-Spartan`II7^

Didn't check if it was discussed earlier, so pls be nice

Did anyone ever try building a sniper into a squad's strategy and how did it work out? Is it useful? How does the function of a squad change when there is a sniper built into its strategy?

I like sniping pretty much but I only tried playing as a sniper in a squad once. The results were a bit mixed, of course I saved my squad from a few rocket barrages or support annoyances but on the other hand, I coulnd't really take part in the close combat fights, because I only have a pistol against vosses, baurs and other full automatic stuff :/

How do you think about it, is there anyone who actually plays as a sniper in a squad a lot? Pls give me your opinions and tips.

Thx in advance

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Lorax74

Why be nice when you freely admit to not searching for this first? There are multiple threads out there that have gone into pretty good depth in relations to how useful a sniper is to the squad vs a recon. There were two simultaneous discussions about this going on not more than three or four weeks ago, maybe sooner than that...

Here are two threads to put on top of your reading list:

http://www.tacticalgamer.com/battlef...t=recon+sniper
http://www.tacticalgamer.com/battlef...t=recon+sniper

Search for "sniper recon" and you should be able to find more...

-lorax

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TG-9th Lorax74

Guardianx11x

I think this post quite different than those other two. The first is "sniper vs. squad", the second is more "lone wolfing with recon undertones.” Sniper + Squad is something I do very often (almost all the time)...and probably don't gain much respect for.

Things I find myself doing most often as a squad sniper:

-Killing the difficult targets, foes in FAVs, behind barriers, long range…etc.
-Protecting the squad by spotting enemies, and softening them up. Of course I don’t claim to rock my targets in the face 90% of the time from far away, but I can generally fire on in to their chest. More often than not, I shot 3-4 members of an enemy squad as they are moving in on my boys. I love to hear how my guys talk when they annihilate them, not knowing they were all at 20% health thanks to my tender care.
-Taking out motion mines and APM, that’s right snipers, your Zeller-H ASR has the extremely sexy ability to take out all those hazardous explosives from a very very safe distance…another one of your talents that is rarely noticed.
-Rocking the squad beacons, you can kill these from far away without having to deal with the enemy. (Very effective when you don’t have the time to camp it and need to be on the move)

There is more, but if I make this too long nobody will read it.
**Disclaimer: If you are not an exceptional sniper, you are the worst thing to ever happen to a squad. I know the times me and MrSparkle have joined forces for an elite sniper squad. We and up locking it and keeping it to about three members, because there just aren’t a lot of snipers out there who can keep up**

Special thanks to Exploding Silver, one of the few squad leaders I have seen brave enough to rock the recon kit.

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-Spartan`II7^

Yah, I have to use the zeller a bit more tbh :S I said it is useless, since the stock rifles can zoom in as well, kill with 1 headshot and have more ammo, but the stabilizer makes the zeller a monster when it comes to very very long range percision fire as well as countersniping

I think there are some maps where snipers are really useful Verdun for example or Minsk, especially on conquest. They can spot targets as well as take them out and yes, the ability of the zeller to take out RDX, motion mines, APMs, SLSBs and any infantry target with a well aimed shot is really useful on those large maps with lots of vehicles invoved.

Besides that, a voss wont beat a zeller at 200 meters distance

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Arf

Yea, as Guardian said there are no average snipers. Most of the time the kit is a nexus of stupid. These are some of the sniper related stupidity squad leaders have to deal with:

1) A sniper is killing your squad so squad members start switching to sniper. The stupidity of this always amazes me. Fighting the good sniper who just shot up your squad on his own turf is a bad idea. It usually ends with a good number of mostly harmless snipers on one team causing them to loose.

2) "While you guys take the flag I'll cover you." That's pretty much saying, "Hey guys I can cover the 360 degrees around the flag that the enemy can spawn from a single angle and I'll do it with bolt action rate of fire and 5 (maybe 3 shots) in my magazine." Unless the patron diety of snipers is in the squad someone is a big fat liar.

3) A positive K/D ratio does not make a sniper usefull. Sure, he got 5 enemy squad members before they reached the flag but 6 of them made it to the flag. So all he did was feed some enemy Medics a couple revive points.

Don't do those things and you'll be long on your way to being a good sniper. In close range aim for the chest, putting them down to 20 hp is effective enough when teamates are with you. Once your guys have covered the distance a sniper has out lived his usefulness and needs to temporarily acquire a better kit or should be the first on the flag. Hiding on the flag with a cloaking device is an excelent way to steal it from the enemy. Most importantly always find a way to kill the sniper with the kit you have; another sniper wont be helpful. If you can't kill the sniper find a way to keep him from killing you because if he never gets you to respawn you can make even a great sniper a drain on his team.

