Spy checking

A BLU Pyro successfully spy-checks teammates leaving their spawn on Harvest.

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Hard ta stab a guy in da back when he's beatin' ya freakin' head in, huh? Click to listen — The Scout on anti-espionage

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Spy-checking is the common term for when team members begin to search the area and other teammates in order to determine the whereabouts of enemy Spies. It is important to remember that Spies cannot attack while disguised, cannot immediately attack or place Sappers after decloaking, and make their kills by attacking from behind. The process is somewhat complicated by the fact that disguised Spies can use the Dead Ringer to make a hasty escape when discovered.

How to Spy-Check

General

• Remember that members of opposite teams cannot pass through each other. If you bump into a teammate and cannot pass through him, he is definitely a Spy.

• When Cloaked, Spies will 'flicker' their team color upon being damaged or when bumping into members of the opposite team. If you see a flickering figure of the opposite team color, it's a Spy.
  • The Dead Ringer does not have this drawback, however it only lasts for the first 6.5 seconds of the Cloak, after which they will flicker when damaged or bumping into members of the opposite team.

• In general, if you see a teammate behaving oddly, there is a likely chance that it is a Spy. Players in the wrong locations (such as a Pyro in the rear or a Sniper or Engineer on the front lines), deliberately avoiding contact with teammates, or hiding in corners can all be enemy Spies.

• If you see your own name yell a voice command that you didn't use, it means that a Spy is disguised as you. Be sure to immediately warn your team of this, as well as your class so that your teammates know what class to look for.

• Try to listen for the sounds of decloaking. Spies' Cloaks will emit unique sounds when cloaking and decloaking, so if you hear such a sound it means that a Spy is nearby.

• Look for telltale shrouds of smoke that are colored red or blue. When a Spy uses his Disguise Kit, it takes a second for the disguise to equip, during which the Spy is shrouded with smoke of his team color. While the smoke does not appear if the disguise is used while the Spy is cloaked, it will follow the Spy for a short distance if he uses it before cloaking.

• If you see an ammo or health kit, or a dropped weapon disappearing without someone passing over it, it was picked up by a cloaked Spy. Try to Spy-check the immediate area to reveal him.

• An automatic door that suddenly opens without any visible player being nearby indicates a cloaked Spy passing through.

Scout

Just running into everyone (since the Scout is the fastest class) does the trick; as teammates can clip through each other, any teammate you cannot pass through is an enemy Spy in disguise. Also, Scouts using the Sandman can stun disguised Spies, while the baseball will pass through friendlies. Throwing Mad Milk at disguised or invisible Spies will expose them, allowing you and your team to easily hunt them down. Alternatively, two hits from the Scout's primary weapons will kill a Spy not equipped with the Dead Ringer, but it's less economic than simply running into them. You can also use a single blast from the Force-A-Nature at close range and see if a teammate is knocked back by it; Spies will be severely hurt and sent flying by the blast.

Soldier

There is nothing particularly special the Soldier class can do to Spy-check. The limited amount of Spy-checking a Soldier can do comprises of sending a rocket into teammates to see whether the teammate is juggled by the blast or not, and occasionally pumping Shotgun blasts when it is not an inconvenience. Buff Banners and Battalion's Backups will not activate on enemy Spies, so that can be a giveaway. The rocket launchers have low ammo counts and you might not always notice disguised Spies when using the Shotgun, so generally it is a matter of analyzing behavior.

Pyro

The Pyro's ability to set enemies on fire with incendiary weapons is perhaps the most useful for detecting Spies, since only enemies can be ignited. This is the most reliable method of Spy-checking teammates. The team-colored glow produced by a burning player is especially visible when surrounding a Cloaked or Disguised Spy. Against Spies using the Cloak and Dagger, igniting corners and crevices will usually uncover a Spy. Beware that the Dead Ringer can put out flames if they are ignited, so if a player sees a Spy that they have ignited suddenly drop dead, spray down the area with flames to ignite him again and use the compression blast to keep him at bay until the charge on his Dead Ringer runs out.

