This is a question you may ask yourself after clicking on this guide : What is a Combat Medic ?

First of all, one important point has to be set, a "Combat Medic" is different from a "Rambo Medic". To put it simply :

• Combat Medics are Medics who are particularely active. They switch patients extremely often and will not hesitate to heal inferior pockets if this means said player can push through. They will attempt to keep their Ubercharge and pocket in good conditions but are expected to never just sit around in spawn waiting for a full Ubercharge to give to their clanmate unless their team is literally spawncamped. They finally will not hesitate to fire back and defend themselves, but they understand they can't take the whole enemy team by themselves
  
• Rambo Medics are a notch higher in their aggresivity. They will not hesitate to let go of their healing targets to give a serious beating to the opposing enemy, and will generally never charge beyond 50 %. They will generally be found roaming the frontlines, alternating between their weapons when alert and their medigun when everything seems calm. They are generally looked down upon as a waste of a player slot (even though they can still give quite a beating)

This guide is about the former. It is important to understand that while Combat Medics are expected to beat down anything that gets in their way (especially if their pocket is completely oblivious), they aren't killing machines by any means and eventually all kills made by the Combat Medic will be lost if the rest of the team doesn't follow through in time

Now that this was clarified, let's get to the second part of this tutorial : How to effectively play as a Combat Medic !

Obviously, Combat Medics will generally need to use certain loadouts. However, almost any combination can work, and it isn't my job to tell you what you should absolutely use

Three things are important here : The primary, the secondary, and the melee

• All the Syringue Launchers are generally considered as good weapons for close range encounters. Most attackers will just walk right into the syringues, and then regret it quickly
  All Syringue Guns have bonuses and drawbacks, but the only thing that is important is to know which one fits your playstyle. The stock is polyvalent, the Blutsauger is useful against pesky enemies such as Scouts or Spies and the Overdose can allow Combat Medics to recieve a well-deserved speed bonus when playing safely and storing Ubercharge away
  
• The Crossbow somewhat stands out. It trades out the ability to be spammed freely at enemies for a one-shot high precision arrow (albeit with no headshots). This gun is not particularly devastating by any means, but allows the Medic to send out devastating shoots at long range (The damage increases with range, up to around 75 damage near Sniper distance). It can also be noted that firing at allies with this weapon will heal them, though this is rather situational

• The Medigun is somewhat less desirable for Combat Medic gameplay. While it does an extremely good job at healing people, the Ubercharge it sports takes a ridiculously long amount of time to charge (at least compared to the average lifespan you will have in a direct confrontation if your escape fails). It should only be used if there's no other way around it (for example when trying to bring down a well-built sentry nest)
  
• The Kritzkrieg is a significantly better Combat Medic secondary, especially in regards to the charging time. The Ubercharge itself doesn't do miracles, but it allows you to literally empower any teammate you find and will transform them into a critical miracle. Since it includes otherwise "bad classes" like the Scout, Engineer, Sniper or Spy the Kritzkrieg can double as a more effective last resort backup when no valid pockets are availible
  
• The Quick-Fix may sound like an useful weapon, but the fact that it can't overheal should automatically make it look like a crutch, at least in your eyes. To put it simply, the reason why your teammates can cover you so easily while attacking is because you extended their health pools (and also left some "standing health", meaning you don't have to turn back at every shot to keep them in good condition), and no amounts of sped-up healing can make up for it. The Ubercharge itself should be considered as garbage by all meanings, not giving better defense nor attack and only preventing your pocket from getting picked off by low damage spam
  
• The Vaccinator is extremely complicated to master, but sadly it likely isn't worth the cost. Since your push will be aggresive, it will be very unlikely that you could just swap between resistances and keep your pocket in good conditions. The nerfed overheal and the near complete lack of critical protection stack up to make it an inferior weapon short of perfect marskmanship with it

• The Bonesaw should be traded out for any other melee whenever possible, as they all are upgrades (or at least sidegrades)
  
