Tips and tricks for CSGO's Week 6 Challenge, Guardian Missions

M Alzamora Published 26/12/2019

Shattered Web’s week six is finally here, meaning that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players are more than a third of the way through the latest operation.

Valve hasn’t yet released anything else as groundbreaking as CSGO’s selectable player skins, but this week brings fans two Guardian Missions that add some heat to the fire of a bland week five.

In the operation’s sixth week, players will fight through a deathmatch on Dust 2, start weaponless on Vertigo, and take on heavily armored enemies in Bank. While the Guardian missions are entertaining, three of Shattered Web’s week six challenges are basically free stars for players that put in the time, especially the time sink of “Long Term Profits.”

CSGO Guardian mission tips for week 6 on Bank and Vertigo

This week’s CSGO Guardian missions are a ton of fun, even if the community desperately wants another mission like week one’s “Virus Outbreak.”

“Pocket Change” requires players to get fifteen XM1014 kills on Bank. If both defenders die, the game restarts. If the attackers plant the bomb, that’s a “game over,” too. Each wave increases in difficulty and firepower, so focusing on the XM kills early is the way to go.

The first two waves of enemies are the standard fare, but every wave after the initial two will include a heavy gunner in an assault suit. The easiest way to defeat these brutes is with everyone’s favorite machinegun, the Negev. Everyone did the Negev challenge last week, right?

The Negev locks down the heavy’s movement while doing massive damage. As long as there’s a player with the Negev in bombsite, even one player should be able to finish the round. Once the player has finished the XM challenge, they’re home free.

The later rounds of Bank can be difficult. A viable strategy for rounds three and on is to send one player roof while the other holds vault. The crossfire makes mincemeat out of the attackers. The roof player should keep in mind that both the grunts and the heavy can and will climb the ladders that lead to the roof.

It’s a blessing and a curse, as the ladders can either lead to easy kills with the XM or a restart with the counter on 14/15 kills if two come up different ladders.

The second guardian mission, “Rising Capital,” spawns the players on Vertigo’s A site. There’s something sneaky about this Vertigo, though. Players cannot buy anything at all.

Armed with only their knife, a player’s first instinct is to panic when they look at the counter and see nothing but “0/25” and a knife. Luckily, that’s just for the first kill.

Rising Capital is all about players scrounging up what they need from their foes. Just like in “Pocket Change,” the human defenders win if they hit 25 total kills, while the attackers win in they eliminate the defenders or simply plant the bomb.

The first wave of enemies spawn with P250s while the two human players only have their knives. Wave one’s bots are literal bots, often walking in front of players without a care in the world.

This mission can actually be quite difficult once players reach higher waves, especially if they don’t stick together or if a bomb gets to the site. The time it takes to plant the bomb is much shorter than normal, and the mission will restart if the bomb is planted. There is no opportunity for a defuse.

Attackers will come through mid, heaven, ramp, and the back ramp flank. The enemy AI is unpredictable as well, sometimes executing quickly and sometimes taking the time to flank a player through CT spawn.

But there is good news. Rising Captial doesn’t feature heavy enemies.

Instead, it has increasingly accurate bots that are eventually armed with AWPs, AKs, and SGs. If players feel safe enough to grab one off a fallen enemy, they are all but assured the win.

As with all Guardian missions, experienced aimers shouldn’t have a problem with either Bank or Vertigo, but the missions are a good time no matter what the player’s skill level.

Shattered Web’s Week six mission requires earning $100,000

Next up are missions that players can complete solo. These involve a few rounds of Deathmatch, two to four Casual games, and two kills in CSGO’s battle royale mode, Danger Zone.

Talk is Cheap

People tend to complain about challenges like this because they lack the depth that the cooperative missions have, but there’s more to it than one might initially think. Every moment spent in a server facing down other human beings is a chance for that player to improve.

As we said in our release notes for Week 6, staying away from the Desert Eagle is the best way to get something out of “Talk is Cheap.” For the Christmas crowd, stick to the P250. The weapon is a cheap and powerful alternative to a Desert Eagle, especially because costs a mere $300 compared to the Deagle’s $700 price tag.

The extra $400 dollars can go towards a flashbang, smoke, or even a defuse kit. In short, that money saved could easily win a team a round with a little bit of skill and a smidge of luck, so new players should master the P250 after the USPS or P2000 and the Glock.

The starter pistols are near useless in deathmatch, since every player spawns with head and body armor. If someone fancies a challenge, there’s one right there.

Veterans are always tempted to go for the Deagle, and it’s a fine option for players that understand when and how to buy. Honing crosshair placement, audio cues, off angles, and those pretty Desert Eagle flicks is a great way to warm up, especially against opponents who have rifles. Either way, 20 kills should take one or two deathmatch games to complete depending on the player’s skill.

Penny Pincher

“Penny Pincher” requires players to take their skills to Black Site, Sirroco, or Jungle and kill two players without spending any money. That means that players cannot do anything that decreases the amount of money they have.

Obviously buying a gun through the tablet is out, but players should remember that opening locked doors also counts. Now is the time to do this challenge, as there are still some out there who are saving up all their money for a scout. Land and pray for a MAC-10!

Early Investor

“Early Investor” is fairly simple, only requiring players to win two pistol rounds in the competitive playlist before they can check it off their list. All the regular tips about ranked play apply here. As long as the team is on the same page, everyone will walk away with this one completed.

Long Term Profits

“Long Term Profits” is the lowlight Shattered Web’s week six. CSGO’s Casual lobbies are frustrating on the best of days. There is a trick, though. The money that players receive at the end of the round through the round win and round loss mechanics count towards the $100,000 total.

Since that’s the case, players just need to hop in a single casual game each day. By the end of the week they’ll have more than met the total needed.

The $100,000 also includes weapon kill rewards, meaning that using shotguns and submachine guns will move the player towards the goal quicker than a rifle. Buying an AWP and attempting to complete this challenge with the sniper rifle’s meager $100 kill reward is just silly.

Players should just remember that “cl_mute_all_but_friends_and_party 1” is a console command that exists.

Last week was the first week that players could upgrade their Shattered Web collectible coin as well, so players can make sure they’re caught up this week.

M Alzamora

About M Alzamora

There are few things that writer M Alzamora loves more in life than Pokemon. And there are even fewer things that she loves more than her favorite Pokemon, Eevee. But M’s appreciation for gaming isn’t just limited to Nintendo’s famous pocket monsters. She’s interested in every type of game across every genre of gaming, and she has the credentials to prove it. M’s work has also been seen on Working Classicists and gaming sites.

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