CS2 Wingman Ranks & How to Play Wingman Mode
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Most often, avid Counter-Strike players pay the most attention to the competitive 5 vs 5 game mode. This mode is the most popular among Counter-Strike 2 game modes and is used in all tournaments. However, for the players to be a little distracted from the serious battles, in 2017, Valve released an interesting game mode called Wingman. Because of its popularity, the new game format was included even in the CS2 Beta testing, while the CS2 Wingman rank system remained separate from other modes.
Here, players have 2 vs 2 fights, with the basic rules — the counter-terrorists need to prevent bomb planting or defuse it if terrorists find the opportunity to activate C4. You will quickly and intensely go through each round and have a lot of fun with it. Considering that the maps in this mode are much smaller than in the regular one with only one bomb site, you will be able to have excellent training before returning to the standard 5 vs 5 games.
The release of Counter-Strike 2 came with plenty of innovations and temporarily removed modes compared to CS:GO. However, the Wingman remained in the game with mostly the same rules. Still, let’s review what has changed and what all CS2 wingman ranks look like now.
How to Play Wingman Mode in Counter-Strike 2
To play Wingman mode, you just need to follow a few simple steps:
- Find the ‘Play’ button in the upper menu bar.
- Choose ‘Matchmaking’ to play against real opponents or ‘Practice’ to compete against bots.
- Click on the ‘Wingman’ tab.
- Select the desired map or maps you want to compete on (there are only four as of early 2024).
- Launch the game via the green ‘GO’ button.
If playing with bots, you can choose only a single map, but a traditional matchmaking queue allows choosing all four. While you can do it alone or with your friend, the latter option is the best, as it will be much more interesting for you to kill opponents. Also, if you often play this mode with a friend, you can work out scenarios for defending and attacking the site.
In the Wingman mode, all the maps are designed for 2 vs 2 games. That is, the maps are smaller to make it as convenient as possible for four players to play on the server, and that is why part of the map is closed or simply cut from active play.
Although plenty of changes came with a new Counter-Strike release, Wingman ranks in CS2, and some basic settings remained the same. Thus, the game still lasts 90 seconds, unlike a standard competitive mode, where the round time is 120 seconds. Each match lasts 8 rounds per side, with a maximum of 16 rounds and a potential draw outcome. So, if you want to grab victory, you will need to win at least 9 rounds. Because of that, you may find the gameplay very fast, which makes it more enjoyable as you can queue up and finish the game in less than 20 minutes.
Just like other CS2 modes, the Wingman has a few maps that you can choose from. Thus, you can increase your Wingman ranks in Counter-Strike 2 only on the following maps:
- Inferno (A bombsite);
- Overpass (B bombsite);
- Nuke (B bombsite);
- Vertigo (A bombsite).
There will definitely be many more maps to choose from for polishing your skills and achieving new Counter-Strike 2 Wingman ranks in the future. However, Valve is now focused on widening the whole map pool for the new game iteration, and we should expect some traditional maps like Train, Cobblestone, or maybe even Tuscan to be officially added to the main Competitive mode. Only then can Wingman lovers expect some new maps from the active duty map pool to be added for 2 vs 2 battles.
One important thing to know is that even though it is pretty exciting to play 2 vs 2, there is a high chance that Wingman mode will never be included in the list of Counter-Strike 2 Esports competitions. This mode never made any claims to it and was initially designed to get some distraction.
Wingman is perfect for those players who want to practice and improve their skills in scenarios where you need to coordinate and defend the bombsite with your partner, and for that, you earn a CS2 Wingman rank. But the main goal of this mode, of course, is that you get a lot of positive emotions and can have a good time with friends.
Wingman Ranks in Counter-Strike 2
Although the CS2 ranking system got plenty of updates compared to CS:GO across diverse modes, the one applied for the Wingman remained the same. The CS2 Wingman ranking system still consists of 18 different ranks, which are divided into categories — Silver, Gold, Master Guardian, and Legendary.
