Help with sniping..

[Dyentious]

Heya everybody, I just started a sniper, but have been having some problems with getting into position.

It seems I spend 95 percent of my time trying to find a place to set up to snipe. I always want to get on top of hills or mountains, but find out that almost all of the mountains are too steep on all sides to actually get to the top. When I go for the smaller ones that I can actually get on, I am always either way to far away from any activity, or there is another hill, trees, etc in my way of actually having a line of fire.

Also, I have found that some continents have so much fog, that I basically have to be right next to a base to see anybody, especially if the base or fighting area is next to a body of water, forcing me to be on the side that everybody else is on.. and right in the heat of battle.
Some continents also seem to have very little hills or mountains at all, and the ones they DO have are wayy to steep to climb.

These things have irritated me to the point of almost wanting to give up sniping, because i spend all my time running around with no action cause I can't find a spot that gives me a line of sight. The only good places i've found to snipe are on the continents with a desert atmosphere.

Even still, when I DO find a good spot, the battles move from one place to another so fast that soon there is nobody left around to kill, or I have a million enemies passing right by me.

I always read that a sniper should take a few shots, move to a new position, take a few shots, move.. etc. HOW do they find that many spots to snipe from?
I have also heard that the surge implants lets you climb steeper inclines. Is this true?

[JakeLogan]

One thing I would suggest is to get the ATV cert and rexo. ATV is an underrated cert it allows quick transport over terrian that many other vehicles pass over. on top of that it can get up some steep hills. If you have trouble finding spots turn on the map and go to the area that looks good check it out if its not good enough move on.

[UncleDynamite]

Save yourself the trouble and consider these words of advice:

Don't snipe from the tops of mountains! :)

While some might disagree, I think the seasoned snipers here would agree that trying to shoot from the top of a mountain is one of the most dangerous places to be in big battles. If I'm defending, all I have to do is scan the ridgelines and mountain tops, and any sniper that managed to climb up there will stick out like Michael Jackson in a crowd of normal people. Even if just your head is exposed, it's very, very easy to spot you. And as sniper myself, your exposed head is all I need to counter-snipe you.

So I would actually recommend looking for sniping spots that are rather commonplace. Behind a tree, behind a rock, near parked vehicles, etc. Sometimes if you sit behind a ridge or mountain instead of on top of it, you'll still be able to see part of the base/battle from the side without completely exposing yourself. You might think, "But all these spots don't give nearly as great a view of a battlefield as being way up high!" That's true, but remember that if you can see 100 soldiers, 100 soldiers also have a chance of seeing you. And the moment you let off the first bolt shot off, that chance of discovery increases. So instead of trying to spot targets in the entire battle, move off, find a smaller part of the battle (say, the taking of a tower, or an assault at a base gate), hide from a reasonable distance, and snipe from there. It'll help by:

1. Having less enemies that have a chance of spotting and then attacking you.
2. Giving you fewer targets so you can focus a bit better.
3. Since trees and rocks offer fine sniper cover in these smaller fights, and since trees and rocks are pretty darn plentiful, you'll have no problems finding spots to shoot from.

These are just some of my tips. Hope they help.
UncleD

[Liquidtide]

1) Ridges are ok if you can't find cover at the top of those mountains, as long as you can duck back and outside their view you are safe.

2) Shoot until you are found, then move, or disappear and move back a few minutes later.

[Warborn]

While some might disagree, I think the seasoned snipers here would agree that trying to shoot from the top of a mountain is one of the most dangerous places to be in big battles. If I'm defending, all I have to do is scan the ridgelines and mountain tops, and any sniper that managed to climb up there will stick out like Michael Jackson in a crowd of normal people. Even if just your head is exposed, it's very, very easy to spot you. And as sniper myself, your exposed head is all I need to counter-snipe you.

Having the higher ground let's you potentially expose very little to your target. And with how sniping works in PS, it will be difficult to hit you if you have only your head and shoulders exposed. And if you do get hit, you can simply back down a bit out of sight and heal/repair. In fact, a lot of the time I personally like to jump up on some really obvious position, go into 3rd person mode, and move around a bit. It's really handy for finding where enemy snipers are and killing them, as their tracers will point you right to them.


