CS:GO Solo Survival Guide: Train
Learn how you can take control of Train!
Learn how you can take control of Train!
One of the most feared maps, Train often proves very challenging for newcomers. Terrorists feel like they have no way of entering a site due to the many bottlenecks, while Counter-Terrorists feel like there is no way of retaking a site once the Terrorists have taken control. However, this is mainly due to the fact that good performance on Train is heavily reliant on effective utility usage, unlike many other maps that offer more possibilities for victories brought on by raw skill. In this guide, I will show you some of the ways you can take control of this map.
A Site
Let's start with the A Site in the broad sense, meaning that it also includes the Ivy and Popdog positions. The main challenges which we have to deal when entering the A Site is the fact that there are three ways from which you can enter a site, all of which are bottleneck positions. They force you to enter through narrow gaps that can easily be held by Counter-Terrorists from many different spots on the site. Using utility, we can block off some of these angles.
Smoke - Electric Box (Connector)
The first smoke will land right next to electric box, but is particularly useful because it will also block anyone watching A Main from Connector. As an experience AWPer can deal some hefty damage from this position, it is a good idea to throw this smoke. Moreover, it will block the immediate view from someone hiding on the A Site.
To throw the smoke, run past the first train on your left from T-spawn and huddle into the corner. From there, aim towards the right edge of the third chimney and look up until you are aiming right below the cable above you. Simply release and the smoke will find its way to electric box.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Smoke - Right Side of Bomb Train (Connector)
Another way to smoke off Connector is to smoke off the right side of Bomb Train. This smoke has the added benefit of blocking off the view of everyone playing from that area as opposed to the electric box smoke. However, anyone playing in front of the smoke will still see you. This smoke also takes a little longer to throw, so you might want to balance what you value more.
To throw this smoke, run up to the shadow formed by the wooden boxes above you. Look towards the corner of the shadow right above the yellow diagonal line in the sunlit area. Then, aim towards the right-most corner of the wooden box and release.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Smoke - Between the Blue Trains (stop sign)
This will put a wall of smoke between an enemy watching from stop sign towards A main. You can throw this smoke from the exact same position as the smoke for electric box. This time, put your crosshair on the middle of the second chimney and look up until it is just above the cable. Just like before, simply release and the smoke will fly towards the middle of the two trains.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Smoke - Next to Blue Train (Ivy)
Another possibility is to smoke between the wall and Blue Train to block the view from an enemy holding A Main from Ivy. This one is a little bit more difficult, but still fairly simple to remember. This time, run up towards the container and the wooden planks. Find the garbage bags in front of it and look down until your crosshair is right between them. Look up into the corner of the container and the wooden box, and release.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Smoke - Ivy
You can also smoke Ivy itself, although this requires you to make it to A Main without being picked off by any of the enemies holding it. To hold this smoke, put yourself onto the rails with your back towards the train. Look down and put yourself slightly to the right of the black line on the floor. Then aim towards the horizontal plank just above the first diagonal bar above you. Pull the pin and run forward. Right as your crosshair would go past the wooden bar at the end of A Main, release. Be aware that this smoke will leave you exposed to anyone sitting behind the stop sign, so only throw it if another smoke is blocking your enemy's view or if you know it is clear.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
A safer way of throwing this smoke is from right above Popdog. First, you should break the glass of the leftmost small window. Once it's broken, position yourself on top of the left edge of the first tile left of the boarded windows. Then, look at the middle of the middle brick underneath the small left-most window and release. This smoke does not leave you exposed to any angle, but it does give your enemies information that there is at least someone above the Popdog position.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
As you can see, many of these smokes synergise very well with each other. Consequently, I would advise you to ask your teammates if they know any smokes so you can combine them for optimal chances of escaping the bottleneck. However, even just one well-placed smoke can massively increase your odds of making it out of A main alive. Try to figure out what positions your enemies most often take and use your utility accordingly.
Another way to push past the bottlenecks on Train is to use flashbangs. They are especially useful if you are coming from an angle which your team failed to smoke. Remember to use your flashes in creative ways to help your teammates with pushing. In this guide, I will show you two popflashes that land in such special ways they are near impossible to avoid.