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MDFubar

Depending on the map, task of the squad, and the ability of the sniper; they can be useful in a squad. I have found that as an SL it can be helpful. Many times the Sl hangs back to provide a spawn point and overwatch for the squad. When rushing the flag, the APM's come in handy to help defend the corners and limit access to your people. The grenades and pistol are also very handy in defending yourself.
It pretty much boils down to, there is a right place and right time depending on the objectives of the squad.

Concr3te

Why use a pistol when you got the Lambert?

MDFubar

At close range. Someone running around a corner firing thier weapon may take that one shot to the chest and keep shooting, but when you hit them with the pistol..the rate of fire may save your life. I keep the pistol out if I am taking a flag.

Damonte

It's a good possibility not everyone has the Lambert unlocked yet. I know I don't. The recon kit upgrades are the last on my list.

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Hellswaters

Or you might be using the true sniper rifle for long range shots

jepzilla

Okay, time for my usual spiel...

I'm always skeptical about snipers. Everybody thinks they're handy with a sniper rifle, but the actual pool of good snipers is small, very small.

If you want to play sniper, you're not some elite commando slinking through the woods to kill a single high value target, creeping silently towards your kill. Notice how snipers in 2142 don't have gillie suits, all you've got is a big rifle with a decent scope. The kit isn't even called 'sniper' anymore. You are not a sniper, you are a marksman, and the best way to work with your squad is to fully adopt this role; you will move and advance with your squad like any other member, and your job is to engage priority targets which would be otherwise difficult to fight. Emplaced machine gunners, engineers, rocketeers calibrating their range... a marksman can make a significant, beneficial impact to his squad by killing these targets quickly, before they have a chance to kill his squaddies. Anything else is a target of opportunity.

Given this, speed at engaging midrange targets is more important than long-range accuracy- your principal targets will be at fairly close range (for a sniper) and stationary. If you're able to pick them off in one or two seconds, then you are a very valuable asset to the squad. If not, your kit is a waste.

Guardianx11x

Well, I rarely ever use the lambert. The high damage of the sniper rifle is your only advantage. I have exactly three "close" combat stratigies.

1) Mid-Range....shoot him in the face. Most good players always crouch or go prone when the engage targets at this range with assault type weapons. They wait for their targeting recticle to get small and accurate, aim..then shoot. Take advantage of this, dont crouch. Zoom in and shoot them in the face.

2) Short Range....Curse yourself for being in this situation. Try to pump one shot in the chest, if you get a hit..and he hasnt already riddled you with bullets you have a chance. With the pistol he is (at most) two shots which are quick to get off.

3) Short Range, multiple targets....Run, Hide, or Die. (maybe drop a sacrifice APM to try and take a few with you)

Donts....
-stop moving
-zoom in for more than two seconds
-move AWAY from cover
-fire anything but your sniper rifle first
-pull out a knife <- key

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Bommando

Why do we have so many freaking tactics threads for what is by far the most useless kit in the game? What is this obsession with sniper tactics? I just don't get it. Seems like every 2 weeks, somebody starts a thread about how you too can be Tom Berenger and help your team achieve victory by plipping people from a distance.

All I see is bodies falling from high places.

Fehmart

Bomm, we all know you hate recons with a vengeance, but they do have a place in squads, depending on the situation. Arf, jep and guardian already hit on their main purpose in a TG-ish squad, and seriously, it's better to have a quick takedown on a rocket-shooting assault than just trading rockets. Opportunity kills on unrevivable targets such as people in railguns, open vehicles, or just lone wolves are also another benefit.

THAT SAID, it is usually hard to justify a sniper-equipped recon (as opposed to spec ops) because it's practically impossible to keep targets in a well-run squad dead, and they have no direct benefits to the squad/team, like the other three kits do.

Bommando

Don't get me wrong, I can see occasions where a skilled sniper could benefit a squad and if a good sniper decides to occupy the Recon slot in my squad and decides he will be useful in that role, then I trust their judgement.

What I am questioning is why people seem obsessed with the kit. Why do we discuss their role ad-infinitum and why do I repeatedly knock 10 pubbies off the monorail or rooftops every round I play without fail? Where does the masochistic urge to be owned originate from? I appreciate all the free unanswered kills, but much like Derek Zoolander, someone, sometime must ask themselves the question: "Who am I?"