Hardware Geeks

Well, that was a bit quicker than I expected.  Valve has issued a press release detailing the changes to the Pyro class, the new achievements and equipment, and the two new user-created levels that they will be adding.  Read more for a brief rundown and the link to the much prettier official announcement.

The basic Pyro class has undergone a change, adding a “Compression Gun” to the Pyro’s flamethrower.  This secondary function will allow Pyros to knock away both enemy combatants and their projectiles, meaning that the explosive-happy soldier and demoman may have a bit more to fear from the mid-range Pyro.  The Pyro is also being equipped with three new unlockable weapons: 1. The Flare Gun (replaces the shotgun), which allows a Pyro to set an enemy on fire from long range but requires especially good aim, 2. The Backburner, a flamethrower which removes the air compressor but provides an extra 50 health and guarantees criticals when you burn an enemy in the bum, and 3. the cunningly named Axtinguisher, which does critical damage to burning enemies but less damage to those not (yet) on fire.

The new Pyro achievements are as follows:

Hot on Your Heels: Kill 50 enemies with your flamethrower, from behind.

Next of Kindling: Ignite an enemy, and the Medic healing him.

Second Degree Burn: Kill a burning enemy who was ignited by another Pyro.

Weenie Roast: Have 2 enemy Scouts on fire at the same time.

Baptism by Fire: Force 10 burning enemies to jump into water.

Fire and Forget: Kill 15 players while you’re dead.

I Fry: Ignite 10 disguised Spies.

OMGWTFBBQ: Kill an enemy with a taunt.

Got A Light?: Ignite an enemy Spy while he’s flicking a cigarette.

BarbeQueQ: Cause a dominated player to leave the server.

Dance Dance Immolation: Kill 3 enemies while they’re taunting.

Hotshot: Kill a Soldier with a reflected critical rocket.

Firefighter: Kill 500 enemies.

Fire Chief: Kill 1000 enemies

Attention Getter: Ignite 100 enemies with the flare gun.

Pyromancer: Do 1 million points of total fire damage.

Hot Potato: Reflect 100 projectiles with your compressed air blast.

Combined Fire: Use your shotgun to finish off 20 players you’ve ignited.

Firewall: Ignite 5 Spies who have a sapper on a friendly building.

Cooking the Books: Ignite 5 enemies carrying your intelligence.

Spontaneous Combustion: Ignite 10 cloaked Spies.

Trailblazer: Ignite 10 enemies that have recently used a teleporter.

Camp Fire: Kill 3 enemies in a row, all within the same area.

Lumberjack: Kill 3 people with your axe in one life.

Clearcutter: Kill 6 people with your axe in one life.

Firewatch: Ignite 10 snipers while they are zoomed in.

Burn Ward: Ignite 3 medics that are ready to deploy an Uber-charge.

Makin’ Bacon: Kill 50 Heavies with your flamethrower.

Plan B: Kill 10 enemies while you’re both underwater.

Pyrotechnics: Kill 3 enemies in a single uber-charge.

Arsonist: Destroy 50 Engineer buildings.

Controlled Burn: Ignite 50 enemies capturing one of your control points.

Dead Heat: Kill an enemy in the same second that he kills you.

Pilot Light: Ignite a rocket-jumping Soldier while he’s in midair.

Freezer Burn: Provide enemies with freezecam shots of each of your taunts.

Finally, the two new maps are CP_Fastlane, a 5-point capture map in the style of Badlands or Granary, and CTF_Turbine, a capture the flag map in an industrial compound.  The official announcement has pretty pictures to accompany all these descriptions, the new “Meet the Sniper” video if you haven’t seen it yet, and a link to where you can download TF2 for the upcoming free weekend.  A tip for all you aspiring Pyro players: give a man a fire, and he will be warm for a night, but set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.