The Righteous Bison does not see a lot of use in competitive play because the Soldier's rocket launcher is arguably better at spam than the Bison, and giving up the Gunboats or Shotgun is too much to ask for most Soldiers.
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|description = The '''Righteous Bison''' functions as an extremely situational alternative to the Shotgun that can only be used effectively when spamming through a choke point. It has four shots in its clip, reloads faster, and fires a single piercing energy bolt. While it can hit multiple opponents, enemies tend to spread out to avoid Soldier's splash damage, and the Bison projectile is slow and easy to dodge. This weapon is almost never seen in competitive matches, as it its damage output is severely lacking.
 
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|description = The '''Panic Attack''' is a community-created primary weapon for the Engineer, and a secondary weapon for the [[Soldier]], [[Pyro]], and [[Heavy]].
 
|description = The '''Panic Attack''' is a community-created primary weapon for the Engineer, and a secondary weapon for the [[Soldier]], [[Pyro]], and [[Heavy]].
The Panic attack has a straight 20% damage penalty from the stock shotgun, but it fires 1.5 times the pellets in a single shot. The switch-to speed increases by 50%. This weapon is good with combo-based strategies due to its faster deploy time. Even more so, it will do slightly more damage (108 vs 90 for stock shotgun) at point blank.
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The Panic attack has a straight 20% damage penalty from the stock shotgun, but it fires 50% more  bullets per shot, and deploys 50% faster. At point-blank range, it deals more damage than the stock shotgun, but even at short-to-mid range, it is often weaker, thanks to its reduced accuracy. This weapon excels at clearing out enemies at point-blank range, and can be used to follow up on Rocket Launcher damage near-instantly. However, it is nearly useless at medium range, leaving Soldier vulnerable to Scouts and Demomen, who can stay out of his effective range and attack with little threat of retaliation.
 
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|description = The '''Shovel''' is a stock weapon, however in competitive, it's rare to see it used as most other melee's for the soldier are considered straight upgrades as melee is hardly used in competitive Team Fortress 2.
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|description = Like most stock weapons, the '''Shovel''' deals 65 damage every 0.8 seconds, allowing Soldier to do moderate damage when out of ammo. In competitive games, however, melee weapons are almost never used to deal damage, as players will almost always be able to shoot down a melee attacker before he can reach his target. Thus, utility weapons are almost always preferred over straight damage. As the Shovel has no special qualities, it is never used in serious games.
 
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|description = The '''Disciplinary Action''' is a melee weapon used as a [[rollout]] tool for Highlander play. When an ally is hit with this weapon, both the soldier with the item equipped and the ally hit receive a static speed boost (meaning a Heavy will have the same net speed increase as a Scout). The only downside is -25% damage, however, it is rare to see melees used to deal damage in competitive play, so the Disciplinary Action is regarded as an upgrade in most cases.
+
|description = The '''Disciplinary Action''' is a melee weapon used as a [[rollout]] tool for Highlander play. It deals 25% less damage, but has a greatly increased melee range, making it arguably better than the stock Shovel in a fight. When Soldier hits a teammate with this weapon, both he and his teammate gain a significant speed boost for a few seconds. It is extremely powerful in getting teammates to the front lines, and thus is banned in most 6v6 leagues. In Highlander leagues, however, it is outclassed by Engineer's Teleporter, so it remains whitelisted.
 +
 
