Based on this question.
I'm aware that there are certian priorities in taking down particular classes in TF2. Medics obviously are to be taken out first. Engineers and their buildings are a high priority as well. Any high-damage class that can be taken out is great.
But, as a slow-moving, close-range, big buff tank, prioritizing the guys behind the lines and the guys jumping over my head seems like not a terribly good way to make use of my ammo.
So I'm wondering how I should prioritize my precious target-space when preparing to shoot at enemies.
At what range do different classes become a viable target? Who should I try to focus down first? Should I completely ignore scouts? When should I switch from my shotgun (if I have one) to my minigun to maximize effectiveness against different classes?
In short, what class should I prioritize on my "Kill list"?
Best Answer
Take out the biggest threats who are in your optimum range. While the minigun can be used at very long ranges, it isn't terribly effective. So go for the biggest threat in medium-to-short range.
Medics, demomen, charging pyros, soldiers, enemy heavies. Roughly that order, as the situation calls for. Heavies aren't the best for taking out engineer nests, but they can do in a pinch if you don't have soldiers or demos doing it (and of course you should charge the nest during an uber).
Snipers will usually be too far away (and possibly with at least partial cover) for you to be effective. Scouts usually aren't the biggest threat, and they're going to be a harder target for you to hit, so they'd be lower priority. Engineers themselves shouldn't be a huge priority, but you probably won't see them other than when you're charging a nest as mentioned above. Minisentries are a joke to a heavy that you can clear out at your own leisure.
That just leaves spies -- you can do some spychecking in a pinch, and a spy getting in close range is an extremely dangerous target that should be brought down, but you shouldn't really be doing spychecking when there are other targets available (unless you notice somebody acting suspiciously) and hopefully you have a pyro or somebody else doing spychecking so you don't have to. Still, you may as well if you can spare ammo (or know you are about to refill)