1. Read your role!
No one can tell you how many times an airsoft sniper will go head over heels on his role, knowing nothing about it, and end up getting frustrated, and either leave airsoft entirely, or get a new weapon. Try using an AEG on semi auto only for a while, see how you like it, and if it suits your play style more, then maybe look into buying or making a ghillie suit, and switching to a rifle such as a Maruzen, Tokyo Marui, or Tanaka. Clones (UTG/WELL/BE/AWP) more than often are made in such mass produced numbers that quality will almost always lack, and the 470 FPS that you see with a .2 will wear down to around 410 FPS with a .2 after around 500 shots. Visit online forums for more information on upgrades.
2. Learn that side arms are very important to a sniper and do not cost much. They cost about 25-100 dollars. You might want to invest your money in a sidearm as they generally do not cost much and are very handy when you get into a cornered up situation. Nothing is worse than having your position recognized and get charged by the enemy with nothing to defend you but your rifle. A pistol and a holster are recommended. While spring is better for a sniper rifle a side arm needs to be at least semi-auto. If your side arm is a fully or semi automatic then you need to bring an adequate amount of ammunition (Usually 2-3 magazines depending on magazine capacity) with you and still have enough for your rifle. This is because it is embarrassing to have all of you side arms filled and ready, wait two hours, see you target and pull the trigger, then hear the always glorious sound of nothing but air come out of your rifle.
3. Buy a good sniper rifle and pistol.
A spring rifle with an FPS above 500 is good. You should get airsoft bbs that are .30 grams or higher (even though they knock the FPS down) so that they are more accurate and will have longer range because of kinetic energy.
4. Know your rifle.
Research your gun's statistics as much as possible. Spend a good amount of time getting to know your gun, and how the shots react under different conditions (wind, temperature etc). Fiddle with the hop up setting on your gun (if it has it) and find where you like it positioned most. Take a while to get to know your guns' unique shots and practice with them all the time. Learn your gun's maximum effective range; that is, the range it'll still be accurate at.
5. Know that airsoft sniping is not as much shooting as you think.
Usually all airsoft snipers think that they'll be getting more kills than anyone on the field, when in reality, they usually get the least. Also, sniping might sometimes be even boring. Often, you find yourself sitting under a pile of branches and waiting for an enemy to show up (depending on the game). Know that observation and sabotage are your main friends in the field, your rifle only serves as a tool to help you in your various roles needed on the field as directed by your commander or squad leader.
6. Make a Ghillie Suit or some good camouflage.
This will hide you from enemies and opposing snipers. Make sure it is comfortable because you will be wearing it for a while. A ghillie suit should be made of generic colours, brown, lighter brown, some green might help. The long strips are handy for tying in natural elements of your surroundings. For instance, if you are in the woods, pick up some sticks and leaves from the forest floor, and tie them on to your suit (the webtex concealment vest is perfect for natural camo). Use enough that you will blend in, but use variety. Also, try to stay in the same type of terrain from your start point to your objective ,otherwise, you must adapt your camo to your changing surroundings.
7. Take it low and slow.
Be patient. You may only be able to move a couple feet a minute. Set up an ambush or pick off advancing enemies. The best position for a sniper is the prone position, which keeps you hidden the most. However crouching is an alternative in very dense areas. Standing up is when you are a more obvious target. Don't reveal your whole silhouette, profiles are harder to see.
While a few airsoft rifles out there are capable of extending their range beyond 300 feet, this is nothing in comparison to that of a real rifle. Therefore, the airsoft sniper has to be able to deal with the fact that they are truly outgunned and quite possibly out ranged on the field. Even if the sniper is to have the greatest range on the battlefield, you have to consider the fact that it is probably not by much. If luckly, the sniper has an extra 100 feet of range compared to that of the other players. With all of this said, what exactly makes a airsoft sniper, a sniper???
To answer this question, I will go into depth talking about the various aspects and keys to the airsoft sniping role. With these keys, comes a good bit of hard work and practice. These keys offer a small advantage on the field, and must be utilized correctly for the sniper to be successful. The following will be arranged into chapters and will slowly be updated as each one is written.
Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Concealment
I put this at number one for a reason. This is by far the most important skill the sniper needs to utilize/be capable of on the field. A compromised sniper most likely will not be able to complete his mission, and might require the aid of his fellow squads/teammates in order to get him out of there unharmed. The sniper has now become a liability rather than an asset. In a nutshell…Don’t be a liability, be an asset. This means don’t be compromised.
Now granted, not every game requires the sniper to be super stealthy ninja like. Sometimes all the sniper has to do is be in a position to complete the task at hand, such as covering a squad in battle. Sure the enemy knows where the sniper is, but the key is, no one can reach him. The sniper is in a position to help his team, not get himself shot right off the bat.
However, some situations require stealth. The sniper, in order to be successful, must stay concealed and hidden. If the sniper is spotted, the enemy will typically engage him while quickly putting together some kind of flanking. Even if the sniper is to have a spotter with him, the sniper team is often outnumbered, outgunned, and must fall back at any chance of surviving the confrontation.
To help prevent the situation above from happening, the sniper needs to figure out a way to stay hidden/concealed. By doing so, the sniper can scout the area and help relay information to the other squads on the team. This often involves scouting ahead, into enemy territory. Therefore, a chance to encounter enemy forces is not uncommon. The sniper must be fully prepared for situations like this. This brings me to the next point:
The Ghillie Suit: Depending on the terrain, a ghillie suit may or may not be a useful tool. Wearing a ghillie suit in an urban environment screams sniper, and this is not necessarily a good thing. In fact, it’s more bad than anything. Now that the enemy forces know a sniper is in the area, the opposing team can plan accordingly, set up a flank, get rid of that “nuisance” on the field known as the enemy sniper. And all this happened because a sniper failed to determine the appropriate time to wear the suit. Unless the surrounding areas have some sort of vegetation, a ghillie suit is obviously not useful here.
On the other hand, in wooded areas and desert terrains, etc. a ghillie suit can prove quite useful. Just make sure to determine what kind of suit is appropriate, including the color choice, ghillie style (stalker, full suit, etc.), wearing ghillied pants, etc. is necessary. For more information regarding what ghillie to choose for your environment, click on the following link:
http://airsoftsniper.proboards.com/i...ay&thread=1986
http://www.c3airsoft.com/showthread....-lp-24819.html
In addition, the airsoft sniper, similar to the “real-deal sniper”, should take pride in their choice of camoflauge. Every time I see a store bought ghillie on the field, I die a little on the inside. Sure, some store bought ghillies can be effective, but most are quite frankly a waste of dough, and just more weight to carry on the field. For the majority of the store boughts, they suck..They offer no customization, and cannot be used as effectively as one that is made by you yourself, or another person (perhaps you bought in a trade or something). In my opinion, a ghillie needs to be customizable. This helps the user blend in the various changing terrains. Most, and notice I said most, store bought ghillies do not offer this easy customization including..
-Adding vegetation
-Removing and reattaching jute
-Re-dying (easily)
A sniper must know his ghillie, just like he must know his rifle. He must know how to effectively use it in any environment, when to add more veg, and when to take some off, and replace it with something new. A sniper makes changes when necessary. This can be the difference between getting spotted or staying concealed.
With that said, the sniper must use this tool to his advantage. Doing so will help the sniper on the field complete his mission/task. However, there is more to consider than just the actual apparel for the field, bringing me to the next point in this guide..
Landmarks: I typically stay away from land-marks that will catch the enemy forces eye when scanning an area. For instance, a large over-sized rock is something that I would avoid/stay away from. The enemy’s eyes will gravitate towards this rock, scanning it before scanning a smaller, less noticeable location/land mark. Rather than let these land-marks provide a disadvantage to the sniper, use them to your advantage. If the enemy spends times focusing on this area, it gives the sniper the opportunity to set up a hide and either engage the enemy forces or “keep” away from them.
For urban areas, an obvious land mark that can provide devastation to the sniper is the window. Many people find themselves “sticking” their rifles out of the window, basically giving their position away. The sniper needs to ensure that this will not happen. Keep your rifle inside the window, not allowing it to stick out. Something simple like this can really benefit you on the field.
