CS2 map callouts: standard names for competitive map areas
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2026 6:03 pm
CS2 map callouts: standard names for competitive map areas
If you have ever heard a teammate call out "cat" or "apps" and had no idea what they meant, this guide is for you. Map callouts are the shared vocabulary that lets a team communicate positions quickly. Every competitive map has a set of standard names that players have used for years. You do not need to memorize everything at once. Learn the bombsites, the main entrances, and mid first. Those three words cover most basic calls. Add secondary locations as you get comfortable.
Active Duty map pool
The current Active Duty pool has seven maps. Mirage, Inferno, Dust II, Nuke, Ancient, Anubis, and Overpass. Train was removed from the pool in the January 2026 Premier Season Four update.[1]
Mirage
Mirage is one of the easiest maps to learn. The layout is intuitive and most callouts describe what you see. The key areas are A Site, Mid, B Site, and the connectors between them.[2]
A Site has default plant behind the boxes, CT spawn, jungle, stairs, and connector. Mid includes top mid, catwalk, window, and underpass. B Site has apartments, market, bench, and van. The apartments entrance is the most important chokepoint for the T side. If you control apartments, you control the B push.
Inferno
Inferno is known for its narrow alleys and heavy utility usage. The map has two separate mid areas connected by a small passage players call Mexico.[2]
A Site has arche, pit, library, and spawn. The B site is dominated by banana, a long curved staircase that leads from T spawn to B. Controlling banana decides how much space the T side gets for a B attack. Apps (apartments) is the other major route. Mid has arch, library, and balcony.
Dust II
Dust II is the most iconic map in Counter-Strike. The callouts are simple and the layout is easy to read.[1]
The core areas are Long, Mid, Cat, and Tunnels. Long has long doors, pit, and car. Mid has mid doors, xbox, and catwalk. Tunnels connects B to mid and is a common rotation path. A Site has default, goos, and car. B Site has back plat, tunnels, and window.
Nuke
Nuke is a vertical map with two stacked bombsites. It is the most unusual map in the pool for new players.[1]
The key callouts are Outside, Ramp, Secret, Heaven, and Hell. Outside is the open area above the sites. Ramp leads from T spawn to the upper site. Secret is a drop-down connector. Heaven and Hell are elevated positions on the A site. Vent control is critical for rotations.
Ancient and Anubis
Ancient has a tight mid and a demanding B site. The callouts include Donut, Elite, and Temple.[1]
Anubis is split by a central canal. The callouts include Water, Connectors, and Ruins. Both maps reward utility usage and have multiple rotation paths.
How to learn callouts fast
Play a custom map with the cl_showpos command enabled. Walk through each area and say the callout out loud. Focus on the bombsites, main entrances, and mid first. Those positions cover most rounds. Secondary callouts will stick as you play.[2]
Source
[1] CS2 Map Callouts 2026: Complete Guide to Every Active Duty Map
[2] CS2 Map Callouts database
If you have ever heard a teammate call out "cat" or "apps" and had no idea what they meant, this guide is for you. Map callouts are the shared vocabulary that lets a team communicate positions quickly. Every competitive map has a set of standard names that players have used for years. You do not need to memorize everything at once. Learn the bombsites, the main entrances, and mid first. Those three words cover most basic calls. Add secondary locations as you get comfortable.
Active Duty map pool
The current Active Duty pool has seven maps. Mirage, Inferno, Dust II, Nuke, Ancient, Anubis, and Overpass. Train was removed from the pool in the January 2026 Premier Season Four update.[1]
Mirage
Mirage is one of the easiest maps to learn. The layout is intuitive and most callouts describe what you see. The key areas are A Site, Mid, B Site, and the connectors between them.[2]
A Site has default plant behind the boxes, CT spawn, jungle, stairs, and connector. Mid includes top mid, catwalk, window, and underpass. B Site has apartments, market, bench, and van. The apartments entrance is the most important chokepoint for the T side. If you control apartments, you control the B push.
Inferno
Inferno is known for its narrow alleys and heavy utility usage. The map has two separate mid areas connected by a small passage players call Mexico.[2]
A Site has arche, pit, library, and spawn. The B site is dominated by banana, a long curved staircase that leads from T spawn to B. Controlling banana decides how much space the T side gets for a B attack. Apps (apartments) is the other major route. Mid has arch, library, and balcony.
Dust II
Dust II is the most iconic map in Counter-Strike. The callouts are simple and the layout is easy to read.[1]
The core areas are Long, Mid, Cat, and Tunnels. Long has long doors, pit, and car. Mid has mid doors, xbox, and catwalk. Tunnels connects B to mid and is a common rotation path. A Site has default, goos, and car. B Site has back plat, tunnels, and window.
Nuke
Nuke is a vertical map with two stacked bombsites. It is the most unusual map in the pool for new players.[1]
The key callouts are Outside, Ramp, Secret, Heaven, and Hell. Outside is the open area above the sites. Ramp leads from T spawn to the upper site. Secret is a drop-down connector. Heaven and Hell are elevated positions on the A site. Vent control is critical for rotations.
Ancient and Anubis
Ancient has a tight mid and a demanding B site. The callouts include Donut, Elite, and Temple.[1]
Anubis is split by a central canal. The callouts include Water, Connectors, and Ruins. Both maps reward utility usage and have multiple rotation paths.
How to learn callouts fast
Play a custom map with the cl_showpos command enabled. Walk through each area and say the callout out loud. Focus on the bombsites, main entrances, and mid first. Those positions cover most rounds. Secondary callouts will stick as you play.[2]
Source
[1] CS2 Map Callouts 2026: Complete Guide to Every Active Duty Map
[2] CS2 Map Callouts database