CS:GO: Tips & Tricks for Using an AWP

Time Stamp: February 4, 2022 7:24 AM

We go over some simple gameplay tips to help when using an AWP.

CS: GO is one of the most popular games in the world, so it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that many people play daily. Some of them queue up with their friends for fun, whereas others do everything in their power to become among the best. 

While it is true that many people play all the time, others are making their first steps in CS: GO. As a result, they are unsure which weapons to focus on and how to utilize their potential. Some CS: GO players prefer to focus on things, such as the AK-47 because it is an iconic weapon, and landing headshots are always fun. However, others are fans of the AWP because this is the most recognizable weapon in the game.

Being a good AWPer is not easy, and it requires you to develop a specific set of skills. The easiest way of doing this is by playing as much as you can, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t several tips and tricks you can use to speed up the process. With that being said, let’s go over some of the Tips and Tricks related to using an AWP.

Know when to get this weapon

Every CS: GO player knows that this game allows them to get a variety of weapons. Besides pistols, most people go for rifles because they allow them to rush and help their teammates when needed. The AWP is another weapon that can come in handy in these situations; but it requires you to have a different positioning. In other words, there are situations where purchasing this item is not worth it.

One of the most common mistakes made by new CS: GO players is to get this item when their team decides to rush. It might seem reasonable on paper, but in reality, having an AWP means your team will have one less player when running. Needless to say, this can have negative consequences because you won’t be able to participate in the fight.

Another important thing to point out is that it is not recommended to pick an AWP if your enemies are on an eco (a term used to describe a situation where one of the two teams decides not to purchase any rifles so that it has more money for the next rounds). Although getting the “Big Green Weapon” to kill the enemies is tempting, doing this while they are on an eco can have negative consequences. Since the enemies have pistols, they will try to rush. If you miss, they can easily kill you in seconds and steal the weapon. Of course, you can position in a way that will prevent this from happening, but this is easier said than done.

If the person who gets you AWP is wise, they will try to save it for the next round, which will put your team in a bad position. 

Take advantage of your opponents’ weaknesses 

One of the benefits of using an AWP is that you can position yourself in a way that will allow you to pick off an enemy within seconds. Speaking of picking off, every opponent you face has a specific playstyle on a given map. Once you get used to the things that this person does, you can exploit them to your advantage, especially while using an AWP. 

For example, if you notice that one of your opponents always “rushes B”, you can go there and land a kill a few seconds after the round started. The same applies to the enemy powers, but this is a lot more complicated. Everyone who primarily uses an AWP knows how to position properly to kill the opponent’s AWPer. There is nothing more embarrassing than dying from the enemy’s sniper, so be careful not to make this mistake. 

Sometimes, your opponents might try to abuse certain jump sports, or they simply use smoke every round in a specific location. Once you realize that they do this all the time, use this info to your advantage and position yourself in a way that will allow you to kill at least one of them ASAP.

Try to be innovative while playing

This is probably one of the most important things that we want to point out in this article. In addition to everything mentioned so far, every AWPer has to be innovative while playing. If you do the same thing every round (such as peaking in specific locations), your opponents will start taking advantage of it. For example, they can throw Molotovs, which will do significant damage and might even kill you. Even if you’ve found success at a specific location, doing the same thing over and over again will eventually negatively affect you.

Unfortunately, being innovative requires you to be good at the game. This means that people who are new to CS: GO will struggle, at least in the beginning. Once you learn how the game works, try to focus on the different maps and learn as much information about them as possible. After you get used to everything, watch several videos that will show you different “AWP” sports that you can put to the test.

Speaking of being innovative, one of the things that can definitely help you is to keep an eye on your spawn. There are maps where you can be “spawned” in a position that will allow you to rush a given bomb or go to a place that will enable you to stay safe and quickly kill at least one of your opponents. 

Use flash to kill your opponent’s AWPer

As mentioned earlier, one of the most important things that you have to consider when buying an AWP is that your opponents might also have one. If that’s the case, you have to be extra careful because you definitely don’t want to die early on.

Killing a good AWPer is not an easy job, even if you are good yourself. Most people know how to position themselves in a way that will give them room for mistakes. For example, you can go to places that will allow you to fire first and run if you fail to kill your target.

One of the things that you can do to overcome your opponent’s AWPer is to use flash. It is extremely important to learn how to take advantage of this in-game item because it can make a huge impact on your success. A good flash can give you a huge advantage even if your opponents know how to minimize this item’s effect. 

Ask your team to throw a Molotov when needed

In addition to flash, another item that can help you in your battle against the opponent’s AWPer is Molotov. This is an item that many people new to CS: GO underestimate, but it can do wonders when used. 

While it is true that you can use it yourself, in order to take advantage of this item, you have to tell your teammates where to throw it. Your job is to position yourself in a way that will allow you to kill your opponent once they show up. To do that, you have to tell your teammates to throw a Molotov in a location where you know that the player goes to. Once that happens, they will have to move, which will allow you to land a free kill.

It should be noted that the same rules mentioned above apply to using smoke. Although it may not be as effective as a Molotov, once your opponent AWPer can’t see, they will have to move, which will put you in a good position. You can throw the smoke yourself, but this means you need to set your scope after that, which can take a second or two. Needless to say, this can be the difference between scoring a kill and dying.

Learn how to peek

As an AWPer, one of the things that you have to learn is how to peek. This is extremely important because the enemy AWPer will kill you in seconds if you don’t do that.

There is no right and wrong in peeking as an AWPer because it depends on the map, your spot, and all sorts of other minor details. In some cases, you need to jump, but there are many situations where you can crouch or just peek without doing anything. We will create a separate guide on how to do this, so be sure to keep an eye on the site.

Don’t Quick Switch when you don’t have to

The last tip we’d like to include in this article is related to quick switching. This is a common mistake that players make, especially people who played CS 1.6 and the previous versions of the game. For those new to the game, quick switching is a process where you switch your weapon after shooting with it. Although people often do this with their rifles, this is a mistake that “plagues” most AWPers due to fact that it only fires one bullet at a time.

Quick Switching can be fun in some circumstances, but it can have a negative effect, especially if there are multiple enemies coming towards you. That’s why it is usually not a good idea to do that unless you are sure that there are no more enemies behind the target you’ve missed or killed. 

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