Setting up your hide: When setting up your hide, scan your surroundings. Know which areas will be good to fire from, establish your MED’s, and plan escape routes. Basically, take the worst possible scenario and make sure you have a plan of action in case it actually happens. That way, you are prepared for what every does happen, and can act without thinking or at the very most, thinking quickly.
Having multiple escape routes is key. Take into account that if an enemy spots you, that they will initiate some sort of “flank”, quite possibly blocking one of your escape routes. Having another way out of the hot zone is something that might just keep you in the game a little longer.
With all of this said, one of the key aspects that many people forget, is not just concealing yourself, but also your rifle. There are various methods to do so, and knowing how to do perform these various styles can really benefit you on the field. Here are a few examples:
1.The burlap wrap: Taking burlap, which can be had at any hardware store, cut a thin, long piece, that can cover the entire rifle’s outer barrel. I typically use this method for the late fall and winter months when vegetation is scarce. With the use of some rubber bands, the burlap can be secured, not going anywhere anytime soon. The burlap can also be dyed to any color to suit your needs/conceal your rifle in the specific environment. Do the same steps above with the scope/optic.
2.100% Veggie Dinner: My favorite of the rifle camo-ing methods. With the use of some rubber bands and all the vegetation you seem fit, apply it to the rifle. Depending on the environment, tall grass alone may suffice. You may also find the use of other vegetations such as ferns to be a nice addition to the salad.
3.Veg+burlap combo: Pretty self-explanatory. I start with a burlap base, and cover it with some vegetation. The burlap, acting as the base, ensures that some sort of camoflauge is attached to the outer barrel/scope at all times. Sometimes veg comes off, especially in a fast paced or long game. Remember, more veg can always be attached later on, and is actually recommended.
There are obviously more methods out there, but those are just a few of my favorites that I practice using on the field. My next point goes into more detail about concealing your scope, besides adding vegetation and burlap.
Scope Glare: You would be surprised how many times this gives away someone’s position. Some people prefer using a bird nest to rid of scope glare, but I prefer the simpler method, involving the use of some electric tape.
Now that you have the basics for concealment, you (the sniper) can now focus on using/applying the other keys to airsoft sniping that will help you on the field. But first, here is a recap talking about and briefly explaining a few tips for concealment…
1.Know what tools of camoflauge to use based on the environment around you. A ghillie suit or rifle wrap may or may not be necessary.
2.Avoid obvious landmarks that “stick out”. This includes being in, or at the base of a tree, large rock, etc. Don’t bring attention to yourself.
3.A ghillie does not make you invisible.
4.Prevent vegetation/burlap from blocking the view of your optic. Easy to fix, but might just cause you to lose your target in game.
5.Use a sunshade/make a kill flash of some sort. There are plenty of methods to do so such as using nylon, electric tape, or the vegetation around you.
6.Use floss to add vegetation to your ghillie.
7.Scissors or a knife can help cut/add vegetation to your ghillie/rifle.
8.A lighter ghillie can be darkened more easily. A dark ghillie is much much harder to make lighter (in terms of color).
9.Keep an eye on your vegetation. It will start to die at some point. This can be both good or bad.
10.Always have a plan including an escape route when establishing your hide.
Chapter 2: Communication
Starting off, the sniper needs to know what exactly to report to his squad. The way I look at it, is their¡¦s a base chain of effect for communicating.
Sniper, Squad, Other Squads/Commander
With that said, in order to properly communicate with the squad, the sniper must know what to look for out on the field. Starting off with the basics, lets go over what exactly a sniper needs to look for on the field. Please note, each mission and scenario is different. These basics are solely going over just that, the basics..This will hopefully give you a general idea of what to look for out there in the wilderness.
What to look for:
1.Enemy Forces: This is obvious. If a sniper spots any sign of the enemy, report it. Let your fellow teammates know what is going on. This can be the difference between one or more people getting killed/hit.
