So now you want to learn to play well, eh? First thing you should do is play often. Second you should have good Intel, so read up!
Equipment
The first thing you should do upon starting a new round is to, if you can afford it, buy Kevlar. Either a vest for $600 or a vest and helmet for $1000. When you purchase it, it gives you 100 "points" of it. When you are hit by a bullet in a region protected by Kevlar it saves you from some damage and removes some "points" from the Kevlar. Kevlar carries over from rounds if you stay alive. If you die, it does not. You can re-purchase a vest(/helmet) when you reach 50 or below armor points. As a rough guide, you can take approximately 5 hits to the head from the MP5 while wearing Kevlar, but only 2 at best if you're without.
Now you have to decide if flashbangs (concussion grenades) are a good idea for you. They cost $200 and you can carry two of them at a time. When thrown, they produce a bright flash, blinding friend-and-foe alike if they are facing the explosion. If you are a one-man type (not recommended) then you should probably avoid flashbangs like the plague. The last thing you want to be doing is trying to pull the pin out of a flashbang when you've got no-one to provide cover fire and an enemy is bearing down on you. However, if you are a squad, a properly thrown flashbang can be very effective.
HE grenades are an alternative to flashbangs, they produce a small to medium blast radius. It will damage your opponent if they're in the explosion radius. It'll knock some health off, and can even get them down to 25 health. You may only carry one of these, and they cost $300. Be careful how you throw them; they can quite easily rebound and cause you some damage as well, or worse, if friendly-fire is enabled, cause serious damage to your team-mates.
Smoke grenades are non lethal. They blanket the area with smoke, and are a valuable tool for an offensive team. These are best used in corridors or tunnels. Don't go running through them, but instead wait for your enemies to come through, and you'll have the advantage. They cost $300, and you can only carry one.
Defusing Kits make defusing in C4 maps faster. In fact they cut the time in half. These can be essential in winning the match. If you're alone and there are multiple Ts in the level, the quicker you get it defused, the better. More info was on the previous page. These will cost you $200.
Finally, there are nightvision goggles. These will light up your view and make it much easier to see in dark areas. They come in at a hefty $1250.
Weapons
It is time to choose your weapon. A pistol is given to every player by default. Counter Terrorists (CTs) start with Heckler & Koch .45 USP Tactical, that can be silenced. It has a clip of 12 rounds. This pistol is generally favored by most, though using the silencer weakens the bullets. The Terrorists (Ts) start with a Glock 18. It has a 20-bullet clip. The Glock has no limit to its rate of fire, and ideal for the pistol round, as you can pump 20 rounds into an enemy while he is struggling with another, slower pistol and a smaller clip. For more information on guns check the weapons page, but to get a brief, read below. Also, everyone starts with a knife.
The four other pistols are the Desert Eagle, the SIG P228, and the terrorist only 96G Elite Berettas.
The Desert Eagle is a $650 pistol. It's .50ae rounds penetrate walls and armor as much as a G3, given close range. Unlike the other pistols, one hit to the head from this to someone wearing armor will kill them immediately.
The SIG P228 is a fast firing, 13 round clip, and powerful pistol. It's bullet penetrates most armor, but not as well as the Desert Eagle. It also has the advantage of being pretty quiet. It will run you $600.
The dual 96G Elite Berettas. The one 'weapon' with two of a kind, this terrorist only pistol has a lot of a style and comes in at $1000. Beware though, this pistol is quite weak.
The FiveseveN for Counter-Terrorists only is weak, but deadly accurate. It costs $750.
A handgun is not always the best choice of weapon, however. Submachine guns, rifles, a shotgun, and a machine gun are all other choices. Nevertheless, if your team is behind you may want to keep with a handgun for awhile.
There are two shotguns.. They are the M3 Super 90 and the xm1014..
The M3 Super 90 is a pump action shotgun. This particular weapon is best for close range. Its effects disperse over distance. At close range it is extremely powerful. From a distance its power weakens. A good estimate is that each pellet does 10% damage, so at close range, its almost certainly instant death, but at long-range its only good for trying to pick off a wounded enemy who isn't firing at you. A good map for this weapons use is as a terrorist in siege. At a cost of $1700 it is a good alternative to submachine guns on a close quarters map.
The xm1014 is fully automatic and has the same up and lows of the m3 only it's fully auto and must be used at an even closer area, it costs $3000. It should be treated as an assault rifle with the M3 limitations, great for warfare. Keep your eye on the ammo counter though. It empties in 3 seconds, so try and ensure every shot is a hit.
There are five submachine guns. They are the MP5 Navy, Steyr Tactical Machine Pistol (TMP), P90, MAC-10, and the UMP. Submachine guns are the preference of most players. They are cheap and effective. They offer a wide range of usability. Whether it be close range or distance, a submachine gun offers the most punch per buck.
The MP5 Navy, by H&K, is by far the most common weapon used in CS. At a cost of $1500 it is inexpensive and highly effective. It uses 9mm rounds, with 30 to a clip. It fires quickly and can inflict significant damage if used correctly. The MP5 is truly the most versatile weapon in the CS armory.