But anyway, yeah, you don't have to snipe from on top of a hill or tower. A lot of the time you can actually get a better angle on a fight by going somewhere that's less typical for a sniper, although, of course, your chances of being killed in a atypical position tends to increase compared to sniping where all the other snipers are.

I always read that a sniper should take a few shots, move to a new position, take a few shots, move.. etc. HOW do they find that many spots to snipe from?
I have also heard that the surge implants lets you climb steeper inclines. Is this true?

Fire a few shots then move? Sounds horribly inefficient. Granted a change of position to make yourself less predictable is always good, this isn't like WW2 snipers. Find a spot and camp it for a good while. As long as the spot is giving you good shots, and not exposing you to too many enemy snipers (don't want an insta-kill from two enemy snipers) it's a good spot and you've no need to move.

As for Surge doing that, yes and now. It'll give you a bigger bit of velocity as you come upon an incline you can't get traction on, but it won't let you climb it.

[JakeLogan]

I've done the parked vehicle thing. Then the vehicle moved away. haven't done it since. another thing you could try is to drop on a tree from a galaxy.

[TheRagingGerbil]

Hmmm...

Won't give away my best secrets but I'll chime in a bit.

The Highground
The high ground is always the best. Especially that closest to the base. The higher you are and the closer you are the more of the courtyard you will be able to see. Also, when you are looking over a steep incline you are harder to hit by other snipers below.

Shoot-&-Move
The only time you move is if you are taking enemy fire. Shooting and moving causes you to lose sight of your target. This means he got away and now knows there is a sniper out there. You will die because of this. More often then not, the snipers that say you need to shoot and move are the ones who shoot alot and miss alot. If you can't shoot to kill, then don't shoot. The only thing you are doing is drawing unnecessary attention to yourself.

I will say that I do move around in a couple of situations. When there are vehicles/maxes present, and when I am engaged in a hunt. There are a few good snipers out there I have a never ending duel with. We never kill eachother only wound. This is because we are so focused on the hunt for one another we can't afford to be in the same place twice. We fire on eachother, but once we are spotted we have to move.

Fog
Fog is actually your friend. There is a sweet spot that once you find it, you will rack up the kills. The position you are looking for is when the enemies become merely shadows on the horizon. This means you are also a shadow, and when next a tree or rock you are invisible. Watch for the shadows to move, and watch for the tracers. Estimate where the tracers are coming from and fire. More often then not, you will score a hit.

Leading
Leading is done by feel. Every battle is different and every zone is different. Prepare to miss the first couple of shots when shooting at moving targets in a new zone or a new battle. Varying amounts of packet loss and lag will require you to adjust the feel for how much you will have to lead your target. This will become very natural will time.

Prediction
Predict where your target is going to go. If he is crouched outside of a tower and there is a door behind him, that is where he is going to go after your first shot. Fire and reload, during the reload take aim at the door. By the time he reaches the door you will be ready to fire agian...kill him.

[GreyFox]

All tips here are good.

Another tip is to cert in medic, to be able to survive multiple sniper shots.

[BadAsh]

Fire a few shots then move? Sounds horribly inefficient. Granted a change of position to make yourself less predictable is always good, this isn't like WW2 snipers. Find a spot and camp it for a good while. As long as the spot is giving you good shots, and not exposing you to too many enemy snipers (don't want an insta-kill from two enemy snipers) it's a good spot and you've no need to move.

As for Surge doing that, yes and now. It'll give you a bigger bit of velocity as you come upon an incline you can't get traction on, but it won't let you climb it.

Advice has been given in these forums to shoot and move. I've even read that one shot is good, 2 shots are risky and 3 shots from the same location = dead sniper and you deserve it because of your stupidity. I love when people who don't know how to snipe make posts like that...

