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In the first-person shooter computer game Counter-Strike, at the beginning of a round each player has a certain amount of time (usually 30 seconds) to buy equipment. Equipment includes weapons, armor, and other devices. Sometimes, equipment that is exclusively for either team has a foil on the opposing team, such as the AK-47 for the Terrorists, and the M4A1 for Counter-Terrorists.
The BETA releases of Counter-Strike featured left-handed weapons models and the style has been retained through current version 1.6. In the interim, the option of flipping the model over so that it would appear right-handed has become available. However, since the weapon models are direct mirror images, the left and right side of the weapons are reversed. For instance, the forward assist and ejection port of the M4A1 carbine and the bolt and selector switch of the AK-47 appear on the left side of the gun. This is incorrect and rather absurd in reality, as right-handed (majority) users of the guns would be showered with the ejected cartridges of their weapons. It is even worse for the bolt-action rifles, since the original left-handed models incorporated a right-hand bolt, which equates to a left-hand bolt when the image is flipped to a right-handed model.
Note: In the new Counter-Strike Source some weapons have been renamed possibly due to legal / licensing issues or are omitted entirely.
Knife
Each player also starts out with a combat knife; unlike the other weapons, the knife cannot be dropped. The knife has a fast, moderate-damage primary attack and a slow, high-damage secondary attack. The knife's secondary can kill most opponents with two stabs. Either knifemode does a lot more damage when attacking an enemy in the back (since version 1.6). Players are able to run faster with the knife at ready than with a gun out. Knife kills are somewhat rare and always fun to pull off.
At the end of a round if you and another on the opposing team are the only ones standing, it is customary to engage in a knife fight. On some servers, when someone is killed by a knife a sound clip from the game Mortal Kombat will announce "Humiliation!"; in order to clarify to everyone playing you were knifed.
GLOCK
The GLOCK 18C Select Fire is the pistol Terrorists (Ts) spawn with. It costs $400, has 20-round 9mm clips, and can be fired in either semi-automatic or burst mode, which fires three shots rapidly. Burst fire is typically most effective from close range. Semi-automatic can take a long time to finely tune to make it a usable weapon, especially when facing USPs (the default CT weapon).
Advantages of the GLOCK include it's large magazine size, fast rate of fire, semi-auto/burst fire choices, ability to stay semi-accurate while player is in the air and low recoil. Disadvantages of the GLOCK include it's meagre power and the fact that it is not accurate at anything other that close to medium range. The GLOCK has been in CS since BETA 1.0.
USP
The Heckler & Koch .45 USP Tactical is the pistol Counter-Terrorists (CTs) spawn with. It costs $500, has 12-round .45 ACP clips, and has an optional silencer. (The silencer slightly reduces accuracy and damage.) Advantages of the USP include it's high accuracy and power. Disadvantages include an average amount of ammo (12 rounds per clip) and more recoil than some of the other pistols. The USP has been in CS since BETA 1.0.
Desert Eagle ("Deagle")
 Screenshot from a player using a Desert Eagle The IMI Desert Eagle .50 AE, nicknamed "Deagle" by players, has the most raw power of any pistol in the game. It costs $650 and has 7-round clips of .50AE. It is the only pistol with the capability to shoot through walls like rifles. Advantages of the Desert Eagle include the power of its .50 round, the ability to shoot through walls and accuracy at long range. Disadvantages include its small ammo capacity (7 rounds with 35 in reserve) and its price (the Desert Eagle is the second most expensive pistol in the game.)
SIG P288
The SIG P288 costs $600 and uses 13-round clips of .357SIG ammo. It is moderately powerful and highly accurate. The P288 was added in BETA 4.0.
Dual Berreta 96G Elites ("Dualies")
The dual Beretta 96G Elites is a pair of pistols that can be wielded akimbo (one in each hand) and is only available to the Terrorist team. They cost $800 and each gun has a 15-round clip of 9mm ammo. Advantages of this gun include its fun factor, fast rate of fire, and appealing aesthetics. Disadvantages include a long reload time and inaccuracy due to recoil. The Dualies were added in BETA 7.0.
