This guide will go over some basic and common utility on Mirage in Counter-Strike 2 to help you with map control and climbing the ranks. We will only cover the essentials that you should definitely know, but rest assured that this is plenty to help you win those rounds!

In addition to showing you how to set up these grenades, smokes and flashes, we’ll also explain why these are extremely important. Knowing and internalizing those two things is essential to becoming a better player.

In case you prefer a video format, this video contains all the lineups referenced in the article:

10 Important Smokes

Window From T Spawn

Smoking Window is something that should happen on most T-side rounds. It denies the CTs both a powerful position and information on where the Ts will be going. You’ll need to hold your Right movement key (probably D) while throwing this one.

Top Mid From T Spawn

A Top Mid smoke has a few uses. Firstly, it allows the Ts to more easily take control of the Mid Boxes area. Secondly, it makes it harder for a Short/Cat player to fight the Ts with the Window/Con player. Third, it allows for Ts to safely line up other mid utility, such as a molotov for Con (the same one I’ll be showing you later in this guide!).

Con From T Spawn

Smoking Con is useful for taking mid control, splitting B, running up Cat, or getting someone into Window from Mid (as well as other uses, like lurking mid). Be sure to have the smoke pop on the first stair in order to completely block Con and deny the most information to the CTs.

Cat From Top Mid

Smoking Cat is useful for taking mid control, splitting A, or getting someone into Window from Mid (as well as other uses, like lurking mid). Talk with your team about where you plan on going, and make sure you’re using the smoke for a purpose that makes sense. For example, it wouldn’t make sense to smoke Cat if you were planning to go Cat to Short to B, that would mean you would need to go through your own smoke.

Jungle From Tetris

In many A-take scenarios, you may find yourself Tetris as a T. A great way to help cut off rotations is by smoking Jungle with this lineup. Cutting off rotations is incredibly important for winning rounds.

Stairs From T Roof

Once the Ts commit to an A-take, the CT con player is going to want to help his A anchor hold the site. One of the most accessible positions for the Con player is Stairs. Smoking stairs helps reduce the Con player’s impact in a retake scenario.

CT From T-Spawn

In most A-take scenarios, you’re going to want to have CT smoked. CT has powerful sightlines that cut across the site to A-Ramp, as well as the ability to peek Con from 3 different height levels (ground, on top of the wood box, and on top of Ticket) which can make it difficult to know where to pre-aim. Eliminating or limiting a lot of these sightlines with a smoke allows for an easier A-take for the Ts.

Short From T Apartments

Smoking Short has two main direct effects. The first and most obvious is that it cuts off sightlines that run between Short and B, which can cut off rotations. The second is that it forces the CT who might be playing Short to pick between playing in front of the smoke or behind it. If they play in front of the smoke and try to fight Mid, they risk leaving the CT on B to handle a B-Site hit without any backup. If they play behind the smoke, they risk not fighting hard enough for Mid and giving up valuable real estate on the map.

Market Window From T Apartments

Smoking Market window makes B-takes easier for a few different reasons. It forces CTs playing in Market to wait out the smoke or either jump through the smoke or rotate through Market Door (a much more disadvantageous angle) and play on site. It does the same thing to rotators, they can’t have any impact if they can’t get any angles on the Ts so they must wait, jump through a smoke, or go through Market Door. This lineup works regardless of whether the wood on the window is broken or not.

B Apartments From Outside Market Door

If you know the Ts are rushing B, stop them with a Molotov and then throw this smoke. Once they’ve been stalled with your Molly and Smoke, you can get some easy chip-damage off on them by throwing a Frag Grenade behind the smoke where you believe they are waiting.

10 Important Molotovs:

Window From Top Mid

Molotoving Window is easily done from behind mid boxes. This molotov is useful for assisting your mid takes. Throwing a Top Mid smoke first can assist you in reaching mid boxes safely.

Fire Box From Stairs

Fire Box is a strong position for holding A-Site. It can be very hard to flush enemies out without a molly. Mollying it from Stairs to retake A as a CT, or after coming up Con as a T, is a good idea.

Under Balcony/Dark From Palace

One of the harder positions to clear when doing an A-take is Under Balcony/Dark. To avoid needing to hard-clear it, you can use your utility. An easy way to clear it out is with a Molotov from Palace.

Triple From Tetris

In many A-take scenarios, you may find yourself Tetris as a T. You could choose to continue taking space, but if you already have teammates doing that, another good choice is to start smoking off rotation points. A great way to eliminate a powerful position for the CTs is by Molotoving Triple.

