Let's face it: Every Counter-Strike player wants to be an AWPer. At least, if you're a new player, you'll encounter people fighting for the AWP in CS2.
And we understand it. AWPing is fun, it's flashy, and the player who gets to wield the big green is undeniably the star of the team.
That being said, AWPing is hard. Sure, getting kills with a one-hit-kill gun might be easy, but playing the role efficiently is not.
Therefore, in this CS2 AWPing guide, we'll tell you the best spots to AWP from, how to be a better AWPer, and which CS2 pro AWPers you can watch to improve your game.
In the first part of our CS2 AWPing guide, we'll tell you all about the CT side.
Even if you are a passive player on the T-side, you can't afford to be the same on the CT side if you are an AWPer. Finding man-advantage situations for your team is important, and with the AWP in your hands, you're the best-equipped person to do so.
For that reason, it's essential to pay attention to your spawn point. From your spawn point, think about where you can choose to fight in the early stages of the round so you are in the best possible position to get a kill.
For example, although on Mirage AWPers are typically found in Window, if you have the best spawn for Connector, it is smarter to go there instead.
However, if you repeatedly take the fight from Connector to Top Mid, it can become predictable. Remember to switch up your aggression. You can also use this spawn to peak into Palace.
After getting an opening kill with the AWP on the CS2 CT side, it is acceptable to fall into a more passive position. AWPs are often the primary rotators for their team on the CT side, so they should fall passive and wait for information to provide an extra man to defend a bombsite when an exec comes in.
Being aggressive with the AWP on the CT side is especially important on low-buy rounds. This is because the AWP is often saved from the round before and will be without a doubt the most impactful weapon, so find a place to take an enemy off the board early.
Although this will be more important on the T side, it is also important to be able to be a supportive player when playing as an AWPer in CS2.
A lot of the time you will get smoked out of the site when the T side executes, so make sure you know some great flashbangs in order to help out the site anchors.
Although the AWP is also an effective way of getting opening kills on the T side in CS2, you don't have to play with this playstyle.
Of course, if you do have a good spawn for something, like Top Mid on Mirage, you might want to try to get an opening kill when advantageous - but sometimes, that just isn't an option.
Due to the fast-moving, dynamic nature of the T-side, T-side AWPers must be versatile. Having good knowledge of flashbangs is paramount, as you will often be flashing for riflers to take space and fight in your stead.
This is especially true for site executes. If you are executing onto a site, you should never be entrying with the AWP. Instead, stay further back and throw a smoke and flashbangs so that your teammates can push out onto the site and you can play for trades or the post-plant scenario.
Like the CT side, AWPing on CS2 T side can be heavily spawn-dependent. If you do wish to be a more aggressive player then it is important to know the timings for aggressive duels for every possible place you can spawn from.
However, it is possible to take aggressive duels without having the best spawn for that fight.
To do this, you will need to learn from your opponents. For example, if the B anchor on Mirage is frequently jump-spotting Aps from Van, you could walk up scoped and pick him off on his next jump.
For further details on the different ways to AWP on the T side, watch this helpful video from INSITE:
In the next part of our CS2 AWPing guide, we'll go through all the default positions you should play as an AWPer on the CT side.
Remember that these positions are where you are most expected to be and, therefore, are the most easily countered. If you notice that you are being countered in these positions, you should stay away from them.
You will notice that this list only features three of the seven maps in the CS2 competitive map pool. This is because the fourth other maps don't really have a default position for the AWPer to play.
On Nuke, Anubis, Ancient, and Vertigo, the CT side AWPer should be the most dynamic player on the map. This means they should consistently start in new places to look for opening duels and help fight for map control in the areas the terrorists are most frequently contesting.
Next up in our CS2 AWPing guide, we'll look at how to improve your AWPing in CS2.
The first way to improve AWPing in CS2 is simply by practising. To do this, you can use maps like Aim Botz, services like Refrag, or even just play in Valve Deathmatch. Playing all of these modes will give you repeated chances to take fights with the AWP, improving your reactions, flicks, and ability to hold angles.
Therefore, playing retakes and executes can also be excellent ways to practice. Those two game modes are closer to real scenarios you will find in-game, and therefore, you will also be able to improve essential things like trading.
Another way to improve AWPing in CS2 is by watching the best CS2 pro AWPers. By watching these players, you will expose yourself to the way they play the game, the angles they hold, and the rotations they make in mid and late-round situations.
The best CS2 pro AWPers to watch are:
You will notice this list is missing names like s1mple, ZywOo, and m0NESY. We've left them out because they are above everyone else for new players to learn from appropriately. They take fights no one else can take, and their aim bails them out of situations other players can't get themselves out of.
Another player you can utilise to learn how to AWP in CS2 is the popular NA streamer, fl0m.
Back in CS:GO, he made an excellent series for YouTube about AWPing tips and tricks which is still relevant today. You can find that series here.
In the final part of our CS2 AWPing guide, we'll go recap the most important things you need to become a good CS2 AWPer.
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