Dust 2 Tips – Strategies for CT-side and T-side: How to Get Better

Being one of the most balanced maps in CS:GO, talks about Dust 2 team strategies are always relevant. Moreover, the map looked pretty simple for understanding in all versions of Counter-Strike, allowing the use of straightforward tactics that can be pretty effective.

However, if you feel that opponents are regularly outplaying you on Dust 2 or you want to surprise them — you've come to the right place. We’ve gathered all the basics, which will help to understand the map better, so even older lions will find useful tips for playing on the Dust 2 map. So, let’s dive into a comprehensive guide about strategies, tactics, tricks, and how to win on the Dust 2 map in CS:GO more often.

Note: This guide won’t include general things like aiming training, economy control, or communication specifics. Also, the grenades that can/should be used on Dust II are a matter of dynamics that can be achieved only via video guides. The primary grenade placements can be checked on numerous YouTube videos or free stat tracking sites, ready to share free CS:GO tips for Dust 2 grenade tactics.

Key Dust 2 Places You Need to Know

Before diving into the team tactics on CS:GO Dust 2, you should better understand the map. A detailed plan of the Dust 2 callouts is the first step toward strategies, with a simplified version of the de_dust2 from the bird’s-eye:

The overall layout of Dust II is quite traditional to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive maps, with three main directions and additional paths to interconnect them. Like other maps in the game, the strategies on the Dust 2 map are primarily about favoring aiming duels on specific positions. Another vital feature is understanding the timings and spots of the first battles after the freeze time ends.

There is one crucial area — a Catwalk, which is key for fast rotations, good sound radius, and, therefore, a bigger influence on the whole situation on the map. However, let’s review all the major spots for early timing fights and from where all other Dust 2 strategies emerge.

Spawns and Their Importance

Spawn zones are important for both sides, as positions during freeze time help to choose the tactics for playing the Dust 2 map’s particular round. On the Pro level, Terrorists can learn some specific grenade positioning from their spawns and throw X Box smoke just from the first seconds.

CT Spawn Specifics

Even a few seconds can make all the difference. Therefore, if CTs have the following positioning, it makes sense for Player #1 to go for a Long fight, while Player #5 can rush the Tunnels or take better spots on the bombsite B; Players from 2 to 4 have the worst positions and should play default or supporting roles.

T Spawn Specifics

A mirrored story is with the T Spawn, with before-round random defining the terrorist tactics on CS:GO Dust 2. Thus, it makes little sense to call for Rush B, having only the 4th player ready for fast entering and the 3rd can assist him fast. Instead, the positions of the 1st and 2nd Players allow the team to expect Long fight, Catwalk rush, or Mid picking from the Suicide.

Long Doors & Blue vs. Long Corner & Pit

Long is the most famous callout on de_dust2 as it has a great distance from the A ramp and up to the Pit. Being a pretty wide zone with not so many tricky angles, it’s a perfect place for taking a fight having enemies all in front of your vision. Controlling Long gives a checkup over one-third of the map for either side.

Players with the closest spawn spots for Long should always use it and try to arrive for the skirmish as fast as possible. Thus, CT tactics on CS:GO Dust 2 are all about running to the Long Corner and throwing HE or incendiary grenades in the Long Doors to counter a potential rush of Ts. Also, the person who arrives first can try to take the Pit, which is possible even if it is full-flashed — it gives an additional shooting angle for the gunfight. The rest of the Counter-Terrorists can play near the Corner, throw Flashes, and pick Doors position, depending on the situation.

Terrorists have mirrored goals when trying to take the Long — they should avoid a CT running into the Pit, which is possible with a good spawn position. Also, the first person can try to take a Blue Box, which is a nice additional spot to fight and hide if needed.

Suicide vs. CT Mid & Mid Doors

With the Long being a strategic position with regular fights, the first shooting sounds can be heard in the Suicide vs. CT Mid fight. That is usually the fight between snipers who should be ready to pull the trigger just a few seconds after the round starts. This duel and positions have an even bigger influence on T and CT tactics for playing on the Dust 2 map, giving plenty of info and map control.

Regarding the Dust 2 tips and how to play those positions, let’s review the following screenshot and look at it from both sides:

Suicide Play for Terrorists

After jumping from T-Spawn into the Suicide position and scoping to the CT-Mid, the Terrorist sniper should be ready for three different scenarios:

• Running CTs to the B Site (as Ts arrive faster to the Suicide than CTs to the Mid).
• Closer sniper, and so keep the sight pretty low for a headshot.
• Further (near the Mid Truck) sniper, and so keep sight higher (hitting a leg shot from AWP).

