Team Fortress 2 Walkthrough

Team Fortress 2 Walkthrough: Progression and Unlocks

Team Fortress 2 does not have a traditional campaign, but it has plenty of progression systems to work through. This walkthrough covers the item drop system, achievement milestones, competitive matchmaking ranks, and Mann vs Machine tours. Whether you just installed the game or want to complete every tour, this guide walks you through each step.

Table of Contents

• Understanding the Drop System
• Achievement Milestones and Unlocks
• Crafting Your Way to New Weapons
• Competitive Matchmaking Progression
• Mann vs Machine Tours
• Contracts and Campaigns

Understanding the Drop System

Every weapon in TF2 can drop randomly while you play. The system resets each Thursday and gives you roughly 10 to 12 item drops per week. Each drop happens after 30 to 70 minutes of active play, and the system caps at around 10 hours per week.

Here is what you need to know:

• Items drop for any class, not just the one you are playing
• Cosmetic items have a much lower drop rate than weapons
• Crates drop separately and require purchased keys to open
• Free-to-Play accounts have limited backpack space (50 slots) and cannot trade dropped items

To become a Premium account, make any purchase from the Mann Co. Store. Even a $0.99 item upgrades your account permanently. Premium unlocks full trading, a 300-slot backpack, and access to rare cosmetic drops. This is the single best investment a new player can make.

Achievement Milestones and Unlocks

Each class has a set of achievements tied to their specific playstyle. Completing achievement milestones unlocks specific weapons guaranteed, no RNG involved.

Focus on Medic achievements first. The Kritzkrieg and Ubersaw are essential weapons, and Medic achievements happen naturally while healing your team. Engineer milestones come next since the Wrangler and Gunslinger open up entirely new playstyles.

Do not bother grinding achievements on achievement-farming servers. Most achievements unlock naturally, and the weapons also drop randomly. Play normally and they will come. For the best loadouts using these weapons, see our builds guide.

Crafting Your Way to New Weapons

Crafting converts unwanted items into new ones. The basic recipes work like this:

• 2 weapons (same class) = 1 Scrap Metal
• 3 Scrap Metal = 1 Reclaimed Metal
• 3 Reclaimed Metal = 1 Refined Metal
• 1 Scrap + 1 class token = random weapon for that class

Crafting is an inefficient way to get specific weapons. Trading is almost always cheaper. One Scrap Metal (worth two weapon drops) can buy most individual weapons on trading sites like scrap.tf. Save your Refined Metal for trading rather than burning it on random crafting results.

Competitive Matchmaking Progression

TF2 has a built-in competitive matchmaking system. Before you can queue, you need to meet these requirements:

1. Premium account (any Mann Co. Store purchase)
2. Competitive access pass (purchased or earned through a phone number linked to Steam)
3. Casual level 3 or higher (earned by playing casual matches)

Competitive uses a ranking system with 18 tiers across six named divisions: Fresh Meat, Freelancer, Mercenary, Gravel Veteran, Platinum, and Australium. You gain or lose rank based on wins and losses. Placement matches determine your starting rank.

The built-in competitive mode plays 6v6 on standard maps. However, most serious competitive players use third-party services like RGL or UGC leagues, which offer better servers, anticheat, and structured seasons. If you are new to competitive, start with the in-game system to learn the format, then transition to community leagues.

Keep in mind that competitive TF2 has a much smaller class pool than casual. You will need to be comfortable playing Scout, Soldier, Demoman, or Medic, since these four classes appear in every 6v6 match. Our tier list explains why.

Mann vs Machine Tours

Mann vs Machine is TF2's cooperative PvE mode. Six players defend against waves of robots across multiple missions. You can play MvM for free on Boot Camp servers, but completing official Tour of Duty missions requires a Tour of Duty Ticket ($0.99 each).

Here is how tours work:

1. Purchase a Tour of Duty Ticket from the Mann Co. Store
2. Select a tour (Two Cities is the most popular)
3. Complete all missions in the tour
4. Receive loot including a chance at rare Australium weapons and Killstreak kits

Two Cities has four missions: Metro Malice, Bavarian Botbash, Hamlet Hostility, and Mannhattan. This tour offers the best loot, including Australium weapons and Professional Killstreak Fabricators. Most players focus exclusively on Two Cities.

The standard MvM team composition is:

• Engineer — Sentry DPS, Dispenser support
• Heavy — Sustained damage on tanks and giants
• Medic — Kritzkrieg for damage boost, revivals
• Scout — Money collection, Mad Milk support
• Demoman — Wave clearing with upgraded stickies
• Soldier — Buff Banner for team damage boost

New MvM players should start on Boot Camp (free) to learn the missions. Do not jump into Mann Up (paid) tours until you are comfortable with upgrades and wave strategies. Experienced players in Mann Up can be impatient with newcomers. Practice first, then spend your tickets.

Upgrade priority matters more than class choice. For most classes, upgrade damage resistance first, then focus on your primary weapon's damage and firing speed. Scout should max out movement speed and resistances since staying alive to collect money is the priority.

Contracts and Campaigns

Valve occasionally releases campaign passes that add contracts to the game. Contracts are specific objectives like "deal 500 damage as Soldier" or "get 3 kills with the Flare Gun." Completing contracts earns you weapon skins and cosmetic rewards unique to that campaign.

Campaigns are seasonal and not always available. When active, they provide structured goals that push you to try classes and weapons you might otherwise ignore. Campaign passes typically cost a few dollars and are worth it for the cosmetic rewards alone.

TF2's progression rewards consistent play across all modes. Focus on going Premium, complete your achievement milestones, try competitive when ready, and save MvM tours for when you have a solid understanding of the game. For foundational knowledge, start with our beginner's guide, and check the tips page for techniques that will help you climb the ranks.