Intelligence, as you have read in the TF/TFC-Tactics and Strategy Guide, can be viewed as an out-of-match activity. You gather information about clans, players, and depend on this through a network of intelligence teams/officers.

TF2 will also be able to supply the team with active in-game intelligence. The commander, having an overview of the

game, will, apparently, be able to see the battlefield from above. As there is not yet any further indication of what this will look like I will base myself on the assumption that this overview will be based on enemy operatives becoming visible when they are in visual/shooting range. Currently the Close Combat strategy game series, adopts a similar view.

1. A commander will be able to feed direct info on possible threats to his squads/operatives. Whereby, of course, it should be noted that this does not mean that the operative becomes fully dependent on the commander for threat-identification. However, the voice communication will allow people to react faster, and prevent some frags from occuring.

2. Within the game it could now also be advantageous to drop a spy with a feign command deep into enemy territory, if the commander can indeed see visual/shooting range enemies. The commander will have some “advanced listening posts” to his disposal. Squads can be terribly effective when they know that an enemy squad is heading for them. It will revive the art of ambushes, and baited traps. A cordon of at least two spies can seriously hinder any enemy advance movement.

intelligence.