Having a reliable sniper in a team is vital for both sides fighting on the map. They can give regular info and determine how to play as terrorists on Dust 2 in every round. Thus, if too many players cross to B Site — it’s time to call for a Long or Catwalk push. On the contrary, if nobody was running to B or Tunnels, a few teammates could take the B-Site much faster and wait for the rest of the team.

Mid Sniper for Counter-Terrorists

A CT sniper also has three basic scenarios to be ready for when arriving at the position:

• A Terrorist, running through the Suicide to take the Mid or Catwalk as fast as possible.
• Left-side T sniper.
• Right-side T sniper (they can be boosted for an even more unexpected angle).

As CTs arrive for this battle a bit later, the first person going to the B Site can risk and run/jump sideways to check the position of a T sniper. With such info, a CT sniper can pick the enemy waiting for a duel with a pre-fire to neutralize the advantage of the holding spot.

After the first timings passed and none saw opponents or decided to ignore the earliest info, CT sniper usually moves to the right and waits for players at the Palm.

Top Mid (Palm & Top Mid Right Side) vs. CT Mid & Catwalk

As both positions are at the center of the map, taking or checking them is critical. However, both snipers become vulnerable to opponents’ flashes in those positions, so supportive roles are vital for this fight.

Being the 2nd most popular place for sniper duels, Terrorists have a slight disadvantage here as they arrive at the Palm later. Picking the opponent like on the following screenshot can be pretty dangerous unless you are ready to quick-scope and flick:

CT snipers can arrive for this battle earlier, use double-scope for checking Palm, and so have higher chances to win the duel. However, with the round timer coming closer to 1:40, they should worry about the opponents coming from the Lower Tunnel, whom they couldn’t see if double-scoped.

Of course, if the CT sniper has assistance on the Catwalk, they can be focused on the Top Mid and Palm. If not, it’s better to use single-scoping with better vision and the chance of flicking the door-picking Terrorist.

Tunnel Stairs (Upper Tunnel vs. Lower Tunnel)

The Tunnel Stairs is a rarer place for the fight at the early timings, as it requires confident shooting and movement for playing there solely. Still, rushing Tunnels can be an excellent move for CTs on Eco or 2K-force rounds, having only a shotgun or SMG and closing the distance to have more chances against AK-47s. Here is what a Counter-Terrorist can see if they rush Tunnels from a good spawn position:

For this fight to be advantageous for a CT, it’s better to throw Flash while running in the Lower Tunnel and ask a B-Site player to throw Flashbang from B to the Upper Tunnels.

Terrorists can also use Flashes if they decide to take the Lower Tunnels and should expect the opponent right after entering the Upper Tunnel area. Although CTs can pick opponents by showing only their head, in equal conditions, Terrorists should win this fight as they can see opponents faster and focus on head-shot angles.

Rush B or Tunnel’s Exit vs. B Side (Back Site, Car, B Doors)

The last place where the early duels can occur without extra info is if Terrorists make a hard decision and decide to rush the B-Site. For Counter-Terrorists, the situation is pretty simple as opponents can come only from a single narrow place, so every grenade used by CTs can be deadly for Ts.

While CTs can simply throw one Incendiary or a Flashbang and make the life of Ts terrible, the latter should be much more organized to succeed on B at early timings. They should use multiple Flashbangs (from the Upper Tunnel via the roof and directly to the B-Site), smoke B-Doors in either way, and throw Molotovs to the B-Window or BackSite. That is the outcome of the multiple positions that should be checked and neutralized, which is only possible with good team play.

Even if you are lucky or skillful enough to liquidate everyone on the BackSite and smoke the B Doors, there are still three closer positions that can bring danger for Ts.

How to Play as a Terrorist Team on Dust 2

Since every round is limited with time for killing all CTs or planting the bomb, the timer always plays against Terrorists. With fast pushes being pretty popular in matchmaking games, even randomly made teams still require some basic tactics to increase their chances of winning on Dust 2.

It means that most of the ideas on how to play as a CT on Dust 2 are based on those two cornerstones and so should be regarded after understanding the basic T-play tactic. So, let’s review the most typical situations and strategies for playing on the Dust 2 map.

T-side Default on Dust 2

There were no identical two rounds in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive history because every duel always goes differently. It means that a few rounds can be similar in how they were developing or the main idea behind them, but a lucky shot, missed Smoke, or wrong timing can change a lot.

That is why most professional teams play a default, which means spreading across the map, gathering info, finding some kills, and only then choosing the direction of the main attack. There are diverse ways how to play on Dust 2 and which positioning for Terrorists is better, but the core principles are the following:

• control the Tunnels
• control the Mid area
• control the Long

It doesn’t mean you should actively take those positions in every round, but looking at what’s going on in those locations and avoiding CT pushes there is crucial.

