To send an Absence/Excusal email Click Here
Our History
The TAW Team Fortress 2 Division is a growing part of a larger gaming community that supports over 15+ games and is over 700+ members strong. TAW, which stands for The Art of Warfare, is based on a military type structure.
The reason for that structure dates back when TAW was first founded in 2001 by a group of friends who played Delta Force: Land Warrior and other First Person Shooter (FPS) games together online. Every member, every Division here in TAW are firm believers in honest and fair gaming. It is a credit to our organization and leadership, along with our Code of Ethics that our organization has been around this long and will be for many years to come.
The TAW Team Fortress 2 Division came about through the strength, dedication and friendships of a handful of players trying to launch a successful game from the Vanguard Division. The Vanguard Division is where new games looking to be a part of TAW launch from. We had previously looked at some other games such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and F.E.A.R. Combat which are more tactical military styled FPS games.
But once we settled on Team Fortress 2, with it's retro-styled look and fast action gameplay, everything fell into place and in rapid succession we became the first Division to launch successfully from Vanguard.
The TAW Team Fortress 2 Division prides itself in being a respected team in the TF2 Community and in the TWL League. The TAW Team Fortress 2 Division endorses and follows the TAW Code of Ethics just as all other Divisions in TAW do. A few examples of these are listed below.
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TAW Team Fortress 2 Division members do not cheat or utilize exploits in competetive or public play.
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TAW Team Fortress 2 Division members do not "team stack" against public players on our public servers.
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All TAW Team Fortress 2 Division members must have Teamspeak and XFire properly installed and working. All TAW Team Fortress 2 Division members are to be in their proper Division channels on Teamspeak prior to the beginning of a mandatory scheduled practice.
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All TAW Team Fortress 2 Division members are expected to be active in-game and participate in their mandatory scheduled practices.
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TAW Team Fortress 2 Division members are expected to treat other players in the TF2 Community with respect in-game and in all public communication. That includes Teamspeak, the TAW Forums, or any other public forums not our own.
Team Fortress 2 Division Questions & Answers
Q: How old do I have to be to join the Taw Team Fortress 2 Division?
A: All Mature TF2 players 18 yrs of age or older are more then welcome to join the TAW Team Fortress 2 Division regardless of in-game rank or skill.
Q: Where can I join the TAW Team Fortress 2 Division?
A: Click Here To Join The Team Fortress 2 Division.
Q: How many members are in the TAW Team Fortress 2 Division?
A: Click Here To View the Full Team Fortress 2 Roster.
Q: I have applied for TAW but I don't get any e-mails, what should I do?
A: A common problem is that people using Hotmail don't receive the TAW e-mails. We do recommend that you try using another email application like GMail, Yahoo, etc. If using Hotmail you should go your mailbox, at the right top you click settings. Then you click Filters and confirmation under Junk e-mail. Now you put your junk e-mail filter on low and you save. You should get all TAW e-mails now.
Q: How can I change my e-mail for TAW?
A: Once you are logged in on the TAW website, at the top right corner you will see four links. One is to view your profile, one is to Edit your information, one is to log you out of the website, and the last link is to your Private Messages. When you click on Edit Profile, a new page will open with several options. One of those options is a tab to change your email. After typing in your new email click save and you're all set.
Q: Why do I need Teamspeak and XFire? Where do I get them?
A: Both Teamspeak and XFire are free programs that every TAW member is required to have installed and operational. Teamspeak is a quality voice application that allows our members to speak to one another over the Internet. XFire is a messaging program which also allows you to join a game if you see a fellow member on any given server whether ours or someone elses.
Click Here To Get TeamSpeak. Click Here To Get XFire. Click Here To View a TeamSpeak Tutorial.
Q: What are the TeamSpeak Rules in TAW?
A: TAW utilizes the TeamSpeak communications program to help organize members both on and off the battlefield. When using Teamspeak, some fairly obvious common sense rules apply. Please remember that all TAW Rules & Regulations including the Code of Ethics ABSOLUTELY APPLY when using Teamspeak.
TAW has methods for administrating Teamspeak by Server Admins and Channel Admins. These members are responsible for maintaining order within channels on comms. Typically they are either an Officer, Platoon Leader (PL) or Squad Leader (SL) of the named channel, or whomever is making an announcement or conducting a meeting. Teamspeak protocols are as follows:
# CHECKING IN: Whenever you enter a channel that has people in it make sure there is a break in the conversation if any, then say your name or short name followed by "checking in."
