Sappers/Engineers are important support units that can completely change the outcome of a game. Play your role well, and great satisfaction will be had when your team climbs your ramp to take the fortress, or your defences frustrate the opposing team.

Like aiming a mortar, melee, or pressing P; there are intricacies and quirks to be familiar with in becoming a great sapper. Practice is key.

Even if you have no interest being a sapper, this information is useful to understand and counter sapper tactics. This guide will break down the basics, useful structures to build, common mistakes, and strategy to win more.

I am working to update this guide.

• There is now a 2 second long restriction on how fast players can construct sapper props.
  
• We changed how many build points it takes to build certain props and adjusted their health.
  
• Plank towers are no longer possible.
  
• Earthworks can no longer be dug into the sky.
  
• Build points should now reset properly when the map is reset.
  
• Removed failed loop on sapper props.

The guide has changed so much, with major additions being: Plank Structures, Explosive Crates,
and Improving Your Skills.

Work in Progress: Plank Walls

This guide has a different perspective on sapping.

I've been pleasantly surprised at all the positive feedback and ratings. Thank you very much.
Updated as of 31-12-17

• Spade
  Left click to dig an eartwork.
  Press X to toggle undig (lowers earthwork).
  
  
• Construction Hammer
  Left click to build/repair a defence.
  Right click to open the construction menu.
  
  
• Short Sword (or equivalent)
  Nothing special.
  
  
• Sapper Axe
  Excellent at breaking defences, avg melee weapon.

Drop tools (press G) that you don't need since more items slows movement.

BP are the sapper's currency.
It's consumed by building, and regained from destroying objects. Certain maps have pre-existing defences you can harvest; useful if BP is scarce.

The # of hits to build an object.

Where you hit to build or destroy an object.

Whether 2+ of the constructed object be stacked.

Can cavalry leap over the object?

How effective is it against small-arms fire.

The # of hits to destroy a fully constructed object.
Less efficient attacks will require more hits.
All objs except earthwork:

• Sapper Axe: 2
  
• Sword: 7
  
• Musket: 4

Earthwork: 13

How long it takes to be destroyed by a human.
Based on hitbox size (smaller is better), hits to destroy, and prevalence of tools (earthworks require spades).

* Depends on their deployment: either useless or effective.

• Large Chevaux de Frise
  Best barricade, average durability
  
  
• Wooden Stakes
  Jumpable, only effective from front, difficult to build
  Bad barricade, rarely build
  Excellent against bots (they can't target hitbox)
  
  
• Sandbags
  Good small-arms protection, average durability
  
  
• Small Chevaux de Frise
  Jumpable, utterly useless
  Never build
  
  
• Gabion
  Jumpable
  Rare usage in an arty fort
  
  
• Fence
  Players can jump over, covers wide area
  Poor barricade, use to impede movement
  Good against bots (takes longer for them to destroy)
  
  
• Plank
  Cheap, hard to build with, instantly constructed, great durability
  Depends on sapper skill
  
  
• Simple Earthwork
  Players can walk over, timeconsuming to build, extremely durable
  
  
• Explosive Crate
  Excellent against (Napoleonic Wars dlc) NW structures, ships, and players;
  Indestructable, bulletproof (unignited state)
  Some maps disable/restrict # of explosive crates

Pontoon Bridges and Watchtowers require 16 hits to build, and 2 explosive crates/cannon hits to destroy.
All ships and most walls require 2 explosive crates to destroy.
Native assets/walls cannot be destroyed, fort walls require explosive crates to destroy.

Expect to get ~20 kills per crate. The highest possible is ~100 kills.

Explosive crates can detonate in a chain reaction. If placed close together, they will ignite together. There will be a second of delay if further apart.
The furthest they can be placed to cause a chain reaction is:

• Horizontally: between 1 Large Chevaux (lengthwise)
  
• Vertically: 1-1/2 height of a player or 11 stair segments

Most walls take 2 explosive crates to destroy, but also know which walls cannot be destroyed. Beware of invisible walls, and any map objects behind walls (stairs, etc)

Maximize your BP and effort: ignite crates where 2 segments meet, it'll destroy both for half the needed crates. Coordinate with friendly arty to target different objectives.

Crates have a signature hissing sound and time delay, making them difficult to use against players. Bots, however, can be corraled into killing zones.

Chokepoints, bridges (especially underneath), forts, or inaccessible posns (boulders, rooftops) are most effective. Posn yourself to lure bots, and don't drag on a game too much w/ this tactic. Ignition occurs standing up, stack 3 sandbags to protect from fire.

If needed, space out several fallback lines (ignite crates, fall back, repeat as needed). If hiding behind walls, ignite 1 crate, then repeat. NW walls get destroyed w/ 2 crates, so spacing it out lets you bomb longer (more kills).