FN Five-seveN
The Fabrique Nationale Five-seveN is only available to the Counter-Terrorist team. It costs $750 and uses 20-round clips of 5.7mm ammo. Advantages of this gun include its high accuracy and large, 20-round clips. The Five-seveN was added in Counter-Strike 1.0.
Shotguns are reloaded one shell at a time and can be fired while reloading. Unlike other guns, shotgun accuracy is the same regardless of whether the player is moving, jumping, or crouching.
Benelli M3 ("pump action")
The Benelli M3 Super 90 Combat is round-for-round the more powerful of the two shotguns. It costs $1700 and holds 8 rounds of 12 gauge shells. The M3 is a pump-action weapon that is pumped after each shot to advance the next shell(hence the nickname "pump shottie"). The main advantage of the M3 is its high damage that can kill with one shot at close-range. Its disadvantages include its pump time and the need for precise timing and aim. The M3 has been in Counter-Strike since BETA 1.
Benelli XM1014 ("auto shottie")
The Benelli XM1014 is a fully-automatic shotgun. It costs $3000 and holds 7 12-gauge shells. The XM1014 has a high rate of fire, but it empties quickly and each shot does less damage than the M3. As an automatic it does not require as much timing as the M3, which is why some have derisively nicknamed it the "noob cannon" (a name also applied to the AWP at times). The XM1014 was added to Counter-Strike in BETA 5.0 (December 1999).
MP5
The Heckler & Koch MP5 Navy costs $1500 and has 30-round clips of 9mm Parabellum ammo. The MP5 is proabably one of the most widely used weapons in game because it is fairly accurate, cheap, and easy to control. The MP5 has been in CS since BETA 1.0.
TMP
The Steyr TMP is a gun exclusive to the Counter-Terrorist team. It costs $1250 and has 30-round clips of 9mm Parabellum ammo. It is the cheapest fully automatic gun and has a high rate of fire. The TMP lacks power and is poor beyond close range. The TMP has been in CS since BETA 1.0.
P90
The Fabrique Nationale P90 is an SMG that uses a large clip. At $2350 it is the most expensive SMG and uses 50-round clips of 5.7mm ammo. The large clip is an advantage in longer shootouts. The P90 has poor accuracy though and is best at closer ranges. The P90 was added in BETA 3.0.
MAC-10
The Ingram MAC-10 is a Terrorist-only gun. It costs $1400 and has 30-round clips of .45 ACP ammo. The MAC-10 is not difficult to control even when going fully automatic. Like the TMP, it is best at close range. The MAC-10 was added in BETA 6.0.
UMP45
The Heckler & Koch UMP45 is like a higher power version of the MP5. It costs $1700 and has 25-round clips of .45 ACP ammo. Its rate of fire is slow, so it can't keep up with other sub-machineguns like the MP5. But this also helps reduce recoil, so it is one of the steadiest SMGs. The UMP45 was added in Counter-Strike 1.0.
All rifles can shoot through thin objects and crates and damage things on the other side.
Galil
The IMI Galil is a cheap Terrorist-only counterpart of the CT's FAMAS. It costs $2000 and has 35-round clips of 5.56x45mm ammo. It is a good gun when money is tight and it has a slightly larger magazine tha most rifles. In terms of accuracy, it is something of a trade-off between the AK-47 and M4A1; it is accurate at longer ranges like the AK-47 but is also decent at shorter ranges like the M4. The Galil was added in Counter-Strike 1.6.
AK-47
The AK-47 is a Terrorist-only rifle and the most popular gun for Ts. It costs $2500 and has 30 rounds of 7.62x51mm ammo (though in real life, it uses 7.62x39mm). The AK-47 is more powerful than the CT's M4 and the first few shots are extremely accurate. It not accurate at all when fired automatically, making it nearly useless for close range fighting. The AK-47 was added in BETA 2.0.
SIG-552
The SIG SG-552 Commando is the Terrorist-only counter-part of the CT's AUG. It costs $3500 and has 30-round clips of 5.56x45mm ammo. The secondary fire activates its 2x scope, improving its longer range effectiveness but reducing its rate of fire. The SIG-552 was added in BETA 2.0.
