| In Counter Strike, Iceworld is a controversial map | | | | enemies.Assault rifles, like the Steyr Aug and |
| indeed. People see it as requiring no skill or just as | | | | Commando really shine on this map. At the beginning |
| much skill as any other map. This article will attempt | | | | they're as good as AWPs watching all the major |
| to show you some strategies and tactics on | | | | paths. When the map is winding down they allow |
| iceworld, a map that inspires love and hate from all | | | | accurate shooting at a distance without having to get |
| facets of the CS community.I learned Counter Strike | | | | into close combat. Iceworld's longest distances are |
| on classic maps like mansion, assault, dust, and italy. | | | | often forgotten and these guns have the ability to |
| Each one is a completely different animal. The each | | | | let you move faster than when you have an AWP |
| possess a noteworthy difference from Iceworld, | | | | and still get a punch in your power. It's added power |
| especially as tactics look. They each have an | | | | means it'll be easier than for other guns to take out |
| objecive. Plant the bomb, rescue the hostage, and an | | | | multiple opponents at one time without the need to |
| unmentioned objective, get the VIP where he needs | | | | reload. Reloading is a skill in itself on Iceworld and |
| to go. Iceworld has no such objectives. It is a small | | | | making your need to reload less will make you stay |
| map and looks very much like a pound(#) symbol | | | | alive a lot longer than most.Shotguns change the |
| from overhead. A buy zone is located in it's center | | | | game for the person with one. Not the auto shotgun, |
| and T's and CT's spawn across the map from each | | | | or "noob tube" as it's been immortalized, but the m3 |
| other. With no objectives the goal is total anihilation. | | | | single shot pump shotgun. Under a wave of gunfire |
| Kill all of the opposing force before they kill | | | | you're likely to get one or two shots to their fifteen |
| you.Environmentally, every wall can be shot through if | | | | or more. In a map as chaotic as Iceworld the pump |
| you have the right gun. When you run around the | | | | shotgun teaches best the use of the environment, |
| map you can hear your footsteps, or someone | | | | however much or little you have of it. Skills some |
| else's, in the snow. The sound of heavy fire from all | | | | players take for granted that they have now but |
| sides is all around you from the start, and often to | | | | had to learn before can also be learned with this gun |
| the finish. Small walls peak out of the sides of the | | | | on this map. Strafing, shooting while moving, using |
| map on it's right and left paths, as well as an | | | | walls for cover. The biggest of these the pump does |
| extended wall of ice at the middle point of each | | | | wonderfully in the chaos of Iceworld is shooting while |
| spawn point. Guns lay on the ground on each side to | | | | moving. While rushing on one side you fire at the |
| be picked up. The map is very simple. It's lack of | | | | enemy while heading somewhere else, mix moving |
| complication raises the ire of many players who want | | | | and stopping to confuse your enemy's fire without |
| something more "complicated" to do on the map, like | | | | messing up your own. Making sure the one shot you |
| the aforementioned objectives.I find this map | | | | do get is accurate and will either kill the enemy or |
| exhilarating. It's small size and simple design means it's | | | | seriously hurt them, so if you get a second shot, |
| often total chaos. You really have nowhere to run | | | | you'll finish them off. The pump will have you finding |
| and nowhere to hide. Iceworld rarely offers any time | | | | yourself hiding, ambushing, and trying shots you |
| for a player to take a breath and a lot of players | | | | would not normally try if you had a different gun |
| never get to reload once before the round ends or | | | | under the same amount of fire from all directions.Not |
| someone gets them. You may find yourself going | | | | all servers allow HE Grenades to be used. I find it's |
| against 5 CT's by yourself or turn a corner into a | | | | much easier to dominate with them, but are not |
| firing squad. A split second decision to reload or pick | | | | necessary on the map. Grenade spamming is simple |
| up another gun off the ground can be pivotal on if | | | | enough to do, and throwing one at the start of the |