Other players may try to steal your kills or just want to grief your fort, so avoid placing explosive crates until the last moment.

Tip: Don't get greedy, ignite when you can take a sizable amt of bots.

Prevent attackers from capping the flag before time runs out. No defences are permanent against players. They will jump over your defences or try to flank the position. If there is a single weak-point or breach, it compromises the entire defensive line.

Therefore, all measures are meant to delay the attackers.

Enemy arty and crates will breach the walls, but that is not the priority at the beginning of a match. Reinforce the entry-points: gates, ladders, bridges, etc.

• Earthworks only crates, arty, spades can destroy, very durable
  great at blocking doorways, gates
  
  
• Wooden Stakes small hitbox, can be jumped over, very durable
  
  
• Large Chevaux can't be jumped over, great barricade
  
  
• Sandbags small-arms protection, can't be jumped over if stacked 2 high
  
  
• Planks cheap and effective, but don't plankspam

Pink: Common attacking ramps Red: Paths to flag Blue: Prioritize defences
In some matches, the defensive works around the flag are so effective, they prevented the defenders from re-capping the flag from a sneaky attacker. The flag usually should be accessible for this reason.

Especially if there is enemy arty, maintain your defences, and redig sandbags.

Bridges are high priority targets to destroy (with crates). Pontoon bridges can be repaired, so it can be an ongoing task to keep blowing them up.

Attacking sappers will build ramps, but let your team destroy them. Staying alive and out of danger is usually more important.

Support your team to cap the flag before the timer runs out. Reduce travel time by destroying walls and clearing paths. Protect your team’s arty if needed.

This is a mental game, outwit your opponents by any means necessary.

You will be targeted. Coordinate with your meatshields team to divert the defenders’ attention. Crouch in haybales, walk underwater, hug the map’s edge, and the reverse slopes of hills. Hide in the blindspots/corners of walls.


Zig-zag when running, dance around while building (harder target), and crouch immediately after placing an object (should be a reflex to press Z).

Noise is produced when building, destroying, igniting crates and (un)digging; but placing an object doesn't. Stay quiet, as long as it doesn't prevent you from doing your job (quietness your lowest priority).

Getting caught and having to respawn wastes time. Keep switching your approach, and wait for the right time to strike.

See Explosive Crates section of guide

Chokepoints will be heavily defended, so make your own entry-point with crates or ramps. Be stingy and efficient with BP.

Ramps will be counterattacked and destroyed many times. Waste all the BP on inefficient ramps, and it will cost you and the team.

Fence ramps are more durable and efficient, but trickier, more time-consuming (and dangerous) to build. Unless you are building an extremely long ramp, stick with efficient chevaux ramps.

Red: Paths to flag Blue: Ramp that cuts travel time significantly (expert lvl sapper)

Keep the ramps slightly below the wall, to better hide it from the defenders. Hammer segments up to 7 times to make it more durable. Use earthwork foundations that is harder for defenders to remove.

Building a ramp with no one to hold the foothold when the defenders destroy your opening wastes time. Remind your team not to stop on the ladder and shoot, just jump in and secure a foothold.

Grow a pair. Brave the enemy fire and clear the obstacles for your team. Your axe and crates are the most effective against defences. Remind your team they can pick up an axe and shovel from your cold dead hands to help out.

If you manage to sneak to the flag cap, and there are few players on the server, tell your team not to kill the defenders so they don’t respawn near the flag. Crouch and hope they don’t catch you stealth-capping.

Using the correct structures with the situation is just as important as knowing how to build them.

• Cav? How many? Anti-cav measures needed?
  
• Arty? More durable defences.

• Sappers? Can you work with them? Larger forts possible, delegate work
  
• Arty? Will they be useful enough to fortify them?

• Chokepts? Bridges? Explosive crates needed?
  
• Notable features? Boulders? Rivers?
  
• Hills? Valleys? Consider firing arcs.

Originally posted by No idea who:

Location, Location, Location

The best fort in a terrible location is a terrible fort.

Originally posted by treasonous Jedi:

It's over Anakin, I have the high ground

Generally, higher is better as uphill slows enemy movements and provides a better vantage point.

If there is enemy arty, build on the reverse slope to expose less of your fort.

Common mistake: Building at the very top of a hill
These forts obscure aim, forcing players to expose themselves to fire back.

Instead build near the top, on a sloped area. An angled earthwork provides an level "floor", and a sandbag provides adequate protection without blocking aim.

What features can be used to anchor/augment your defence? This can save time and effort.
Are there any choke-points, bridges, obvious places to build?

Build where you have enough time to erect a suitable defence. The more you push forward, the riskier it is (more time under fire), but your fort might not be useful at the rear of the map.

Exploit AI pathfinding and behavior to your benefit.