• The Ubersaw does just that, all succesful hits will reward you with 25 % Ubercharge, and a complete taunt kill will immediatly charge you up. Notice however that it can be pretty risky, and that it may only be useful if the ongoing battle became a spammy mess, allowing you to get a few hits in without attracting direct wrath from the enemies you're hurting. Spies are also notorious for not giving you any serious amounts of Ubercharge (none when triggering a Dead Ringer or hitting a disguised Spy with a non-lethal hit) along with the risk of facestabbing you, you have been warned
  
• The Amputator allows you to taunt to regenerate all allies around you, and can pair with the Crusador's Crossbow to increase health regeneration. However it should only be used if you are going to keep your melee in your pocket and you do not intend to use other passive bonuses
  
• The Solemn Vow gives you a simple straightforward buff : You can now see enemy health (in the same fashion than Spies do) ! It can be coupled with the Crusader's Crossbow to allow you to pick off weakened enemies, and is otherwise useful to consider wherever you should run or hold your ground
  
• The Vita-Saw stands out somewhat. It will allow you to keep 20 % of the Ubercharge you had when you died (rounded down). Note that it can help to get you back into the action a bit faster (especially when coupled with the Overdose), but it should not be overestimated : 20 % of Ubercharge is rather trivial, especially if you die with a full charge to get it

My loadout is the following :

• The Crusador's Crossbow
  
• The Kritzkrieg
  
• The Solemn Vow

However, feel free to try out other combinations. You shouldn't use this loadout if you have too much trouble with it, use something that feels natural to you (especially with the Primary)

While a Combat Medic stands out for the amount of damage he can safely inflict to the enemy team, your team should not be underestimated in any way

Before going into more specific guidelines, let's get you to Meet the Team (again)

• Health : 125 HP (185 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 133 % (26 % faster than you)
  
• Damage output : Medium. More effective when close to enemies and flanking
  
• Pocket priority : Very low. Should be ignored unless they need immediate healing
  
• General location : Flanking and roaming from objective to objective
  
• What should I do ?: If everyone seems fine, check quickly to see if he's hurt, and heal him up if he is. If he's the only valid ally around to help, buff him and get the hell out of here immediatly. Do not Ubercharge him if you don't know what you're doing, he'll go down in a breeze and you will go with him. Also do not underestimate his power at objective play (you are second, tied with the Spy for intel carrying, cart pushing and point capping), an Intel Scout is top priority until you are certain that the enemies will need to fight your pocket to get to him

• Health : 200 HP (300 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 80 % (27 % slower than you)
  
• Damage output : High. Depends highly on the skill of the Soldier and the dodging skills of the targeted enemy
  
• Pocket priority : High. They are mobile enough to not be too much of a crutch, and are extremely good recipients for a Kritzkrieg. Consider keeping them buffed and close by whenever possible
  
• General location : Frontlines, some higher skill Soldiers will be roaming and flanking from above
  
• What should I do ?: Heal him whenever he's in sight, and nobody will cross him without double-thinking. Soldiers are correct recipients for Kritzkrieg charges, as said above, especially since they can switch to their Shotgun once their Rocket Launcher is out (it packs a very serious punch when critboosted). Few people will try to fight a charged Soldier head-on
  Note however that Soldiers are rather slow, and can easily let quick enemies like Scouts slip away. You should consider buffing him and then taking your weapon out if the situation seems calm

• Health : 175 HP (260 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 100 % (7 % slower than you)
  
• Damage output : High. Don't expect enemies to last very long at melee range
  
• Pocket priority : High. They are the most mobile combat pocket you'll get, and can simply decimate entire platoons when charged
  
• General location : Frontlines, may flank
  
• What should I do ?: Heal him immediatly, he needs this health since he has no potent ranged attack. Consider using him as a meatshield if a Scout or Spy attempts to take you out. A Kritzkrieg Pyro will spell doom to the enemy team if they can get in range, so do not hesitate to buff one whenever possible. Note that you are a valuable asset with the Crusador's Crossbow, allowing you to somewhat cover him at range (though be extremely careful of Snipers)

• Health : 175 HP (260 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 93 % (14 % slower than you)
  
• Damage output : High. Depends alot of the skill of the Demoman
  
• Pocket priority : Medium. They are a decent fighting class, but they aren't supposed to rely on Medics and can easily get outgunned with their explosive-focused gameplay, getting you in trouble easily. Sentry Guns are an exception (even though the buff should only be used to protect the Demoman while he places his trap
  
