Spec Ops is a completely new brawl, which we’ve been developing for some time: get assigned one of the three roles and prove you’ve got the skills to handle different guns equally well!

Basic rules

All brawl matches happen in Team Deathmatch mode on three beautiful maps: Old Factory, Island Ruins, and Asia Waterfront.
Matches go on until one team scores 500 points or the 5-minute timer runs out.
All players have a constant +20% speed boost and reduced health/armor (900/1100 points respectively).
All players have 2 main weapons and the same secondary weapons: Oppressor pistol and Damascus knife.
Here are the layouts of all the maps to help you plan ahead:

Roles

When you enter a match, you’re assigned one of three roles: Demoman, Assault, or Sniper. You stay with your role until the very end of the match – no switching. Each role has a certain set of weapons, equipment, and items that make it special.

Below, you can find the detailed description of each, but simply put:

Snipers keep their distance, play it safe and try to make Perfect Aim shots
Demomen rain explosive damage from all possible directions and rarely run out of ammo
Assault gunslingers are your Jacks of all trades, ready to support a fight from mid-range or get down and dirty in messy shotgun fights

Let’s take a closer look at each of the roles, and what they bring to the fight, literally.

Sniper

This bad boy has a great set of tools for eliminating at long and mid ranges. Here’s what he’s packing:

Barracuda sniper rifle: great damage, you don’t spend ammo on Perfect Aim shots, decent aiming time.
Odin assault rifle: some say it’s the all-father of ARs, all others nod in agreement. It’s a very dangerous and versatile weapon that can be quite deadly at almost any range. Also, it slows down your opponents – nice!
Zero vest: reduces cold damage, giving you a little more leeway when you’re dealing with cold-damage weapons like Odin
E.Y.E. helmet: once activated, lets you see enemies through walls and obstacles. A pretty obvious choice for a long-range fighter
Mustang pants: provide more ammo in your pockets and more speed – the perfect combo for someone who shoots a lot and often needs to retreat quickly
Consumables: Repair Kit and Throwing Knife. The first will let you keep your armor working for longer, while the second one will stop any cheeky flankers from catching you off-guard.

Assault

Built for speed and efficiency, the Assault is ready to take the fight with anyone and define the front lines for both teams. What allows him to do that? This:

Firefly assault rifle: the most stubborn weapon in the game. The longer you fire it, the more damage each shot deals.
Avalanche shotgun: the trusty workhorse in the world of shotguns. It doesn’t have any perks and special abilities, but it does good damage and lands fast precise shots. Deadly in the right hands.
Kevlar vest: a cookie-cutter choice of protection that gives a straight armor boost and not much else. The survivalist’s favorite.
Scorpion helmet: a true berserker’s choice! Once you activate this helmet’s special ability, you deal and take more damage. Using it may be risky in some situations, but the advantages surely outweigh its drawbacks.
Cheetah pants: more movement speed and more reload speed. A great choice for an Assault player who needs to be quick and efficient at all times.
Consumables: Stim-Gun for staying in the fight despite all the damage taken, and a Flashbang to keep enemies under control, giving your mates a chance to unload their mags.

Demoman

Now, this fella is all about BOOM! Some say he’s reckless, others name him a madman, but all of them stay far away from the Demoman because you never know what kind of fireworks he’s got in store for you. Wait, we DO KNOW! Here:

Hero machine gun: its rate of fire increases as you keep firing, and the gun gives you back all the bullets that resulted in Perfect Aim shots. Not the most noob-friendly weapon that requires some practice, but once you get the hang of it, it’ll become an eternal source of joy and eliminations for you!
Bastion assault rifle: probably the only AR the Demoman could ever wield. The reason is simple - it’s a gun with another gun on it! The Underbarrel Grenade is a special perk that lets you fire off an explosive charge every once in a while. Apart from being terribly fun, it’s also a great way to eliminate exhausted enemies (especially if there’s a whole group of them)
Shell vest: protects from explosive damage. Just what the doctor ordered when you’re a walking human-firecracker.
Paracelsus helmet: exploding the world around you kind of smarts, so a little health and armor regeneration is always welcome. Works when activated.
Panther pants: straight-up boost of movement speed. This won’t help you outrun bullets, but it will help you strafe more effectively!
Consumables: Medkit to keep you in the fight a little longer, and G-Launcher to help your enemies go back to the spawn room.

That’s it in a nutshell. Try to make the most out of your class specifics: going face-to-face if you’re a Sniper isn’t the best idea, as well as camping as a Demoman.

At first, it might feel unusual to be limited to only 2 guns, but you’ll get the hang of it in no time. By the time the brawl ends, you’ll be an all-around expert, ready to take on any opponent at any distance!