Smoke setups are key for winning T sided rounds - they help reduce enemy vision while creating a pathway to plant. This doesn’t mean players should know every setup, but instead, it's best to remember a few of them. When it comes to smokes, understanding why they play a huge role is important. Sometimes they're even used to confuse people and force unnecessary rotations. Known as the most useful grenade in the game, smokes can make or break any round. If that’s in matchmaking, FACEIT, or ESEA - everyone should know the best smoke setups. Flashes are great, but they only offer impact support, while smokes last much longer. In most cases, they’re even better than dishing out a bunch of bangs.

INFERNO, TRAIN, AND MIRAGE

Starting off with inferno is the B site setup. Inferno’s B site provides two major gaps and a few places to boost. All of the following smokes can be executed from banana and can be taught using a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) workshop map. The first smoke spot is CT, due to its long-range view from enemy territory. To make sure nobody hops on boost, simply toss a molly on it, proceed to smoke coffin, and there you have it—the most popular way to execute B on inferno. For A site, it’s a little tricky, since it has multiple gaps. From mid, have someone smoke off moto to block off library. For a quick push into site - short smoke off long. Continue to push through apartments and short, while clearing out pit and site.

A more complicated map to smoke off is train. On B site, the only two entrances consist of ramp and cat. Sandwiched between those two spots is the bomb train. Once ramp and cat are smoked off, make sure the drop from cat is also blocked, allowing for an easy entrance into B site. This three-player manoeuvre is ideal for a fast plant and creates a slide from cat. On A site, the map provides four signature openings including A1, A2, A3, and connector. Smoking off each of these spots closes up the site forcing campers and AWPers to back off.

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Mirage is a fan-favourite mainly due to its simplistic design. The most popular way to enter B is from apartments, meaning this setup will require three smokes. Before flooding out of aps - smoke off arches, windows, and bench. Arches and bench offer great places to jiggle peak - which isn’t so handy for T sided players. Market window is a god-tier place to sit for AWPers, so that’s high on the list for a go-to smoke. While players can move away from bench, the smoke offers a quick cover to plant. For the other side of the map, it almost seems like A was made for the perfect place to smoke. Most importantly, they can all be thrown from T roof. This four-player smoke is extremely overpowered. Tossing them on stairs, CT, jungle, and connector is the best way to go as this blocks off every single entrance within the site.

NUKE, OVERPASS, DUST 2, AND VERTIGO

Moving forward is the Astralis dominated map called nuke. Having both bomb sites within close quarters of each other makes this map very unique. The setup for A site is easy but requires steady shooters to take it over and plant. Smoking heaven, main, and, vents closes off the popular angles resulting in checking corners plus rafters. Besides the railings on B site, the planting quadrant has three spots to smoke, including window, doors, and connector.

Another complex map that requires solid game sense is overpass. On B site, only two smokes are necessary to take control - those two spots are heaven and bridge. Heaven always has an AWPer lurking in the back, while the bridge smoke forces graffiti players to either sit back or run into pit. Just like B site - A only needs two smokes. Except this time they consist of bank and bins - also known as dumpsters. This way, the only place someone can hide is near truck which can be countered with a wide peak.

Now for a map that’s pretty basic but also kind of overplayed - dust 2. The classic rush B tactic needs three smokes, and with the help of the new skylight, these are easy to achieve. Smoking platform, window, and doors leaves one spot to peak - which is car. This smoke setup is simple, but requires a team with good aim. As for A site, the best entrance is cat. Smoking off mid doors, car, and default is the best way to plant. Default alone covers ramp, goose, and barrels. Almost like a three in one, so who wouldn’t want to use this setup?

Last but not least is one of the bigger maps known as vertigo. With its multi-layered setup, players can get creative when forming a push. On B site, smoke window, electric, and default. This way CT players will either run towards backside or fall into their spawn. The last site is pretty basic and only needs two smokes. Smoking double boost and default allows players to only focus on scaffolding and sandbags.

With all that said go ahead and test these out. They’re perfect when playing with a party or showing off on competitive platforms such as FACEIT and ESEA.

Images via Valve