On the other hand, if the sniper spots friendlies, report it!! No one wants to be engaged in a fire fight, only to find out that the two sides were on the same team..Let everyone know the situation, that way your squads can be as effective as possible.
Now that you have properly provided some recon, it is time to wait for orders from your squad leaders. Please read on to the later chapters for more details on how to properly engage the enemy.
2.Armory: This is continued/related to #1. When you spot an enemy, expect them to be carrying some sort of plastic slinger. Take note of this, and make sure you analyze what each soldier is carrying, both gear and firearm wise.
For instance, a soldier carrying an m60 screams support gunner. By taking into account how much ammo he and the rest of his squad has, your team can determine if engaging the enemy is a good idea. Knowing both types of weapons and the amount of ammo they have, can prevent unnecessary/dangerous encounters. Also, be sure to take into account the size of the enemy patrol/squad. This is obvious, but is extremely important. If the enemy force is too large, your squad may choose to avoid contact, or perhaps set up a nifty and well planned ambush.
3.Trail marks/Signs of People: Depending on the terrain/location, this may or may not be difficult. In dense vegetation, it can be hard to determine if someone has been here. However, knowing if anybody has passed through, can increase both your awareness/preparedness. Again, if you do notice anything, communicate and relay it to your squad. Make sure they are prepared for any close range engagements. Depending on your orders, you may choose to report and investigate, or rather, report and continue your mission at hand.
4.Noise: Especially in wooded areas with sticks and dead leaves, noise can very much play a large impact on the snipers ability on the field. Use this to your advantage!
Probably 80% of the time, a snap of a stick was probably just a squirrel. But you as the sniper must ensure that yes, indeed, it was just a cute little squirrel. If you are providing recon for your team, and you here a suspicious sound, report it. Let your squad know that there is possible enemy forces in the area. Now identify the location of the noise, and deal with the situation accordingly. See other chapters on Movement for more details on noise.
5.Scope Glare/Snipers: If you see this, immediately inform your squad leader! Perhaps this is a optic from a persons m4, or worse, a glare from a snipers scope. Unlike most AEGs/GBBR's, a bolt action rifle can prove to be quite quiet. That is why discovering a sniper and his hide is important, and must be done before it is too late. Just like you, the enemy sniper is a nuisance on the field, and is capable of dismantling a squad in a matter of minutes. You must first contact your squad, relay the location of the glare, and deal with the situation according. Perhaps take out the sniper or if a clear shot is not available, move on and avoid the encounter. That is, if the enemy has not identified you or your squad yet.
6.Good hides/Ambush Positions: Always be sure to scan and evaluate the area for your team. Pin-point areas that are good for an ambush. By doing so, you might just prevent an ambush from dismantling your squad(s). When out on the field, ask yourself, ¡§What would I do/Where would I hide, etc.¡¨ However, make sure to take into consideration the fact that the enemy could be anywhere. It is your job as the sniper to figure out the locations of possible enemy(s), and relay the info back to your team.
7.Commanders/Squad Leaders: Sometimes this is the snipers mission. Find, locate, and eliminate the highest ranking officers. Communicate with your squad to determine whether you have the go ahead to shoot. By communicating with your squad, your team is ready to provide cover support after the shots/target has been eliminated, etc. This is another example of communication helping you and your team be prepared.
Those are the basics for a sniper to look for out on the field. Please note, various missions/scenarios involve different targets, objectives, land marks, etc. These are the variables that each sniper needs to evaluate before hitting the field.
With that covered, a sniper needs to obviously carry some type of communication with him. There are all kinds of communication, but the way I look at it is as long as I have a pair of binoculars, some sort of camoflauge, a note pad, and a basic radio, I am set to hit the field. Sure, a fancy head set makes things easy, but as long as you can effectively communicate with your squad, any head set and/or radio will do.
To carry the communication device, make sure to have it in a position where it can be retrieved and put back quickly. I keep mine near the front left side of my battle belt. For more information regarding gear/loadout apparel, stay tuned for the following chapter(s) to come.
Overall, a snipers most vital aspect/job is to communicate with his squad. By doing so, the team can be more effective/prepared for combat situations. One of my favorite stories was from a small game, a year or so back, where communication was vital.