Originally posted by Dilbert:

If something is worth having, it’s worth abusing

Bots cannot:

• Undig earthworks (or build)
  
• Use arty
  
• Break wooden stakes (hitbox hard to target)
  
• Avoid explosive crates
  
• Jump

The cav will rush (time is of the essence), so prioritize anti-cav measures.

• Barricade chokepoints
  
• Blow up bridges
  
• Fence walls (quick, BP efficient, wide area)
  
• Plank runs
  
• Ramp onto a rooftop
  
• Earthworks if on a steep hill (angled so bots can't climb over)

Expect to build only 3-4 objects before getting swamped by cav, focus on small-scale defences.
Bots that carry ramrods/banhammers have much longer reach, be extra cautious.

Only stakes are effective.

Some servers have scripting that superpower them, letting them chew through plank spam faster than humans can.

Arty rankers will be to the left of the cannon (where the ammo box is).
Don't block the arty.
Arty bunkers are a combination of several defensive emplacements to protect the ranker. Not every component is necessary, build as needed.

Ranked in order of priority

• Sandbags (stacked 3 high) in front of the ammo box
  Use earthworks if time permits (more durable)
  
• Sandbags on right side of cannon
  
• Fence ring to impede enemy
  
• Plank roof for overhead protection
  
• Stakes in front (bot battles)

Roofs are mainly sloped, so create a level surface by laying a plank level with the roof.
Either tiptoe and keep placing planks

Or lay fences to extend the roof, and reinforce with planks

Or chevaux/plank jump, then line with planks

Common mistake is to build too far/close, resulting in an angled sandbag. Keep trying until you get it level.
Also remember to sandbag the sides.

Either build in a line to block an area, or circle to surround a fort.

Leave space between fences, jump ontop and reinforce with planks (usually 3 planks for good measure).

Even if the delicate fences break, you're left with a good barrier against bots, or a hinderance for players. Build fences the opposite direction, with the V facing the enemy. It traps bots, and in melee, less of you is exposed.

Against bots, 3 fence ring is a quick and easy fort (the larger the better, beware the bottles).

Only slows humans (jump over), great against bots (won't jump over).

Great barricade, not as cost-effective against bots.

No one's getting past this doorway without a spade and a hefty bit of time. It can devolve into a tug-of-war, with defending and attacking sappers digging and undigging.

On a slope, the earthwork will be vertical and double as a barricade. It provides a level floor to fire from.
Glitch it on the edge of a cliff for a firing platform.
More durable sandbags wall (durable against arty)

Quick and easy small arms fire.

This exploits a game mechanic:
Undigging is faster than Digging earthmounds; if you repeatedly undig and dig, the earthmound will be slightly raised.
This takes forever, and aint nobody got time for that.
Do not attempt unless you have at least another sapper.
Better yet, coordinate with a rocketeer. Dig up to max height, rocketeer instantly undigs (with rockets), repeat. This halves the time and effort.

Ramps use stacked non-constructed objects to create gravity defying structures.

They have two components, the base and the ladder parts. Bases slope the ladder, reducing the BP needed to build; bad sappers don't use bases.

The fastest, cheapest, but least durable base.
Stand at the base of your ramp, face opposite to the direction you want the ramp to rise. Stack 2 gabions. The gabions will form an angle.

Facing the direction of the ramp, dig an earthwork.

Build a large chevaux, lay planks on one side.

Find an opportune slope of a hill, then lay ladder segments.

Fences are trickier, because we are only using half of the bent shape. When we lay a segment, we lay the bend with the acute angle towards us (like an arrow).

At the highest point of your ramp, stand off to the side, looking diagonally at the ramp. Lay a fence segment. Tiptoe around until you succeed.
.
.
.
If the fence angles drastically off to the side, upward or downwards, break it and try again. Lay a sandbag at the new highest point of the ramp, to provide a foundation for you to stand to build the next fence segment.
Often times, it is trial and error. Fences might be laid on the ground, harvest them for BP. If level enough, reinforce with planks. If under enemy fire, hammer each segment up to 7 times to increase durability. Remind your team to make running jumps if needed to climb the ladder.

Try to build from the same side, or it makes it harder to climb.

If you build your ramp poorly, it can become a suicide machine for your team. Take the time to build it right.

They can be high risk, high reward projects, soaring past defences and dropping your team onto the flag.

The easier, less timeconsuming, but more expensive (BP) and less durable ladder.
Facing the direction of the ramp, one step behind the base, lay a large chevaux. Break it and keep trying until the chevaux is 45 degrees or steeper.

Best done with a partner (one sailing the boat, one sapping). This is tricky, time-consuming, and dangerous under enemy fire, let alone drowning at least a few times. But it can drastically reduce travel times.