| you make it out of the round alive. It makes you | | | | map will almost always hit somebody. There are |
| think on your feet as you could be overwhelmed by | | | | times when you will not throw them to your enemy's |
| opposing forces from any direction at any time. It's a | | | | spawn, but that's usually when you see a rush |
| Deathmatch type map though specific "Deathmatch" | | | | coming that way and simply throw it in front of |
| iceworld maps exist for those who don't like the | | | | them.On Iceworld the opposing team is trying to get |
| short wait time between rounds on it.Having played | | | | your spawn point and you're trying to get to their's. |
| this map for a long time now, there IS strategy to it. | | | | This is very important to remember. Knowing you're |
| The elegance of iceworld is in it's simplicity, and in | | | | attempting the same thing will go a long way in |
| some smaller details a lot of tactics and strategy on | | | | raising your Kill To Death ratio. Once they get to |
| this map are missed for it's Deathmatch look and feel. | | | | your spawn point they'll come back to their own. As |
| Iceworld is great map to learn human behavior and | | | | Iceworld is a very time related map with everything |
| how people react to intense shoot outs and large | | | | happening in under a minute to two minutes tops, the |
| player rushes.Using the AWP and watching two of | | | | passing time is important to know where the enemy |
| the three paths is an obvious one. The middle should | | | | is at any given moment. It doesn't take too long to |
| be guarded first to take out anyone trying to cross | | | | cross the map without opposing gunfire coming your |
| through it. Opposing AWPers will often have to be | | | | way so you should be able to put yourself in the |
| dealt with too because controlling the middle is strong | | | | right place as the map is winding down. Keep an eye |
| for any team on this map. A second AWPer will | | | | on your teammates. Use their eyes to see around |
| usually cover what you are unable to, but if none | | | | corners and find out what gun an enemy is using on |
| exists cover the areas they are missing. Slowly make | | | | their end. Locating AWPers is easy when they take |
| your way around the level. The AWP is not a quiet | | | | out a member of your team as well. Your |
| gun and on it's sound alone an enemy can find where | | | | teammates also provide eyes where you are not |
| your shot came from. Use the walls on the right and | | | | there. You can plainly see if your team is winning or |
| left for cover shooting through your own spawn | | | | losing the gunfight if you went right when they went |
| point and to theirs. Drop it if necessary.For the | | | | left. Note the guns they have and if any players over |
| rushing player the SMG, TMP, Mac10, and p90 are | | | | there may cause a problem for you. Particularly useful |
| taken so they can get to the other side as fast as | | | | at the start of the round is to fire at the bottom of |
| possible with a gun they can spray with. Typically, | | | | their wall, either on the right of left side. Many |
| this does not end well for the rusher because an | | | | players simply duck behind a wall being shot at by |
| AWPer is watching one of the sides they rushed on. | | | | the enemy and more often than not avoid getting |
| Going up the middle often meets the safe fate due | | | | hurt badly, or even hurt at all. Firing at the bottom of |
| to the assault guns, and the AWP itself, well | | | | the wall often brings them around the corner.A great |
| positioned to guard these areas from the start of | | | | training tool and guide for getting better at Iceworld |
| the round. A rushing player may find it better to turn | | | | and many other maps is the Counter-Strike Pwnage |
| into the middle of the level and let all the other | | | | Guide. If you're rusty at anything I've mentioned or |
| team's snipers check their points first before rushing | | | | need to perfect it, it'll be a great investment and |
| in. Time is short on the map, so staying one second | | | | greatly increase your Counter Strike skills on any |
| too short, or one second too long, at any spot may | | | | map. Iceworld may not be the most respected or |
| have you surrounded at any time, but the pause is | | | | popular map the game has ever had, but this guide |
| important to make use of the opposing players | | | | and regular play will greatly improve your skills when |
| natural rhythm to check the paths for | | | | put to use. I hope I'll see you some Iceworld servers. |