Mirage Callouts & Map Guide
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The most played map in competitive Counter-Strike. A Moroccan-themed three-lane layout where mid control decides rounds, with two bombsites that reward coordinated utility and disciplined trades.
Mirage Overview & History
Mirage began life as de_cpl_strike, a community map created by Michael "BubkeZ" Hüll, before Valve rebuilt it as an official map for CS:GO in 2013. It has stayed in the competitive rotation ever since — through every pool shake-up of the CS:GO era and into CS2, where it remains part of the Active Duty pool after the July 2026 Season 5 update. That longevity makes Mirage the shared language of Counter-Strike: it is the map most players know best at every level, from matchmaking to Majors.
Structurally, Mirage is the textbook three-lane map. A Ramp and Palace feed A site on one flank, B Apartments feeds B on the other, and a long central mid corridor connects everything through Underpass, Catwalk, and Connector. The CT who holds Window (the sniper's nest) sees the whole middle of the map, which is why the opening mid duel shapes almost every round.
Mirage rewards utility knowledge more than raw aim. A handful of set smokes — Window, Connector, Stairs, CT — turn a coin-flip A execute into a controlled site take, and the same is true for apartment flashes into B. If you learn one map's grenades deeply, most players should start here.
Mirage Callouts Map
Every official callout on Mirage, 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 Mirage 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 Mirage, CTs win 55.2% of rounds — a CT-sided map at the pro level. Aggregated from 1751 team map results across 8 tracked teams (a game between two tracked teams counts once per team).
The stronger side takes roughly 55.2% of rounds when CTs hold the advantage. See all CS2 maps compared →
Best Teams on Mirage
Win rate over each team's own tracked Mirage games (minimum 5), from the same sample as the stats above.
| Team | Maps | Win rate |
|---|---|---|
| FUT Esports | 72 | 75% |
| Vitality | 247 | 60.3% |
| Spirit | 258 | 60.1% |
| Aurora Gaming | 208 | 59.1% |
| FURIA | 269 | 58.7% |
Mirage in Recent Tournaments
168 decided Mirage games across 8 tracked events. Share is that map's portion of the event's decided games.
From our tournament archive, captured 2026-08-27. Compare every map's professional meta →
Mirage at a Glance
Mid control decides the round; a handful of smokes unlock both sites.
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 Mirage
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.
Top Mid
CriticalMirage is a mid map. Holding top mid threatens both sites at once and is why the window smoke is thrown almost every round.
OpensConnectorCat (B Short)Short Corner
Connector
Rotation hubThe fastest route between A and mid. A team that owns connector controls how quickly CTs can answer an A hit.
OpensA SiteJungle
Cat (B Short)
SecondaryThe short path to B. Taking it turns a slow apartments hit into a two-sided one.
OpensB SiteMarket
B Apartments
ChokepointThe only quiet way into B, and a narrow one — utility through apartments decides most B rounds.
OpensB SiteBench
A Ramp
ChokepointThe main A entry. Contested with molotovs and flashes far more often than with rifles.
OpensA SiteTetris
Where the Bomb Goes on Mirage
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 standard open plant. It sits where players coming from both Palace and Ramp can cover it, so the whole team can trade over the bomb instead of one player babysitting it.
Held fromPalaceA RampShadowsSandwich
Planting tight against the triple stack puts box cover between the bomb and the CT-side retake, so defusers have to step into the open rather than work the defuse from range.
Held fromPalaceA RampSandwich
The concealed plant. It hides the bomb from the obvious sightlines into the site, which costs a retaking CT the seconds they would normally spend walking straight onto a defuse.
Held fromPalaceA RampStairs
B site
The van breaks the line from the Market side, so a CT rotating in has to commit into the site rather than contest the defuse from the doorway.
Held fromB ApartmentsCat (B Short)Apps Ramp
The open B plant. It stays visible to the players still sat in apartments, which is the trade-friendly option when you have bodies left after the entry.
Held fromB ApartmentsApps RampMarket
Positions by Role
Pick your role to see the spots you actually play on Mirage. Coverage is partial on some maps — only roles we can describe confidently appear.
- CTAWPerWindow (Sniper's Nest) — The map's defining CT AWP seat — it holds top mid and punishes anyone crossing toward short or palace.
- CTAnchorTicket Booth — The deep A anchor: a protected angle onto ramp and the palace exit, with room to fall back toward CT rather than die on the entry.
- CTAnchorJungle — The second A defender, playing off the anchor and covering the connector side of the site.
- CTAnchorVan — The B anchor's home angle — cover on the site itself, close enough to the apartments exit to trade and far enough back to survive the first flash.
