Here are 5 useful Inferno smoke line-ups for Counter-Strike 2
As the 2023 season of CS ends, we are slowly improving the ever-growing library of line-ups for Counter-Strike 2. With major events like BLAST Premier: World Final and IEM Sydney 2023, players have improved the strategic and utility-based aspects of the game. Upgraded and more efficient line-ups paired with a better understanding of the new mechanics of CS2 have affected the utility at all levels of the game. With that in mind, we’re looking forward to the future for even more effective and structured strategies.
So let’s take a look at our list of 5 useful smoke line-ups on Inferno for Counter-Strike 2. Make sure you also check out our article on effective CT-side strats on Inferno for CS2.
5 Useful Inferno Smoke Line-ups for Counter-Strike 2
Inferno is a very utility-dependent map to find success. There is great emphasis on coordinating the map with team play and items like smokes and Molotovs to clear out angles and take control of areas. It is important to also be proactive during a game in Inferno, this allows your opponents to be hesitant and disallow them from taking control of positions easily.
Top Mid to Moto
Moto is the area between the Library and the A-Site. It is the region you have to pass to get to the site. Other than that, it allows players from the Library to fight players inside the site through very long angles. This can be very dangerous for anyone in the A-Site, especially if the opponent has an AWP.
So smoking off this area is crucial to safely enter the A-Site. It not only stops anyone from Long and Library from finding picks on players on the site but also isolates anyone inside from any support. So it makes taking the A-Site that much more easier. Besides anyone can also lurk inside the smoke and have a flash thrown on the other side to push the players waiting for the smoke to dissipate. This can buy more time and delay the retake for the CT-side.
Any form of supporting utility like nades and Molotovs behind the smoke is also useful. Even a late lurk towards long to try and pick out any unsuspecting players waiting for their retake opportunity is also possible. The point is, that this smoke provides a lot of options and ways players can play off of.
Under Apartments to A-Long
Entering the Top Mid area before heading to A can be quite difficult. Since there are two sides to clear on two sides, it’s quite hard to cover both avenues at once even with teammates. On top of that, there are hiding spots on both sides, inside Boiler and Long Cubby.
So to make this situation better, it is wise to throw a smoke deep towards the long avenue. This cuts the possibility of getting jumped while entering to half. This will allow players to safely walk towards A-Short and invest in exploring other options like Apartments. Since this takes away so much information from the players holding A, it can even be used as bait for a fake. Having no idea of how many players are walking into the A-Site, it is quite normal to ask for a rotation which leaves the B-Site empty.
So this smoke can provide a lot of cover for players getting into the A-Site and also take away information for the CT players. With enough creativity, the smoke can be used for fakes as well.
Aps Entrance Smoke
One of the other uses for smokes other than covering areas to block vision and intel, is to use as a cover to pop out of a spot with many enemies looking at it. Suppose you’re going to walk out of a door, and 3 people are looking at it. It would be very hard to go through without resistance. A similar situation is seen during the Apartments Entrance on the A-Site of Inferno.
So one thing players do is smoke off the spot that they’re going to walk out of to throw off anyone looking at the spot. This is seen quite a lot on Inferno. This line-up will smoke off the little balcony outside of Halls. Anyone from Moto and Graveyard will have no vision of anyone coming out of there. Players can use this cover to hop into Mini Pit and clear the Site.
This pairs well with the Moto Smoke and players walking in through A-Short as well for an aggressive and explosive entry to A. These utilities will provide enough cover to completely overwhelm anyone on the site and stop any kind of fast retake. T-sided players can stay in cover while planting the bomb and even have additional time to prepare for the post plant too.
Banana to CT and Boost
This is the best smoke you can throw to cover the CT angle while entering B. Anyone who has played on Inferno knows that entering the B-Site can be extremely difficult, considering the amount of angles and positions that have to be cleared. One of the most prominent ones is towards CT. This angle can be played in a wide variety of ways. So it is essential to cover this region before working the site, there is already so much to deal with there.
This smoke line-up will be perfect for smoking off the CT angle safely and additionally cover the boost that CTs may try to get picks from above the smoke. As the smoke falls on the spot where the boosted player stands, they won’t be able to see inside. This allows for the players pushing from Banana to walk in the B-Site safely without having to worry about the CT area and the boost spot.
Banana to Coffins
Coffins is another well-known spot for CT players to anchor while playing the B-Site. The issue with Coffins is, that it is very deep inside the site and hard to safely without coming into the crosshair of an enemy. So it requires smokes to block anyone playing there. Since the easiest position to throw it from is Sandbags, which is already exposed to the Coffins player, we’re going to need line-ups to throw it safely.
Since this is thrown from Banana, it is important to make sure the region is cleared. From there the smoke can be thrown quite easily towards Coffins and block any visual access to the B-Site. There is another spot in front of Coffins where the player can jump on and stand above the smoke. This will also be blocked thanks to the volumetric mechanics of CS2’s smokes.
This line-up pairs well with the smoke for CT towards the B-Site we mentioned earlier. Together, these line-ups allow for an easy and effective B-Site entry and allow them to isolate anyone inside and prepare for the post-plant situation.
Make sure you check out our other articles on CS2 strats and its esports scene.