W+M1 Pyros are a staple of the noob Pyro and raging maniacs lost in the fury of being dominated, but in some cases, are actually useful.

The skilled Pyro is generally seen as someone running around with a Degreaser, Flare Gun, and Homewrecker, someone airblasting away, clearing sappers like Hillary Clinton’s emails, and pulling a “Puff-and-Sting” with a quick plume of flame followed by a guaranteed crit flare for quick kills. But, there are cases where the best option is pull out your Phlog and Backburner, push forward, and tape down your mouse.

The W+M1 Pyro generally plays into an offensive Pyro, and it’s quite effective there. These Pyros fit in very well as they flank the enemy and mow them down. While this one-weapon approach doesn’t necessarily require much skill in the way of combat, maneuvering is still a must. No successful W+M1 Pyro ever got their killstreak by being found stuck in the corner trying to figure out where to go. They know the map, and while they may not be experts, they know enough to make the back alleys and pathways into stealth paths they use to pop out of nowhere and make the enemy it had been a spy who had the decency to kill them quickly. The high close-range DPS of the flamethrower and afterburn makes for a fast killing combination. And, while it doesn’t do the same kind of instant damage of a crit flare or the Reserve Shooter, the W+M1 approach is a proven method of a flanking Pyro. In terms of offense, it’s simple, but works. It combines the maneuvering of a Scout, the sneakiness of a Spy, and the close-range deadliness of a Heavy all in a simple, easy-to-learn package, and is often a simple answer to a hard defense or a crushing Sniper, an easy way to clear the way to the intel- it’s versatile. So, simply, if it works, it can’t be all bad.

The biggest argument against the W+M1 Pyro is its simplicity. It’s so easy, any f2p noob can do it. In my personal opinion, that’s exactly why it’s a good thing. With all this Rocket Jumping, Airblast, Trickstab, advanced technique around, new players can often struggle to compete. This strategy, as simple as it is, and as ragingly annoying as it is, W+M1 helps level the playing field. The power and the simplicity makes noobs viable in TF2, it gives them a chance. And, while it may annoy the hell out of me and other players who have taken the time to get the skill they have, that little Backburning Gibus monstrosity can actually have some fun, and feel what it’s like to get a domination. Ultimately, TF2 is about having fun, and if the new guys don’t have something that allows them to not be slaughtered every two seconds, they can’t enjoy the game. As much as you may complain about the hatless f2p noobs, remember that many of you were just the same.

Ultimately, it comes down to this: W+M1 means you kill your enemies by keeping them in the flamethrower stream. Forget the stigma, the noobs, the Gibus, all of that. W+M1 isn't that. It's just a flamethrower kill.

We need to be real. We’re not all going to play TF2 forever, and that means it will eventually die.
But, the new player base can keep it alive. These new players are the next generation of TF2 pros, and we just need to let them grow. If we are mean, if we make these f2p players feel like they aren’t welcome, like they can’t play because they’re trying to learn, if we don’t let the W+M1 develop and learn to become better with time, like the rest of us did- they won’t want to play. And while many salty people may think that that isn’t a big deal, the truth is- the community is what keeps TF2 alive. And, the only way to sustain our favorite team-based hat simulator is to let new blood bring new life, because, face it- not everyone is staying. Eventually, the pros are gonna leave. Eventually, Muselk and ArraySeven and Uncle Dane and all the others will get tired and move on. It will be sad. But, eventually, there’s going to be a new set of stars, a new generation of players, a new community who will carry our torch and our love of hats and unusuals, a new set of rocket jumpers and map-makers and trickstabbers, a new set of puff-and-stingers, and they will have to shepered the new wave of Gibuses and W+M1 and whatnot. But, that’s only if we let TF2 receive these new players.

This section is my attempt to address some of the comments and concerns specific to the Pyro and W+M1 strategy.

Firstly, as stated earlier, W+M1 is a noob strat, but it does have use and can evolve to more advanced gameplay. It's generally somewhat wasteful and more based around a panicking reaction than well-thought gameplay, but it can be used right. W+M1, used as a surprise flank , can easily disorient and destroy enemies.

The general role of a W+M1 Pyro is that of an offensive, flanking, pick class. They should take back routes and seek stragglers, lone wolves, and high value targets, and engage by surprise for maximum effect.

The best loadouts for W+M1 are as such:

High Mobility Flanking
-The Backburner
-The Detonator
-The Powerjack

High DPS Flanking
-The Plogistinator
-Panic Attack/Stock Shotgun
-Back Scratcher

These Pyros should know the map well to make the best use of back routes and flare jumps. They don't engage in larger fights, preferring to take on two at max. The element of surprise is important, as the W+M1 effect creates a lot of confusion and allows for little reaction time if done correctly.

These Pyros make good flankers, acting somewhat like Scouts. They aren't built for front line assaults or defensive play, so a W+M1 approach is very situational, generally applying to larger maps where the opposing team is spread out over a large area and pushing in areas that have flank points.

As far as countering goes, Heavies, Soldiers, and Demos should have the health reserve to be able to react and give the Pyro in question a swift dunking on. W+M1 Pyros will try to close in, so get some damage at range, then finish with an easy melee. Scouts can prevent the Pyro from ever having any effect, as they can travel and clear flank routes much faster than the Pyro. Situational awareness, however, is the biggest tool you have. Watch the flank routes. Look around. Look up. Listen. If they can't surprise you, they will have a hard time killing you.

[Edit] I've seen a lot of people commenting with concerns about the strategy, specifically regarding this strategy being vulnerable to Snipers. That simply isn't the case, though. A good flanking W+M1 Pyro will take back routes and stay out of sightlines, meaning all engagements will likely take place at mid to close range.

Finally, I will respecify my definition of W+M1. I hold that it is a kill style, pursuing the enemy with the flamethrower to keep them in stream. This works in a flank strategy, where the Pyro sneaks behind enemy lines and targets players away from the bulk of the team. The W+M1 most people think of is the one who charges the front lines while dumping ammo. To me, that isn't truly W+M1. That's just a lack of game sense.