After days of controversy, Valve has removed the infamous Mirage mid-window smoke. But Emil “Magisk” Reif has found an equally deadly and legitimate alternative.
Mirage
may be the most balanced Counter-Strike: Global Offensive map, but parts of it are a menace to tackle as the attacking Ts. Taking control of mid as Ts is a tall order on Mirage due to a massive AWPers den that is tough to dodge. Without a smoke, going mid is like playing with fire. But one simple smoke opens both B short and connector, refusing the CTs any control.
This newly-discovered middle smoke can help CTs regain their power after being smoked off. It’s essentially an alternative to the recently
removed bugged smoke
that cut off the enemy’s utility in the window. Team Vitality’s Magisk has proven that the same results are possible without utilizing an exploit.
Magisk used this smoke in a game against Team Liquid after players agreed to refrain from using the bug. This new smoke is 100% legit and tricks enemies into walking right into your crosshair. The one-way lands under the window, blending with the T-side smoke. Due to the utility cluster, it’s challenging for Ts to read the trick. It does require some mobility, and some bunny-hopping skills would also help.
How to smoke one-way on Mirage mid
The smoke appears to be pretty simple. Magisk tosses the grenade from inside the window, aiming for the wall under B short. The smoke bounces off the wall before falling under the window.
The player then instantly jumps on top of the block placed outside the sniper’s den. Crouching on the block allows a clear view of enemies mid. The Ts can’t see the player hiding under the window due to the perfect length of the smoke.
This powerful smoke does come with some repercussions. While the lineup is simple, it’s the movement that is trickiest. Reaching outside the window before the enemies arrive on top of mid isn’t a cakewalk. You have to consider spawn placement and timing, and make sure you crouch through the hole smoothly. A second’s delay can cost you a life and reveal your tactics to the enemies.
This will undoubtedly be the new meta smoke on Mirage, replacing all of the older smokes that are much easier to detect and deflect. Magisk’s smoke makes it seem like a complex lineup gone bad. CTs often end up dropping their one-way smokes under the window by mistake. So enemies won’t pay it much mind unless they’re either highly skilled or studious fans of Magisk and Team Vitality.
Fariha Bhatti
About Fariha Bhatti
Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.
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