0
- Главная/
- Игры/
- Counter-Strike/
- Читы
THE HALF-LIFE COUNTERSTRIKE REAL WEAPONS FAQ
Version 0.98
Copyright Wavehawk 04/20/2001
"Conventional warfare is outmoded, and we must prepare ourselves for the
unconventional in any future conflict."
- Maj. Gen. F.W. Farrell, 82nd Airborne Division (U.S. Army)
========
FOREWORD
========
This article is intended to describe and compare the weapons, equipment, and
teams
found in Half-Life:CounterStrike with their real-world counterparts. It is
intended
primarily to set to rest the arguments between various CS fans over the accuracy
of
the CounterStrike game modeling of such real-life weaponry, and how it affects
gameplay.
============
UPDATE BOARD
============
04/20/01 - Version 0.98
- First version of FAQ, Weapons/Ammo, Equipment, and Counterterrorist teams
described. Some Tactical Thoughts mentioned. Hopefully the next update will have
a
more complete listing of the weapon data, particularly for the Rifles and the
UMP45.
========
LEGALESE
========
This FAQ may only be shown at Gamefaqs . It is a non-
profit FAQ written for informational purposes and not to be marketed for any
purpose. Know fully well that if this is violated in any way, the writer and the
maintainers of the page this FAQ is displayed on are perfectly within his legal
rights to sue the pants off of you, since murder is not permissible. The
information written in this FAQ is not sponsored in any way by software
developers
Sierra, Valve, or the CounterStrike development team. Neither has it been
sponsored
or approved by small-arms companies Heckler & Koch GmbH, Fabrique Nationale,
Glock
GmbH, Colt Armaments USA, Kalashnikov Iszmash JSC, Schweizerische Industrie
Gesellschaft (SIG) Arms, Israeli Military Industries/Magnum Research Inc, Steyr
GmbH or Accuracy International.
=================
TABLE OF CONTENTS
=================
FOREWORD
UPDATE BOARD
LEGALESE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WEAPONS
1 - Pistols
1-1 H&K USP .45 Tactical (K&M .45)
1-2 Glock 18 Select Fire (9x19mm)
1-3 Desert Eagle .50 AE (Nighthawk)
1-4 SIG P228 (228)
1-5 Dual Beretta 96G (.40 Dual Elites)
1-6 FN Five Seven
2 - Shotguns
2-1 Benelli M3 Super90 (Leone 12 Gauge Super)
2-2 Benelli XM1014 (Leone YG1265 Auto Shotgun)
3 - Submachine Guns
3-1 H&K MP5-Navy (SMG)
3-2 Steyr Tactical Machine Pistol (Schmidt MP)
3-3 FN P90 (ES C90)
3-4 Ingram MAC-10
3-5 H&K UMP45 (K&M UMP45)
4 - Rifles
4-1 AK-47 (CV-47)
4-2 SIG SG-552 Commando (Krieg 552 Commando)
4-3 Colt M4A1 Carbine (Maverick M4A1 Carbine)
4-4 Steyr AUG (Bullpup)
4-5 Steyr Scout (Schmidt Scout)
4-6 AI Arctic Warfare/Magnum (Magnum Sniper Rifle)
4-7 H&K G3/SG-1 (D3/AV-1 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle)
4-8 SIG 550 Sniper (Krieg 550 Commando)
5 - Machine Guns
5-1 FN M249 Para (ES M249)
6 - Primary Ammo
A - Gauge 12 Shot
B - 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 Caliber Remington)
C - 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Caliber Winchester Magnum)
D - .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6x70mm)
7 - Secondary Ammo
A - 9x19mm NATO (Parabellum/Luger)
B - .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
C - .357 Caliber SIG/Magnum
D - 5.7x28mm FN (Fabrique Nationale)
E - .50 Caliber AE (Action Express)
8 - Equipment
8-1 Kevlar Armor
8-2 Kevlar Armor with Helmet
8-3 Flashbang
8-4 HE Grenade
8-5 Smoke Grenade
8-6 Defuse Kit [Counter-Terrorist Only]
8-7 Night Vision
Knife
C4 Explosives [Terrorist Only]
COUNTERTERRORIST TEAMS
SEAL Team Six
GSG-9
GIGN
SAS
TACTICAL THOUGHT
WISHLIST
OTHER FAQ
CONTACT
CREDITS
=======
WEAPONS
=======
Unlike most FPS shooters and multiplayer tournaments, the weapons in Half-
Life:CounterStrike are all based on existing real-world weapons. All of which
are
currently in use by one or other Military/Counterterrorist organization in the
world today. Those weapons are the primary reason for the existence of this FAQ;
many of the players of CounterStrike are fans of the Military Spec
Ops/Counterterrorist Genre, and often disagree upon the data of some weapons
used
in the game. Truth be told, there are naturally some tweaks in the game that
make
the weapons different from their real-life counterparts, and those differences
are
noted here.
In Version 1.0 of Half-Life:CounterStrike (Retail), the weapon names were
changed
from their real-life names to fictitious ones, to avoid potential copyright
infringements and/or misrepresentation of guns. I have listed the weapons under
their real names, but beside them are their alternate names in V1.0 where
possible.
For ease of reference, I've also sorted the weapons and equipment in the same
way
as it appears in the buy menu screen.
============
1 -- Pistols
============
There is a saying that every Special Operations man is a shooter. In general
this
is very true, since many Special Operations Forces, especially those in
Counterterrorist roles, usually have to work in situations where combat is up
close
and personal. Pistols are weapons specifically meant for these close-combat
situations, and when a rifle or submachinegun is empty or fails for some reason
in
the middle of a heated firefight, only a pistol and the troopers' handgunning
skill
stand in the way of him and being just another Terrorist kill statistic.
The handguns in CS are all known Special Forces or Government-Issue weapons, and
in
the case of the Glock 18, USP Tactical, and Five-SeveN, are sold exclusively to
government organizations.
1-1 H&K USP .45 Tactical (K&M .45)
WEAPON TYPE: .45 Tactical Semiautomatic Combat Pistol
WEAPON COST: $500
AMMO TYPE: .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
AMMO/MAX: 12/48
AMMO COST: $25 (12)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: Silencer
In 1991, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) requested a new kind
of
handgun for Special Operations, an Offensive Handgun for use with all US Special
Forces. Until that time, most handguns were used only as back-up weapons in case
a
primary weapon (Rifle or Submachinegun) failed or was emptied. The new weapon
was
developed as an alternative: a handgun that could itself be used as an
assaulter's
weapon if a suitable submachinegun or rifle was unavailable, impractical, or
simply
unusable. The requirements were that it should be powerful, silenced, and above
all
dead accurate to a quarter millimeter.
The contract fell to Heckler & Koch, which based the design upon their
successful USP-series pistols. Labeled the HK Mk23 Mod 0, it was better known as
the SOCOM pistol. It carried 12 rounds of .45 Caliber ammunition because SpecOps
people complained that the 15-round 9mm Beretta 92F was too weak, and the older
Colt .45 M1911 carried only 7 bullets (10 if you were using the extended clip).
The
Mk23 was matchless in terms of accuracy, durability, and reliability. It was a
near-perfect weapon with one major, irreparable flaw: size. Many Special Forces
operatives complained of its bulky size--almost as large as a Desert Eagle. Add
the
Sound Suppressor and Laser Aiming System and it became absolutely huge--16.65
inches of gun. Despite its great qualities, the SOCOM was not exactly a widely
acclaimed gun among SOF units.
HK had to trim the SOCOM down to a more manageable size, and the result
was
the HK USP Tactical, a gun that was basically a highly streamlined version of
the
SOCOM. Accurate (though not as pinpoint-accurate as the SOCOM), cheaper,
lighter,
and slightly smaller than the SOCOM, it was quickly adopted by SpecOps in lieu
of
the bigger gun. On the downside, it was not as amenable to harsh environments
and
seawater as the SOCOM, but the USP Tactical was a welcome alternative to the
SOCOM's size. The USP Tactical uses the same Sound Suppressor as the SOCOM, but
not
the Laser Aiming System designed for the bulkier-bodied SOCOM.
The USP Tactical should not be confused with the HK Mark 23, the
'civilianized' version of the SOCOM Pistol. The Mark23 is the same as the Mk23
Mod
0 SOCOM pistol with a 10-round clip and no suppressor, as well as slightly
different markings. Most of these are overstock SOCOM pistols HK is selling off
to
gun collectors. The USP Tactical is based upon the SOCOM and can be purchased by
some civilian security forces and police, but it is a completely different
weapon
from the SOCOM/Mark 23.
POINT: As an all-round handgun, the USP Tactical is the best handgun in the game
to
have, as it has moderate power, accuracy, and range, not to mention one of the
few
silence-able weapons there. It may not be of much use to a sniper, but to an
assaulting CT player, the USP makes for a fair backup weapon. The Desert Eagle
and
Five-SeveN are better at range, and the Glock 18 and SIG P228 are better up
close
and personal, but for the middle ground, the USP Tac is best.
HK USP Tactical
Caliber: .45 ACP
Type: .45 Tactical Semiautomatic Combat Pistol
Total Length: 218mm (8.58 in.)
Height (Total): 154mm (6.06 in.)
Width of Frame: 32mm (1.26 in.)
Empty Weight: 817g (1.8 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 12 Round Clip
1-2 Glock 18 Select Fire (9x19mm)
WEAPON TYPE: 9mm Select-Fire Automatic Machine Pistol
WEAPON COST: $400
AMMO TYPE: 9mm Parabellum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 20/100
AMMO COST: $20 (20)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: Burst-Fire Mode
The Glock 18 is a handgun that at first glance looks exactly like the
more
commonly-known Glock 17 9x19mm pistol. The only visible differences are a small
dial-like selector on one side, slightly different 'cuts' (gas vents) in the
slide,
and a barrel that extends out of the gun's slide. When holstered, even a handgun
expert could be forgiven for mistaking the Glock 18 as its more popular and
civilized brother, the Glock 17. But the two guns can't be more different; where
the Glock 17 is your standard 9mm handgun, the Glock 18 might be considered one
of
the world's smallest submachine pistols.
In CS, the Glock 18 can fire either semi-automatic or in a burst of 3
shots.
The real Glock 18 however, is more of a mini-SMG, firing either single-shot or
fully automatic. Originally designed as a small full-auto weapon for Counter-
Terrorist use, it's been used by agencies such as the U.S. DEA (Drug Enforcement
Administration) in some situations. Though a handgun, it's actually a fairly
good
shot using short bursts, although the recoil kick is quite powerful. The Glock
18
normally uses the 17-round Glock 17 9mm clips, but Glock also manufactures
extended
20- and 30-round clips specifically for this use.
POINT: This is more or less the same as the Glock 17 9mm handgun that you first
get
in the Half-Life game, only with a Burst-Fire option. The 3-Burst mode in CS is
obviously a game balancing point; surely in the first round a Terrorist with a
full-auto Glock 18 would easily make short work of his USP Tac-armed rivals! Of
course, the Glock being a pistol, a full-auto Glock 18 would not only empty its
magazine quickly, but also suffer horrendous recoil from it. The Burst Mode also
makes it superior to the USP Tac in Close Combat; if all 3 9mm bullets hit (and
this only happens in EXTREMELY Close Quarters), it does a lot more damage than a
single .45 Caliber ACP shot.
Glock 18
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Type: 9mm Select-Fire Automatic Machine Pistol
Total Length: 188mm (7.32 in.)
Height (Total): 138mm (5.43 in.)
Width of Frame: 30mm (1.18 in.)
Empty Weight: 620.86g (1.37 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 15/30 Round Clips
1-3 Desert Eagle .50 AE (Nighthawk)
WEAPON TYPE: .50 Semiautomatic Pistol
WEAPON COST: $650
AMMO TYPE: .50 Caliber AE (Action Express)
AMMO/MAX: 7/35
AMMO COST: $40 (7)
Few semiautomatic handguns, outside of the venerable Colt M1911 .45
Caliber,
are as well-known or feared as the Desert Eagle. Its appearance alone speaks
volumes and exudes a nasty attitude. The Desert Eagle was originally called the
"Magnum Eagle", and was designed by Magnum Research as an automatic pistol
capable
of firing the powerful .357 Cal Magnum round, which had until then been solely a
revolver round. IMI (Israeli Military Industries) offered funding and assistance
to
the company, and the result was the .357 Desert Eagle, quickly followed up by
a .44
Cal Magnum version. In 1991, a completely new round, the .50 Cal Action Express,
was developed, and the Desert Eagle .50 AE became the single most powerful
automatic handgun in the world.
The Desert Eagle isn't just a big and threatening gun, it's practically a
Hollywood celebrity. Since it first appeared in the 1984 film "Year of the
Dragon",
the Desert Eagle has been the 'big and bad' gun to use in action films--The
handguns that the MIB-like Agents in "The Matrix" use are all Desert Eagles, for
example. Quoting Clair Rees of American Handgunner: "Whenever a script calls for
a
wicked-looking, thoroughly intimidating handgun, the Desert Eagle still gets the
nod". On the practical side, the Desert Eagle 50 is also one of those rare few
handguns that used for big-game hunting; the heavy .50 round has been known to
kill
moose with a single shot. Surprisingly, the Desert Eagle .50 also has less
recoil
than one would expect, due to gas control venting inside the gun, which explains
why it is so accurate, even with follow-up shots.
In reality, the Desert Eagle isn't used much by the military, much less
Special Forces. Although it's powerful, it still packs only 7 shots for .50AE,
incredibly loud and hard to conceal, and even though the semiautomatic function
allows one to fire it faster than a revolver, the 7 rounds in the gun really
don't
lend well to it. Most conventional troops usually don't carry handguns, and
Special
Forces need either quieter guns or those with more ammo.
POINT: Because of its sheer size and weight, I think that the Desert Eagle
should
be a bit heavier to move with; Empty, they're almost as heavy as shotguns, and
definitely heavier than two Berettas!
IMI Desert Eagle
Caliber: .50 AE
Type: .50 Semiautomatic Pistol
Total Length: 273mm (10.75 in.)
Height (Total): 159mm (6.25 in.)
Width of Frame: 32mm (1.25 in.)
Empty Weight: 2050g (4.52 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 7 Round Clip
1-4 SIG P228 (228)
WEAPON TYPE: .357 Semiautomatic Pistol
WEAPON COST: $600
AMMO TYPE: .357 Caliber SIG
AMMO/MAX: 13/52
AMMO COST: $50 (13)
The SIG P228 is based upon SIG's popular (albeit expensive) 9mm handgun,
the
SIG P226, and is chambered for two ammo types, 9mm and .357 Cal SIG. The P228
has
good ergonomics and a solid construction, though many gun aficionados consider
it
"an ugly duckling of a gun". The 9mm version of the P228 is often used by the US
Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID), US Air Force Office of Special
Investigations (OSI), and some sections of the FBI as the gun is highly reliable
straight out of the box with little to no adjustment. The .357 version is a bit
harder to find, but outside of the powerful kick of the .357 round it carries,
it
is virtually identical to the 9mm version.
Admittedly, the real SIG P228 can't hold a candle to the HK USP Tactical
when
it comes to sheer range accuracy, but its lighter weight and .357 ammo make it
an
incredible stopper at close combat ranges, where smaller guns excel. Like the
Glock
18, the P228 in CounterStrike is best used 'in your face', and its high ammo
capacity makes it an attractive alternative to the 7-shot Desert Eagle. Despite
this, the P228 is still meant more as a defensive pistol (unlike the offensive
USP
Tac) rather than an assault pistol, and is best used as such--a backup weapon.
POINT: Until the Five-SeveN appeared, the SIG P228 was the second best handgun
in
the game. Powerful .357 Cal ammo and fairly good capacity were its best traits,
although it isn't as good as the USP Tactical when taking slightly longer-range
shots. Now that the Five-SeveN is available, CTs have a better choice for ranged
shots. Terrorists who can't afford the Desert Eagle but need some considerable
punch in a backup can still purchase this as an alternative, though.
SIG P228
Caliber: .357 SIG
Type: .357 Semiautomatic Pistol
Total Length: 180.34mm (7.1 in.)
Height (Total): 137.16mm (5.4 in.)
Width of Frame: 38mm (1.5 in.)
Empty Weight: 740g (1.63 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 13 Round Clip
1-5 Dual Beretta 96G (.40 Dual Elites) [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 9mm Semiautomatic Combat Pistol
WEAPON COST: $1000
AMMO TYPE: 9mm Parabellum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/120
AMMO COST: $20 (30)
The 9mm Beretta series of pistols were first developed in the mid-80's as
a
9x19mm replacement for the U.S. Army's old Colt .45 M1911 pistol (to the
consternation of many longtime Colt 45 fans in the Military). Since then,
Berettas
have been popular for Military, Police, and Civilian shooters. Arguably 7 out of
every 10 9mm pistols in the world are Berettas. The 96G Elite is a 1996 edition
of
the Military-issue Beretta 92F (Called the M9 in US Army circles), and
considered
one of the world's premier Combat 9mm guns, combining accuracy and reliability
with
an acceptable cost per gun.
In CS, these are sold as a pair and held John Woo-style, and are actually
used in the same way--running around with your fingers frantically pulling on
the
triggers and throwing a lot of 9mm ammo in the air. This is why it's expensive
in
the game--You're basically buying 2 Berettas at $500 apiece.
POINT: It would be nice if the Dual Berettas had an alternate fire mode. As they
are now, the guns are fairly accurate in the first shot but lose it badly after
following it up (No surprise. It's hard to shoot accurately with a gun in each
hand). If it were possible, I'd prefer the Berettas to be firing normally (i.e.
one
gun at a time) with the advantage of 30 shots (since you merely draw the second
Beretta after emptying the first), and make the two-handed and faster firing
stance
a secondary fire option instead. This would make the Beretta more accurate when
in
normal mode. But no matter how you stretch it, one 15-Round pistol plus one 15-
Round pistol does not equal one 30-Round SMG.
Beretta 96G Elite
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Type: 9mm Semiautomatic Combat Pistol
Total Length: 217mm (8.5 in)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 975g (2.15 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 15 Round Clip
1-6 FN Five SeveN [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.7mm Semiautomatic Tactical Combat Pistol
WEAPON COST: $750
AMMO TYPE: 5.7x28mm FN (Fabrique Nationale)
AMMO/MAX: 20/100
AMMO COST: $50 (50)
Developed at the same time as the FN P90, there's just no other handgun
in
the world like the FN Five-SeveN (The capital "N" at the end is not a
typographical
error; FN obviously emphasized the "FN" in Five-SeveN as a marketing point).
First
developed in 1995 and chambered in FN's custom 5.7x28mm round, the Five-SeveN is
a
weapon that can punch through any kind of Kevlar body armor or helmet currently
in
existence--Even CRISAT armor (Light Titanium Flak Vest with Kevlar layering). At
the same time it's lighter, smaller, and still packs more ammo than most
standard
9mm pistols, has an ergonomic grip, and possessing very low recoil, making it
ridiculously easy to shoot accurately with it.
The only trouble with the Five-SeveN is that it has not been used in a
real
gun battle. Since its purpose is primarily to be used against an opponent with
body
armor, there hasn't been any opportunity as of yet to use the gun in actual
combat.
Critics of the gun say that it does very little actual damage, while FN and some
NATO shooters claim that it is more powerful than the 9mm round. FN hopes that
the
5.7mm round will soon replace the 9mm round as NATO standard-issue pistol ammo,
which is why the Five-SeveN and the critically-acclaimed P90 are currently being
issued to some NATO frontline units. Since it uses an armorpiercing round, the
Five-SeveN is one pistol that will most likely never be sold to anyone outside
the
military.
POINT: Since the 5.7mm round is armorpiercing, I think the Five-SeveN rounds
should, like the Desert Eagle, go through crates. Of course, there's a
corresponding drop in damage, but every little bit counts. It's easily the most
accurate gun in the game, good enough that you can actually snipe with it to
some
extent. I actually prefer it to the Desert Eagle when packing shotguns, if only
for
the range accuracy. It also has an incredible 20-round clip, high rate of semi-
auto
fire, and almost negligible recoil from it. It's a fairly versatile gun for the
CT
player who wants a little more ammo than what the USP or P228 can offer.
FN Five-SeveN
Caliber: 5.7mm FN
Type: 5.7mm Semiautomatic Tactical Combat Pistol
Total Length: 208mm (8.2 in)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 618g (1.36 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 20 Round Clip
=============
2 -- Shotguns
=============
Forget everything you know about Shotguns from the movies and from Doom, Duke
Nukem, or Quake. Although shotguns are indeed monster weapons at close range,
they're practically worthless anywhere else. Among Counterterrorist Units, a
shotgun is used not as a combat weapon but as an entry weapon--to blow the
hinges
off of doors when door charges or lockpicking would take too long, and silence
is
not essential.
Nonetheless, Shotguns also make for incredible room-clearing weapons wherein
there
are lots of Terrorists, cramped quarters, and no civilians or hostages in the
area.
That said, it takes an exceptional kind of skill for someone to master a shotgun
in
such close-range combat, especially a pump-action (or Manual) shotgun. Most true
combat shotguns are semiautomatic or automatic for the purposes of
room-clearing.
Still, they lack the mid-range capabilities of SMGs or the long-range finesse of
a
good rifle.
2-1 Benelli M3 Super90 (Leone 12 Gauge Super)
WEAPON TYPE: 12-Gauge Tactical Entry Shotgun
WEAPON COST: $1700
AMMO TYPE: 12 Gauge Buckshot
AMMO/MAX: 8/32
AMMO COST: $65 (8)
The Benelli M3 Super 90 Tactical Entry Shotgun is a gun designed by
Benelli
of Italy and marketed by Heckler & Koch. If you've played Rainbow Six or Rogue
Spear before, this is practically the same as the Benelli M1 Tactical Shotgun in
that game. The difference is that while the Benelli M1 is a Semiautomatic self-
loading shotgun, while the M3 can be selected to fire either Semiautomatic or
Manual (Pump-Action).
The version used in CS is configured purely for Pump-Action and fitted
with a
solid Kevlar stock. In real life, the 12-Gauge shot may not penetrate the Kevlar
vest at all, but the power of the round itself (especially when used at close
range) is enough to break ribs or even cause internal bleeding. If you're lucky,
it'll only feel like you were kicked pointblank by a mule, and will leave you
unconscious for quite some time. At the worst, you could be looking at crushed
lungs.
The M3 is configured for Semi-auto firing when using standard 12-Gauge
shotgun loads. But when the shotgunner needs to quickly swap from that to
another
ammo type, say Tear Gas rounds or Flares, he can quickly select the Pump-Action
mode and manually load in a new round. The Semi-auto feature, it seems, also
makes
the loading of the shotgun harder and slightly slower than a typical
pump-action.
The gun allows a shotgunner to load the full capacity of 7 shot shells plus one
in
the barrel chamber, giving the M3 a total of 8 rounds.
POINT: It would be nice if you could select-fire this weapon from Semi-auto to
Pump-Action manual, but that would completely defeat the reason and existence of
the 2nd shotgun in the game, the Benelli XM1014. There are two advantages to the
M3: one is that at close range, it's virtually a one-shot kill weapon. The other
is
that it's one of the lightest primary weapons that pack a considerable punch.
However, this power is only of good use in close combat, so equipping a shotgun
in
a map with a lot of wide open spaces is suicide. There are only very few maps
wherein the M3 can be used to its fullest. The cramped hallways of cs_italy,
cs_backalley, or cs_estate/cs_mansion are the best; close range areas wherein
you
only have to face one opponent at a time, since the manual pump-action takes
considerable time between shots.
Benelli M3 Super 90
Caliber: 12 Gauge
Type: Select-Fire Tactical Shotgun
Total Length: 901.7mm (35.5 in.)
Height (Total): 184.15mm (7.25 in.)
Width of Frame: 57.15mm (2.25 in.)
Empty Weight: 2950g (6.5 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 7 + 1 Shells
2-2 Benelli XM1014 (Leone YG1265 Auto Shotgun)
WEAPON TYPE: 12-Gauge Semiautomatic Combat Shotgun
WEAPON COST: $3000
AMMO TYPE: 12 Gauge Buckshot
AMMO/MAX: 7/32
AMMO COST: $65 (8)
The Benelli XM1014 was originally named the Benelli M4 Super 90, and was
adopted on 02/12/99 by the U.S. Marine Corps as their new Combat Shotgun.
However,
since there already was a weapon in the US arsenal labeled the M4 (The Colt M4A1
Carbine), it was re-designated the XM1014. The weapon is Semiautomatic, like the
Benelli M1, but is designed tougher; The M1 and M3 shotguns were originally
designed for Police and Urban work, not for jungle or other hostile
environments.
It carries 6 shells and can load another in the barrel, a total of 7 rounds.
Technically, the XM1014 and the Benelli M3 fire off the same ammunition of 12
Gauge
shot, but in CS, the XM1014 is slightly weaker than the M3. This is most likely
an
adjustment due to game balance than anything else.
POINT: Unlike the M3, the XM1014's semiautomatic capabilities allow for
incredibly
close-quarters room clearing. Like the M3, it has a lighter weight than most
SMGs
(Save for the Steyr TMP), but the automatic ability allows it to fire much
faster
than the M3. The downside is that unlike the M3, it isn't possible to do a one-
hit
close-combat kill with the XM1014 (it takes the XM1014 at least two shots for a
CQB
kill). But the ability of full automatic fire makes this a better choice when
against two or more SMG-wielding opponents in cramped quarters. A full SMG is
still
a better-rounded option, though.
