Master Mirage Shears Smokes in CS:GO - Essential Positions, Executing and Avoiding Mistakes

Understanding Mirage Shears

Mirage shears refer to a useful smoke grenade strategy in the popular online game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). It is used on the Mirage map to block vision and gain a tactical advantage. This smoke can be thrown from multiple positions to block key locations like Mid, Connector, Market, and more.

Why Use Mirage Shears?

Mirage shears help teams execute strategies and control areas of the map. Some key benefits of mirage shears include:

• Blocking sniper sightlines
• Delaying pushes from the opposing team
• Allowing safe passage to plant or defuse the bomb
• Giving cover to enter or exit bombsites
• Forcing close-range engagements

Whether on the terrorist or counter-terrorist side, mirage shears serve many tactical purposes. Understanding them is key to excelling on Mirage.

Essential Mirage Shear Positions

There are a few essential spots to throw effective mirage shears from:

Mid Shears

A key mirage shears position is near Mid doors. Thrown correctly, this smoke lands deep in Mid, blocking the sniper spot. It lets terrorists cross safely to Apartments or Underpass.

Connector Shears

Throwing this smoke from Jungle or Connector blocks vision between Mid and Connector. This delays rotations from Counter Terrorists and splits their positions.

Market Shears

Market shears land on the Market table, blocking the Counter Terrorist sniper spot. Terrorists use this to control Market and cut rotations from Short to A Site.

CT Spawn Shears

This deep smoke thrown from T Spawn or Mid Doors blocks off the Counter Terrorist Spawn area. This delays rotations and limits visibility for enemies approaching Mid or A Site from CT Spawn.

Executing Mirage Shears

Successfully throwing these mirage shears requires practice and specific lineups. Here are some tips:

Find Reliable Lineups

Search online to find consistent lineups that place the smokes accurately every time. Test them on offline Mirage maps until you develop the timing and positioning down perfectly.

Coordinate with Teammates

Communicate with your team and have everyone time their mirage shears together to maximize effectiveness. Executing them simultaneously overloads areas with smoke and gives your team the best advantage.

Throw Early in the Round

Getting your mirage shears active early forces enemies to walk through them blindly. This gives you easy kills and map control right off the bat. But save smoke grenades if pushing late round.

Sell Fakes and Be Unpredictable

Mix up both mirage shear placement and timing. Selling fakes keeps enemies guessing wrong while conditioning them to your patterns lets you exploit expectations when it matters.

Common Mirage Shears Mistakes

While potent when used well, some common mirage shears mistakes to avoid include:

Missing Lineups

Inconsistent smoke placement destroys their usefulness. Flubbing molly lineups gives away intent and positions. Master them incrementally in empty offline servers before taking them into competitive matches.

Overusing Early Round

Carelessly expending mirage shears early without coordinating with your team leaves you without utility later when retaking sites. Make sure at least 1 or 2 players save smokes.

Not Timing Properly

Improperly timed mirage shears diffuse too soon or bloom too late to effectively cut off enemy positions. Communicate with teammates, count seconds, and throw multiple simultaneously.

Neglecting to Clear Angles

Assuming areas are safe because of smoke and neglecting to check corners gets you ambushed from unexpected spots. Quickly clear close angles before pushing blindly through mirage shears.

Adapt Mirage Shears Strategically

With practice, mirage shears become powerful tools to control the map and outmaneuver adversaries. But keep adapting them to evolve strategies and catch opponents off guard. Perfectly placed mirage shears won't net you victories on their consistency alone. Mix up use and placement to dynamically support your gameplan.

FAQs

What are the best spots to throw mirage shears from?

The best mirage shears spots are Mid Doors, Jungle/Connector, T Spawn, and Market. These allow you to smoke key areas like Mid, Connector, CT Spawn, and Market to block vision and sniper sightlines.

When should I throw mirage shears?

Throw mirage shears early in the round to gain map control, block snipers, and delay rotations. But save 1-2 smokes for late round if you need to plant, defuse, or retake sites.

How do I avoid common mirage shears mistakes?

Practice smoke lineups extensively offline first. Don't overuse smokes early round. Time multiple shears simultaneously. And always clear close angles when pushing through smoke.

How can mirage shears support my team's strategy?

Communicate with teammates to execute mirage shears together, fitting them strategically based on your gameplan. For example, smoking CT Spawn to all rush Palace or smoking Market to split Short and Mid to A Site.