Imagine trying to win around where three teammates are holding the same angle with an AWP, and you are alone at the other plant site. This confusion happens when the team is not on the same page about what strategy they should use. To avoid situations like these, each team in a match of CS2 needs an In-Game Leader.
The IGL is responsible for bringing the team on the same page, guiding teammates on what positions they should hold, and making quick decisions when needed. To achieve all these goals, the IGL must have complete knowledge of the maps, know all popular strategies and their counters, and keep calm in intense situations. Read more about IGL role here.
In a CS2 match, someone needs to initiate the combat. However, players with certain roles must stay alive until later in the round. For example, the bomb carrier must be alive till reaching the plant site. If they die, someone else will have to fill that role and pick up the bomb. Hence, we have the Entry Fragger.
The Entry Fraggers should have exceptional aim and quick reflexes. Since they are the first to engage, their chances of dying are very high. For that reason, they'll probably be at the bottom of the leaderboard.
That said, the Entry Fraggers are a critical part of the team. Their job is to lead the push into a plant site while clearing all common spots where enemies might be holding. They are responsible for paving the way for their team to reach the plant site. Read more about Entry Fraggers role here.
Rifler is the most versatile role in CS2. Their job is to adapt to the round situation and provide defensive or offensive plays depending on the requirement. For example, defending a plant site and delaying the enemy push so teammates can rotate in time or being on the offense by pushing into a site after the Entry Fragger.
Riflers are supposed to have several thousand hours of experience with all the popular rifles in the game, including the AK-47 and the M4A4. They should have perfected recoil control for most weapons and be able to adapt to various combat situations. Read more about Riflers role here.
While certain rounds, such as the first few rounds or an eco round, might not require an AWPer, each CS2 team must have at least one player as the designated AWPer, since AWPing is a part of every CS2 strategy, regardless of the map. As the name suggests, the AWPer is the player who's supposed to handle the AWP, the most powerful sniper in CS2, when needed.
The AWP is one of the biggest investments a team makes in a CS2 match, which is why a big responsibility rests on the shoulders of the team's AWPer. In fact, many strategies revolve around building enough economy that an AWP can be purchased.
The main job of the AWPer is to hold certain angles from a distance. AWPers are required to have impeccable reaction times and an incredibly precise aim. With a good AWPer, certain angles can literally be locked down from an enemy push. No one contests an AWPer, especially if they already got one kill at that angle. Read more about AWPers role here.
It's nearly impossible to push into a plant site against a well-organized team, especially if they have an AWP since there are multiple angles you can get shot from. An effectively placed smoke can completely block off lines of sight, rendering the enemy, even AWPers, useless at those angles.
The task of throwing smokes and flashbangs to facilitate the team is assigned to the Support player. With the help of these throwables, the Entry Fragger can focus on making their way into the plant site. Other jobs of the Support player include buying weapons for the team and assisting the Entry Fragger by getting a re-frag if they get killed. Read more about Supporters role here.
Experienced players can figure out the enemy team's strategy after gaining the initial few pieces of info. For example, seeing how many players crossed at the double doors. What the enemy team doesn't expect is a Lurker because they can be anywhere on the map.
The main job of a Lurker is to surprise the enemy team from the least expected locations. They should be on the move, quietly roaming the map, trying to get easy kills on an unsuspecting enemy trying to flank or rotate. The main skills required for an effective Lurk player include stealth, trigger discipline, and map knowledge. Read more about Lurkers role here.
Players in CS2 don't stick to one particular role since not all situations require all roles. For example, what would an AWPer do if their team's economy can't facilitate an AWP purchase? For that reason, each player has a secondary role that they can switch to at a moment's notice when required.
However, the secondary and primary roles are only designated to players to create a hierarchy for certain roles. All players must have a general understanding of how to adapt to certain roles when needed.
For example, most teams have a secondary AWPer to fill the AWPer role if the primary AWPer dies or the strategy requires two AWPers. But, if both AWPers are dead, any player from the team should be able to fill the AWPer role if necessary.
