Because I have seen a couple of inquiries into the art of sniping recently in the general discussion forum, I decided to draw up my own knowledge in a cohesive format. It encompasses both theory and practice, and builds upon previous material (see NOTE below).

NOTE: The following is intended to be a supplement to the Recon guide posted earlier by more experienced players than I, and is merely a collection of tips, tricks, and advice garnered from personal experience.


LordKelvin’s Sniping Handbook

Part I: The Basics

Ok. So you want to become a sniper? First, you’re going to need the basic sniper rifle of your choice, APM’s and the 4x zoom. Ok, now pick a spawn point that’s not on the front line, and spawn there. You don’t want to spawn into the middle of a firefight. Take your time getting into position, etc. Here are the steps in detail:

1. Always check your kit before you spawn. Then pick a spawn point away from the heaviest fighting, and spawn in.

2. Take a moment to zoom in all the way, or almost all the way, in your scope. Later, it will save you a precious second, and mean the difference between getting the shot, or being rocket-whored.

3. Move up carefully, keeping an eye out for any stragglers from the enemy team. If you do spot any, be sure to keep out of their sight. If you’re too far away, or not certain enough of your aim, just commo-rose spot them, and hopefully someone else is around to notice. If you are within 100m, wait until they stop to recharge their sprint, or move into an open area, then let ‘em have it.

4.Look for a spot near the fighting, but somewhere where few people will expect you to be. Make sure you have a wide view range… you will need to be aware of many things at once. High ground is good for this, but avoid traditional places like rooftops. They are deathtraps. Once you have found it, set up camp. Use those APMs: set them on likely routes to your spot… but HIDE them. Nothing gives away a sniper’s position better than blatantly obvious APMs. If an APM goes off… Move.

5. Scan the area, un-scoped. Note where there are targets. Now, scope, and begin taking out the enemy forces, starting with the closest, most stationary targets first. If your aim is bad, practice aiming at the shoulders. Often, you will still get a headshot. Take shots you are certain of, and do not fire on moving targets unless absolutely necessary… because you WILL miss 95% of the time. Do not engage targets closer than 35m, as you are guaranteed to be owned by his buddies. Always unscope after each shot, and take a quick look around. What has changed? Look around yourself after every clip, as well. Make sure no one is sneaking up on you.

6. If you are discovered, take a shot at the person who spotted you. Stay calm, and aim quickly but fluidly. Fire. Then unscope, go prone for a second, and then RUN, regardless of whether you killed them or not. Run until you are sure you have not been pursued. Then go somewhere else, where they are not expecting you. Never go back to the same spot in a round if someone has discovered you there more than once.

7. The rest comes with practice. Patience is a virtue.


Part II: Maxims of the Sniper

A good sniper follows the following maxims:

The Triple-A Method (AAA): Assess, Anticipate, Aim

ASSESS the situation. How many enemy contacts are there? How likely are you to be spotted? Do you have friendly forces to serve as a distraction? Do you have cover nearby to dash to? What resources do you have at your disposal?

ANTICIPATE the enemy. Where will he move? What is his objective? Is he by himself, or does he have buddies that will revive him and rocket you? Is the enemy likely to move in a straight line? Will he run for the flag?

AIM for the easiest shot. If the enemy is moving too fast, use body shots. Headshot those who are standing still, or moving in a predictable fashion. Use fluid, calm motions. Use the stabilizer for pinpoint accuracy at long range.

The Five L’s of Survival (LLLL): Look, Listen, Learn, Lead, Leave

LOOK for traps, for approaching enemies, for muzzle flashes, for enemy armor, for enemy snipers, for potential hiding spots, for effective cover. Break the habit of living in your scope. The sniper should be the most situation-aware soldier on the battlefield, other than his commander and his squad leader. Take out potential threats before they become threats, to either you or your squad.