Benelli XM1014 Combat Shotgun System (Telescoping Stock)
Caliber: 12 gauge (18.4 mm)
Type: Semiautomatic Combat Shotgun
Total Length: 1010.92mm (39.8 in.) with stock extended,
886.46mm (34.9 in.) with stock compressed
Height (Total): 184.15mm (7.25 in.)
Width of Frame: 57.15mm (2.25 in.)
Empty Weight: 3840g (8.44 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 6 + 1 Shells
====================
3 -- Submachine Guns
====================
Generally, a submachinegun is any light weapon that fires pistol ammo, but at
high
rates of fire close to those of a true machine gun. That said, there's a lot of
inconsistencies between SMGs. Some like the MP5 are accurate, while others like
the
MAC-10 simply have a high rate of fire. No two SMGs were designed with the same
goal in mind, which is why directly comparing one SMG with another isn't quite
fair
at times. To sum up, here are the usual ideas behind SMGs:
- A smaller, scaled-down version of an Assault Rifle. (MP5, UMP45)
- A small weapon capable of high rates of fire. (MAC-10)
- A personal defense weapon more powerful than a pistol but not as big as a
rifle.
(Steyr TMP)
- A more compact alternative to a full-scale assault rifle (FN P90)
- A fully-automatic firing pistol.
3-1 H&K MP5-Navy (SMG)
WEAPON TYPE: 9mm Combat Submachinegun, (Navy SEAL variant)
WEAPON COST: $1500
AMMO TYPE: 9mm Parabellum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/120
AMMO COST: $20 (30)
The HK MP5 is one SMG that really needs no introduction. Based upon HK's
G3
rifle design, it was the first SMG known for its accuracy and controllability in
combat. In fact, many note that the MP5 appears as a scaled-down G3 chambered
for
9mm, and the MP5's rifle-like design (As opposed to the pistol-configured
designs
of Uzis, Ingrams, and most other SMGs) adds to that idea. As a weapon, it is the
single most successful SMG design in the world, and without a doubt the most
popular and trusted. Even more so because of the infinite variety of types an
MP5
can be modified to, from the normal MP5A2 (full-size MP5 with solid Kevlar
stock),
to the compact MP5-K (short barrel with handgrip and no stock), and the
Counterterrorists' favorite MP5SD3 (full-size MP5 with retractable stock and
built-
in silencer). There are also variants of the MP5 chambered for 10mm, .40 Cal
S&W,
and .45 Cal ACP.
The MP5 version in CounterStrike is the MP5/N, also known as the MP5
Navy. It
is a full-size MP5 with a retractable stock and 3-stage firing type (Safe,
Single-
shot, Full Auto), and is almost identical to the MP5A3 (full-size MP5 with
retractable stock) version, only made more durable for Spec Ops usage. Due to
security reasons HK has not revealed exactly how the MP5 Navy is different from
the
standard MP5A3. Nonetheless, it is every bit as accurate as the next MP5, and
its
robust and reliable construction make it a winner in any respect. Consequently,
it
is the one SMG adopted by almost every small-unit team in the world from the
Navy
SEALs, British SAS, GSG-9, etc., up to the SWAT teams of various countries. The
MP5
is THE submachinegun to beat, and the world's standard in terms of
hostage-rescue
weaponry.
The official HK designation for this weapon is the HK54. It got its
current
name of MP5 due to the West German Border Guard--MP5 stands for Machine Pistol
5.
The A, SD, and other extensions added to the designation of the MP5 indicate
what
variant they are. The weapon itself is the same. Thus, an MP5A2 (With solid
Kevlar
stock) can be changed into an MP5A3 (With retractable stock) simply by swapping
attachments. The MP5K however, due to its smaller size, cannot fit a normal MP5
stock and must use a modified stock. With all that has been done for the MP5,
it's
considerably hard to improve on what many consider an almost-perfect
submachinegun.
POINT: The MP5 is the ideal SMG to use, and in terms of balance plus cost, the
best
SMG of the game, available to both sides. A secondary fire option providing the
MP5
with a suppressor would be nice, but not really all that necessary in the game.
The
MP5/N in CS is modeled very faithfully after the real MP5 in the sense of its
use
and effectivity (Although a real MP5 would be far costlier). Whether it's to
assault, to ambush, or to cover a hasty retreat, the MP5 is the best SMG to have
at
a relatively cheap price. But to get the most of the weapon, remember that it's
a
weapon intended to assault, and does so best in middle range or closer.
HK MP5/N
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Type: 9mm Combat Submachinegun, (Navy SEAL variant)
Total Length: 660mm (25.98 in.)
Height (Total): 210mm (8.26 in.)
Width of Frame: 50mm (1.96 in.)
Empty Weight: 2880g (6.34 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
3-2 Steyr TMP (Schmidt MP) [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 9mm Tactical Machine Pistol/Personal Defense Weapon
WEAPON COST: $1250
AMMO TYPE: 9mm Parabellum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/120
AMMO COST: $20 (30)
Handguns used by support forces such as aircraft maintenance crews and
medics
carried were next to useless when an enemy armed with SMGs or assault rifles
attacked these non-combat troops. On the other take, a full-size SMG or rifle
was
too large and bulky to be used by people who weren't supposed to fight in the
first
place. Out of this was developed the PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) concept. The
TMP
is an SMG designed with the PDW concept in mind. It has the full-auto
capabilities
of a good SMG, and at the same time light and easy to handle as a pistol. Since
the
TMP was designed for non-combatants, it also had to be intuitive enough for
someone
to fire well even with little training.
The TMP does not have the range of most other SMGs, being designed for
very
close-in engagements. It also has no stock whatsoever; Steyr believes that
adding
one would only add weight and hinder a person's reaction time. But this lack of
stock (upon which to brace and absorb recoil) is one of the reasons the TMP
isn't
quite as good as an equivalent MP5 in terms of accuracy. This isn't to say that
the
weapon is inaccurate; in fact, it's quite sharp at close ranges and fires very
quickly. But being a PDW, it's not really meant as an offensive weapon, which is
why the TMP isn't as good as an MP5 when taking out ranged targets. Nonetheless,
TMPs can also fit a Sound/Flash Suppressor, and the combination of light weight
and
small size make it a viable option for Special Operations forces undergoing
highly
covert operations.
POINT: Because of its high rate of fire, it's sometimes difficult to fire the
TMP
single-shot all the time. Even with a silencer, firing the TMP full-auto gives a
noise akin to that of a zipper going Mach 1. The TMP's pistol characteristics
make
it quicker to aim and shoot than an MP5. On the other hand, its small size and
high
rate of fire give it a considerable recoil kick for a small weapon; A full-auto
burst bucks straight upwards. In CQB, this can sometimes work to your advantage
in
getting headshots at close range.
Steyr TMP
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Type: 9mm Tactical Machine Pistol/Personal Defense Weapon
Total Length: 400mm (15.74 in.)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 1300g (2.86 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 20/30 Round Clips
3-3 FN P90 (ES C90)
WEAPON TYPE: 5.7mm Submachinegun/Personal Defense Weapon
WEAPON COST: $2350
AMMO TYPE: 5.7x28mm FN (Fabrique Nationale)
AMMO/MAX: 50/100
AMMO COST: $50 (50)
In the mid-1980s, NATO began seriously considering the existence of an
enemy
wearing Kevlar body armor, and how it would affect future combat engagements.
Against a rifle, Kevlar provided only minimal protection, but it was a lifesaver
against SMGs and pistols, which prompted NATO to consider switching to another
ammo
round. Fabrique National (FN) of Belgium presented an answer: the 5.7x28mm FN
round, a small bullet that looked like a smaller version of the 5.56x45mm rounds
used by NATO for its Rifles and Carbines. Not only that, FN produced two weapons
for the new round, the Five-SeveN and the FN P90 SMG.
The FN P90, like the Steyr TMP, it was originally designed with the PDW
(Personal Defense Weapon) concept in mind, only chambered for 5.7mm as opposed
to
the 9mm SMGs existing. The weapon has been tested against Kevlar and CRISAT
(Titanium plus layered Kevlar armor) and easily made short work of its targets.
It
was highly compact, carried a large clip, and is easily maintained due to the
simplicity of most of its working parts. Top it off with an incredibly robust
construction, and its small wonder that European Special Forces teams have
literally fallen in love with the P90.
In the early versions of CS, the P90 is equipped with the .338 Lapua
round.
The real P90, on the other hand, is armed with the 5.7x28mm FN round. Since the
FN
Five-SeveN only appeared starting V1.0, it's likely that the incorrect caliber
was
more to accommodate the ammo type. In V1.0, the P90 now uses the 5.7mm round,
even
if the data file (at the buy screen) still shows it as .338 Lapua Magnum. Other
than that and one other detail, the FN P90 in CS functions just like the real
thing. As either a PDW or assault SMG, the P90 leaves little left to be desired,
and may someday revolutionize the way SMGs are made and used.
POINT: The other little detail is the same note mentioned above for the Five-
SeveN.
5.7m rounds should be able to punch through crates easily. The P90's power and
high
ammo load sometimes prompts one to forget that this is still an SMG, after all.
Light, maneuverable, and capable of putting a LOT of heavy lead in the air, it's
a
good weapon to use when in a pinch and cramped in close quarters with two or
more
enemies bearing down on you. If it were only more accurate while moving (like
the
real P90), the P90 would be the best weapon to use in a head-on assault.
FN P90
Caliber: 5.7mm FN
Type: 5.7mm Submachinegun/Personal Defense Weapon
Total Length: 500mm (19.7 in.)
Height (Total): 210mm (8.25 in.)
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 2500g (5.9 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 50 Round Clip
3-4 Ingram MAC-10 [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: .45 Automatic Machine Pistol
WEAPON COST: $1400
AMMO TYPE: .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
AMMO/MAX: 30/96
AMMO COST: $25 (12)
The Ingram MAC-10 was one of the first SMGs used by the Navy SEALs until
the
more accurate MP5 was adopted. Named after its creator Gordon Ingram, the MAC-10
was chambered for 9mm and .45 Caliber ACP (The MAC-11, which was based on the
MAC-
10, was chambered for .380 Caliber and 9mm). In the 1970's it was the most
popular
SMG in America--cheap, easy to manufacture, mass-produced, and usually reliable
in
performance. AFAIK the gun is no longer being produced thanks to US laws banning
automatic weapons, and the emergence of the more reliable MP5 for Police and
Military use. Nicknamed the "American Uzi", it also (thanks to many late 80's
action movies) has the dubious reputation of being the favorite weapon of
Colombian
Druglords and Cartels. The MAC-10 is also one of the first SMGs designed to
accept
a Sound Suppressor (long before the HK MP5SD SMGs), and among some of its fans
is
called "The Silent Killer".
The MAC-10 was actually made by various different gun makers, so there
has
been notable inconsistency of quality between the various guns. The original
Military Armaments Corporation MAC-10s are the best (MAC stands for Military
Armaments Corporation, Gordon Ingram's company which went bankrupt in 1976),
while
others were anywhere between good quality to bottom-of-the-barrel bad in terms
of
construction or reliability (depending on who made them). The version of the
MAC-
10
in CS is most likely not one of the originals; First-Edition Mint-Condition MAC-
10s
fetch a fairly good price among gun collectors on the Internet nowadays.
SMG fans are usually divided about the MAC-10. But all of them, fans and
detractors alike, admit that the MAC-10 is a real bullet-hose, emptying a 30-
round
clip in less than 3 seconds. It's certainly not the kind of SMG to use when
engaged
in a hostage-rescue operation, but a good weapon to use when in close quarters
and
needing lots of cover fire. One of the reasons that the Ingram MAC-10's name was
not changed at all (unlike the other guns) in v1.0 retail of CS might be due to
the
fact that there are no more copyrights pending on this weapon, and the companies
that made it are no longer in business.
POINT: It would be interesting if the next version of CS allowed a Terrorist to
attach a Silencer to the MAC-10. Not only would it be realistic, it'd also give
Terrorists more reason to use this weapon. More than any other SMG in
CounterStrike, the MAC-10 should be used to ambush rather than directly assault.
The MP5 and UMP45 outshoot it at medium range, the P90 has a bigger clip plus
better ammo, and the Steyr TMP has a slightly higher rate of fire. The MAC-10
works
like the TMP in the sense that its pistol-styled handling make it faster to
shoot
with, but the kick of the .45 Cal ACP rounds make it a bad choice for ranged
duels.
It's best to camp, waiting for some poor schmoe to walk by and nail him up close
and personal with the MAC-10, much the same way you would do with the Steyr TMP.
Ingram MAC-10
Caliber: .45 ACP
Type: .45 Automatic Machine Pistol
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: ?
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
3-5 H&K UMP45 (K&M UMP45)
WEAPON TYPE: .45 Combat Submachinegun
WEAPON COST: $1700
AMMO TYPE: .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
AMMO/MAX: 25/100
AMMO COST: $25 (12)
The HK UMP45 (Universal Machine Pistol 45) is a new SMG based upon HK's MP5
design,
and fires the .45 Cal ACP round. The UMP45 has a much lower rate of fire, in
order
to fire more accurately and control the .45 Cal round's recoil.
POINT: The UMP45's design and accuracy are all reminiscent of the MP5, and many
consider it a more powerful MP5. However, despite it's inherent accuracy, it's
not
the kind of SMG to be stuck with in close combat with, as its slow rate of fire
will allow an enemy with a faster gun to easily ventilate you before you score a
good hit. I do not use the UMP45 much, so I will reserve further judgement on it
until I know more.
HK UMP45
Caliber: .45 ACP
Type: .45 Combat Submachinegun
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: ?
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
===========
4 -- Rifles
===========
Regardless of what country you're in, it's Rifles, not SMGs that are the
standard
infantryman's weapon. From the ancient muskets to the modern assault rifles, a
rifle is the mainstay long arm of all troops, and one that it is mandatory for
all
military forces to learn to use. They lack the maneuverability and light weight
of
submachineguns, but they also pack more firepower and recoil as well. That said,
most rifles are best used from a stationary position, to take shots at range,
rather than the CQB of SMG combat. Of course, there are exceptions...
4-1 AK-47 (CV-47) [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 7.62mm Main Battle Rifle (Soviet)
WEAPON COST: $2500
AMMO TYPE: 7.62x51mm Winchester Magnum (NATO)
CLIP/MAX: 30/90
CLIP COST: $80 (30)
SPECIAL OPTION: None
If there is any weapon in the world that has become synonymous with the
word
'Terrorist', it is this--the Kalashnikov AK-47 Assault rifle. First designed in
1946 by Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov as a combat rifle for Soviet Tank crews
to
use, the AK47's robust design, cheap manufacturing costs, and high amount of
firepower immediately made it the standard infantry rifle for the Soviet Union
and
all of its allies as of 1949. Up to today, in spite of newer rifles existing,
the
AK47 is still the favored rifle of Post-Communist Russia and other small forces.
The Kalashnikov may well be the most successful Assault Rifle design in
the
world. Over 30-50 million were produced, and that still does not include bootleg
copies produced in Iraq, China, or in other countries. The AK47 is a very heavy
rifle, more in the class of the M14 Rifle than the M16, and was highly
inaccurate
when used on Fully Automatic fire; However, its Semi-auto firing capabilities
are
very good. The famed Russian Dragunov Sniper Rifle, in fact, has many of the
AK47's
parts as its base.
POINT: The Real AK47 actually uses the 7.62x39mm Soviet round, but for game
simplicity it uses the 7.62x51mm NATO round in CounterStrike. It is actually
very
accurate, but its horrific recoil tends to throw its fire off greatly in a
sustained burst. Even Burst-Firing the AK47 is a tough task, as the 7.62mm
round's
power can throw the second shot way off unless in close combat. Used
Single-Fire,
it is highly accurate and damaging. It's also an extremely heavy weapon; the
older
AK uses hardwood and cast-iron parts rather than the Kevlar/Polymer and Steel
construction of other guns.
Kalashnikov AK-47
Caliber: 7.62mm
Type: 7.62mm Main Battle Rifle (Soviet)
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 4300g (9.47 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-2 SIG SG-552 Commando (Krieg 552 Commando) [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Assault Carbine
WEAPON COST: $3500
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/90
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x Zoom View
SIG Arms' 550-series Assault Rifles ("Sturmgewehr" or "Storm Rifle") are
SIG
arms' answer to the Colt M4 or the HK G36 rifles, and made the standard rifle of
the Swiss Army. Previously there were two variants: the original SG-550 Rifle
and
the Police Carbine SG551 used by the French GIGN. The SG-552 is the Special
Forces
Carbine version of the 550, equipped with a foldable stock and a scope. The
Folding
Stock is an important feature; because of this, a 552 can be compacted even
further, to the dimensions of an SMG, but retaining the power of the Assault
Carbine that it is.
POINT: I was unable to find much in the way of definitive information on the SG-
552
Commando online, but if the real rifle is anything like it's CS counterpart, I
pray
that such a weapon in real life would never fall into the wrong hands. As an
assault weapon, it's simply incredible. The attached 2x Scope that it packs also
gives it some limited sniping ability. Having smaller recoil than the Steyr AUG
also helps as you can have less worries about going full-auto in CQB.
SIG-552 Commando
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Assault Carbine
Total Length: 825.5mm (32.5 in)
Height (Total): 285mm (11.22in.)
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 3492.66g (7.7 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-3 Colt M4A1 Carbine (Maverick M4A1 Carbine) [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Assault Carbine (Silenced)
WEAPON COST: $3100
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/90
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: Silencer
The M4 Carbine is one of the most popular assault weapons in the Western
world at the moment. Basically, it is a Colt/Armalite M16A2 Rifle that has been
shortened, made more durable and lighter for maneuverability and use, while
still
retaining the tack-driving accuracy of the original M16A2 rifle. The firing
mechanism is exactly the same as the M16, but with a shorter scope and
collapsible
stock. This basically gives the firepower of a full Assault Rifle in a more
manageable package, hence the name Carbine (A shortened rifle sacrificing some
long-range reach for maneuverability). There have been Carbine versions of the
M16A2 before, but the M4 thus far is the most successful, its capabilities
having
been requested by none other than the U.S. Marine Corps for their operations.
The
weapon is also slowly replacing all M16A2 rifles in U.S. Military Service.
The M4A1 is a variant of the M4 designed specifically for U.S. Army
Rangers
and Special Operations Forces (SOF). It can mount a scope (Normal or Night
Vision)
and a small Flash/Sound Suppressor attachment, the same as in CounterStrike.
I've
actually had the privilege of handling an M4 as well as the M16A1 (The older
Vietnam-era M16), and there really is a huge difference; the M4 carries quite
easily with the stock retracted.
POINT: Although CS fans gripe about the M4A1 losing its scope, it makes sense
for
practical reasons, since real M4A1 Carbines in service with the Navy SEALs were
intended for mid- to close-range assault-style combat than actual sniping.
Still,
the M4A1 is a good rifle for both long- and close-range shooting.
Colt M4A1
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Assault Carbine (Silenced)
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: ?
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-4 Steyr AUG (Bullpup) [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Bullpup Battle Rifle
WEAPON COST: $3500
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/90
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x Zoom View
Steyr designed the Steyr AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr) for the Austrian
Army,
and is easily the most recognizable Bullpup-styled Assault rifle in the world.
Its
sleek form makes it easy to carry, and the built-in scope also doubles as an
equally durable carrying handle. It's also highly accurate, even more so than
the
M16A1, much less the M4A1. Light, maneuverable and powerful, it was an early
favorite in the days before the M4A1 Carbine. Currently, the AUG is the standard
rifle of the Austrian Armed Forces, and is well-known for combining
maneuverability
with power.
POINT: The real AUG's scope is locked at 1.5x rather than 2x magnification. And
yes, the AUG is the most accurate of the Assault Rifles, but its powerful recoil
makes even a 3-shot burst fairly inaccurate at long ranges. Though the AUG is
actually good for close- to mid-range short bursts and priceless for limited
long-
range single-shot sniping, it completely loses it when going full-auto; only the
AK47 has worse recoil than this, and it at least packs a heavier bullet.
Steyr AUG
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Bullpup Battle Rifle
Total Length: 787.4mm (31 In.)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 3606.05g (7.95 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-5 Steyr Scout (Schmidt Scout)
WEAPON TYPE: .308 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
WEAPON COST: $2750
AMMO TYPE: 7.62x51mm Winchester Magnum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 10/60
AMMO COST: $80 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x/4x Sniper Scope
There are many other weapons that are either more accurate or pack more
of a
punch than the Scout. That said, it is still an ideal weapon for a single Recon
or
Scout trooper, hence the name. Although most modern Recon units now use Assault
Rifles, the Scout is a good weapon to have; a fairly accurate Sniper Rifle that
is
light, effective, and packs a 7.62mm wallop. Consequently, the Scout is also a
very
good hunting rifle--no surprise since many of the smaller bolt-action 'Sniper'
rifles are modified variants of existing bolt-action hunting guns.
One does not pick the Scout and hole up near-permanently in a sniping
perch
as you would other Sniper Rifles. Its light weight make it more ideal for a
Recon
trooper to take quick, lethal potshots at enemies from a distance, then scamper
away for another cover. This is real-life Assault Sniping; taking a shot only at
the best opportunity, immediately escaping after firing the shot.
POINT: The reason many people dislike the Scout is because unlike the AWM it
cannot
kill in one shot. Nonetheless, it is a very good weapon in the right hands, and
must be used as a true Scout is used--to hit and run as much as possible. The
key
word is: Target of opportunity fire. Don't stick around; the Steyr is not the
rifle
to use for a camping Sniper. Take a bead with your rifle, fire off a shot, then
swap to your knife and run like your behind was on fire.
Steyr Scout
Caliber: 7.62mm
Type: .308 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
Total Length: 1006mm (39.57 in.)
Height (Total): 279.4mm (11 In.)
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 3143.4g (6.93 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 10 Round Clip
4-6 AI Arctic Warfare/Magnum (Magnum Sniper Rifle)
WEAPON TYPE: .338 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
WEAPON COST: $4750
AMMO TYPE: .338 Magnum Lapua
AMMO/MAX: 10/30
AMMO COST: $125 (10)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x/4x Sniper Scope
Accuracy International is a British-based arms company that manufactures
both
sporting and sniping rifles. The AWM is their most powerful weapon, armed with
the
unique .338 Cal Lapua Magnum, one of the few rounds short of an antiaircraft gun
than can easily penetrate thin concrete or vehicles. Technically speaking, the
AWM
and the AWP are two completely different weapons; the AWP (Police) is chambered
for
.308 Winchester Magnum (7.62mm), while the AWM (Military) is chambered in .338
Lapua Magnum. The CS version is most definitely the AWM rifle.
POINT: In real life, all of the rifles in CS can achieve a one-hit kill with or
without Kevlar. Game-wise, however, only one weapon can do this at any and all
ranges--the AWM rifle. In the earlier Beta editions of CS, the AWM was accurate
and
lethal at all ranges (one of the reasons I hadn't gotten into CS until V1.0),
but
with V1.0 it is now inaccurate without the scope. Version 1.1 lowers the non-
scope
shooting of the AWM even more, and will only kill with head or torso shots.
Although old-time players gripe, I think it's a good thing, because there are
many
gamers out there who are afraid to play due to fear of the Anything-Goes AWM.
Nonetheless, the AWM is still the most powerful gun in-game.
Accuracy Intl AWM
Caliber: .338 Magnum Lapua
Type: .338 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
Total Length: 1200mm (47 in.)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 6000g (13.2 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 5/10 Round Clips
4-7 H&K G3/SG-1 (D3/AV-1 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle) [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 7.62mm Select-Fire Automatic Sniper Rifle
WEAPON COST: $5000
AMMO TYPE: 7.62x51mm Winchester Magnum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 20/60
AMMO COST: $80 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x/4x Sniper Scope
The very first rifle ever designed by Heckler & Koch, the 7.62mm G3
Assault
Rifle was made into the German Army's standard long weapon. It became the basis
of
practically all of Heckler & Koch's long arms, influencing the design of the MP5
Submachineguns (which in effect is like a scaled-down G3 in construction), the
PSG-
1/MSG-90 Sniper Rifles, and the G36 Assault rifles in use today.
The G3/SG-1 is a special project of H&K made at the request of the German
Armed Forces (Deutsche Bundeswehr). At first glance, it looks like the older G3,
mounted with a Hensoldt telescopic Sight. The difference is in the handling; the
G3/SG-1 in Semiautomatic (single-shot) mode functions like a sniper rifle. But
when
in Full-Auto mode, it becomes more like an Assault Rifle. What H&K created, in
effect, was a 'halfway' rifle--one that could be used either as a Sniper or an
Assault Rifle in any given situation. In theory, it's a good weapon. In
practice,
it is slightly harder to manage, but the G3/SG-1 apparently adapts well. So much
so, in fact, that H&K has also made optional modifications to its MSG-90 Sniper
Rifle that will allow it to fire full-auto.
POINT: A nice adjustment would be to allow the G3/SG-1 to fire full-auto when in
normal view but Semi-auto only in Zoom view. The real G3/SG-1 can fire either as
Semi-auto or full auto. In CS, it fires full-auto in the sense that you merely
need
to hold down the trigger to achieve a continuous stream of firepower. But
technically, its slower rate of fire than the Assault guns makes it more of a
Semi-
auto rifle. The G3/SG-1 has great power and first shot accuracy, but has
horribly
powerful recoil and heavy weight. The recoil of the bolt-action Steyr Scout and
AWM
aren't as noticeable as that of the G3/SG-1 mainly because the weapon
automatically
zooms out to work the bolt-action after firing a shot. The advantage is that the
G3/SG-1's automatic firing gives it one over the Scout in that you can quickly
follow up your first shot, faster than a Scout can work the Bolt system.