# CHECKING OUT: Whenever you leave a channel that has people in it let everyone know you are leaving by saying your name or short name followed by "checking out."
# BREAKING IN: Whenever you need to say something, particularly when there is a conversation going on, you MUST "break" in to help maintain order. An example would be to wait until you hear a brief pause then say your name or short name followed by "break." Whoever is currently in charge will note that you wish to speak, and tell you when it is appropriate. The only exception to this rule is during battle when you need to alert your squad of a threat or emergency.
# ASKING FOR COMMS: It is common courtesy to do what is called "asking for comms" if you need to make an announcement or explain something to a larger group of people.
# RETURNING COMMS: When the person is done making their announcement and no longer needs attention, they should return control to the appropriate person. This is accomplished by saying your name or short name followed by "returning comms."
# COMM SILENCE: Be sure to keep comms clear. In fact, the term "comm silence" means to end all communication at once. An example would be when a bunch of cross-talk or conversations overlapping each other happens. Usually a member of the COC with either SA or CA rights will then typically say "comm silence!"
# AWAY FROM KEYBOARD: Whenever you're going away for a couple of minutes to get something to drink or whatever, please let everyone know you are leaving by saying your name or short name followed by "AFK." When returning to teamspeak please check in again. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, after saying you'll be "AFK" move yourself to the designated "AFK Lounge".
Q: What is the TAW Bootcamp?
A: The TAW Bootcamp is composed of two parts. The first being an oral introduction done with a new "Recruit" and a qualified Drill Instructor in a TAW Teamspeak Bootcamp Channel where the Drill Instructor will talk about how things work in TAW. This usually takes 30-45 minutes to complete. The second part is the "Recruit" completing four (4) Mandatory Practices. Upon completion of the 4th practice, the "Recruit" gets promoted to the rank of Private First Class (PFC), usually done with a promotion ceremony.
NOTICE: All New Recruits MUST First Accept Their Welcome to TAW Letter And Complete The Oral Introduction BootCamp Phase Before Joining In Any Mandatory Practices.
Q: Is there any procedure to go through before doing my Bootcamp? Do I need to buy anything? Are there any fees?
A: The very first step is to accept your Welcome Letter from TAW. If you are not receiving it, again check your junk mail folder. Also try adjusting your settings as described above. If it is still not getting through please contact someone in the COC who will be more then happy to assist you.
As for having to buy anything, if you do not have a working microphone or headset with a built in mic, then the answer is yes since you MUST have one in order to complete Bootcamp.
There are no fees to pay although TAW is a Member Supported Organization and your Donations go a long way toward keeping our servers active and running at peak. Remember, as a TAW member, you have priority on TAW servers. If a server is full all you have to do is find an Admin that is playing on the server in Teamspeak and ask them to make room.
Click Here To Make A Donation To Our Servers. Thank You For Your Support.
Q: Once I become a member, how do I let someone know if I cannot make a practice?
A: We realize that real life comes first. If you know in advance that you cannot make a practice, there are several ways to let the TF2 Staff know. You can email your Chain of Command (COC). You can also PM your COC via XFire or STEAM. If something should come up the day of the practice and you cannot attend please notify your COC as soon as you can, preferably within 24hrs so that you may be excused.
Click Here To send an excusal email to your COC.
Our Game
Team Fortress® 2 (TF2) is the sequel to the game that put class-based, multiplayer team warfare on the map. This year’s most anticipated online action game, TF2 delivers new gametypes, a signature art style powered by Valve’s next generation animation technology, persistent player statistics, and more.
Unlike other “class-based” games that offer a variety of combat classes only, Team Fortress 2 packs a wild variety of classes which provide a broad range of tactical abilities and personalities, and lend themselves to a variety of player skills. TF2 features the most advanced graphics of any Source-based game released to date – and the most exciting class-based action ever created.
Play as the flame-throwing Pyro, the room clearing Heavy, or the Spy, a master of disguises.
Other classes include: Scout, Sniper, Medic, Engineer, Demoman, or Soldier.
