I concur with much of what is spoken here but I have to comment on this 4 > 1 Engies thing. I often start Engie and switch to Demo. Sometimes it's through lack of support to rebuild but mostly it's because the advancement on the map calls for different tactics. [...]
Sometimes that's true. In you case it's definitely the case.
However, an many cases the the run of things is very different. The decision to go multiple engies is often poorly motivated, badly executed and the consequences are ignored.
Baswater can be a forgiving map since you still have more CPs to regroup and recover.
The failure of such nonsense is far more visible on maps like Dustbowl or Goldrush were a bad start of defense usually cost you the precious few minutes you are worn out on the second CP.
And the worst of it: Multiple engies might work if those engies would work together. But usually each of them builds his own stuff, wasting the precious metal to have 4 lvl2 sentries with lvl1 dispensers which the two incoming übers kill in a few seconds making all the effort pointless.
And of course with 4 engies (which, I know, is a bit exaggerating) you lack the firepower to protect the sentries, slow the übers down and take care of the opponents following the übers.
Something like that doesn't happen much on the WDG-servers. But I've seen it and it almost never worked. (And sorry, but I question the intelligence of people when a 3-engy-defense fails on the 1st stage of dustbowl, fails on the 2nd stage, and on the 3rd stage - surprise -they try it again)
But, coming back to Chaos' first post, much of this also depends on the rest of the team.
A dream team of 3 engies, 3 snipers, 2 spies, 1 scout and a pyro stands little chance (and no chance if the enemy team knows the drill). Again: Such extreme screw-ups happen rarely on the WDG servers, but you can see teams with no medics or no heavy classes.
And might I hazard a comment that the turned up volume of whining of late (much - MUCH - improved after my last rant I might add; thanks) does tend to have the effect of muting the less vocal of our players. Possibly.
I don't quite get what you are trying to say with that ...
(and I assume you are not one of those who can't tell apart whining from constructive criticism)