We all know Counter-Strike is a shooter game, but more specifically, it is a tactical shooter game. This means players must strategize with their teams and coordinate their plans, since raw aim and firepower can only get you so far.
If you’re looking to climb up the ranks and improve with your friends, here are some must-know strategies to help you and your team make coordinated movements and win matches.
Round Tactics In Counter-Strike
Let’s cut to the chase and immediately dive into various round tactics that are used in professional Counter-Strike matches. We will divide these strategies into the Terrorist and Counter-Terrorist side since they have different objectives.
Terrorist Side Counter-Strike Strategies
We’ll spend most of this section talking about the Terrorist side strategies, as it is arguably harder to play Counter-Strike on the offensive side. Playing as the Terrorists requires teams to be on the same page and coordinate strategies properly.
Rushes
One of the most common strategies used in ranked matches is the Rush tactic. Rushing as Terrorists essentially focuses on catching your enemies off guard by overwhelming them with numbers in a very quick manner.
To pull off a rush, the majority of Terrorist players must run in and storm into a bomb site together. Ideally, someone at the back will throw flashbangs and utility to help the main attacking unit breach into the bomb site.
When rushing into a site, you are likely going to lose some bodies while trying to get in there in the first place. The team should be focused on trading and getting the bomb down. Once the bomb is down and the numbers are even, the Terrorists will have the upper hand in the round.
However, rushes are very vulnerable to defensive utility such as HE grenades or incendiary grenades, so one person should be ready with a smoke to extinguish the flames.
Fakes
The Fake strategy is focused on tricking your opponents and pretty much playing the mind games. When trying to execute a fake, you are sending one or two players to the opposite bomb site to cause a ruckus. They will be throwing smokes, flashbangs, and shooting bullets to suggest to the enemy that they are coming in soon.
Once the Counter-Terrorists have rotated to the “faked” bomb site, the rest of the crew can storm into the other bomb site which will hopefully have little to no resistance, often allowing for a free plant.
If the bomb is planted and the Counter-Terrorists are still on the opposite side of the map, the Terrorists will be heavily favored to win the round as the time is ticking and they still have to run across the map.
Slow Play
The Slow Play is the total opposite of rushing into a bomb site. When using this strategy, Terrorists are slowly creeping up towards the map, taking map control in silence with minimal utility and gunfire used.
In the middle of the round, Terrorists are focused on getting information and denying vision from enemies, without killing anyone. This will make Counter-Terrorists paranoid as they have a lack of information as to where the final hit is going to be.
When slow rounds are played, the clock ticks down and Counter-Terrorists might hedge their bets, choosing to send half of their players to each bomb site. That’s when the Terrorists storm the bomb site and win in numbers.
If the site is successfully taken, the Counter-Terrorists on the opposite bomb site have a long way to run to get to the bomb site, shaving a lot of time off the clock.
Split
A Split is when Terrorists attack the same bomb site through various points of contact. This will apply pressure on the Counter-Terrorists in the bomb site, as they will have multiple angles to watch and will often be overwhelmed.
Terrorists will usually split into two groups and hit the bomb site through two different areas. For example, on Dust II, having two players go through A Short and three players going through A Long.
If done properly, Terrorists will likely catch enemy players on the bomb site off guard since they will be switching their sites through two or more angles at a time. However, Terrorists must make sure to get their trades in when coming into the bomb site.
Contact Play
The Contact Play strategy is pretty related to the Slow Play strategy. When contact playing, Terrorists are usually spread out around the map, slowly creeping up and trying to take aim duels.
Once a Terrorist gets a pick off or an opening kill around a specific bomb site, everyone on the map will turn their sights towards that area since it is weakened with an opening kill. Then, they will pick up the pace and rush into the bomb site with their man-advantage.
Contact play requires strong aiming skills, as winning out duels is very important for the strategy to work. However, losing the opening duel so late into the round can make the strategy backfire.
Execute
An Execute, also known as “exec,” is probably the most satisfying tactic to watch in professional play. When professional teams are going to execute a bomb site, they are making their presence known.
Players on the team will hurl out utility such as smokes, grenades, and molotovs on coordinated locations, allowing the entry fraggers to have an easy time clearing angles and taking advantageous fights. Additionally, there will be coordinated flashbangs being thrown to give entry fraggers the advantage in duels.
A well-executed strategy will guarantee that the bomb will be planted, and Counter-Terrorists will be forced into a retake situation. However, playing the post-plant might be difficult since utility is low.
Counter-Terrorist Side Counter-Strike Strategies
Playing on defense feels much easier in Counter-Strike, as you are not forced to make the first move. However, there are still certain strategies that must be applied to have a strong and potent defense.
Gamble Stack
The Gamble Stack, also known simply as “Stack,” is a common strategy you’ll see when Counter-Terrorists are low on money or information. When there is an uncertainty of whether they will win the round or not, sometimes, the best play is to gamble.
A stack is a defensive strategy that moves the majority of Counter-Terrorists players (often 4 or 5 people) to a specific bomb site, leaving the opposite side of the map unattended. This is where the “gamble,” comes in.
If Terrorists storm the stacked site, the Counter-Terrorists will have a high percentage chance to win the round. However, if the Terrorists attack the opposite bomb site, they pretty much have a free plant and will almost always win the round.
If Terrorists attack the opposite bomb site, it is wise to simply go for a save call, as a 5v5 retake where Counter-Terrorists still haven’t crossed the map is almost always a loss.
Pushes
Just because you’re playing on defense doesn’t mean you can’t be the aggressor. Sometimes, Counter-Terrorists can go for pushes on highly-contested areas to catch Terrorists off guard with an early fight.
