Counter-Strike: Source/de dust

de_dust is a popular bomb defusion map set in the Middle-East. It is the precursor to de_dust2, which has succeeded it in popularity on many servers. de_dust is quite biased to the counter-terrorist team, and as such a lot of stacking occurs on servers playing the map.

Terrorists
The terrorists are fighting a losing battle on de_dust. The map is heavily biased towards the counter-terrorists, and the only way the terrorists can win is with a successful and sustained rush.

There are two paths the terrorists can take from spawn, and one further option. They could either go through the hall and split up between the left- and right-hand passageways, they could go down the underpass and up into the middle of the counter-terrorists' territory, or they could camp both areas, and wait for the counter-terrorists to come through.

Rushing the hall (overview 1) has the highest chance of success, with equal groups of players going left and right once inside. Nobody need bother with rushing/guarding the underpass when rushing the hall, as it would take too long for any counter-terrorists to sneak up behind the terrorists that it wouldn't work. Flashbangs and smoke grenades are highly advised for the left-hand passage, and frag grenades for the right. When rushing the hall, no time must be wasted, as if anybody dawdles, the counter-terrorists get into the hall, and force a stalemate, which eventually results in the terrorists camping the entrance to the hall, and the counter-terrorists picking them off one-by-one.

Rushing the underpass (overview 2) is a risky manoeuvre, as counter-terrorist snipers can easily snipe any player not behind cover in the underpass, and they're tricky to kill: grenades can't be thrown far enough, and generally they can shoot terrorist snipers before the terrorist snipers can shoot them. Smoke grenades are useful, but aren't 100% effective.

The final tactic (overview 3) is to camp both areas, but in 90% of cases, this will result in terrorists being slowly picked off by adventurous counter-terrorists, and a loss for the terrorist team.

Counter-terrorists
The counter-terrorist team have it easy in de_dust, with the terrorists almost inevitably getting beaten. There are four main routes which can – and should – be taken.

The first three routes all involve taking the three entrances on the counter-terrorists' side of the map into the hall, and converging in the hall to wipe out any adventurous terrorists (overview 1). If the terrorists perform a rush, then you should fall back and seek cover, spraying the inside of the hall with fire. Otherwise, throw various grenades out at the terrorists camping the large entrance to the hall, and pick them off with quick darts outside and then back in again.

The final tactic is to have some snipers positioned on the gallery opposite the underpass (overview 2). They can take down any terrorists trying to sneak through the underpass. If required, flashbangs down into the underpass work well, with the walls reflecting the flash very effectively. Any snipers positioned here should always be aware of what the rest of their team is doing, as any successful terrorist rush through the hall will need to be taken down by these snipers.