Train is one of the most interesting maps from a strategic point of view. Great teams can often get away with running the same strategies over and over on this map, while still being effective. We have seen this many times from Schroet Kommando, who ran a very basic two ladder, one middle and two alley almost twelve rounds in a row.

One problem is that those strategies run into a wall when teams figure them out. For example, at ESWC during the Summer of 2003, zEx stopped SK cold in their tracks by quickly adjusting to their strategies. These types of situations are great examples of how using fakes in your strategies, either planned or executing them as you go, can assist in countering the other team’s adjustments to your primary strategies.



Fake outer, attack inner via low ramp

You can create a basic fake strategy easily on Train using these examples. Remove the middle man from the offensive equation as he is often hard to spot by the defenders. Place two attackers at alley and one attacker at ladder. The attacker at ladder can smoke and flash out, two at alley smoke and flash as well. This combination should trigger a rotation by the lower inside defensive player.

Teams such as the old zEx crew at ESWC would often rotate, sometimes even before the enemy attack began. Even something as simple as waiting for enough time to pass in the round, and the defense having to wait for a while, can trigger an impulse rotation. This allows the ladder attacker to quickly go back up the ladder and rejoin two Terrorist’s already in place to quickly strike the inside bombsite via the lower ramp. Two smokes on the lower ramp to avoid any lingering AWP’s should allow for a flawless entry after the other defender has already rotated to middle or outside.

Now comes the hard part, defending the bomb. The biggest mistake by most offensive teams is to go back into the upper hallways of the inner site. Really, the best defense of the bomb for the Counter-Terrorists to overcome is if the Terrorists can successfully push up and hide in the mess of closer trains, or near CT spawn. With this fake, the CT’s should be extended in the outer bombsite guarding the alley, which should give ample time for the Terrorists to push up, creating a much more challenging re-entry for the CT’s.



The third and probably most important axiom of producing a successful fake offensive has already been mentioned in the second paragraph. It’s so important that let’s revisit it here. What we’re talking about is timing. In this fake on Train, time is the enemy of the Terrorists. Once the smokes are thrown in the upper bombsite, every second that goes by before the bomb is planted in the lower site can cost them the round.

Another key factor, is that its helpful to know the enemy plan. In this case, you want to know if the defensive player playing the low ramp in the inner bombsite likes to push up on the low ramp and leave the top ramp back to rotate. If that’s the case, then its best to rush high ramp. Of course, that door swings both ways – but it’s all about knowing where best to place your bet.