Force is the All-In buy with the money you have, despite it not being enough for a proper buy. A classic force variation: pistols with armor and a minimum number of grenades. In later stages of the match, you can force whenever you manage to save an AWP or other “strong” device.
Why should you force?
When making a decision whether to force or not, captains keep in mind certain things:
- The economy of the opponent: forcing when your enemy has money problems is a good idea: you can change the game by winning in such rounds;
- Devices of the other team: if you understand that enemies’ guns are bad, you can buy and step in for a fight;
- Your economy: when having $1400-$1800 in the bank, there is no point in doing an eco round since you won’t have enough money in the next one. It’s better to force once, and then, if you lose, play an eco round. This way you can apply pressure to your opponent and buy properly in a round, not in two.
- Confidence showcase: some teams love to force whenever they can. Natus Vincere with Zeus as their captain is the prime example. Na’Vi would force twice, and sometimes even three times in a row: by doing so, the captain was showing his will to fight for each round and strain the shaky economy of their enemy. This decision is very risky, but it can lead to a positive outcome.
- If your enemy is weaker: if you understand that your opponents are way weaker, you can end the game by winning the force round.
It’s strongly recommended not to force in situations where your economy is in a fine condition (allowing you to have a decent buy in the next round), and the enemy team had 4 or 5 people left alive in the previous round. Pistol round is an exception.
Forcing after the pistol round
There are many quarrels about whether to force after the lost pistol round: some teams think it’s better to buy and change the game at the start, but others think rationally and do a full-buy only after the eco round. Both options have the right to exist, but in order to find out what’s right for the team, it’s important to understand the benefits of each.
The advantages of forcing after the pistol round:
- The opportunity to break the opponent’s economy after winning the round: nothing is worse than a win in a pistol round and a loss in the next one (your loss-bonus is reset and you have no spare money);
- Great first full-buy: if you do an eco after the pistol round and buy on the third round, you won’t have an AWP and most of the nades. Because of it, your enemy would have an advantage over you;
- Additional pressure for your opponent even after losing the force: there is a good chance that you can get away with a couple of kills, making your enemy re-buying and creating uncertainty economy-wise, leaving them with no extra money;
- Your buy won’t be much worse than the other team’s: after winning the pistol round, the opponents would buy farm-guns. This should make you more comfortable in your engagements, therefore raising your chances in winning;
However, forcing after losing the pistol round has some disadvantages as well:
- Buy a round later: indeed, you will have your first good buy not on the third round, but on the fourth one. This can make a gap in the match score;
- It’s hard to win the force round without concrete ideas: it’s better to force when you play in a team and have different strategies and understanding of what to do when you end up with pistols and some nades;
- If you lose the force 0 to 5, the enemy would have a decent economic advantage: you would do an eco next round where it’s unlikely you’d get some kills, but your opponents would have $7-8k each, if not more.
How to win force rounds?
To win a round when your buy is worse, you need a strategy. You need to use your nades properly and effectively since you don’t have that many of them, while also not buying anything unnecessary. This is the hardest part of such rounds: everything must be calculated.
How to come up with a winning strategy as T?
- Decide what you’d like to do and what weapons you need. If you want to play slowly, clearing each position — go for deagles. Tec-9s are better for fast pushes.
- Count how many smokes, flashbangs and molotovs you need for an execute, then decide who needs to buy what.
- Play your way by utilizing Tec-9s advantages on close ranges, don’t try to go for long range fights, get closer.
How to win a force as CT?
- Choose what plant you want to enforce: by having a default setup, like on a buy round, your chances for winning are pretty low. It’s better to come up with an aggressive setup, or stacking one of the plants;
- Distribute the roles, someone needs to buy kits and nades: smokes will come in handy in CT-side force rounds, and it’s good to have at least one set of defuse kits and some flashbangs to break in unexpectedly;
- Make a play with the devices: if you buy an MP9, you’ll need a teammate to assist your push with a flashbang;
- Don’t be afraid to risk and stack bombsites: even while in the majority (5x4, 4x3) it won’t be easy to fight-off T’s push with the default setup. It makes sense to gather your forces on one of the bombsites, increasing your chances of winning.
Is it worth forcing after the lost pistol?
Yes, but there is also a catch. Talk to your team, decide how you want to play: aggressively, not letting your enemy to rest, or secure and structural, not allowing yourself to do anything extra. The first option matches with forcing, leaving your enemies on edge and making them sweat in every round.
There is no definitive answer: both options are great, and what to choose is up to you..
Good luck!
