Interested to know whether I'm missing any major points on the decision-making behind a force on round 2, or general thoughts on the format of my writing, or anything else that could be improved. Thanks in advance!

When should you force buy after losing pistol round?  You should generally force when your economic disadvantage relative to the other team is minimal.  Suppose you started on attack, planted the spike, but lost the round.  The 300 extra credits that each teammate received for having planted the spike enables each player on your team to purchase spectre + light armor at a minimum, enabling a decent force buy.  Suppose your team started on defense, lost the round, but killed 4 out of 5 players on the other team and prevented the other team from planting.  The 200 bonus credits per kill, coupled with the fact that the other team was denied the bonus credits for planting often make a force buy worth investing in.

It is worth mentioning that the decision to force should be agreed upon by the team.  Excluding hero rifling, which is not relevant in the context of forcing against an anti-eco buy (and deserves further exploration in another piece), the level of economic investment should generally be equal across your entire team.  If your team is heading into the second round with enough credits for a good force, make sure that everyone is on the same page.  Your likelihood of getting a return on your investment decreases drastically with each player that decides not to invest, which can lead to a damaged economy far beyond round three, where you would typically hit your first full buy.  Keeping your team's economy level through group buys and saves will prevent the frustrating scenarios in which you play two or more consecutive rounds without everyone on your team being able to afford a full loadout.  

After winning a pistol round, be conscious of the other team’s economy (you should be doing this every round, not just after winning pistol).  Can they force?  Would you force if you were them?  Take into consideration the level of investment possible for the other team.  If they were to force, what is the best weapon they could afford?  Your anti-eco strategy, individually and as a team, should be contingent on the threat that the other team could pose.  Once the round starts, it will soon become apparent whether or not the other team has invested, and you can adjust your strategy accordingly.  Your best course of action against five classics is drastically different than against a full spectre buy, and it’s best to figure out which you’re facing before taking reckless duels.

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