In this article, I'll be looking at the different ways various pro teams play their Counter-Terrorist sides on the map de_mirage. I'll explain what each one is designed for and how each one is effective by describing each player's individual role. I'll also leave screenshots and/or links so you can see each setup in action.

Astralis

The Danish lineup of Astralis do two unique pushes occasionally that involve aggression from the B-bombsite towards Middle. The first is a basic Catwalk/Short push - cajunb and Karrigan distract the Terrorists taking Middle (from Connector and Window, respectively) whilst dupreeh pushes forward and gets a free kill on a player. They then all retreat back to their respective sites to maintain the man advantage they just achieved.

The other setup they sometimes use is to have either Karrigan or dupreeh positioned in Ladder Room, where they can hold Catwalk/Short more passively. They can also look through the vent to Window to watch Middle. In this example against EnVyUs at the Game Show Global eSports Cup, Karrigan manages to get 2 opening frags for his team due to the off-angle he is holding:

The issue with this setup is that it is quite reliant on individual play - if the CT goes down with little or no impact, it can leave a significant hole in the defensive side's armour.

NaVi

Natus Vincere's setups often revolve around their star AWPer GuardiaN, and the one featured here is no exception. The CT's positioning is more focused towards A - Edward plays in the Window Room position to enable him to make a quick rotate towards the A-site whilst Seized pushes into Apartments to confirm there is no pressure towards B. Zeus and GuardiaN support each other around Connector, with Zeus holding towards Middle to watch GuardiaN's back while he can focus towards the bombsite and take the long range fight against the Terrorists.

This setup's weakness is fairly obvious - the B player is the lynchpin, and if they fall then the B-site (and probably the round) is open for taking. However, if an A take comes through, the CTs will be well positioned and should be able to counter it effectively. To see this setup in action, here's an example from the recent ESL ESEA Pro League Season 2 Finals.

Virtus.Pro

Virtus.Pro often play quite aggressive Counter-Terrorist sides, and on Mirage there's no exception. This particular setup was one they ran many times over the latter half of 2015. Initially, byali pushes up Middle whilst he is flashed in by a teammate - whether or not he gets a pick, he rotates to the B-bombsite to support pasha. Pasha usually plays aggressively in Apartments, often playing the close angle in the corner. Taz and Snax often form a crossfire across the entire A-bombsite (assuming Snax is not AWPing from CT Spawn), whilst Neo acts as a rotator with his AWP, trying to find an opening frag on various points across the map.

This setup is effective as it is so versatile and is strong against various bombsite takes that the Terrorists can attempt. It doesn't have an glaring downside, apart from the lack of pressure in Middle, but with Neo moving around the map and often peering into Middle, CT presence there is not completely absent. This is a solid setup that I would advise, and one that clearly shows why the Polish side are considered as one of the best teams in the world on this map. Here's a round from the ESL Cologne 2015 Semi-Final; this setup is used multiple times throughout Virtus' CT-half, so you can see it in action a few times.

Luminosity

The Brazilian side of Luminosity have always been at home on Mirage. One of their main setups focuses on Middle without showing direct presence there. The newer additions to the squad, fnx and TACO, anchor A and B site respectively (TACO plays around Van, fnx usually plays in Sandwich) whilst coldzera plays a more aggressive position on Catwalk to look towards Middle. FalleN and fer look towards Middle from the other side of the map; FalleN stands on ticketbooth and fer plays the close angle either at the bottom of Stairs, or in the cubby in Connector. fnx's position on A protects FalleN from being attacked from Ramp or Palace, so that FalleN can spot into Middle for fer. His position also allows him to retreat easily once he's found a pick with his AWP, as he can drop back down to CT if he's too exposed.

This setup is so strong because it gives a presence towards Middle as well as having a solid defense on both sites; if an A-take comes in, FalleN and fnx are practically on a shooting range, with fer not being too far away. On the other side, TACO is directly able to hinder a B-take, with coldzera being able to support him. Overall, this setup gives a good Counter-Terrorist presence and strong area control across the entire map - its major weakness is that the B-site is slightly weak and could fall to a well-executed take or rush. It is also weak if the player in Connector falls, as it leaves a large gap in the defense on the A bombsite.

Overall, I hope this guide gives you some ideas on how teams build their setups on de_mirage and helps your defense in your future games. Happy fragging!

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