I have been in games where I have not fired a single shot for games that lasted well over an hour or two. Yet, I was a key factor to the success of my team on the field. One of my favorite memories, was when my spotter and I laid at the top of a hill for well over an hour, and simply relayed information to my team, which without us actually in the battle, were outnumbered 2:1. Yet, we were able to win the game, not because of our firepower, but because of the fact that we used communication to our advantage.
Not one shot fired, but numerous enemys killed, and all with a simple click of the radio and a quick pull of the trigger by a squad member.
Communication is the sniper¡¦s life line. Without it, a sniper is not a sniper. It is just another soldier but with a larger gun and scope.
Probably the most dangerous time for the sniper, when he is most vulnerable; there is the possibility of being heard, seen, or fired upon, and unlike being in a hide, the sniper may or may not be concealed.
But just like any other person in the world of airsoft, you have to move sometime during a game. Whether it’s making a move to a hide, or relocating to another position to avoid being compromised. Therefore, it is vital to know how, when, where, and why to move. This chapter will touch on these things and hopefully help you increase your abilities to move on the field, without getting lit up.
Moving to a hide:
I put this one up first for a reason. Most of the time, when a game starts, I try to set up a decent hide. Depending on the game style, the sniper may have to advance to a position where he can have a good shot/field of vision to scan the area/spot the enemy. Other times, the sniper waits back at the opposite end of the field, in a hide, waiting for the enemy to come to him. Perhaps the sniper is defending a base, a flag, a supply depot, etc. These are obviously variables that the sniper needs to realize and understand pre-game. These different scenarios result in having to tweak this guide to help better your knowledge and tactics that you use on the field.
For now, let’s say the sniper needs to advance up the field, scouting ahead for his team. The sniper needs to find a decent hide and set up in an area where he can provide recon support, scanning the area for enemy/provide covering fire when necessary. Basically, the sniper is being the eyes of the field here. Now we already talked about what to do in the hide, such as communicating and looking for certain things in particular, but we have not touched on how to get to the hide. This brings us to the…
How: Typically when a game begins, there is little to no action right off the bat. Both teams are setting up “shop”, getting into position, advancing, etc. This gives the sniper some time to set up in a place that he can do some damage. The most important part of the sniper’s movement is not being seen. You cannot set up a hide, if the enemy sees you hiding. It’s no longer hiding! It’s just sitting in a bush. And we all know snipers are not here to sit in a bush all day.
With that said, the sniper needs to keep a low profile and slowly make his move, without giving himself up. I typically head for a wooded area with dense vegetation. It is important to judge how far away the enemy is when you make your move, so that you know how much time you have before possibly engagements with the enemy. For instance, if they are a good ½ miles away, you have a few minutes, predicting that a few of the enemy force are in full out sprints, to find and get to your hide. Keep in mind, depending if you have been at the field before, you may or may not have an exact hide in mind. You might need to find it on the go, which is not hard, but requires some quick thinking.
By sticking to the dense vegetation filled areas, the sniper needs to make his move. If you are still unable to find a hide by the time the enemy is near, the sniper now needs to change his game plan on. Moving becomes slow, steady, and every noise matters. You here a “crack”, you stop and listen. Most of the time, the enemy will not come barreling down the woods cracking sticks like it was nothing. Instead, they are doing the same thing you are..waiting. They hear or make a noise, and they pause, waiting to see if the enemy heard their mistake. But the difference here is, the sniper has patience. He utilizes this tool to gain a key advantage on the field. If you feel that the enemy is nearby, get into a position where you are prepared for an engagement, and or are concealed enough so that no encounter occurs. Remember, snipers are not exactly CQB able, especially when only carrying their primary rifle as well as a small low capacity GBB. Typically, a squad consists of at least two-three guys that carry fully automatic rifles as well as some pretty dang fast ROF weapons that can light up an area in seconds.
