A forward base can be a wonderful asset to your team, if it is laid out properly.
Step 1
Learn how to be an engineer. A better engineer equals a better team.
Step 2
Before leaving respawn, place a teleporter entrance, and restock your metal.
Step 3
Find a secluded corner near the front lines, but far enough back to avoid immediate attack.
Step 4
Build a dispenser in the corner, or behind you. This way, you will not have to leave to get more metal.
Step 5
Your next priority should be to build a sentry.
Step 6
Try to get your sentry up to level three as fast as possible, as a level 3 is far more difficult to defeat than a level 1.
Step 7
Your next priority is to build a teleporter exit, on your side, facing away from you. At this point, you should have plenty of cover, have a sentry in front of you, a dispenser behind you, and an exit next to you. From this point, you can easily repair all elements of your forward base.
Tips
- Work with another engineer, if possible. Either create two bases that protect the other's flanks or make one super base.
- If you choose to create one base, follow the same layout, but make sure there is enough room for both engineers and any dispenser users.
- Make sure your dispenser is within easy reach of your teammates.
- Always upgrade your sentries, dispensers, and teleporters as soon as possible. Your upgrade priorities should be: Sentry, Dispenser, Teleporter.
- If you are on a server that allows you to build multiple sentries, build them in a semicircle pattern around your base or in an overlapping circle grid.
- On Payload maps, your starting position may tend to change depending on how far the cart has been pushed. If no-one's used your teleporter for a while it may be a sign that the cart has progressed and it's time to start your teleport system again.
- During the setup phase on maps where you're restricted to your starting area until the match begins, switch to engineer and assist any engies who are setting up preliminary teleports/sentries etc to upgrade them. As long as you go back to your spawn, you can switch back classes without dying and having to wait to respawn.
Warnings
- Always be aware of spies! One of their top goals is to sap your forward base. Protecting is easier with multiple engineers working together, so if you see a fellow engineer's sentry being sapped, do something! One engineer can kill the spy while the other fixes buildings.
- Never let your metal supply run too low. You never know when you will have to conduct emergency repairs. If you build the dispenser first you should have no problem.
- Another good option is to have a pyro camp with you next to a dispenser so he has unlimited ammo. He then emits a constant fire spray, checking anyone who comes into the base.