Personally, when I snipe I like to move to a position that gives me a perpendicular line up over a base wall where the main forces are fighting. You can shoot a guy and he moves to behind one of the wall protrusions for cover not realizing you still have a clear shot. I�ve gotten so many kills of guys repairing themselves after the first shot this way. The trick to firing many shots from an elevated point where you can be more easily spotted is to be at a distance that only a sniper and effectively shoot back. Then keep an eye on the enemy with special attention to an enemy sniper as that is your only real threat. And even the enemy sniper can�t kill you because you can just move once you are wounded. This is key; never try to return fire even if you have a shot lined up once you have been sniped. Don�t take the unnecessary risk. Play it cool, and take your time. Also, this is why having basic engineering and medical is essential. You will last a long time by self repairing and healing.

Also, practice leading targets and hitting infantry that are on the move. This will greatly add to your kill count. Hit them once and then predict where they will head for cover and aim there. As they are about to pass your crosshairs squeeze one off and get the kill.

Your ability to �climb� an incline is affected by foot speed/velocity so having a good running start helps and the lighter armors climb better with the infiltration suit being the best climber and the Rexo being the worst. Surge does help in this regard, but even the infiltration and surge combo can�t climb everything.

With that said please don�t be tempted to try the standard armor to snipe with. Yeah, you will climb a little better but remember that the infiltrator suits and standard armor are 1 shot kills with the sniper rifle.

Rexo is a good choice for sniping because of the extra ammo storage and second rifle holster slot for another weapon to fend off cloakers and other troops that come too close. Agile is nice too because you can pilot an aircraft and bail out to a prime location that is otherwise inaccessible. One of my old tricks is to find an unclimbable peak that has just enough room to land a mosquito. I ditch the 12mm ammo for the mosquito and fill it with sniper ammo and head for my peak. I land and fire for a long time until an enemy aircraft comes and kills me. For added staying power get CE and put a few ACE devices in your mossy trunk for deployment. This is a good tactic from any sniper location, just be sure to deploy your goods where the enemy troops you plan to snipe can�t see them. Keep the deployables behind you and out of sight.

[GreyFox]

I usually snipe on the same position until I've been compromised in a way that it's dangerous to stay.

I would say, if you can sit in the same location for a long while, do it.

If I get shot by a sniper shot, and I'm really unsure of where it was from, I back down, heal, and then move to a new spot. On the other hand, if I'm more sure of who shot me, I will heal, and then battle him on a sniper battle. Unless he is very good coordinated with a sniper friend, I usually win these battles, or it ends in a draw.

[JFPhoenix]

If you don't know how to snipe I wouldn't recommend it but if it's something you really want to do then you have to try to find your best way of hitting someone because everybody has there own way of sniping. I usually follow the person till they slow down to heal or something then shoot them, the second time I try to get the most accurate shot I can then try to get lucky and fire my weapon.

[TheRagingGerbil]

Sniping tips continued...

Vehicles
Flying vehicles are the best choice. They will allow you to reach those hard to reach places quickly and easily. The only drawback being you will be restricted to your Agile armor.

ATV's are very useful for the lone sniper. You can move quickly, and carry extra ammo and supplies. They allow you to escape quickly as well.

Additional Certs
There are a few snipers who like to have Combat Engineering to place deployables around there sniping position. I found this to be a waste of time and inventory space. The added benefits of having a motion sensor, spitty, and mines isn't worth the hassle.

Medical is a must have for any dedicated sniper. You will take so many hits that you won't survive long without it.

I found that certing in AV makes a useful addition to a sniper. It will take care of that pesky max, or scare of a mosquito that decided to show up. Additionally, since you are there to provide fire support, it is usefull for removing deployables from on and inside the base.

Loadout
Rexo is your friend. You can carry more ammo and you can carry a secondary firearm. My personal favorite is a Guass paired with the BD. The punisher is also extremely useful. The secondary will help you despatch that pesky cloaker or softie who decides to get to close. The additonal armor and hit absorbtion will sustain you longer in a drawout firefight.

Implants
Personally I use Darklight, Range Mag, and Second Wind. This was the best combo I have come up with yet.

Range Mag is a given. That extra 4x zoom will help ensure your bolt hits its mark, and help with target identification.

Darklight is a necessity with the number of cloakers roaming the outskirts of the battle field. Every couple of shots, take a step back and do a 360 degree darklight sweep.