• General location : Frontlines, will generally attempt to stay clear of Sentry Nests to set up traps
  
• What should I do ?: Heal him if everything seems to be going nicely. This is not recommended to use him as a pocket, since he will likely be forced to let pest classes slip through while reloading. While he is the best pocket for Sentry Nest destruction, he will generally not need your support to install the trap, buff him and then pocket another ally to protect him (and then to clean up, Pyros and Heavies are recommended). Average Kritzkrieg recipient if you're not going against cluster of enemies

• Health : 300 HP (450 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 77 % (40 % slower than you)
  
• Damage output : Very High. Kritzkriegs can be devastating
  
• Pocket priority : High. He can easily clean up rogue enemies, just don't underestimate his health pool. You don't need to stay behind him for hours, just make sure to keep him buffed somewhat
  
• General location : Frontlines
  
• What should I do ?: Buff him and then leave him alone until you both reach the battle (rebuff him if you encounter a rogue enemy or if his buff goes away). You should not just stand still behind him when healing, try to check for Spies. He is a fearful Kritzkrieg recipient and enemies will not stand a chance if they do not have cover. Note that it is not your fault if he gets sniped, crit'd or (despite your spychecking efforts) stabbed, this is the destiny of many overzealous Heavies, just move on and try not to share his fate

• Health : 125 HP (185 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 100 % (7 % slower than you)
  
• Damage output : Medium. His shotgun should not be underestimated
  
• Pocket priority : Low. Only heal him if he's really willing to give a fight or if you are stationned near his nest. Dispensers heal but sometimes having a Medic is much better (you can also spycheck while you're at it)
  
• General location : Attending his buildings, maybe roaming
  
• What should I do ?: Buff him for the free Ubercharge and move on. If you find one on the frontlines, he can act as a good recipient for a last resort Kritzkrieg. Try not to underestimate him, but avoid crutching yourself if he's passive

• Health : 150 HP (225 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 107 % (your speed)
  
• Damage output : Low. Medics are not known for their damage output
  
• Pocket priority : Low. You're better off healing a different patient than healing eachother
  
• General location : On the main push, possibly roaming the frontlines
  
• What should I do ?: Buff him, he'll need it. Try to keep him alive since 2 Medics can do a particularly good job on the frontlines. Avoid Kritzkriegs in all cases

• Health : 125 HP (185 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 100 % (7 % slower than you)
  
• Damage output : Medium. Snipers are obviously not known for damage output, but headshots pack a serious punch
  
• Pocket priority : Low. Can work if you are getting shut down by an enemy Sniper (just stay in cover, 1 bodyshot or 1 twitch headshot will do quick work of you)
  
• General location : As far back as his scope magnification will allow him
  
• What should I do ?: Buff him to allow him to resist bodyshots and twitch headshots (uncharged quickscopes headshots), do not underestimate the damage output of a competent Kritzkrieg Sniper

• Health : 125 HP (185 HP when buffed)
  
• Speed : 100 % (7 % slower than you)
  
• Damage output : Very Low. His Revolver can somewhat work in a hurry, still not very impressive
  
• Pocket priority : Very Low. You're basically blowing his cover
  
• General location : As far behind the enemy lines as his cloak meter will get him, maybe rushing back to your lines with half of his body severed
  
• What should I do ?: Heal him if he's hurt, avoid overhealing him unless you're sure he could use it. Very competent Spies (generally the ones wearing cosmetics, using stock weapons/YER and not using the Dead Ringer) can do a decent Kritzkrieg recipient, many underestimate the damage output of the Revolver, which can 2-shot crit 8 classes out of 9. You're also very likely to find him behind the enemy lines, making him a potential last resort if you went too far ahead

With that covered, we need to set a few points to be an effective Combat Medic with your team :

• Keep moving, constantly. If you're not pressing down a movement key for a full second you're doing it wrong, and enemies will let you know very violently
  
• Keep an eye out for Spies (will be covered next)
  
