Utility and Economy Planning
Utility planning involves deciding which grenades to buy based on team economy and round objectives. Smokes and flashes are high-priority utility purchased every full buy round. Molotovs and HE grenades are situational based on defensive needs or remaining money. A full utility buy for one player might include smoke, two flashes, HE, and molotov for ~$1700 additional cost.
Economy planning requires forecasting 3-4 rounds ahead. A team might intentionally lose a round with minimal spending (full save) to guarantee a full buy two rounds later. Alternatively, teams might half-buy (modest weapons plus utility) to maintain competitiveness without overcommitting economy.
Money allocation considers: base buy (weapons + armor), utility spending (grenades), defuse kit (CT-side $400 on specific rounds), and spare money for next round. Teams with $8000-10000 combined money versus $3000 combined money face drastically different tactical options. Professional teams track exact team money and adjust calls accordingly.
Loss bonuses influence planning. Losing $1900 per player per round means even after losses, teams accumulate money. Strategic teams leverage this: a full save after a loss might lead to a semi-buy that wins the next round and resets economy positively. Conversely, winning teams must be careful not to over-accumulate money, which wastes potential purchasing power.
Key Points
- Smoke and flash: high-priority utility
- Plan 3-4 rounds ahead economically
- Loss bonus: $1900 per player enables recovery
- Balance utility vs weapon spending
- Track team money and adjust tactics
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Individual utility purchases without team plan
- Not accounting for loss bonuses
- Over-spending utility reducing weapon quality
- Failing to plan multi-round economy
- Ignoring team money restrictions