HK G3/SG-1
Caliber: 7.62mm
Type: 7.62mm Select-Fire Automatic Sniper Rifle
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: ?
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-8 SIG SG-550 Sniper (Krieg 550 Commando) [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Semiautomatic Sniper Rifle
WEAPON COST: $4200
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/90
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x/4x Sniper Scope
The SIG SG-550 Sniper is another modification on SIG Arms' 550-Series
Assault
rifles. It's a 5.56mm semiautomatic Sniper Rifle that accepts 5-, 20-, and 30-
round
magazines; the 30-round clips being interchangeable with regular 550/551/552-
series
rifles. The Sniper version has a longer, heavier barrel and a bipod as well as
an
adjustable stock. Unfortunately, the SG-550 Sniper also negates many of the
things
that made the original 550-series rifles so attractive; it's heavy, bulky, and
requires some skill to use. Rifle tests have shown it to be at least on par with
the famous HK PSG-1 in terms of point accuracy.
POINT: Unlike the select-fire G3/SG1, the SG-550 Sniper is a purely Semi-auto
sniper rifle, with no full-auto function. In CS, holding down the trigger will
allow you to fire continuously. It doesn't achieve one-hit kills like the AWM,
but
a quick follow-up shot can do quite a lot when aiming for the head. The SG-550
Sniper is a great sniper, but not the kind of weapon to duel against a Scout or
AWP
with. A lot of people find the SG-550 Sniper worthless, but I've personally had
some very good frag streaks with this gun. Like the G3/SG-1 it's automatic, but
it
fires the smaller 5.56mm round and is just slightly faster.
SIG550-Sniper
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Semiautomatic Sniper Rifle
Total Length: 1130mm (44.48 in.)
Height (Total): 285mm (11.22in.)
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 7020g (15.47 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 5/10/30 Round Clips
=================
5 -- Machine Guns
=================
If you use a Machine Gun, you had best expect to kill or hurt very little and
get
shot at a lot. The duty of a Machine Gunner is to provide his teammates with
cover
fire, prompting the enemy to keep their heads down. The one machinegun in this
game
is the FN M249 Para, a SAW or Squad Automatic Weapon. As the name suggests, it
is
not an individual's weapon, but is used to protect and cover the squad--your
teammates.
5-1 FN M249 Para (ES M249)
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Squad Support Weapon (Paratrooper Type)
WEAPON COST: $5750
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 100/200
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
The FN M249 was a late entry among the contenders for the US Military's
search for a new SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon). What was needed was a machine-gun
type of support weapon that was easily carried by members of small units. The
7.62mm M60 was a fairly good Machine Gun but (As Vietnam proved) an awful Squad
weapon to carry around, being heavy to lug around and requiring constant
maintenance. Experiments in making the 7.62mm M14A1 and 5.56mm M16A1 into mini-
machineguns also failed miserably. Finally, in 1982, the Army chose the FN M249.
The small and lightweight machinegun had already been accepted fairly by
Europeans (It is known as the FN Minimi in Europe). At first skeptical, Army and
Marine Corps later embraced the new weapon's abilities. The M249-series of
machineguns have since been used as replacements for the M60 machinegun on
Humvees
and small squads. The version used in CS, the M249 Para, is an even more compact
version, meant for Paratrooper units use, thus it is much lighter than previous
designs.
POINT: The M249 Para is not a high kill ratio weapon at all. It is indeed
accurate,
but its primary purpose is to lay a suppressive fire to cover your teammates and
force your opponents to keep their heads down or get hit. It's not really a
weapon
for finesse. That is why it packs a 100-round belt-fed clip; 80% of that ammo
will
go straight into the air.
As a team player's weapon, it works wonders. Often, an M249 can soften up
enemy players enough for your lighter SMG or Rifle-armed teammates to pick off
with
ease much later. It also does quite well when firing blindly at walls behind
which
enemy players lurk. Clearly, it's a gun that you'd use for helping out your team
and ignoring your own self, since majority of enemy players will try to nail you
second (The AWM Snipers come first, of course).
As an individual's weapon, it's the worst you could pick. Now I know that
some people are actually good with this weapon, firing it in bursts to preserve
some sense of accuracy. But I find the low movement rate plus the 5.56mm rounds
completely unacceptable, but then again I prefer SMGs and Carbines to the
Assault/Sniper Rifles. If you pick this gun, you'd best know what you're doing.
FN M249 Para
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Squad Support Weapon (Paratrooper Type)
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 7031g (15.5 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 100 Round Belt
=================
6 -- Primary Ammo
=================
These are the rifle and machine gun rounds. SMG primary rounds are actually
pistol
rounds, so they are purchased in CS as primary ammo. For the purposes of this
FAQ
(and to avoid repeating myself), I arranged the data on SMG ammo under Secondary
Ammo. You will also notice that Millimeter rounds are arranged like this: 9x19
mm.
This is to indicate the bullet size; 9mm in diameter and 19mm in length. Thus, a
5.56x45mm rifle round is smaller in width than a 9x19mm pistol round, but is far
longer.
A - Gauge 12 Shot
2-1 Benelli M3 Super90 (Leone 12 Gauge Super)
2-2 Benelli XM1014 (Leone YG1265 Auto Shotgun)
12-Gauge Buckshot is the standard type of shotgun shell used by Military
and
SWAT forces. Although there are many types of shotgun rounds, 12-Gauge is the
best
blend of power and shot size for security use; shot ball large enough to cause
considerable injury and an acceptable spread area of fire.
B - 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 Caliber Remington)
4-2 SIG SG-552 Commando (Krieg 552 Commando)
4-3 Colt M4A1 Carbine (Maverick M4A1 Carbine)
4-4 Steyr AUG (Bullpup)
4-8 SIG 550 Sniper (Krieg 550 Commando)
5-1 FN M249 Para (ES M249)
The 5.56mm round was developed as a lighter alternative to the powerful
but
heavy 7.62mm NATO rounds. Before the 5.56 (previously known as the .223 Cal
Remington), NATO rifles and machineguns were chambered for the bigger 7.62mm,
which
was powerful but incredibly bulky to carry. The 5.56mm was developed as a
scaled-
down rifle round, and with the introduction of the M16A1 it quickly became a
more
popular ammo type, being adopted by NATO soon afterward.
C - 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Caliber Winchester Magnum)
4-1 AK-47 (CV-47)
4-5 Steyr Scout (Schmidt Scout)
4-7 H&K G3/SG-1 (D3/AV-1 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle)
In real life, the AK-47 fires the 7.62x39mm WP (Warsaw Pact/Soviet), but
for
CS purposes it uses the NATO 7.62x51mm round. It's an older round type developed
after World War II and can directly trace its lineage from the .30-08 Cal rounds
used in the old M1 Garand rifles. After WWII, the .308 Cal was developed and
chambered for many NATO rifles and machineguns, and adopted by NATO as standard
rifle ammo until the appearance of the 5.56x45mm round. The 7.62mm is still used
in
most sniper rifles for its sheer power, but has mostly been replaced by lighter
weapons chambered for the 5.56mm round.
D - .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6x70mm)
4-6 AI Arctic Warfare/Magnum (Magnum Sniper Rifle)
This special round was originally developed in 1983 for the US Navy SEAL
team
snipers. It provided the teams with a sniper round that could easily punch
through
walls and vehicles like the .50 Cal BMG (12.7mm) Barret rifle, but with the more
manageable size of the more standard .308 Cal Winchester (7.62mm NATO) sniper
rifle.
===================
7 -- Secondary Ammo
===================
Secondary ammunition are the pistol rounds. In the case of SMGs, some of these
are
actually bought as Primary Ammo, unless both of your Primary and Secondary
weapons
are equipped with the same Ammo Type. Examples of these combinations are: Five-
SeveN & P90, USP Tactical & UMP45/MAC-10, Glock 18/Dual Beretta & MP5/Steyr TMP.
If
both your Primary and Secondary weapons have the same ammo type, then whether
you
buy Primary (6) or Secondary (7) on the buy menu, you're equipping ammo for both
weapons at the same time. The advantage to this is that buying ammo is much
quicker, but you're limited by the total amount of ammo you can carry. For the
most
part, I'd recommend using dissimilar Primary and Secondary Ammo types, so that
you
can carry more.
A - 9x19mm NATO (Parabellum/Luger)
1-2 Glock 18 Select Fire (9x19mm)
1-5 Dual Beretta 96G (.40 Dual Elites)
3-1 H&K MP5-Navy (SMG)
3-2 Steyr Tactical Machine Pistol (Schmidt MP)
The 9mm Parabellum/Luger round has been around since World War II,
chambered
for the infamous German Luger 9mm pistol. Since then, it has become one of the
most
common rounds in the world, especially in Europe where it is most commonplace.
It
packs more of a punch than the older .38 Cal S&W and .22 Cal LR pistol rounds,
and
is smaller than the older and bulkier .45 Cal ACP round, which is why it is
commonplace. Naturally, many pistols and SMGs use the 9mm as its ammo type. It's
cheap, plentiful, and a fairly effective stopper against unarmored targets.
Against
Kevlar-wearing opponents, it is a slightly different story...
B - .357 Caliber SIG/Magnum
1-4 SIG P228 (228)
The .357 Cal Magnum was the first of the high-powered ammo rounds for
handguns, and is currently the smallest of the Magnum-class rounds. Though
the .357
has now been overshadowed by the .44 Cal Magnum and the .50 Cal Action Express,
it
still has incredible stopping power for a handgun.
C - .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
1-1 H&K USP .45 Tactical (K&M .45)
3-4 Ingram MAC-10
3-5 H&K UMP45 (K&M UMP45)
The .45 Cal ACP round was introduced by Colt Firearms as a more powerful
handgun ammo type to replace the .38 Cal revolvers then in service (in no small
part due to us Filipinos). Not long afterward, John Browning developed the
weapon
that would make Colt and the .45 ACP a household name: The Colt M1911
Autopistol.
Although it is bigger than the .357 Cal rounds, it does less damage since it is
an
older round and subsonic. Conversely, a subsonic round is much easier to silence
than a supersonic round (no sonic boom), which is why the USP Tactical has a
good
Silencer--though it is slower, the bullet's sheer bulk still packs a wallop.
D - 5.7x28mm FN (Fabrique Nationale)
1-6 FN Five Seven
3-3 FN P90 (ES C90)
A new round developed by Fabrique Nationale of Belgium, the 5.7x28mm
round
easily looks like a smaller version of the 5.56x45mm or 7.62x51mm rifle rounds
and
is designed to penetrate armor easily yet still do a considerable amount of
damage.
The 5.7mm when used in the P90 is very promising, and may someday replace all
9mm
rounds in service.
E - .50 Caliber AE (Action Express)
1-3 Desert Eagle .50 AE (Nighthawk)
A specialized .50 Caliber round for the Desert Eagle pistol, this is NOT
the
same as the .50 Caliber BMG (Browning Machine Gun) round used by Antiaircraft
guns
and the Barret .50 Cal Sniper Rifle. Nonetheless, it is without a doubt the most
powerful handgun round developed to date, and is considered illegal in many
countries and many states of the United States.
====================
8 -- Other Equipment
====================
Guns alone are not your only tools in the fight for or against Terrorism. There
are
also many other pieces of equipment necessary to your well-being as well as
devices
that can change the course of combat in your favor...
8-1 Kevlar Armor
COST: $650
This is the standard Medium-Level waist-length Kevlar body armor used by
most
Counterterrorist and SWAT operatives in the field, and is designed to stop most
pistol rounds and a certain level of SMG fire. Kevlar in reality is not like old
plate armor, but layers of plastic coating and foam padding designed to act like
a
trampoline, catching a bullet and spreading its kinetic energy around the vest,
thus preventing it from hitting the body. Of course, rifle rounds and the new
5.7mm
rounds have a sharp tip which are designed to rip through Kevlar and cause
serious
damage.
POINT: Except for the L337 Crew and Arctic Avengers Terrorist Skins, all the
player
skins of CS have the Kevlar Vest illustrated. In CS, even when hit by a rifle
round, Kevlar still provides some protection, but not much. Still, it's best to
wear it as it provides a measure of protection against most pistols and SMGs in
combat.
8-2 Kevlar Armor with Helmet
COST: $1000
This is the same as the Kevlar armor above, plus the addition of the
PASGT
Kevlar helmet that is standard for U.S. Troops. The PASGT helmet is slightly
tougher than the Kevlar vest since it is Kevlar molded around a hard helmet
shape
(Vests have to be flexible for one to move in, but a human skull is fixed). A
rifle
round can still penetrate it, but only when direct on; this helmet will still
deflect a shot slightly at an angle. US Troops have nicknamed this the "Fritz"
Helmet due to its similarity in design to German Stormtrooper helmets of World
War
II.
POINT: The PASGT helmet is the one seen on the GSG-9 skin. Many CS players
eschew
the helmet to save cash since many of the higher-powered weaponry can still kill
with a headshot. This should not be an excuse, since the helmet in CQB could be
the
difference between life and death at such ranges with SMGs or pistols.
8-3 Flashbang
COST: $200
It's little known, but the British SAS were the first to develop the
Flashbang. Also known as a Stun or Concussion Grenade, its primary use is to
stun
or temporarily disable a terrorist without actually harming them; a very
important
point if the terrorist is holding a hostage or if it is desired to take the
terrorist alive. Flashbangs live up to their name; upon exploding, they impair
vision and hearing alike with a blinding flash of light and a painfully loud
blast.
For Real-life CTs, these are far more useful than normal grenades.
POINT: In CS, Flashbangs can blind vision, turning your view white for anywhere
between 2-5 seconds. Unlike the real Flashbangs (or those in Rainbow Six for
that
matter), they do not completely impair your hearing, a vital point to remember
when
you're firing blind. Another thing to remember is that it affects both teams, so
one must take care not to blind himself or teammates with their own Flashbangs.
Sadly, this is something that a lot of players, newbie or otherwise, fail to
consider.
You can carry 2 Flashbangs at a time in CS, which is important since many of the
wiser players know to shield their vision behind an obstacle when a grenade is
thrown their way. Toss one, then immediately prep another. Again, take care not
to
blind yourself or your teammates when doing this.
8-4 HE Grenade
COST: $300
The HE (High Explosive) Grenade or Fragmentation Grenade is the most
common
indirect weapon of attack among troops. CTs only use these in situations wherein
there are few to no civilians or hostages and are pinned down by enemy
firepower.
It is standard SOP for room clearing to toss in either a Flashbang or HE grenade
in
before entering, in order to stun or injure opponents hiding inside.
POINT: Players prefer this grenade to all others simply because of its damaging
capability. Still, many players get careless with it, often tossing it
haphazardly
into areas without checking first. Ideally, HEs should be thrown only into areas
where enemies are confirmed, otherwise it is useless. Personally, I use
Flashbangs
more than HEs, but HEs work better in trying to flush out campers in the
shadows.
Use HEs wisely since you can only carry one at any time.
8-5 Smoke Grenade
COST: $300
There are two purposes of Smoke Grenades in real life: One is to provide
cover for an escaping unit and mask them from enemy fire. The other is as a
Signal
for other team members to regroup in that direction.
POINT: 9 out of 10 CS players find this weapon useless. This is because the
smoke
is not as thick as they would like it, or as fast as they would like. For
blinding
purposes, they would rather use Flashbangs. But Smoke Grenades work best indoors
or
in enclosed spaces wherein the smoke builds up, and it makes for a good way to
avoid snipers. But the best way to use them is to confuse your opponents in
closed
and already-dark spaces. In cs_mansion as a Terrorist, I once herded all 4
hostages
to one dark corner of the house, then ran out to take potshots at the remaining
2
CTs nearby before running into the hallways (wearing NV Goggles). After grabbing
their attention, I then tossed a Smoke Grenade as they followed. The result was
chaos; the beleaguered CTs ended up emptying their M4A1s into the hostages while
at
the same time providing me with two picture-perfect, no-brainer headshots.
Unfortunately, the smoke in the game does not go high enough into the sky to
work
as an efficient Signal system.
8-6 Defuse Kit [Counter-Terrorist Only]
COST: $200
This kit speeds up the disarming of explosives. As a set, it has a full
complement of electronic and diagnostic equipment as well as tools in order to
safely and efficiently defuse a bomb.
POINT: Many CS players ignore this mostly since it is possible to defuse a bomb
with the knife or other weapons. However, the time needed to defuse a bomb is
faster when using this piece of equipment.
8-7 Night Vision
COST: $1250
The Night Vision system in CS works on low-light amplification. It takes
in
what little light is available and intensifies it. The result is a greenish-
looking
view of the world, but it is better than going completely blind in many
situations.
POINT: Although Half-Life is known for its dark corners and areas, most of
Counter-
Strike's locations are not completely and absolutely dark enough to warrant the
use
of NVGs. The only place wherein the NV Goggles are of any use would be in
cs_mansion's darkest corridor (the pitch-black hallway on the second floor).
Even
then, there are easier, cost-free ways to view the surroundings than with the
goggles, and the greenish tinge is occasionally an eyesore.
Knife
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: Overhead Stab
In reality, most CT units don't use a knife. Many of the CQB situations
that
they find themselves in do not lend much to hand-to-hand combat, and in fact,
it's
avoided as much as possible. Only in certain and rare situations are knives
used,
and those are in situations wherein a silenced gun is not effective or usable in
the given situation, which is highly rare.
POINT: The knife in CS actually comes from the knife used in the Half-Life:
Opposing Force expansion pack (which in turn replaced the crowbar in Half-Life).
In
the beta versions, it was highly feared, but not as of V1.0, wherein slashes are
not enough to kill. It is a good weapon to use against a weakened opponent whom
you
get the jump on at -extremely- close range, but otherwise leave it in favor of
your
guns.
C4 Explosives [Terrorist Only]
Plastic Explosives are highly prized by both Terrorist and Counter-
Terrorist
units. They are light, easily moldable, infinitely more stable than other types
of
explosives (such as dynamite), and leave very little trace once used. They can
also
be used underwater given the right waterproofing. And it takes very little to
destroy a whole lot.
POINT: Terrorists only get C4 in Bomb missions, and they can only be placed in
one
of two 'Bombsites' on the map. Despite this, it packs a terrific punch when it
explodes, so anyone unfortunate to still be in the area of the bomb blast is
liable
to be killed outright or at least seriously injured (Not to mention get
additional
'Frequent Flier' premiums as they're blasted into the sky ^^x).
======================
COUNTERTERRORIST TEAMS
======================
Listed here are short descriptions of the 4 CT teams portrayed in CS, in a
nutshell. Unfortunately, there's not much online on the Terrorist teams at the
moment.
SEAL Team Six
USN Commander (Ret.) Richard Marcinko originally formed SEAL Six (Now officially
known as Naval Special Warfare - Development Group [NAVSPECWAR - DEVGRU]) as a
standalone Counterterrorist unit for the Navy. Considering that it is much
younger
and infinitely smaller than the older and more legendary SAS, SEAL Six has made
an
almost mythic name for itself in many circles. The team cross-trains regularly
with
other Spec Ops teams including GSG-9, GIGN, and SAS as well as their Army
equivalent, Army Special Operations Division Delta (Delta Force), and other CT
groups worldwide.
Though SEAL Six was Designed for and still is focused on maritime
Counterterror operations, they are also exceptionally skilled masters of CQB
(Close
Quarters Battle), each team member emptying 2500-3000 bullets in a single week
and
constantly practicing to further perfect their dead-on target shooting. Taken a
step even further, SEAL Team Six is one of the few Counterterror units in the
world
with the authorization to take the first strike at Terrorism (meaning
assassination
of Terrorist targets), if given the go-ahead by the President of the United
States.
As a result, SEAL Six is also one of the most clandestine CT units in the world.
SEAL Six's Counterterror and CQB requirements, as well as seagoing nature
is
one of the reasons Heckler and Koch developed an MP5 SMG specifically to cater
to
the Navy SEALs' needs--the MP5/N Submachinegun.
GSG-9 (Grenzschutzgruppe 9)
After the horrors of World War II, Germany was naturally apprehensive
about
creating an elite military force for any given reason, and thus tried to bring
up
a
wholesome and friendly image. That image was shattered in 1972, when members of
the
terrorist group Black September kidnapped and murdered Israeli athletes during
the
Munich games, made even worse by horrible police action.
In 1973, the West German government, directly because of this terrible
fiasco, then wrote up the plans for GSG-9, an elite Counterterror unit. GSG-9 is
actually a part of the West German Border Police Forces (Bundesgrenzschutz) and
not
the military. This is both to avoid any stigma from the World War II
connotations
and that the Border Police were already used to dealing with terrorism to some
degree (More so than the regular police at Munich).
Life in GSG-9 is spartan to say the least, and each member prides
themselves
on their ability to live in such conditions; many GSG-9 member go undercover,
actively infiltrating Terrorist groups and nipping many actions in the bud.
Clearly, this unit of Counterterror operatives are not the type to merely sit
back
and wait for a Terrorist action to happen.
GIGN (Groupe de Securite et d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale)
The French GIGN, like the German GSG-9, is operated by the Police, not
the
Military. But that is where the similarity ends. The GIGN are unlike any other
Counterterrorist unit, firstly because of its small size (a little over a
hundred
men, including staff members), and the fact that they are the only CT unit of
renown with standing orders not to shoot to kill. GIGN was formed 1973, around
the
same time as GSG-9.
GIGN troops are police officers first and foremost, which is why GIGN has
such an odd non-lethal policy of taking down Terrorists and the like; Police
officers must make arrests and are not allowed to take the law into their own
hands. GIGN prides itself on its marksmanship--to injure but not to kill, and
that
more often than not, they manage to have both hostages AND Terrorists alive at
the
end of a mission. Even though other CT units scoff at what they regard as
pointless, all of them engage in cross-training, hoping to learn some of that
legendary GIGN marksmanship.
SAS (Special Air Services)
The SAS is both the oldest and thus far the best-known Counterterrorist
Special Operations Force still existing in the world today. First formed in
World
War II as a commando-style unit, the SAS eventually branched out into other
divisions of Spec Warfare. In 1980, the SAS Counterterrorist team intervened
successfully in the Iranian Embassy siege in London, and that one action was
what
put the SAS Counterterrorist function in the limelight.
One thing to note is that the SAS is actually divided into various
'Squadrons' with differing duties, from Mountaineering to vehicles, up to Recon
units. The SP (Special Projects) team, which engages in Counterterror, however,
is
not a regular unit. It is a unit in which all SAS members have to go through for
six months at a time, with constant refresher courses. Because of this, it can
be
said that ALL members of the SAS are trained in CT warfare.
Even today, all Counterterrorist units in the world have nothing but the
deepest of respect for the British SAS. SEAL Team Six, GSG-9, GIGN, regardless
of
who, there is no unit (save maybe the Israeli Mossad) that does not give the SAS
at
least some measure of respect.
================
TACTICAL THOUGHT
================
It's often been said that good soldiers aren't born, they're made. That is the
truth with Counter-Strike. You may have been blessed with better reflexes, a
fast
eye and trigger combination, but without the proper training and orientation,
you're not going to last long in Half-Life:CounterStrike. In fact, a lot of
seasoned DOOM/Duke Nukem/Quake players find themselves hopelessly splattered in
CS
their first time out. In here are some Tactical Thoughts that apply well in the
game.
"I am your War Lord and wrathful god of combat, and I shall lead you from the
FRONT, not the REAR."
- Richard Marcinko, 10 Commandments of SpecWar
Don't expect to tell your team to charge while you cower behind a crate.
If
you want to lead, lead by example. If you're an assaulter, this means you head
into
battle first. Obviously, this lends better to assaulters than campers. I'm not
saying for you to charge in blindly and suicidal; that's just plain stupid. If
you
have a plan in mind, run with it. Don't just TELL people about it and expect
them
to do it for you, do it yourself! For example:
* In one game of cs_assault (and the very second time I played CS in my life),
we'd
been regularly creamed by the Terrorists for three straight rounds. No teamwork
among us at all, while the Terrorist team had incredible teamwork. I was about
to
kick myself in the head when I realized, rather late in the 3rd round, that the
Terrorist team had taken the bridge as their sniping point (in real life, you
don't
get a second, much less a third or fourth chance). On the fourth round, I bought
an
M4A1, swapped to the knife and ran all the way to the bridge before the
Terrorists
did, then armed my M4A1 over the bridge, just in time for the poor unsuspecting
Terrorists to run out and kiss 5.56mm headshots instantly. They were all in
panic
as their team leader and one other teammate bit the dust first; obviously that
had
never happened to them before. Taking my cue (and not even needing any verbal
prodding!), the rest of the team took advantage of the situation to attack the
warehouse building from behind and nail the Terrorist Team, who were still
messed
up and freaking over how 'the newbie' popped a surprise like that on them. We
CTs
won that round flat out, and after everybody (Both CT and Terrorist Teams) got
smart to those tactics and played like a team, we had tons of fun. Had I not
gone
and taken the initiative, it would have been another boring game of getting
sorely
whacked on the LAN.
"Secure every advantage before attacking."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
Advantages include cover, speed, weapon range, and a lot of others. Try
to
secure every advantage in an attack; know the map territory, your enemy's
weapons
against your own, and most importantly surprise, to get the jump on him. This is
especially vital for AWM Snipers since they have to take a spot which is hard to
get at and yet easy to shoot from. Rest assured that any advantage you ignore
may
eventually become the enemy's advantage.