- CTAnchorBench — The other half of the B crossfire, so the two entrances into the site are never covered from the same place two rounds running.
- CTSupportConnector — Where the rotator lives: close enough to reinforce A instantly and the standard entry point for an A retake.
- CTSupportKitchen — The mid player's route to B — holding it keeps the window AWP relevant to both sites instead of just one.
- TEntryPalace — The elevated A entry. Entering here stretches the two A defenders in the opposite direction from ramp, which is the whole idea behind the standard execute.
- TEntryA Ramp — The other half of the A split — ramp entries take the fight to the near-side defender while palace lands behind them.
- TEntryB Apartments — The B entry. First player out is seen by two angles at once, so this is a flash-and-trade position, never a solo peek.
- TAWPerTop Mid — The T-side AWP angle once window is smoked or the CT sniper has been traded out.
- TLurkerUnderpass — The mid lurk: it catches CTs rotating between the sites and threatens the back of an A retake.
- TLurkerA Ramp — The A-side lurk during a B hit — holding ramp keeps the A defenders honest and punishes an early rotation.
- TSupportT Ramp — The utility position for the A execute: smokes for window and CT go from here before anyone takes space.
- TSupportApps Ramp — Where the B support throws from — flashes over the apartments exit so the entry does not have to peek blind.
Mirage Angles
Common AWP positions
- CTWindow (Sniper's Nest) — The defining CT angle: holds top mid and punishes any T crossing to short or palace.
- CTTicket Booth — Deep A angle covering ramp and palace exits, with CT for an easy fall-back.
- CTCat (B Short) — Holds the short push and trades with connector players.
- TTop Mid — T-side mid control angle once window is smoked or the CT AWP is gone.
Clearing A site
- A Ramp
- Tetris
- A Default
- Triple Box
- Stairs
- Jungle
- Ticket Booth
Ramp-side first, then the boxes, then the deep angles — the order that keeps your back to space you already own.
Clearing B site
- B Apartments
- Bench
- Van
- B Plat
- Market Door
Apartments out, bench and van cleared before you commit to the plant, market last because it is the rotation door.
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 Mirage: A Practical Path
- Callouts first. Learn the 52 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 3 utility sequences show the same grenades in throw order as site executes and retakes.
- Drill it in the workshop. One curated workshop item carries Mirage content — see the list below.
- Practice offline. Generate a practice config with Mirage 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 Mirage
Curated Steam Workshop items that carry Mirage 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 Mirage Callouts First
12 of 52 — the positions that turn up in how this map is actually played, rather than every micro-spot at once.
The catwalk climbing from mid toward B site — the "short" route to B, guarded by CTs from Window and Site.
Reached from a key areaKey areaCommon AWP anglePost-plant position
The main T entrance to A site from T spawn — an arched ramp corridor that empties onto the site beside Tetris.
Key areaCleared on entryPost-plant position
The long apartment corridor from T spawn to B site — the primary T route into B.
Key areaCleared on entryPost-plant position
The bench along the back wall of B site — a common post-plant and retake-delay position.
Reached from a key areaCleared on entryBomb plant spot
The standard A plant spot beside the default boxes at the front of the site, plantable from cover.
Cleared on entryBomb plant spot
The corridor linking mid to Jungle and A site. Whoever holds Connector can rotate or split faster than the enemy.
Reached from a key areaKey area
The shaded room between Connector and A site. Controls the Connector exit and forms a crossfire with Stairs.
Reached from a key areaCleared on entry
The shop interior beside B site with a door onto the site and a window facing Apartments — key CT holding room.
Reached from a key areaPost-plant position
The staircase at the back of A site leading up toward the Palace drop — a strong CT hold covering Ramp and Palace.
Cleared on entryPost-plant position
The stack of stepped boxes on the site edge nearest Ramp — a common close-range hold and post-plant hide.
Reached from a key areaCleared on entry
The booth structure on A site near CT; players hide behind or on top of it to surprise site takers.
Common AWP angleCleared on entry
The T-side mouth of mid, exposed to Window — where Ts smoke and fight for map control each round.
Decides roundsCommon AWP angle
All Callouts (52 positions)
Official callouts (23)
Defined in the CS2 map files — each one is plotted on the radar above at its exact position.
CT Side (9)
A Site●
The A bombsite plaza, reached from A Ramp, Palace, Connector/Jungle, and CT. Plants usually go Default or behind Triple Box.
Stairs●
The staircase at the back of A site leading up toward the Palace drop — a strong CT hold covering Ramp and Palace.