 
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|description = The '''Equalizer''' increases the damage done as the user's health decreases. It is generally overlooked for the increased mobility provided by the Escape Plan. The difference between the two being: The Equalizer can aid a player in trying to stop damage coming in when low health (kill the enemy) to survive; whilst the Escape Plan helps the player to escape the damage to survive. As it is rare to be in an opportune melee position against another proficient player, escaping damage is more reliable. Coupled with the rollout ability provided by the Escape Plan, the Equalizer is not particularly useful in competitive play.
+
|description = The '''Equalizer''' becomes more powerful as Soldier's health decreases. However, it sees little use, as melee weapons are ineffective in a fight - Soldier will almost always be killed before he can enter melee range. While it can be used to build ÜberCharge with a Medic, the Escape Plan can do the same, and is useful in more situations than the Equalizer.
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|description = Once the '''Escape Plan''' is equipped, it has the unique ability to increase the movement speed of the player as their health is diminished. Consequently, the weapon blocks 90% of healing from all Medic weapons while active, and all damage taken will become mini-crits seconds after being deployed. This weapon is especially useful to flee from fights when the user has open ground to run through. The Escape Plan is a common weapon used by [[6v6]] Soldiers. The increased movement speed paired with the soldier's ability to damage itself allows the Escape Plan to be used as a tool during rollout. Pocket Soldiers in 6v6 will sometimes call this the "Escape Plan Rollout".
+
|description = When deployed, the '''Escape Plan''' increases Soldier's speed as he takes damage. The lower his health is, the faster Soldier will run; at 40 health and below, he becomes almost as fast as a Scout. As a downside, the weapon reduces Medic's healing (both Medi-Guns and Crossbow) by 90% while active, and all incoming attacks will mini-crit. This weapon is especially useful to flee from fights when Soldier has open ground to run through, and is the most common melee choice for all [[6v6]] Soldiers. Additionally, the increased movement speed paired with Soldier's ability to damage himself allows him to perform certain rollouts much faster.  
 
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|description = '''The Half-Zatoichi''' grants the Soldier 50% max health upon a kill, however, it has the downside of dealing 50 points of self-damage when putting it away if no kill was attained. If the user drops below 50 health, the sword cannot be put away until the soldier has more than 50 health or gets a kill. This is rarely used in 6v6 but is sometimes used by Medic-less Highlander Soldiers for healing or overheal, a useful alternative to the Black Box.
+
|description = '''The Half-Zatoichi''' heals Soldier by 100 health on kill, possibly overhealing him, but if he deploys and holsters it without landing a kill, he will lose 50 health. If holstering the weapon would kill him, Soldier will be unable to do so. As such, the Half-Zatoichi is rarely used in 6v6, but is sometimes equipped by roaming Highlander Soldiers to increase survivability.
 
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|description = The '''Market Gardener''' is used as a pick weapon, most often by roaming Soldiers. The weapon delivers a critical hit if the wielder deals damage whilst in the air from an explosive jump. This means it is able to one hit kill the Medic but is therefore viable for only proficient rocket jumpers to use. It is far less popular than the Escape Plan because an opportunity to "Market Garden" a player without running the risk of taking significant airshot damage against proficient players is very low.
+
|description = The '''Market Gardener''' is used as a pick weapon, most often by Roaming Soldiers. If Soldier hits an enemy while airborne from a blast jump, he will deal a critical hit. This makes it a high-risk, high-reward weapon. If Soldier lands a hit on the enemy Medic, he is guaranteed a kill, as opposed to simply forcing the Medic to use his ÜberCharge. If Soldier misses, he will die and accomplish nothing. The Market Gardener is far less popular than the Escape Plan; unless Soldier can remain undetected until the last second, he will almost certainly be shot down by the enemy combo before reaching his target.
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|description = The '''Pain Train''' increases the user's capture rate by 1 (from 1x to 2x), at the cost of 10% extra bullet vulnerability. In 6v6, the Demoman often equips the Pain Train, however it's still viable for a Soldier to equip it, especially the roamer.
+
|description = The '''Pain Train''' increases the user's capture rate by 1 (from 1x to 2x), at the cost of a 10% bullet damage vulnerability. In the standard 6v6 format, Demoman often equips the Pain Train in order to capture points faster, though Soldier can also do so to benefit his team.
 
}}
 
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{{Class Weapon Table End}}

Latest revision as of 13:52, 21 February 2024

SoldierIcon.png

As a good all-around combat class, Soldier is a class played in both 6v6 and Highlander. His high adaptability and mobility makes him vital on any 6v6 team, though his mobility comes at the expense of some health, via rocket jumping. When his rocket jumping is restricted by low health or cramped environments, he has the second slowest ground speed behind the Heavy. His weapon of choice is the Rocket Launcher, a projectile weapon with good splash damage and range, and he boasts the second highest base health in the game (200).

