Utility in CS2 is vital. Smokes allow a team or player “safe” passage through an area, flashes ensure enemy units are blind for a moment, and Molotovs and HE grenades force players to leave a spot, allowing you to move in.
While not as utility-heavy as something like Mirage, players can still benefit from knowing some key pieces of utility on Dust 2. Even better, since the map only received a touch-up and not a rework in CS2, most of your CS:GO lineups will work just fine.
The must-learn smoke, flash, and Molotov lineups on Dust 2 in CS2
A Site
The A bombsite of Dust 2 features a main platform with a ramp up from CT, commonly called Elevator, as well as the main ramp to barrels and Goose at the back of the site. The upper platform wraps over CT spawn and towards Short.
While many avenues into the A site exist, knowing smokes for taking and moving up Long is critical to the success on any T side.
A Long Corner smoke
This is probably the only smoke I throw every round on T—or at least ensure someone else throws it. Blocking off the CT’s sight line to the only entry to Long is crucial. There are many ways to throw this smoke from T spawn and bedroom outside Long, but this one is arguably the easiest.
Line yourself up with the second step and aim at the small bracket, then jump throw. The smoke will travel flat and bloom pretty quickly. Combine with a long flash or two, and you’ll have long almost every time, forcing CTs to commit more resources if they want to hold it.
CT Cross smoke
The dreaded CT cross smoke. In CS:GO, you needed to throw two of these, one a step forward from the other, to ensure the entire angle to CT spawn and Elevator was smoked off. Now, thanks to the volumetric smoke changes, a single smoke is enough to block off the entire angle.
I tend to throw this one while running by aiming to the left of the antenna of the building in the background, then releasing it as I clear the small overhang above me on the corner. If you need a lineup, jump onto the blue barrel, then turn and find the white pipe. Move your crosshair along the pipe and directly up to the wire, then throw.
A Short smoke from Long
We’re going to utilize the same spot here for our Short smoke. This is ideal if you’re hitting the A site entirely from Long or throwing while holding Long late into a retake, forcing the CTs heading up Short to face your team through a smoke.
Likewise for CTs: If you’re retaking from long, this smoke covers off Short if you have info on their location.
A Long Car (Molotov)
A Long’s Car is a pesky spot to clear out. You don’t want to waste your smokes on this, but a Molotov works perfectly. Jump onto the barrel again, then turn and aim for the door at Long Corner. Aim at the doorknob then jump throw the Molotov. It should explode right on the corner, forcing the Car player back behind the car itself or out into the open.
Retaking A site from Short
Retaking A site as CT, or trying to get up Catwalk as T? Wedge yourself in the corner where the garage door lies on Short, then aim at the top-right intersection of the cyan door and release.
This smoke covers off the angle to Short from A site but leaves a clear path to the left. Pair this with a high flash as you pass the smoke and catch the enemy unawares.
CT spawn to A Long doors
This is one of my favorites, but you’ve got to throw it the moment the round starts. Head to the Elevator corner on CT Ramp to A, then aim at the point where the two main buildings behind you intersect. Jump throw, and if you’re quick, your smoke will land and block the bedroom doors on Long.
The Ts won’t want to push through that grey screen to face you, but throw a Long flash up high or behind your Long player to the left in case the Ts got a great spawn.
Mid
There’s a reason they call T spawn to top mid “Suicide.” Mid is a long straight pathway that runs downhill to the double doors and lower dark to B. Volumetric smokes play a huge part in the meta now, with mid doors smokes spreading even further and restricing sight lines.
The most important smoke to learn is the Xbox smoke, and we’ve included two different variants below.
Xbox from T spawn
This will be your most common version of the Xbox smoke. Head to the back corner in T spawn, then aim and jump throw where the top of the building lines up with the smoke. You’ve got a little room for error here, but if done properly, your smoke will bloom on top of the green Xbox in lower mid.
Xbox from T bedroom
Alternatively, if you find yourself setting up later in the round from bedroom, find the white mark on the ground and aim at the second prong of the middle antenna. No jump throw needed here: just release and wait for the smoke to bloom.
CT from Xbox
You can only look left or right when hitting CT mid, and it’s already bad enough you’ll have to funnel through that tight door. Best to smoke one side off—why not CT? Prevent the defenders from rotating towards B as you split the site.
Wedge yourself into the corner at Xbox and aim at the mark above. Release your smoke, then follow up with a flash to catch off anyone playing close by or on the left. Be careful as you take B, as there is a large gap in the smoke at the very top, meaning if a CT stands far enough back, they can catch you as you enter the door.
B Site
“Rush B.” If you haven’t called one of these on Dust 2 before, you haven’t lived. But instead, why not throw a couple of smokes to block off the only two main entry points into the hardest bombsite to retake?
B Door smoke
Both the door and window smokes here can be thrown from the same spot. Head into this corner and aim up at the mark near the top of the wall. Drop your crosshair slightly then jump throw. It takes a moment for this smoke to land, so hold your flash or Molotov for a second before sending it.
B Window smoke
Like the door smoke, you’ll need to go to the same spot in yard to throw the B window smoke. Head to the corner again, but this time, you won’t go as far up the wall with your crosshair. Look for the two marks closeby, aim dead center, and jump throw. Like the door smoke, this takes a second to bloom, so hold your rush a second.
B Tunnel exit smoke
This smoke is great at covering the entrance to the bombsite whilst also granting a visual passage to the left near Fence. Line up with the middle of the above pillar, turn, then throw the smoke toward the higher side of the tunnel wall on the left. It should bounce and land in front of the triple box, blocking all sight to upper dark and tunnel.
While many more flashes, smokes, and Molotovs exist on Dust 2, knowing these off by heart should get you well and truly started in CS2. Check back over time as we’ll update these with any more vital nades we find!
