In tactical shooters like Valorant, map knowledge and strategy is everything. So to help you develop strategies, we’re going to publish a guide for each of the three Valorant maps. We’ll be using a lot of Callout terminology in the process, so watch out for the cheat images in the article and get your reading glasses ready, it’s on – with Haven.

A general piece of advice that applies to all Valorant Maps: communicating is important. This may be difficult when playing with strangers, but it really makes a big difference. A lack of communication and coordination can often make the difference between a fun round and a frustrating one.

Where Split may favor the Defender team more, Haven gives the Attackers more options: The map differs from the others in that it has three spike sites.

Haven Map – C Site – Attackers Guide

Let’s go through the Haven map from left to right, starting with C-Site: C-Site is the easiest site to push and can be attacked in two ways: You can come via C-Long or Garage.

When pushing on C-Site via Garage, you have to go through Bottom Mid and Mid Doors, where you can always be shot down from Mid Courtyard on the right. It’s best to have someone on the right to Mid Courtyard Smokes or use a Wall so you don’t get any nasty surprises from there and get through to the next hurdle: C-Window. Whoever is positioned in the window – and there should always be a defender there – will always have an advantage over the attackers, so here again: Smokes/Wall to block the view.

A good Brimstone is well suited for the attackers on Haven, because his Sky Smoke can even support the teammates on C while Brimstone is busy elsewhere. At least one agent with good smoke or wall skills is definitely needed here to storm C over Garage, and it’s worth it: if you can get through to C over Bottom Mid, Mid Doors, and Garage, you can be spike placing in as little as 10 seconds.

Alternatively, you can approach the spike area via C-Long, but you have to know that the defense here can see the whole corridor and it is difficult to get through. Without utility, you are simply an easy target here, so proceed with caution and the right agents and use the C-Cubby bulge. Since C has two entry points, one of which is particularly fast, C is good for pushing. And once you’ve placed the spike, it’s easy to defend here.

Haven Map – C Site – Defenders Guide

As a defense, it’s good to keep Plat – a metal box on the right side of the site – since from here you have visibility of attackers coming through Connector via Garage, while also having an angle on C-Long. However, the angle you have from Plat on C-Long is admittedly not that tingly.

Here, it’s better to use the space at the far end of the C-Site – behind the Site Box – from where you have two much better angles on C-Long via the left and right sides. The right side, Logs, also provides a good angle on Connector. So from behind the site box, you can cover both approaches to the site and make it difficult for attackers.

It is best to combine this with a second agent occupying C-Link and C-Window. Please be careful here: The walls at C-Window can be shot through, but this can also be used to your own advantage. An agent like Cypher is perfect for C-Link and C-Window: He can use his spycam and trapwire for extra visibility and rotate between C- and B-Site – as long as someone is stationed on C-Site and has C-Long in sight.

Two people should be enough to hold C. If you dare, you can even hold C-Site alone with a good Cypher – with a well-placed Spycam on C-Long and a Trapwire at Garage.

Haven Map – A Site – Defenders Guide

This time we’ll look at the defenders first: On A-Site, Heaven gives the perfect view of all entry points to the site: Ramp over A-Long and Towers over A-Short. But be careful, because Heaven will also be the first point the attackers will target when entering A-Site, and the walls are shootable through. Still, it’s always a good idea to have one person on top of Heaven.

It’s best to combine this with someone taking cover at A-Box and guarding the entrance at Towers, so the agent on Heaven can fully concentrate on anyone coming through A-Long. You can also combine this with a third person patrolling A tunnels to support the A side while keeping an eye on B.

It is good to always have two people on A, as Heaven is really best suited to hold A-Long, which often leaves Ramp open.

Haven Map – A Site – Attackers Guide

A is hard to get to via A-Long because the defense will almost certainly have someone on Heaven or on the Site in an advantageous position covering the entrance. If you do want to try your hand over A-Long, you should immediately block Heaven completely with Smokes or Walls – above and below – to gain the upper hand and get onto A-Site.