These pushes are usually done during low buys or eco rounds, and Counter-Terrorists are banking on the fact that Terrorists aren’t ready. Maybe they have a grenade out or are looking in the wrong direction.
Sometimes, pushes don’t even require Counter-Terrorists to get kills. If they have pushed very deep into an area without any gunfights, then they have essentially cleared that entire area of the map, allowing their teammates to rotate to the other side since Terrorists are guaranteed to be there.
Retake
A Retake is normally a regular state of the game where Counter-Terrorists lose a bomb site, and must regain control of it to defuse the bomb. However, it can also be a tactical strategy. Sometimes, teams will reluctantly let Terrorists into the bomb site, but why?
When Terrorists try going into a bomb site, they will usually spend a lot of utility such as smokes and molotovs. If Counter-Terrorists give the bomb site without using any of their utility, it can make the retake situation easier.
After waiting out Terrorist utility, Counter-Terrorists can counter-attack by hurling utility into the bomb site to take favorable fights. However, remember to have a Defuse Kit since time will definitely run low.
Save
Sometimes, Counter-Terrorists find themselves at a disadvantageous position, whether they are a few men down or they are too low on money to risk going for the retake. During these scenarios, it might be best to give up the round and focus on the next one.
If a round seems impossible, it is wise for the remaining Counter-Terrorist players to save their guns, meaning they will quit going for the retake and hide around the map, waiting for the round to end. Surviving means they will bring their weapon and armor onto the next round, meaning they won’t have to spend extra money repurchasing everything.
However, when going for a save, make sure you actually have items of value such as armor or rifles.
Buy Tactics In Counter-Strike
Aside from pulling off round strategies, it is also important that money plays a crucial role in a game of Counter-Strike, and it is also important to strategize your finances between teammates. Let’s go over the different forms of buy strategies you will expect to see in an average professional Counter-Strike match.
Eco Round
An Eco Round stands for an “economy round,” which is a round teams perform to check in on their finances. Eco rounds are performed when teams are very low on money and cannot muster up a strong purchase with rifles and armor.
As a result, they will simply buy upgraded pistols and perhaps one or two grenades into the round. They are not playing to win the round, but rather to save money to have a stronger purchase in the next round.
Force Buy
A Force Buy is a risky strategy that is used to try turning the tides of a game. A force buy occurs when a team is low on money, but instead of saving with an eco round, they instead spend all their money on armor and whatever else they can buy, whether it is pistols or SMGs.
A force buy can catch enemies off guard. They might think the enemy team is going to perform an eco round and will have no weapons and armor, only to be greeted with a full pack of armored players storming into a bomb site.
Winning a force buy can completely bring you back into the game, but failing it will have consequences as you will have to concede an additional round to save.
Partial Buy
Partial Buys are performed when teams are keeping track of their loss bonus money. When teams lose consecutive rounds, they will receive more money going into the next as a loss bonus.
When teams know they can afford a full buy with extra funds to spare in the next round, they will partially invest into the current round with light armor and a few upgraded pistols or SMGs. This increases the chances of winning the round at hand, but ensures they can still full buy in the next round.
Full Buy
As the name suggests, a Full Buy is when teams have enough money to purchase complete equipment. They will have full armor, upgraded rifles, a full kit of utility, and a handful of Defuse Kits assuming they are on the Counter-Terrorist side.
Being fully equipped maximizes the chances of winning a round, and a lot depends on taking it. After winning a Full Buy, the surviving players can drop their weapons to their teammates who have to repurchase armor and utility.
Understanding The Basic Roles In A Team
Before we close this article off, we figured it would be good for you to know the different player roles that make up a team. Note that these roles are seen in the professional scene, but do not expect your casual ranked teammates to follow the format.
Entry Fragger
The Entry Fragger is often the most explosive player on a team, and is usually the player with the best aim. As the title suggests, their role is to go into a bomb site head first, supported with utility.
The team is banking on the entry fragger getting the opening kill, giving the team an advantageous situation by taking out an enemy player early into the round. Even if the entry fragger doesn’t get a kill, their secondary job is to make space for their teammates to trade.
AWPer
The AWPer is the primary sniper of the team. They are usually playing at the back, holding angles from far away. They will pick off any enemy players in the open, and will support their teammates from behind.
However, there are aggressive AWPers that are often tasked to take the opening duel. Since the AWP is a one-shot one-kill weapon, AWPers that take initial fights can have the advantage as long as they don’t miss their shot.
Support
The Support player plays more of a passive role. They are usually at the back throwing grenades for the team. One of their main jobs is to throw well-timed flashbangs to help the entry fragger break into the site.
After they have thrown all their grenades, they will join the team late. You will often see support players be some of the last players alive in the team, and they will be placed into clutch situations from time to time. The support player has a boring role, but must work well under pressure in case of clutches.
IGL
The IGL, or “in-game leader,” is the captain of the team moving all their chess pieces. They are responsible for making strategic decisions, often calling some of the tactics we’ve discussed above.
They are focused on analyzing enemy trends and figuring out what they will do next. Using prior information and the strength of their teammates, the in-game leader will make tough mid-round calls that can make or break rounds.
Lurker
The Lurker will spend most of their time playing alone. They are usually on the opposite side of the map where their teammates are. Their main job is to gather information and potentially pick off enemy players by cutting rotations.
You will often see these players flanking their enemies during post-plant situations. Or, they could also get a crucial pick in a “Contact Play” round and tell the rest of the team to come along.