Flash - Popdog
Popdog is often a terribly difficult position to enter if an enemy is holding its position from within. However, there is a neat little flash that you can throw which has enough travel time that it will explode before the enemy will have the time to turn away.
To throw this flashbang, stand on the first tile to the left of the boarded window and put yourself on top of the groove between that tile and the one to the right of it. Then, look towards the ceiling above the orange 'A' graffiti and put your crosshair on the intersection of the uppermost white lines. Instead of throwing this flash normally, do an underhand lob by pressing your right mouse button instead of the left one and simply release.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Flash - Popdog Exterior
This flashbang will blind anyone looking towards the Popdog position and is quite hard to avoid. However, it also requires you to break the glass of the small window above you and will alert your enemies of your position. Stand left of the middle smaller pane of three and follow the bar of the doorway until you reach the middle of the frame itself. Just throw the flashbang and it will bounce onto the wooden box, after which it drops just over the edge to blind anyone looking at your position.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Molotov - Popdog
Another good way of forcing enemies out of their position is by throwing a molotov. The first one is thrown from the same position as our first flashbang. However, now you will stand on the tile that is right under the second tile left of the boarded window. Make sure you're standing on the faded horizontal black line. Look at the middle brick under the small window on the left and move your crosshair upward until you are aiming just below the middle of the bottom left pane. Simply throw and release.
This molotov will land on the outside of Popdog and spread to part of the inside of it. It is a good idea to practice this molotov a few times before you try it in practice. You will need to get a feel for where you have to aim, as any error might cause the molotov to bounce elsewhere or not bounce at all.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Molotov - Bomb Train
This molotov is specially useful if the bomb has been planted in the middle of the bomb site. It will cover every defuse spot and force a Counter-Terrorist to stop defusing or use his smoke. In the latter case, be careful to remember where the bomb was planted so you know where to spray through the smoke to kill the defuser. Also keep in mind that the Counter-Terrorist can fake the defuse and force you to reveal your position by spraying into the smoke.
To throw this molotov, you have to be in A Main. Stand next to the stone beam right next to the rails and follow the first outer line of the blue train up until you are aiming right below the cable running over the site. Step forward and release.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Molotov - Sandwich
The molotov for Sandwich is another grenade thrown from A Main. This time, stand on the opposite side of the beam, right next to the wooden box. Look down towards the wet paper on the floor and put yourself on top of the darker spot right next to the bottom left white area. Look towards the area above the garage port and aim at the big white spot on the top left. Then, throw and release.
<video style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" controls="controls" width="600" height="300"> </video></p>
Bomb Plant Positions
Train offers two unique bomb sites that offer many possibilities for creative after-plant positions. As such, there are no officially recommended positions to plant the bomb like there are on other maps. However, there are a few things you must consider when planting the bomb.
The first thing you must consider is your after-plant position. With its many different hiding spots and almost labyrinth-like layout, Train is a map that allows for extremely strong after-plant positions, especially in 1vX situations. Consider where your enemies are likely to rotate from and try to plant the bomb for a position that leaves you open to the least amount of angles.
Secondly, you might want to consider what utility you have left. For example, if you have a molotov, you can plant the bomb in the middle of Bomb Train. Wait for the defuse, and you can use the molotov I described earlier to force your enemy off the plant. It can also be a good tactic to throw the molotov preemptively to delay the enemy from defusing the bomb while you reposition to another unexpected location.
Finally, a cheeky way of confusing your enemies is to plant the bomb in a location which obscures the model of the bomb. While it won't hide the bomb from all angles, it might force an enemy to look around long enough for the timer to run out. There is one position which works very well for these purposes. Simply plant the bomb on top of the yellow piece of iron, and it will be concealed under it.
The tips in this guide should help you to break the barriers of the A Site on Train more easily. Train can be a very confusing and overwhelming map with all its possibilities, but once you crack the code you can very easily exploit it against unknowing enemies. As it might be a lot to take in, I advice you to learn one or two different pieces of utility at a time, to make sure you will actually remember them in stressful situations.