FaZe Clan vs Astralis: Aggressive B Apartments Control on Mirage

# FaZe Clan vs Astralis: Aggressive B Apartments Control on Mirage ## Match Context * **Match/Event:** FaZe Clan vs Astralis * **Map:** Mirage * **Round Phase:** First Half, Round 11 (04:29) * **Score State:** FaZe Clan 6 - 4 Astralis * **Economic Situation:** Both teams are on a full buy. * *FaZe Clan (T-side):* One AWP, two AK-47s, and two MAC-10s. Full utility. * *Astralis (CT-side):* One AWP, two AUGs, and two M4A4s. Full utility. * **Stakes & Match Situation:** Early in Round 11, Astralis executes a highly coordinated, aggressive setup to take advanced map control of B Apartments. The goal is to dictate the pace of the round, deny T-side default map control, and potentially secure an early pick while wasting Terrorist time and utility. ## Players & Roles * **Voo (Narrator/Demonstrator) [00:00 - 04:28]** * **Role:** Analyst / Content Creator demonstrating CT tactics in a private practice server. * **Equipment:** M4A4 | Evil Daimyo (StatTrak), Butterfly Knife (Vanilla), full utility. * **Visual Identifiers:** Bright green crosshair. Exhibits precise movement and crosshair placement for grenade lineups (e.g., the jump-throw smoke at 00:48). * **Xyp9x [04:29 - 05:49]** * **Role:** B Site Anchor / Aggressive Entry Playmaker for Astralis. * **Equipment:** M4A4 | Asiimov, Butterfly Knife | Fade, utility. * **Visual Identifiers:** Wears Specialist Gloves | Foundation that uniquely color-coordinate with his M4A4. Displays confident, aggressive movement pushing deep into B Apartments off teammate support. * **dupreeh [04:29 - 04:48]** * **Role:** Support / B Short player for Astralis. * **Equipment:** AUG, full grenade set. * **Actions:** Acts as the dedicated support for Xyp9x's aggressive B play, throwing a perfect sequence of utility (Smoke, HE, Flash) from outside B Apartments to facilitate the push. * **Team Compositions:** * **Astralis (CT):** device (AWP), Xyp9x, dupreeh, Magisk, gla1ve. * **FaZe Clan (T):** olofmeister, GuardiaN (AWP), NiKo, rain, karrigan. Visible primarily as passive targets of the aggressive Astralis setup in this specific sequence. ## Utility & Resources ### Grenade Usage & Trajectories * **00:48 - 00:58:** Jump-throw Smoke Grenade lineup from the default B site pillar. Crosshair aligns with a structural line on the opposite building. Lands deep inside the T-side hallway of B Apartments, cutting off vision. * **01:14 - 01:24:** Incendiary Grenades deployed from default B site or the white van, thrown through the apartments doorway to bounce deep into the back hallway. * **01:41 - 01:46:** Right-click, underhand pop-flash from inside the "Kitchen" area, bounced off the ceiling to blind isolated Terrorists behind the deep smoke. * **02:42 - 02:46:** Standard passive defensive Smoke thrown from Catwalk/Short, landing squarely at the B Apartments balcony entrance. * **03:13 - 03:25:** Alternative solo deep Smoke thrown directly from inside the B Apartments entrance, allowing a solo CT unpredictability within the Kitchen/Couch area. * **04:39 - 04:41 (Astralis Execution):** dupreeh throws the deep B Apartments smoke from B Short. * **04:42 - 04:44 (Astralis Execution):** Xyp9x runs into B Apartments and throws an Incendiary deep into the back hallway on the fly. * **04:46 - 04:53 (Astralis Execution):** dupreeh follows his smoke with an HE Grenade and Flashbang thrown directly over the B Apartments roof, dropping perfectly into the T-side hallway to damage and blind enemies. ### Economy Decisions & Weapon Choices * **Voo's Setup (00:00 - 04:28):** Demonstrates entry with an M4A4 but heavily emphasizes the AWP as the ideal follow-up weapon once early deep apartment control (Kitchen/Couch) is secured and the smoke begins to fade. * **Pro Execution (04:29):** With a healthy CT bank, Astralis utilizes a 1 AWP, 2 AUG, 2 M4A4 setup. The combined utility bank allows for the massive 4-grenade dump required to secure B Apartments uncontested. FaZe is on a varied full buy (AWP, 2 AKs, 2 MAC-10s) but is entirely suppressed by the utility. ### Resource Impact The deep smoke and molotov combination safely forces Terrorists out of forward positions or forces them to take heavy fire damage (01:25 - 01:58). The Astralis 4-nade execution (04:50 - 04:56) is completely risk-free, expending utility to ensure absolutely zero dry aim-duels are required to take