Basics of being a support player in Counter-Strike

Introduction

Now before we start this article, you're going to have to realise that you can only be a support player in a team. If you're playing Matchmaking and you're trying to support it isn't going to work. Most people on Matchmaking are out to get frags and just play like a pug. Support players are only needed for a team and you should only try to be one in a Scrim. There are a few key things you need to do to be a support player and I will highlight them in this article.

Grenades and you

As a support player, you're going to be wanting to buy grenades almost every single round. If you aren't doing this you aren't doing your job correctly. Sacrifice that AK47 for a Galil and but that extra smoke and flashes. Doing this however requires you to learn to smoke certain areas on maps. But have no fear as below I have linked a couple of workshop maps that will help you with some basic smokes. These smokes will help you and your team win rounds and although you aren't fraghunting you're still a key role in the round win.

Overpass smoke map
Inferno smoke map
Mirage smoke map

A site smoke on Overpass

These three workshop maps are very helpful in the way that they show you a display of where the smoke should land and pinpoint where the smoke should be thrown. If you play these maps for a while you will soon learn the smokes off by heart and will be the support king in your matches! Simply click on the links provided, click subscribe in order to download the maps. Once you start up CS:GO start a bot match and when choosing the map select the workshop tab at the top. Your maps should be there ready for you to start practicing on.

Smokes aren't everything however, molotovs and flashbangs are also key grenades to winning a round. Especially when you're a terrorist trying to take a site. You should always try to flash your teammates into a site, on the maps that I've provided above there's also a flashbang and molotov section that shows key popflashes and molotovs to help you take sites. Again these are very useful as after a while you will learn them without even thinking about it and after a while you will be able to come up with your own set flashbangs which will make you the key to winning the round.

Bomb planting and you

When being a support player your key role is to do the objectives and win the round. As a Terrorist this means planting the bomb. Because you aren't a fragger and don't need to get picks stay behind the entry fragger. Stick to him like he's your lifeline because well, he is. As you are throwing smokes and flashing into a site the entry fragger will be getting the first pick to initiate the site take. After the first kill you want to chase after the entry fragger get onto the site and get that bomb down. This doesn't mean running in like a headless chicken and getting taken out while having the bomb in your hands. Ensure that the site is clear, have your smokes surrounding you not allowing the enemy to get in and then plant the bomb. Once the bomb is down you want to be sitting on the site waiting for the retake to come in and that leads me on to my next section.

Planting on Overpass

Versatility and you

You're going to have to sit in a place where your other players aren't. Give your other players the priority over you when picking somewhere to play after a bomb plant. Those players are the fraggers, you aren't. You have to fill the gaps for your team. When somewhere is open on the map you're going to have to keep your eyes open and either call it out or go there yourself and cover that spot. Asaptability and versatility is what seperates the good from the best with support roles.

You're going to have to play well in a position that you aren't that comfortable in a lot of the time. So to get used to playing in these spots or having atleast some knowledge of common spots on maps is to watch pro matches. Get used to where they play, watch how they hold the angles and watch certain areas. Once you've studied this enough you'll be able to play a lot more spots than you previously thought possible.You're also going to have to be patient. After you plant the bomb you're going to have to hold the angles and don't do anything stupid that could cost your team the round. You're going to have to use your head.

Conclusion

These three main points are just short and the very basics of becoming a support player. If you choose to pick this role remember to keep these things in mind. Thank you very much for reading!

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