The 6v6 guide
Six players, four core classes and the most-played format in competitive TF2. Here's how a team fits together, what each role is responsible for, how it gets to the middle point at the start of a round, and what it carries.
How a team is built
Every role has a job of its own, and together they keep the whole map covered. A 6v6 team splits into two groups.
The combo
Medic, Demoman, pocket Soldier and combo Scout. These four control the map and set the pace of the game.
The flank
The roamer and the flank Scout. Always on the opposite side to their combo, they make sure nobody gets behind the team, slip behind enemy lines and win small advantages - a kill, a strong position. They mostly heal from health packs and only occasionally come back to their Medic.
In today's game the combo Scout is the Medic's main bodyguard, which leaves the pocket Soldier a freer role than the name suggests.
The six roles
Medic
The most important class in 6v6. Healing looks like a supporting job, but the Medic sets the pace of the game: they can see their team's health - and the enemy's, with the Solemn Vow - so they decide when to take a fight and when to avoid one. The whole game revolves around their precious Übercharge.
There is a set healing order: the Demoman until they jump out of reach, then the roamer for as long as possible, then both Scouts - and on the approach to the middle, a crossbow arrow into the pocket Soldier before overhealing them fully.
- Primary
Crusader's Crossbow- Secondary
Medi Gun
Kritzkrieg- Melee
Übersaw
Solemn Vow
Demoman
The second most important class in 6v6 and the team's biggest source of area damage. Strong on defence - hidden sticky traps win kills and numbers advantages, while visible ones work like a minefield to stop a push - and just as strong on offence: heavy damage to several players at once, destroying sentries, and locking down whole areas so the team can move.
Once overhealed in spawn, chains sticky jumps to reach the middle fast.
- Primary
Iron Bomber
Loch-n-Load
Grenade Launcher- Secondary
Stickybomb Launcher
Quickiebomb Launcher- Melee
- Any
Pocket Soldier
Still protects the Medic, but the job has changed over the years: today they also create space for the combo to move into, while taking as little healing as possible. Helps build Über when both Scouts are dead or off-classing.
In spawn, rocket their own feet to drop below 50 HP, switch to the Escape Plan to sprint to the middle, then swap back to the launcher so the Medic can overheal them fast.
- Primary
Rocket Launcher
Original- Secondary
Gunboats- Melee
Escape Plan
Combo Scout
Also called the pocket Scout
Protects the Medic: makes sure anyone diving them never gets there, or dies quickly. Stays close so the Medic can use the Scout's speed to get in and out of fights. Also builds Über or Kritzkrieg charge by taking hits from the Boston Basher or Three-Rune Blade.
Stays close to the Medic, so they reach the middle with as much overheal as possible - and the Medic gets there faster by borrowing the Scout's speed.
- Primary
Scattergun- Secondary
Pistol
Lugermorph
C.A.P.P.E.R
Winger- Melee
Boston Basher
Three-Rune Blade
Roamer
Creates space by getting behind enemy lines and going straight for the enemy Medic - to kill them, or to force them to use their Über to survive. Otherwise, holds an area the rest of the team isn't watching.
Once overhealed, chains rocket jumps to reach the middle as fast as possible.
- Primary
- Rocket LauncherOriginal
- Secondary
- Gunboats
- Melee
- Escape Plan
Flank Scout
Controls the parts of the map the combo isn't in. Usually the player who off-classes - defending the last point, attacking it, or breaking a stalemate.
Like the combo Scout, stays fairly close to the Medic to arrive at the middle fully overhealed.
- Primary
- Scattergun
- Secondary
- PistolLugermorphC.A.P.P.E.RWinger
- Melee
- Boston BasherThree-Rune Blade
Off-classing
Pyro, Heavy, Engineer, Sniper and Spy are the 6v6 off-classes. When the two teams cancel each other out, it's common to see a Scout (usually the flank) or a Soldier (usually the roamer) switch to one of them - to break into the enemy's point or to hold their own.
How a map is won
- 5CP maps
A map lasts 30 minutes, and the first team to win 5 rounds takes it early. A round is won by capturing all five points; it has its own 4-minute timer, reset by every capture, and a round nobody captures in time is a stalemate and resets. If neither team has 5 when the 30 minutes are up, the target becomes one more than the leading score - at 2-2 it's first to 3, at 1-3 first to 4.
- King of the Hill maps
No time limit: the first team to win 3 rounds takes the map (4 in RGL). A round is won by holding the single point until your own 3-minute clock runs out.
The details vary a little between leagues, so check your league's rules before your first match.
Maps being played right now
Browse every mapEvery map played regularly in official matches over the last six months, most-played first - straight from this site's results, so it's always current. Open a map for its callout diagram, video guides, stats and recent matches.
5CP
5CP
King of the Hill
5CP
5CP
5CP
King of the Hill
5CPNew to the lingo?
Rollouts, callouts, focus, sacwaves, crit heals and the rest of the vocabulary are all explained in the jargon buster.
Open the jargon busterReady to play?
Jump into a pickup game to try what you've read, then find a team for your first season.