6v6[edit]

Main article: Soldier (6v6)

In 6v6, each Soldier will usually fulfill one of two main roles: "Pocket" Soldier and "Roaming" Soldier. The Pocket Soldier focuses on defending the team's Medic, using his high health to block damage intended for the Medic, gain advantageous positions during confrontations, and lead team pushes. The Roaming Soldier plays a fundamentally different role, and is the offense to the Pocket Soldier's defense. Instead of protecting his team, he controls the flank, utilizing his high mobility and health to rocket jump around the map. His job is to set up advantageous battles for his team by creating distractions or killing key targets.

Pocket Soldier[edit]

The most basic role of the Pocket Soldier is keeping his team's Medic alive. The Pocket along with the Medic and Demoman form the core "combo" of any 6v6 team. He and Demoman are often the recipients of an ÜberCharge, allowing him to push forward with no fear of damage. Though he is often the third most important pick behind the Medic and Demoman, his massive health pool makes killing him difficult. The standard - "meta" - loadout for the Pocket Soldier is the Rocket Launcher/Original, the Shotgun and the Escape Plan. While the Gunboats does allow him increased mobility during a battle, it reduces his ability to follow up after spending his Rocket Launcher ammo, making it fairly situational.

Roaming Soldier[edit]

The Roaming Soldier's main job is to help one of the Scouts on the flank, and create weaknesses in the enemy combo so that his own combo can follow up. He is considered the most "disposable" unit of the team, and will often launch suicide attacks against the enemy combo in an attempt to force the enemy Medic to use his Übercharge - or kill him outright. In order to accomplish this, he must know all the nuances of a map - hiding spots, flanks, rocket-jumping patterns. By utilizing this knowledge, he can remain undetected or out-of-range until an opportunity presents itself. Even if he does not find a chance to attack, he can still relay information back to his team, who can exploit this knowledge to gain an advantage. To maximize his mobility while retaining his firepower, the most common loadout for a Roaming Soldier is the Rocket Launcher/Original, the Gunboats and the Escape Plan.

In higher levels of play, the Pocket Soldier will usually be the main caller; he will lead team plays such as pushes, retreats, ambushes, and even directing ÜberCharges.

Highlander[edit]

Main article: Soldier (Highlander)

In Highlander, there is only one Soldier on each team. He often functions like a Roaming Soldier would in 6v6. As such, many 6v6 Roamer strategies can be applied to Highlander as well. Often used as a mobile pick class, he is mostly run with Gunboats and the stock Rocket Launcher/Original, Black Box, or Direct Hit. A well-coordinated team can organize pick classes to work together for a common goal, like forcing a Medic to use his ÜberCharge or destroying an Engineer nest. In most maps, Soldier is used to control the flank; his job is to prevent enemies from ambushing his team, or ambushing the enemy himself. Some teams will place Soldier closer to his team's combo so that he can defend them with his splash damage.

Rocket Launchers[edit]

Primary[edit]

Weapon 4v4 6v6 Highlander
UGC-Icon2.png UGC United Nations Global Whitelist RGL Icon.png RGL UGC-Icon2.png UGC RGL Icon.png RGL ETF2L-Icon2.png ETF2L
Rocket Launcher.png
Rocket Launcher
Always Always Always Always Always Always
The Rocket Launcher is the default primary weapon for the Soldier, due to its versatility. Its high area-of-effect damage, four-shot clip size, and good knockback make this the best choice for almost every game.
Air Strike2.png
Air Strike
Banned Allowed Allowed Allowed Banned Allowed
The Air Strike is an unlockable primary. Each kill Soldier gains with this weapon increases its clip size by one rocket, up to a maximum of eight. As a drawback, the projectiles fired by this weapon deal 15% less damage and have a 10% smaller explosion radius. While rocket jumping, its attack speed is increased by 65%, allowing Soldier to rain explosives down on his enemies. He must aim precisely during an "air strike," however - his rockets' blast radius is further reduced by 20% while rocket jumping.
Black Box.png
Black Box
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Black Box deals the same damage as the stock Rocket Launcher, but heals Soldier by up to 20 health when he damages an enemy. To compensate for this increased survivability, his clip size is reduced, leaving him with only 3 rockets. In order to offset this downside, Soldier may choose to equip his stock shotgun in case he fails to kill his enemies before running out of ammo.

