How to capture the last point in Junction?

Question

Some areas in TF2 are just horrid to attack. Two come to mind: Egypt, fourth point and Junction, last point. This question is about the latter.

There are five ways to approach the point from and they all suck. Let's take a look at the map from top-bottom:

Please forgive my greek. You can:

1. Approach from point B, going straight down the stairs. This path sucks because:
   • Point α is a great spy area to shut down your big pushes
   • Sentries built on point β, as well as enemies covering that corner, have the height advantage on you as you approach the point and the railings become an effective shield from most explosives.
   • Point γ is a very popular and hidden spot for dispensers and, if neglected (a successful uber would probably push straight for C!) allows the red engineers to quickly redeploy β.
   • Red can effectively push through these stairs en-masse and shut down everything an engineer can build in the room η. Should they succeed, Red can pour all the way down to the Blu spawn; yes, this does open a small window of opportunity for overextension, but back-capping point C (12 seconds at ×1, 8 at ×2) is quite the feat.
2. Approach from point B, but through the window ("B/C flank") facing straight from the point. This is an effective solution to snipe sentries built on point δ, but it still sucks because:
   • It is very easy for pyros to detonator-jump on point ε and negate ubers.
   • Corridor ζ is very very easy to spam.
   • While you are on level with point β, the railing is still in the way.
3. From point A, go all the way down the corridor to C to the farthest door. This approach sucks for all the reasons approach #1 sucks, but even more as the stairs to C are upwards making it even harder to attack sentries in point θ (the mirror position of β), as well as making it super easy to rain spam down the corridor.
4. From point A go straight to C through the nearest door. This sucks like #3 except without the stairs and without obvious ways for engineers to support their team on the way through. I've tried building on A, but this requires teammates to either crouch jump over point the point's railings or walk all the way around it. Neither works well.
5. This is a little bit obscure: set up shop on the corridor between B and A ("A/C flank") and attack from there. It's got an obvious place for a teleporter and a dispenser (what about the sentry though?) and the angled approach can make edging sentries on θ slightly more easier, but also opens up from pyro flanks. Additionally a spy can easily use path 4 backwards to sap all your stuff, a process that's harder for a nest on path 1.

So, all the options for Blu suck and as a result all games seem to end on a score of 2-2. Or is it just the server I frequent? What is the key to break down Junction?

Answer 1

Ah its been a while since I've played this map

What I generally try to encourage my team to do is:

(All letter and number references are taken from OP, see pic in OP for relevant info)

Split up to attack from both 1 and 4. If people don't want to split up, I recommend 1. The entrance of the push doesnt matter much but I recommend entrance 1 for its close proximity to the stairs up to C. I know that all the entrances suck, but thats where the other players come in. Its good to split up because it makes RED look both ways and they have to hold two fronts.

You need a good spy or two, and good demomen and medics to pop an uber. Spys go in around point γ, not to backstab, but to sap and annoy the other team. The last time I played, this was my job and I had a field day. If you can get backstabs then go ahead, but the main goal is to annoy and distract the enemy. Sap buildings, and keep sapping till an engy takes a swing at you, then retreat to a corner to hide. Then go back once he leaves to heal his other sentries. Eventually the engies become annoyed and try to chase you. All you have to do is let your teammates know when the engie is away from his post, then medic-demoman pops in and blows the sentries away, and at the same time you sap the dispensers in the back. As the engie comes to save his dispensers, get ready to backstab, or the medic-demoman team can swoop in and blow up the engies too! Then everyone rushes in while the buildings are down, heavy damage classes hold the doors while scouts/spys cap the point. Congratz you won!

Also, with one spy at γ it means another spy could go to δ, then if that engie leaves to help the others, sap his buildings in his absence. The spys can take down sentries all by themselves through team work.

Of course its not just up to the spies, while they are distracting all the other classes have jobs to do too!

• Scout (1 Recommended): Another distraction! Use BONK Atomic Punch to sprint past sentries, hide in a corner for it to recharge, then do it again! RED will chase after you in your corner and try to kill you, but you could buy your team a short advantage, or maybe take out a RED or two for an ever greater edge for your team!
• Soldier (1-2 Recommended): Keep those sentries a'hurting. Peek around the wall, fire a rocket before the sentry gets a lock, then behind the wall again. Keep the engies focused on repairing their guns so a spy could backstab them, you might even be able to bring one down if the engy gets distracted!
• Pyro (1 Recommended): Keep spys and grenades from your engies. Basically help defend your team's little alcove, and help with the push too when the time comes.
• Demoman (2-3 Recommended): Same as soldier. Hurt sentries when you can. And always be ready for the big push.
• Engineer (1 Recommended): Teleporter from spawn to your forward 'base', then dispenser for your team-mates, and a sentry in case a RED attack comes along. Keep on the lookout for spies!
• Heavy (1 Recommended): Same as soldier, attack the sentries but retreat before you die. Take some damage so that medics can get their ubers up quicker. Also be on the look out for RED attackers.
• Medic (2 Recommended): Get those ubers ready!!!!!
• Sniper (0 Recommended): Honestly, unless you're really good, change classes now. Don't really need a sniper at this point, but if you're good as one keep the enemies from charging at your team, keep them up at C.
• Spy (1-2 Recommended)

Its all about letting the uber go at the right time, when the engies are far from their sentries so they can be taken down with a engie constantly repairing them. Then your team makes the big push to cap the point.

A few things about this though:

The enemy could easily realize you have spies annoying the engies, and of course then, out comes the pyros. Make the most of your surroundings by jumping off C to escape them. Or if you can, lure them back to your team's 'base' and have a solider or heavy finish them off. Or of course if you're good enough you could just kill them ;)

Another problem is your team-mates. I know this is called TEAM Fortress 2, but a lot of hatless (and hat-wearing) players seem to forget that at times. So, usually not everyone on your team listens to plans, and you get the occaisonal friendly soldier/heavy rambo, the one who just runs in and dies almost instantly from the RED sentries, maybe getting a kill or two before utter destruction. Maybe no one wants to play medic, or everyone wants to play pyro. Your team will almost never be perfect. But, with a little coaxing, you might be able to get a few people to listen and follow the above plan as best as possible, maybe an Engy, a Medic, a Demo and a Spy, then let the rest of the team do what they will.

TL;DR version:

Use spys to sap and distract while the team gets ready for a big push, then push all at once. The entrance of the push doesnt matter much but I recommend entrance 1 for its close proximity to the stairs up to C

This is an extremely hard map to win as BLU, but it is possible :)