Overwatch’s newest map, Junkertown, is a post-apocalyptic and lawless city born from the ruins of an omnium. The irradiated wasteland is home sweet home to thieves, scavengers, and our favorite duo of misfits: Roadhog and Junkrat!
Junkertown has three diverse stages. The first stage takes place in a ramshackle neighborhood and favors mobile heroes and ones that make use of the high ground. Once inside the city, there's a streets phase that is reminiscent of Route 66. The payload moves through a winding street girdled by makeshift wood and aluminum buildings. This area also favors mobility and verticality. Numerous flank routes for attackers mean defenders will have a hard time maintaining a stronghold. The final area is an indoor scrapyard consisting of Junkertown weaponry, omnic corpses, a treasure room, and the queen’s throne. Here, attackers are at a disadvantage and must power through a deadly choke point.
ATTACKERS
FIRST CHOKE POINT: DON'T PLAY INTO DEFENDER'S HANDS
The first priority is to secure some picks. The enemy team has map advantage so it’s important to break their defense and force respawn staggers. It may be tempting to head straight to the payload (ooh, shiny!), but don’t be gulled. Their entire defensive lineup is aimed at it.
It doesn’t matter which exit you use. What matters is that your team exits together. Take the high ground as soon as possible and eliminate ground-level targets and anyone out of position.
- Pink: For heroes able to scale the fence. Use this to get behind them and quickly take out low-ground targets.
- Blue: Most direct and fastest way to access the high ground.
- Green: Optional for Sombra (can hack the two health packs), Tracer, Genji etc. Be prepared for a potential ambush on the second floor of the second house.
FIRST CHECKPOINT
By now you have broken the enemy’s defense in the choke. With receding terrain to fight on, they're forced to retreat toward Junkertown. An open field like this can quickly snowball your team's advantage. Remember, when escorting the payload you gain 10 healing per second and you can max out its movement speed by having three teammates on it. Defenders do not have these payload advantages.
Gain the high ground and apply constant pressure as Soldier, McCree, Junkrat etc. Strafe in and out of the shanty for cover.
SECOND STAGE: STREETS PHASE
The goals for this area are the same as the previous area's: seize the superior position from the defender team and stagger their respawns. If you’re a mobile hero like Tracer, Genji, D.Va, Winston, or Junkrat, attempt a flank to counter their high ground advantage. They're likely positioned on the bridge, waiting for you to feed through the choke. Lucio and Mercy can also join the flank if they are accompanied by tanks.
D.Va and Pharah don’t necessarily need to use the flank route, although it's probably more effective than confronting them head-on. Either way, if the enemy team is on the bridge blast them down as Pharah or knock them back as D.Va.
Once inside the take-away room, you can exit to your right (green) for your bridge takeover.
If you continue further and exit left you'll find yourself near the Scrapyard sign (blue). It’s risky to attempt a jump on the enemy this deep behind their lines. As a DPS with ult this route may be worthwhile, but don’t use this if you’re a tank unless you have your team to back you.
As a less mobile hero i.e. Reinhardt, Roadhog, Zarya – low charge, and Zenyatta, you want to push the payload just around the bend and then stop. The fight isn't favorable at ground level because the bend is a hot-spot for incoming damage. Unless your comp is tanky and has sustain, turtling up and forcing your way through is sheer punishment. Instead, head into the doorway to your right (green) and go up the stairs. Pop out onto the bridge and force the defender team to resign the high ground.
Your team should easily gain voltage once a few picks are made. Defenders have a long walk back from the spawn room, plus they typically scramble out in predictable fashion. When there's a brawl on the payload, enemies will come out through this doorway. Apply pressure here!
FINAL STAGE: SCRAPYARD/QUEEN’S THRONE ROOM
You will be disadvantaged fighting head-on in this choke point. Instead, go up the stairs to your right (green) and use the open ledge to your advantage. Try not to lose people as you journey up by making sure the tanks are mitigating incoming damage. Once directly over the enemy, execute your team's play. For example, D.Va can initiate with Self-Destruct to make them scatter or Zarya can combo with Genji for Graviton Surge + Dragonblade.
