Vertigo Callouts & Map Guide
Take it further: every map, grenade lineups, grenade guide, practice config generator, workshop maps, surf maps and pro player settings.
A skyscraper under construction, fought across two exposed floors. Vertigo is Counter-Strike's most claustrophobic map — close-range duels, deadly drops, and boost trickery.
Vertigo Overview & History
Vertigo dates back to early CS:GO, but its competitive chapter began in March 2019 when Valve overhauled it and promoted it to the Active Duty pool in place of Cache — a controversial swap at the time. It held its pool spot into the CS2 era before being rotated out in favour of the returning Train for the 2025 season. It now sits in the reserve pool and remains playable in Competitive matchmaking.
The setting defines the gameplay: two floors of an unfinished high-rise connected by ramps, stairs, and a ladder, with open building edges that make falling a genuine hazard. Sightlines are short and interrupted by concrete pillars and scaffolding, so SMGs, shotguns, and rifles dominate while AWPs struggle to find lanes.
A site sits on the upper floor behind the long A Ramp choke; B site is tucked beside CT spawn, reached through mid or the B Stairs from T spawn. Because the whole map is compressed, utility timing and sound reads matter enormously — a single well-placed molotov can reroute an entire attack.
Vertigo Callouts Map
Every official callout on Vertigo, plotted from the game files at its exact in-game position. Hover a callout to see what it means — community names for spots inside these areas are listed below.
Hover or tap a callout to see what it means. Click one to jump to its description.
Positions extracted from the Counter-Strike 2 game files — not hand-placed.
Map data freshness. The Vertigo callout positions come straight from the map's own game files. 2 tracked CS2 updates have shipped since the content was last reviewed on 4 July 2026 (most recently 4 August 2026) — including a content update. See what changed → We track Valve’s game files daily, but map geometry is not part of that extraction, so this is a staleness signal rather than a claim that the layout is unchanged.
Pro Competitive Stats
On Vertigo, CTs win 52.3% of rounds — a balanced map at the pro level. Aggregated from 551 team map results across 7 tracked teams (a game between two tracked teams counts once per team).
The stronger side takes roughly 53.7% of rounds when sides are near-even. See all CS2 maps compared →
Vertigo at a Glance
Close-quarters and stacked on two levels; doorway-range fights favour SMGs and sound discipline over AWPs.
The five traits are our editorial read of long-established map characteristics, on a four-point scale — not measurements, and not blended into a single score. Callout count and level count come from the map data itself.
What Decides Rounds on Vertigo
A callout list tells you what a place is called. This is which places are worth fighting for, and what taking one gives you access to — our read of the map, not a statistic.
Mid
CriticalOne of only two workable AWP lanes, and the route that lets the T-side reach B without the elevator giving them away.
OpensB SiteConnector
A Ramp
ChokepointThe most contested gap on the map — doorway-range and decided by who throws utility first.
OpensA Site
Connector
Rotation hubThe link between the sites on a map where rotations are short and constant.
OpensA SiteB Site
B Stairs
ChokepointThe approach to B, narrow and loud, which is why the mid route matters so much.
OpensB Site
Where the Bomb Goes on Vertigo
Common plant spots and the positions they are held from after the plant. Common, not the only ones — the right plant depends on who is still alive and where.
A site
The box is the only real cover on the site, and planting behind it means a retake has to clear an angle before it can look at the bomb.
Held fromA RampSheetsDark
The concealed ramp-side plant, used when you expect the retake to come across the site rather than up the ramp behind you.
Held fromA RampBig BoxSheets
Positions by Role
Pick your role to see the spots you actually play on Vertigo. Coverage is partial on some maps — only roles we can describe confidently appear.
- CTAWPerMid — One of only two workable AWP lanes on the map — mid control decides how much space the T side gets on either site.
- CTAWPerA Ramp — The other lane: it holds the ramp approach, and is easily flushed with utility, so it is a shot-and-move position.
- CTAnchorHeaven — The elevated A angle, and the position that survives a fast ramp hit long enough for help to arrive.
- CTAnchorElevator — The A anchor's ground-level cover, held so the ramp exit is covered from two heights instead of one.
- CTAnchorBack B — The B anchor position — a small site where the anchor plays for the trade rather than the opening kill.
- TEntryA Ramp — The A entry. The ramp exit is the most contested doorway on the map, so it is entered with utility or not at all.
- TEntryB Stairs — The B entry route, and the reason B hits live or die on how quickly the second player arrives.
Vertigo Angles
Common AWP positions
- CTMid — One of the only two workable AWP lanes on the map.
- CTA Ramp — The other: holds the ramp approach, and is easily flushed with utility.
Clearing A site
- A Ramp
- Big Box
- Sheets
- Dark
- Heaven
- Back of A
Ramp then the site cover; heaven and back-site are the two that survive a fast hit.
