Strategy Experiment: The 2015 5-Smoke Mirage A-Execute in Modern PUGs

# Strategy Experiment: The 2015 5-Smoke Mirage A-Execute in Modern PUGs ## Match Context The primary gameplay takes place in a Faceit Level 10 Pick-Up Game (PUG). The video centers on an experiment tested on the Terrorist side of Mirage, specifically targeting executions onto Bombsite A. Key choke points and callouts include T Ramp, Palace, Jungle, Stairs, Connector, Ticket Booth, and Under Balcony (Default). The experiment begins in the second half of the match at Round 18 (03:20), with the creator's team trailing significantly at a score of T 5 - 12 CT. Because the execution requires a heavy utility investment, both the attacking and defending teams must be on full buy rounds featuring rifles (AK-47s, M4s) and AWPs. The core stakes of the match revolve around a comeback attempt, but the overarching goal is an experiment: to determine if a simplistic, outdated 2015 strategy is more viable in uncoordinated PUGs than modern, highly-coordinated professional strategies. ## Players & Roles **Faceit 5-Stack (Terrorist Side):** * **voo:** In-Game Leader (IGL) calling the retro 2015 strategy. Wields the AK-47 | The Empress (03:08). Frequently highlights his own mechanical errors, such as missing crucial smokes (03:54) or forgetting lineups (05:53). * **austin:** Rifler/Analyst. Steps in to explain the mechanics of clearing the "Under Balcony" position. Wields an AK-47 | Legion of Anubis and a Karambit | Gamma Doppler (Emerald phase) (05:04). * **MadisonBeer (Cactus):** Entry Fragger/Rifler. Uses the AK-47 | Neon Rider (03:20, 06:11) to push aggressively out of Palace or Ramp to capitalize on smoke executions. * **Prophet:** AWPer/Rifler. Uses a P250 (04:19) and the AWP | Neo-Noir (06:55). Holds angles post-plant to counter CT retakes. * **FREQUENCY -A-:** Lurker/Rifler. Secures critical kills with an AK-47 from the Under Balcony position when executions become chaotic (06:03, 07:38). * **1kami:** Rifler. Primarily appears in damage logs (03:18, 04:17) and text chat (03:35), expressing confusion over the unusual strategy. **Professional Players (Contextual Examples):** * **FalleN (Keyd Stars / Luminosity):** Highlighted as a pioneer of the original 5-smoke A-site strategy in 2015 (01:26, 01:30). * **Happy (EnvyUs):** Shown lurking effectively under Palace during a 2015 match (01:43). * **rain (Faze Clan):** Shown executing A-site with an AK-47 | Fire Serpent in a modern 2022 professional match (04:50). * **Shakezullah:** Professional player featured as an expert voice (07:33) to explain the coordination discrepancy between pro teams and PUGs. ## Utility & Resources * **The 2015 5-Smoke Execute (01:19):** Relies on deploying five simultaneous smokes from T-Spawn and A-Ramp (03:06) to completely wall off Bombsite A (CT Spawn, Stairs, Jungle/Connector, and default/Under Balcony). * **The Modern 2-Smoke Execute (02:35):** Modern pro teams (like Faze Clan) use only two smokes (Stairs and Jungle), intentionally omitting CT and Under Balcony to save utility for post-plant holds (04:54). * **Ticket Booth Area Denial (01:57):** The T side deploys up to three Molotovs to completely engulf Ticket Booth in flames, denying it as a viable angle to see over the smoke wall. * **Flushing vs. Blocking (05:07):** Player 'austin' explains that using a Molotov Under Balcony is a better resource investment than a smoke. A smoke gives a CT cover; a Molotov forces them out, granting Ts safe access to Default/Tetris. * **Pop-Flash Reliance (04:46):** Modern executes rely on perfectly timed pop-flashes thrown high over A-Ramp to blind holding CTs, compensating for the intentional gaps in their smoke walls. * **Economic Demands (03:20):** The 2015 strategy demands a massive economic commitment (full buys with AK-47s). Forcing this on an eco round (06:43) results in disaster, as the strategy relies on winning sudden close-range duels inside smokes. ## Strategy & Tactics * **Brute Force vs. Utility Preservation:** The 2015 strategy trades all utility resources upfront for total vision denial and a guaranteed, blind bomb plant (07:38). The modern strategy preserves utility but requires micro-coordination to manually clear open space. * **Angle Baiting (03:27):** The massive smoke wall creates predictable points of friction. The Ts use the wall to bait CTs into holding the Jungle gap, making them easy targets for pre-aiming. * **Underpass Lurk (01:43):** A tactical variation where a player lurks in Underpass to catch rotating CTs while the main 5-smoke execution hits A-site. * **Synchronized