Vitals
Health: 300
Speed: 77% (27% while spinning)
Type: Defensive
Weapons: Minigun, Shotgun, Fists
Weapons:
Ammo: 200
Damage: 50-55 per 1 ammo, 200/sec (400/sec)
Best range: Short to medium
Information:
Nicknamed “Sasha,” the minigun is perhaps the most fearsome weapon at close range, right up there with the flamethrower. It tends to be better at actually killing things, but its massive rate of fire, high damage, and large, non-reloaded clip is offset by its humorous inaccuracy. Also the heavy must spin the barrel for 1 second before he can start firing. It is well worth noting that holding secondary fire keeps the barrel spinning allowing instantaneous fire, but so long as the gun is spinning, movement speed is reduced to a crawl (about a third of the heavy’s normal, slow speed).
The minigun is very much suited to enclosed areas, and excels when the target is running towards the heavy, rather than the other way around (i.e. when the heavy is defending something). Don’t bother using the minigun for targets at medium to long range however, since you will do minimal damage and simply become as sitting duck for snipers, soldiers, demomen and especially spies. The minigun’s blazing rate of fire also means you need to pick up more often, so be on the lookout for ammo boxes, or more conveniently dropped weapons (especially bigger ones).
Advantages: Huge rate of fire, devastating damage at short to medium range, mere presence intimidates enemies, large ammo reserve and no reloads.
Disadvantages: Woefully inaccurate beyond medium range, reduces movement speed to a crawl while spinning, chews through ammo reserve very quickly, often difficult to reload without a dispenser.
Ammo: 6/32
Damage: 78-90 (180)
Best range: Short
Information:
The shotgun is very much a standard issue weapon. 4 of the 9 classes have one, and the scout’s scattergun is similar (but better). It holds 6 shells, and each shot fires 10 bullets. As you would expect from a shotgun, it does the most damage at point blank, and its effectiveness falls off fast beyond that. At about medium range or beyond it’s probably a good idea to switch to anything else that isn’t melee.
The advantage of the shotgun however is that although it reloads at a pretty ordinary speed, it fires relatively quickly, and so long as there’s at least one shell loaded, it can be fired at will, even while reloading. Its best use is as a backup, using your primary (or other) weapon to close in on your target, and switching to the shotgun when you get to close range or run out of other ammo. Otherwise it’s okay at long rang for annoying or distracting an enemy.
Advantages: Decent damage and short to medium range, effective for pursuing and finishing off ignited and retreating enemies.
Disadvantages: Pretty ineffective beyond medium range, small clip and slow reload.
Ammo: N/A
Damage: 45-85 (195)
Information:
The massive heavy’s fists are a thing to fear. Primary fire for a left-handed jab or secondary fire for a right-handed one (this has no effect on gameplay). Critical hits are always a right-handed uppercut. The fists are 3rd for most frequent critical hits (according to Valve’s TF2 Stats).
