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Dust (de_dust) is well renowned for its simplicity and was at one point the most popular map in Counter-Strike series.

Overview[]

The most used strategies in Dust consist of rushing, ambushing, camping, and defending an important area (such as the bombsites). Combat in this map is very intense, mainly in the middle (or the central hallway) and the underpass of the bridge. These two paths separate the Terrorist and the Counter-Terrorist Spawn Zones thus players must either rush through these areas or wait for the enemy to focus their attention elsewhere.

In coordinated team play, the Terrorists must break through at least one of these two pathways to get any of the two bombsites. Meanwhile, the Counter-Terrorists should either guard the side (nearby the entryway of the middle) and the bridge or quickly occupy Bombsite A.

If these tactics are not done properly, the enemy will gain an advantage as they can get into position to defend their territory. Often times, when either team is too weak or uncoordinated to attack enemy occupied areas, the round will result in the opposing force to win that round.

This occurs repeatedly in large public servers and when players are not able to coordinate their rushing abilities.

If playing with bots, they will normally rush into the hallway at the first round. If possible, it is recommended to throw a flashbang at any of the entrances (especially at the two entrances/exits that lead to bombsite A and the double doors) and wait for approaching enemies. Then immediately throw an HE grenade and/or fire your weapon at blinded enemies. If you are lucky, your teammates may be able to assist you and the round may favor your team.

Hot spots[]

Middle/Central Hallway[]

Usually at the first round of the map, players will rush into this area first and may throw grenades to disorientate the enemy (depending on the amount of money avaliable that players previously had before entering the central hallway). If you do not have enough firepower, try to avoid this area at all times or simply wait until the fighting has stopped. Sometimes, if your team is unable to resist the incoming waves of enemy players, they can retreat and allow other team members (who have stayed behind) to ambush the opposing force by either taking the fight to them or make them rush into their area. At the entrances/exits of the middle, snipers can be seen as they will take down distracted enemy players or assist their team members. To counter this, smoke grenades are often thrown at the very center of the area and HE grenades are utilized to scare off snipers and eliminate clustered groups of enemy players. Even if you do not hear any combat occuring in the middle, always throw a flashbang at designated angles, especially at the crates, as a precaution since it is very likely that swarms of assailants can rush into the sections of the hallway.

Notes[]

For some players who are nearby the entrances to the central hallway, they may throw grenades to deter or intimidate the enemy from leaving the area and thus being the first to reach a valuable section of the map before the enemy does. Due to this, many players consider this tactic to be either a decoy or a "false" ambush but get affected by the grenades nevertheless.

If you have been caught in combat and have suffered from heavy damage, do not proceed through the other exits of this area, unless you have enough team members with you. It may be very likely that after the sounds of the fighting have died down, more enemy players can rush into the middle and eliminate you with ease. If you suspect that this will happen, be sure that you have saved a flashbang to stun enemies or simply go through the underpass, if the enemy has not taken control of that section.

Front/Side/Bridge Underpass[]

These areas are normally occupied by snipers, who are waiting on the ends of the underpass for enemies to appear in the lower sections of the map. Furthermore, players would normally camp in the sections of the side, front, and the higher areas of the underpass as they can gain an advantage over players who did not seize better footground.

In the older versions of Counter-Strike, players will avoid in engaging enemies in the underpass, due to the fact that ambushes are very common and there were only two entry/exit points. (Later on in Global Offensive, the area has been widened and there is a stairwell that leads to the side, thus allowing trapped players to receive the chance to escape.) Due to these reasons, the underpass serves as an alternative infiltration route for the Terrorists if they were unable to clear out enemies in the central hallway. Moreover, if the enemy has not been encountered or fully eliminated in the central hallway, then it is very likely that the remaining opposing force members are at the underpass.

In some scenarios, the Terrorist armed with the C4 can hide underneath the underpass while the rest of his team can engage enemies in the middle. Once after the most of the Counter-Terrorists are eliminated, have retreated, or are occupied, that Terrorist can either go up the ramp in the front or simply go back to the Terrorist Spawn Zone and head over to the middle if allied players have seized control of those areas.

If you have to traverse through the underpass, be sure to do it quietly or stick together with some team members. Whenever possible, throw a flashbang or a smoke grenade at the end of the section to make it harder for enemies to shoot you down. These tactics should make it harder for snipers to eliminate you and thus enabling a surprise attack to be utilized in your favor to take down or intimidate enemy players. Be warned, however, that when you are exiting from the underpass, enemy players could swarm through the area from the side or the front above you.

Tip[]

Snipers can jump on some crates and/or a ledge in Source games to prevent anyone from planting/defusing the bomb in site A.