Second Wind has saved my ass a number of times. If I take an unsuspecting bolt hit, I'll immediately jam a med pack. If a second hits before I can take cover, SW will kick in and I'll survive. It is also buys you a few extra seconds to kill that cloaker who decides to jam his amp in your back.

[Warborn]

Advice has been given in these forums to shoot and move. I've even read that one shot is good, 2 shots are risky and 3 shots from the same location = dead sniper and you deserve it because of your stupidity. I love when people who don't know how to snipe make posts like that...

I know how to snipe very well, and I think whoever says you have to move after a few shots is an idiot. I wouldn't start making assumptions about my ability when you subscribe to such inane bullshit as that.

[Rayder]

I've always found the best places to snipe are right next to the enemy. For instance, On Amerish I think, the NC were coming out of a tower, trying to grab our base, and this being the time when I had the sniper cert, I grabbed a BD went out on top of the wall and shot a few guys. Of course, they had a sniper too, and I was easily found, we exchanged shots, la de da, I died. So, when I respawn I grab my BD again, and this time, instead of going out on the wall, I went out the entrance that was facing the tower, and behind a tree about 10-15m away from the entrance.

Now, this new spot might seem risky and extremely easy to spot me in, but I still sat there and shot them. You might be thinking, "well, now that you've killed a couple guys, they know where you are," but, they didn't. They had no clue where I was sniping from, and I found this extremely interesting. I managed to rack up about 15-20 kills before running out of ammo.

[TheRagingGerbil]

Indeed Rayder. The problem with sniping at the enemy from the base is that once they get by you they are out of your sight. By moving closer to the enemy you can shoot them in the back as they run by. Plus, you are usually covered by those guys still on the base walls.

I find that actually being behind the enemy, so they are between your friendlies and you, usually proves to be the most fruitful.

[Liquidtide]

Second Wind has saved my ass a number of times. If I take an unsuspecting bolt hit, I'll immediately jam a med pack. If a second hits before I can take cover, SW will kick in and I'll survive. It is also buys you a few extra seconds to kill that cloaker who decides to jam his amp in your back.

Are you serious about second wind plus 1 med pack being able to take 2 sniper shots without repairing? If this is truely the case sign me up, I have yet to find a use for second wind but this might be it.

~Tide

[Dharkbayne]

Another thing about sniping from behind, is usually, someone hit by a sniper will take cover, if you are behind him, you can still see him,

My favorite spot to snipe from is trees, I got around 25 kills before I ran out of ammo in one session, trees protect you from air too, because, well, you're inside a tree, kinda hard to spot, it's a VERY good place to be,

[Jagd]

Even being in front of trees or rocks is good, if you're at a distance. They can't make out your shape because there is a bigger sillouette behind you.

[DDSHADE]

okay for the fog problem, that is simple you need to turn down your Gamma Contrast, and Raise your view distance, that should fix it :)

[Rbstr]

I don't find having the perfect place that critical. If its hard to find a good spot, i get closer, and snipe tacticaly instead of strategicly (well kindof) If a person gets too close i open up on him with my guass

[EarlyDawn]

Advice has been given in these forums to shoot and move. I've even read that one shot is good, 2 shots are risky and 3 shots from the same location = dead sniper and you deserve it because of your stupidity. I love when people who don't know how to snipe make posts like that... I'm not gonna try and start a flamewar here, but I think it's your tactics that are flawed. Warborn is one of the most repected authorities on sniping on PSU.

[Rbstr]

If i have a god stop i can fire multiple times, I rearly run into problems while sniping do to poepl finding out where i am. I pick off the snipers before i start working on the others. And its been months scence i've lot a sniper duel (were a person is not behind you) though i have had two ties.

[2mthsTheSniper]

Just a note to all contributors, this has got to be the best thread I've read. I snipe because as a noob with no FPS experiance it's about the only way to get kills (XP). I also really like the sniper 'concept' (The only DVD I own is "Enemy at the Gates").

Reading this thead has made me realise how pants a sniper i am. I've only ever ran out of ammo once (and I probably only got 5 kills from my ~25 shots). But thankfully you've also given me ideas about how to improve and indicated that sniping isn't a 'cowards' game, but one that is recognised and respected.