* Every Terrorist knows that the window overlooking the CT spawn point in
cs_italy
is the best sniping position in that map. What many neglect may be the point
that
directly under it is a recessed area with crates. I took advantage of this
once--
Bought an M249 Para, swapped to my knife and went for that particular region (I
didn't buy armor at all since I wasn't playing all that seriously at the time--
also
why I picked the M249 in the first place). I then armed the M249 when I saw and
heard an AWM take out one of my teammates. What happened next was a no-brainer;
I
swung the M249 to the ceiling and let loose. Two Terrorists dead and one
wounded,
and all of a sudden, every Terrorist was voting for de_dust. ^^x;;;
"Attack from behind, when your enemy does not see you."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
To many FPS game players (those in Quake Tournaments especially), this
sounds
low and dishonorable. Maybe it is, but from the standpoint of a Counter-
Terrorist,
much less that of a Terrorist, this is the rule and not the exception. Look at
it
from a logical point of view. Attacking from the side doesn't always produce
good
results. There's less body area of your enemy to hit, and the slightest twitch
or
recoil (As with AK47s and AUGs) may make you miss the target entirely and
attract
his notice for him to counterattack. Not to mention that moving forward as he is
makes for a slightly harder to hit target.
The only cases wherein you can get a larger hit chance if he was facing
directly forward or directly behind you. Obviously, a head-on attack would be
risky
if your opponent has a superior weapon to yours, or superior skills to yours
(Can
you say AWP Sniper Master?).
So all that's left is attacking from behind. It takes a bit longer for
your
enemy to react, as he has to spin around to attack you, and by that time you've
hopefully riddled him with enough bullets to kill or at least seriously injure
him.
For snipers (especially those who do NOT have the AWM), taking him out from
behind
and above also gives a higher chance of a headshot on your target. Behind and
slightly below (Such as in cs_assault or in de_aztec) also presents a good angle
if
you are a 'counter-sniper' out to nail a pesky AWM sniper upstairs. And simply
nothing beats the sheer satisfaction of sneaking up on a sniper from behind and
knifing him to death. ^^x;;;
* In the very first game of CS I ever played, there were 7 Terrorists (average
players, my guess) and 4 Newbie CTs including myself, map de_dust. Two rounds
into
the game I noticed that the CTs were all going to the first bombsite and
effectively getting massacred while the Terrorists (all 7 of them) stayed inside
the halls and AWM-sniped us at their leisure. Third round, I bought a P90 and an
HE
grenade and went under the bridge. No snipers at all were guarding the place.
Running up back and into the Terrorist side of the hallways, I noticed all of
them
firing at my teammates and their backs turned to me. I tossed the HE grenade and
ran my behind off firing the P90, eventually getting waxed by one Terrorist with
an
AK47, but not before I HE'd three of them to death and seriously injured the AK
wielder, not to mention give my teammates the win for that round. No surprise
that
there were then 7 Terrorist players out for my "Newbie" blood...Is it my fault
they
were overconfident? I just used their oversight to my advantage.
"Attack in groups."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
This is another tactic that a great majority of FPS players find
dishonorable. Then again, other FPS players have the benefit of respawning
immediately after dying...which they do a lot. In CS, you only respawn after the
match ends. I need not add that there are a lot of Rambo types who play CS
charging
in like some fool knight on horseback, only to be carried home in a litter box.
Oswald Boelcke himself lectured to his students constantly this tenet of the
Dicta
Boelcke, emphasizing teamwork above all else, for yours and your team's
survival.
Attacking in groups has many advantages. You'll have more firepower, your
enemy will be overwhelmed, and there'll be one less guy to worry about. Never
assume you've done just enough damage to kill him with the NEXT shot; ALWAYS
treat
your enemy like he was at full health. Also, the more firepower hitting him, the
harder it will be for him to single one of you out--A large number of bullets
hitting him all at once is a lot of stopping power. Also noted is the fact that
some weapons in CS work much better as part of a group. Examples are that of an
M249 Para supporting a group of SMG users, or an assaulter with an M3 being
backed
up by a teammate with the M4A1 for support.
Alternatively, when there are two or more opponents, don't bother to gang
up;
split and each of you take one. Though this might be dangerous initially, at
least
it takes a load off your mind; two ganging up on one opponent when another
opponent
is unscathed and nearby is a turkey shoot waiting to happen. Above all, stop
worrying about which of you gets the kill; the point is that your opponent is
dead
and both you and your teammates are alive.
There's a nickname for this kind of tactic: It's called a Wolf Pack. Each
one
of you is like a wolf; you each want to get the highest frag rate possible. But
you
also work in packs, so that your chances of killing the enemy are higher than
that
of him killing you.
"Fixed formation is bad." - Miyamoto Musashi, Go Rin No Sho
"When we're on the march we march single file, far enough apart so one shot
can't
go through two men." - Major Robert Rogers, Standing Orders of Roger's Rangers,
1756
You'd normally think that running around in a large united group makes
for
both an imposing appearance. Actually, this makes an enemy AWM sniper's ability
to
get 3-in-1 kills all the easier. Don't EVER crowd up elbow-to-elbow with your
teammates, especially in tight hallways and corners! Attack in groups but don't
get
in your buddy's way. You're a group of Special Forces or Terrorist units, not a
Parade Drill team, so stop trying to bunch together. Even if you stick close to
your teammates, you must give them enough maneuvering room.
* One game of cs_italy was really annoying for me. Three of us CTs were in the
wine
cellar (small route leading to the Hostage Area), with me in the right corner of
a
neat triangle formation, which left me uncomfortable. When we got to the stairs
at
the wine cellar, there was -ONE- Terrorist armed with an AK47 strafing us. I was
ready to attack, but the guy in front of me panicked and tried to double back.
The
bad news was that the guy to my left wanted to attack, and was trying to push
FORWARD while our point man was moving BACK. The coup de grace of it all was
that
I
was smack-dab in the middle of the DOORWAY when this happened, and couldn't move
or
even jump any way at all without one idiot or other in my way. So I got stuck
sandwiched between two idiots while the Terrorist mowed all three of us down
with
the AK47's 7.62mm round. Oh, how I wanted to KILL those two useless morons.
"Don't be fooled by the Enemy's tricks."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
A wily enemy team will know when to lead you by the nose--right into one
of
their traps. This takes some practice and observation of your enemy's moves. For
an
Assaulter, this is already very important, but for a Sniper this skill is VITAL.
The entire point of a Sniper, especially in a sniper duel, is to convince the
enemy, directly or indirectly, to kindly appear long enough for you to put a
bullet
through his head. The goal is for you to trick your enemy, not him trick you.
It's
a mind game at long range, and whoever gets the lethal shot in first wins,
regardless of how he did it. As a Sniper, you MUST trick your enemy...without
having him trick you in turn.
"Never quit an attack once started."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
If there is any rule that needs reminding over and over and over again,
it's
this one. Hit-and-run tactics are good; attacking then changing your mind in
mid-
attack is not. If you attack, then suddenly chicken out in mid-attack, your
enemy
will use that to his advantage and kill you. When you turn tail and retreat, you
are presenting your opponent with a golden opportunity to kill you. Even if you
are
firing back (strafing) while running away, you are still at a disadvantage; I've
seen a lot of CS players run backward firing frantically, then unwittingly end
up
slamming into a wall.
A hit-and-run is not the same as this; a hit-and-run ultimately still has
the
motive of killing or seriously injuring the enemy enough to make him fear for
his
life. Stopping in mid-attack, even to reload, is a death sentence. Remember your
Weapon Switch key ("Q" by default), and make sure that before a battle, you've
got
it automatically set to your secondary. Then practice tapping it once your
primary
is empty. There are far too many close calls I've had in CS wherein this simple
swap to my pistol was all that kept me from being outgunned.
"Fire at close range." - Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
"When your enemy fills your cockpit window, fire. You can't possibly miss at
that
range." - Lt. Erich Hartmann (World's Top Fighter Ace with 352 kills)
This lends better to assaulters than snipers but in any case, the closer
you
are to your opponent, the easier it is to hit him (obviously). Keep in mind the
earlier rule (Attack from behind) when doing this, so that you don't somehow
give
your opponent the opportunity to kill you before you kill him. At close range,
all
weapons are effective. Some more than others, but at that range, it's hard to
blame
a failure on a miss...unless of course, you're really THAT inept a player.
It's a common newbie mistake to suddenly open all-out once he sees an
enemy
player. Remember that at long ranges, most weapons either weaken (SMGs,
Shotguns)
or have less accuracy (All assault rifles), so all this does is nick the enemy a
little and end up blowing the element of surprise. Spraying the air and hoping
something hits your opponent's head is NOT the best way of staying alive in CS.
At this particular stage, first-shot accuracy really counts. If you have
the
element of surprise and a good shot, you had best take it. And the closer you
are
to your enemy, naturally your chances of getting that all-important head shot
are
greater.
"Your Buddy is Your Body" - Basic Military Training Tenet
"NEVER leave your swim buddy!" - SEAL tenet
Don't EVER go anywhere without someone covering your rear! If you've read
the
previous two notes I'd made, it should be obvious why. This is the one thing
that
most local (Philippine) CS players almost NEVER listen to (save for the
dedicated
CS Clans), and it's what gets most of them killed, since they're thinking of
high
frag rates first and teamwork second. Result? Players who are better, smarter,
or
just plain nail them nastier (again, see above two).
After playing CS for some time, I found that 95% of these deaths could
have
been avoided had they been playing as a team, with one guy watching another's
back.
For this, you should put 'fragging' people as secondary and your life (and
teammates' lives) as first. And the best way for you to stay alive is if you
have
an extra pair of eyes covering you.
* There was a time in de_dust, wherein three other CTs and I charged in to take
over the bombsite. Just our luck, two Terrorists popped in at the same time that
we
did, and I opened fire with my Steyr TMP. A split-second later, I realized that
I
was the ONLY one firing. Naturally, I bit the dust instantly, and upon that
happening, I saw that the three idiots who were with me all decided to chicken
out
and ran OUT of the bombsite (not even firing!) the second the two Terrorists
appeared, leaving me very alone and very dead. No surprise that we lost that
round
and every round after that. After the sixth loss due to sheer cowardice on the
CT
teams' part (Seven CTs against THREE Terrorists, and with six of the blankety-
bleep-blanking CTs running away each taking separate vacations!), I quit the
game
in frustration and logged onto a different game.
"Heavy casualties can be inflicted by one trained sniper."
If you've played CS for ANY length of time, you'll know that the AWM
(Also
known to CS old-timers as the AWP) Sniper Rifle is the deadliest weapon in the
game, with its one-shot kill ability. It's a powerful and expensive weapon, but
very few people actually manage to use it properly, if at all. Too many people
out
there charging in blindly with this weapon without really knowing how it works.
Conversely, many people also eschew the other Sniper rifles in the game,
such
as the lighter and cheaper Steyr Scout, and the two 'Automatic Snipers', the HK
G3/SG-1 and the SIG550 Sniper. Truth be told, ALL of these Sniper Rifles are
highly
efficient weapons, but only in the hands of the right kind of sniper. And
usually,
it means a true specialist. Save for the AWM, all other Sniper Rifles were
intended
for the sole purpose of getting headshots--like real-life snipers do. The Scout
is
a mini-AWM in the sense that it's a bolt-action sniper rifle. The Scout
functions
pretty much the same as the AWM in 2x/4x Scope mode, but without the scope it is
a
much lighter weapon. In the hands of an intuitive sniper (one who can actually
snipe well without a scope), the Scout is deadly. The G3/SG-1 and SIG550 Sniper
are
both Automatic snipers, and their advantage may be that, unlike the Bolt-action
rifles, you can quickly follow-up missed headshots because of the Semi-auto
ability.
Snipers: Work VERY closely with a buddy. The Sniper and his
spotter/defense
guard. Snipers have one major weakness: Get in very close with a shotgun or SMG,
and he's got only a slim chance of out-shooting you...if he somehow notices you
sneaking up on him. The buddy system works best here. Find a buddy who is your
seatmate in a LAN game, or someone you can easily communicate with one-on-one--
Your
'spotter' should be armed with an SMG or rifle to protect the sniper from being
ambushed by a wily opponent. At the same time, he acts as an extra pair of eyes,
singling out targets for you to pick off. In fact, a good tactic (which this
author
was at the receiving end of) is to trust your buddy when you're firing blind:
* If you're behind a crate or wall and a buddy you trust (Who has a better view
of
the goings-on) tells you to fire, you fire. This simple but surprising tactic
nailed me and my friends numerous times, all of us wondering how a sniper could
nail us while firing blind. But it worked, and worked horrifically by
systematically wiping six of us out. One spotter outside, with a clear view of
us
(Occasionally darting to and fro from the Terrorist-side entrance of the halls
in
de_dust), and an AWM sniper outside, firing blind save for instructions from the
zipping spotter.
"Don't never take a chance you don't have to."
- Major Robert Rogers, Standing Orders of Roger's Rangers, 1756
This is an old piece of advice that becomes vital to you all. It was an
important tenet of the old Pre-American Revolution Rangers, and it worked well;
the
Rangers actually adopted the tactics of the very people they fought, the
American
Indians, and they learnt from their enemy well. Never go on any harebrained
suicidal scheme just because you MIGHT rack up a high kill ratio or a
reputation;
you'll just end up humiliating yourself.
* In the much-overplayed de_dust, it eventually boiled down to one Terrorist
player
and myself. I had one HE grenade, an M4A1 with only 10 rounds remaining. My
opponent and I attacked each other, and I was reduced to 4 HP left, so I ran for
the first Bombsite (Right outside the hallways) and crouched in the corner
outside
the doorway. All this time, my enemy was sending messages all over for me to
stand
up and fight, occasionally firing through the door. I waited until I could hear
his
footsteps close, then tossed my HE into the hallway, killing him and winning the
match. He then made a huge issue of it at our LAN, accusing me of being a
coward.
My counterargument, in turn, was that I wasn't so STUPID as to go in rushing at
him
when I had only 4 measly hit points left. Turns out, he still had 8 HP himself
left
when the HE came bounding at him. ^^x;;;
"When in doubt, ATTACK!"
- Richard Marcinko
This may seem to run counter to what I mentioned above about taking
chances,
but it isn't. The above assumes that you've still got lots of better, safer
options
to rely on and hopefully the time to think about them. If there's a less risky
way
of defeating your enemy, take it. But if you're in doubt and left with no other
recourse, the best defense is a good offense. If you've got a lot of cover and
are
relatively safe, then think your way out. But if you're pinned down and have
little
other recourse, then better to take the chance and attack. You might even
succeed
and live to brag about it.
"Don't stand up when the enemy's coming against you. Kneel down, lie down, hide
behind a tree."
- Major Robert Rogers, Standing Orders of Roger's Rangers, 1756
NEVER give your enemy a good old, stand-up fight. That only happens in
movies, and you're not John Wayne. When under fire, take cover; There isn't a
real
CS player worth his salt who'd just walk right up to you in the open without any
nearby cover and engage you in a straight-on rifle/SMG joust. Even better, hide
yourself so that he doesn't see you, then ambush him from behind. This is one of
my
favorites:
* In de_dust, I had been recently killed by a Terrorist who was using a skin
cheat.
The previous round, he masqueraded as an SAS member and nailed me when I held my
fire (This was a friendly fire off server) to my consternation and a boatload of
profanity. Next round, I grabbed the Benelli M3, Kevlar Vest and some reloads,
then
swapped to the knife and made a beeline for the hallways. Finding the crate
area,
I
hid behind there. Sure enough, not one, but two skin-cheaters, their skins
flickering, passed me by without noticing me. Even better, the leader was the
guy
who suckered me the previous round. Big mistake, as I then swapped to the
Benelli
and took them both down instantly. April fool, buddy-boy.
"The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we
attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue..."
- Mao Tse-Tung
Basically, this means that you should go for guerilla warfare. This is
especially important if you've got very little cash and your enemy has AWMs and
other nasty things at their disposal. It's an opportunistic way of fighting your
enemy--grab their superior weapons when they fall, toss HEs at their preferred
campsites, when outnumbered you run instead of giving them a stand-up fight, and
when they're outnumbered, you dog them to the ground. This tactic usually favors
Terrorists more than CTs in Bomb missions since CTs are often forced to guard
the
bombsites or lose the game.
"Verily, thou art not paid for thy methods, but for thy results, by which
meaneth
thou shalt kill thine enemy before he killeth you by any means available."
- Richard Marcinko, 10 Commandments of SpecWar
Before you go on, let me note that the above statement is NOT a
justification
to cheat in the game. It simply tells you to use everything (and I mean
EVERYTHING)
at your disposal to defeat your enemy. There's nothing more humiliating than
dying
in-game without ever having fired a single shot at your enemy. Rephrase the
above
statement this way: "If it's stupid but it works, then it ain't stupid." Use
everything. Some weapons that may seem useless to some people might be tailor-
made
for others. Try everything, use any tactic; sometimes the outlandish or
impossibly
simple work far better than a by-the-book play.
"Thou shalt KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID."
- Richard Marcinko, 10 Commandments of SpecWar
One of the most important, if not THE most important things to remember
in
CS. KISS: Keep it SIMPLE, stupid! Don't show off, and don't try to think up of a
complicated and convoluted plan to get back at your enemies. Keep your tactics
unpredictable and as uncomplicated as possible. Rather than overplan long,
drawn-
out strategies on which to attack and counter-attack your enemies, keep it
simple:
Go in, hit them, then get out.
* One of my friends and his band of Merry Marauding Terrorists adopted a KISS-
simple strategy that earned them a lot of ire in many de_dust games, but I think
he
did well. There was only one simple strategy: Wait just outside the Terrorists'
opening to the hallways and gather around, loitering there and waiting until the
very last 30 seconds of the Map round was ticking. By then, the CTs would be
very
edgy, set themselves up camped in one spot or another, if they weren't stupid
enough to try and attack the gang-bang of terrorists just outside of HE grenade
range. At the tick of the last half-minute, the Terrorist team suddenly charges
in
as one gang and mows down the opposition on the way to the bombsite. More often
than not, they wipe out all the CTs before getting to the site. A lot of CTs who
go
up against them say it's an unfair tactic. I, for one, like it: It's simple,
direct, and it works.
========
WISHLIST
========
Some weapons and/or equipment upgrades I hope to see in CounterStrike someday:
Smith & Wesson M29 .44 Caliber Magnum Revolver
SUGGESTED WEAPON COST: $450
AMMO TYPE: .44 Cal Magnum
AMMO/MAX: 6/30
SUGGESTED AMMO COST: $25 (6)
The original Half-Life already has a Magnum Revolver, but noticeably, all
of
the CounterStrike pistols are all Semi-auto weapons. A revolver would be a good
and
cheap alternative to most players, sacrificing high ammo capacity for power and
accuracy; most revolvers are easier to aim than autopistols.
The S&W M29 .44 Magnum is a good choice, cheaper than an automatic pistol
and
packing a good punch to its round (.44 Cal Magnum is more powerful than .357SIG
or
.45ACP but less than .50AE). It would make an attractive and cheap alternative
to
the Desert Eagle in terms of power and accuracy. On the downside would be its
rate
of fire (Same as the Desert Eagle), small ammo capacity, and a slow reload time.
It's a revolver after all, and even with a speedloader will take just a bit
longer
to reload than a magazine. Still, it'll be a good option to think of.
Thermal Vision
SUGGESTED COST: $1250
Many players find the Night Vision Goggles costly and useless, and to an
extent they are right, since merely adjusting the gamma of your monitor screen
usually does the job for most. What would be better would be if Thermographic
Vision goggles were had instead, to replace the NV goggles. Advantages would be
that one could finally see behind some thin walls and crates with it. The
downside
would be that it would only appear as a reddish glob; you won't be able to tell
the
difference between a hostage, a teammate, or an enemy. It'd be nicer and more of
a
challenge than the old NV goggles; Therm Goggles could replace them entirely. Of
course, Flashbangs and Smoke Grenades can still foul these goggles up...
=========
OTHER FAQ
=========
Some other random questions that need answering. Note however, that though I'm
knowledgeable about weapons and ammo, I'm not an expert, and may make a few
mistakes; Do NOT treat my answers as expert advice on real weapons! I only know
enough as to be relevant WRT the game mechanics of CS.
Q - Why are some ammo types listed as "Caliber" and the others as "MM" or
"Millimeter"?
A - "Caliber" is used by the U.S. and is based on the English measurement system
(Inches). One Caliber is one Inch, so .50 Caliber is 0.50 of an inch (half an
inch), and so on. Europe now uses the Metric System, so their ammunition is
measured the metric way (Millimeters). Also, The European system is a little
more
descriptive, since they usually include the width AND length of a bullet (like
9x19mm). AFAIK, Caliber only refers to the width (diameter) of the bullets. For
some cases, the Caliber has a metric equivalent (such as .223 Cal Remington =
5.56x45mm NATO), but not all.
Q - Where did the word "Caliber" come from
A - I'm not 100% sure of its origin, but apparently, it comes from
'Calibration',
which is how they measured bullet widths; by calibrating them to size. If this
is
incorrect, please let me know ASAP to update this.
Q - Where do you get your weapon info?
A - Same way Tom Clancy does. ^^x From the 'Net, from handgun-shooting friends
of
mine, from observing the local military, and other such stuff. In other words,
lots
of research. You'd be surprised at what info you can find just lying around the
'Net, or in any book or magazine for that matter. Info for many of the weapons
in
CS can be found off the Remtek Arms site at http://www.remtek.com/arms/ and is
generally where I found most of the weapons data for this FAQ.
Q - How good are you at CounterStrike?
A - If you're talking purely in terms of frag rates, not that good; about
average
or so, at least break-even or better. But in terms of simply driving the enemy
team
up the wall, I guess I rank a number one for sheer originality. ^^x;;;
Q - Have you ever used a REAL firearm?
A - This is a question I got a lot, even before I started this FAQ. Honestly,
among
Military-Issue weapons I have handled but not fired were the MP5A3, MP5SD3,
M4A1,
and the HK Mark 23 pistol, so I know their empty weights and ergonomics but not
their combat performance.
I have fired the M16A2 back in my ROTC days. It's quite an accurate tack
driver when used properly (i.e. none of that full-auto running and screaming
Rambo
bull). From that I can tell you that the M4A1 in the CS game functions pretty
close
to the real thing. Well, close as you can get when pointing a loaded mouse at
someone. I was also supposed to have been trained with the Colt M1911A1 in those
days but was denied the chance to even field strip it.
Among civilian weapons, I've handled the Glock 17 and HK USP9, but
certain
legal circumstances prevented me from actually test-firing these two.
Q - What's your favorite CS skin?
A - I use SEAL Six, of course. ^^x I find that the green fatigue hides better in
some dark corners of de_dust and de_aztec than the HRT (Hostage Rescue Team)
Blue
the other CT skins have, and a better color all round. As a Terrorist I usually
use
the Arctic Avengers skin because of limited camouflage in certain maps, but for
cs_assault and cs_mansion (not cs_estate however) I strictly use the Phoenix
Connection skins for their black color.
========
CONTACT:
========
For any further queries or comments, please email cybertrooper@edsamail.com.ph
with
Subject: CS Weapon FAQ Query if you have any questions, and I'll try my best to
answer them. Send me no Spam; my mother just unloaded 60 cans of it on me
wholesale.
========
CREDITS:
========
- Thanks and no thanks to Cliffe, Gooseman, and the rest of the CS team for
making
one of the biggest bites in my wallet ever. Kidding aside, CS is the best ever
combination between Rainbow Six's realism and Half-Life's sheer and spooky all-
out
FPS fun. It's not the pure realism I know of and enjoy, but it's fun
nonetheless.
- Mochan and the Gulay brigade of AW Snipers, for their advice, info, and
nefarious
cackling.
- Konami Japan for Silent Scope (Which helped a bit for sniping tactics) and
Metal
Gear Solid (sneaking and ambush tactics).
- Remtek.com's armaments site for the real-world info and data for most of the
weapons found in this FAQ. http://www.remtek.com/arms/
- The Terrorism Research Center http://www.terrorism.com and Special Operations
http://www.specialoperations.com websites, for their invaluable help and info on
the four Counterterrorist units described here.
- Very special thanks to Clair Rees (American Handgunner)-[Desert Eagle], Walt
Rauch (Guns and Weapons for Law Enforcement)-[M1/M3 Benelli and Glock 18], Peter
G.
Kokalis (Technical Editor: Soldier of Fortune Magazine)-[MP5] for their
informative
articles on most of the weapons found here.
- Doctor William D. Ehringer, Ph.D., for the ONLY Ingram MAC-10 article I could
find on the web. (I owe you big time, Doc)
- Richard Marcinko (Commander, US Navy Retired), the late Oswald Boelcke, and
many
other REAL Soldiers past, present, and future...for the 'Tactical Thought'
concepts
I noted in this FAQ. (Sirs of the present, please don't $@#!-can me for this)
- A -HUGE- NO THANKS to the morons who have nothing better to do than to throw
Flashbangs in front of their own teammates, and somehow manage to get killed by
their own HE Grenades in "Friendly-Fire Off" matches. (Who also go out of their
way
to call ME a stupid newbie at this game.)-_-x
Version 0.98
Copyright Wavehawk 04/20/2001
"Conventional warfare is outmoded, and we must prepare ourselves for the
unconventional in any future conflict."