The Black Box is most often used by a Roamer attempting to create a distraction rather than kill enemies, especially in Highlander. First popularized by Vhalin, the Black Box can be used effectively to increase survivability for Highlander Soldiers.

Beggar's Bazooka2.png
Beggar's Bazooka
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Beggar's Bazooka is arguably the most unique rocket launcher out of Soldier's arsenal. Instead of firing rockets and then reloading, Soldier must load up to three rockets, then fire. Loading additional rockets will cause the launcher to overload, damaging Soldier and any enemies next to him. Soldier can intentionally overload, and use the damage to rocket jump across large areas extremely quickly. It cannot be used to fly across the map to bomb enemies, however - each overload jump removes a rocket from Soldier's clip, and its reduced blast radius prevents him from shredding the enemy combo. It also cannot be used at mid-to-long range, as its random projectile deviation makes it highly inaccurate at this range. The Beggar's Bazooka can be extremely powerful when holding a choke point, but is inferior to the stock launcher in most situations.
Cow Mangler 5000.png
Cow Mangler 5000
Allowed Banned Banned Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Cow Mangler 5000 has infinite ammo, and can slowly charge a powerful shot that mini-crits, disables Engineer's buildings and sets enemies on fire. However, it only deals 20% damage to buildings and only mini-crits when it would normally crit, preventing Soldier from making much use of a Kritzkrieg ÜberCharge. In the standard 6v6 format, however, Engineer is rarely run outside of last point holds, and Medics almost always run the stock Medi-Gun, making the Cow Mangler a direct upgrade to the stock Rocket Launcher in nearly all situations. As a result, this weapon is banned in most 6v6 leagues. In Highlander, it can be used to disable a Sentry, allowing Soldier's teammates to follow up without being killed.
Direct Hit2.png
Direct Hit
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Direct Hit is a primary that rewards precise aim due and punishes inaccurate shots with its reduced spread and increased damage. While it can no longer be used to damage multiple enemies, it can destroy any Engineer buildings in two hits, and mini-crits blast-jumping enemies. The projectiles travel 80% faster and do 25% more damage, but have a -70% reduction in explosion radius.
Liberty Launcher.png
Liberty Launcher
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Liberty Launcher fires faster rockets, has an extra rocket in its clip, and reduces self-damage by 25%, but deals 25% less damage. While the extra projectile speed and clip size make it excellent for catching fast-moving Scouts, and the reduced self-damage can be combined with Gunboats for extremely low Health costs on rocket jumps, its reduced base damage allows enemies more time to retreat or counter-attack. While it deals respectable damage, the stock Rocket Launcher grants Soldier much greater firepower, making the Liberty Launcher a rare sight in competitive games.
Original.png
Original
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
Some consider the Original to be a reskin of the Rocket Launcher. Others argue that the fact that it fires down the player's crosshair (as opposed to other weapons firing from the side of the crosshair) makes it more useful the stock launcher in most situations. It was banned from use in the early days of leagues such as ETF2L, which only allowed the weapon after Season 11. Aside from the mechanical difference in rocket jumping, there isn't much difference between the Original and stock launcher, making these weapons mostly interchangeable.
Rocket Jumper.png
Rocket Jumper
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Rocket Jumper deals no damage, to the user or enemies. It is often used as a training weapon for rocket jumping, and thus sees no significant use in competitive games, as it denies Soldier his main source of damage.