Once you push past the bend it's a straight shot to the queen's throne. The homestretch appears longer than it really is and you can quickly close distance! Have your team stay on the payload as much as possible in this final push.
defenders
FIRST CHOKE POINT: EMPLOY CASTLE STRATEGY
It’s always better to set up on the high ground and be in a position where the enemy can’t see you from their spawn. Gaining high ground control early on means you have extra cover and better sightlines versus the opponent. Most importantly, the enemy is denied from securing the high ground advantage themselves.
Don’t make the mistake of engaging them on the first bridge (red X). There’s lots of open space so you risk getting flanked. However, certain heroes have the option to hide in the house left of the first bridge to surprise lone flankers.
The opponent's enormous spawn advantage means it's not worth dying early on. Even if kills are exchanged they can recover more quickly than you. Let them funnel through the choke, and make sure your team’s equipped with hitscan heroes like Soldier, McCree, and/or snipers to rain hell on them below. A Junkrat or a Torbjörn with cover can work well here too. Choose wisely when to drop down, for example after a pick or when healers have expended their resources.
FIRST CHECKPOINT: ALMOST ALWAYS A LOSS
If you lose your hold in the first choke, fall back toward Junkertown. By now, the map is opening up into a flat field and staving off the enemy's approach isn't going to be easy. On top of the city's sign is where immobile and ranged heroes like McCree, Zen, and Ana can make their last stand before giving up the checkpoint.
Mobile heroes like Soldier, D.Va, and Junkrat and ones that excel close-range like Roadhog and Reaper have the option to utilize the house next to Junkertown. If the payload is quickly closing ground however, you must know when to fall back toward the blue region. Again, this is a tough point to hold. Never throw yourself onto the payload in an effort to stall the inevitable.
SECOND CHOKE POINT: MAINTAIN HIGH GROUND ADVANTAGE
The team should defend on this bridge. Staying alive here is vital because the walk back from spawn is time-consuming. It may cost your team their defensive hold.
High burst damage heroes can exploit this ledge for some easy picks. Work to stagger their respawns and waste their time. It’s important not to overstay. If the enemy team is gathering below or they're coming for you, beat a hasty retreat!
SECOND CHECKPOINT
Stave off attackers from the second floor (area marked in blue) and beware of flankers. Again, try to stay alive and if you die, don't walk out from an obvious doorway for enemies to camp (red X).
FINAL STAGE: SCRAPYARD/QUEEN’S THRONE ROOM
At first glance it seems smarter to fight on the second floor, but you can't go wrong defending on the low ground here. This choke point is brutal for attackers because the entrances are narrow and only one or two people can fit at a time. You can prevent the opponent from gaining momentum by eliminating them as they stagger through the doorways. As long as the tanks can provide cover and follow-up on kills, your team can successfully defend this bend.
One important note: don't get tunnel vision and chase unnecessary kills!
As Torbjörn, you can place a turret partially behind cover alongside your team that's defending in the green area.
The ledge that is to the left of your team is another option for turrets. It's also a great spot for Junkrat; he can zone and keep vigil of potential left-side flankers.
All mobile heroes can make use of this stage's abundant verticality. If the left side is covered by Junkrat, D.Va can cover the right side by standing on the rotating platform. Applying pressure from multiple angles can divert attention and the flow of damage away from your stronghold below. Interrupt the enemy formation, break their armor, and force them to use resources.
If you are Soldier, use the second floor to weave in and out of cover while shooting. Don't stay in one place. Keep in mind the health pack locations and where to fall back on. There are no health packs anywhere upstairs.
FYI: you can quickly access the rotating platform without using any abilities via the robo-tractor. It just takes a few jumps.
JJGarcia
I’ve read this twice already and took many screenshots lol. Such a helpful guide! Now just gotta get my comp squad to read this!
Konny Kat
I’m glad it was helpful. I know you and your team will rock on Junkertown! 😀
yourboi
very thorough and clear 10/10 article would definitely recommend
Konny Kat
Thank you kindly!