The 'Shroom:Issue LXIX/TF2 Christmas Community Event
Play Team Fortress 2? Want to mob half a dozen poor, innocent men? Then come join the Christmas Calamity 2012!
Stooben, TheFreshPrince, Toadbert, Groden, Martiniman, and Uniju have decided to challenge nine random players, to various matches of Control Points, Payload, and King of the Hill. However, there are rules, not just 3 Medics and 3 Heavies daring you to fight them with more bullshit tactics. The Veterans are using the standard 6v6 competitive standards, while the Challengers are running the standard Highlander competitive standards. What does this all mean?
Highlander means there is one of each class, and nothing less or nothing more. Basically, what the idea of 9 classes working to balance each other's faults out is truly all about, instead of spamming 4 of the same class. You can be whatever class you like, so long as no one else is currently playing it or doesn't agree to switch.
6v6 restrictions are 2 of every class, except for 1 Heavy, Engineer, Medic, and Demoman. There is almost always a Demoman and a Medic simply because they are too good to not use, but the remaining 4 have jobs, not specified classes. They are the Roamer, the Pocket, and the Utilities. On a very generalized level, the cookie-cutter team is 1 Medic, 1 Demoman, 2 Soldiers, and 2 Scouts.
The Roamer is almost always a Soldier, and does a variety of things. First, he watches the flanks and controls high ground so the enemy Roamer doesn't. Second, he follows his namesake, and roams the map attempting to ambush priority targets on the enemy team. Last, he serves as the backup protector of the Medic should the Pocket die. Sometimes the Roamer may go Sniper or Pyro should strategy call chokepoint defending.
The Pocket is also almost always a Soldier, but might go Heavy when the team is defending the last point when speed is not a huge priority. He protects the Medic from ambushers, while leading assaults against the enemy team. If the Medic goes down, he usually resorts to being a second, more defensive Roamer.
Lastly, the Utilities are usually Scouts. They carry out more variable strategy, like going offensive or defensive. Sometimes, one or both of the Scouts may switch classes for strategic reasons. A common example is Sniper or Spy for picking off their Medic, Pyro for defending chokepoints, and Engineer for defending the last point. The Utilities' jobs are protecting the Demoman, watching flanks, fighting off enemy Utilities, and picking the Medic.
Competitive is more than class restrictions, as well. Random critical hits, giving a 2% chance to deal three times regular damage, are disabled to remove luck from the factor of winning. Shotgun pellet spread is made linear and more predictable, as well. On Attack/Defend and Payload-type maps, Stopwatch mode takes place. Players have to beat their enemy's time needed to capture however many points they get. If they capture one point in 12 minutes, then the other team is going to have an easy time winning. If they capture two points in 5 minutes, then the other team will go through hell in a handbasket.
Well, that's how its all being played. Again, the Veterans are in 6v6 restrictions, while the Challengers (that means you!) have one of each class. The game is a "come-and-go" experience, meaning you are free to join the Challengers so long as a slot is available, but can leave any time. Contact any of the aforementioned players in order to gain access, if you're not already involved. We hope to see you there!
We will be playing on December 22nd at 5:00 PM EST! Please come if you can!