Secondary[edit]

Weapon 4v4 6v6 Highlander
UGC-Icon2.png UGC United Nations Global Whitelist RGL Icon.png RGL UGC-Icon2.png UGC RGL Icon.png RGL ETF2L-Icon2.png ETF2L
Shotgun.png
Shotgun
Always Always Always Always Always Always
The Shotgun is the go-to secondary for Pocket Soldiers in the standard 6v6 format. It grants Soldier vastly increased staying power, which allows him to remain in battle after firing all of his rockets.
B.A.S.E. Jumper.png
B.A.S.E. Jumper
Allowed Banned Banned Allowed Allowed Allowed
The B.A.S.E. Jumper deploys a parachute when attempting to jump while midair. It allows Soldier to slowly glide to the ground, which can negate fall damage, but makes him extremely vulnerable to attacks, as its 50% reduced air control prevents him from dodging attacks while airborne.
Battalion's Backup2.png
Battalion's Backup
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
When activated, the Battalions Backup provides a defensive boost to Soldier and all nearby teammates, with even greater resistance to Sentry Guns. It completely negates the effects of a Kritzkrieg ÜberCharge, blocks critical hits, and grants Soldier 20 extra points of max health. The buff, which requires 600 points of damage to charge, allows Soldier to protect his team during pushes and retreats, but shares a weakness with the other banners: Soldier loses his Shotgun, preventing him from following up after running out of rockets. As Soldier's team size increases, his buff becomes more powerful - as such, it is rarely run in 6s. In Highlander, it can be used for both offensive pushes and defensive holds.
Buff Banner.png
Buff Banner
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Buff Banner grants Soldier and nearby teammates mini-crits. It is not widely used in sixes due to requiring Soldier to deal 600 points of damage to charge, but is sometimes used in the slower-paced Highlander. It can be useful during team pushes, or to halt an enemy push, but replaces Soldier's shotgun, reducing his staying power. While rarely used in 6s, it can be used to great effect in Highlander, especially during defensive holds; Soldier and Demoman can use the mini-crits to quickly force enemies off the objective.
Concheror2.png
Concheror
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Concheror, requires 20% less damage to charge than the other banners, When activated, it provides a speed boost and heals Soldier and his teammates by 35% of damage dealt. When equipped, Soldier gains passive health regeneration, which starts at 1 HP/second increases to 4 HP/second if he avoids taking damage for a while. The buff, which requires only 480 points of damage to charge, is extremely useful for improving a team's survivability during a push or hold, but like the other banners, denies Soldier use of his Shotgun. In Highlander, it can be used similarly to the Battalion's Backup, though its protection is less potent than its counterpart.
Gunboats.png
Gunboats
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Gunboats reduce health lost from rocket jumps by 60%, at the cost of Soldier's Shotgun. The reduced rocket jumping damage allows Soldier to bomb enemies with a far lower health cost, making it the go-to Secondary for Roaming Soldiers in 6v6 and for many Soldiers in Highlander. For more information on this item, see Gunboats.
Mantreads.png
Mantreads
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Mantreads give the Soldier a passive 75% knockback resistance, the ability to deal 3x falling damage to enemies he lands on, and 200% more air control. This weapon is rarely used in competitive play, as the minor increase in movement control is almost never worth losing the Shotgun or Gunboats.
Reserve Shooter.png
Reserve Shooter
Banned Banned Banned Allowed Allowed Banned
The Reserve Shooter deals mini-crits to airborne enemies. It has 4 shots in its clip, and deploys 15% faster. While the stock Shotgun is usually superior for the Pocket Soldier, the Reserve Shooter's stellar damage against explosive-launched opponents makes it extremely powerful for a Roamer to follow up with after bombing the enemy combo, as staying power is less of an issue. As such, this weapon is banned in most 6v6 leagues. In Highlander, Soldier's mobility is greatly restricted by Engineer and Heavy, so the weapon remains whitelisted.
Righteous Bison.png
Righteous Bison
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Righteous Bison functions as an extremely situational alternative to the Shotgun that can only be used effectively when spamming through a choke point. It has four shots in its clip, reloads faster, and fires a single piercing energy bolt. While it can hit multiple opponents, enemies tend to spread out to avoid Soldier's splash damage, and the Bison projectile is slow and easy to dodge. This weapon is almost never seen in competitive matches, as it its damage output is severely lacking.
Panic Attack.png
Panic Attack
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Panic Attack is a community-created primary weapon for the Engineer, and a secondary weapon for the Soldier, Pyro, and Heavy.

