Ancient is one of Counter-Strike‘s newer maps, and the sheer amount of lineups and utility can be overwhelming for newer players. In CS2, some lineups have changed, and many have been made easier due to the new volumetric smoke grenades. While a lot of the flashes and molotovs remain the same, the way smoke grenades are used has changed. Here are the essential smoke grenade spots on Ancient so you can support your teammates.
House smoke from T spawn
The classic House smoke has many ways it can be thrown instantly from nearly every spawning position. If you’re fine with being a little late, here’s a very basic way to throw it.
First, align yourself perfectly with the pillar in the middle of spawn.
Then, line up your crosshair perfectly with this position. After a quick jump-throw, House will be smoked, and your team can now go out Mid.
Donut smoke from T spawn
Donut is one of Ancient’s power positions—an effective CT can do a lot of damage from a relatively safe position. If you throw this smoke out of spawn, however, that pesky AWPer sitting there that has been owning Mid will be forced to come out to challenge your Mid push.
First, align yourself with this tree all the way in the back of T Spawn.
Next, align your crosshair right in the middle of this brick. A quick jump-throw will smoke off Donut.
Cave smoke from T spawn
Smoking off the Cave position is an effective way to get more control over mid and help set up a B split push. If you don’t have presence in that lane, the Cave player can walk out and timing push your mid players or the player looking at B Ramp very easily. Here’s how to block it off from spawn.
Get yourself stuck on the front of this rock on the left side of T Spawn.
Aim your crosshair at this small jut, then jump-throw. Now you can push the lane easily.
Donut molotov
If you’re pushed up into Mid, there’s likely a player in Donut, ready to pounce. Instead of throwing around utility willy-nilly, try this very easy molotov to turn up the heat on the Donut player.
Left-click a molotov at this wall to ensure that the Donut player has no safe place to stand and must challenge you.
CT smoke from Mid
This one isn’t very basic, but is extremely useful for multiple reasons. One, you can use this to fake your team’s presence towards the A site, and second, you can simply net a great smoke to help cover your team if they decide to push A.
Go to the Xbox in Mid, get stuck in the corner, then line up your crosshair directly above this small stain on the tarp of the box. A jump-throw cuts off a rotation point for the CTs and allows your team to look at Donut.
CT smoke from Donut
Another way to smoke CT on the fly.
If you get stuck on the back outcropping right at the entrance to Donut from Mid, you can look here and left-click throw. This is an extremely forgiving smoke.
Donut smoke from A main
Here’s where things get a bit complicated. Before you enter A main, go left to the part with all the fauna and get stuck in the back left corner. Here’s what it should look like.
And now for the complex part. Crouch, look at the very bottom of the gap between these two palm fronds as shown. Tap W, jump, and throw at the same time.
Full B smokes from one position
B site is even easier to smoke off now, and you can do it all from one position. Go to the T side of the double doors and get yourself stuck in the back right of box area, as seen below.
A jump-throw using the lineup shown will place a smoke in the Cave entrance to the site.
A jump-throw with this lineup will smoke off Short.
And a jump-throw with this lineup, or one looking a tad bit up at the first horizontal brick will smoke off Long effectively.
While there are many, many more lineups on Ancient, these are the cleanest and should be more than enough to get you started on your CS2 Premier matchmaking adventure.
