Spy Hives

You are entering the base with several of your closest comrades, your mission: obtain the intel. No enemies have come out of the base yet, but the Snipers are ready for anything. Once you enter you hear nothing. No footseps of eager fighters, or the beeping of sentries, there aren't even any scorch marks from bombs or rockets. But then suddenly, you hear someone yell "HELP!" you rush to your friends aid, only to find his frozen body cowering in fear from what just happened. My friend, you have just had your first glimpse of a Spy Hive.

Spy Hives are quiet, seemingly abandoned structures. Do not let this fool you, as they are often well protected. This rare event happens when the entire enemy team has a cloak and dagger on hand, and they all choose to become Spies, hiding among the catacombs of their bases. (Sorry for making this look like a Cheesed-up horror movie, theyre actually pretty scary if you encounter one.) The team they are fighting may become suspicious and think that they are using more secret passages, and tend to beef up before going in. The Spies hiding in the base will use sounds to separate any hunting parties sent in to capture the intel. Once separated, the Spies then sneak up on the lost players and slaughter them. They are naturally defensive, as most of the hives are, and they only send a minimal amount of people to capture the enemy intel. There are two Sub-types: SpyCrab Nest, and Spy Hive Mind.

SpyCrab Nest

These extremely rare occurences are not something to be feared, and all SpyCrabs are welcome. This is simply a social gathering of the endangered SpyCrab species. Do not be alarmed, SpyCrabs are peacefule creatures, but do not harm any, because, as said earlier, they are endangered, and they will defend each other if you continue to slaughter them. Below is a rare SpyCrab migration ( Crab People Joke not from original migration)

Spy Hive Mind

These are the most mysterious of all Hives, as no researcher has returned alive with any proof. What we do know, is that all the Spies in the Hive Mind will remove all distinguishable evidence that can be told apart from the others. They often even go to the extreme: Changing their names to match all the other player's names. This makes it nearly impossible to anticipate the team population or where certain players like to hide. Like the average Spy Hive, they often use Spycicles, as to avoid being found, or Your Eternal reward, as to prevent players from finding their favorite hideout by disguising the bodies. But in this case, they always use one weapon or the other.

The best way to avoid being killed by a Spy Hive is to bring a team of Pyros to burn all suspicious areas. They also make excellent and temtping cannon fodder, as Pyros are excellent trophies for the Pyro-Hating Spy.

Sentry Hives

A Sentry Hive, not to be confused with the common Sentry Nest, is similar to the previously stated Sentry Nest in that it is composed of Engineer structures, most notably, Sentries. They are different, however, in the fact that the Sentries and Structures are Strategically placed in multiple areas around the base. Guard Sentries are Sentries that are placed in entrances or, in some cases, above them. They are commonly well-guarded Level 3 Sentries, and thus the hardest to take out. Assault Sentries are Mini-Sentries placed away from the base in an attempt to gain ground. They are well-protected, but their protectors can be easily overcome by brute force. Nest Sentries are the Sentries of varying level randomly placed about the intel room to keep it safe. Sentry Hives are actually a combination of all three of these, and the team consists entirely of Engies, allowing the varied population instead of just one Sentry class.

Friendgineer Hive

Commonly found on idle servers, these guys are self explanatory. They often carry stock weapons, as non-stock weapons are more powerful, thus seen as a threat by other teams. There is a simple way to find out if the Engineer is a Friendly or not. If he hasn't done it already, then move into a crouch position with a Melee weapon and look up and ask for a dispenser. Crouching makes you slower, implying that you trust him enough not to run. The melee is short range, preventing powerful attacks. If he builds a dispenser, that usually means he is friendly, as Dispensers have become a universal sign of peace. Another way is to use a group taunt. If he responds, he is a friendly. If he kills you, you already know.

The best way to combat the hostle Hives would be to become a Spy and sap a lot of Sentries at once, and pick off the panicking Engies. If you meeta friendly Hive, do not harm them, although they may forgive you, they can get over-protective of their builds and may attack you if you so much as accidentally shoot one.

The Scout Swarm

Not exactly a true "Hive" so to speak, as they do not protect their base/hive. They simply scramble towards the enemy intel in a random swarm. They are a dangerous force, because they swarm a single target or close-knit set of multiple targets. They do not need to use their scattergun because they can easily kill a heavy with few to no casualties. They can confuse Sentries and destroy them in a matter of seconds. The Force-a-Nature is a common weapon, because the knockback can let them volley an enemy until they die.

The Ninja Clan

The more orderly version of the Swarm.( Note: They do not specifically wear the Scout Ninja costume pieces, any thing is optional.) They are masters of stealth, and are often Spies that get sick of being slower than most classes. They know all the best hiding places and vary in danger level. Let me give an example.

The team is tied. You are making your way back to the intel room. Suddenly, a Scout zooms by and hits you with his bat. As you spin your minigun and head to his hiding place, a scattergun shot hits you in the back. You have been selected as their prey. A baseball bat hits you in the head and in a fraction of a second they are on you. They run around you and batter you as you hopelessly fire your minigun in circles. You break away and are just a second away from winning. Then the announcer yells "You've failed!". They were just the distraction. They run in and taunt you to savor the moment as you cower shamefully in a corner.

Got it? Theyre tough. The best way to handle them is to form a group of Pyros and fry them when they swarm you. There is a doubt you will live, but their casualties will be vast. I have not fought against a Ninja Clan and I, unfortunately, can not give an example of how to defeat them. If you have an example of how to defeat them, please post it in the comments sections

Heavy Hives

The Heavy hive is one of the more rare of the Hives, unless you have a lot of stubborn, Heavy lovers on the team. The Heavy Hive is unlike the other hives in that it can have other classes as part of the team, usually only consisting of a single pair of Medic and Engie. But for this loose classification to be positive, the majority (9 or more) of the team must be Heavies.