I wish there were stats for kills with each weapon - That would allow a sort of sniping leaderbord (if you are into that sort of thing).

[Lonehunter]

The sniper rifle. Elegant slayer of the slow and inattentive. Weapon of choice of ninja and coward alike. This perennial FPS weapon can be a mighty Excalibur to some, and an ulcer-inducing bringer of many expletives to others. The real world roots of sniping pre-date the combustion weapon. Some scholars trace this deadly art back to Roman times, when a select breed of warrior would stand well behind the Phalanx, plunking his hapless targets with arrows from a great distance. The most skilled of this ilk would earn some adoration from his allies, but moreso the ire of his opponents. The moniker gained, arquites longes, or �distant archer�, was later revised from the New Latin into its modern translation, �camping bitch�.

Despite the historical negativity associated with this silent yet deadly weapon (no, the sniper rifle), many FPS gamers find the practice of sniping invaluable, profitable, and sadistically enjoyable. Frag whores can rack up the kills virtually undetected. The especially patient can set their sights on an �undefended� bit of his or her team�s property, airholing a prospective invader who thought he had a free shot at the goal. The especially stealthy can lay down the kind of suppressive fire that strikes the fear of God (and Allah, Buddah, Odin, etc.) into an enemy squad before the real fighting even begins. Truly, the sniper is a veritable Swiss Army knife which happens to shoot people instead of stab, saw, clip or uncork them.

Today, this column will focus on the life and times of the Planetside sniper. Well, you and I will be the ones focusing, the column itself will just sort of sit here and get read. Lazy Web Page.

Your hand and your eye � a winning combination

Do your Counterstrike buddies lovingly refer to you as �the perma-spectator�? Was it hard to focus your vision when you went to school this morning because you accidently brushed your eye? Did you find you mistakenly typed one or more numbers when entering this site�s web address into your browser? Does the chewing of gum severely impede your walking ability? If you answered �yes� to any of these questions, I wouldn�t know because I can�t hear you. It also means you might not have what it takes to hang with the Bolt Driver. Of all the different roles one can play in a twitch game such as PS, sniping is by far one of the twitchingest. This ain�t your daddy�s sniper rifle (unless he�s in a militia, in which case I�d like to say �hi� to the nice man from the NSA currently scouring this hard drive for bomb recipes,) and you�re going to have a hell of a time hitting the broadside of the continent you�re standing on if you lack those rudimentary �point and click before your skull gets ventilated� talents. Never fear, dear friends. You�re never too old to develop your skills at popping a cap in some poor fool from a football field away, and maybe this guide will help.

Now you�re probably saying, �But Mr. McNally, I�ve sniped in TF/Unreal/Halo/and so forth, I know the deal, what makes this so difficult?� What did I just say about not being able to hear you? At any rate, the answer is simple (and you can call me Sean).

The Cone of Fire (and other Bible stories).

I�ve got a rude awakening for those of you who grew up in a world of railguns, plasma pistols, and little red insect thingies that invariably stop chasing your target and run right back to you to bite you in the jewels � Planetside weapons employ a sense of real-world physics. Spray n� Pray mavens need not apply, and the same goes for you l33t d00dz (did I spell that right?) who love running full speed, front-flipping over the nearest tree stump, landing in a full split that would make Patrick Roy blush while putting a headshot through your buddy with laser-like precision. You�d better have a nice, safe hiding spot, because you�re going to be doing a lot of ducking, crouching, and inevitably tucking the gun away and evading.

You�ll notice a decorative ring around your targeting crosshairs (or reticule, if you like being as pretentious as you are deadly). Said ring will be quite expanded when you�re standing and running. Come to a stop, it shrinks. Crouch, and it contracts almost completely. That�s your money shot, my friend. You do not want to take a shot in any other reticule (meh) state that�s not totally puckered up. It ensures a straight and accurate shot, lag permitting. If you feel you�ve got excessive lag, count one Mississippi of dead aim before squeezing the shot off, just to ensure that the server isn�t behind your client. If a tiny gold circle flashes on your enemy�s torso, you�ve scored. If they fall over, that�s even better. To reduce server-side lag, there is currently no body part recognition in Planetside. A shot between the eyes will do the same amount of damage as a shot to the pinky toe. If your prospective corpse has so much as a nose hair sticking out from behind that tree, let �er rip. Your crosshair will turn red when you�ve got a definite target, but occasionally a normal orange one will yield fruit. Sniping is all about confidence. If you think you have a shot, take it.