Gameplay
Like its predecessors, Team Fortress 2 is built around two opposing teams competing for an objective. These two teams are meant to represent a demolition and a construction company: Reliable Excavation Demolition (RED) and Builders League United (BLUE). Players can choose to play as one of nine classes in these teams, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Although the abilities of a number of classes have changed from earlier Team Fortress incarnations, the basic elements of each class have remained.
Team Fortress 2 is the first of the Valve's multiplayer games to provide detailed statistics for individual players. They include the time spent playing as each class, most points obtained and the most captures or objectives achieved in a single round. Persistent statistics tell the player how they are improving in relation to these statistics, such as if a player comes close to their record for the damage inflicted in a round. Team Fortress 2 also features numerous "achievements" for carrying out certain tasks, such as scoring a certain number of kills or completing a round within a certain time. New sets of class-specific achievements have been added in updates, which add new abilities and weapons to each class once unlocked by the player. Achievements unlocked and statistics from previously played games are displayed on the player's Steam Community profile page.
The objective of the game is defined by the game mode in use. In capture the flag maps, the objective for both teams is to obtain a briefcase of intelligence from the enemy team's base and return it to their own base while preventing the opposing team from doing the same. Control point modes are more varied in their objectives, but share the common aim of capturing a particular point on the map. In some levels, the objective for both teams is to secure all the points on the map. On other levels, one team already holds all the points and must defend them from the other for a set amount of time. A third variation, introduced with the map "Hydro", is based on territory: each team must capture the other team's single active control point to secure that section of the map. Once all sections have been captured by one team, they are then able to attack the other team's base directly. A further game mode, payload, was introduced in April 2008 with the map "Gold Rush". In payload maps, one team has to work to escort a rail cart carrying a bomb along a track through a series of checkpoints, eventually detonating the bomb in the other team's base. The other team has to defend their positions and prevent the cart from reaching the end within a set amount of time.
TF2 Classes
There are nine player classes in Team Fortress 2, categorized into offense, defense or support roles. Each class has at least three weapons, a unique primary weapon, a secondary weapon such as a shotgun or pistol and a distinct melee weapon in keeping with the character, such as a liquor bottle for the demoman, a kukri for the sniper and a fire axe for the pyro.
Offensive Classes
The offensive classes consist of a scout, a soldier and a pyro. The scout is portayed as an arrogant baseball fan from Boston, Massachusetts, and is a fast, agile character armed with a scattergun and capable of performing double jumps. However, the scout cannot sustain much damage. The soldier is more durable, but is consequently slower in his speed. A stereotypical American military man, the soldier is armed with a rocket launcher which can be used to rocket jump to higher positions. The final offensive class is the pyro who's nationality is unknown. Clad in a fire-retardant suit that muffles his voice, the pyro carries a flamethrower that can set other players on fire.
Defensive Classes
The demoman, the heavy and the engineer make up the defensive classes. The demoman is a black, one-eyed Scotsman, who is frequently shown inebriated. Armed with a grenade launcher and a sticky bomb launcher, the demoman can use his equipment to provide indirect fire onto enemy positions. The heavy class can sustain more damage than any other class, but is slowed down by the weight of his minigun. The heavy is a Russian character, depicted as being obsessed with his gun to the extent of even naming it. The engineer is the last defensive class, portrayed as a relaxed and intellectual "good ol' boy" from Texas. The engineer is capable of building a number of structures to support his team: a sentry gun to defend key points, a health and ammunition dispenser and a teleporter system.
Support Classes
The final category is the support classes, including the medic, sniper and spy. The medic is a German doctor, and is responsible for keeping his teammates alive. The medic is accordingly armed with a "medigun" to heal teammates, and can make teammates temporarily invunerable or enhance their firepower after the medigun has been used for a brief time. The sniper is an Australian, equipped with a laser sighted sniper rifle to attack enemies from afar and a submachine gun for close combat. The last support class is the spy who is French. The spy, in addition to using a revolver is equipped with covert tools such as a temporary cloaking device and an electronic sapper to sabotage engineer's structures. The spy can also use his butterfly knife to assassinate key enemy players.
Get in on the Action! If you're still not convinced, just check out the images below.
Thank You For Visiting Our Team Fortress 2 Unit Pages
See You On The Battlefield
The Team Fortress 2 Division Was Started November 11, 2007.