From the shore, lay a plank to the boat, then keep placing planks to the edge of the boat. Move the boat, stop the boat, lay plank and repeat. Widen the bridge to make it safer for your team.

Sometimes, the planks will prevent the boat from moving. At the end of the bridge, the boat will just be stuck there until it despawns. Boats will respawn if unused, so make sure someone is piloting it regularly while building.

For heavily trafficked rivers where it you can walk across, build shallow bridges.

Construct foundations from stacked sandbags until they rise above the water. Lay planks until a path is made above the water. Break sandbags to save BP.

Better yet, plank tower for foundations, then join them together.

Planks are the cheapest (1 BP), quickest (no hits to build) object to build. They are also very wide. These properties make them extremely effective if placed well.

Plank placement is based on the two ends of the plank. The near side at your feet, and the far side. Planks will not build if they do not detect a surface to connect the far side to.

Glitch: If you jump and place a plank in mid air, sometimes you will create a floating plank. This has to be against a slightly rising slope.

Tip: Place an unconstructed gabion. Walk away until roughly a plank length away, then place plank facing gabion It artificially creates a slope, letting you plank jump almost anywhere.

Good for skyforts (not welcome in most servers). Keep them around 3 planks high if you have to build them.
Open the menu, have your mouse on the plank option, jump, press plank mid-jump. It will take practice to figure out the right moment/coordination to pull it off. Repeat as needed.



Plankjump one level, then walk to the centre of the plank. Place a plank, and repeat. This is the fastest and cheapest barricade. Reinforce with more planks as needed.

It will slowly rise b/c you are gradually stacking planks. At a certain height above the ground, you can't place any more. The last three planks are too high to block (just above player's head), so overlap the next plank run to cover that.

Best practice is to plank run against a gradual rising slope. The ground rises w/ the plank run, letting you build much longer.

This is the one structure I invented by myself. This is still a Work in Progress, but shows much promise.

Theoretically should be more durable than sandbags, cheaper BP, faster, and give an elevated firing platform. This is the most difficult to build, and I'm trying to figure out how to consistently replicate it.

NO, YOU GIVE SAPPERS A BAD NAME

Let your inner Picasso shine.

Stack unconstructed small chevaux, then build them all.

The difference between good and bad sappers is how much BP they use to accomplish the same task. To hammer home that point, I've made a demonstration:

Each ladder has been built with exactly 250 BP (~ max BP per team for most servers)







The plank ladder is 5 times higher than the efficient fence ramp. Not that you should ever plank ladder (it isn't helpful to your team).
This took forever, and you'll probably get sniped in an actual game.

One priority is escorting team arty trains, and fortifying cannons.
Build behind rockets, this will save you a lot of heartache. Wait for the rocketeers to charge in front, then follow them.

There is only so much one sapper can build alone so plan accordingly.

This is difficult, but highly effective if sappers work together. Try laying down a good portion of your planned fort as an outline to others. There’s a teamchat (press Y), so use it.

Some sappers might build frivolously wasteful structures and use up all the BP. You can try to retake BP from their vanity project, or harvest from the map or opposing team’s defences.

If you know there’s harvestable BP on the map, leave it until you need it.

Just stop building. Let your team know you won't build unless they stop.

• Don’t plank spam.
  
• Don't skytower.
  
• Respect server rules.
  
• Don’t block/trap your team. *
  
• Don’t waste BP. **

*This is within reason, if a team member is outside and you cannot rebuild the defence in time, leave him/her out to die. What is most important is that the team wins, and that person becomes a liability if they try to get back inside by breaking your defences.

**If it’s near the end of the match, and no one else is building, knock yourself out.

Each map has its own character, and sappers should know the map better than the map-makers themselves.

Are there any obvious chokepoints, or strategic defensive positions? Keep experimenting until you find the optimal strategy/build for the map. Some custom maps only need 5 BP in planks to barricade.

Break the map if you can. Go where you aren't supposed to go (using your sapping skills).
Objects in the game are impassible on one face, but you can glitch through the opposite face.

Ex: Inside a room/house, build a ramp through to upstairs until you glitch through

There are going to be cracks you can slip through, a few places begging to be detonated w/ crates.

Spend some time in spectator or singleplayer (host a private server). Observe how players, bots, attackers, defenders, and admins behave.

Almost every structure in this guide, I've seen someone else build it and took the idea. Don't be afraid to admit there's a better idea and adopt it.

Try crazy ideas, and fail often. You will eventually get to a brilliant idea/exploit. Don't stop looking for a better, cheaper, faster, way to do things.


Play in a siege server. It's difficult conditions to be a sapper, but the BP constraints, and opposing players will get you more experience, much faster. There's only so much I can explain here.

But seriously, all feedback is appreciated. Please upvote to make this more visible (hint hint wink wink). I hope you found it helpful.