Counter-Strike Gameplay & Maps

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One of the best features about Counter-Strike is the high level of maps you have to play standard with the game. Counter-Strike boasts 25 maps that come with the game, and literally thousands of maps that fans like yourself have made and are available across the Internet (or automatically downloaded from servers running them). It would be virtually impossible to cover all maps ever made for Counter-Strike, but below are the official maps that come with every Counter-Strike installation.

There are three game modes with Counter-Strike. The first (and most rare) is Assassination (as_). The objective of this game mode is for the Counter-Terrorist team to escort a VIP (played by one of the Counter-Terrorist players who has only a pistol and heavy armor) to a secure zone for extraction. It's the Terrorists responsibility to kill that VIP at all costs.

The second form of gameplay, the original form, is Hostage Rescue (cs_). It's the Counter-Terrorists responsibility in these maps to escort several AI (Artificial Intelligence) hostages to safe zones, much like the VIP form of gameplay we mentioned above. The terrorists must prevent the hostages from being taken by setting up defensive positions and killing all of the Counter-Terrorists operatives who come to extract the hostages.

Seemingly the most popular form of Counter-Strike gameplay is Demolition (de_). In the Demolition style of gameplay, the Terrorists must plant a bomb at one of two bomb locations in the map to accomplish their objective. Only one Terrorist is assigned a single bomb, although he or she can drop it on the ground for another player to pick up. The Counter-Terrorists must prevent the bomb from exploding by either killing all of their enemies or defusing the bomb once it has been planted, a task made easier by purchasing a Bomb Defusal Kit at the beginning of the round.

Map Name: Oil Rig Gameplay: Assassination Counter-Terrorists: Protect the VIP at all costs. Escort him topside to the helicopter. Terrorists: Eliminate the VIP before he escapes. Background: The most important criminal witness in history has been hiding out on an oilrig as part of a witness protection program. But word is that his location has been discovered. A transport helicopter has been sent in to move the witness to a new location.

Map Name: 747 Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: Infiltrate the plane and rescue the remaining hostages from the Terrorists holding them. Terrorists: Prevent the Counter-Terrorist team from rescuing the hostages. Background: Little is known about what the Terrorists are demanding, but they have taken five hostages on a 747 as it was preparing to board passengers. It's unclear whether this was intentional or whether they were prematurely discovered.

Map Name: Assault Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: Rescue the hostages. Take out the Terrorists without jeopardizing the hostages. The Terrorists may be watching you with their cameras. Terrorists: Prevent Counter-Terrorist force from rescuing the hostages. Use whatever force needed. Background: Terrorists have stormed a warehouse in the industrial sector of town and have barricaded themselves inside. There are closed circuit television monitors throughout the building, so work fast.

Map Name: Back Alley Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: Infiltrate Terrorist stronghold and escort the hostages to the rescue zone. Take out the Terrorists without jeopardizing the hostages. Terrorists: Eliminate the Counter-Terrorist force before they rescue any hostages. Background: Terrorists are hold up in a primarily residential area of town. They have taken four locals hostage and are hidden somewhere within the maze of hallways and the alleys around the buildings.

Map Name: Estate Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: Rescue the three hostages being held captive in the mansion. Terrorists: Prevent the Counter-Terrorists from rescuing the hostages. Background: A group of Terrorists have stormed a wealthy estate on the hills overlooking downtown and demanding a ransom for the wealthy occupants. It's unclear how many individuals are inside or how many hostages there are at this time.

Map Name: Havana Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: You have control of the perimeter and must now rescue all of the surviving hostages before the terrorists manage to escape. Terrorists: You are holding political hostages in Habana Vieja, awaiting a chopper lift which will arrive to evacuate you immediately after the round ends. Background: Radicals have taken several political prisoners in a Havana suburb and are threatening to kill them unless they are allowed to leave the area securely.

Map Name: Italy Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: Navigate your way around the Italian city and get those Hostages from the foreign Terrorists. Terrorists: Prevent the Counter-Terrorists from rescuing the Hostages or eliminate the Counter-Terrorists. Background: A group of Italian civilians have been taken hostage in a house within the small town by a group of unknown Terrorists. Demands are unknown, but the Terrorists won't give up without a fight.

Map Name: Militia Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: Enter Cliffe's Compound to rescue the hostages. Take out the Terrorists without jeopardizing the hostages. Terrorists: Prevent Counter-Terrorist force from rescuing the hostages. Background: A local militia group has taken four members of the town hostage and have retreated to their mountain stronghold. There are a lot of open and exposed areas, so be careful.

Map Name: Office Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: Enter the office building and rescue the hostages. Take out the Terrorists without jeopardizing the hostages. Terrorists: Prevent Counter-Terrorist force from rescuing the hostages. Background: Terrorists have seized an office complex that was cut off from a snow storm. Most of the office employees braved the cold and escaped, but four of the employees have been taken hostage.

Map Name: Siege Gameplay: Hostage Rescue Counter-Terrorists: Enter the POW stronghold and rescue the hostages. Take out the Terrorists without jeopardizing the hostages. Terrorists: Prevent Counter-Terrorist force from rescuing the hostages. Background: Terrorists have kidnapped four individuals and have taken them to a bunker complex that is heavily defended and well fortified in the mountains.