LISTEN for audio clues. Unless you are in a heavy firefight, you can tell the general direction of incoming fire. Listen for the warning wail of an incoming orbital strike. Listen for the sound of running footsteps. Listen for the sound of a hissing grenade. Listen for the electrical static sound of someone activating or deactivating active camouflage. Listen for the sound of a cracking sniper rifle. Listen for the sound of a knife being drawn, and the sound of a missed knife swipe chinking off your armor or the wall. Set your audio as high as is reasonable to hear all of this.

LEARN the usual spots enemy snipers like to lurk in. Avoid them at all costs. Take them out when they aren’t looking. Learn to evaluate cover. Learn to distinguish one type of enemy soldier from another. Learn to use APM’s to cover your positions in a hidden manner. Learn to use RDX to eliminate large groups of foes, to defend a flag, to take out armor that the engineers can’t deal with. Learn how, and when to use, active camo.

LEAD your shots on moving targets, whether its lateral, vertical, or angled movement. Compensate for bullet drop past 100-150m. Lead entrance into confined spaces with a grenade. When running from one place to another in close quarters, pull out your pistol. Lead your squad by spotting enemy contacts that they can’t see but you can.

LEAVE the assaults on flags to… assault. Leave a perch if you’ve been spotted, or are likely to be spotted soon. Leave distant targets alone. Prioritize your targets. Leave APM’s out as an advanced warning system. Leave RDX on hidden points around key flags to defend them effectively. Leave your kit behind if you run out of ammo. Leave rooftops and exposed places as quickly as possible. Stay on the ground. Leave the heavy fighting to others. You are a sniper.



Part III: Advanced Tactics

For those of you that already have some experience, here are just a few tips, from my own experience and from seeing them in action.

1. Constant movement is very annoying to the enemy. It prevents detection, and even if detected, makes you a difficult target. Try to avoid staying prone for extended periods of time. Zoom, stop, aim, shoot, zoom out, move. If you are caught in the open, zoom, aim, fire, go prone, zoom out, get up, and RUN for cover, regardless of whether your shot connected or not.

2. When facing an enemy sniper, use your cover well. Pop up unexpectedly, at random intervals. After firing, duck behind cover again as fast as possible. Make sure a return shot won’t hit you before you move on. Appear to move spastically, it throws off their aim.

3. Always, always switch to the pistol in close quarter environments, and while running around. Learn to use it well, and aim for the head. It will save your life often.

4. The knife should be your best friend. If you are keeping as situation-aware as you should, you can surprise a vast amount of people, while conserving your ammo (especially important when using the Zeller). If you run out of pistol ammo, rush with a knife thrust.

5. While the knife is a useful tool, NEVER run around with it in hand, unless you have a valid target. The time it takes you to switch to another weapon will spell your doom.

6. Voss L-AR users are your mortal enemy. No amount of dodging will save you from that punishing stream of 40 bullets. Avoid getting close to people using it… period.

7. Rockets are also your mortal enemy. With rockets, like most other guns, distance is your greatest ally. Always dodge rockets laterally, never by moving backwards. Focus, and snipe the guy between the eyes, as he will most likely be scoped and standing still. Then get the hell out of the blast radius. Better yet, dodge all three or four, THEN snipe while he is reloading. Never go prone behind cover when facing rockets: a skilled rocket user will blow you to hell and back before you can say: “OMG I’m an idiot.”

8. Do not be ashamed of using the Gruber stabilizer. It is extremely helpful for getting tricky shots. Bring APM’s on a mostly infantry map, RDX on a mostly armor map.

9. If there is a group of enemies that you can’t approach, but need to eliminate, always identify the medic(s) and eliminate them first. If you have any sort of backup (which you SHOULD) it will make your life and their life easier, as you mow the rest down, and thankfully, they will STAY dead.

10. It is not easy to be a good sniper, let alone an advanced assault marksman that closely supports his squad. PRACTICE, as always, is the best teacher.


Thank you for reading through my guide, and hope this helps you fulfill your sniping dreams… or at least makes you a bit more effective.