The Heavy Hives are similar to an ant's nest, or, if you belong in the Star Wars Fandom, a Geonosian caste system. Meaning that there are different Heavies with different roles in the hive.
Cave Guard Heavies are the Heavies that guard the entrances to certain points in the base. They are often accompanied by Engies or Medics,( The hive only has to have at least nine Heavies) which will keep them strong and healthy. They are treated the best, because they need to be well-suited for their job. You will find them at the entrances or the intel room. Soldier Heavies are in a barely defined section that we can only call the middle up or down. Either they are the good fighters, who are treated well and given a Medic waiting their beck and call, or they are the crappy ones, the cannon fodder, whom they usually ignore or treat like S**t. Then there are the Drone Heavies, they patrol about the base, searching for any foes that got past the Guards. If an enemy is found, and the Drone thinks he is outmanned, (Ba-dum-Tsh!) he will often yell MEDIC! before attacking the intruder. The Medics will hear his plea and follow his distress call. The Heavies they are guarding will usually follow, resulting in an excellent backup system.

Hoovy Herds

The Hoovy herd is a rare sight on any server, and they can be found on idle servers or achievment farms. These groups of three or more heavies from any team are usually peaceful, and will prove this by dropping Sanviches as gifts of friendship and docility. Do not harm these peaceful creatures, as their comrades will fly into a rage of whirling miniguns. The process to know if a Heavy is a Hoovy or not is if they crouch and walk slowly to you with their melee weapon, usually default. They will stare up at you, and usually present you with a Sandvich. They like to say Pootis, and it is a very good way to tell their docility.

Sniper Nests

The Sniper, a sly and solitary creature, but when they band together, they are a force to be reckoned with. These Hives are by far the most common since the Free to Play update. This event occurs when the C.o.D.B.O. players, who are very childish and rude, decide that they are gonna rage quit while playing, and play something else. The host game? 90% TF2. 10% They get over it. Since TF2 is free, and makes all of it's money from hats (Those beautiful, beautiful hats!), it has a high player count. Most of these players, or F2Ps as they are more commonly known, get the idea that TF2 is like Call of Duty. Their preferred class? The Sniper of course!

These swarms of our favorite Outbback assasins are quiet but easy to stir up. A single Heavy walking blissfully down the platform? Blam! Twenty bullets penetrate his skull all at once. The good news is that they are very unlikely to send any of their comrades after the intel, which leaves the reason standing that they are, infact, very easy to win against. And, plus, since they just hide in their stupid little spots waiting for some idiot to stroll by, they can all be killed at once when you win! You can get a killing spree!
Pack of Predators
This is the occasion when the sniper decides to hang up his rifle and give a more manly, albeit less intelligent approach. This sniper is now called a Predator. His usual weapons consist of a random rifle he never uses, jarate, and a tribalmans shiv. Not very deadly if you keep your distance, but when they form a pack, you should be careful. It is now a swarm of human urine and prison weapons. Just remember one rule to defeat them: FIRE BAD.

Medics. The class everyone loves, but nobody wants to be. Medics on their own are rare, and Medic Hives are the very rarest as such. I have not encountered any of the hives I will tell you about today, with one exception. As a result I have no idea how to combat them. If you do know, please leave a comment telling how. Thank you.
The Mem
Have you ever seen the Medvy Symbiotic pair? I'm sure you have, but what happens when there is a massive swarm of SIX medics in that equation? Simple. The Mem. The Mem is a rare instance of a hive mind of medics forming a hydra-like symbiosis. My only advice upon encountering this creature is to run, for attacking it would be like fighting a battleship with a pistol. The Mem is almost always constantly ubercharged by the many medics in his his company. The tactics used to fight a medvy is practically ineffective due to the multiple medics. My theory on how to defeat these monstrous beasts is to trick them into wasting all their minimum ammo, scaring the medics away. But he may still be dangerous on his own, his veins still pumped with overhead, so make sure you have a sentry handy.
The hospital of horror
Medics aren't as weak as they seem, and anyone who knows how to use him can be a worthy foe. However, on the very lowest of rare occasions, an entire team of medics can form. They can be either crafty and dangerous, or they can be a spy paradise. The more dangerous Hospital of Horror is reminiscent of a Xenomorph nest, divided into multiple castes. The Queen is the medic that gives all the orders and that the others look up to. They are usually the classiest and most powerful of them, so finding it is about as easy as getting mugged in Detroit. The Warriors are the ones that attack your base and steal your Intel. Accompanying them is the healers. These guys travel in pairs and latch on to a warrior so they can keep him healthy. They mainly wait in the nest and keep the queen healthy until they are needed. As already stated, these are medics, and a heavy or two can overcome smaller hives. Bigger ones need more strategic plans to take down.
Spy Paradise
These are the usually weaker and more random of the two hive types, and are just a random jumble of medics. You shouldnt have to try too hard to overwhelm them, and they are wonderful opportunities for spies to go on a stabbing spree.

Hives are very rare and difficult to find, so I hope that I have helped you the best I could to inform you of how to classify the hives and better deal with them. I have not seen all of the kinds of hives nor do I know how to properly defend from all of them. If you have discovered a New kind or have found ways to combat the ones I have listed, please inform me in the comments and I will add them in future updates. Thank you. This is Mr.Pixl, signing out.