B Default HE Grenade from B Stairs

Steps

1. Walk down B Stairs toward B site and stop on the mid-section of the staircase before you reach the bottom. Stay on the right side of the stairs where the wall provides cover from anyone on site.
2. Position yourself against the right wall of the staircase. Press your right shoulder into the wall so you have a consistent throwing position. You should be roughly halfway down the stairs.
3. Look down toward B site through the staircase opening. You can see the default plant area - the open zone in the middle of the site with the large structural beams and pillars around it. Find the far wall behind the default zone.
4. Aim at the far wall of B site behind the default area, placing your crosshair on the center of the wall at roughly head height. Because you are throwing downward from the stairs, the angle naturally drops the HE into the default zone.
5. Left click to throw the HE grenade. It arcs down from the staircase, hits the floor or the far wall of B site, and detonates in the middle of the default plant area - catching CTs who are anchoring that position.

Tips

• B default on Vertigo is where CTs commonly hold to contest pushes from B stairs and B ramp. This HE grenade deals 50-75 damage to anyone standing in the open default area, giving your team a major advantage when pushing out.
• Vertigo’s B site is relatively compact compared to other maps, which makes HE grenades especially effective. There is less room for CTs to dodge, and the walls keep the explosion contained.
• If the grenade is rolling past the default area and toward the far side of the site, your aim is too high on the wall. Lower your crosshair to about head height on the far wall. If it is detonating on the stairs in front of you, you are aiming too low - raise your crosshair so the HE clears the bottom of the staircase.
• Throw this HE immediately before your team pushes out of B stairs. The best timing is to toss the grenade, count one second for it to bounce and detonate, then rush out as a group while the defender is tagged.
• Pair this with a flash over the staircase and a teammate pushing from B ramp simultaneously. The HE softens the default player, the flash blinds anyone looking at the stairs exit, and the second player from B ramp catches the CT in a crossfire.
• Practice commands: sv_cheats 1; sv_infinite_ammo 1; sv_grenade_trajectory 1; sv_grenade_trajectory_time 10; mp_roundtime_defuse 60

When to Use

This HE grenade is a key part of B site takes on Vertigo. Use it when:

• B site executes - throw it as your opening damage utility before the team pushes from B stairs, especially in combination with smokes and flashes
• B stairs pressure plays where you want to weaken the site anchor and gather information without fully committing to the push
• Split B executes where players push from both B stairs and B ramp - the HE from stairs clears the default area while the ramp team takes their angles
• Eco and force-buy rounds - the $300 HE into Vertigo’s tight B site can be devastating against both armored and unarmored CTs due to the limited space to escape
• Post-plant defense where you have planted at the default spot and want to HE a CT who is approaching the bomb from the far side of the site