The scout is rarely played very well. This rapid mover requires a great deal of finesse and intelligence to avoid being splattered by the many offensively oriented classes before they can achieve their objectives. The scout has two primary specializations: capturing points and grabbing intelligence. They can also run circles around the slower classes, pummeling them with a constant rain of bullets from the rapid fire snub nosed shotgun. The pistol is a very under appreciated long range weapon, as it can take out classes like the pyro from a distance very quickly. The scout's bat is one of the most effective melee weapons as well, because the scout can dance in and out of range very easily while slapping his target with that classic aluminum smacking sound.
The scout can also double jump in the air if you hit the jump key while already airborne. This can give the scout access to areas that other classes can't quite reach, also making it quite easy to clip the heads off of some of the opposing team from above. The scout's offensive strength is routinely overlooked, as their weapons aren't quite as flashy and explosive as those of some of the other classes. The scout can act as an ideal distraction. If you coordinate with your team, you can use your scout to completely shift the attention of the opposing team towards catching you for a few crucial seconds while your team uses the time to push up. Of course, any sentry gun will make quick work of your scout, but anyone else will have some serious trouble killing him in an open area with plenty of room to maneuver.
Mostly, to become a better scout you should get more comfortable using your scattergun well. For the best results, you should try to find alternate routes around the map so you can effectively ambush people from behind. Scouts are one of the best situated characters to go after medics, as they can chase after them easily and avoid the big guy that they're likely pumping full of medic juice. Teams of scouts are especially effective at blitzing capture points, which they capture faster than any other class. An all-scout rush can be an effective tactic if the other team isn't ready for it at the beginning of the round. It's a good way to get an early lead and catch the other team off guard.