Demoman

Much like with the Soldier, the traditional Demoman is not an effective Spy-checking class. The Grenade Launcher has limited ammo, but is probably the most viable Spy-checking option when playing as such a Demoman. If one of your grenades blows up on an ally before bouncing, that "ally" is a Spy. A Demoman using the Chargin' Targe will stop when running into a Spy while charging, and said Spy will be an easy kill for said Demoman.

Heavy

Heavies can attempt to Spy-check by firing their Minigun on suspicious teammates; a few seconds at close range will make quick work of an enemy Spy (make sure to have ammo to spare afterward). Spraying an area with your Minigun where a cloaked Spy may be can prove effective in exposing (and killing) him. If a teammate eats your dropped Sandvich, and was already at full health, he is a Spy (unless he is a friendly disguised Spy, in which case he might have used it to 'heal' his disguise).

Engineer

As an Engineer, Spies are a substantial threat, able to place Sappers while disguised, but they aren't usually trouble if you can get teammates to protect your buildings (as they often are, by Pyros and teammates who need healing or ammo, or yourself). If you receive an Electro Sapper notification while a teammate is standing near the sapped building, the teammate is a Spy. Still, it's not always ill-advised to Spy-check everyone with your Pistol. Spies can camp by your Dispenser while cloaked for an unlimited time using the standard Invisibility Watch, or anywhere with the Cloak and Dagger; try and check above and around your Dispenser. If any teammate is unable to pass through your Sentry Gun or Dispenser, that teammate is a Spy.

It is also a good idea to shoot around the immediate area with your Pistol or Shotgun to check for Spies using the Cloak and Dagger. If you hit a "teammate" with the Southern Hospitality and they start bleeding, then they are a Spy. The bleeding effect will also persist when they are cloaking as well.

You can also use the Wrangler to control your Sentry Gun and check for Spies similarly to how a Heavy can check using his Minigun.

Medic

Medics are high priority targets for Spies. Make sure you check before you start healing anyone, unless they already performed an action impossible for a Spy (e.g. shooting). Always take out your melee weapon and hit any teammate calling for a Medic (as well as see if you can clip through him) before healing him. Remember to frequently watch your back, as Spies love to attack Medics who are already healing another patient. If you have killed a Spy with the Übersaw and the charge hasn't increased, they are using the Dead Ringer.

Always watch your surroundings, and be wary of any teammate that attempts to approach you from behind.

Sniper

The Sniper is very vulnerable to Spies while scoped, and is traditionally an easy Spy target, though they also have various anti-Spy weaponry that they can employ. Jarate will disable a Spy's Cloak, so throwing it into areas where Spies are thought to be leaves them visible and easy to kill targets. Arrows from the Huntsman will also stick to disguised Spies, while simply passing through teammates. Carrying the Razorback will allow you to survive a single Backstab, and you can use this to your advantage by goading a Spy into attacking you, though most experienced Spies will usually resort to their Revolver when faced with such a Sniper. The Tribalman's Shiv makes Spies bleed, which can partially disable their cloaks and expose them to everyone.

Spy

Even the Spy can do a great job of Spy-checking. Stab all of your teammates in the back; if you are lucky you may stab an enemy Spy. You will find your character raising his knife (just like when about to backstab an enemy) when standing behind a disguised enemy Spy. Also, you can Cloak and sneak around the map to alert your team of any incoming Spies.

Identifying enemy Spies

Signs that Definitely Indicate an Enemy Spy

• A teammate stops when bumping into another teammate (true teammates pass through each other) or, conversely, a teammate which can walk through an enemy.

• While cloaked, briefly glowing his team color when bumped, shot, or bleeding.

• A teammate who is on fire, and glowing the enemy team's color.

• While cloaking or uncloaking, the Spy briefly shows his own team color until cloaking/uncloaking is complete.

• A teammate suddenly uncloaking out of nowhere. (No other class besides the Spy can turn invisible.)