Continued...

[Lonehunter]

Before you complain about all the preening and fussing it takes to fire a straight shot, remember one thing. Real life snipers in World War 2 would remain perfectly motionless for days, just for the chance to grease a whole outfit undetected. Some would even crap their pants to ensure their stealth. All you have to do is crouch.

Location, location�um�no, I know this. Oh, location!

In keeping with the confidence theme, you�re going to want relative safety and serenity from which to rain down Oswaldian death on your enemies and other ill-wishers. You�ll more than likely be running with a squad, but that doesn�t mean you�re on the front lines. Even the slightest bit of enemy fire will be enough to piss in your proverbial Cheerios and spoil your chances at a clean shot, not to mention that a sniper in plain sight doesn�t usually make your potential target stand still and gawk at you. The consummate sniper doesn�t make his presence known until the heads start exploding (I�ll be lobbying for that battle animation in a later patch). A sniper will want to be either geekily early or fashionably late. If you feel you can slip into a good looking sniper spot without the bad guys seeing you, sneak your way up there. Once your grunt buddies start drawing fire, let the bolts fly. They didn�t see you come in, where the hell could you be? You could also simply hang back, let the battle start to get hot, then slink off to some corner and do your thing.

So where should you do the afore-mentioned �thing�? Elevation is a sniper�s best friend, particularly when besieging a base. Lots of juicy targets in the courtyard and up on the parapets, and most if not all will be transfixed on the advancing forces outside the gates. Make sure you�ve got some anti-air support on your team, though, or a gunship could stumble onto you and make you a stain before you can do so much as zoom out. Certify yourself in something light and fast, like a Wraith or Mosquito, so you can tear ass when ass needs to be torn.

When mountainous perches are lacking, nothing wrong with sniping from the ground, but you most assuredly want to find cover. Rocks are good, trees are better. AMS and other large targets of opportunity are no-no�s. You may as well hide behind a naked woman holding a bag of money, because the enemy will be all over that as soon as they can squeeze through your front line. If you�re stuck on the ground, try to get yourself as far away as possible from the actual field of battle. You have pinpoint accuracy at twice the zoom distance of your standard grunt, so use that reach advantage to its fullest�advantage. My favorite thing to do is slip away to somewhere adjacent to the middle of the field, but off in another side direction, so that I�m in the cheap seats on the 50 yard line, so to speak (that�s the midfield line for you fans of �real� football). People who are getting sniped will scour the direction of your main squad before they ever think to turn 90 degrees to the left or right to find you merrily capping away.

He who snipes and runs away, gets spammed with /tells that scream �you�re lame!�

As I mentioned earlier, evasive action is something you�ll be no stranger to taking. That doesn�t always mean running like a frightened little bunny, but at early Battle Ranks, sniping may be all you�re good at. A Reinforced Suit is something to invest in. You lose general mobility, but nothing cheeses off infantry more than spending 5 minutes sneaking around and up behind a sniper, only to find his other car is a Sweeper Shotgun. Often times, you�ll be beset by a damned dirty Infiltrator. They�ll eat you for lunch in your Agile suit with only a few knife jabs. Your kill-happy sniper will hit BR6 and get Advanced Targetting, zeroing in on the weak ones in the herd and raking in that xp. Be a smart sniper and hook up the Darklight Vision. Backing away from an Infiltrator that thinks he�s invisible is a treat, especially when he stands still to augment his invisibility, and you calmly kneel, take aim, and put a bolt through his crotch before he realizes something is amiss (good thing he can�t see that evil smirk on your face).