The common sequence, not the only correct one — a teammate's utility or a known setup changes the order. Positions are named with this map's own callouts, so you can find every one of them on the radar above.
Learn Vertigo: A Practical Path
- Callouts first. Learn the 46 named positions on the radar above, then hit Test your callouts to drill them until calling comes without thinking.
- The 6 essential lineups. Not all 15 at once — the ones marked Essential are the utility every standard round uses.
- Put them together. The 2 utility sequences show the same grenades in throw order as site executes and retakes.
- Drill it in the workshop. One curated workshop item carries Vertigo content — see the list below.
- Practice offline. Generate a practice config with Vertigo preselected — infinite utility, trajectories, and rethrows.
- Study the meta. The pro stats above show which side to bet your rounds on; compare every map to know when to pick it.
Workshop maps for Vertigo
Curated Steam Workshop items that carry Vertigo content — prefire routes, utility lineups, or a performance run set on the map itself. Read the category: it is what tells you whether an item teaches the map or merely runs on it.
- Yprac Hub Utility & Prefire
Links open the item's Steam Workshop page. We curate what these items contain; we do not monitor whether they still load — a Workshop item can be updated or delisted by its author at any time. Browse all workshop maps →
Learn These Vertigo Callouts First
11 of 46 — the positions that turn up in how this map is actually played, rather than every micro-spot at once.
The long open slope up to A site — the map's primary choke and the target of most T utility.
Key areaCommon AWP angleCleared on entryPost-plant position
The wooden crate between A Ramp and Bridge — staging cover for Ramp pushes.
Cleared on entryBomb plant spotPost-plant position
The dim pocket between A Ramp and Big Box — checked before every Ramp climb.
Cleared on entryPost-plant positionBomb plant spot
The corridor joining mid to B site and CT spawn — the CT rotation pivot.
Reached from a key areaKey area
The central floor area between T Mid and Top Mid — the link between the two sites.
Decides roundsCommon AWP angle
The cubby beside A Ramp stacked with building material — a classic close-hold surprise spot.
Cleared on entryPost-plant position
The upper-floor A bombsite between A Ramp, Scaffold, and the Elevator, with open building edges.
Reached from a key area
The lower B bombsite between Electric Box, Catwalk, and Back B, beside CT spawn.
Reached from a key area
The staircase from T spawn up to B site — the fast B attack route.
Key area
The far end of A site away from the Ramp entrance, toward the CT approach. It is the anchor's fallback ground and the last space a T entry has to clear.
Cleared on entry
The connecting space between A site and CT spawn with an elevated look over the site.
Cleared on entry
All Callouts (46 positions)
Official callouts (19)
Defined in the CS2 map files — each one is plotted on the radar above at its exact position.
CT Side (10)
A Site●
The upper-floor A bombsite between A Ramp, Scaffold, and the Elevator, with open building edges.
Elevator●
The open elevator shaft space connecting A site to Top Mid and Door — a surprise angle onto the plant zone.
Connector●
The corridor joining mid to B site and CT spawn — the CT rotation pivot.
B Site●
The lower B bombsite between Electric Box, Catwalk, and Back B, beside CT spawn.
CT Spawn●
Counter-Terrorist spawn beside B site, connecting to A via Door/Heaven and mid via Connector.
B Platform●
The raised platform on B site beside the plant zone. It is the site's height advantage, so an anchor holding it sees the entrances before anyone stepping onto the floor does.
Back Door●
The door on the CT side between the spawn area and the far end of A site. It is a defensive entry onto A, which is how a retake arrives behind Ts who only cleared the Ramp side.
Back of A●
The far end of A site away from the Ramp entrance, toward the CT approach. It is the anchor's fallback ground and the last space a T entry has to clear.
Back of B●
The rear corner of B site behind the plant zone, the ground the community calls Back B. It is the deep anchor spot, connected to Catwalk and out of the first line of sight from B Stairs.
Crane●
The crane structure at the Ramp end of A site. It is a landmark on the site floor and cover for anyone holding the top of the Ramp choke.
T Side (7)
A Ramp●
The long open slope up to A site — the map's primary choke and the target of most T utility.
Bridge●
The walkway connecting the Save Spot area to A Ramp.
T Spawn●
Terrorist spawn on the lower floor, with routes up B Stairs, T Stairs to mid, and Bridge toward Ramp.
A Platform●
The platform at the bottom of A Ramp on the T side, below the climb onto the site. It is where a Ramp take is staged and the last cover before the open slope.
Ladder Bottom●
The foot of the ladder on the lower level, below the Underpass route toward T Mid. It is the T-side entry to the climb — noisy, and therefore a commitment.
Ladder Top●
The top of the ladder, where the climb from the lower level arrives at T Mid. It is the exit both sides listen for, since the climb announces itself long before the player appears.