Dust 2 Split A Strategy

It is one of the most reliable strategies as both Long and Catwalk positions can be taken by Terrorists without extra scarifying and doesn’t require learning special grenades (like it’s needed during B-Site or Mid take). Such a tactic is usually called when Ts have at least one good spawn spot for the Long (explained above), while the Catwalk is the matter of an X-Box smoke and a few Flashbangs.

Terrorists usually ignore Tunnels’ control and can even leave the Top Mid without checking, especially if a few Ts died during early battles. So, they should expect fast retaking by CTs from all positions: Long, Catwalk (Short), and CT Spawn.

Split B Strategy on Dust 2

As said above, splitting B-Site is a much more complicated task as it requires learning a few Smoke nades to the CT Mid, preferably two grenades for complete vision isolation. Also, players in the Upper Tunnels should have a "free" pass in the Upper Exit to help their teammates coming to B from the Mid.

This tactic also involves all the Ts, which means opened opportunities for CT Long and Catwalk players, who should act fast and try to kill a few Ts in the backs.

Best Dust II Tactics for Terrorists’ Eco-Rounds

All the CS:GO Dust 2 tips for Ts eco-rounds are actually about the Spawns they get. Going the Long makes a little sense even if Spawns are great, as CTs will have a huge shooting advantage on the distance. The same story is with rushing Mid, as every smart sniper will call for support, which can arrive fast from the Catwalk, CT Spawn, and B-Site.

However, having 2–3 Terrorists closer to the B-Site can be effective for a B rush. CT B-holders can take plenty of damage if Ts don’t forget a Smoke to neutralize traditional Incendiary thrown into the Upper Exit. A couple of Flashes from the Upper Tunnel into the Back Site are also helpful.

Another cheap option, even for the eco-round, can be a Catwalk push, where CTs rarely use more than one player. With a single Smoke to the X Box and a couple of Flashes, Terrorists can arrive at the Short and even try to plant a bomb if the A-Ramp player lacks enough support.

How to Play as a Counter-Terrorist Team on Dust 2

Knowing the timings, angles, and basic tactics of Terrorists is more than half of the info you need to know how to play as Counter-Terrorists on Dust 2. Now, let's see how you should play against strategies described for the Terrorist team.

Default CT-side Strategy on Dust 2

As the main goal for CTs is to avoid bomb planting and being killed, they can generally be more passive and still succeed in the game. However, modern game plans on the Dust 2 map, even in Competitive matchmaking, require some activity from Counter-Terrorists not to be too tightened on bomb sites.

The default game plan includes at least one player in the following positions:

• Long
• B Site
• Catwalk
• Middle

The last remaining player can play different roles, ideally being able to quickly help a few positions (on the screen above, the closest player can quickly assist three teammates).

CT Split Defense on Dust 2

How do you play as a CT team on Dust 2 without having a confident sniper? The answer is obvious — send a rifler to the Mid (chances against a good T sniper will be pretty low though) or use a simpler strategy and split CT forces. As the B-Site is easier to defend, there can be 2 players, with the remaining three holding the A-Site. In this regard, at least one player from B or A should keep an eye on the Middle.

The A-Site combo can be flexible, but without a Mid support from a sniper, a Catwalk player can drop deep to the Goose and hold a preferable shooting angle. With such a disposition, CTs should be attentive to the Long, as missing the Pit can cause huge problems.

CTs General Rule on A-Site: either the Long or the Catwalk should always be under control, or then it’s better to give up both those positions and drop to the CT Spawn. However, the latter area is the worst for retaking the A Site and works well only in combination with other players going the Catwalk or Long.

CT Strategy on Dust 2 Eco Rounds

The easiest way to receive some perks from a CT eco-round is to stack the B-Site. There are tons of positions for all 5 players to play a hide-and-shoot game, which can lead to a few kills if Ts don’t expect this move.

However, two conditions should be met:

• CTs should throw smoke on the Mid Doors to hide their movement if a T sniper is checking from the Suicide (such smoke can be used for fake purposes as well);
• Ts should call for a B-rush and ignore taking other positions, even for information.

Overall, CT eco-rounds should involve extraordinary moves, choosing enough area for a massive gunfight and with a few grenades to increase chances. For instance, your team can decide to push the Top Mid, so you should use some utility. Usually, it’s a Smoke to block vision for a Suicide-standing sniper and 1-2 timing Flashes to blind players on the Palm.

That's it! We explained the basics and showed the cornerstone features of how to get better on Dust 2. Of course, every CS:GO match and map assumes sharp aim and logical thinking, which can be polished only if playing regularly and with a desire to improve. Still, all the aspects above can help anybody become a better Dust 2 player without making too many mistakes.

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