A-Short is a much better approach: it’s best to storm with several people to cover every angle as soon as you leave A-Short and get to A-Site via Towers. There you can then take the

site outnumbered, because once you’ve broken through to A-Site you have lots of boxes for cover and so an advantage. We really recommend attacking A in a coordinated and larger group. With teammates communicating with each other, this is a very safe and strategic approach to attacking A, allowing you to cover every angle instead of trying your luck on A-Long.

Haven Map – B Site – Defenders Guide

On B, you should only have one person – either at Back B or A-Link. Especially if you already have someone on the C site covering C link and acting as a roaming defender for B and C.

Since B has only one input, it may be enough to defend B only from A-link or C-link. Again, Cypher is really good at this, as it can roam safely with Spycam and Trapwire.

If the attackers do decide to go for B, all you need is a bit of communication, as B site is accessible to the defenders on A and C with a quick and simple rotation.

Haven Map – B Site – Attackers Guide

B is not easy to take, as you can easily be heckled by the defenders of A and C, as they have an easy rotation here. If you do decide to take B, you should immediately move to the back and take cover behind the small wooden shield wall at B-Back. From here you have a good view of the whole room and the rotating defenders coming in. But be careful: the back wall is shootable. Also, a defender may have already taken cover behind the wall and be lurking.

For an attack on B, you need Smokes to block C-Link and A-Link, because from here the defenders will rotate to B.

Valorant Beginner’s Guide

Overwhelmed with Valorant? No wonder… Without experience in similar games (such as CS:GO or Overwatch) the start in Valorant is difficult. But don’t worry, we are here to help you with our Valorant Beginner Guide.

Valorant is a special game. Many think that getting into the game is easy, but without shooter experience, you’ll quickly be on the ropes. Even CS:GO veterans can get into trouble… In Counter Strike, there are no flying knife-throwing things-people. But that’s why we are here.

This beginner’s guide is meant to help you get started in Valorant and introduce you to the world of Valorant. After that, the most important features should be clear to you, so that the fun in Valorant is not lost.

Valorant Beginner Guide: Basics

Let’s start with the meaning behind the game. In other words: What is Valorant anyway? Valorant is a first-person shooter in which two teams consisting of five players face off. The first team to win 13 rounds wins. Both teams have a different role – attacker and defender.

The goal of the attackers is to place a spike and protect it until detonation. This must happen on one of the three spots (A/B/C). In turn, the defenders must prevent the attackers from doing so.

Each match consists of two halves. After the first half (12 rounds), the two teams switch roles. The attackers become defenders, the defenders become attackers. Easy.

Agents

Before the start of a match, each player must choose an agent. Agents have unique skills, which in most cases also require a certain playstyle (offensive, defensive, support, etc.). Currently there are 16 agents in total, but new agents have already been leaked and should be added soon.

As a new player, you can initially choose between 5 free agents: Brimstone, Phoenix, Sova, Jett and Sage. To unlock more agents, you will have to sign contracts, which is mostly done via Daily Quests or earning experience points.

Valorant Beginner Guide: The best agent to start with

Phoenix is by far the easiest agent to start with in Valorant. His skills are not too complicated, can be combined well in any situation. But watch out with the flashbangs (aka your Q skill)! You’ll probably flashbang yourself and your mates quite often in the beginning, but practice makes perfect!

Valorant Beginner Guide: The best mode to start with

Stay away from Unrated mode for the beginning. This may sound strange, but especially the beginning of Valorant might be hard for you. Frustration will lead to quick quits, which in turn will get you involved in penalties and XP loss. That’s why you should start with Spike Rush first. An average game here lasts 8 minutes, while other modes can easily go over 50 minutes. In Spike Rush, you’ll be quickly released from suffering without having to take any penalties.

In addition, you don’t have to do any eco rounds in Spike Rush. This means that you’ll be able to try out your agents’ abilities, as well as the most varied weapons. Spike Rush is a great mode to learn the basics of Valorant. When you feel like you’re firmly in the saddle, you can try your luck in Unrated mode. After 20 matches in Unrated mode, you’ll gain access to Competitive mode, where you can earn ranks.

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