A flashbang is a stun grenade in CS2. When it detonates, it produces a bright flash and a loud bang: a white overlay can obscure the screen, while game sounds are temporarily muffled. The strength and duration of the blinding effect depend on distance, viewing direction, and obstacles blocking the flash. Looking at the grenade beforehand is not required: what matters is the player's position when it detonates.
The name combines “flash,” meaning a sudden burst of light, and “bang,” meaning a sudden loud noise. Russian-speaking players use the shortened borrowing “fleshka.” In game communication, “throw a flash” means to use the grenade, while “flash someone” means to blind them with its detonation.
What a flashbang is used for
The grenade temporarily disrupts an opponent's ability to follow the action and aim accurately. Players use it before leaving cover, taking space, or retreating. Blinding an opponent does not guarantee winning the fight: they can still fire or move behind cover.
Typical uses include:
- Pop flash — a throw that brings the grenade into an opponent's view shortly before detonation, leaving little time to turn away.
- Flash for a teammate — one player throws the grenade, and another moves out after the flash.
- Flash for your own peek — the thrower waits behind cover for the detonation before moving out.
- Retreat flash — a throw that disrupts opponents pursuing retreating players.
For example, a teammate is preparing to move around a corner. Another player announces the throw and sends a flashbang beyond that corner. The teammate stays behind cover until it detonates, then moves out while the opponent is blinded. Coordination matters as much as the grenade's trajectory.
Flashbangs also blind teammates. An unsuccessful throw that hinders them is called a teamflash. Turning away from a nearby flash helps, but does not always eliminate its effect. Preparing a throw means accounting for teammates' positions, cover, and the timing of the move: the grenade should disrupt the opposition, not your own team.