T Corridor Up●
The corridor climbing from T spawn up toward mid, running parallel to the B Stairs route. It is where a round's first split is made.
Mid Control (2)
Mid●
The central floor area between T Mid and Top Mid — the link between the two sites.
Top of Mid●
The CT-side portion of mid toward Elevator and Connector, the same ground the community calls Top Mid. It is the far end of the mid duel, and the ground a CT has to give up before Ts can use mid for a split.
Community callouts (27)
Player names in everyday use for spots inside the areas above. The game defines no position for these, so we list them rather than guess them onto the map.
CT Side (12)
Scaffold
The scaffolding route connecting Lane toward A site — the second entrance on A splits.
Lane
The narrow path linking Scaffold to A Short.
A Short
The connecting stretch between Lane/Scaffold and the A site.
Fence
The raised area beside Ramp opposite the site — a CT delay position over the choke.
Sand Bags
The sandbag crates on the corner between Fence and A site — the standard Ramp-watcher spot.
Double
The pair of orange crates beside the A site — plant cover and post-plant anchor.
Door
The narrow doorway linking Elevator to CT spawn and Heaven.
Heaven
The connecting space between A site and CT spawn with an elevated look over the site.
Headshot
The head-height angle between Top Mid and Connector that CTs hold against mid pushes.
Catwalk
The exterior platform extending from the building connecting Back B and B Stairs.
Back B
The corner of B site connecting to Catwalk — the deep anchor position.
Electric Box
The large rectangular box between CT spawn and B site — the site's central cover.
T Side (11)
Big Box
The wooden crate between A Ramp and Bridge — staging cover for Ramp pushes.
Dark
The dim pocket between A Ramp and Big Box — checked before every Ramp climb.
Sheets
The cubby beside A Ramp stacked with building material — a classic close-hold surprise spot.
Underpass
The narrow corridor connecting Bridge toward B Stairs on the lower level.
Save Spot
The corner between Bridge and Underpass where players stash saved weapons.
Under Stairs
The space beneath B Stairs viewing the underside of Catwalk.
Ladder
The ladder connecting the Underpass area up to T Mid.
B Stairs
The staircase from T spawn up to B site — the fast B attack route.
Toilets
The pair of portable toilets in T spawn — a spawn-area reference point.
Generator
The raised generator section of T spawn giving access toward T Mid.
T Stairs
The stairs Ts climb from spawn to reach T Mid.
Mid Control (4)
T Mid
The T-side portion of mid, reached from T Stairs and Generator.
Top Mid
The CT-side portion of mid toward Elevator and Connector.
Boost
The crates toward T Mid used to boost players over the mid cover.
Iron
The bundle of metal rods between Mid and T Mid.
How to Play Vertigo T-Side
T-side Vertigo revolves around the A Ramp fight. The standard default sends three players toward Ramp with utility while two watch mid and the B Stairs flank. Ramp control is won with grenades: smoke the top, molotov the Sheets/Dark close positions, and flash over before peeking — CTs holding the choke dry die to coordinated waves.
The B side is the tempo option: fast B Stairs hits reach the site before CT utility is set, especially on pistol rounds and after gun-round wins. Mid control via Boost and Iron opens the Connector route, letting Ts squeeze B from two directions or fake Ramp and swing back through mid.
Executes should always account for the third dimension: boosts over sandbags, Elevator peeks onto A, and drop-downs make static defences exploitable. Post-plant on A, the classic holds are Sandbags, Scaffold, and one player back at Ramp — cover the open plant zone from angles a retake flash cannot clear all at once.
How to Play Vertigo CT-Side
The standard CT setup puts two on A (one Ramp-watcher from Sandbags/Fence, one site or Elevator flex), one mid with the Headshot angle, and two B (one close, one Connector support). The Ramp player's job is delay, not kills — burn utility, call numbers, and fall back to site cover before the wave arrives.
Mid is the defence's pivot: the Headshot angle sees T Mid pushes, and Connector control lets CTs collapse to either site in seconds. An aggressive mid player with a teammate boosting them creates picks, but dying there unzips both sites, so aggression must be measured.
Retakes on Vertigo are among the hardest in the game because post-plant Ts hold tight angles at close range. The retake formula is vertical: flash through Elevator or Door onto A, trade through the smoke, and use Heaven's angle where possible. On B, come from Connector and CT together and clear Back B last.
Key Duels & Angles
A Ramp choke
The map's defining fight: Ts pushing the long ramp against CTs holding from Sandbags and site cover. Utility decides it — the side that lands its smoke/molotov combination first dictates the engagement.
Mid Headshot angle
The CT holding Headshot sees T Mid at head height only — a punishing angle that stops mid pushes cold until it is smoked or flashed off.