In a base siege, you may find yourself in a sniper duel. Win or lose, it�s imperative you find a new home afterwards. If you managed to kill your counterpart, he will be back for revenge, and he may just tip off the MAX in his squad of your exact location. Every time you feel your position might be compromised, pull up stakes and change your sniping spot. A little caution goes a long way. It may be a long walk back if you die (like if they blew your AMS), and outdoor battles never go on forever. Once the fight spills into the Control Center or the top floors of the tower, you�re SOL.

Speaking of MAXs, they will hurt you. It takes 13-15 shots to bring one down solo, which with their firepower, speed, and sometimes jumping ability, you will not accomplish. If anything big and armored finds you (tanks, flyers, etc) and decides you�re a tasty treat, just bug out. A fast vehicle will save your neck, but sometimes it�s worth it to just try to leg it out. Your boys just might blow that Reaver bearing down on you to bits before you drop. You could always compliment your sniping with Anti-Vehicle training like I have, but that�s another column.

There�s no �I� in snip�damn it.

One beautiful thing about Planetside is that it screams �team game�. It�s hard to be a lone wolf killing machine no matter what cert you learn, and running with a pack is generally far more fruitful. It may be tempting to load up your Driver and traipse off for some enemy stronghold and start plugging unsuspecting guards and engies, but you�re far more valuable in a solid squad. You might be having an off-night in terms of actually hitting targets, but you possess a near-omniscience when it comes to the lay of the land, the scope and position of enemy forces, and so forth. From your hilltop, you may see a battery of tanks coming around to ambush your guys, or an ANT the baddies have brought in to lock their base down for good. Hitting infantrymen for upwards of 60-75 health per shot, you can easily turn the tide in a bloody front-line rifle fight, provided you trust your shot enough to not nail your own platoon.

Compliment your squad, even in a non-sniping capacity. Enemy hunkered down deep in a base? Fly the Galaxy. Hack the nearby tower. Shoot your pals full of morphine. Spray them with that gray gunk that regenerates armor. You can wear many hats in this game, and they don�t all have to have beer cans attached to them, if you get my drift. You do? That makes one of us.

The Tao of Snipe

Remember when I said sniping is all about confidence? I hope you do, because there will be a test later. As twitch-oriented as you need to be, you also have to know how to center yourself. Excitement, frustration, bad gas, they all lead to the dark side of the Force, but more immediately they lead to missed shots. When you see a swarm of targets all running in different directions, don�t go all ADD and chase them around. Find a busy spot, and center your crosshair. Take deep breaths. Relax your hands. Light some incense and play some Pink Floyd, if that�s your thing. You�ll never hit anything by tracing them, not in this game. Lead your targets, nail down your timing, and let them know that nowhere is safe from your eagle eye. Test your lag day by day as well. You may have to lead someone a half a second one day, two thirds of a second the next. Most importantly, don�t get flustered. You will miss at times. You will be discovered and stabbed, chaingunned, Phoenixed, or sniped first. You will slink to the left and end up sliding down a 200 foot cliff you spent 10 minutes working your way up on and then, while you�re standing there cursing your crappy keyboard, get stabbed. Just take it moment by moment. In the right setting, on a good day, you�re a killing machine and an integral part of your squad�s total victory.

Sniping isn�t easy. If it were, everyone would do it (and in some games, everyone does.) You�re a wildcard cert in a game where only the most skilled and coordinated survive. Do your thing well, find a crew that appreciates a crack shot, and most of all have fun. It�s all fun and games, as evident by your relatively clean underwear.

This was posted on my outfit's forums, trying to figure out where they got it.

Whole thing was too long for one post. It's a very good read.

[TheRagingGerbil]

Nice :bigthumb:

[ChemicalHex]

Good read Lonehunter. :thumbsup:

[GreyFox]

Indeed.

[Lonehunter]

Once again, I did not create that, it was posted on my outfit forums by a member without a source.

[scarpas]

will stick out like Michael Jackson in a crowd of normal people


:lol:


good stuff lone :)

[illusionz]

Don't know if it's been said yet, but the advanced targeting implant is great for snipers. This way if there are multiple targets you will be able to see how much health they have left, giving you the oppritunity to get a one-shot kill.