19/04/2015
Headshots can be performed by all weapons except
gr***des and knives (in Counter-Strike: Source and
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive).
Most fi****ms (all fi****ms in Global Offensive) are capable of killing enemies without helmets instantly with a headshot. When a helmet is equipped however, the number of weapons capable of delivering a one-hit headshot kill is significantly reduced, but they are still capable of dealing high amounts of damage.
Players surviving a headshot will be greatly disorientated by the impact and will have to recover for at least 5 seconds.
Due to the small size of the player's head hitbox, landing a headshot is highly difficult.
Tactics
When aiming, hold the crouch button to shoot more accurately.
When using automatic weapons, shoot in short bursts of 1-3 bullet(s) depending on the weapon's rate-of-fire to prevent accuracy degradation from high recoil.
Sniper rifles and other scoped weapons provide a narrower depth of field to aid in aiming.
Find good sniping spots capable of overseeing many areas, while also providing protection from enemy fire.
For the AWP, any shot to a target's body (excluding the legs) will score a kill instantly, unless the target is behind a prop, wall, or other obstruction.
If a target is behind cover or will be entering the area soon, aim at a point in the target's path and fire when the target's head pops out.
Since all player models are exactly the same height, memorize the head height of commonly trafficked areas throughout the map by using wall textures or common object placement (for example, the corridors of Nuke where the stripes on the walls are roughly the height of a player's shoulders).
Since the helmet cannot protect users from certain types of weapons, use a sniper rifle, an
AK-47, close range shotguns, or a Desert Eagle to increase the chance of a headshot kill.
In Counter-Strike: Source however, it is suggested to aim for the stomach/torso of a target when wielding the M3 shotgun, since the damage is powerful enough to kill the target instantly if all pellets score a hit. Usually, the pellet spread is low enough to kill an enemy assailant up to 7 meters instantly.
In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the damage for most weapons has been increased. As a result, certain weapons can be used to instantly kill fully armored enemy targets, unlike in previous games.
Counter-Tactics
Although relatively expensive, the easiest protection from headshots is to purchase a
Kevlar vest and a helmet, since it will provide considerable damage reduction to the player from headshots from most weapons.
If possible, avoid enemies wielding use a sniper rifle, an AK-47, close range shotguns, or a Desert Eagle, as these weapons are still capable of one-hit headshot kills even if a helmet is equipped.
If running away is not an option when confronting enemies, especially snipers, try to move around randomly to avoid headshots.
Use gr***des to increase the chance of an escape or retaliation.
Smoke gr***des can conceal a player's presence.
Flashbangs can temporarily blind the enemy and help reduce accuracy.
Molotov cocktails/Incendiary gr***des can make an enemy more vulnerable by forcing the enemy to move out from concealment and reduce the enemy's accuracy.
A well-timed decoy gr***de can distract the enemy or convince the enemy to move.
Never crouch at short range, as normal shots to the torso will likely become a headshot. Crouching also makes scoring a headshot on enemies less likely while increasing a player's own chances of dying from a shot to the head.
However, it is possible to engage assailants and then crouch, especially when confronting a sniper who was attempting to aim for the head.
Avoid open warfare locations where the player can be targeted from many directions, since focusing on a single enemy (or a single direction) will leave the player vulnerable from other directions.
Jumping can disorient enemies but decreases the player's chance to quickly run away by slowing the player down. Jumping also greatly reduces a weapon's accuracy.
The Tactical Shield is an excellent item to use to prevent lethal shots to the head.
Never approach an enemy head-on who is standing on higher platform, as the chance of the enemy scoring a headshot is greater.
Never spray more than 3 bullets from any gun from long range, as it will give away the player's position to the enemy allowing for quick return fire, especially if the enemy is using a sniper rifle.