• A teammate who can't enter your resupply room.

• A teammate placing Electro Sappers on friendly buildings.

• A teammate standing on a friendly Sentry Gun or Dispenser, or who cannot pass through them. The only person on a team that can stand on a friendly building is the Engineer who built it.

• A teammate with your name.

• Seeing two people in the same area that have the same name. One of them is a Spy.

• A teammate who picks up a health kit while a full health, unless it is a friendly Spy.

• A teammate that you know to be elsewhere or dead/respawning.

• A Scout moving at the Spy's movement speed (in other words, moving slower than usual).

• A Soldier with low health equipped with the Equalizer moving at his normal speed.

• A Soldier with the Equalizer equipped that can still be healed.

• Having a name that does not correspond with the player's current class on the scoreboard. This happens when a Spy disguises himself as a class not currently on the team. It can also happen if the person has changed class while the Spy was disguised.

• Obstructing friendly contact projectiles such as rockets and grenades.

• A teammate that you can stun with the Sandman's baseball.

• A teammate on an uncontested Control Point or near the Payload cart who does not seem to be capping the point or pushing the cart (unless it is a RED player on an Attack/Defend map).

• A microphone indicator that is not connected to a body on an alltalk server - cloaked Spies still display the team-colored "!" indicator.

• A teammate whose weapon sounds like the Revolver when he reloads, making a single clicking sound.

• A teammate who is overhealed when there are no Medics on your team (unless it's a friendly Pyro who has just killed an enemy with the Powerjack, or a Soldier carrying the Black Box).

• A teammate who is overhealed but still has less than full health (happens when they switch disguises after being healed).

• A teammate being overhealed by a friendly Dispenser.

• A player on your team that appears to be traveling with the enemy and not being attacked (unless it's a friendly disguised Spy, though it could also be an enemy Spy disguised as a friendly Spy).

• A teammate that is being ignored by an enemy Sentry Gun, even when said teammate is the closest to the Sentry Gun (and thus, most likely to be targeted).

• A teammate being healed by an enemy Medic (unless they are a friendly Spy, who can get enemy Medics to heal them, but again, it could be an enemy Spy disguised as a friendly Spy).

• A teammate entering/exiting the enemy resupply room.

• A teammate on the opposite side of the gates during Setup. (However, they may change disguise or even change class before the round starts.)

• A friendly teammate being affected by an enemy Soldier's Buff Banner or Battalion's Backup or not affected by one of your or your team-mates Banners.

• A teammate being soaked by your or a teammate's Jarate or Mad Milk, or not being affected by the enemy's.

• A teammate not picking up the enemy Intelligence when touching it (unless they are currently invulnerable or a cloaked Spy).

Signs that Possibly Indicate an Enemy Spy

None of these indicators are conclusive proof of a Spy, but all of them would make a good time to run a Spy-check:

• A teammate trying to stay behind other teammates, as if trying to Backstab them.

• A teammate not firing at the enemy.

• A teammate that deliberately avoids walking through you in tight corridors. Many Spies will strafe walk and dodge other players to avoid bumping.

• Someone who runs back when he sees you, usually still facing you.

• A teammate keeping some distance from Pyros, which pose a great threat to Spies.

• A Medic who isn't healing anyone.

• An apparently injured teammate running around the spawn area doing nothing or calling for a Medic, when he could easily get health from the resupply.

• Someone hiding in the shadows while in friendly territory (or where no enemies can be seen).

• People calling for Medic with full health, while coming into your base or otherwise.

• Anyone hovering near Sentry Guns or Dispensers, especially if they are attempting to move behind the Engineer tending them, or are at full health.

• Anyone running in an unexpected direction - a friendly Pyro, with full or nearly full health, running away from the enemies, is possibly a Spy.

• Someone acting inappropriately - a Pyro who stays near the Snipers, a Demoman who is near a Control Point but has not placed sticky bombs, etc.

• An idle Sniper not having their rifle to their eye from a distance (they don't appear to be zooming in).