Jungle●
The shaded room between Connector and A site. Controls the Connector exit and forms a crossfire with Stairs.
Window (Sniper's Nest)●
The elevated CT window room overlooking all of mid — the most important AWP position on the map.
CT Spawn●
Counter-Terrorist spawn, sitting between A (via CT) and B (via Market/Kitchen) for quick rotations.
B Site●
The enclosed B bombsite behind Apartments, defended from Van, Bench, Market, and Short.
Scaffolding●
The scaffolded structure on the Ramp/Palace edge of A site, between the ramp mouth and the ground beneath Palace. Anything entering A from Ramp passes it, so CTs holding Stairs and Triple Box clear it on entries and retakes alike.
Shop●
The game's name for the shop building beside B site that players call Market. It sits between B and the Kitchen/Window side of the map, which makes it the CT room every B hit has to answer for.
Truck●
The truck parked at the back corner of B site, past the plant zone against the wall. It is hard cover for a B anchor and one of the last angles Ts have to clear before they can plant safely.
T Side (8)
T Spawn●
Terrorist spawn, with routes to A Ramp/Palace on the left, mid ahead, and B Apartments on the right.
Side Alley●
The narrow alley branching off Apartments toward Underpass — used to fake B then hit mid.
Apartments●
The game's zone covering the whole apartment block on the T route to B, entered up Apps Ramp and exiting toward Market and the site. Everything the community calls B Apartments sits inside it, which makes it the loudest and most utility-heavy corridor on the map.
Back Alley●
The passage running behind the apartment block between House and Apartments. It sits deep on the T side, so it is staging ground rather than a fight — the last quiet stretch before a B execute commits into Apartments.
House●
The small building on the T route toward B, between Side Alley and Back Alley. Ts pass through it on the way from spawn into the apartment block, so it is a checkpoint on the B approach rather than a position either side holds.
Palace Alley●
The open alley climbing from T spawn up toward Palace. Ts hitting A through Palace pass along it before reaching the interior, so it is the point at which a Palace hit is committed.
Palace Interior●
The inside of the Palace building above A site, between Palace Alley and the drops onto the site. It is the elevated half of an A execute — players who take it look down on Pillars, Ticket Booth and the default plant spot.
T Ramp●
The game's name for A Ramp, the arched corridor from T spawn down onto A site beside Tetris. It is the primary T entrance to A and the half of an execute that arrives at ground level while Palace comes in above.
Mid Control (6)
Connector●
The corridor linking mid to Jungle and A site. Whoever holds Connector can rotate or split faster than the enemy.
Mid●
The central corridor between Top Mid and Window. Controlling it unlocks Connector (toward A) and Catwalk (toward B).
Underpass●
The tunnel running from the B Apartments side beneath mid, emerging at bottom mid under Window — the sneaky route between B and mid.
Cat (B Short)●
The catwalk climbing from mid toward B site — the "short" route to B, guarded by CTs from Window and Site.
Ladder●
The ladder itself inside the Ladder Room, linking the Underpass level to the Cat/B Short side of mid. It is a flank and rotation route rather than a fighting position, and the noise of the climb is usually what gives it away.
Top of Mid●
The T-side mouth of the mid corridor, the same ground the community calls Top Mid. Mid control is won or lost here, because everything that steps out of it is visible from Window.
Community callouts (29)
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 (16)
A Default
The standard A plant spot beside the default boxes at the front of the site, plantable from cover.
Tetris
The stack of stepped boxes on the site edge nearest Ramp — a common close-range hold and post-plant hide.
Sandwich
The gap between the Default boxes and Firebox, "sandwiched" between the two — a sneaky off-angle for both sides.
Firebox
The lone box between Sandwich and Stairs, named for the fire graffiti — often molotoved by Ts before entry.
Ninja
The hidden cubby beneath/behind the Ticket Booth area on A — a classic spot for ninja defuses and sneaky saves.
Ticket Booth
The booth structure on A site near CT; players hide behind or on top of it to surprise site takers.
Triple Box
The stack of three boxes toward the back of A site, a favourite AWP perch covering Ramp and Palace exits.
CT
The passage connecting CT spawn to A site past Ticket Booth — the standard CT rotation route, smoked off in almost every A execute.
Chair
The corner with the chair at the mid end of Connector — a cheeky close hold against Ts pushing from mid.
Kitchen
The room behind Window connecting toward B Market — the fast CT rotation path between mid and B.
Market
The shop interior beside B site with a door onto the site and a window facing Apartments — key CT holding room.
Market Window
The single window in Market overlooking the B site and the Apartments exit — usually smoked or molotoved during B hits.
