Explained: How CS2 Sub-Tick System Works

What is a Tick?

A "tick" is a server update. In CS:GO, 64-tick meant the server checked the game state 64 times a second. If you clicked between ticks, the game waited for the next tick to register it.

Enter Sub-Tick

CS2 still uses tickrates for physics, but shooting and movement inputs are timestamped. This means if you click at pixel X at time 1.005s, the server calculates the shot exactly at that moment, regardless of when the next tick (1.015s) happens.

Why Can It Feel Weird?

Because the animation you see is sometimes interpolated to smooth out the movement, but the server calculation is instant. This can lead to the "dying behind walls" feeling, as your enemy shot you in the past (according to the server timestamp).