Flashbangs are often misused and can become wasted utility even for more experienced players. Three reasons for that are flashbangs are very cheap grenades; you can carry two of them, so they create an illusion that they are more forgiving of your mistakes; and players simply don’t know what to do with them. One of the biggest misconceptions in the game is if you throw a flashbang that doesn’t blind anyone, it’s $200 gone to waste. While it is true when your plan was specifically to flash someone, in a lot of other scenarios getting somebody blinded is just a nice addition to whatever you were trying to do. The purpose of this article is to expand your knowledge on using flashbangs and to decrease the number of misused flashbangs thrown by you.

Before getting into the details of using your flashbangs, let’s quickly review the flashbang basics. Flashbangs are the second cheapest grenades you can buy in CS:GO right after decoys for both Counter-Terrorists and Terrorists, costing $200 as mentioned. Flashbangs blind for up to a little over 3 seconds, and its effects can be reduced by turning away from it, or by simply being further away from it before it pops. With the actual flash, there is the loud noise that deafens the player that lasts a second more than the flash itself. That noise is much harder to avoid than getting blinded. Just like every other grenade it makes distinct sound bouncing off of objects, but that is especially important for flashes, since that sound may be used as a cue to turn away in time before the pop. Another property that is shared by all grenades but is especially useful for flashbangs is the ability to underhand throw or middle throw the grenade. This ability makes it easier to throw pop flashes. You can carry up to two flashes at the same time.

Now that we covered the basics of flashbangs, I will give you some of the most common uses for flashes.

• The most common way to use a flashbang it to popflash with it. This is a way to clear corners and grab easy kills using a flash.
• Flash patterns is a technique used to throw the flashes in a specific way that you can manipulate to surprise an opponent.
• Using flashes as a fake. There are multiple ways you can use flash as a fake of some sort. Flashes are an excellent way to draw attention, and they are a cheap and expendable way to do so.
• Flashes can be used to fall back from an unfavourable spot in certain situations.
• Creating a presence with a flash heavily ties in with using flashes as a fake, being one of the most useful and versatile ways to utilize a flash, it needs a category of its own.
• Flashbangs are often an overlooked utility in Counter-Terrorist's arsenal that can be used to break Ts attack.
• It is easier to use a flashbang as a cue for a push than the voice communication.

Great popflash for your teammates on de_dust2

Let’s talk about popflashes first. Popflashing is probably the most efficient way to use a flashbang. While the term is used to describe a method of throwing a flash that pops as it goes around a corner, giving opponent no time to turn away from it, here we are looking at using that method to get into potentially dangerous area on the map. Popflash can be used to peek around corner as a CT to grab information and/or kill unsuspecting terrorist. Or you can popflash around corner to advance towards site as a T, making the CTs either try to fall back towards the site, giving up the angle that they held; Take cover until they can see again, just so they can either catch you off guard by staying there or repeeking; or they continue to hold an angle going for blind shots. The last one is especially popular with AWPs, as it is a one shot kill weapon.

Always keep in mind what are you dealing with when you are going around the corner with a popflash. While it is effective to popflash, it may not work against highly skilled opponents, as they know how to deal with pop flashes properly, and as soon as they see you use a certain popflash once, they will most likely not fall for it again, either by taking a different angle when holding a position, waiting for a flash-sound to peek (Figure 1), or playing anti-flash (Figure 2). It’s also a good idea to do a counter popflash after hearing a flashbang go off (Figure 3). One of the ways to counter that is to make adjustments to your flashes, you can do that using flash patterns.

Figure 1. Holding a more passive angle Figure 2. Playing anti-flash, facing a wall

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Figure 3. Counter-flashing after hearing a pop-flash go off

Counter-Strike is not only a game about outclassing an opponent with aim, but also about outsmarting them. Flashes are a huge part of the mind games that can be had in the game. One of the most interesting techniques that you can use in the game is creating flash patterns. If you have ever watched a pro game, you have probably seen this technique, but probably never realized that it’s happening. A player goes to do the same flash, round after round, either as early as they get to position or later in the round, creating a pattern that opponent will quickly catch on to. When certain strategy is executed, the flash might be thrown slightly differently or might be followed up by another flash, which haven’t been seen before by the opposing team. A lot of strategies rely on surprise factor, and using this technique can definitely help bring that factor in. To properly utilize this method of flashing, there has to be some team coordination, so it might not be as useful in matchmaking, while it is definitely worth trying out with the team.