A Default From CT

As a CT playing in the “CT” position on A-Site, you may want to delay the bomb plant after being smoked off. This molotov allows you to do that.

Also, in a postplant scenario as a T, you may want to molotov the bomb to cut more time from the clock, or prevent the CTs from defusing at all. If the bomb is planted Default, and you are CT, use this molotov.

Jungle From Apex

When taking A-Site, one of the positions you should expect rotations from is Jungle. Slowing down or stopping rotations can buy you time to win the round. Throwing this molotov allows you to cut those rotations off, or force a CT to play farther forward in Jungle with less cover.

Con From Top Mid

When taking Mid control, you can prevent the CTs from peeking you from Con by throwing this molotov. It will burn out the stairs and right side of the inside of Con, but will usually not spread to the left side. This means that CTs could be there, so be aware of that possibility when going into Con or up Short later in the round.

Bench From Apartments

One of the most powerful positions on B-Site is Bench. Wallbanging bench is hard, as the damage drop off is weak, and it allows the CT playing there to peek in and out of cover easily while maintaining good visibility of the majority of the site. When taking B from Apartments as a T, it's very helpful to molly this position to clear out any CTs.

Van From B Apartments

You know that famous clip of Coldzera jump-awping? You want that to happen to you? No? Then molotov Van when taking B-Site from Apartments.

B Default From B Apartments

In a postplant scenario, you may want to molotov the bomb to cut more time from the clock, or prevent the CTs from defusing at all. If the bomb is planted Default, and you are Apartments, use this molotov. In some scenarios, it can win you the round.

10 Important Flashes:

Lamp Flash (T)

One of the most likely places you are to be killed as a T when trying to take A-Site is when you first come out of A-Ramp. In order to assist your teammates in getting out Ramp, throw this flash. It will blind anyone looking at the ramp.

Mid Flash from T Apartments Balcony (T)

There are a ton of different flashes people like to use to help take Mid control. This flash set up is useful for assisting your teammates in peeking positions like Con from Top Mid. You could use it as kind of a “general purpose” mid flash, but there are better flashes for positions like Short or Window.

Flash Under Balc/Dark From Palace (T)

A lot of A-takes involve having 1 or more Ts in Palace. If you find yourself in Palace getting ready to take A, one of the most useful things you can do (and safest) is to use your utility on the site as your teammates are working their way in from A-Ramp. Use this flash to blind players playing Dark or around the Default/Firebox area.

Flash Out B Apartments (T)

This flash can help you peek out onto B-Site from Apartments. It can also help to get you out of Apartments and onto the site. It blinds a ton of common spots for the CTs to sit, like Market Window, GetRight, Jail, etc.

Mid Flash To The Left of Mid Boxes (T)

On Eco rounds a common strategy for the CTs is to push Top Mid. One good way to counter that is simply to flash them and peek. This flash helps to blind CTs if they aggressively push up Mid, and has the added benefit of popping behind the Mid Boxes so that it doesn’t blind you or your teammates.

Flash Top Mid From Triple (CT)

Fighting for control of Mid is very important on both sides of Mirage. Your Con and Window players don’t have a ton of options to self-flash effectively, and they are the players who will be fighting for Mid. Use this flash to help your Con or Window player fight Mid.

Mid Flash From Short (CT)

Unlike the Con and Window positions, Short is a more open area which allows you to throw flashes for yourself more easily. This is great for flashing and taking fights on your own timing, instead of depending on a teammate. Use this flash to blind Ts in Mid as a CT playing Short.

B Apts Flash (CT)

Rush strats are common on Ecos, and as such well placed utility can be very effective. When the Ts are getting ready to jump out of B-Apts fast, getting blinded can basically be the end of the round. This flash can help blind Ts pushing B Apartments, allowing your Van player to peek for some easy kills.

Flash Out of Con (CT)

While there are limited opportunities to self-flash while playing in Con, this is a good option. Use this flash to blind Mid as a CT playing Con. You can do the same flash for either side of Con depending on whether you plan to peek towards Top Mid or Underpass.

Flash Out of Dark (CT)

Challenging A-Ramp from Dark is usually not the best play. However, sometimes it is completely unavoidable, let when you get mollied out of the spot. Use this flash to challenge Ts pushing A Ramp when you are playing Dark.

Mastering the utility presented in this guide, and more, is crucial for both new and seasoned Counter Strike players. From strategic smokes and molotovs to well-timed flashes, these nades elevate gameplay by denying important information to opponents and forcing them out of comfortable positions. By understanding not just how to throw these nades but also the strategic reasoning behind each deployment, players can gain a competitive edge and start to have more impact when playing Mirage in CS2.