What does the text above mean? AVOID confrontations that involve pulling out your pistol. The way I look at it, the only time I SHOULD need to use my pistol is when I sneak up on an enemy and need a lower FPS weapon to follow the MEDs. I try to stay away from popping off shots with my GBB as this means the enemy is close, and most of the time, you are going up against an AEG, plus the possibility of reinforcements. I don’t like those odds, so why take the gamble in the first place?
So now the sniper has waited it out, and realizes nothing is in the area. Time to keep moving, slowly. Stay in/close to the dense vegetation, weaving between, under, and over long tree branches, logs, etc. And for god’s sake, keep your head up and aware of your surroundings. Yes, you will have to look down to make sure you are not about to snap the biggest stick in the forest, but keeping your head up is key. For all you know, you are about to run into a claymore (highly doubtful in the airsoft scene), or an enemy ambush. The sniper also needs to continue to scan his surroundings and relay any valuable information back to his team. Perhaps you see an enemy squad moving up the left side. Relay it to your team, and continue advancing.
Every once and a while, I will stop, and listen. I try to see/hear if anything is near by, and if an enemy patrol is sneaking there way through the wooded area. If nothing is seen/heard, I continue to advance until I reach my hide, staying OFF of paths as much as POSSIBLE. The sniper should never walk on a path. It is asking for trouble. It might be quieter, easier, and more efficient, but it is a big no no. You cannot conceal yourself walking on a path. Paths have no vegetation that is anywhere close to the height of your ankle, and you are begging to be ambushed.
So now you have the how to move down. Obviously, walk while scanning the area, checking for signs of danger, and always be ready for engagements. I typically have my GBB out and ready if I am walking in a highly vegetation dense area, where the possibility of running into the enemy is high. In addition, a GBB or any sidearm/secondary should be at the ready when clearing out rooms, buildings, etc. Once I get into a position where I can scan large areas, I holster my GBB and pull out the primary. This ensures that I can get a quick shot off from distance if necessary.
Knowing how to move is one thing, but a lot of people wonder and struggle with when…
The when: Patience can be an ally or an enemy. The sniper better make it an ally or you can kiss having success on the field goodbye. Don’t expect to be popping off shots every five minutes. Depending on the game, you might go hours with out a shot. Likely? No, but possibly? Yes. Remember, communication is vital, it’s your job, so do it, or you don’t get paid…Ok, no one is getting paid, but you will be kicked off the team..Ok, no you won’t but take this job seriously.
With that said, the patience part was touched in the “How” section above. You don’t want to be making your move after hearing a suspicious noise, and want to remain still and ready for the enemy. He has ears to, so don’t expect to be super l33t sneaky everywhere. If you hear an enemy nearby, set up shop, and listen. Perhaps you will hear what they plan on doing, where they are going, etc. You can also analyze how close they are to your position. This is key. Take the following into consideration:
-Are they close?
-Should I get my sidearm/secondary out?
-How many of them
-What are they doing?
-Why are they talking so loud…?
Once the enemy has moved on, it is time to move. But make sure to pay close attention to the area they were in before, as well as where they went off too. There may or may not be stragglers running back and forth between the positions, which are often linked.
Similarly, noise can be an ally as well. Use this to your advantage, and you will find that it can really benefit you on the field. I absolutely LOVE when a firefight breaks out. The noise from all of the guns firing can cover up the noise of sticks, branches, leaves, etc. You can pick up the pace of your movements if necessary, and if you cannot hear the noise from your “stick breaking” then no one else can either. But make sure to take into account that the enemy might be doing the same thing. So be cautious and weary.
Other noises that can cover up your movement are talking, planes over head, artillery (highly unlikely in airsoft), etc. Use this time to make your move and get to or away from a hide.
When not to move is another useful tool to have in your brain’s tool box. I have been the culprit of this a time or two, and am comfortable admitting to it. You are a sniper, an expert in concealment or camouflage, or at least are training to be. So have some confidence out there! Several times I have been approached by the enemy, only to discover they had no clue where I was.
