Nuke Heaven is the raised CT position overlooking A. Players reach it by a ladder from Hell, the area directly underneath. It sees most of the site from above. Many players consider it the strongest defensive spot on the map.
This guide explains what Heaven connects to, how to play it as a CT and how Ts deal with it. For the site as a whole, read our Nuke A site guide. For all names, see Nuke callouts.
Where is Nuke Heaven?
A is the upper site inside the reactor building. Heaven sits high above it. Around it are a few linked spots:
| Callout | Link to Heaven |
|---|---|
| Hell | The area under Heaven; the ladder up starts here |
| Rafters | A raised walkway along A's back wall, joined to Heaven |
| Bridge | Connects Rafters to Mustang |
| Mustang | A raised nook above the Hut entrance, beside Rafters |
| Vents | Hell links toward the vent system to B |
Together these give CTs a whole layer of high ground over the site.
Why is Heaven so strong?
Height is the big advantage. Ts entering A have to clear close corners like Hut and Tetris. At the same time, they must look up at Heaven. Splitting attention like that is hard. A CT in Heaven often gets the first shot.
Heaven is also flexible. A player can take a fight, step back, and drop down into Hell. From there they can rotate or come back from a new angle. That makes Heaven hard to trade.
How CTs play Heaven
- Pre-aim the entrances. Watch the Squeaky door, the Hut exit and Main. See our crosshair placement guide.
- Don't stay in a smoke. If Ts smoke Heaven, reposition. Drop to Hell or move along Rafters.
- Call first, then shoot. Heaven sees a lot. Tell your team what you see before you peek.
- Play with the site anchor. Heaven works best with one player low on A covering close angles.
Heaven also matters in retakes. CTs can flash down onto A from above, then swing. Our retakes guide covers how to time that with teammates.
How do Ts clear Nuke Heaven?
Ts rarely win a straight duel into Heaven. They remove it with utility instead.
- Smoke Heaven. This is part of most A executes. It stops the CT shooting down while Ts clear the site.
- Flash up. A flash over Heaven gives a short window to swing or plant.
- Clear it last, but clear it. A common order is Hut, Sandbags, Tetris, then Heaven, Rafters and Mustang. Skipping Heaven gets players killed on the plant.
Smoke lineups for Heaven change with patches. Practise them in a private server with a lineup tool or a recent video. Our Nuke smokes post covers the common A smokes in general terms.
Heaven on a low buy
Heaven is useful even when the CTs are saving. A player with a pistol can take one shot from the high ground and then retreat into Hell. That can slow an A take and buy time for a rotation. Don't force a long fight on a weak buy, though. One pick and a fall back is usually the best outcome.
Heaven after the plant
After a plant on A, Ts can climb to Heaven themselves. From there they can watch parts of the site. The risk is that CTs retaking through Hell come up under them. If you take Heaven post-plant, have a teammate watching Hell or the vents. Our post-plant guide covers how to split angles.
Common mistakes
- CTs sitting still in a Heaven smoke and getting flashed.
- CTs dropping to Hell too late, after Ts already swung.
- Ts planting with Heaven unsmoked and uncleared.
- Ts forgetting Rafters and Mustang once Heaven is clear.
Is Nuke still in the map pool?
As of our check, csdb.gg lists Nuke in the Active Duty pool after the July 2026 Season 5 update. See our CS2 map pool page for the latest status.
Sources and checks
Callout names and connections were checked on 2 November 2026 against TotalCSGO's Nuke callouts and csdb.gg's Nuke map page. Valve can change map geometry in any update, so confirm details in a private server before you rely on them.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Heaven on Nuke?
CTs climb a ladder from Hell, the area underneath Heaven. It also connects to Rafters along A's back wall.
Why is Heaven so strong on Nuke?
It overlooks most of A from above, and the player can drop into Hell to reposition after a fight.
How do Ts deal with Heaven?
They smoke or flash it during the A execute, then clear it along with Rafters and Mustang before or right after the plant.