• In general try to keep an eye out for flankers. Do not hesitate to run away if you feel your pocket(s) will not be able to help you in time, switch to your weponry in all cases, you're in danger
  
• Locate the frontlines, every second spent behind your lines is wasted, you're not supposed to sit back at your spawn building Ubercharge
  
• Stay clear of Snipers, they will ruin your day if they know what they are doing
  
• Know when to fire and when to heal. If your teammates are going below 50 % health and you can't pick off whatever is killing them, start healing immediatly
  
• Spread out the healing, there's no point in keeping that Soldier alive if you get half of your team killed for it
  
• Do not overestimate your offensive power, there are times where you should simply be running
  
• Your Kritzkrieg is not top priority, but if you get one you should immediatly look for the nearest ally who is still pushing. Charge him, let him do his work and when it starts running out consider what should be next. If he's going to die just leave him be and try to get the rest of the team to move ahead, otherwise keep pushing through
  
• Kritzkrieg recipients should be mobile, engaged and ready to unleash serious damage on whatever is ahead. Spun-up Heavies and reloading Soldiers do not always make the best buddy

With that covered, we will not get into specific 1 VS 1 strategies. All enemies should be dealt with the same way : Dodge, stay clear, try to run in for the killing blow if you feel you've got it or keep your distance otherwise

This is it, with one exception...

Spies can be a party killer, and sometimes quite literally if you become too overzealous. As such, due to your situation as a support class and the fact that you are almost constantly covering your team anyway, you are tasked with the hard task of Spychecking

First of all, an absolute rule : If you detect an enemy Spy, and he's going for you or your patients, drop absolutely everything you're doing and deal with him until he's not a threat anymore (either by killing him or forcing him to flee). Trying to keep your patients healthy while "dealing" with the Spy will lead to laughable results, and if nobody intervenes people will die

This section should not need too much explanations, a quick guide to finding these enemy Spies :

• Any healthy person making a straight beeline for you should immediatly be tagged as a potential Spy, and should be fired upon. Most Spies will be completely careless and with assume they can "save some time" by running up to you in the most obvious of fashions
  
• Any person attempting to dodge around the allies in your push should be checked, especially if he seems to be making his way to a critical target (or that lacking, you)
  
• Anyone coming from an unsual direction should be checked, that includes people walking straight at you from the enemy side and people more or less literally "walking out of a closet"
  
• Any teammate that doesn't belong (Engineer with no intention to fight or build, Sniper, Spy) or is acting weirdly (generally just taking a romantic walk around the frontlines when they should be firing back) should in general be checked
  
• You are also supposed to check for telltale signs. Sapped buildings, ear-piercing screams, freezing sounds, ice statues and decloak sounds make little doubt, keep an eye out and doublecheck every corner
  
• If you can't kill a Spy before he does damage, better your pocket than you. Do not try to act heroic by trying to take hits, healing your pocket and bodyblocking the Spy, it will almost certainly end badly, and sometimes worse than if you just let the Spy take out your pocket (especially if he's a decent Spy or he uses the YER)
  
• Do not underestimate his Revolver, if the fight drags on he will make you pay for it by gunning you down
  
• Do not underestimate his Knife either, Matador Stabs or plain facestabs are more common than you'd think, so try to keep a distance, even when meleeing

This short guide should hopefully have supplied you with the basic informations needed to take an effective Combat Medic gameplay. Note that most of it was somewhat technical (it could have been extended to last dozens of pages will all sorts of class VS class match-ups, but it would have been filler at best) and that the best way to train yourself after reading this is to drop in a pub and start healing

And remember, a good Medic is like a moving Sentry Nest. He can dish out some serious damage if he gets decent support, yet keep his team alive and pushing forward if you let him. And that's what separates him from the Rambo Medic, he's not just a damage class !

Basically, friendship is magic (and painful for your enemies) /) ( <---- Yes this meeem was needed )

Quick Credits :

• Valve for Team Fortress 2
  
• Me (dylanstrategie) for the guide
  
• Whoever is the guy who invented the brohoof thing for the brohoof thing
  
• Captain Obvious for coming up with the above credits
  
• Some guy at "Gamebanana" for the intro picture