Team Fortress Tuesday #10

Today, I want to talk about the Pyro.  A lot of people don't like the guy for one reason or another, but Pyro is by far my favorite class.  I never get to play Pyro because there's always two already and multiple Pyros is really not effective...I'm going on a tangent.  I want to talk about the Pyro's main secondaries: the Flare Gun and the Shotgun.  I know the Detonator's a decent weapon, but frankly, I just don't find it's piddling little jump worth it, and if I want to have a flare with splash, I'd use the Scorch Shot and I'm getting off track again.  Anyway, the Flare Gun is a fantastic weapon.  If you can hit your shots, it's brutal at mid-range.  Having a long range option, even if it isn't great at long range, is fantastic for Pyro, and it's a great finisher if someone is trying to retreat.  For about a year now, whenever I play seriously, I've exclusively used the Flare Gun.  However, a couple of weeks ago, I was playing on Gravel Pit, and the other team had about 3 million Pyros.  I wasn't getting the damage that I needed, so I broke out the Shotgun.  Normally, my hitscan aim is atrocious, but because I still had the comfort of my reliable Degreaser, my aim was actually passable, and I did a lot of work, even after the Pyro army moved on.  It's actually pretty good for me, because a Pyro with a shotgun is a great pocket, and since I like to play close to Medics, we had more synergy than if I had a Flare Gun.  So, I guess what I'm saying is that the Flare Gun and Shotgun are both fantastic weapons for Pyro, and either one is a correct choice.