Market Door
The doorway from Market onto B site — CTs peek it late in executes; Ts must clear it before planting.
Bench
The bench along the back wall of B site — a common post-plant and retake-delay position.
Van
The van parked on B site facing the Apartments exit — the classic close-range B anchor spot.
B Plat
The raised platform on B site near Short where the bomb is often planted for Cat post-plants.
T Side (7)
T Roof
The rooftop above T spawn — a boost position for early picks toward Top Mid.
A Ramp
The main T entrance to A site from T spawn — an arched ramp corridor that empties onto the site beside Tetris.
Shadows
The dark corner at the bottom of A Ramp beside the site — a favourite lurk and post-plant spot.
Palace
The elevated interior above A site reached from T spawn — Ts drop from its two exits onto the site during A hits.
Pillars
The columned area beneath the Palace exit on A site — checked constantly during site takes and retakes.
B Apartments
The long apartment corridor from T spawn to B site — the primary T route into B.
Apps Ramp
The ramp inside B Apartments climbing from T spawn up to the apartment interior.
Mid Control (6)
Top Mid
The T-side mouth of mid, exposed to Window — where Ts smoke and fight for map control each round.
Boxes
The stack of boxes in Top Mid that Ts hide behind to play the Window duel or boost for picks.
Short Corner
The tight corner at the top of Cat before it opens onto B Plat — always cleared before a Short push continues.
Ladder Room
The small room with a ladder connecting mid toward the B half of the map — an alternative flank route.
Vent
The vent passage linking Ladder Room and the B Short area — noisy, but useful for late-round flanks.
Boost
The boost spot at Top Mid where a teammate lifts a player to see over the mid boxes toward Window.
How to Play Mirage T-Side
T-side Mirage starts with mid. A standard default puts two players top mid, one lurking Palace or A Ramp, and two in B Apartments. From there the round is about information: if the mid pair can smoke Window and touch Short, CTs must commit their Connector player, and the map opens up for a split toward either site.
The classic A execute needs three smokes — Window (from T spawn), CT (blocking the path from CT spawn), and Stairs or Jungle — plus Palace and Ramp flashes thrown together. Entry from Palace and Ramp simultaneously stretches the two A defenders in opposite directions. Against retakes, the strongest post-plant setups put one player Palace or Shadows, one Sandwich or Default, and a Ramp anchor watching CT.
B executes are cheaper: an apartment flash, a Short smoke to cut off Cat, and a Market smoke or molotov to deal with the Window-room player. Because B site is close to apartments, contact plays — walking apartments quietly then hitting the site without utility warning — work well against passive B anchors. Practice the standard throws on our lineups page before queueing.
How to Play Mirage CT-Side
CT Mirage is usually played 2-1-2: two A (commonly one Stairs/Ticket Booth, one Jungle or CT), one mid anchor in Window, and two B (one apartments-side, one Short or Van). The Window player is the backbone of the defence — an AWP there controls top mid, denies the Short boost, and can rotate through Kitchen to B in seconds.
Early utility matters: a Top Mid molotov delays the mid default, a Palace smoke or molotov stalls A hits, and an apartments flash lets the B pair take a free fight at the entrance. The B duo should trade aggression round to round — sometimes pushing apartments for info, sometimes falling back to crossfire Van and Bench so the site never plays the same way twice.
Retakes on A are among the most practiced situations in Counter-Strike: players come from CT and Connector with a retake smoke on Ramp, using Jungle and Stairs cover to isolate fights. Save your best utility for these moments — a well-placed retake flash from Connector routinely wins 3v3 post-plants.
Key Duels & Angles
Window vs Top Mid (AWP duel)
The defining opening fight. The CT AWP in Window holds the top-mid gap; Ts counter with an early smoke, a shoulder-peek to bait the shot, or a double flash-over from T spawn. Winning this duel decides who owns mid for the round.
Palace exit vs Stairs/Ticket Booth
Ts dropping from Palace are exposed to a Stairs player holding the drop-down. A Palace pop-flash flips this fight; without it, the CT usually wins the first pick.
Apartments door vs Van/Bench crossfire
The first T out of B Apartments gets seen by two angles at once. Entry players should flash wide and clear Van first while a teammate trades toward Bench and Market.
Connector vs Underpass
CTs pushing Connector meet Ts coming up from Underpass at close range. Sound cues rule this fight — soft-dropping into Underpass keeps the timing ambiguous.
Jungle vs A Ramp (retake angle)
In post-plant situations the Jungle-to-Ramp sightline is the key retake duel. Ts hide in Shadows or behind Default box; CTs clear layer by layer with a teammate watching Palace.