- Maj. Gen. F.W. Farrell, 82nd Airborne Division (U.S. Army)
========
FOREWORD
========
This article is intended to describe and compare the weapons, equipment, and
teams
found in Half-Life:CounterStrike with their real-world counterparts. It is
intended
primarily to set to rest the arguments between various CS fans over the accuracy
of
the CounterStrike game modeling of such real-life weaponry, and how it affects
gameplay.
============
UPDATE BOARD
============
04/20/01 - Version 0.98
- First version of FAQ, Weapons/Ammo, Equipment, and Counterterrorist teams
described. Some Tactical Thoughts mentioned. Hopefully the next update will have
a
more complete listing of the weapon data, particularly for the Rifles and the
UMP45.
========
LEGALESE
========
This FAQ may only be shown at Gamefaqs . It is a non-
profit FAQ written for informational purposes and not to be marketed for any
purpose. Know fully well that if this is violated in any way, the writer and the
maintainers of the page this FAQ is displayed on are perfectly within his legal
rights to sue the pants off of you, since murder is not permissible. The
information written in this FAQ is not sponsored in any way by software
developers
Sierra, Valve, or the CounterStrike development team. Neither has it been
sponsored
or approved by small-arms companies Heckler & Koch GmbH, Fabrique Nationale,
Glock
GmbH, Colt Armaments USA, Kalashnikov Iszmash JSC, Schweizerische Industrie
Gesellschaft (SIG) Arms, Israeli Military Industries/Magnum Research Inc, Steyr
GmbH or Accuracy International.
=================
TABLE OF CONTENTS
=================
FOREWORD
UPDATE BOARD
LEGALESE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WEAPONS
1 - Pistols
1-1 H&K USP .45 Tactical (K&M .45)
1-2 Glock 18 Select Fire (9x19mm)
1-3 Desert Eagle .50 AE (Nighthawk)
1-4 SIG P228 (228)
1-5 Dual Beretta 96G (.40 Dual Elites)
1-6 FN Five Seven
2 - Shotguns
2-1 Benelli M3 Super90 (Leone 12 Gauge Super)
2-2 Benelli XM1014 (Leone YG1265 Auto Shotgun)
3 - Submachine Guns
3-1 H&K MP5-Navy (SMG)
3-2 Steyr Tactical Machine Pistol (Schmidt MP)
3-3 FN P90 (ES C90)
3-4 Ingram MAC-10
3-5 H&K UMP45 (K&M UMP45)
4 - Rifles
4-1 AK-47 (CV-47)
4-2 SIG SG-552 Commando (Krieg 552 Commando)
4-3 Colt M4A1 Carbine (Maverick M4A1 Carbine)
4-4 Steyr AUG (Bullpup)
4-5 Steyr Scout (Schmidt Scout)
4-6 AI Arctic Warfare/Magnum (Magnum Sniper Rifle)
4-7 H&K G3/SG-1 (D3/AV-1 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle)
4-8 SIG 550 Sniper (Krieg 550 Commando)
5 - Machine Guns
5-1 FN M249 Para (ES M249)
6 - Primary Ammo
A - Gauge 12 Shot
B - 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 Caliber Remington)
C - 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Caliber Winchester Magnum)
D - .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6x70mm)
7 - Secondary Ammo
A - 9x19mm NATO (Parabellum/Luger)
B - .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
C - .357 Caliber SIG/Magnum
D - 5.7x28mm FN (Fabrique Nationale)
E - .50 Caliber AE (Action Express)
8 - Equipment
8-1 Kevlar Armor
8-2 Kevlar Armor with Helmet
8-3 Flashbang
8-4 HE Grenade
8-5 Smoke Grenade
8-6 Defuse Kit [Counter-Terrorist Only]
8-7 Night Vision
Knife
C4 Explosives [Terrorist Only]
COUNTERTERRORIST TEAMS
SEAL Team Six
GSG-9
GIGN
SAS
TACTICAL THOUGHT
WISHLIST
OTHER FAQ
CONTACT
CREDITS
=======
WEAPONS
=======
Unlike most FPS shooters and multiplayer tournaments, the weapons in Half-
Life:CounterStrike are all based on existing real-world weapons. All of which
are
currently in use by one or other Military/Counterterrorist organization in the
world today. Those weapons are the primary reason for the existence of this FAQ;
many of the players of CounterStrike are fans of the Military Spec
Ops/Counterterrorist Genre, and often disagree upon the data of some weapons
used
in the game. Truth be told, there are naturally some tweaks in the game that
make
the weapons different from their real-life counterparts, and those differences
are
noted here.
In Version 1.0 of Half-Life:CounterStrike (Retail), the weapon names were
changed
from their real-life names to fictitious ones, to avoid potential copyright
infringements and/or misrepresentation of guns. I have listed the weapons under
their real names, but beside them are their alternate names in V1.0 where
possible.
For ease of reference, I've also sorted the weapons and equipment in the same
way
as it appears in the buy menu screen.
============
1 -- Pistols
============
There is a saying that every Special Operations man is a shooter. In general
this
is very true, since many Special Operations Forces, especially those in
Counterterrorist roles, usually have to work in situations where combat is up
close
and personal. Pistols are weapons specifically meant for these close-combat
situations, and when a rifle or submachinegun is empty or fails for some reason
in
the middle of a heated firefight, only a pistol and the troopers' handgunning
skill
stand in the way of him and being just another Terrorist kill statistic.
The handguns in CS are all known Special Forces or Government-Issue weapons, and
in
the case of the Glock 18, USP Tactical, and Five-SeveN, are sold exclusively to
government organizations.
1-1 H&K USP .45 Tactical (K&M .45)
WEAPON TYPE: .45 Tactical Semiautomatic Combat Pistol
WEAPON COST: $500
AMMO TYPE: .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
AMMO/MAX: 12/48
AMMO COST: $25 (12)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: Silencer
In 1991, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) requested a new kind
of
handgun for Special Operations, an Offensive Handgun for use with all US Special
Forces. Until that time, most handguns were used only as back-up weapons in case
a
primary weapon (Rifle or Submachinegun) failed or was emptied. The new weapon
was
developed as an alternative: a handgun that could itself be used as an
assaulter's
weapon if a suitable submachinegun or rifle was unavailable, impractical, or
simply
unusable. The requirements were that it should be powerful, silenced, and above
all
dead accurate to a quarter millimeter.
The contract fell to Heckler & Koch, which based the design upon their
successful USP-series pistols. Labeled the HK Mk23 Mod 0, it was better known as
the SOCOM pistol. It carried 12 rounds of .45 Caliber ammunition because SpecOps
people complained that the 15-round 9mm Beretta 92F was too weak, and the older
Colt .45 M1911 carried only 7 bullets (10 if you were using the extended clip).
The
Mk23 was matchless in terms of accuracy, durability, and reliability. It was a
near-perfect weapon with one major, irreparable flaw: size. Many Special Forces
operatives complained of its bulky size--almost as large as a Desert Eagle. Add
the
Sound Suppressor and Laser Aiming System and it became absolutely huge--16.65
inches of gun. Despite its great qualities, the SOCOM was not exactly a widely
acclaimed gun among SOF units.
HK had to trim the SOCOM down to a more manageable size, and the result
was
the HK USP Tactical, a gun that was basically a highly streamlined version of
the
SOCOM. Accurate (though not as pinpoint-accurate as the SOCOM), cheaper,
lighter,
and slightly smaller than the SOCOM, it was quickly adopted by SpecOps in lieu
of
the bigger gun. On the downside, it was not as amenable to harsh environments
and
seawater as the SOCOM, but the USP Tactical was a welcome alternative to the
SOCOM's size. The USP Tactical uses the same Sound Suppressor as the SOCOM, but
not
the Laser Aiming System designed for the bulkier-bodied SOCOM.
The USP Tactical should not be confused with the HK Mark 23, the
'civilianized' version of the SOCOM Pistol. The Mark23 is the same as the Mk23
Mod
0 SOCOM pistol with a 10-round clip and no suppressor, as well as slightly
different markings. Most of these are overstock SOCOM pistols HK is selling off
to
gun collectors. The USP Tactical is based upon the SOCOM and can be purchased by
some civilian security forces and police, but it is a completely different
weapon
from the SOCOM/Mark 23.
POINT: As an all-round handgun, the USP Tactical is the best handgun in the game
to
have, as it has moderate power, accuracy, and range, not to mention one of the
few
silence-able weapons there. It may not be of much use to a sniper, but to an
assaulting CT player, the USP makes for a fair backup weapon. The Desert Eagle
and
Five-SeveN are better at range, and the Glock 18 and SIG P228 are better up
close
and personal, but for the middle ground, the USP Tac is best.
HK USP Tactical
Caliber: .45 ACP
Type: .45 Tactical Semiautomatic Combat Pistol
Total Length: 218mm (8.58 in.)
Height (Total): 154mm (6.06 in.)
Width of Frame: 32mm (1.26 in.)
Empty Weight: 817g (1.8 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 12 Round Clip
1-2 Glock 18 Select Fire (9x19mm)
WEAPON TYPE: 9mm Select-Fire Automatic Machine Pistol
WEAPON COST: $400
AMMO TYPE: 9mm Parabellum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 20/100
AMMO COST: $20 (20)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: Burst-Fire Mode
The Glock 18 is a handgun that at first glance looks exactly like the
more
commonly-known Glock 17 9x19mm pistol. The only visible differences are a small
dial-like selector on one side, slightly different 'cuts' (gas vents) in the
slide,
and a barrel that extends out of the gun's slide. When holstered, even a handgun
expert could be forgiven for mistaking the Glock 18 as its more popular and
civilized brother, the Glock 17. But the two guns can't be more different; where
the Glock 17 is your standard 9mm handgun, the Glock 18 might be considered one
of
the world's smallest submachine pistols.
In CS, the Glock 18 can fire either semi-automatic or in a burst of 3
shots.
The real Glock 18 however, is more of a mini-SMG, firing either single-shot or
fully automatic. Originally designed as a small full-auto weapon for Counter-
Terrorist use, it's been used by agencies such as the U.S. DEA (Drug Enforcement
Administration) in some situations. Though a handgun, it's actually a fairly
good
shot using short bursts, although the recoil kick is quite powerful. The Glock
18
normally uses the 17-round Glock 17 9mm clips, but Glock also manufactures
extended
20- and 30-round clips specifically for this use.
POINT: This is more or less the same as the Glock 17 9mm handgun that you first
get
in the Half-Life game, only with a Burst-Fire option. The 3-Burst mode in CS is
obviously a game balancing point; surely in the first round a Terrorist with a
full-auto Glock 18 would easily make short work of his USP Tac-armed rivals! Of
course, the Glock being a pistol, a full-auto Glock 18 would not only empty its
magazine quickly, but also suffer horrendous recoil from it. The Burst Mode also
makes it superior to the USP Tac in Close Combat; if all 3 9mm bullets hit (and
this only happens in EXTREMELY Close Quarters), it does a lot more damage than a
single .45 Caliber ACP shot.
Glock 18
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Type: 9mm Select-Fire Automatic Machine Pistol
Total Length: 188mm (7.32 in.)
Height (Total): 138mm (5.43 in.)
Width of Frame: 30mm (1.18 in.)
Empty Weight: 620.86g (1.37 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 15/30 Round Clips
1-3 Desert Eagle .50 AE (Nighthawk)
WEAPON TYPE: .50 Semiautomatic Pistol
WEAPON COST: $650
AMMO TYPE: .50 Caliber AE (Action Express)
AMMO/MAX: 7/35
AMMO COST: $40 (7)
Few semiautomatic handguns, outside of the venerable Colt M1911 .45
Caliber,
are as well-known or feared as the Desert Eagle. Its appearance alone speaks
volumes and exudes a nasty attitude. The Desert Eagle was originally called the
"Magnum Eagle", and was designed by Magnum Research as an automatic pistol
capable
of firing the powerful .357 Cal Magnum round, which had until then been solely a
revolver round. IMI (Israeli Military Industries) offered funding and assistance
to
the company, and the result was the .357 Desert Eagle, quickly followed up by
a .44
Cal Magnum version. In 1991, a completely new round, the .50 Cal Action Express,
was developed, and the Desert Eagle .50 AE became the single most powerful
automatic handgun in the world.
The Desert Eagle isn't just a big and threatening gun, it's practically a
Hollywood celebrity. Since it first appeared in the 1984 film "Year of the
Dragon",
the Desert Eagle has been the 'big and bad' gun to use in action films--The
handguns that the MIB-like Agents in "The Matrix" use are all Desert Eagles, for
example. Quoting Clair Rees of American Handgunner: "Whenever a script calls for
a
wicked-looking, thoroughly intimidating handgun, the Desert Eagle still gets the
nod". On the practical side, the Desert Eagle 50 is also one of those rare few
handguns that used for big-game hunting; the heavy .50 round has been known to
kill
moose with a single shot. Surprisingly, the Desert Eagle .50 also has less
recoil
than one would expect, due to gas control venting inside the gun, which explains
why it is so accurate, even with follow-up shots.
In reality, the Desert Eagle isn't used much by the military, much less
Special Forces. Although it's powerful, it still packs only 7 shots for .50AE,
incredibly loud and hard to conceal, and even though the semiautomatic function
allows one to fire it faster than a revolver, the 7 rounds in the gun really
don't
lend well to it. Most conventional troops usually don't carry handguns, and
Special
Forces need either quieter guns or those with more ammo.
POINT: Because of its sheer size and weight, I think that the Desert Eagle
should
be a bit heavier to move with; Empty, they're almost as heavy as shotguns, and
definitely heavier than two Berettas!
IMI Desert Eagle
Caliber: .50 AE
Type: .50 Semiautomatic Pistol
Total Length: 273mm (10.75 in.)
Height (Total): 159mm (6.25 in.)
Width of Frame: 32mm (1.25 in.)
Empty Weight: 2050g (4.52 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 7 Round Clip
1-4 SIG P228 (228)
WEAPON TYPE: .357 Semiautomatic Pistol
WEAPON COST: $600
AMMO TYPE: .357 Caliber SIG
AMMO/MAX: 13/52
AMMO COST: $50 (13)
The SIG P228 is based upon SIG's popular (albeit expensive) 9mm handgun,
the
SIG P226, and is chambered for two ammo types, 9mm and .357 Cal SIG. The P228
has
good ergonomics and a solid construction, though many gun aficionados consider
it
"an ugly duckling of a gun". The 9mm version of the P228 is often used by the US
Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID), US Air Force Office of Special
Investigations (OSI), and some sections of the FBI as the gun is highly reliable
straight out of the box with little to no adjustment. The .357 version is a bit
harder to find, but outside of the powerful kick of the .357 round it carries,
it
is virtually identical to the 9mm version.
Admittedly, the real SIG P228 can't hold a candle to the HK USP Tactical
when
it comes to sheer range accuracy, but its lighter weight and .357 ammo make it
an
incredible stopper at close combat ranges, where smaller guns excel. Like the
Glock
18, the P228 in CounterStrike is best used 'in your face', and its high ammo
capacity makes it an attractive alternative to the 7-shot Desert Eagle. Despite
this, the P228 is still meant more as a defensive pistol (unlike the offensive
USP
Tac) rather than an assault pistol, and is best used as such--a backup weapon.
POINT: Until the Five-SeveN appeared, the SIG P228 was the second best handgun
in
the game. Powerful .357 Cal ammo and fairly good capacity were its best traits,
although it isn't as good as the USP Tactical when taking slightly longer-range
shots. Now that the Five-SeveN is available, CTs have a better choice for ranged
shots. Terrorists who can't afford the Desert Eagle but need some considerable
punch in a backup can still purchase this as an alternative, though.
SIG P228
Caliber: .357 SIG
Type: .357 Semiautomatic Pistol
Total Length: 180.34mm (7.1 in.)
Height (Total): 137.16mm (5.4 in.)
Width of Frame: 38mm (1.5 in.)
Empty Weight: 740g (1.63 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 13 Round Clip
1-5 Dual Beretta 96G (.40 Dual Elites) [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 9mm Semiautomatic Combat Pistol
WEAPON COST: $1000
AMMO TYPE: 9mm Parabellum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/120
AMMO COST: $20 (30)
The 9mm Beretta series of pistols were first developed in the mid-80's as
a
9x19mm replacement for the U.S. Army's old Colt .45 M1911 pistol (to the
consternation of many longtime Colt 45 fans in the Military). Since then,
Berettas
have been popular for Military, Police, and Civilian shooters. Arguably 7 out of
every 10 9mm pistols in the world are Berettas. The 96G Elite is a 1996 edition
of
the Military-issue Beretta 92F (Called the M9 in US Army circles), and
considered
one of the world's premier Combat 9mm guns, combining accuracy and reliability
with
an acceptable cost per gun.
In CS, these are sold as a pair and held John Woo-style, and are actually
used in the same way--running around with your fingers frantically pulling on
the
triggers and throwing a lot of 9mm ammo in the air. This is why it's expensive
in
the game--You're basically buying 2 Berettas at $500 apiece.
POINT: It would be nice if the Dual Berettas had an alternate fire mode. As they
are now, the guns are fairly accurate in the first shot but lose it badly after
following it up (No surprise. It's hard to shoot accurately with a gun in each
hand). If it were possible, I'd prefer the Berettas to be firing normally (i.e.
one
gun at a time) with the advantage of 30 shots (since you merely draw the second
Beretta after emptying the first), and make the two-handed and faster firing
stance
a secondary fire option instead. This would make the Beretta more accurate when
in
normal mode. But no matter how you stretch it, one 15-Round pistol plus one 15-
Round pistol does not equal one 30-Round SMG.
Beretta 96G Elite
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Type: 9mm Semiautomatic Combat Pistol
Total Length: 217mm (8.5 in)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 975g (2.15 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 15 Round Clip
1-6 FN Five SeveN [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.7mm Semiautomatic Tactical Combat Pistol
WEAPON COST: $750
AMMO TYPE: 5.7x28mm FN (Fabrique Nationale)
AMMO/MAX: 20/100
AMMO COST: $50 (50)
Developed at the same time as the FN P90, there's just no other handgun
in
the world like the FN Five-SeveN (The capital "N" at the end is not a
typographical
error; FN obviously emphasized the "FN" in Five-SeveN as a marketing point).
First
developed in 1995 and chambered in FN's custom 5.7x28mm round, the Five-SeveN is
a
weapon that can punch through any kind of Kevlar body armor or helmet currently
in
existence--Even CRISAT armor (Light Titanium Flak Vest with Kevlar layering). At
the same time it's lighter, smaller, and still packs more ammo than most
standard
9mm pistols, has an ergonomic grip, and possessing very low recoil, making it
ridiculously easy to shoot accurately with it.
The only trouble with the Five-SeveN is that it has not been used in a
real
gun battle. Since its purpose is primarily to be used against an opponent with
body
armor, there hasn't been any opportunity as of yet to use the gun in actual
combat.
Critics of the gun say that it does very little actual damage, while FN and some
NATO shooters claim that it is more powerful than the 9mm round. FN hopes that
the
5.7mm round will soon replace the 9mm round as NATO standard-issue pistol ammo,
which is why the Five-SeveN and the critically-acclaimed P90 are currently being
issued to some NATO frontline units. Since it uses an armorpiercing round, the
Five-SeveN is one pistol that will most likely never be sold to anyone outside
the
military.
POINT: Since the 5.7mm round is armorpiercing, I think the Five-SeveN rounds
should, like the Desert Eagle, go through crates. Of course, there's a
corresponding drop in damage, but every little bit counts. It's easily the most
accurate gun in the game, good enough that you can actually snipe with it to
some
extent. I actually prefer it to the Desert Eagle when packing shotguns, if only
for
the range accuracy. It also has an incredible 20-round clip, high rate of semi-
auto
fire, and almost negligible recoil from it. It's a fairly versatile gun for the
CT
player who wants a little more ammo than what the USP or P228 can offer.
FN Five-SeveN
Caliber: 5.7mm FN
Type: 5.7mm Semiautomatic Tactical Combat Pistol
Total Length: 208mm (8.2 in)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 618g (1.36 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 20 Round Clip
=============
2 -- Shotguns
=============
Forget everything you know about Shotguns from the movies and from Doom, Duke
Nukem, or Quake. Although shotguns are indeed monster weapons at close range,
they're practically worthless anywhere else. Among Counterterrorist Units, a
shotgun is used not as a combat weapon but as an entry weapon--to blow the
hinges
off of doors when door charges or lockpicking would take too long, and silence
is
not essential.
Nonetheless, Shotguns also make for incredible room-clearing weapons wherein
there
are lots of Terrorists, cramped quarters, and no civilians or hostages in the
area.
That said, it takes an exceptional kind of skill for someone to master a shotgun
in
such close-range combat, especially a pump-action (or Manual) shotgun. Most true
combat shotguns are semiautomatic or automatic for the purposes of
room-clearing.
Still, they lack the mid-range capabilities of SMGs or the long-range finesse of
a
good rifle.
2-1 Benelli M3 Super90 (Leone 12 Gauge Super)
WEAPON TYPE: 12-Gauge Tactical Entry Shotgun
WEAPON COST: $1700
AMMO TYPE: 12 Gauge Buckshot
AMMO/MAX: 8/32
AMMO COST: $65 (8)
The Benelli M3 Super 90 Tactical Entry Shotgun is a gun designed by
Benelli
of Italy and marketed by Heckler & Koch. If you've played Rainbow Six or Rogue
Spear before, this is practically the same as the Benelli M1 Tactical Shotgun in
that game. The difference is that while the Benelli M1 is a Semiautomatic self-
loading shotgun, while the M3 can be selected to fire either Semiautomatic or
Manual (Pump-Action).
The version used in CS is configured purely for Pump-Action and fitted
with a
solid Kevlar stock. In real life, the 12-Gauge shot may not penetrate the Kevlar
vest at all, but the power of the round itself (especially when used at close
range) is enough to break ribs or even cause internal bleeding. If you're lucky,
it'll only feel like you were kicked pointblank by a mule, and will leave you
unconscious for quite some time. At the worst, you could be looking at crushed
lungs.
The M3 is configured for Semi-auto firing when using standard 12-Gauge
shotgun loads. But when the shotgunner needs to quickly swap from that to
another
ammo type, say Tear Gas rounds or Flares, he can quickly select the Pump-Action
mode and manually load in a new round. The Semi-auto feature, it seems, also
makes
the loading of the shotgun harder and slightly slower than a typical
pump-action.
The gun allows a shotgunner to load the full capacity of 7 shot shells plus one
in
the barrel chamber, giving the M3 a total of 8 rounds.
POINT: It would be nice if you could select-fire this weapon from Semi-auto to
Pump-Action manual, but that would completely defeat the reason and existence of
the 2nd shotgun in the game, the Benelli XM1014. There are two advantages to the
M3: one is that at close range, it's virtually a one-shot kill weapon. The other
is
that it's one of the lightest primary weapons that pack a considerable punch.
However, this power is only of good use in close combat, so equipping a shotgun
in
a map with a lot of wide open spaces is suicide. There are only very few maps
wherein the M3 can be used to its fullest. The cramped hallways of cs_italy,
cs_backalley, or cs_estate/cs_mansion are the best; close range areas wherein
you
only have to face one opponent at a time, since the manual pump-action takes
considerable time between shots.
Benelli M3 Super 90
Caliber: 12 Gauge
Type: Select-Fire Tactical Shotgun
Total Length: 901.7mm (35.5 in.)
Height (Total): 184.15mm (7.25 in.)
Width of Frame: 57.15mm (2.25 in.)
Empty Weight: 2950g (6.5 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 7 + 1 Shells
2-2 Benelli XM1014 (Leone YG1265 Auto Shotgun)
WEAPON TYPE: 12-Gauge Semiautomatic Combat Shotgun
WEAPON COST: $3000
AMMO TYPE: 12 Gauge Buckshot
AMMO/MAX: 7/32
AMMO COST: $65 (8)
The Benelli XM1014 was originally named the Benelli M4 Super 90, and was
adopted on 02/12/99 by the U.S. Marine Corps as their new Combat Shotgun.
However,
since there already was a weapon in the US arsenal labeled the M4 (The Colt M4A1
Carbine), it was re-designated the XM1014. The weapon is Semiautomatic, like the
Benelli M1, but is designed tougher; The M1 and M3 shotguns were originally
designed for Police and Urban work, not for jungle or other hostile
environments.
It carries 6 shells and can load another in the barrel, a total of 7 rounds.
Technically, the XM1014 and the Benelli M3 fire off the same ammunition of 12
Gauge
shot, but in CS, the XM1014 is slightly weaker than the M3. This is most likely
an
adjustment due to game balance than anything else.
POINT: Unlike the M3, the XM1014's semiautomatic capabilities allow for
incredibly
close-quarters room clearing. Like the M3, it has a lighter weight than most
SMGs
(Save for the Steyr TMP), but the automatic ability allows it to fire much
faster
than the M3. The downside is that unlike the M3, it isn't possible to do a one-
hit
close-combat kill with the XM1014 (it takes the XM1014 at least two shots for a
CQB
kill). But the ability of full automatic fire makes this a better choice when
against two or more SMG-wielding opponents in cramped quarters. A full SMG is
still
a better-rounded option, though.
Benelli XM1014 Combat Shotgun System (Telescoping Stock)
Caliber: 12 gauge (18.4 mm)
Type: Semiautomatic Combat Shotgun
Total Length: 1010.92mm (39.8 in.) with stock extended,
886.46mm (34.9 in.) with stock compressed
Height (Total): 184.15mm (7.25 in.)
