Often referred to as the tank of TFC (or sometimes the less endearing "fatty"), the Heavy Weapons Guy is extremely slow, but well armored, and very deadly. While firing his fearsome Minigun (or Assault Cannon/AC), the HWGuy moves even slower, but is able to cut down even the most heavily armored classes in seconds. The AC's devastating damage output is countered by notable drawbacks: it takes a few seconds of "windup" before it begins firing (allowing fast-moving classes to slip past), it consumes ammunition at an alarming rate, and it is very inaccurate when used at longer ranges. His slow speed and his inaccurate weapon make the HWGuy a sitting duck out in the open. Furthermore, skilled players are often able to circle-strafe inexperienced HWGuys to death. Larger maps limit the effectiveness of the slow-footed HWGuy, but this class is a force to be reckoned with when holding down a defensive choke point, or providing cover in an offensive support capacity. The HWGuy also spawns with the crowbar, single and double-barreled shotguns, 2 MIRV grenades, and up to 4 normal grenades.
Due to the simple "point and kill" nature of his weapons and his high survivability, this is an excellent introductory class for new players to learn the game's basics.