Common Strategies & Executes
The executes below lean on standard utility — practice the exact throws on our Mirage smoke & flash lineups page.
T-Side Attack
Default → Mid Split A
Take mid with a Window smoke, then split A through Connector and Ramp/Palace simultaneously. The Connector pair cuts off Jungle while entry players clear site from Ramp.
Full A Execute
Smoke Window, CT, and Stairs; flash from Palace and Ramp together. Five players hit the site in one wave, then set up post-plant in Shadows, Sandwich, and Ramp.
B Apartments Execute
Flash out of Apartments, smoke Short and Market Window, molotov Van. Plant for B Plat and hold the site from Bench, Apartments, and Short.
B Contact Play
Walk Apartments with no utility warning, then hit the site together the moment the first duel starts. Best against CTs who stack utility elsewhere after seeing a mid default.
CT-Side Defense
A Anchor + Connector Control
One player Stairs/Ticket Booth, one Jungle, with Window supporting Connector. Molotov Ramp on hit sounds and hold retake-ready positions rather than overcommitting.
B Apartment Aggression
Two CTs flash into Apartments at round start for info and an early pick, then fall back to Van/Market crossfires before the T wave arrives.
Tactical Tips
Control mid early. Winning the Window duel or forcing the AWP back gives T-side the whole map.
Learn the four standard A-execute smokes (Window, CT, Stairs, Jungle) — they turn 50/50 hits into clean site takes.
As CT, vary the B setup between aggressive apartment pushes and passive Van/Bench crossfires.
Use Underpass for timing plays: soft-drop in to keep rotations silent and hit mid from below.
Post-plant on A, split your players between Palace/Shadows and Ramp so one retake flash cannot clear both.
Mirage in Pro Play
Mirage is historically the most picked map in professional Counter-Strike — the "safe pick" almost every roster keeps in its pool, which is exactly why it is rarely banned and why pro teams treat it as the benchmark of fundamentals. Pro rounds revolve around mid control and fast B rotations through Kitchen, and the window AWP battle has produced some of the game's most famous highlights.
Because everyone plays it, innovation on Mirage is incremental: pros differentiate with utility timings (late window smokes, re-executes after baiting out retake nades) and with apartment lurk timings rather than novel site hits. The live pro stats above track how the map is currently leaning between CT and T sides at the top level.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the most important callouts to learn first on Mirage?
- Start with the round-deciding areas: Window (sniper's nest), Connector, Top Mid, A Ramp, Palace, Jungle, Stairs, B Apartments, Van, and Market. Those ten cover the large majority of mid-round communication; the micro-spots on each site (Tetris, Sandwich, Firebox, Ninja) come naturally with playtime.
- What smokes do I need for a Mirage A execute?
- The standard A hit uses three smokes — Window (thrown from T spawn), CT (blocking the rotation from CT spawn), and Stairs or Jungle — plus flashes over Palace and Ramp. With those down, the only dry angles left are on-site players, who can be cleared with a coordinated five-man entry.
- Why is Window so important on Mirage?
- The Window room (sniper's nest) sees the entire mid corridor, denies the Catwalk boost, and rotates to B through Kitchen in seconds. An AWP holding Window effectively locks three routes at once, which is why T-sides smoke it almost every round and why the opening mid duel is the most contested fight on the map.
- Is Palace a T or CT position?
- Palace is a T-side route: an elevated interior reached from T spawn that overlooks A site, with two drop-down exits. Ts use it to flank A hits or hold post-plants. CTs occasionally boost into it early for information, but holding it long-term is risky because the only exits drop onto the site.
- How do I stop B rushes on Mirage?
- Utility and spacing. An early apartments molotov or flash breaks the rush timing, while the two B players hold separated angles — one close (Van or site boxes), one deep (Bench or Market) — so the first Ts through the door cannot trade both. A fast Kitchen rotation from the Window player usually arrives in time to clean up.
- What is Underpass used for?
- Underpass is the tunnel that runs from the B Apartments side of the map beneath mid, coming up at bottom mid underneath Window. Ts use it to convert B-side presence into mid control or to flank a Connector push; CTs drop it late in rounds to hunt lurkers or escape a lost site.
- Is Mirage CT or T sided?
- Across 1751 tracked team map results, CTs win 55.2% of rounds on Mirage versus 49.4% for Terrorists, making it a CT-sided map at the professional level.
- How often is Mirage picked in pro CS2?
- Mirage has an average pick rate of 20.8% and a ban rate of 19.1% across 8 tracked teams. The pistol round is won 52.1% of the time in the map's data sample.