Ancient was added to Counter-Strike in 2020 as a picturesque jungle with a complex mid and smaller bomb sites, but it has developed into one of the most complex maps for callouts in all of CS2.
While Ancient is the most distinctive map in the current pool, it holds a sense of familiarity for long-time Counter-Strike 2 players who came up on 1.6 maps like Aztec. It shares many similarities with older locations, which could explain why old-timers are drawn to this green landscape despite its intricate layout.
Ancient was released as part of Operation Broken Fang in 2020 and was later pushed into active duty in 2021, replacing Train. In 2024, it’s a popular map at a higher level of CS2, but even the best players may struggle without learning Ancient callouts.
Ancient has a unique mid area that splits into two smaller mids leading toward bomb sites. If players are rushing into A site from T spawn, they basically have three options to reach their destination. They could either go from outside through the main hall or take the main mid area, which leads to the top of the mind. Alternatively, a squad could slip into A from donut.
The same is true for the B site, which has three entrances. The top of mid is the most difficult route to control. For this reason, Ts often skip mid and prefer either the side entrance or the B ramp to take site control.
Bomb sites, however, have much simpler layouts. There aren’t many angles to clear on B site, but A can be a tough nut to crack. CTs often hide inside the temple, which is a great spot to pick off the enemy when they’re planting the C4. But, with the right smokes, A site can be a breeze as well.
As opposed to other CS2 maps where AWPers on both sides have a dedicated spot to pick enemies, T snipers may find themself struggling on Ancient. CT snipers get a great vantage point at the top of mid while terrorists will have to make do with an awkward spot on upper, which also takes up a lot of time to get to.
Overall, Ancient is a fun map, but it can be challenging for solo players. It’s best played with communicative teammates who have Ancient callouts down pat.
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