B Stairs rush vs close anchors
Fast Ts up B Stairs meet anchors hiding at Electric Box and Back B. The first flash decides everything at this range; anchors who reposition after each round are far harder to pre-aim.
Elevator peek onto A
The Elevator gap gives CTs (and retaking players) a surprise angle onto the A plant zone. Post-plant Ts must respect it — a single Elevator peek kills careless defenders of open plants.
Boost spot battles
Vertigo's boosts — over mid Iron, onto Scaffold, above Sandbags — create sightlines that ignore the map's usual cover. Teams that rehearse boost peeks steal rounds; teams that forget to check them lose players to angles that "shouldn't exist".
Common Strategies & Executes
The executes below lean on standard utility — practice the exact throws on our Vertigo smoke & flash lineups page.
T-Side Attack
Full Ramp Execute
Smoke the top of Ramp, molotov Sheets and Dark, and push behind a flash wave with all five. Plant behind Double and hold the Sandbags/Scaffold/Ramp triangle.
Fast B Stairs
Straight from spawn up B Stairs with flashes over the top. Beats CT utility timing — the standard pistol-round and anti-eco punish.
Mid Boost → B Split
Boost over mid for a pick or info, take Connector, then hit B from Stairs and Connector simultaneously.
Ramp Fake → Mid Swing
Throw Ramp utility and show two players, then swing the pack through T Mid and Elevator onto A from the other direction as CTs stack the choke.
CT-Side Defense
Delay Defence
Every position plays for time: Ramp utility from Sandbags, Headshot mid hold, close B anchor. Rotations are seconds away — the defence wins by never dying first.
Elevator Retake
On lost A sites, regroup at Door/Heaven, flash through Elevator, and trade onto the open plant zone while a second player clears Scaffold.
Tactical Tips
Watch the edges — fall damage and full drops kill more players here than most utility.
Win Ramp with grenades, not bodies: smoke top, molotov close spots, flash over.
Check boost angles every round; Vertigo sightlines change with one teammate's shoulders.
As CT, delay at Ramp and fall back — dying in the choke unzips the whole site.
SMGs and shotguns shine in force rounds; long AWP lanes barely exist.
Vertigo in Pro Play
Pro Vertigo was a systems map: teams with drilled Ramp executes and disciplined B-flank timing performed far above their raw firepower, and the map became known for fast, scrappy rounds with heavy SMG use and famous boost innovations. Its tight geometry made it a frequent permaban for aim-first rosters.
Since leaving Active Duty for Train in the 2025 rotation, Vertigo has been out of the tier-one spotlight, though it remains in matchmaking and could rotate back as the pool continues its seasonal shuffles. The stats module above reflects tracked competitive data where available.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Vertigo still in the CS2 map pool?
- Vertigo is in the reserve pool, not Active Duty. It was rotated out when Train returned for the 2025 season, having held an Active Duty spot since March 2019. It remains fully playable in Competitive matchmaking, and reserve maps have historically rotated back into the pool.
- Why is A Ramp so important on Vertigo?
- It is the only wide route onto the A site, and the map's geometry funnels most T rounds through it. Whoever wins the utility exchange at the choke — smoke on top, molotovs into the close spots, flashes over — usually wins the round. That is why both teams build their A-side plans around Ramp first.
- What weapons work best on Vertigo?
- Rifles remain the standard, but Vertigo is the friendliest map in the pool for SMGs and shotguns: engagements happen at doorway range, and the MAG-7 or MP9 trades evenly in the chokes. AWPs have only a couple of workable lanes (mid and Ramp) and are easily flushed with utility.
- How do I avoid falling off the map?
- Treat the building edges as walls that kill: never wide-swing near an open edge, jump-throw utility from a step back, and be careful shoulder-peeking Scaffold and Catwalk. Many Vertigo deaths are self-inflicted — knowing where the floor ends is genuinely part of map knowledge here.
- How should Ts attack B site?
- Two ways: raw speed up B Stairs before the CT setup finishes (ideal on pistols and force-buy punishes), or a mid take that opens Connector for a two-direction squeeze. Against stacked B defences, fake the Stairs push and swing back through mid — the site is small enough that anchors cannot hide from a coordinated split.
- When was Vertigo in the Active Duty pool?
- Vertigo entered the Active Duty pool in March 2019, replacing Cache after Valve's competitive overhaul of the map. It stayed through the transition to CS2 and left the pool when Train was rotated in for the 2025 season — a run of roughly six years at the top level.
- Is Vertigo CT or T sided?
- Across 551 tracked team map results, CTs win 52.3% of rounds on Vertigo versus 53.7% for Terrorists, making it a balanced map at the professional level.
- How often is Vertigo picked in pro CS2?
- Vertigo has an average pick rate of 2.1% and a ban rate of 14.7% across 7 tracked teams. The pistol round is won 54.5% of the time in the map's data sample.