Story time…During a game where I was literally the only one left on my team, I was surrounded by enemy forces, roughly four or five in number. I managed to take out one and scare the other one off. Seconds later, a person started sneaking up behind me. I unfortunately did not have my sidearm and all I had were my primary and knife. He was crawling underneath some dense vegetation, and with a slight down pour, he was having obvious troubles seeing. I was in my ghillie, but was sitting on a small bumpy mud stump. He was roughly 5 feet away when I attempted to knife him. Well that did not work out, and I was eliminated. I obviously handled that situation wrong. I should have…
1. Stayed still and let the enemy pass. It was clear that the way he was walking that he would easily walk by and keep moving without seeing me.
2. Should have let him get outside the MED and pump a shot in his back with my bolt action rifle.
3. Relocated to a safer position to avoid further close range encounters.
That is how the situation should have been handled. However, it was a learning experience, and I have improved as a sniper because of it. No one is perfect, and especially when lacking the proper tools (in this case, a sidearm); it is difficult to perform a task. But you will improve from these mistakes.
With the when covered, now we need to figure out where we are going. Again, some of this was touched above, but this will go into slightly more detail.
PART THREE:
The where: We are going to our hide. That is nothing out of the ordinary. Unless you are assigned to do a particular task, then the hide is where we want to go.
But we need to know where we need to move. Like said before, we need to avoid the following:
-Paths: Quite possibly the easiest way to get pumped four to five times in the chest with a rifle.
-Large open areas: Are you trying to give yourself away? Unless you are sneaking through the vegetation overlaying the ground before you, open areas are a no no.
-Houses/buildings: This screams CQB. Snipers are not typically CQB equipped and will be extremely outgunned, even with a spotter.
-Enemy respawn points: Someone will see you, and will shoot without hesitation.
-Areas with tons of dead sticks and leaves: Noise, noise, noise. The enemy has ears too, they will hear you, and they will find you. No matter how hard you try, you will make some noise, and attract attention. Snipers do not like attention.
With that said, we need to stick to areas with the following:
-Dense vegetation: Makes for easier concealment. It is much harder for the enemy to see you and where you are going. You might make a bit of noise, but moving slowly and not very often can eliminate this. Remember, it is not a race. Take your time, and advance to your hide slowly.
-Areas with little to no action: No sense trying to be super sneaky crawling right through the middle of a fire fight. Try to stick to areas where nothing is happening. Once you get to your hide, it is time to start the fight (that is for the sniper at least).
These are the basics for where you should keep to. Depending on where you are playing, there may be some other great places to move in as well.
That about sums it up for where we are moving, which ultimately is to our hide. Next up, we need to briefly cover the “why”.
Why are we moving?: Like I said, this will be brief, we are moving to get to our hide, or possibly to relocate. Every once and awhile, the enemy will spot you. Whether you have just successfully taking out a few of the members of their squad, or you just lacked your concealment. Knowing when to relocate as well as actually relocating is vital.
Very rarely, when the enemy sees you, will you be able to remain in your position. Unless your hide is pretty dang sweet, you are going to have to high tail it out of there. This is what is known as relocating. This is an extremely useful tool, and if done without being seen, can keep the enemy guessing where you are. For instance, you take a member of their squad out, the enemy hears the shot, but is not sure exactly where you are. You take another shot, taking out yet another member. Now they have a pretty good clue where you have been all this time. It is now time to relocate. Depending on the situation, it might be necessary to call for back up, and get out of there fast. Or, if the enemy is low in number, you might be able to move around a little, and set up another hide, putting you in a position to do even more damage to their squad.
Overall, you are moving for a few reasons:
1.To get to your hide
2.To complete an objective
3.To relocate and avoid being found/discovered
4.To better a position for engaging the enemy/scanning an area
5.To avoid being lit up
Overall, that is my somewhat brief chapter on movement. I am sure there is much more but hopefully this helps some of you snipers out! Make sure to read the other chapters as well, as some of this is covered with different examples/details in the other chapters.
To conclude, a few tips for movement:
1.Move slow, this is not NASCAR, so it’s not a race
2.Hear a noise? Stop, listen, investigate, and move on.