Width of Frame: 57.15mm (2.25 in.)
Empty Weight: 3840g (8.44 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 6 + 1 Shells
====================
3 -- Submachine Guns
====================
Generally, a submachinegun is any light weapon that fires pistol ammo, but at
high
rates of fire close to those of a true machine gun. That said, there's a lot of
inconsistencies between SMGs. Some like the MP5 are accurate, while others like
the
MAC-10 simply have a high rate of fire. No two SMGs were designed with the same
goal in mind, which is why directly comparing one SMG with another isn't quite
fair
at times. To sum up, here are the usual ideas behind SMGs:
- A smaller, scaled-down version of an Assault Rifle. (MP5, UMP45)
- A small weapon capable of high rates of fire. (MAC-10)
- A personal defense weapon more powerful than a pistol but not as big as a
rifle.
(Steyr TMP)
- A more compact alternative to a full-scale assault rifle (FN P90)
- A fully-automatic firing pistol.
3-1 H&K MP5-Navy (SMG)
WEAPON TYPE: 9mm Combat Submachinegun, (Navy SEAL variant)
WEAPON COST: $1500
AMMO TYPE: 9mm Parabellum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/120
AMMO COST: $20 (30)
The HK MP5 is one SMG that really needs no introduction. Based upon HK's
G3
rifle design, it was the first SMG known for its accuracy and controllability in
combat. In fact, many note that the MP5 appears as a scaled-down G3 chambered
for
9mm, and the MP5's rifle-like design (As opposed to the pistol-configured
designs
of Uzis, Ingrams, and most other SMGs) adds to that idea. As a weapon, it is the
single most successful SMG design in the world, and without a doubt the most
popular and trusted. Even more so because of the infinite variety of types an
MP5
can be modified to, from the normal MP5A2 (full-size MP5 with solid Kevlar
stock),
to the compact MP5-K (short barrel with handgrip and no stock), and the
Counterterrorists' favorite MP5SD3 (full-size MP5 with retractable stock and
built-
in silencer). There are also variants of the MP5 chambered for 10mm, .40 Cal
S&W,
and .45 Cal ACP.
The MP5 version in CounterStrike is the MP5/N, also known as the MP5
Navy. It
is a full-size MP5 with a retractable stock and 3-stage firing type (Safe,
Single-
shot, Full Auto), and is almost identical to the MP5A3 (full-size MP5 with
retractable stock) version, only made more durable for Spec Ops usage. Due to
security reasons HK has not revealed exactly how the MP5 Navy is different from
the
standard MP5A3. Nonetheless, it is every bit as accurate as the next MP5, and
its
robust and reliable construction make it a winner in any respect. Consequently,
it
is the one SMG adopted by almost every small-unit team in the world from the
Navy
SEALs, British SAS, GSG-9, etc., up to the SWAT teams of various countries. The
MP5
is THE submachinegun to beat, and the world's standard in terms of
hostage-rescue
weaponry.
The official HK designation for this weapon is the HK54. It got its
current
name of MP5 due to the West German Border Guard--MP5 stands for Machine Pistol
5.
The A, SD, and other extensions added to the designation of the MP5 indicate
what
variant they are. The weapon itself is the same. Thus, an MP5A2 (With solid
Kevlar
stock) can be changed into an MP5A3 (With retractable stock) simply by swapping
attachments. The MP5K however, due to its smaller size, cannot fit a normal MP5
stock and must use a modified stock. With all that has been done for the MP5,
it's
considerably hard to improve on what many consider an almost-perfect
submachinegun.
POINT: The MP5 is the ideal SMG to use, and in terms of balance plus cost, the
best
SMG of the game, available to both sides. A secondary fire option providing the
MP5
with a suppressor would be nice, but not really all that necessary in the game.
The
MP5/N in CS is modeled very faithfully after the real MP5 in the sense of its
use
and effectivity (Although a real MP5 would be far costlier). Whether it's to
assault, to ambush, or to cover a hasty retreat, the MP5 is the best SMG to have
at
a relatively cheap price. But to get the most of the weapon, remember that it's
a
weapon intended to assault, and does so best in middle range or closer.
HK MP5/N
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Type: 9mm Combat Submachinegun, (Navy SEAL variant)
Total Length: 660mm (25.98 in.)
Height (Total): 210mm (8.26 in.)
Width of Frame: 50mm (1.96 in.)
Empty Weight: 2880g (6.34 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
3-2 Steyr TMP (Schmidt MP) [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 9mm Tactical Machine Pistol/Personal Defense Weapon
WEAPON COST: $1250
AMMO TYPE: 9mm Parabellum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/120
AMMO COST: $20 (30)
Handguns used by support forces such as aircraft maintenance crews and
medics
carried were next to useless when an enemy armed with SMGs or assault rifles
attacked these non-combat troops. On the other take, a full-size SMG or rifle
was
too large and bulky to be used by people who weren't supposed to fight in the
first
place. Out of this was developed the PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) concept. The
TMP
is an SMG designed with the PDW concept in mind. It has the full-auto
capabilities
of a good SMG, and at the same time light and easy to handle as a pistol. Since
the
TMP was designed for non-combatants, it also had to be intuitive enough for
someone
to fire well even with little training.
The TMP does not have the range of most other SMGs, being designed for
very
close-in engagements. It also has no stock whatsoever; Steyr believes that
adding
one would only add weight and hinder a person's reaction time. But this lack of
stock (upon which to brace and absorb recoil) is one of the reasons the TMP
isn't
quite as good as an equivalent MP5 in terms of accuracy. This isn't to say that
the
weapon is inaccurate; in fact, it's quite sharp at close ranges and fires very
quickly. But being a PDW, it's not really meant as an offensive weapon, which is
why the TMP isn't as good as an MP5 when taking out ranged targets. Nonetheless,
TMPs can also fit a Sound/Flash Suppressor, and the combination of light weight
and
small size make it a viable option for Special Operations forces undergoing
highly
covert operations.
POINT: Because of its high rate of fire, it's sometimes difficult to fire the
TMP
single-shot all the time. Even with a silencer, firing the TMP full-auto gives a
noise akin to that of a zipper going Mach 1. The TMP's pistol characteristics
make
it quicker to aim and shoot than an MP5. On the other hand, its small size and
high
rate of fire give it a considerable recoil kick for a small weapon; A full-auto
burst bucks straight upwards. In CQB, this can sometimes work to your advantage
in
getting headshots at close range.
Steyr TMP
Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
Type: 9mm Tactical Machine Pistol/Personal Defense Weapon
Total Length: 400mm (15.74 in.)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 1300g (2.86 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 20/30 Round Clips
3-3 FN P90 (ES C90)
WEAPON TYPE: 5.7mm Submachinegun/Personal Defense Weapon
WEAPON COST: $2350
AMMO TYPE: 5.7x28mm FN (Fabrique Nationale)
AMMO/MAX: 50/100
AMMO COST: $50 (50)
In the mid-1980s, NATO began seriously considering the existence of an
enemy
wearing Kevlar body armor, and how it would affect future combat engagements.
Against a rifle, Kevlar provided only minimal protection, but it was a lifesaver
against SMGs and pistols, which prompted NATO to consider switching to another
ammo
round. Fabrique National (FN) of Belgium presented an answer: the 5.7x28mm FN
round, a small bullet that looked like a smaller version of the 5.56x45mm rounds
used by NATO for its Rifles and Carbines. Not only that, FN produced two weapons
for the new round, the Five-SeveN and the FN P90 SMG.
The FN P90, like the Steyr TMP, it was originally designed with the PDW
(Personal Defense Weapon) concept in mind, only chambered for 5.7mm as opposed
to
the 9mm SMGs existing. The weapon has been tested against Kevlar and CRISAT
(Titanium plus layered Kevlar armor) and easily made short work of its targets.
It
was highly compact, carried a large clip, and is easily maintained due to the
simplicity of most of its working parts. Top it off with an incredibly robust
construction, and its small wonder that European Special Forces teams have
literally fallen in love with the P90.
In the early versions of CS, the P90 is equipped with the .338 Lapua
round.
The real P90, on the other hand, is armed with the 5.7x28mm FN round. Since the
FN
Five-SeveN only appeared starting V1.0, it's likely that the incorrect caliber
was
more to accommodate the ammo type. In V1.0, the P90 now uses the 5.7mm round,
even
if the data file (at the buy screen) still shows it as .338 Lapua Magnum. Other
than that and one other detail, the FN P90 in CS functions just like the real
thing. As either a PDW or assault SMG, the P90 leaves little left to be desired,
and may someday revolutionize the way SMGs are made and used.
POINT: The other little detail is the same note mentioned above for the Five-
SeveN.
5.7m rounds should be able to punch through crates easily. The P90's power and
high
ammo load sometimes prompts one to forget that this is still an SMG, after all.
Light, maneuverable, and capable of putting a LOT of heavy lead in the air, it's
a
good weapon to use when in a pinch and cramped in close quarters with two or
more
enemies bearing down on you. If it were only more accurate while moving (like
the
real P90), the P90 would be the best weapon to use in a head-on assault.
FN P90
Caliber: 5.7mm FN
Type: 5.7mm Submachinegun/Personal Defense Weapon
Total Length: 500mm (19.7 in.)
Height (Total): 210mm (8.25 in.)
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 2500g (5.9 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 50 Round Clip
3-4 Ingram MAC-10 [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: .45 Automatic Machine Pistol
WEAPON COST: $1400
AMMO TYPE: .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
AMMO/MAX: 30/96
AMMO COST: $25 (12)
The Ingram MAC-10 was one of the first SMGs used by the Navy SEALs until
the
more accurate MP5 was adopted. Named after its creator Gordon Ingram, the MAC-10
was chambered for 9mm and .45 Caliber ACP (The MAC-11, which was based on the
MAC-
10, was chambered for .380 Caliber and 9mm). In the 1970's it was the most
popular
SMG in America--cheap, easy to manufacture, mass-produced, and usually reliable
in
performance. AFAIK the gun is no longer being produced thanks to US laws banning
automatic weapons, and the emergence of the more reliable MP5 for Police and
Military use. Nicknamed the "American Uzi", it also (thanks to many late 80's
action movies) has the dubious reputation of being the favorite weapon of
Colombian
Druglords and Cartels. The MAC-10 is also one of the first SMGs designed to
accept
a Sound Suppressor (long before the HK MP5SD SMGs), and among some of its fans
is
called "The Silent Killer".
The MAC-10 was actually made by various different gun makers, so there
has
been notable inconsistency of quality between the various guns. The original
Military Armaments Corporation MAC-10s are the best (MAC stands for Military
Armaments Corporation, Gordon Ingram's company which went bankrupt in 1976),
while
others were anywhere between good quality to bottom-of-the-barrel bad in terms
of
construction or reliability (depending on who made them). The version of the
MAC-
10
in CS is most likely not one of the originals; First-Edition Mint-Condition MAC-
10s
fetch a fairly good price among gun collectors on the Internet nowadays.
SMG fans are usually divided about the MAC-10. But all of them, fans and
detractors alike, admit that the MAC-10 is a real bullet-hose, emptying a 30-
round
clip in less than 3 seconds. It's certainly not the kind of SMG to use when
engaged
in a hostage-rescue operation, but a good weapon to use when in close quarters
and
needing lots of cover fire. One of the reasons that the Ingram MAC-10's name was
not changed at all (unlike the other guns) in v1.0 retail of CS might be due to
the
fact that there are no more copyrights pending on this weapon, and the companies
that made it are no longer in business.
POINT: It would be interesting if the next version of CS allowed a Terrorist to
attach a Silencer to the MAC-10. Not only would it be realistic, it'd also give
Terrorists more reason to use this weapon. More than any other SMG in
CounterStrike, the MAC-10 should be used to ambush rather than directly assault.
The MP5 and UMP45 outshoot it at medium range, the P90 has a bigger clip plus
better ammo, and the Steyr TMP has a slightly higher rate of fire. The MAC-10
works
like the TMP in the sense that its pistol-styled handling make it faster to
shoot
with, but the kick of the .45 Cal ACP rounds make it a bad choice for ranged
duels.
It's best to camp, waiting for some poor schmoe to walk by and nail him up close
and personal with the MAC-10, much the same way you would do with the Steyr TMP.
Ingram MAC-10
Caliber: .45 ACP
Type: .45 Automatic Machine Pistol
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: ?
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
3-5 H&K UMP45 (K&M UMP45)
WEAPON TYPE: .45 Combat Submachinegun
WEAPON COST: $1700
AMMO TYPE: .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
AMMO/MAX: 25/100
AMMO COST: $25 (12)
The HK UMP45 (Universal Machine Pistol 45) is a new SMG based upon HK's MP5
design,
and fires the .45 Cal ACP round. The UMP45 has a much lower rate of fire, in
order
to fire more accurately and control the .45 Cal round's recoil.
POINT: The UMP45's design and accuracy are all reminiscent of the MP5, and many
consider it a more powerful MP5. However, despite it's inherent accuracy, it's
not
the kind of SMG to be stuck with in close combat with, as its slow rate of fire
will allow an enemy with a faster gun to easily ventilate you before you score a
good hit. I do not use the UMP45 much, so I will reserve further judgement on it
until I know more.
HK UMP45
Caliber: .45 ACP
Type: .45 Combat Submachinegun
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: ?
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
===========
4 -- Rifles
===========
Regardless of what country you're in, it's Rifles, not SMGs that are the
standard
infantryman's weapon. From the ancient muskets to the modern assault rifles, a
rifle is the mainstay long arm of all troops, and one that it is mandatory for
all
military forces to learn to use. They lack the maneuverability and light weight
of
submachineguns, but they also pack more firepower and recoil as well. That said,
most rifles are best used from a stationary position, to take shots at range,
rather than the CQB of SMG combat. Of course, there are exceptions...
4-1 AK-47 (CV-47) [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 7.62mm Main Battle Rifle (Soviet)
WEAPON COST: $2500
AMMO TYPE: 7.62x51mm Winchester Magnum (NATO)
CLIP/MAX: 30/90
CLIP COST: $80 (30)
SPECIAL OPTION: None
If there is any weapon in the world that has become synonymous with the
word
'Terrorist', it is this--the Kalashnikov AK-47 Assault rifle. First designed in
1946 by Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov as a combat rifle for Soviet Tank crews
to
use, the AK47's robust design, cheap manufacturing costs, and high amount of
firepower immediately made it the standard infantry rifle for the Soviet Union
and
all of its allies as of 1949. Up to today, in spite of newer rifles existing,
the
AK47 is still the favored rifle of Post-Communist Russia and other small forces.
The Kalashnikov may well be the most successful Assault Rifle design in
the
world. Over 30-50 million were produced, and that still does not include bootleg
copies produced in Iraq, China, or in other countries. The AK47 is a very heavy
rifle, more in the class of the M14 Rifle than the M16, and was highly
inaccurate
when used on Fully Automatic fire; However, its Semi-auto firing capabilities
are
very good. The famed Russian Dragunov Sniper Rifle, in fact, has many of the
AK47's
parts as its base.
POINT: The Real AK47 actually uses the 7.62x39mm Soviet round, but for game
simplicity it uses the 7.62x51mm NATO round in CounterStrike. It is actually
very
accurate, but its horrific recoil tends to throw its fire off greatly in a
sustained burst. Even Burst-Firing the AK47 is a tough task, as the 7.62mm
round's
power can throw the second shot way off unless in close combat. Used
Single-Fire,
it is highly accurate and damaging. It's also an extremely heavy weapon; the
older
AK uses hardwood and cast-iron parts rather than the Kevlar/Polymer and Steel
construction of other guns.
Kalashnikov AK-47
Caliber: 7.62mm
Type: 7.62mm Main Battle Rifle (Soviet)
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 4300g (9.47 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-2 SIG SG-552 Commando (Krieg 552 Commando) [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Assault Carbine
WEAPON COST: $3500
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/90
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x Zoom View
SIG Arms' 550-series Assault Rifles ("Sturmgewehr" or "Storm Rifle") are
SIG
arms' answer to the Colt M4 or the HK G36 rifles, and made the standard rifle of
the Swiss Army. Previously there were two variants: the original SG-550 Rifle
and
the Police Carbine SG551 used by the French GIGN. The SG-552 is the Special
Forces
Carbine version of the 550, equipped with a foldable stock and a scope. The
Folding
Stock is an important feature; because of this, a 552 can be compacted even
further, to the dimensions of an SMG, but retaining the power of the Assault
Carbine that it is.
POINT: I was unable to find much in the way of definitive information on the SG-
552
Commando online, but if the real rifle is anything like it's CS counterpart, I
pray
that such a weapon in real life would never fall into the wrong hands. As an
assault weapon, it's simply incredible. The attached 2x Scope that it packs also
gives it some limited sniping ability. Having smaller recoil than the Steyr AUG
also helps as you can have less worries about going full-auto in CQB.
SIG-552 Commando
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Assault Carbine
Total Length: 825.5mm (32.5 in)
Height (Total): 285mm (11.22in.)
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 3492.66g (7.7 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-3 Colt M4A1 Carbine (Maverick M4A1 Carbine) [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Assault Carbine (Silenced)
WEAPON COST: $3100
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/90
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: Silencer
The M4 Carbine is one of the most popular assault weapons in the Western
world at the moment. Basically, it is a Colt/Armalite M16A2 Rifle that has been
shortened, made more durable and lighter for maneuverability and use, while
still
retaining the tack-driving accuracy of the original M16A2 rifle. The firing
mechanism is exactly the same as the M16, but with a shorter scope and
collapsible
stock. This basically gives the firepower of a full Assault Rifle in a more
manageable package, hence the name Carbine (A shortened rifle sacrificing some
long-range reach for maneuverability). There have been Carbine versions of the
M16A2 before, but the M4 thus far is the most successful, its capabilities
having
been requested by none other than the U.S. Marine Corps for their operations.
The
weapon is also slowly replacing all M16A2 rifles in U.S. Military Service.
The M4A1 is a variant of the M4 designed specifically for U.S. Army
Rangers
and Special Operations Forces (SOF). It can mount a scope (Normal or Night
Vision)
and a small Flash/Sound Suppressor attachment, the same as in CounterStrike.
I've
actually had the privilege of handling an M4 as well as the M16A1 (The older
Vietnam-era M16), and there really is a huge difference; the M4 carries quite
easily with the stock retracted.
POINT: Although CS fans gripe about the M4A1 losing its scope, it makes sense
for
practical reasons, since real M4A1 Carbines in service with the Navy SEALs were
intended for mid- to close-range assault-style combat than actual sniping.
Still,
the M4A1 is a good rifle for both long- and close-range shooting.
Colt M4A1
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Assault Carbine (Silenced)
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: ?
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-4 Steyr AUG (Bullpup) [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Bullpup Battle Rifle
WEAPON COST: $3500
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/90
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x Zoom View
Steyr designed the Steyr AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr) for the Austrian
Army,
and is easily the most recognizable Bullpup-styled Assault rifle in the world.
Its
sleek form makes it easy to carry, and the built-in scope also doubles as an
equally durable carrying handle. It's also highly accurate, even more so than
the
M16A1, much less the M4A1. Light, maneuverable and powerful, it was an early
favorite in the days before the M4A1 Carbine. Currently, the AUG is the standard
rifle of the Austrian Armed Forces, and is well-known for combining
maneuverability
with power.
POINT: The real AUG's scope is locked at 1.5x rather than 2x magnification. And
yes, the AUG is the most accurate of the Assault Rifles, but its powerful recoil
makes even a 3-shot burst fairly inaccurate at long ranges. Though the AUG is
actually good for close- to mid-range short bursts and priceless for limited
long-
range single-shot sniping, it completely loses it when going full-auto; only the
AK47 has worse recoil than this, and it at least packs a heavier bullet.
Steyr AUG
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Bullpup Battle Rifle
Total Length: 787.4mm (31 In.)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 3606.05g (7.95 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-5 Steyr Scout (Schmidt Scout)
WEAPON TYPE: .308 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
WEAPON COST: $2750
AMMO TYPE: 7.62x51mm Winchester Magnum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 10/60
AMMO COST: $80 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x/4x Sniper Scope
There are many other weapons that are either more accurate or pack more
of a
punch than the Scout. That said, it is still an ideal weapon for a single Recon
or
Scout trooper, hence the name. Although most modern Recon units now use Assault
Rifles, the Scout is a good weapon to have; a fairly accurate Sniper Rifle that
is
light, effective, and packs a 7.62mm wallop. Consequently, the Scout is also a
very
good hunting rifle--no surprise since many of the smaller bolt-action 'Sniper'
rifles are modified variants of existing bolt-action hunting guns.
One does not pick the Scout and hole up near-permanently in a sniping
perch
as you would other Sniper Rifles. Its light weight make it more ideal for a
Recon
trooper to take quick, lethal potshots at enemies from a distance, then scamper
away for another cover. This is real-life Assault Sniping; taking a shot only at
the best opportunity, immediately escaping after firing the shot.
POINT: The reason many people dislike the Scout is because unlike the AWM it
cannot
kill in one shot. Nonetheless, it is a very good weapon in the right hands, and
must be used as a true Scout is used--to hit and run as much as possible. The
key
word is: Target of opportunity fire. Don't stick around; the Steyr is not the
rifle
to use for a camping Sniper. Take a bead with your rifle, fire off a shot, then
swap to your knife and run like your behind was on fire.
Steyr Scout
Caliber: 7.62mm
Type: .308 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
Total Length: 1006mm (39.57 in.)
Height (Total): 279.4mm (11 In.)
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 3143.4g (6.93 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 10 Round Clip
4-6 AI Arctic Warfare/Magnum (Magnum Sniper Rifle)
WEAPON TYPE: .338 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
WEAPON COST: $4750
AMMO TYPE: .338 Magnum Lapua
AMMO/MAX: 10/30
AMMO COST: $125 (10)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x/4x Sniper Scope
Accuracy International is a British-based arms company that manufactures
both
sporting and sniping rifles. The AWM is their most powerful weapon, armed with
the
unique .338 Cal Lapua Magnum, one of the few rounds short of an antiaircraft gun
than can easily penetrate thin concrete or vehicles. Technically speaking, the
AWM
and the AWP are two completely different weapons; the AWP (Police) is chambered
for
.308 Winchester Magnum (7.62mm), while the AWM (Military) is chambered in .338
Lapua Magnum. The CS version is most definitely the AWM rifle.
POINT: In real life, all of the rifles in CS can achieve a one-hit kill with or
without Kevlar. Game-wise, however, only one weapon can do this at any and all
ranges--the AWM rifle. In the earlier Beta editions of CS, the AWM was accurate
and
lethal at all ranges (one of the reasons I hadn't gotten into CS until V1.0),
but
with V1.0 it is now inaccurate without the scope. Version 1.1 lowers the non-
scope
shooting of the AWM even more, and will only kill with head or torso shots.
Although old-time players gripe, I think it's a good thing, because there are
many
gamers out there who are afraid to play due to fear of the Anything-Goes AWM.
Nonetheless, the AWM is still the most powerful gun in-game.
Accuracy Intl AWM
Caliber: .338 Magnum Lapua
Type: .338 Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
Total Length: 1200mm (47 in.)
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 6000g (13.2 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 5/10 Round Clips
4-7 H&K G3/SG-1 (D3/AV-1 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle) [Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 7.62mm Select-Fire Automatic Sniper Rifle
WEAPON COST: $5000
AMMO TYPE: 7.62x51mm Winchester Magnum (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 20/60
AMMO COST: $80 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x/4x Sniper Scope
The very first rifle ever designed by Heckler & Koch, the 7.62mm G3
Assault
Rifle was made into the German Army's standard long weapon. It became the basis
of
practically all of Heckler & Koch's long arms, influencing the design of the MP5
Submachineguns (which in effect is like a scaled-down G3 in construction), the
PSG-
1/MSG-90 Sniper Rifles, and the G36 Assault rifles in use today.
The G3/SG-1 is a special project of H&K made at the request of the German
Armed Forces (Deutsche Bundeswehr). At first glance, it looks like the older G3,
mounted with a Hensoldt telescopic Sight. The difference is in the handling; the
G3/SG-1 in Semiautomatic (single-shot) mode functions like a sniper rifle. But
when
in Full-Auto mode, it becomes more like an Assault Rifle. What H&K created, in
effect, was a 'halfway' rifle--one that could be used either as a Sniper or an
Assault Rifle in any given situation. In theory, it's a good weapon. In
practice,
it is slightly harder to manage, but the G3/SG-1 apparently adapts well. So much
so, in fact, that H&K has also made optional modifications to its MSG-90 Sniper
Rifle that will allow it to fire full-auto.
POINT: A nice adjustment would be to allow the G3/SG-1 to fire full-auto when in
normal view but Semi-auto only in Zoom view. The real G3/SG-1 can fire either as
Semi-auto or full auto. In CS, it fires full-auto in the sense that you merely
need
to hold down the trigger to achieve a continuous stream of firepower. But
technically, its slower rate of fire than the Assault guns makes it more of a
Semi-
auto rifle. The G3/SG-1 has great power and first shot accuracy, but has
horribly
powerful recoil and heavy weight. The recoil of the bolt-action Steyr Scout and
AWM
aren't as noticeable as that of the G3/SG-1 mainly because the weapon
automatically
zooms out to work the bolt-action after firing a shot. The advantage is that the
G3/SG-1's automatic firing gives it one over the Scout in that you can quickly
follow up your first shot, faster than a Scout can work the Bolt system.