There are also two additional badges for the ‘Expired’ and ‘None’ situations. The latter refers to those who didn’t get their 10 wins in the mode, while ‘Expired’ shows that you played 2v2 matches long ago, and a victory is needed to restore your rank. So, here are all Wingman ranks in the game:
Image | Rank |
 | Expired |
 | None |
 | Silver I |
 | Silver II |
 | Silver III |
 | Silver IV |
 | Silver Elite |
 | Silver Elite Master |
 | Gold Nova I |
 | Gold Nova II |
 | Gold Nova III |
 | Gold Nova Master |
 | Master Guardian I |
 | Master Guardian II |
 | Master Guardian Elite |
 | Distinguished Master Guardian |
 | Legendary Eagle |
 | Legendary Eagle Master |
 | Supreme Master First Class |
 | Global Elite |
How Does the Wingman Ranking System Work?
Compared to other game formats, the Wingman ranking system in CS2 straightforwardly transitioned from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. For instance, the Premier mode received the ELO system with particular ranking points. In this regard, the CS2 Wingman rating system saved the older logic, and initially, you have to win ten games to receive your first rank badge. During this calibration, you will get opponents of diverse levels, so the system can precisely count your real level and reward you with the badge — from Silver I to Legendary Eagle Master. You have to win 2–4 games in a row to go up one step on the Wingman raking ladder.
Still, getting CS2 Wingman ranks is much easier and faster than in other game formats. Thus, you can get calibrated in one day if you win 10 matches, which is a realistic task with the game lasting about 20 minutes. Again, just like in competitive mode, you must kill your opponents and win matches to get through the ranking system. If you are a skillful player, it takes around 25–30 games before you can get the highest rank available in Wingman mode — Global Elite.
How to Boost Your Wingman Rank
As described above, you need 2 to 4 wins in a row to increase your Wingman rank by one level. Here are a few tips to boost rank in Wingman CS2 mode:
1. Play with a skillful friend
Firstly, it’s always better to play with a friend so the communication and cooperation will be better. Secondly, choosing a teammate with higher skills means you can learn from him, while your team will have a higher chance of winning.
2. Learn one map in detail
If you play a single location each time, you’ll learn all the timings and angles pretty fast instead of overloading your head with all the battlefields. Learning grenades for the particular map’s bombsite can also significantly boost your success rate and help you clinch more rounds.
3. Right Preparation and Post-Analysis
Those who perceive the 2-v-2 mode as the real training session and want to achieve all Wingman ranks in CS2 should have a proper attitude even to this mode. It includes obligatory aim warmup with bots or Deathmatch against real opponents, with demo analysis after finishing the Wingman match to find mistakes.
Do Enemies Have the Same Rank in Wingman Mode?
Since the Wingman mode assumes two-on-two battles, the ranks are calculated for the team in sum. For instance, if you have a Silver III rank but your teammate is Master Guardian II, you should expect Gold Nova I or II opponents. Also, keep in mind that games for increasing a rank will involve tougher opposition, and Silver III + Master Guardian II can receive two Gold Nova III opponents.
Does Wingman's Previous Rank in CS:GO Affect Wingman’s Rank in CS2?
No, CS:GO ranks and achievements do not affect any game mode in CS2. Moreover, Valve is practicing rank downgrades once every few months, so players should be active and approve their status regularly.
Does Wingman Rating Affect the Overall Competitive Rank?
There is no general rating in Counter-Strike 2, meaning every game mode has independent ranks. That’s logical enough, as different players prefer diverse modes, and those being Legendary Eagles on Dust 2 or Vertigo in Competitive cannot receive such opponents in the Premier or Wingman modes.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has explained all the ins and outs of CS Wingman ranks and contains all the needed answers related to this Counter-Strike mode. Still, no article can replace the real joy of diving into the 2 vs 2 battles and trying a new experience in the beloved shooter.