• Someone who hesitates before running past friendly Snipers with the Razorback.

• A teammate that is going towards your team's Intelligence room without a reason. (Usually only Spy-Checking Pyros, Demomen with sticky launchers, Engineers and players who are carrying the enemy intelligence have a reason to go to your Intelligence room)

Signs that Indicate a Teammate is Not a Spy

• Can pass through you or a teammate, as opposed to being stopped. (Beware that both teammates may be, in fact, Spies.)

• Shooting a weapon.

• A Scout moving at the normal Scout movement speed.

• A Scout double jumping.

• A Scout under the effects of Bonk! Atomic Punch or Crit-a-Cola.

• On fire and glowing in your team's color.

• A friendly Spy cloaking with your team's color.

• Entering your team's resupply area.

• Taunting (Disguised Spies cannot Taunt).

• If being fired at by enemies and is taking damage, e.g. bleeding.

• Being able to pass through friendly buildings.

• Carrying the enemy team's Intelligence (Also, Spies cannot disguise while holding the Intelligence).

• A Sniper with his Rifle to his eye (instead of holding it idly), or with the Huntsman drawn.

• A Heavy spinning his Minigun.

• A friendly player who is using their microphone, whose voice icon is the same color as your team: A symbol appears over the player's head. In servers with sv_alltalk enabled, the symbol is tinted red or blue according to the player's true team allegiance.

• Engineers carrying PDAs or toolboxes, or hauling a building.

• A Demoman's eye is glowing from decapitating enemies with the Eyelander.

• A Soldier with an active Buff Banner or Battalion's Backup flag on his back.

• Spies with their Electro Sapper or Disguise Kit out.

• Spies without a mask on (not disguised).

• An Engineer Wrangling a Sentry Gun, but only if the Sentry Gun's laser sight is visibly following the Engineer's aim.

Proving that You are Not a Spy

There are a number of ways to stop your teammates from needlessly Spy-checking you.

• Shoot/swing your weapon (a real Spy drops his disguise by attacking).

• Taunt.

• Use your voice chat to say that you are not a Spy (e.g. "Just me").

• Walk through a teammate.

• Do anything listed under the signs that indicate that a teammate is not a Spy.

Did the Spy Really Die?

The Spy has the ability to feign death with one of his unlockable items, the Dead Ringer, so your Spy-check may have not killed the Spy; rather, he is still alive and in your base, or worse, right behind you. Thus, it's best to know some of the signs that tell that the Spy may not really be dead.

• An enemy that dies upon the first hit. (Most players don't run in with such low health.)

• An enemy Spy that suddenly stops attacking before dying on the next hit.

• Hearing the sound of a Spy uncloaking via the Dead Ringer after you killed somebody.

• A Spy that appeared as if he wanted to get himself killed. (e.g. Running undisguised into Sentry Guns or revved Heavies)

• Picking up the Spy's dropped weapon does not give you ammo or metal.

• A disguised Spy lets out a death cry of the class he is disguised as when using the Dead Ringer. So if for example you "kill" a Spy disguised as a Soldier he will let out a Soldier's death cry. This death cry also follows the disguised Spy. If a scream appears to move, then try to follow the sound of the voice and pinpoint which direction the Spy went.

• If you can't move briefly after killing a Spy, he was probably trying to get past you. The Dead Ringer stops Spies from being revealed when hit or walking into enemies while cloaked for the first 6.5 seconds of the Cloak.

• If you see the smoke from a Disguise Kit being used moving after you kill the Spy, it means the Spy is still alive.

• Seeing nearby health, ammo, and fallen weapons disappear (The Dead Ringer's Cloak can be refilled with ammo).

• Noticing that the Spy's corpse did not disappear after a few seconds.

• Your Sentry Gun's kill counter does not increase after killing an enemy.

Note: When playing Pyro, even when the corpse drops after you ignite them, colored team glow will still run with the Spy for a second. Use this to help alert others to the Spy, and to continue to chase and/or kill them. Jarate also works in a similar way.