HK G3/SG-1
Caliber: 7.62mm
Type: 7.62mm Select-Fire Automatic Sniper Rifle
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: ?
Magazine Capacity: 30 Round Clip
4-8 SIG SG-550 Sniper (Krieg 550 Commando) [Counter-Terrorist Only]
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Semiautomatic Sniper Rifle
WEAPON COST: $4200
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 30/90
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: 2x/4x Sniper Scope
The SIG SG-550 Sniper is another modification on SIG Arms' 550-Series
Assault
rifles. It's a 5.56mm semiautomatic Sniper Rifle that accepts 5-, 20-, and 30-
round
magazines; the 30-round clips being interchangeable with regular 550/551/552-
series
rifles. The Sniper version has a longer, heavier barrel and a bipod as well as
an
adjustable stock. Unfortunately, the SG-550 Sniper also negates many of the
things
that made the original 550-series rifles so attractive; it's heavy, bulky, and
requires some skill to use. Rifle tests have shown it to be at least on par with
the famous HK PSG-1 in terms of point accuracy.
POINT: Unlike the select-fire G3/SG1, the SG-550 Sniper is a purely Semi-auto
sniper rifle, with no full-auto function. In CS, holding down the trigger will
allow you to fire continuously. It doesn't achieve one-hit kills like the AWM,
but
a quick follow-up shot can do quite a lot when aiming for the head. The SG-550
Sniper is a great sniper, but not the kind of weapon to duel against a Scout or
AWP
with. A lot of people find the SG-550 Sniper worthless, but I've personally had
some very good frag streaks with this gun. Like the G3/SG-1 it's automatic, but
it
fires the smaller 5.56mm round and is just slightly faster.
SIG550-Sniper
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Semiautomatic Sniper Rifle
Total Length: 1130mm (44.48 in.)
Height (Total): 285mm (11.22in.)
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 7020g (15.47 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 5/10/30 Round Clips
=================
5 -- Machine Guns
=================
If you use a Machine Gun, you had best expect to kill or hurt very little and
get
shot at a lot. The duty of a Machine Gunner is to provide his teammates with
cover
fire, prompting the enemy to keep their heads down. The one machinegun in this
game
is the FN M249 Para, a SAW or Squad Automatic Weapon. As the name suggests, it
is
not an individual's weapon, but is used to protect and cover the squad--your
teammates.
5-1 FN M249 Para (ES M249)
WEAPON TYPE: 5.56mm Squad Support Weapon (Paratrooper Type)
WEAPON COST: $5750
AMMO TYPE: 5.56x45mm Remington (NATO)
AMMO/MAX: 100/200
AMMO COST: $60 (30)
The FN M249 was a late entry among the contenders for the US Military's
search for a new SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon). What was needed was a machine-gun
type of support weapon that was easily carried by members of small units. The
7.62mm M60 was a fairly good Machine Gun but (As Vietnam proved) an awful Squad
weapon to carry around, being heavy to lug around and requiring constant
maintenance. Experiments in making the 7.62mm M14A1 and 5.56mm M16A1 into mini-
machineguns also failed miserably. Finally, in 1982, the Army chose the FN M249.
The small and lightweight machinegun had already been accepted fairly by
Europeans (It is known as the FN Minimi in Europe). At first skeptical, Army and
Marine Corps later embraced the new weapon's abilities. The M249-series of
machineguns have since been used as replacements for the M60 machinegun on
Humvees
and small squads. The version used in CS, the M249 Para, is an even more compact
version, meant for Paratrooper units use, thus it is much lighter than previous
designs.
POINT: The M249 Para is not a high kill ratio weapon at all. It is indeed
accurate,
but its primary purpose is to lay a suppressive fire to cover your teammates and
force your opponents to keep their heads down or get hit. It's not really a
weapon
for finesse. That is why it packs a 100-round belt-fed clip; 80% of that ammo
will
go straight into the air.
As a team player's weapon, it works wonders. Often, an M249 can soften up
enemy players enough for your lighter SMG or Rifle-armed teammates to pick off
with
ease much later. It also does quite well when firing blindly at walls behind
which
enemy players lurk. Clearly, it's a gun that you'd use for helping out your team
and ignoring your own self, since majority of enemy players will try to nail you
second (The AWM Snipers come first, of course).
As an individual's weapon, it's the worst you could pick. Now I know that
some people are actually good with this weapon, firing it in bursts to preserve
some sense of accuracy. But I find the low movement rate plus the 5.56mm rounds
completely unacceptable, but then again I prefer SMGs and Carbines to the
Assault/Sniper Rifles. If you pick this gun, you'd best know what you're doing.
FN M249 Para
Caliber: 5.56mm
Type: 5.56mm Squad Support Weapon (Paratrooper Type)
Total Length: ?
Height (Total): ?
Width of Frame: ?
Empty Weight: 7031g (15.5 lbs.)
Magazine Capacity: 100 Round Belt
=================
6 -- Primary Ammo
=================
These are the rifle and machine gun rounds. SMG primary rounds are actually
pistol
rounds, so they are purchased in CS as primary ammo. For the purposes of this
FAQ
(and to avoid repeating myself), I arranged the data on SMG ammo under Secondary
Ammo. You will also notice that Millimeter rounds are arranged like this: 9x19
mm.
This is to indicate the bullet size; 9mm in diameter and 19mm in length. Thus, a
5.56x45mm rifle round is smaller in width than a 9x19mm pistol round, but is far
longer.
A - Gauge 12 Shot
2-1 Benelli M3 Super90 (Leone 12 Gauge Super)
2-2 Benelli XM1014 (Leone YG1265 Auto Shotgun)
12-Gauge Buckshot is the standard type of shotgun shell used by Military
and
SWAT forces. Although there are many types of shotgun rounds, 12-Gauge is the
best
blend of power and shot size for security use; shot ball large enough to cause
considerable injury and an acceptable spread area of fire.
B - 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 Caliber Remington)
4-2 SIG SG-552 Commando (Krieg 552 Commando)
4-3 Colt M4A1 Carbine (Maverick M4A1 Carbine)
4-4 Steyr AUG (Bullpup)
4-8 SIG 550 Sniper (Krieg 550 Commando)
5-1 FN M249 Para (ES M249)
The 5.56mm round was developed as a lighter alternative to the powerful
but
heavy 7.62mm NATO rounds. Before the 5.56 (previously known as the .223 Cal
Remington), NATO rifles and machineguns were chambered for the bigger 7.62mm,
which
was powerful but incredibly bulky to carry. The 5.56mm was developed as a
scaled-
down rifle round, and with the introduction of the M16A1 it quickly became a
more
popular ammo type, being adopted by NATO soon afterward.
C - 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Caliber Winchester Magnum)
4-1 AK-47 (CV-47)
4-5 Steyr Scout (Schmidt Scout)
4-7 H&K G3/SG-1 (D3/AV-1 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle)
In real life, the AK-47 fires the 7.62x39mm WP (Warsaw Pact/Soviet), but
for
CS purposes it uses the NATO 7.62x51mm round. It's an older round type developed
after World War II and can directly trace its lineage from the .30-08 Cal rounds
used in the old M1 Garand rifles. After WWII, the .308 Cal was developed and
chambered for many NATO rifles and machineguns, and adopted by NATO as standard
rifle ammo until the appearance of the 5.56x45mm round. The 7.62mm is still used
in
most sniper rifles for its sheer power, but has mostly been replaced by lighter
weapons chambered for the 5.56mm round.
D - .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6x70mm)
4-6 AI Arctic Warfare/Magnum (Magnum Sniper Rifle)
This special round was originally developed in 1983 for the US Navy SEAL
team
snipers. It provided the teams with a sniper round that could easily punch
through
walls and vehicles like the .50 Cal BMG (12.7mm) Barret rifle, but with the more
manageable size of the more standard .308 Cal Winchester (7.62mm NATO) sniper
rifle.
===================
7 -- Secondary Ammo
===================
Secondary ammunition are the pistol rounds. In the case of SMGs, some of these
are
actually bought as Primary Ammo, unless both of your Primary and Secondary
weapons
are equipped with the same Ammo Type. Examples of these combinations are: Five-
SeveN & P90, USP Tactical & UMP45/MAC-10, Glock 18/Dual Beretta & MP5/Steyr TMP.
If
both your Primary and Secondary weapons have the same ammo type, then whether
you
buy Primary (6) or Secondary (7) on the buy menu, you're equipping ammo for both
weapons at the same time. The advantage to this is that buying ammo is much
quicker, but you're limited by the total amount of ammo you can carry. For the
most
part, I'd recommend using dissimilar Primary and Secondary Ammo types, so that
you
can carry more.
A - 9x19mm NATO (Parabellum/Luger)
1-2 Glock 18 Select Fire (9x19mm)
1-5 Dual Beretta 96G (.40 Dual Elites)
3-1 H&K MP5-Navy (SMG)
3-2 Steyr Tactical Machine Pistol (Schmidt MP)
The 9mm Parabellum/Luger round has been around since World War II,
chambered
for the infamous German Luger 9mm pistol. Since then, it has become one of the
most
common rounds in the world, especially in Europe where it is most commonplace.
It
packs more of a punch than the older .38 Cal S&W and .22 Cal LR pistol rounds,
and
is smaller than the older and bulkier .45 Cal ACP round, which is why it is
commonplace. Naturally, many pistols and SMGs use the 9mm as its ammo type. It's
cheap, plentiful, and a fairly effective stopper against unarmored targets.
Against
Kevlar-wearing opponents, it is a slightly different story...
B - .357 Caliber SIG/Magnum
1-4 SIG P228 (228)
The .357 Cal Magnum was the first of the high-powered ammo rounds for
handguns, and is currently the smallest of the Magnum-class rounds. Though
the .357
has now been overshadowed by the .44 Cal Magnum and the .50 Cal Action Express,
it
still has incredible stopping power for a handgun.
C - .45 Caliber ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol)
1-1 H&K USP .45 Tactical (K&M .45)
3-4 Ingram MAC-10
3-5 H&K UMP45 (K&M UMP45)
The .45 Cal ACP round was introduced by Colt Firearms as a more powerful
handgun ammo type to replace the .38 Cal revolvers then in service (in no small
part due to us Filipinos). Not long afterward, John Browning developed the
weapon
that would make Colt and the .45 ACP a household name: The Colt M1911
Autopistol.
Although it is bigger than the .357 Cal rounds, it does less damage since it is
an
older round and subsonic. Conversely, a subsonic round is much easier to silence
than a supersonic round (no sonic boom), which is why the USP Tactical has a
good
Silencer--though it is slower, the bullet's sheer bulk still packs a wallop.
D - 5.7x28mm FN (Fabrique Nationale)
1-6 FN Five Seven
3-3 FN P90 (ES C90)
A new round developed by Fabrique Nationale of Belgium, the 5.7x28mm
round
easily looks like a smaller version of the 5.56x45mm or 7.62x51mm rifle rounds
and
is designed to penetrate armor easily yet still do a considerable amount of
damage.
The 5.7mm when used in the P90 is very promising, and may someday replace all
9mm
rounds in service.
E - .50 Caliber AE (Action Express)
1-3 Desert Eagle .50 AE (Nighthawk)
A specialized .50 Caliber round for the Desert Eagle pistol, this is NOT
the
same as the .50 Caliber BMG (Browning Machine Gun) round used by Antiaircraft
guns
and the Barret .50 Cal Sniper Rifle. Nonetheless, it is without a doubt the most
powerful handgun round developed to date, and is considered illegal in many
countries and many states of the United States.
====================
8 -- Other Equipment
====================
Guns alone are not your only tools in the fight for or against Terrorism. There
are
also many other pieces of equipment necessary to your well-being as well as
devices
that can change the course of combat in your favor...
8-1 Kevlar Armor
COST: $650
This is the standard Medium-Level waist-length Kevlar body armor used by
most
Counterterrorist and SWAT operatives in the field, and is designed to stop most
pistol rounds and a certain level of SMG fire. Kevlar in reality is not like old
plate armor, but layers of plastic coating and foam padding designed to act like
a
trampoline, catching a bullet and spreading its kinetic energy around the vest,
thus preventing it from hitting the body. Of course, rifle rounds and the new
5.7mm
rounds have a sharp tip which are designed to rip through Kevlar and cause
serious
damage.
POINT: Except for the L337 Crew and Arctic Avengers Terrorist Skins, all the
player
skins of CS have the Kevlar Vest illustrated. In CS, even when hit by a rifle
round, Kevlar still provides some protection, but not much. Still, it's best to
wear it as it provides a measure of protection against most pistols and SMGs in
combat.
8-2 Kevlar Armor with Helmet
COST: $1000
This is the same as the Kevlar armor above, plus the addition of the
PASGT
Kevlar helmet that is standard for U.S. Troops. The PASGT helmet is slightly
tougher than the Kevlar vest since it is Kevlar molded around a hard helmet
shape
(Vests have to be flexible for one to move in, but a human skull is fixed). A
rifle
round can still penetrate it, but only when direct on; this helmet will still
deflect a shot slightly at an angle. US Troops have nicknamed this the "Fritz"
Helmet due to its similarity in design to German Stormtrooper helmets of World
War
II.
POINT: The PASGT helmet is the one seen on the GSG-9 skin. Many CS players
eschew
the helmet to save cash since many of the higher-powered weaponry can still kill
with a headshot. This should not be an excuse, since the helmet in CQB could be
the
difference between life and death at such ranges with SMGs or pistols.
8-3 Flashbang
COST: $200
It's little known, but the British SAS were the first to develop the
Flashbang. Also known as a Stun or Concussion Grenade, its primary use is to
stun
or temporarily disable a terrorist without actually harming them; a very
important
point if the terrorist is holding a hostage or if it is desired to take the
terrorist alive. Flashbangs live up to their name; upon exploding, they impair
vision and hearing alike with a blinding flash of light and a painfully loud
blast.
For Real-life CTs, these are far more useful than normal grenades.
POINT: In CS, Flashbangs can blind vision, turning your view white for anywhere
between 2-5 seconds. Unlike the real Flashbangs (or those in Rainbow Six for
that
matter), they do not completely impair your hearing, a vital point to remember
when
you're firing blind. Another thing to remember is that it affects both teams, so
one must take care not to blind himself or teammates with their own Flashbangs.
Sadly, this is something that a lot of players, newbie or otherwise, fail to
consider.
You can carry 2 Flashbangs at a time in CS, which is important since many of the
wiser players know to shield their vision behind an obstacle when a grenade is
thrown their way. Toss one, then immediately prep another. Again, take care not
to
blind yourself or your teammates when doing this.
8-4 HE Grenade
COST: $300
The HE (High Explosive) Grenade or Fragmentation Grenade is the most
common
indirect weapon of attack among troops. CTs only use these in situations wherein
there are few to no civilians or hostages and are pinned down by enemy
firepower.
It is standard SOP for room clearing to toss in either a Flashbang or HE grenade
in
before entering, in order to stun or injure opponents hiding inside.
POINT: Players prefer this grenade to all others simply because of its damaging
capability. Still, many players get careless with it, often tossing it
haphazardly
into areas without checking first. Ideally, HEs should be thrown only into areas
where enemies are confirmed, otherwise it is useless. Personally, I use
Flashbangs
more than HEs, but HEs work better in trying to flush out campers in the
shadows.
Use HEs wisely since you can only carry one at any time.
8-5 Smoke Grenade
COST: $300
There are two purposes of Smoke Grenades in real life: One is to provide
cover for an escaping unit and mask them from enemy fire. The other is as a
Signal
for other team members to regroup in that direction.
POINT: 9 out of 10 CS players find this weapon useless. This is because the
smoke
is not as thick as they would like it, or as fast as they would like. For
blinding
purposes, they would rather use Flashbangs. But Smoke Grenades work best indoors
or
in enclosed spaces wherein the smoke builds up, and it makes for a good way to
avoid snipers. But the best way to use them is to confuse your opponents in
closed
and already-dark spaces. In cs_mansion as a Terrorist, I once herded all 4
hostages
to one dark corner of the house, then ran out to take potshots at the remaining
2
CTs nearby before running into the hallways (wearing NV Goggles). After grabbing
their attention, I then tossed a Smoke Grenade as they followed. The result was
chaos; the beleaguered CTs ended up emptying their M4A1s into the hostages while
at
the same time providing me with two picture-perfect, no-brainer headshots.
Unfortunately, the smoke in the game does not go high enough into the sky to
work
as an efficient Signal system.
8-6 Defuse Kit [Counter-Terrorist Only]
COST: $200
This kit speeds up the disarming of explosives. As a set, it has a full
complement of electronic and diagnostic equipment as well as tools in order to
safely and efficiently defuse a bomb.
POINT: Many CS players ignore this mostly since it is possible to defuse a bomb
with the knife or other weapons. However, the time needed to defuse a bomb is
faster when using this piece of equipment.
8-7 Night Vision
COST: $1250
The Night Vision system in CS works on low-light amplification. It takes
in
what little light is available and intensifies it. The result is a greenish-
looking
view of the world, but it is better than going completely blind in many
situations.
POINT: Although Half-Life is known for its dark corners and areas, most of
Counter-
Strike's locations are not completely and absolutely dark enough to warrant the
use
of NVGs. The only place wherein the NV Goggles are of any use would be in
cs_mansion's darkest corridor (the pitch-black hallway on the second floor).
Even
then, there are easier, cost-free ways to view the surroundings than with the
goggles, and the greenish tinge is occasionally an eyesore.
Knife
RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON: Overhead Stab
In reality, most CT units don't use a knife. Many of the CQB situations
that
they find themselves in do not lend much to hand-to-hand combat, and in fact,
it's
avoided as much as possible. Only in certain and rare situations are knives
used,
and those are in situations wherein a silenced gun is not effective or usable in
the given situation, which is highly rare.
POINT: The knife in CS actually comes from the knife used in the Half-Life:
Opposing Force expansion pack (which in turn replaced the crowbar in Half-Life).
In
the beta versions, it was highly feared, but not as of V1.0, wherein slashes are
not enough to kill. It is a good weapon to use against a weakened opponent whom
you
get the jump on at -extremely- close range, but otherwise leave it in favor of
your
guns.
C4 Explosives [Terrorist Only]
Plastic Explosives are highly prized by both Terrorist and Counter-
Terrorist
units. They are light, easily moldable, infinitely more stable than other types
of
explosives (such as dynamite), and leave very little trace once used. They can
also
be used underwater given the right waterproofing. And it takes very little to
destroy a whole lot.
POINT: Terrorists only get C4 in Bomb missions, and they can only be placed in
one
of two 'Bombsites' on the map. Despite this, it packs a terrific punch when it
explodes, so anyone unfortunate to still be in the area of the bomb blast is
liable
to be killed outright or at least seriously injured (Not to mention get
additional
'Frequent Flier' premiums as they're blasted into the sky ^^x).
======================
COUNTERTERRORIST TEAMS
======================
Listed here are short descriptions of the 4 CT teams portrayed in CS, in a
nutshell. Unfortunately, there's not much online on the Terrorist teams at the
moment.
SEAL Team Six
USN Commander (Ret.) Richard Marcinko originally formed SEAL Six (Now officially
known as Naval Special Warfare - Development Group [NAVSPECWAR - DEVGRU]) as a
standalone Counterterrorist unit for the Navy. Considering that it is much
younger
and infinitely smaller than the older and more legendary SAS, SEAL Six has made
an
almost mythic name for itself in many circles. The team cross-trains regularly
with
other Spec Ops teams including GSG-9, GIGN, and SAS as well as their Army
equivalent, Army Special Operations Division Delta (Delta Force), and other CT
groups worldwide.
Though SEAL Six was Designed for and still is focused on maritime
Counterterror operations, they are also exceptionally skilled masters of CQB
(Close
Quarters Battle), each team member emptying 2500-3000 bullets in a single week
and
constantly practicing to further perfect their dead-on target shooting. Taken a
step even further, SEAL Team Six is one of the few Counterterror units in the
world
with the authorization to take the first strike at Terrorism (meaning
assassination
of Terrorist targets), if given the go-ahead by the President of the United
States.
As a result, SEAL Six is also one of the most clandestine CT units in the world.
SEAL Six's Counterterror and CQB requirements, as well as seagoing nature
is
one of the reasons Heckler and Koch developed an MP5 SMG specifically to cater
to
the Navy SEALs' needs--the MP5/N Submachinegun.
GSG-9 (Grenzschutzgruppe 9)
After the horrors of World War II, Germany was naturally apprehensive
about
creating an elite military force for any given reason, and thus tried to bring
up
a
wholesome and friendly image. That image was shattered in 1972, when members of
the
terrorist group Black September kidnapped and murdered Israeli athletes during
the
Munich games, made even worse by horrible police action.
In 1973, the West German government, directly because of this terrible
fiasco, then wrote up the plans for GSG-9, an elite Counterterror unit. GSG-9 is
actually a part of the West German Border Police Forces (Bundesgrenzschutz) and
not
the military. This is both to avoid any stigma from the World War II
connotations
and that the Border Police were already used to dealing with terrorism to some
degree (More so than the regular police at Munich).
Life in GSG-9 is spartan to say the least, and each member prides
themselves
on their ability to live in such conditions; many GSG-9 member go undercover,
actively infiltrating Terrorist groups and nipping many actions in the bud.
Clearly, this unit of Counterterror operatives are not the type to merely sit
back
and wait for a Terrorist action to happen.
GIGN (Groupe de Securite et d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale)
The French GIGN, like the German GSG-9, is operated by the Police, not
the
Military. But that is where the similarity ends. The GIGN are unlike any other
Counterterrorist unit, firstly because of its small size (a little over a
hundred
men, including staff members), and the fact that they are the only CT unit of
renown with standing orders not to shoot to kill. GIGN was formed 1973, around
the
same time as GSG-9.
GIGN troops are police officers first and foremost, which is why GIGN has
such an odd non-lethal policy of taking down Terrorists and the like; Police
officers must make arrests and are not allowed to take the law into their own
hands. GIGN prides itself on its marksmanship--to injure but not to kill, and
that
more often than not, they manage to have both hostages AND Terrorists alive at
the
end of a mission. Even though other CT units scoff at what they regard as
pointless, all of them engage in cross-training, hoping to learn some of that
legendary GIGN marksmanship.
SAS (Special Air Services)
The SAS is both the oldest and thus far the best-known Counterterrorist
Special Operations Force still existing in the world today. First formed in
World
War II as a commando-style unit, the SAS eventually branched out into other
divisions of Spec Warfare. In 1980, the SAS Counterterrorist team intervened
successfully in the Iranian Embassy siege in London, and that one action was
what
put the SAS Counterterrorist function in the limelight.
One thing to note is that the SAS is actually divided into various
'Squadrons' with differing duties, from Mountaineering to vehicles, up to Recon
units. The SP (Special Projects) team, which engages in Counterterror, however,
is
not a regular unit. It is a unit in which all SAS members have to go through for
six months at a time, with constant refresher courses. Because of this, it can
be
said that ALL members of the SAS are trained in CT warfare.
Even today, all Counterterrorist units in the world have nothing but the
deepest of respect for the British SAS. SEAL Team Six, GSG-9, GIGN, regardless
of
who, there is no unit (save maybe the Israeli Mossad) that does not give the SAS
at
least some measure of respect.
================
TACTICAL THOUGHT
================
It's often been said that good soldiers aren't born, they're made. That is the
truth with Counter-Strike. You may have been blessed with better reflexes, a
fast
eye and trigger combination, but without the proper training and orientation,
you're not going to last long in Half-Life:CounterStrike. In fact, a lot of
seasoned DOOM/Duke Nukem/Quake players find themselves hopelessly splattered in
CS
their first time out. In here are some Tactical Thoughts that apply well in the
game.
"I am your War Lord and wrathful god of combat, and I shall lead you from the
FRONT, not the REAR."
- Richard Marcinko, 10 Commandments of SpecWar
Don't expect to tell your team to charge while you cower behind a crate.
If
you want to lead, lead by example. If you're an assaulter, this means you head
into
battle first. Obviously, this lends better to assaulters than campers. I'm not
saying for you to charge in blindly and suicidal; that's just plain stupid. If
you
have a plan in mind, run with it. Don't just TELL people about it and expect
them
to do it for you, do it yourself! For example:
* In one game of cs_assault (and the very second time I played CS in my life),
we'd
been regularly creamed by the Terrorists for three straight rounds. No teamwork
among us at all, while the Terrorist team had incredible teamwork. I was about
to
kick myself in the head when I realized, rather late in the 3rd round, that the
Terrorist team had taken the bridge as their sniping point (in real life, you
don't
get a second, much less a third or fourth chance). On the fourth round, I bought
an
M4A1, swapped to the knife and ran all the way to the bridge before the
Terrorists
did, then armed my M4A1 over the bridge, just in time for the poor unsuspecting
Terrorists to run out and kiss 5.56mm headshots instantly. They were all in
panic
as their team leader and one other teammate bit the dust first; obviously that
had
never happened to them before. Taking my cue (and not even needing any verbal
prodding!), the rest of the team took advantage of the situation to attack the
warehouse building from behind and nail the Terrorist Team, who were still
messed
up and freaking over how 'the newbie' popped a surprise like that on them. We
CTs
won that round flat out, and after everybody (Both CT and Terrorist Teams) got
smart to those tactics and played like a team, we had tons of fun. Had I not
gone
and taken the initiative, it would have been another boring game of getting
sorely
whacked on the LAN.
