Despite its age, CSGO is one of the most popular games in the world and among the leading eSports titles. Source 2 is about to become available in just a few days or weeks, making the game even more popular. You can read more about some of the upcoming changes here.
Although millions have already played this game in the last 10 years, there are new CSGO players who don’t know how to be successful when they don’t have a proper gun. The so-called eco round and the half-buy rounds might not seem important, but they can make a substantial difference when playing. As a result, we’ve decided to provide you with this CSGO half-buys guide that will show you how to win rounds.
If you decide to apply the information when playing, you should notice a positive change in your overall win rate. Don’t forget that there is nothing worse than surprising your opponents when they expect you not to have any guns on you.
Half-buy Basics
Even though some CSGO players think the rounds can be divided into “buy” and “eco”, there is also a half-buy option. The latter is when players get cheaper weapons in an attempt to win the rounds. This can include Deagles (often called Decos) or cheap SMGs/shotguns that will allow them to accumulate more $ for the upcoming rounds.
When it comes down to mastering CSGO half buys, you should keep in mind that this works very differently, depending on your rank. People in the lower-skill groups can punish their opponents much easier because the latter make more mistakes. However, winning a half-buy if you’re GE is not that easy.
Besides reading the information below, you can also watch some of the best players in the world to learn how to make the most out of these rounds. Although not all teams are fans of this technique, you can often find at least a couple of big names that will try to make the most. Needless to say, you can often find exciting boosts, cool nades, and loads of other things.
Stack on a given bombsite or rush
Even though this tactic usually works best if you’re in a CSGO eco, it can also do wonders if you’ve decided to half-buy. By rushing a given bombsite with your teammates, you rely on the element of surprise. We’ve all been in games where we can’t do anything against opponents who’re pushing and end up losing the round.
When talking about bombsites, many people think that they can only rush it and hope to get kills. This tactic may work if you’re playing in the lower ranks, but people who know how to deal with pushes will kill you easily. Hence, it is better to take your time and surprise your opponents.
With that said, if you decide to rush a given bombsite, you have to be careful how you’re using your Nades. Many people have no idea how to throw flashbangs, so if you’re among them, watch a how to guide CSGO before you start playing.
While it’s true that you may not be able to win the round, stacking on a given bombsite will allow you to kill at least a few people and maybe save their guns for the next round. It all depends on the situation.
We’ve seen cases where the entire team hides, tricking the enemies into thinking that there’s no one there. Once your opponents show up, you can go out of your cover and try to kill them, steal their guns, and win the round.
The so-called Puggy Default
People interested in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive have probably heard the term “Puggy Default”. Players often use it to describe situations where they play slowly and try to get kills around the map that would allow them to win the given round. The idea behind this tactic is to gain control over a specific spot on the map and use it to win the round.
With that said, using this tactic when you’re on half-buy will only work if you get the correct guns. In this case, Deagle is probably one of the best options you got because of the pistol’s insane damage out. Players using it can win a 1v1 fight against a rifler fairly easily, as long as they land their shots.
Of course, an important thing to remember is that this tactic works differently for CTs and Ts. The latter need to rely on getting kills and using them to push a given site. However, the job of a CT is to try and kill someone who’s alone and use his gun to win the given round. While it’s true that CT players don’t really need to be aggressive to win a round, this can help them, especially when they’re on a CSGO half buy.
The utility usage is key
Many CSGO players often think that all they need to be successful in the game is to have good aim. Although this helps, they also need to know how to use their utilities. This is especially true when you’re in a half-buy round.
As mentioned, a good Flash while rushing a given site or when you’re trying to defend it is all it takes to land a kill. This is especially true when you’re playing against players who don’t know how to position themselves to avoid those things.
When talking about flashes, some teams on half-buy use a tactic where one of the players throws a flash, and the others rush a given site to score a kill. Even though this might go wrong if the opponent isn’t flashed, if he is, you can get an easy kill and be in a 5v4 or 5v3 situation where it’s much more likely to win the round.
