Kicking Butt and Taking Names

By Jim W. Gettys

Regardless of which side you play in Counter-Strike™ for Xbox, you’ll need certain essential skills if you’re going to take your team to victory. Though the terrorist and counter-terrorist character models look different, neither side possesses special skills that the other lacks. Counter-Strike is all about strategy … team strategy. If you want to differentiate yourself—and your team—from the rest of the cannon fodder out there, pay attention to these simple-but-effective techniques.

Know Your Maps
There are two different game types in Counter-Strike: Hostage Rescue and Demolition. Depending on the situation, you’ll have to adapt quickly to each play style. As a terrorist in a demolition scenario, your team’s job is to plant an explosive device at one of two marked areas within a short amount of time. Sounds easy, right? Not so fast, hotshot. Even if you make it to the right location, you’ll need some backup to cover your flank while you’re prepping the bomb for detonation. When you’re hunched over the payload with a “shoot me” sign strapped to your back, you’ll be entirely vulnerable to attack. One well-placed head shot can ruin your whole day and force you to sit and watch the round from the sidelines.

So, what should you do? Communicate with your teammates, and travel in packs. One huge advantage of playing Counter-Strike on XboxLive is the headset communicator. Don’t be afraid to speak up and let your team know where you are, where you’re going, and what you plan to do. If you see the enemy through your scope, report back to your squad. If you see a pesky grenade flying overhead, warn your mates. Depending on how many players are online, you need to work out effective squad groupings. Safety in numbers is how you’ll win the round and bring in more cash to buy a bigger boomstick.

If you’re playing as a counter-terrorist, though, you don’t want those dirt-bags bombing your beloved stadium, hideout, or national monument, so here’s how to thin the herd. Depending on the architecture of the map, there could be sniping opportunities from high up. Travel in packs if you can, but either way look for a nice, dark corner with a good view of the drop point. Prime real-estate goes fast, so find it quickly. Pay attention to the game feedback in the upper-right of the screen. If you see lots of killing going on, but you’re not at the party, it might be time to go where the action is. But if that feedback is silent, wait patiently for your prey. Sooner or later, they’ll come. Take ‘em out from your perch. Death from above!

Know Your Weapons
It seems painfully obvious that you can’t snipe with a pistol, and you shouldn’t storm a roomful of baddies with a knife. Yet, time and time again, senseless deaths result from poor planning. At the beginning of the mission, if you’re familiar with the terrain, plan your strategy. If the map has plenty of choke points (tight, narrow passageways conducive to intense firefights) you would be better off with a shotgun or automatic weapon. Fighting on the open plains? Choose a sniper rifle. Don’t forget your bomb defuse kit or safety gear, either—extra protection and useful tools can extend your life considerably. Grenades are excellent attention-getters, so if your enemies are sleeping on the job, lob a high-powered explosive their way. Not only will it wake them up, but you might just take a few of them out as a bonus. Remember, you can win the round two ways: by completing your objective, or by eradicating the opposition. The latter is generally more satisfying.

Adapt to the Situation
Sure, you might be a “fr4gm315ter” in other shooters, butCounter-Strike is a level playing field. You won’t find cheaters on Xbox Live servers, but you might just encounter some “l337” jocks who know their role and know it well. It doesn’t make sense to have eight snipers in your squad, so communicate with your boys and find out what gap needs filling. Heavy machine gunners work best laying down suppressive fire, while snipers do their best wet work from on high or in the background. Different weapons also affect your mobility, so if you’ve got the bomb, you need to be light on your feet. Switch to the knife to move quickly, and don’t bog yourself down with a chain gun. If your team is getting their collective butts kicked, don’t just charge the opposition. (It didn’t work for General Pickett, and it won’t work for you.) Keep your cover, and take your enemies out one at a time. On the other hand, if the bad guys (or good guys, depending on how you look at it) are on the run, do your best Blitzkrieg and finish the job.

So, now you know some strategies to kick butt and take namesin Counter-Strike.Put it to good use, win the day, and show ‘em all who’s boss.

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