"Secure every advantage before attacking."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
Advantages include cover, speed, weapon range, and a lot of others. Try
to
secure every advantage in an attack; know the map territory, your enemy's
weapons
against your own, and most importantly surprise, to get the jump on him. This is
especially vital for AWM Snipers since they have to take a spot which is hard to
get at and yet easy to shoot from. Rest assured that any advantage you ignore
may
eventually become the enemy's advantage.
* Every Terrorist knows that the window overlooking the CT spawn point in
cs_italy
is the best sniping position in that map. What many neglect may be the point
that
directly under it is a recessed area with crates. I took advantage of this
once--
Bought an M249 Para, swapped to my knife and went for that particular region (I
didn't buy armor at all since I wasn't playing all that seriously at the time--
also
why I picked the M249 in the first place). I then armed the M249 when I saw and
heard an AWM take out one of my teammates. What happened next was a no-brainer;
I
swung the M249 to the ceiling and let loose. Two Terrorists dead and one
wounded,
and all of a sudden, every Terrorist was voting for de_dust. ^^x;;;
"Attack from behind, when your enemy does not see you."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
To many FPS game players (those in Quake Tournaments especially), this
sounds
low and dishonorable. Maybe it is, but from the standpoint of a Counter-
Terrorist,
much less that of a Terrorist, this is the rule and not the exception. Look at
it
from a logical point of view. Attacking from the side doesn't always produce
good
results. There's less body area of your enemy to hit, and the slightest twitch
or
recoil (As with AK47s and AUGs) may make you miss the target entirely and
attract
his notice for him to counterattack. Not to mention that moving forward as he is
makes for a slightly harder to hit target.
The only cases wherein you can get a larger hit chance if he was facing
directly forward or directly behind you. Obviously, a head-on attack would be
risky
if your opponent has a superior weapon to yours, or superior skills to yours
(Can
you say AWP Sniper Master?).
So all that's left is attacking from behind. It takes a bit longer for
your
enemy to react, as he has to spin around to attack you, and by that time you've
hopefully riddled him with enough bullets to kill or at least seriously injure
him.
For snipers (especially those who do NOT have the AWM), taking him out from
behind
and above also gives a higher chance of a headshot on your target. Behind and
slightly below (Such as in cs_assault or in de_aztec) also presents a good angle
if
you are a 'counter-sniper' out to nail a pesky AWM sniper upstairs. And simply
nothing beats the sheer satisfaction of sneaking up on a sniper from behind and
knifing him to death. ^^x;;;
* In the very first game of CS I ever played, there were 7 Terrorists (average
players, my guess) and 4 Newbie CTs including myself, map de_dust. Two rounds
into
the game I noticed that the CTs were all going to the first bombsite and
effectively getting massacred while the Terrorists (all 7 of them) stayed inside
the halls and AWM-sniped us at their leisure. Third round, I bought a P90 and an
HE
grenade and went under the bridge. No snipers at all were guarding the place.
Running up back and into the Terrorist side of the hallways, I noticed all of
them
firing at my teammates and their backs turned to me. I tossed the HE grenade and
ran my behind off firing the P90, eventually getting waxed by one Terrorist with
an
AK47, but not before I HE'd three of them to death and seriously injured the AK
wielder, not to mention give my teammates the win for that round. No surprise
that
there were then 7 Terrorist players out for my "Newbie" blood...Is it my fault
they
were overconfident? I just used their oversight to my advantage.
"Attack in groups."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
This is another tactic that a great majority of FPS players find
dishonorable. Then again, other FPS players have the benefit of respawning
immediately after dying...which they do a lot. In CS, you only respawn after the
match ends. I need not add that there are a lot of Rambo types who play CS
charging
in like some fool knight on horseback, only to be carried home in a litter box.
Oswald Boelcke himself lectured to his students constantly this tenet of the
Dicta
Boelcke, emphasizing teamwork above all else, for yours and your team's
survival.
Attacking in groups has many advantages. You'll have more firepower, your
enemy will be overwhelmed, and there'll be one less guy to worry about. Never
assume you've done just enough damage to kill him with the NEXT shot; ALWAYS
treat
your enemy like he was at full health. Also, the more firepower hitting him, the
harder it will be for him to single one of you out--A large number of bullets
hitting him all at once is a lot of stopping power. Also noted is the fact that
some weapons in CS work much better as part of a group. Examples are that of an
M249 Para supporting a group of SMG users, or an assaulter with an M3 being
backed
up by a teammate with the M4A1 for support.
Alternatively, when there are two or more opponents, don't bother to gang
up;
split and each of you take one. Though this might be dangerous initially, at
least
it takes a load off your mind; two ganging up on one opponent when another
opponent
is unscathed and nearby is a turkey shoot waiting to happen. Above all, stop
worrying about which of you gets the kill; the point is that your opponent is
dead
and both you and your teammates are alive.
There's a nickname for this kind of tactic: It's called a Wolf Pack. Each
one
of you is like a wolf; you each want to get the highest frag rate possible. But
you
also work in packs, so that your chances of killing the enemy are higher than
that
of him killing you.
"Fixed formation is bad." - Miyamoto Musashi, Go Rin No Sho
"When we're on the march we march single file, far enough apart so one shot
can't
go through two men." - Major Robert Rogers, Standing Orders of Roger's Rangers,
1756
You'd normally think that running around in a large united group makes
for
both an imposing appearance. Actually, this makes an enemy AWM sniper's ability
to
get 3-in-1 kills all the easier. Don't EVER crowd up elbow-to-elbow with your
teammates, especially in tight hallways and corners! Attack in groups but don't
get
in your buddy's way. You're a group of Special Forces or Terrorist units, not a
Parade Drill team, so stop trying to bunch together. Even if you stick close to
your teammates, you must give them enough maneuvering room.
* One game of cs_italy was really annoying for me. Three of us CTs were in the
wine
cellar (small route leading to the Hostage Area), with me in the right corner of
a
neat triangle formation, which left me uncomfortable. When we got to the stairs
at
the wine cellar, there was -ONE- Terrorist armed with an AK47 strafing us. I was
ready to attack, but the guy in front of me panicked and tried to double back.
The
bad news was that the guy to my left wanted to attack, and was trying to push
FORWARD while our point man was moving BACK. The coup de grace of it all was
that
I
was smack-dab in the middle of the DOORWAY when this happened, and couldn't move
or
even jump any way at all without one idiot or other in my way. So I got stuck
sandwiched between two idiots while the Terrorist mowed all three of us down
with
the AK47's 7.62mm round. Oh, how I wanted to KILL those two useless morons.
"Don't be fooled by the Enemy's tricks."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
A wily enemy team will know when to lead you by the nose--right into one
of
their traps. This takes some practice and observation of your enemy's moves. For
an
Assaulter, this is already very important, but for a Sniper this skill is VITAL.
The entire point of a Sniper, especially in a sniper duel, is to convince the
enemy, directly or indirectly, to kindly appear long enough for you to put a
bullet
through his head. The goal is for you to trick your enemy, not him trick you.
It's
a mind game at long range, and whoever gets the lethal shot in first wins,
regardless of how he did it. As a Sniper, you MUST trick your enemy...without
having him trick you in turn.
"Never quit an attack once started."
- Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
If there is any rule that needs reminding over and over and over again,
it's
this one. Hit-and-run tactics are good; attacking then changing your mind in
mid-
attack is not. If you attack, then suddenly chicken out in mid-attack, your
enemy
will use that to his advantage and kill you. When you turn tail and retreat, you
are presenting your opponent with a golden opportunity to kill you. Even if you
are
firing back (strafing) while running away, you are still at a disadvantage; I've
seen a lot of CS players run backward firing frantically, then unwittingly end
up
slamming into a wall.
A hit-and-run is not the same as this; a hit-and-run ultimately still has
the
motive of killing or seriously injuring the enemy enough to make him fear for
his
life. Stopping in mid-attack, even to reload, is a death sentence. Remember your
Weapon Switch key ("Q" by default), and make sure that before a battle, you've
got
it automatically set to your secondary. Then practice tapping it once your
primary
is empty. There are far too many close calls I've had in CS wherein this simple
swap to my pistol was all that kept me from being outgunned.
"Fire at close range." - Hauptmann Oswald Boelcke, Dicta Boelcke
"When your enemy fills your cockpit window, fire. You can't possibly miss at
that
range." - Lt. Erich Hartmann (World's Top Fighter Ace with 352 kills)
This lends better to assaulters than snipers but in any case, the closer
you
are to your opponent, the easier it is to hit him (obviously). Keep in mind the
earlier rule (Attack from behind) when doing this, so that you don't somehow
give
your opponent the opportunity to kill you before you kill him. At close range,
all
weapons are effective. Some more than others, but at that range, it's hard to
blame
a failure on a miss...unless of course, you're really THAT inept a player.
It's a common newbie mistake to suddenly open all-out once he sees an
enemy
player. Remember that at long ranges, most weapons either weaken (SMGs,
Shotguns)
or have less accuracy (All assault rifles), so all this does is nick the enemy a
little and end up blowing the element of surprise. Spraying the air and hoping
something hits your opponent's head is NOT the best way of staying alive in CS.
At this particular stage, first-shot accuracy really counts. If you have
the
element of surprise and a good shot, you had best take it. And the closer you
are
to your enemy, naturally your chances of getting that all-important head shot
are
greater.
"Your Buddy is Your Body" - Basic Military Training Tenet
"NEVER leave your swim buddy!" - SEAL tenet
Don't EVER go anywhere without someone covering your rear! If you've read
the
previous two notes I'd made, it should be obvious why. This is the one thing
that
most local (Philippine) CS players almost NEVER listen to (save for the
dedicated
CS Clans), and it's what gets most of them killed, since they're thinking of
high
frag rates first and teamwork second. Result? Players who are better, smarter,
or
just plain nail them nastier (again, see above two).
After playing CS for some time, I found that 95% of these deaths could
have
been avoided had they been playing as a team, with one guy watching another's
back.
For this, you should put 'fragging' people as secondary and your life (and
teammates' lives) as first. And the best way for you to stay alive is if you
have
an extra pair of eyes covering you.
* There was a time in de_dust, wherein three other CTs and I charged in to take
over the bombsite. Just our luck, two Terrorists popped in at the same time that
we
did, and I opened fire with my Steyr TMP. A split-second later, I realized that
I
was the ONLY one firing. Naturally, I bit the dust instantly, and upon that
happening, I saw that the three idiots who were with me all decided to chicken
out
and ran OUT of the bombsite (not even firing!) the second the two Terrorists
appeared, leaving me very alone and very dead. No surprise that we lost that
round
and every round after that. After the sixth loss due to sheer cowardice on the
CT
teams' part (Seven CTs against THREE Terrorists, and with six of the blankety-
bleep-blanking CTs running away each taking separate vacations!), I quit the
game
in frustration and logged onto a different game.
"Heavy casualties can be inflicted by one trained sniper."
If you've played CS for ANY length of time, you'll know that the AWM
(Also
known to CS old-timers as the AWP) Sniper Rifle is the deadliest weapon in the
game, with its one-shot kill ability. It's a powerful and expensive weapon, but
very few people actually manage to use it properly, if at all. Too many people
out
there charging in blindly with this weapon without really knowing how it works.
Conversely, many people also eschew the other Sniper rifles in the game,
such
as the lighter and cheaper Steyr Scout, and the two 'Automatic Snipers', the HK
G3/SG-1 and the SIG550 Sniper. Truth be told, ALL of these Sniper Rifles are
highly
efficient weapons, but only in the hands of the right kind of sniper. And
usually,
it means a true specialist. Save for the AWM, all other Sniper Rifles were
intended
for the sole purpose of getting headshots--like real-life snipers do. The Scout
is
a mini-AWM in the sense that it's a bolt-action sniper rifle. The Scout
functions
pretty much the same as the AWM in 2x/4x Scope mode, but without the scope it is
a
much lighter weapon. In the hands of an intuitive sniper (one who can actually
snipe well without a scope), the Scout is deadly. The G3/SG-1 and SIG550 Sniper
are
both Automatic snipers, and their advantage may be that, unlike the Bolt-action
rifles, you can quickly follow-up missed headshots because of the Semi-auto
ability.
Snipers: Work VERY closely with a buddy. The Sniper and his
spotter/defense
guard. Snipers have one major weakness: Get in very close with a shotgun or SMG,
and he's got only a slim chance of out-shooting you...if he somehow notices you
sneaking up on him. The buddy system works best here. Find a buddy who is your
seatmate in a LAN game, or someone you can easily communicate with one-on-one--
Your
'spotter' should be armed with an SMG or rifle to protect the sniper from being
ambushed by a wily opponent. At the same time, he acts as an extra pair of eyes,
singling out targets for you to pick off. In fact, a good tactic (which this
author
was at the receiving end of) is to trust your buddy when you're firing blind:
* If you're behind a crate or wall and a buddy you trust (Who has a better view
of
the goings-on) tells you to fire, you fire. This simple but surprising tactic
nailed me and my friends numerous times, all of us wondering how a sniper could
nail us while firing blind. But it worked, and worked horrifically by
systematically wiping six of us out. One spotter outside, with a clear view of
us
(Occasionally darting to and fro from the Terrorist-side entrance of the halls
in
de_dust), and an AWM sniper outside, firing blind save for instructions from the
zipping spotter.
"Don't never take a chance you don't have to."
- Major Robert Rogers, Standing Orders of Roger's Rangers, 1756
This is an old piece of advice that becomes vital to you all. It was an
important tenet of the old Pre-American Revolution Rangers, and it worked well;
the
Rangers actually adopted the tactics of the very people they fought, the
American
Indians, and they learnt from their enemy well. Never go on any harebrained
suicidal scheme just because you MIGHT rack up a high kill ratio or a
reputation;
you'll just end up humiliating yourself.
* In the much-overplayed de_dust, it eventually boiled down to one Terrorist
player
and myself. I had one HE grenade, an M4A1 with only 10 rounds remaining. My
opponent and I attacked each other, and I was reduced to 4 HP left, so I ran for
the first Bombsite (Right outside the hallways) and crouched in the corner
outside
the doorway. All this time, my enemy was sending messages all over for me to
stand
up and fight, occasionally firing through the door. I waited until I could hear
his
footsteps close, then tossed my HE into the hallway, killing him and winning the
match. He then made a huge issue of it at our LAN, accusing me of being a
coward.
My counterargument, in turn, was that I wasn't so STUPID as to go in rushing at
him
when I had only 4 measly hit points left. Turns out, he still had 8 HP himself
left
when the HE came bounding at him. ^^x;;;
"When in doubt, ATTACK!"
- Richard Marcinko
This may seem to run counter to what I mentioned above about taking
chances,
but it isn't. The above assumes that you've still got lots of better, safer
options
to rely on and hopefully the time to think about them. If there's a less risky
way
of defeating your enemy, take it. But if you're in doubt and left with no other
recourse, the best defense is a good offense. If you've got a lot of cover and
are
relatively safe, then think your way out. But if you're pinned down and have
little
other recourse, then better to take the chance and attack. You might even
succeed
and live to brag about it.
"Don't stand up when the enemy's coming against you. Kneel down, lie down, hide
behind a tree."
- Major Robert Rogers, Standing Orders of Roger's Rangers, 1756
NEVER give your enemy a good old, stand-up fight. That only happens in
movies, and you're not John Wayne. When under fire, take cover; There isn't a
real
CS player worth his salt who'd just walk right up to you in the open without any
nearby cover and engage you in a straight-on rifle/SMG joust. Even better, hide
yourself so that he doesn't see you, then ambush him from behind. This is one of
my
favorites:
* In de_dust, I had been recently killed by a Terrorist who was using a skin
cheat.
The previous round, he masqueraded as an SAS member and nailed me when I held my
fire (This was a friendly fire off server) to my consternation and a boatload of
profanity. Next round, I grabbed the Benelli M3, Kevlar Vest and some reloads,
then
swapped to the knife and made a beeline for the hallways. Finding the crate
area,
I
hid behind there. Sure enough, not one, but two skin-cheaters, their skins
flickering, passed me by without noticing me. Even better, the leader was the
guy
who suckered me the previous round. Big mistake, as I then swapped to the
Benelli
and took them both down instantly. April fool, buddy-boy.
"The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we
attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue..."
- Mao Tse-Tung
Basically, this means that you should go for guerilla warfare. This is
especially important if you've got very little cash and your enemy has AWMs and
other nasty things at their disposal. It's an opportunistic way of fighting your
enemy--grab their superior weapons when they fall, toss HEs at their preferred
campsites, when outnumbered you run instead of giving them a stand-up fight, and
when they're outnumbered, you dog them to the ground. This tactic usually favors
Terrorists more than CTs in Bomb missions since CTs are often forced to guard
the
bombsites or lose the game.
"Verily, thou art not paid for thy methods, but for thy results, by which
meaneth
thou shalt kill thine enemy before he killeth you by any means available."
- Richard Marcinko, 10 Commandments of SpecWar
Before you go on, let me note that the above statement is NOT a
justification
to cheat in the game. It simply tells you to use everything (and I mean
EVERYTHING)
at your disposal to defeat your enemy. There's nothing more humiliating than
dying
in-game without ever having fired a single shot at your enemy. Rephrase the
above
statement this way: "If it's stupid but it works, then it ain't stupid." Use
everything. Some weapons that may seem useless to some people might be tailor-
made
for others. Try everything, use any tactic; sometimes the outlandish or
impossibly
simple work far better than a by-the-book play.
"Thou shalt KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID."
- Richard Marcinko, 10 Commandments of SpecWar
One of the most important, if not THE most important things to remember
in
CS. KISS: Keep it SIMPLE, stupid! Don't show off, and don't try to think up of a
complicated and convoluted plan to get back at your enemies. Keep your tactics
unpredictable and as uncomplicated as possible. Rather than overplan long,
drawn-
out strategies on which to attack and counter-attack your enemies, keep it
simple:
Go in, hit them, then get out.
* One of my friends and his band of Merry Marauding Terrorists adopted a KISS-
simple strategy that earned them a lot of ire in many de_dust games, but I think
he
did well. There was only one simple strategy: Wait just outside the Terrorists'
opening to the hallways and gather around, loitering there and waiting until the
very last 30 seconds of the Map round was ticking. By then, the CTs would be
very
edgy, set themselves up camped in one spot or another, if they weren't stupid
enough to try and attack the gang-bang of terrorists just outside of HE grenade
range. At the tick of the last half-minute, the Terrorist team suddenly charges
in
as one gang and mows down the opposition on the way to the bombsite. More often
than not, they wipe out all the CTs before getting to the site. A lot of CTs who
go
up against them say it's an unfair tactic. I, for one, like it: It's simple,
direct, and it works.
========
WISHLIST
========
Some weapons and/or equipment upgrades I hope to see in CounterStrike someday:
Smith & Wesson M29 .44 Caliber Magnum Revolver
SUGGESTED WEAPON COST: $450
AMMO TYPE: .44 Cal Magnum
AMMO/MAX: 6/30
SUGGESTED AMMO COST: $25 (6)
The original Half-Life already has a Magnum Revolver, but noticeably, all
of
the CounterStrike pistols are all Semi-auto weapons. A revolver would be a good
and
cheap alternative to most players, sacrificing high ammo capacity for power and
accuracy; most revolvers are easier to aim than autopistols.
The S&W M29 .44 Magnum is a good choice, cheaper than an automatic pistol
and
packing a good punch to its round (.44 Cal Magnum is more powerful than .357SIG
or
.45ACP but less than .50AE). It would make an attractive and cheap alternative
to
the Desert Eagle in terms of power and accuracy. On the downside would be its
rate
of fire (Same as the Desert Eagle), small ammo capacity, and a slow reload time.
It's a revolver after all, and even with a speedloader will take just a bit
longer
to reload than a magazine. Still, it'll be a good option to think of.
Thermal Vision
SUGGESTED COST: $1250
Many players find the Night Vision Goggles costly and useless, and to an
extent they are right, since merely adjusting the gamma of your monitor screen
usually does the job for most. What would be better would be if Thermographic
Vision goggles were had instead, to replace the NV goggles. Advantages would be
that one could finally see behind some thin walls and crates with it. The
downside
would be that it would only appear as a reddish glob; you won't be able to tell
the
difference between a hostage, a teammate, or an enemy. It'd be nicer and more of
a
challenge than the old NV goggles; Therm Goggles could replace them entirely. Of
course, Flashbangs and Smoke Grenades can still foul these goggles up...
=========
OTHER FAQ
=========
Some other random questions that need answering. Note however, that though I'm
knowledgeable about weapons and ammo, I'm not an expert, and may make a few
mistakes; Do NOT treat my answers as expert advice on real weapons! I only know
enough as to be relevant WRT the game mechanics of CS.
Q - Why are some ammo types listed as "Caliber" and the others as "MM" or
"Millimeter"?
A - "Caliber" is used by the U.S. and is based on the English measurement system
(Inches). One Caliber is one Inch, so .50 Caliber is 0.50 of an inch (half an
inch), and so on. Europe now uses the Metric System, so their ammunition is
measured the metric way (Millimeters). Also, The European system is a little
more
descriptive, since they usually include the width AND length of a bullet (like
9x19mm). AFAIK, Caliber only refers to the width (diameter) of the bullets. For
some cases, the Caliber has a metric equivalent (such as .223 Cal Remington =
5.56x45mm NATO), but not all.
Q - Where did the word "Caliber" come from
A - I'm not 100% sure of its origin, but apparently, it comes from
'Calibration',
which is how they measured bullet widths; by calibrating them to size. If this
is
incorrect, please let me know ASAP to update this.
Q - Where do you get your weapon info?
A - Same way Tom Clancy does. ^^x From the 'Net, from handgun-shooting friends
of
mine, from observing the local military, and other such stuff. In other words,
lots
of research. You'd be surprised at what info you can find just lying around the
'Net, or in any book or magazine for that matter. Info for many of the weapons
in
CS can be found off the Remtek Arms site at http://www.remtek.com/arms/ and is
generally where I found most of the weapons data for this FAQ.
Q - How good are you at CounterStrike?
A - If you're talking purely in terms of frag rates, not that good; about
average
or so, at least break-even or better. But in terms of simply driving the enemy
team
up the wall, I guess I rank a number one for sheer originality. ^^x;;;
Q - Have you ever used a REAL firearm?
A - This is a question I got a lot, even before I started this FAQ. Honestly,
among
Military-Issue weapons I have handled but not fired were the MP5A3, MP5SD3,
M4A1,
and the HK Mark 23 pistol, so I know their empty weights and ergonomics but not
their combat performance.
I have fired the M16A2 back in my ROTC days. It's quite an accurate tack
driver when used properly (i.e. none of that full-auto running and screaming
Rambo
bull). From that I can tell you that the M4A1 in the CS game functions pretty
close
to the real thing. Well, close as you can get when pointing a loaded mouse at
someone. I was also supposed to have been trained with the Colt M1911A1 in those
days but was denied the chance to even field strip it.
Among civilian weapons, I've handled the Glock 17 and HK USP9, but
certain
legal circumstances prevented me from actually test-firing these two.
Q - What's your favorite CS skin?
A - I use SEAL Six, of course. ^^x I find that the green fatigue hides better in
some dark corners of de_dust and de_aztec than the HRT (Hostage Rescue Team)
Blue
the other CT skins have, and a better color all round. As a Terrorist I usually
use
the Arctic Avengers skin because of limited camouflage in certain maps, but for
cs_assault and cs_mansion (not cs_estate however) I strictly use the Phoenix
Connection skins for their black color.
========
CONTACT:
========
For any further queries or comments, please email cybertrooper@edsamail.com.ph
with
Subject: CS Weapon FAQ Query if you have any questions, and I'll try my best to
answer them. Send me no Spam; my mother just unloaded 60 cans of it on me
wholesale.
========
CREDITS:
========
- Thanks and no thanks to Cliffe, Gooseman, and the rest of the CS team for
making
one of the biggest bites in my wallet ever. Kidding aside, CS is the best ever
combination between Rainbow Six's realism and Half-Life's sheer and spooky all-
out
FPS fun. It's not the pure realism I know of and enjoy, but it's fun
nonetheless.
- Mochan and the Gulay brigade of AW Snipers, for their advice, info, and
nefarious
cackling.
- Konami Japan for Silent Scope (Which helped a bit for sniping tactics) and
Metal
Gear Solid (sneaking and ambush tactics).
- Remtek.com's armaments site for the real-world info and data for most of the
weapons found in this FAQ. http://www.remtek.com/arms/
- The Terrorism Research Center http://www.terrorism.com and Special Operations
http://www.specialoperations.com websites, for their invaluable help and info on
the four Counterterrorist units described here.
- Very special thanks to Clair Rees (American Handgunner)-[Desert Eagle], Walt
Rauch (Guns and Weapons for Law Enforcement)-[M1/M3 Benelli and Glock 18], Peter
G.
Kokalis (Technical Editor: Soldier of Fortune Magazine)-[MP5] for their
informative
articles on most of the weapons found here.
- Doctor William D. Ehringer, Ph.D., for the ONLY Ingram MAC-10 article I could
find on the web. (I owe you big time, Doc)
- Richard Marcinko (Commander, US Navy Retired), the late Oswald Boelcke, and
many
other REAL Soldiers past, present, and future...for the 'Tactical Thought'
concepts
I noted in this FAQ. (Sirs of the present, please don't $@#!-can me for this)
- A -HUGE- NO THANKS to the morons who have nothing better to do than to throw
Flashbangs in front of their own teammates, and somehow manage to get killed by
their own HE Grenades in "Friendly-Fire Off" matches. (Who also go out of their
way
to call ME a stupid newbie at this game.)-_-x