Counter-Strike is a game with a unique mechanic: the economy is what makes this shooter such a complex game, making players adapt and make decisions every round regarding which weapons and utility to buy. Given all the choices players have at their disposal, sometimes it's easy to get overwhelmed and get a little confused at which gun to buy on each round.

Understanding how to read not only your team’s economy but also your enemies is crucial in high-level gameplay, allowing you to plan your strategies according to the expected buy-level of your opponents. This article will help you decide which weapons to buy according to your opponent’s buy-level.

There are several round types that every player recognizes: Pistol round, Full-Buy, Eco, Semi-buys, and Force-buys. There may be other very specific ones, but these are the most common and used ones.

There are better and worse weapons for each round type for various reasons: some may have a better damage input, others may have better armor penetration, better fire-rate, more money per kill, etc. I’m going to analyze each round type to understand what should work best. Have in mind that CS:GO is a very situational game and it's up to you to understand what’s best.

Pistol Round

Preferred Weapon: Default pistol
Price: $0 (You spawn with it)
Kill reward: $300
Alternative: P250 (Dropped by a teammate so you can buy armor)

The infamous round – loved by many, dreaded by many. In a BO1, pistol rounds can be the deciding factor, as it affects the likeness of the outcome of the next one or two rounds. Generally, it is better to stick with the default pistols, so you can invest in armor or utility, which can be the difference maker. The CT pistol is a one-shot kill to the head at all times, since you can’t afford the helmet. The Glock isn’t, but deals more body damage at middle-to-close range compared to the CT’s options.

As an alternative, you can buy armor and have a teammate that bought utility and has reminiscent cash to drop you a p250, granting you a one-hit kill to head and more damage output to the body, especially against armored opponents.

Full Buy

Preferred Weapon: AK47/M4 or AWP
Price: $2700/$3100 or $4750
Kill reward: $300 or $100
Alternative: AUG/SG553

Possibly the most common round during a match, where you’re playing with and against the best weapons and resources. Having the weapons with better damage output is a must, which means equipping the Rifles and the Sniper. There’s not much to tell about these types of rounds, as there are very straightforward.

As an alternative to the main rifles, you can also choose the scoped ones – AUG and SG553 – as they fit into the current meta very well, even being topic of some controversy due to their damage output and easiness of use.

Extra tip: If you know your opponents are going to be on an eco or small buy, you can buy an SMG like the MP9, as it will demolish unarmored opponents and grant you a big money bonus for each kill ($600).

Eco Round

Preferred Weapon: Upgraded Pistol
Price: $700 or less
Kill reward: $300
Alternative: Default Pistol

A round you’re already counting on losing from the beginning as it solely serves to get enough money to buy on the next. Still, if you have more than enough money to justify a small buy, go for an upgraded pistol, as it can steal a few weapons from your opponents if used well, or even win the round.

If you’re really struggling on money, just avoid buying at all and play with the default pistols. They have really low damage output against armored opponents, but you may be able to kill a few enemies if you stack on the right bombsite.

Force Buys

Preferred Weapon: UMP-45
Price: $1700
Kill reward: $600
Alternative: MP9

These have some misconceptions attached – force buys are not eco rounds, and they’re supposed to be won. Many players think that stealing a few weapons from your enemies is a good force round. It’s not, as you’re putting all the money you have into it, risking an even worse round afterwards if you lose.

You should buy cheap weapons that have good armor penetration to deal as much damage as possible – the UMP-45 is your best friend here, having one of the best armor penetration values in SMGs. Not only that, but you’ll get a $600 bonus every time you get a kill. Just make sure to play on close-to-medium range, as the damage drop-off at longer distances is far too great, putting you in a big disadvantage against Rifles.

As an alternative, you can use the MP9 – although not as strong as a UMP, its fast fire-rate can somehow compensate for it, while also having a decent armor penetration value.

Semi-Buys

Preferred Weapon: SMG or Rifle
Price: Varies
Kill reward: Varies
Alternative: Upgraded pistol

These are not entirely supposed to be won, but you should aim for it. Semi-buying allows you to have a greater chance a winning the current round without sacrificing the Full-Buy on the next one.

Which weapon you buy depend entirely on the money at your disposal, as some players might have more than others. My suggestion is for you to go for the best one you can afford, while being careful to maintain enough for the next round. Kevlar is essential here, as well as utility. Good utility usage can make an upgraded pistol deadly if used correctly. SMGs are also good options, as it allows for good farming for the next round if you’re able to get a kill or two.

As a reminder, the weapons you’ve read above are only guidelines. Since no two games are exactly the same, the economy situation differs every time, and it’s your job to try to understand what the best approach for each round is. As said above, decide if it’s best to save up for another round, risk a semi-buy or go all-in. It all depends on the situation and the score. Let’s say you’re in a situation with low economy and if you lose the next round you’ll probably face match-point afterwards – maybe it’s better to save up on this one to have a full buy on the next, giving you a better chance to fend off said match-point.

Knowing how to read the opponent’s economy is hard and takes time. Even professionals make bad calls here and there, so don’t feel discouraged. It’s virtually impossible to keep track of every death in your team and with what weapon it happened, so don’t stress too much. Although some weapons give better rewards than others, it generally follows a rather linear pattern, as most teams will always decide what's their economy approach all together. Remember, your money is also the team’s money.

Experience comes from playing, so get out there! If you have any questions or feedback, you can reach out to me via Twitter. Thank you for reading and hope you find it informative.

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