Defending cache on CT side can be tricky as it is quite an even map as Terrorists can do many different executes and entries into sites after gaining mid-control. In order to counter that, the go-to strategy is the 2-2-1, or rather 2 players A, 2 players Mid, and 1 player soloing B site.

Cementing the mid control

Mid on cache is a key area of the map and can be heavily disputed at the start of the round.

One CT can have a very hard time keeping it under control as he can be attacked from multiple angles (Boost and Mid Garage), and usually will give it up when Ts outnumber him. A lot of times, he will even get killed and leave CTs in a 2-2 on-site position that is very weak This situation leaves both sites in a vulnerable state since Ts can split both sites, either A from A Main and Cat or B from Main and Vents.

The answer to that is to play 2 CTs Mid right at the start of the round. The best course of action in this case is to smoke the Garage right away to stop rushes and keep AWPers from peeking. You can then elect to play one player close to the garage and one further back on White Box or in Z. Either way, these 2 players should play off each other and keep a strong hold on Mid or cause heavy casualties if the Ts were to rush through the smoke or go over Boost.

As good as this setup is, it leaves the CTs with the dilemma of choosing which site to solo. A site should be the easier site to take for Terrorists as there are multiple entry points to it even when CTs seize Mid control (Squeaky and A Main). Considering that, a good set-up is to post 2 players A (usually one Quad and one Forklift). With the fast rotation from the Mid player playing White Box, there should be no problem locking it up even in the case of a full-on rush.

Soloing the B site.

We’re left with one CT player holding B site, which at first can sound like a blatant mistake considering the usual "Rush B, No Stop" meta of MM and pugs, but with a bit of team coordination, it can end up being very successful strategy that leads to great CT halves.

First of all, the solo player need to pack the most utility he can. Incendiaries, smokes, flashes and nades are great tools to slow down multiples enemies and buy time to let your teammates rotate.

Second, the solo player should never play the cheeky corners or one and done spots, as he needs to stay alive for the longest time possible during a B site attack. That can be achieved by playing on site around the boxes and changing angles at almost every peek while under the pressure of an execute.

Third, one of the Mid players is key if the solo B player is not to be overwhelmed by a pack of Terrorists. A good way to avoid that is that the Mid player playing close to Garage when he lays down the smoke at the start of the round can use Vents as a quick rotation path to the B site. He can even play inside of them and that way watch Mid Garage and Checkers very efficiently, like on the screenshots below. That way, if Ts rush the B site, he can be instantly in Checkers, or shoot at Checkers from Vents and draw some attention off the solo B site player. Ts will have to split their pack to fight both Checkers and Site, giving the CTs a chance to hold them off or buy times for the rest of the team to rotate.

What about the A site then?

Same goes for the site with the Mid players. If one player is playing close to Garage, the other should play the White Box area and Highway/Catwalk. That implies that he can very quickly be on the A site to hold off a push, watch Squeaky from Toxic, play Forklift or go up on the Balcony. With that fast rotate time, CTs can have three on the site when Ts start pushing, a very strong hold. The beauty of it is that even if the White Box player rotates, Mid is still covered by the close up player who can of course still rotate through Vents to B if the A push was a fake.

For better comprehension, you can refer to the map overview below. Of course, blue dots are CT players and the red arrows are the path they should follow to help both bomb site. Like I said, the key is to leave one player watching Mid and keep a rotation between Mid and the sites for those two players.

In conclusion, if you are experiencing trouble on CT side on de_cache, you should try this strategy as it is quite easy to implement even when solo queueing. Don't hesitate to alternate your CT side strategy when you feel the Ts have figured it out and started to take advantage of it. As always, being unpredictable in CSGO is a major plus.

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