advanced space. ## Strategy & Tactics ### Round Strategies & Formations * **Early Aggressive Map Control (CT):** Pushing deep into B Apartments to dictate pacing, deny default setups, and gather early intelligence. * **Advanced Deep Hold:** After taking space, establishing a defensive line at Kitchen or Couch, transitioning to an aggressive AWP or off-angle hold watching the deep choke point (01:58 - 02:04). * **Standard Default Mix-Ups:** Utilizing passive, default holds (smoke at balcony, holding from Van) as a baseline, but explicitly mixing in the aggressive deep strategy to disrupt rhythm. ### Coordination & Adaptations * **Synchronized Two-Man Setup:** Astralis's execution is textbook. The support player (dupreeh) remains perfectly safe outside near B Short, laying down layered utility, while the entry (Xyp9x) moves smoothly off the utility to deploy his own molotov. * **Pacing Variation:** Strategically transitioning from passive setups to aggressive ones forces the T-side to painstakingly clear deep angles on every round—even the passive ones—thereby draining the round timer (04:09). ## Decisions & Critical Moments ### Key Choices & Rationale * **01:14 (Layering Utility):** Deciding to throw an Incendiary immediately after the deep smoke. *Rationale:* Creates a secondary barrier that physically clears the path to the "Kitchen", preventing aggressive Terrorists from pushing the smoke. * **01:41 (Aggressive Self-Flash):** Deciding to right-click pop-flash the ceiling. *Rationale:* A calculated risk to capitalize on map control and secure an opening kill on blinded lurkers. * **04:39 (Dedicated Support):** dupreeh decides to throw all entry utility from B Short. *Rationale:* Allows Xyp9x to push deep with his weapon drawn, minimizing risk. ### Critical Moments & Outcomes * **01:58 (The Transition Point):** The moment the initial deep smoke fades. Securing advanced positioning and transitioning to a static AWP hold fundamentally shifts the map control dynamic in the CTs' favor. * **04:46 (Perfect Utility Layering):** dupreeh tossing the HE and Flash directly over the roof instantly neutralizes FaZe Clan's presence. Result: Xyp9x walks into the deep Kitchen area entirely uncontested (04:50), securing the lane without a single bullet fired. ### Mistakes & Alternatives * **03:45 (Anti-Pattern):** Relying entirely on the standard B Default (smoking balcony and hiding at Van). This is a critical mistake if overused, as it allows the T-side to mass forces behind the smoke, flash through, and easily overwhelm passive CT site anchors. ## Practical Takeaways ### Lessons * **Layer Utility for Safe Entry (01:14):** Always pair deep smokes with molotovs to guarantee the displacement of forward-playing enemies without risking a dry aim duel. * **Dictate Map Pacing (01:58):** Take advanced control early to force the T-side into time-consuming, meticulous clearing routines. * **Utilize External Support (04:39):** Entry players should rely on safe, external teammates to throw their flashbangs and smokes, ensuring they have their gun up when crossing thresholds. ### Anti-Patterns * **Predictability (03:45):** Never play the exact same passive default setup round after round. * **Dry-Peeking Deep Angles:** Pushing into high-traffic T default areas without flashbangs or molotovs. * **Free Map Control:** Yielding crucial map sectors (like B Apartments) without taxing the T-side's utility or time. ### Improvement Areas & Drill Ideas * **Astralis Execute Sync (04:39 - 04:53):** In an offline server, Duo Player 1 practices the B Short roof utility (Smoke, HE, Flash), while Player 2 practices the timed aggressive run from Van, throwing the deep molotov exactly as the flashes detonate. * **Pop-Flash Sandbox (01:41):** Practice right-click ceiling pop-flashes in the B Apartments Kitchen to ensure enemies have zero reaction time. * **Deep Setup Repetition (00:48):** Drill the default B site pillar jump-throw smoke until it becomes instantaneous muscle memory. ## Conclusion This video segment is an exceptional masterclass in CT aggression and utility layering. It explicitly demonstrates how proper team coordination, timing, and utility usage can completely neutralize high-level T-side map control without the need to take risky aim duels. It teaches players to transcend basic, predictable defensive setups by proactively disrupting the opponent's pacing.