Site Take (03:20):** A dual-pronged push from A-Ramp and Palace immediately after the utility blooms, collapsing directly onto the default plant spot. * **CT Mid-Match Adaptation (04:08):** After observing the Ts force the identical 5-smoke execute for consecutive rounds, the CTs abandon standard map control and 5-stack the bomb site to counter the blind execution. * **The PUG Coordination Gap (07:44):** The core thesis of the experiment. Casual teams lack the communication to effectively "trade" utility (flashes) for space. Without perfect flashes, modern strategies simply leave PUG players dying to open angles. ## Decisions & Critical Moments * **T Team Decision (02:56):** The T team commits to forcing the 2015 5-smoke execute for "10 rounds in a row" to test its viability against modern players. * **Jungle Gap Punish (03:26):** A T player holds the predictable gap near Jungle and secures an easy kill on an impatient CT. Outcome: T round win, demonstrating the advantage of overwhelming visual denial. * **Sloppy but Forgiving Execution (03:54):** The team completely misses the crucial Palace and Jungle smokes. Outcome: T round win. Despite massive gaps, the sheer volume of utility confuses the PUG CTs, showing the strategy's forgiving nature at lower coordination levels. * **The CT Stack Punish (04:14):** The T side executes the smoke wall and pushes blindly into a fully stacked site. Outcome: The T players are instantly killed by hiding CTs, highlighting the mistake of predictable, repetitive strategies. * **The Missing Lineup (05:53):** IGL 'voo' forgets a smoke lineup while testing a modern pro execute and fails to coordinate a supporting flash. Outcome: He is killed instantly pushing out of Ramp, proving the fragility of modern setups in casual play. * **Eco Execute Disaster (06:43):** Attempting the 2015 execute on a pistol round against fully-armed CTs. Outcome: The Ts are wiped out, proving the heavy utility investment is useless without the rifle firepower to win close-range duels. ## Practical Takeaways **Lessons & Situational Rules:** * **Simplicity Scales Better in PUGs (07:44):** If your team lacks rigorous communication, revert to older, brute-force strategies that completely block vision to bypass the need for perfectly timed teamplay. * **Flushing is Better Than Blocking (05:07):** Use Molotovs instead of smokes on close-range defensive positions (like Under Balcony) to force defenders into the open. * **Rule for Ticket Booth (01:57):** Standard A-site smokes often leave a one-way vision advantage for elevated CTs at Ticket Booth. Always pair an execute with a Molotov or HE grenade for that position. * **Dictate the Engagements (03:26):** Use smoke walls to create predictable friction points. Pre-aim the inevitable gaps (like Jungle/Connector) and bait impatient CTs into peeking. **Anti-Patterns (What to Avoid):** * **The "Pro Strat" Illusion (05:53):** Leaving intentional gaps in a smoke wall without a perfectly timed pop-flash will only result in your entry fragger dying. * **Dry Entry During Executing (03:13):** Pushing a primary choke point (like A-Ramp) just as smokes bloom without a supporting pop-flash. * **Strategic Stubbornness (04:08):** Running the exact same blind execution round after round allows CTs to easily adapt by 5-stacking the site. **Improvement Areas & Drills:** * **Utility Trading (07:44):** Practice communicating and trading utility for space. Have a support player call out a flashbang so an entry fragger can clear an open angle, saving a smoke for post-plant. * **The "Pop-Swing" Timing Drill:** In an offline server, Player A throws a high pop-flash over the A-Ramp wall (04:46). Player B practices swinging out of Ramp exactly as the flash detonates to clear the site without being blinded. * **Synchronized Execution Drill:** Gather a 5-stack in a private server, assign the five 2015 smoke lineups, and practice throwing them synchronously on a countdown to ensure a seamless wall before taking it into a live match. ## Conclusion This video provides a critical reality check for competitive CS players by demonstrating that highly complex, utility-efficient professional strategies are often inferior in casual PUG environments. By directly contrasting a brute-force 2015 5-smoke execute with modern 2-smoke pro meta, it proves that understanding your team's mechanical coordination level is just as important as the strategy itself. It teaches players to value simplicity, heavy visual denial, and actionable utility execution over replicating pro play without the prerequisite teamplay.