Now that we have reviewed scenarios where blinding an opponent is a must, let’s take a look at other things we can do with flashbangs. You can fake your position or your intentions using a simple flash. Flashes are a great way to create presence without spending too much utility or putting yourself in danger. When trying to fake a site take as a terrorist, don’t forget to use flashbangs, not only the opponent might think that you are throwing the popflashes to entry, but if they are looking at the entrance, it will blind them, denying any real information. Or if they are not looking, it will deafen them, potentially making them think that footsteps were masked. Even if you are not full on faking a take, before grouping up for an execute, it is important to make sure CTs don’t peek for information. By throwing a flash before leaving an area, you are showing your presence there, making CTs a lot more hesitant to peek. As a CT it is a good idea to flash one of the entrances before, for example, leaving to help one of your buddies grab some information. A simple flash from the defender's team can put the opponents under pressure and make them watch the spot for 20 or so seconds. When going further in the position, they are going to spend extra time, clearing every angle, making sure nobody pushed up after the flash. Even falling back, they are going to be double guessing themselves, thinking about potential backstab.

Everyone has been in a situation where they pushed up as a counter-terrorist, spotted some enemies, had a firefight and are now trying to escape. One of the best things you can can do in that situation is without stopping and slowing down, throw a flash against the wall so it goes off behind you. While a concern might be: “what if the enemy isn’t chasing you, or he is not close enough to catch the flashbang? It will be a wasted flashbang, right?”. Flashbang is worth nothing if you are dead. It’s the case in a lot of situations like getting cornered, chased, or caught out blinded, one of the best utilities to escape death is a simple flashbang. It takes some time getting used to pulling out the grenade and flashing properly in time, but after doing for some time, you will be quicker on your feet and will be able to survive thanks to a simple flash.

Playing against a team with good coordination is hard. They will have good smoke placements with none to very little flaws, they will use the proper molotovs, and most importantly they will make sure you are flashed for the entire execute. Drilled team will usually steam-roll unprepared CT side. A lot of defense in Counter-Strike comes down to experience, seeing similar situations before, and being prepared to face them again. The reason why good executes are so powerful is because they give no room for defenders, and if done properly with flashbangs, they also give no time to think, by the time you can see again, the enemy will be up in your face. One of the good ways to deal with that which a lot of inexperienced players forget is flash when the enemy is entering into the site. It doesn’t have to be a hidden one, could be just up in the air. A lot of times, the first people in will turn away from the flash while the rest just went around the corner as they get flashed. This gives a defender two advantages that they can use, it breaks the attack in two, and it delays the push, giving you more room to think. When everyone but two or one entry fraggers are flashed, often, they will not realise that and continue going forward leaving their teammates who are flashed behind. It will be much easier to defend the site after you break an attack like that.

Flashbang Heatmap: Silver flashbang usage vs Master Guardian vs Pro Credit to /u/PM_ME_SOME_STORIES

Now that you might have a better understanding of using your flashbangs properly, how do you make sure you don’t misuse them? There are a lot of things to do with a flashbang, but typical on a full buy you will only have around 7 of them. So how do I utilize them properly, but make sure that we have when the executes come in? Think before you use your flashbang. This goes for every grenade in fact, as a lot of them get misused. One of the mistakes that players make is thinking: “How do I use the grenades that I have right now”? Instead you should wait until you decide to do something and think “How can I use my grenade to help me do this”? Using the knowledge that you acquired, you can usually figure something out, but if you can’t, don’t use them, simple! There are a lot of other different ways to use your flashbangs that are not covered in here, but you will have to find out for yourself what they are. There is almost no decision that you can make in game where you can’t use a flashbang to aid yourself. That’s the reason why pros use their flashbangs a lot more than other players as shown in the picture above. Hopefully you have learned some new tricks, and have some new ideas to try out in the game, good luck exploring them!

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