Payload

The third stage of Gold Rush, the first Payload map to be introduced with the game.

“

Onward, great bomb-cart! Click to listen — The Heavy

”

In Payload maps, BLU team must escort a cart full of explosives through a series of checkpoints and into RED's base within a certain amount of time. BLU team members move or 'push' the cart by standing next to it - the more people nearby the cart, the faster it moves. Any RED team member standing near the cart will stop it from venturing further. If no BLU player pushes the cart after 30 seconds have passed, the cart will start moving backwards slowly until it reaches a checkpoint/BLU spawn or a BLU player stands next to it again. The cart works as a level 1 Dispenser for BLU team (and disguised enemy Spies) to restore health and ammunition to those pushing it.

Payload maps may or may not be split into multiple rounds. Some maps traditionally have one-way routes from the BLU side, sometimes closed off until a specific point is taken.

Some maps such as Gold Rush, Hoodoo and Thunder Mountain are split in three stages that BLU must advance through and win. Stages one and two have 2 checkpoints and stage three has 3 checkpoints (2 for Hoodoo) , counting the final point as such. Badwater Basin and Upward maps have a single round with 4 checkpoints, counting the final point as such. Advancing the cart to the next checkpoint gives the BLU team extra time. Advancing it to the final point moves the map onto the next stage. When the cart reaches the final point on the final stage, the Payload explodes and destroys RED base, symbolizing BLU's victory.

Maps

Main article: List of maps

Payload maps carry the "pl_" prefix.

	Map	Filename
	Badwater Basin	pl_badwater
	Gold Rush	pl_goldrush
	Hoodoo	pl_hoodoo_final
	Thunder Mountain	pl_thundermountain
	Upward	pl_upward

Carts

Carts are the objective and focus of the Payload and Payload Race game modes.

Carts are attached to a line of railroad tracks; the objective is to push the cart along said tracks, while the enemy team attempts to stop it. The cart is pushed by standing next to it – the more people, the faster it moves (up to a maximum of 3 – see Speeds section below). If any opposing team member gets near the cart, it is blocked and the cart will not move until any opposition is removed. The cart acts as a level 1 Dispenser for the team that owns it, restoring health and providing ammo and metal.

If a cart is left unattended on specific slopes, it will naturally roll down it. The cart-pushing team must push it continuously to get it up such hills, whereas reaching a downwards slope becomes a sort of checkpoint that the cart cannot reverse past. As of the Engineer Update, the Cart has a glowing outline effect that enables its position to be identified through walls and from further away, allowing players to keep an eye on its whereabouts at all times.

Payload

In Payload mode, BLU must push a cart through a series of checkpoints and into RED's base within a certain amount of time. Reaching a checkpoint adds time to the timer. If no BLU player pushes the cart after 30 seconds have passed, the cart will start moving backwards slowly until it reaches a checkpoint/BLU spawn or a BLU player stands next to it again. If the cart is not moving backwards when time runs out, Overtime will occur, which gives the attacking team five seconds to move the bomb, or they lose. The timer resets each time the cart is touched.

Payload Race

Main article: Payload Race

In Payload Race mode, both teams are issued with a cart. The teams must simultaneously push their cart through enemy territory while preventing the enemy team from doing the same. Unlike Payload mode, the cart will not move backwards after any length of time and there is no time limit; the map only ends when one team successfully pushes their cart to the finish point. Payload Race maps tend to use rolling slopes much more than standard Payload ones.

Speed

The speed of the cart depends on the amount of people (the multiplier) that are pushing. Currently, all stock Payload maps use the same speeds. Speeds are measured in Hammer units per second. Note that the capture limit is 3 players, and any additional players who push will not increase the speed further.

Multiplier	Speed	Rate
(Backwards)	-9	-10%
x1	50	55%
x2	70	77%
x3	90	100%

tf2tactics.com video on cart cap speed (October 2009).

Gallery

Carts

• 

  The BLU bomb cart.

• 

  The RED bomb cart, seen only on Payload Race maps.

• 

  The special model for the cart on Hoodoo.

Unused models

The following models appear in the game files, however, remain unused.

• 

  The prototype rideable bomb cart.

• 

  The prototype rideable bomb cart undercarriage.

• 

  The prototype rideable bomb cart car.

• 

  The prototype rideable bomb cart car undercarriage.

• 

  Cart bomb model found in game files that resembles below concept art.

Trivia

Concept drawing depicting an different style of cart.

• The Payload takes the shape of a "Fat Man" implosion-style plutonium Atomic Bomb. This bomb was dropped over Nagasaki, Japan on August 9th, 1945 at 11:02 JST.
• Hoodoo uses a different cart model, having once been a community map. The map description reveals the cart to be carrying a 'dirty bomb'; a nuclear explosive consisting of little more than radioactive material strapped to conventional explosives, such as TNT.
• Though the Hoodoo cart uses an improvised timed detonator, it does not explode at the end of the round unless BLU is successful.
• The default cart bears the words "Cry some more" scratched into the paintwork, likely by the Heavy.
• Similarly, the Hoodoo cart has the words "So much blood!" painted in white on the frontmost barrel, and the word "Bonk" written in dust underneath one of the straps.
• There used to be a bug in game where an Engineer could upgrade the Dispenser on the cart, allowing it to give increased healing, ammo and metal. This has since been fixed.