3.Patience is key
4.Take advantage of the “loud” noises around you
5.The enemy has ears too
6.The enemy might apply the same tactics as you are doing
7.Relocate when spotted or when you feel necessary
8.Keep your head up when moving, scan the area while doing so, relay info to your team
9.Stay off the paths
10.Have some confidence in your concealment abilities. If the enemy is near, no worries! If your hide is good, you will be fine.
TIPS AND TRICKS
-Advanced Target Practice
Helps when you've found a good general area with thick brush, and need to move adjust a little bit without getting spotted. Practicing this at close-range with someone allows you to succeed at long distances
(Get a little pan, and set it up at head height about 100 to 150 feet in front of some bushes and tall grass. Then get someone to stand next to the target. What you have to do is move to a certain spot, and then shoot the target(panlid). After every shot, you have to move, without being spotted, and keep taking shots until the person next to the target notices you, after that, you're out. It basically works on overall quietness)
-The Stalk
Helps Practice Stalking, Trust Me You'll Need It
(Have someone walk on a path, or through a clearing. Ask him to walk for about 400 feet, and you have to stalk him the entire time, without being noticed. If he even hears you, and turns around, regardless of whether or not he found your exact location, you have to start over)
Positions
Increases your chance of hitting a target after running, or changing position(Basically, just try shooting from different positions. This will really help you in the field because after you get up or get down, your less likely to miss than someone who just stayed in one spot. Also, it will allow you to practice from stances/positions you may have not been comfortable with before. Then try running, immediately stopping, and firing. After running you're a little shooken up, and this affects your chance of hitting your target, so practice in order to increase your chance of hitting.)
Finding the Position
Inevitable to learn a sniper
(Basically, practice making yourself invisible, and actually part of the foilage. As a sniper, concealment is your number one priority, but angle, height, and area is also very important, so having a good position is a must as well. Anywhere you go, try to find a good sniper position in which you could be concealed, have a good getaway route, a good angle towards a path/trail, and how high or low you are to this path. You could also adjust the foilage and cover around you, if the area is not yet ideal. Move branches and leaves around, anything that could work towards your advantage.)
Movements
A must to learn, you'll see amazing results in the field
(Try crouching and crawling for long periods of time. Set a goal, maybe a certain distance, or maybe an object. Whatever the case, try to get to that objective once or twice, then work on perfecting the way you get there. Adjust how loud you are, how large of movements you make, and what you move as you get there (i.e. leaves, branches, etc.).
An excellent sniper is just as effective with a pair of binoculars and no guns, as he is with his rifle
Scope Adjustment
Knowing how to properly adjust a rifle scope will pay dividends when it comes to getting consistent and accurate results during sniping. How you perform these adjustments will depend on what type of rifle scope you are using.
1. Learn how to properly boresight a gun in order to mount it correctly. Boresighting involves using both the barrel (or bore) of the rifle and the rifle scope to focus on a nearby fixed object. By alternating your viewpoint between the two lines of sight, you will be able to adjust the scope until the viewpoint is the same. Ensure that the gun does not move during this process, however, or the alignment will be wrong.
2. Fire a few practice rounds, if you are able, to see how closely the boresighting process aligned the rifle scope. Try to shoot in a tightly focused pattern, which will immediately tell you how accurate your sights are.
3. Make more fine-tuned adjustments on your scope by adjusting the alignment wheels on your scope. On most scopes, one knob will control the horizontal alignment of the rifle scope, and the other will adjust the scope on the vertical plane. Depending upon the scope, each click of the knob will result in an adjustment that is either 1/4 or 1/2 of an inch.
4. Become comfortable with operating the focus knob, so that you will be able to make quick and fluid adjustments when you are out sniping in the field. While many modern scopes feature an automatic or speed focus feature that does the work for you, you will still need to familiarize yourself with how quickly they work so you will be able to time your shots more efficiently.
5. Know how to use the crosshairs of the scope to become more accurate with your shots. Many modern scopes use crosshairs that can help you estimate bullet drop and wind direction, and some even offer illuminated bullseyes or laser guides to increase your skills even further.
So once you have read all this and decide, yes this is for you, we can begin the training process for sniper. Happy Sniping
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General CJ
Team Commander