Map Name: Air Strip Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent the terrorist planting the explosives in the airstrip compound. Terrorists: Plant the C4 inside the airstrip compound and destroy the fuel and cargo areas. Background: Terrorists armed with C4 high explosives have stormed an air strip deep within the jungle and are planning to attack the fuel and cargo areas, thus crippling the air strip's ability to operate properly. The terrorists have made demands, but they have fallen on deaf ears.

Map Name: Aztec Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent the Terrorists bombing the archaeological site. Terrorists: Destroy the valuable Aztec ruins. Background: Terrorists armed with C4 high explosives have entered a newly discovered archaeological site of an Aztec temple complex and are planning on destroying this rich piece of South American heritage and history unless the local government submits to their demands, which is now looking very unlikely.

Map Name: Cobble Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent Terrorists from bombing Lord William's country farmhouse. He has been the target of assassination in light of recent government proposals. Terrorists: The Terrorist carrying the C4 must place the bomb at one of the two bomb sites around the map, thereby killing Lord William and severely damaging his home. Background: A local terror group have stormed the compound are planning on demolishing it and its occupants.

Map Name: Chateau Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Protect Lord Williams' investment and prevent the Terrorists from destroying his new home. Terrorists: After the loss of Cobble, Lord Williams is rebuilding his summer chateau. You must prevent his remodeling. Plant the C4 at either the front, or the rear courtyard. Background: The terrorists are still after Lord Williams, and now is targeting the reconstruction of his summer chateau in hopes that he will be killed in the process.

Map Name: Dust Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent Terrorists from bombing chemical weapon crates. Team members must defuse any bombs that threaten targeted areas. Terrorists: The Terrorist carrying the C4 must destroy one of the chemical weapon stashes. Background: Terrorists in the middle east are planning on blowing up a chemical weapons storage facility that will devastate the local area and its inhabitants due to the fallout of chemicals from the explosion.

Map Name: Dust 2 Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent Terrorists from bombing chemical weapon crates. Team members must defuse any bombs that threaten targeted areas. Terrorists: The Terrorist carrying the C4 must destroy one of the chemical weapon stashes. Background: Terrorists in the middle east are planning on blowing up yet another chemical weapons storage facility that will devastate the local area and its inhabitants due to the fallout of chemicals from the explosion.

Map Name: Inferno Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent the terrorists from destroying the pipelines. Terrorists: Destroy the two gas pipelines. Background: Terrorists are attempting to blow up two critical gas pipelines through part of a small village in the area. The pipeline is critical to the country's economy and must remain operational. Terrorists have not listened to reason and will attack the pipeline regardless of personal losses, including their own lives.

Map Name: Nuke Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent Terrorists from bombing the nuclear missile. The mission can be targeted from above and below. Team members must defuse any bombs that threaten targeted areas. Terrorists: The Terrorist carrying the C4 must destroy the nuclear missile. Background: Terrorists are planning the destruction of a stored nuclear missile, the effects of which will devastate hundreds of square miles and killing thousands.

Map Name: Piranesi Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Protect the historical site against the terrorists. Terrorists: Prevent the museum from opening by destroying one of its two main attractions; the antique sundial in the front courtyard or the grand celestial ornery in the back garden. Background: A sprawling Neo-Romanesque palace known as Villa Piranesi is to be opened to the public as a museum. Restored furniture and works of art are being there.

Map Name: Prodigy Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent Terrorists from bombing the computer lab or the fuel pipeline control room. Team members must defuse any bombs that threaten targeted areas. Terrorists: The Terrorist carrying the C4 must destroy one of the targets. Background: A government research facility has fallen prey to a local radical terrorist group who are planning on destroying the site, setting research back decades.

Map Name: Storm Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Protect weapons crates. These weapons are to be delivered to an allied country threatened by terrorists. Terrorists: There is an attempt to arm a small country your faction wishes to attack for the political reasons. Stop the weapons from reaching them. Background: Terrorists had gotten wind that a shipment of small arms and ammunition was making its way to their sworn enemy, and have thus decided to attack the cache.

Map Name: Survivor Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent the Terrorists from bombing. Terrorists: Bomb the truck or crashed plane. Background: During a freak snow storm, a cargo plane carrying sensitive materials crashed landed into the mountains. The government quickly rushed to secure the cargo, but a terrorist faction has gotten wind of the salvage operation and are planning to attack the crew and their sensitive materials before any of it can make it back to safety and out of their reach.

Map Name: Torn Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Contain the situation. Prevent hostiles from completing their objectives. Terrorists: Detonate a toxic nerve agent into the town's water supply that will spread to nearby cities. Background: Terrorists have devised a plan to enter a nerve agent into the regions water supply, thus attacking virtually every inhabitant within the area. The agent causes immediate paralysis followed by asphyxiation and death within minutes.

Map Name: Train Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent Terrorists from bombing the nuclear payloads on two trains. Team members must defuse any bombs that threaten the payloads. Terrorists: The Terrorist carrying the C4 must destroy one of the payloads. Background: Newly finished nuclear missiles are being transported from their production facility to launch platforms somewhere in the country. Terrorists are planning to intercept the payload and detonate it.

Map Name: Vertigo Gameplay: Demolition Counter-Terrorists: Prevent the builing from being destroyed. Terrorists: Plant the bomb and blow up the building. Background: Terrorists are planning on demolishing the Rizzleton Tower, which is still under heavy construction, in order to send a message to the national government to stay out of their affairs. The building isn't complete, so be sure to watch your step!