FAMAS
GIAT Industries' FAMAS is cheap rifle exclusive to the Counter-Terrorists, similar in role to the Galil. It costs $2250 and has 25-round clips of 5.56x45mm ammo. Secondary fire toggles between fully automatic and 3-round burst mode. The FAMAS is not very powerful, but 3-round bursts give it an accurate punch at short range (similar to the GLOCK). The FAMAS was added in Counter-Strike 1.6.
Colt M4A1
The Colt M4A1 Carbine (usually just called "Colt" or "M4") is exclusive to the Counter-Terrorists and is a favorite of the CTs. It costs $3100 and has 30-round clips of 5.56x45mm ammo. Secondary fire adds or removes a silencer. The Colt is accurate, controllable, and powerful. It formerly had a scope, but it was removed since it was generally believed that it made the Colt a decent sniper rifle in addition to its dominance in close and medium ranges. Some players even call it the best overall weapon in the game. The Colt has been in CS since BETA 1.0.
AUG
The Steyr Daimler Puch AUG is scoped rifle for the Counter-Terrorists. It costs $3500 and has a 30-round clip of 5.56x45mm ammo. The secondary fire button activates its 2x scope and reduces its rate of fire. It is more accurate than the M4A1 but it also has more recoil, making it difficult to control if fired quickly. Compared to the similar SG-552, the AUG seems to be slightly more accurate, but less powerful. The AUG was added in BETA 6.0.
Scout
The Steyr Daimler Puch Scout Sniper Rifle is the least powerful and cheapest sniper gun. It costs $2750 and has 10-round clips of 7.62x51mm ammo. The secondary fire activates its 2-4x scope. The Scout is a light gun that allows for greater player mobility, but unlike the AWP, only headshots will kill someone with one shot. The Scout's main advantages over it's much more powerful counter-part, the Arctic Warfare Magnum (below), is that it is almost completely inaudible at medium ranges and further and that it does not cripple the player's running speed. The Scout was added in BETA 4.0.
AWP ("bazooka")
The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare Police is the most powerful sniper rifle. It costs $4750 and uses 10-round clips of .338 Lapua ammo. Secondary fire enables its 2-4x scope. It is highly accurate while standing still and usually kills with one shot. The AWP is highly inaccurate when not zoomed in and dramatically slows the player's running speed. It has been in CS since BETA 1.0.
In the culture of Counter-Strike, "AWP whore" is online vernacular for one who accumulates kills with the Accuracy International AWM (AWP) sniper rifle. The AWP delivers one-shot kills to all parts of the body except the legs, which some players criticize as making it overpowered and easy to use. The drawback is that it has a slow rate of fire, causes the person carrying it to move more slowly, and that the player must use its zoom function to have any accuracy. Although its balance is debated, most Counter-Strike players agree that the AWP requires just as much skill to use as other major guns in the game (M4A1 and AK-47), and is balanced by its drawbacks. To dominate a game with the AWP requires the player to move effectively, scope quickly, and have good aim. It is used sparingly in matches and in professional competitions — usually one or two players on a team of 5 will use the AWP, while the other three use M4A1s or AK-47s.
The AWP is no longer as powerful as it once was. The AWP was the most powerful in version 1.1 of the game, when one shot to any part of the body was an instant kill. Later updates reduced its effectiveness: 1.3 made the leg shot non-lethal: 1.5 made it so that the AWP and pistol could not be pulled out as fast, as well as making the AWP extremely inaccurate without the scope, crippling the AWP's in close-quarters; 1.6 dramatically increased the time for the scope of the AWP, which was criticized as making it nearly worthless. The latest update to Counter-Strike, removed some of the "scope time" and restored the AWP to some of its former glory.
G3/SG-1
The Heckler and Koch G3/SG-1 Semi-Auto Sniper Rifle is the Terrorist-only auto sniper gun. It costs an impressive $5000 and has 20-round clips of 7.62x51mm ammo. The secondary fire activates its 2-4x scope. It is similar in power to the Scout, with the difference that the G3SG1 is semi-automatic. In version 1.6 the recoil of the rifle was reduced, allowing players to make kills at almost any range with relative ease. Players who accumulate kills with this weapon by camping in the same spot and shooting away at anything often earn themselves the title "auto sniper noob", since it requires relatively little skill to hit anything. The G3 was added in Counter-Strike 1.0.
