An anchor is a player who solo plays a bombsite, allowing others to stack other bombsites like B site on Dust2. The advantage from doing so is it makes retaking harder sites like B site on cbble, much easier - also making it easier to hold. It is much easier to play as an anchor on Dust2 compared to cbble, but when done correctly being able to play anchor for A site on cbble will give you superior map control, easier rotations if A site is lost, and better information for the B players to be ready to hold pushes more.

- Advantages: Makes B site much easier to hold as four CTs are in position to hold and retake site if a plant strat is executed. Allows the drop down players to rotate more effectively. Leaves much less of the map open for the Terrosists. B site is almost a guaranteed hold if played correctly.

- Disadvantages: Prone to rushing through smoke, you must be very aware of the map control to play this spot effectively. Know when to call your rotators. You provide next to zero information to your team about a B execute except that you haven't seen anyone and they should be ready.

Playing water for information

This is a very aggressive spot to take and is usually risky to play alone, mostly done with an AWP this position has a few advantages and disadvantages. An advantage here is being able to one-way smoke mid doors and AWP anyone on the topside and gain a large amount of information very quickly. At the same time while being able to fall back to your teammates very effectively and still have massive round impact with the remaining grenades. Here is how to one-way smoke the doors in CT mid.



Run from spawn asap down the grass hill, get aligned with the concrete wall facing into waters, there is no real place to aim at while lining up - just make sure you can not see the other side of the wall. The disadvantage of this would be having a very poor buy round, I would not suggest playing this position without having at least one Flashbang to fall back with (perferably two, and an Incendiary) because if the Terrorists decide to rush this smoke and catch you offguard, you are in a very weak position if you have no other grenades.

However, if you do get rushed and need to fall off quickly, call for a burst rotation from one dropdown player (most likely the one outside the window), flash the doors, fall back into stairs - burn the top of the stairs to also cover anyone possible coming from long. Be sure to communicate with your rotator to watch your ramp. Post up near long and be ready for the push. You should still have one flash to throw after your next shot to reposition accordingly to the third rotator.

Once lined up with the pillar facing into water, adjust about one crosshair distance off the middle of the door, then down half of a crosshair placement as well. When done correctly, you will have a one-way smoke to peek the topside of mid and gather information or kill any Terrorist players attempting to cross to long or castle. This position is very dangerous if played improperly, and will take a bit of practice so you can fully understand the timings for when to fall back. Once you have the hang of playing the water area and are confident with it, get used to the stairs solo position that I will go over next and you will be an unstoppable anchor!



Who ya gunna call? Smoke busters.

Playing the stairs aggresively



Playing the stairs aggresively provides a really large amount of information very quickly and you need to be ready to handle whatever is thrown at you. (You probably want to play this with a dropdown player equipped to help you hold an A rush. Incendiary, flashes, etc.) First things first, we still need a mid smoke to prevent us from being killed early on which would be a large problem for your teammates. Run into this corner of the middle section of stairs.

Next part is really easy, just aim at this crack in the floor as shown, and throw the smoke with a left click.

This will simulate the same smoke as the water smoke, allowing you to already be in stairs when you throw it to take a more aggressive hold inside the stairs.

If you hear multiple players long, call for a double rotate from both your dropdown players (make sure both your b site players are repositioning in order to hold site with 2 players in case they go for a 3-2 split). When you exit the stairs, go out the top side of the stairs rather than stacking two players in water, when you exit - use this flash or a similar one, it will save you countless times and could provide you with an easy 1-2 kills as it completely blinds anyone looking across short.

Hope you can put this playstyle to good use! It is a fairly aggressive playstyle so if you are scared of a gun fight with multiple enemies and don't know when to fall back according to the pressure, I suggest you practice playing A solo like this for a bit and i'm sure it will click after a few rounds and you will be able to slow the Terrorist push into A site by a huge amount. The most important thing to remember is that when falling back, your teammates are coming to you - so be ready to turn and engage with them accordingly!



Good luck with the strategy and have fun!

-Nerve