Mirage is one of the most played maps in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, even being considered one of the “PUG” maps, along with Dust2 and Cache, as its simple layout allows for a simpler approach and it's not as reliant on teamwork, making it perfect for those matches with players you don’t know.

One of the most important zones of Mirage (and probably the most important one besides the bombsites) is Middle. Having control of Middle allows the team that possesses it to have the freedom to do whatever they want to whichever side of the map they want, while still having the possibility of surprising their opponent.

But this level of control is only attainable if one knows how to properly play it. In this article, I’m going to give you a few tips on how to defend Middle on Mirage, with the objective of maximizing round wins.

Before learning how to properly defend it as a Counter-Terrorist, you should be aware from where the Terrorists can appear and the timings of each spot. At the beginning of the round, they can only appear from two different positions: the most straightforward one at Top Middle, from the left (from a CT perspective) and from Underpass. The latter takes almost triple the time it takes to reach Top Middle. You should keep this in account when checking Underpass after making sure Top Middle is clear.

There are some common positions to defend Middle – the most important in the beginning of the round is one where you can spot Top Middle, get information, and possibly even get a frag. Depending on the Middle player spawn, it can be faster to reach Window or Connector. It is even a good idea to switch them up from time to time so that you may be able to pick players unaware of the new position.

Although there is always one player solely focused on defending middle (the Middle anchor), he will always need backup. That backup arrives from the Bombsite rotators. It can either be from the B player that is playing on Short or from the A site player that decides to play on Stairs/Connector – or even from both. One simple tactic to apply is to have the Middle player on Window focus on Top Middle with the B player backing him up from Short while the Connector player watches Underpass. The Window player should still be careful to avoid being killed from Underpass without the Connector player being able to see the enemy.

Getting control of any spot in the map can become a very difficult task if not using utility. Mirage’s Middle is no exception. There is an immense amount of different utility you can use, that can range from simple Flashbangs to allow peeks to one-way Smokes in Window.

After the first peek to Top Mid (you’ll have the best spawn most of the time), you should avoid dry peeking again. Instead, ask one teammate to throw a Flashbang to Middle, allowing you to peek again. If you know that there are players behind the boxes at Top Mid, one good idea is to have a friendly player to cover you while you throw an Incendiary Grenade there, flushing them into the open field and forcing them to confront both you and the teammate that is backing you up.

Another good idea is to bait yourself on Window or Connector while your teammate slowly crawls up Middle with the purpose of catching the opponents looking out for you unaware of the push. A well-timed Flashbang on Top Mid also works wonders in that situation.

But while you’re throwing your own utility, your opponents will be doing the same with the intent of at least neutralizing your Middle control. The most common utility thrown by the Terrorists is the Smoke Grenade from T-Spawn to Catwalk and to Window. Doing just one of these makes the job much harder for the Window player. One common play the Terrorist does with the Catwalk Smoke is going through it, while hugging the wall, crossing the Smoke just enough to be able to discern you in Window, catching you unaware. Remember this and you will not be killed that way, as you are able to see them first coming out of the Smoke. You can also risk dropping from Window and peeking Top-Mid from near Connector – but be careful with this approach and the Terrorists timings. Also, they can already be in Underpass as you jump out.

A tip for the advanced players: you can strafe jump from Window to Short and render their Catwalk Smoke useless. When on top of the railings, they won’t expect you there and you will have enough visibility to take out at least one opponent. You can then quickly return to Window through the Ladder Room. But you should practice it first, as the strafe jump can be very difficult for newer players.

As you can see, utility can be used in a million different ways in Middle to gain an advantage over your opponent. Just be creative and try out new things.

Another import topic to cover is what weapons you should use. Although it really depends on the plans you have for each round, an AWP should be present at all times if possible. Although the most common position for it is Window, it can always surprise the opponents by having it in different positions in different rounds – sometimes it might be on Short, sometimes in Connector and maybe even once or twice looking at Underpass. Just don’t be way too obvious – that makes killing you easier. When pushing on Middle, a rifle is always preferred, as it allows for more mobility and safety. Missing a shot in that situation is enough to make what could have been an advantageous situation in one where you start the round a man down. Talk with your team and choose what is best for each situation you’re planning on doing.

If you lose Middle control, you should try to recover it fast as long as you are able to do it rather safely with the help of teammates that are ready to trade kills. Flashbangs are your best friends in these situations, since Middle is an open area, which makes the Flashbangs super effective.

Basically, whoever has control of Middle has a bigger chance of winning the round, which means winning and retaining Middle control should always be one of the team’s top priorities, whether you’re playing as a Counter-Terrorist or Terrorist. There is no better way to learn other than experience. The more you play, the better you’ll understand how to adapt to different positions and plays. You should also watch demos of professional players that are known for being proficient in that position you’re trying to learn – learning their small tricks that can be the difference between losing and winning a round. Also remember that in those demos they are up against other professional players that also know all the little details there is to know about every possible situation in a map.

A final piece of advice from me: above all else, remember to have fun while learning and enjoy the time you spend in the server.

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