SG-550
The SIG SG-550 Sniper Rifle is the Counter-Terrorist auto sniper gun. It costs $4200 and has 30-round clips of 5.56x45mm ammo. Secondary fire activates its 2-4x scope. It is like the G3, but less powerful. Usually 3 shots to an armoured opponent are required to get a kill. The SG-550's accuracy was also increased in 1.6, leading to similar "auto sniper noob" situations as is the case with the G3-SG1, though less often. The SG-550 was added in Counter-Strike 1.0.
M249
The Fabrique Nationale M249 PARA is the only machine gun and the most expensive item in the game. It costs $5750 and is fed by 200-round belts that require several seconds to reload. The M249 is hard to control at fully automatic. It has far more rounds in a single clip than any other gun in the game and works well at providing covering fire and at clearing out rooms. Contrary to popular belief, the M249 is actually fairly accurate when used in single or burst fire. It has been in CS since BETA 1.0.
Miscellaneous
- Kevlar armor / helmet
- Kevlar body armor costs $650 and offers some protection from bullets and HE grenades. Players can also buy kevlar armor with a helmet for $1000 that offers slighly more head protection.
- Flashbang
- Flashbang grenades cost $200 and a player can carry two of them. Players near or facing a detonating flashbang grenade will have their screen turn white and sound turn off for several seconds, providing a moment for attackers to overtake the disoriented players. Players on public servers often use flashbangs inappropriately, flashing their own team either intentionally or because of inexperience. This is called "teamflashing".
- HE grenade
- The HE (High Explosive) grenade costs $300 and a player can only carry one at a time. HE grenades typically do about 50-100 points of damage to armored opponents at the point of explosion. Great for softening enemies, finishing off wounded or scaring ambushers. A much frowned-upon tactic called "[gre]nade spamming" is to stand is a buy zone and throw grenades at any place the enemy may come from, then buy a new grenade and throw it again. The result is a rain of grenades that doesn't stop until the player runs out of money to buy the grenades, or the buy time ends. When friendly-fire is off, the grenade can still injure or kill you if mis-thrown, but it won't injure your teammates. HE grenades were added in BETA 4.0.
- Smoke grenade
- The Smoke grenade costs $300 and a player can only carry one at a time. Smoke creates a distraction and can provide cover in the vicinity. The smoke grenade was added in BETA 6.5.
- Defuse kit
- The defuse kit is for the Counter-Terrorists on bomb defuse maps and costs $200. It halves the time required to defuse the bomb. Defuse kits were added in BETA 5.0 (the defusion scenario was added in BETA 4.0).
- Night vision goggles
- Night vision goggles (NVG) cost $1250. They allow the wearer to see in total darkness. Taking NVG on and off makes a distinct sound that your enemies can hear. In normal light, the goggles can make things difficult to see. Many skilled players regard the goggles as completely useless. NVG was added in BETA 2.0, later removed, and then re-added in BETA 6.0.
- Tactical shield
- The tactical shield is for the Counter-Terrorists only and costs $2200. When deployed, the player is invulnerable to attacks from the front, but suffers a movement penalty and cannot shoot. When not deployed it hangs off to the side offering less protection, but allows you to shoot. This item can only be used with pistols. The tactical shield was added in version 1.6 but removed for Counter Strike: Source, as it is often used by players to become almost invulnerable when hiding in hard-to-reach spaces. Skilled shielders in 1.6 also often attempt to distract enemy snipers by activating the shield and charging their positions with their invulnerability; allowing friendly snipers to pick off the enemy snipers. These players typically earn themselves the title "shield noob".
External links
- Counter Strike DL - CS Skins and CS Source Skins (http://www.counter-strike-dl.com) includes a number of models known as "skins" that can be downloaded. These typically improve the visual appearance of weapons, equipment and players to more closely mimick their real-life counterparts. Other than offering more realistic sprites and models, these "skins" do not affect gameplay.
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