The Panic attack has a straight 20% damage penalty from the stock shotgun, but it fires 50% more bullets per shot, and deploys 50% faster. At point-blank range, it deals more damage than the stock shotgun, but even at short-to-mid range, it is often weaker, thanks to its reduced accuracy. This weapon excels at clearing out enemies at point-blank range, and can be used to follow up on Rocket Launcher damage near-instantly. However, it is nearly useless at medium range, leaving Soldier vulnerable to Scouts and Demomen, who can stay out of his effective range and attack with little threat of retaliation.


Melee[edit]

Weapon 4v4 6v6 Highlander
UGC-Icon2.png UGC United Nations Global Whitelist RGL Icon.png RGL UGC-Icon2.png UGC RGL Icon.png RGL ETF2L-Icon2.png ETF2L
Shovel.png
Shovel
Always Always Always Always Always Always
Like most stock weapons, the Shovel deals 65 damage every 0.8 seconds, allowing Soldier to do moderate damage when out of ammo. In competitive games, however, melee weapons are almost never used to deal damage, as players will almost always be able to shoot down a melee attacker before he can reach his target. Thus, utility weapons are almost always preferred over straight damage. As the Shovel has no special qualities, it is never used in serious games.
Disciplinary Action.png
Disciplinary Action
Allowed Banned Banned Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Disciplinary Action is a melee weapon used as a rollout tool for Highlander play. It deals 25% less damage, but has a greatly increased melee range, making it arguably better than the stock Shovel in a fight. When Soldier hits a teammate with this weapon, both he and his teammate gain a significant speed boost for a few seconds. It is extremely powerful in getting teammates to the front lines, and thus is banned in most 6v6 leagues. In Highlander leagues, however, it is outclassed by Engineer's Teleporter, so it remains whitelisted.
Equalizer2.png
Equalizer
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Equalizer becomes more powerful as Soldier's health decreases. However, it sees little use, as melee weapons are ineffective in a fight - Soldier will almost always be killed before he can enter melee range. While it can be used to build ÜberCharge with a Medic, the Escape Plan can do the same, and is useful in more situations than the Equalizer.
Escape Plan2.png
Escape Plan
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
When deployed, the Escape Plan increases Soldier's speed as he takes damage. The lower his health is, the faster Soldier will run; at 40 health and below, he becomes almost as fast as a Scout. As a downside, the weapon reduces Medic's healing (both Medi-Guns and Crossbow) by 90% while active, and all incoming attacks will mini-crit. This weapon is especially useful to flee from fights when Soldier has open ground to run through, and is the most common melee choice for all 6v6 Soldiers. Additionally, the increased movement speed paired with Soldier's ability to damage himself allows him to perform certain rollouts much faster.
Half-Zatoichi.png
Half-Zatoichi
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Half-Zatoichi heals Soldier by 100 health on kill, possibly overhealing him, but if he deploys and holsters it without landing a kill, he will lose 50 health. If holstering the weapon would kill him, Soldier will be unable to do so. As such, the Half-Zatoichi is rarely used in 6v6, but is sometimes equipped by roaming Highlander Soldiers to increase survivability.
Market Gardener.png
Market Gardener
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Market Gardener is used as a pick weapon, most often by Roaming Soldiers. If Soldier hits an enemy while airborne from a blast jump, he will deal a critical hit. This makes it a high-risk, high-reward weapon. If Soldier lands a hit on the enemy Medic, he is guaranteed a kill, as opposed to simply forcing the Medic to use his ÜberCharge. If Soldier misses, he will die and accomplish nothing. The Market Gardener is far less popular than the Escape Plan; unless Soldier can remain undetected until the last second, he will almost certainly be shot down by the enemy combo before reaching his target.
Pain Train.png
Pain Train
Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
The Pain Train increases the user's capture rate by 1 (from 1x to 2x), at the cost of a 10% bullet damage vulnerability. In the standard 6v6 format, Demoman often equips the Pain Train in order to capture points faster, though Soldier can also do so to benefit his team.


See Also[edit]