Bombsite A[]

Unlike Bombsite B, this site is often chosen by the Terrorists when it is time to plant the bomb. However, bombsite A offers the possibility for ambushes thus approaching the area is a major step in becoming successful for your team. If many of the players are fighting at the front, underpass, side, middle, and bombsite B (rarely), then site A should be safe enough to enter, unless a few enemy players have followed you. Regardless, in any scenario, it is vital to maintain control of this bombsite otherwise, the double doors and the middle entryway will be a favorable ground for snipers thus making it hard to breach through.

Like many of the other areas, flashbangs and HE grenades are thrown to eliminate players while smoke grenades offer cover. As a counter-attack, intended victims will retaliate by continuously firing at the entrances to the bombsite. This area offers a lot of hiding spots; if you are playing as Terrorist, expect Bombsite A to be heavily defended. If you are a CT, have at least one or two teammates hold some cover near Bombsite A. If there is major movement from the enemy, your team will know it.

A Terrorist armed with the C4 should avoid planting the bomb right in front of the double doors. Enemy snipers can shoot through the strategically aligned doors.

The entryway with the doors that lead to this bombsite are often "wall-banged" (the act of shooting through penetrable surfaces) by players who are armed with rifles. To reduce the chance of being killed, players will often throw a preferred grenade before rushing through the doors to eliminate stunned enemy players or to deter anyone from using the entrance.

Notes[]

Be sure to check all hiding spots in Bombsite A otherwise, enemy players can ambush you when you have turned your back. Sometimes, if the Terrorist team fails to do this, plants the bomb, and leaves it unguarded, a CT player may secretly emerge from his secret spot and perform a "ninja defuse". If that player succeeds, the Terrorist team will lose that round by default.

There is also an extremely-unknown planting area of Bombsite A. At the top right corner of the bombsite, from above view, there is a stack of boxes that stick out behind a wall corner. Plant the bomb in the corner between the boxes and the wall. Enemy CTs can't see the bomb from either entrance (however they CAN follow its sound and bots can easily find it), and it's an efficient place to plant if Terrorists are losing.

Sniper trick[]

Snipers can relatively guard this bombsite with ease as a player armed with a Schmidt Scout or an AWP can watch the double doors and the front.

Other areas[]

Front/Bombsite B[]

Front[]

Sometimes, when the enemy force is not engaged or fully neutralized from the central hallway or/and the bridge, combat will eventually spill into the front areas and nearby the entrances to bombsite B. Inexperienced snipers who were aiming their weapons at the side or the front may get a nasty wake-up call with a headshot or a slash from the knife from enemies. It is here that either the Terrorists or the Counter-Terrorists will gain control of the front (and the accesses to the bombsites). In any scenario related to this situation, one of the teams will become victorious by eliminating all members of the opposing force or receive the chance to plant/defuse the bomb without delay. If fighting is still not over, then the bombsites will normally be the main focus for the remaining players.

Bombsite B[]

The Terrorist team rarely focuses their attention on this bombsite as it requires more infiltration and effort to reach, unless all of the Counter-Terrorist players have camped in Bombsite A or are at some other place. It is still possible for the Terrorists to enter into Bombsite B by taking alternative routes while ordering their team members to cover them. If the bomb has been planted, snipers can quickly take over the area and effectivelly pin down enemy players from the other side of the area.

Back[]

If the Terrorists were unable to breach through the middle and the underpass, they may be at the back(way) of the map, which is nearby their spawn zone. When this happens, the Terrorists will try to turn the tables by tricking the Counter-Terrorists with a retreat and a quick retaliation. Similar to the long sections of the map, there may be a sniper at the ends of the backway who will be waiting for enemies to rush into the area.

Additional photos[]

Terrorist Spawn Zone[]

Counter-Terrorist Spawn Zone[]

Other Tips & Tricks[]

  • Know the location of the two bombsites. Bombsite A is found on the right side of the map (from the Counter-Terrorist Spawn Zone) and Bombsite B is located at the Counter-Terrorist starting position.
  • Crates, barrels, and other barriers crowd the bomb sites. Your goal should be preventing the Terrorist bots from reaching the bombsite completely. If not, you will face a tough time penetrating through enemy defenses. On the flip side, though, mount your own defense of a bombsite by using the available cover.
  • The Terrorists push toward the bombsites either through the overpass route on the left side of the map or the primary tunnel straight ahead.
  • Defend the overpass by hiding behind the crates below the bridge, by standing on the railing overlooking the ground below, or by using the sniping position at the end of the path.
  • Defend the tunnel with grenades (powerful in close quarters) and by splitting away from your CT comrades. If some go through the middle or right side of the tunnel, take the left route near the overpass and vice versa.
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