Counter Sniper Operations
by Squeegie

One of the most dangerous players you will ever come up against on the field will be another sniper. He has trained himself to follow the same regiment that you follow. He knows what to look for in the bush, and where to hide for the perfect ambush. The same camouflage, same shooting discipline, same everything. He is your worst nightmare.

The sniper vs. sniper game has been likened to that of a game of chicken. First one to blink has to take the long walk back to the dead zone. Maybe with these few tips, you can stack the odds that you won't be the one wearing your opponents colors.

First we need to make sure that there is actually a sniper operating in the area. This will help you to determine what kind of approach you should make in eliminating the threat.  Lets look at the obvious clues first.

Single Shot Eliminations - This is the best giveaway. If there are players walking off the field complaining that they never saw where the shot came from, chances are there is a sniper working on your turf. Man I hate it when that happens.....

Insertion Points - Take some time to watch the enemy insertion points. Every player that is in the game has to pass through that area some time or another. Look for the guys in the ghillie suits. Keep track of how many there are, and if they are attached with a certain team. Most snipers are part of a team and will travel with them on the field. Find the team, and you will more than likely be in the same area of the sniper.

Now that we know that there is a sniper operating in the are, what are we going to do about taking him out? The hardest part about eliminating him will be putting him into a situation that will allow you to have shooting superiority. Setting traps in a scenario game is an almost impossible task. So we must do our homework and be very, very aware of our surroundings.

Being in the vicinity of an enemy sniper can be a short lived experience. You will need a break in order to get a fix on the sniper's position. You may only get once chance, so you have to be focused and listen. Pay attention to each shot that is being fired on the field. Single shots should stand out as odd. Chances are that single shot is where your target is. Track him from there. See if he hit anyone, look at the are from which they were hit from. Ask yourself  " Were they behind a bunker? Where was the only angle that the shot could have come from? Where is the best hide from that direction, knowing the range of the average marker? " You are now able to begin your hunt.

Never hit your opponent head on. If there is a target rich environment, chances are your opponent is going to hang out for a while and rack up as many kills as they can. It takes a very disciplined player to move from a good hide after 3 shots. You have to set up behind your pesky sniper and eliminate him from the back. He has the advantage of a watchful eye. You need to make sure that you are not in the view of that eye. Take the most difficult path that you need to get behind the bad guy. This will keep you away from the stinging end of his barrel and put you as close as you can get to victory.

Once you are set up, you have a few choices. We need to make the sniper blink. Any movement at all will help you pinpoint his position and allow you to eliminate him with ease. Lets look at a few ideas on how to make that happen.

Fire Support - If you normally run with a team, radio to them and have them begin to probe the area that you suspect the sniper to be in. This may flush out snipers with a lesser constitution than most.

Trick Shot -  If your sniper is one that can keep a level head under fire, it means you will have to do the job yourself. Fire a single shot from behind the snipers location. This will raise suspicion. He will either get nervous that there is a player behind him, or get greedy and want to get one more elimination. The movement is what you need to watch for. You must be very attentive to the slightest changes in the scenery. As you know, snipers operate in very slow and calculated movements. The movement that the sniper makes may not be easily detected. Keep your eyes peeled.

So now we have the sniper right where we want them. The rest is up to you. Keep your cool, remember to breathe, and do not get nervous. The major advantage that you have over them is the fact that they do not know that they are being tracked. Last but not least, remember that you are shooting at another sniper. Ghillie suits are notorious for catching balls. Unless there is a bounce-elimination rule at the field you are playing on, you will have to put your ball onto a hard surface to ensure a break. Aim for a boot, gun, pack, or even the mask.

Good luck on your counter-sniper activities, this is truly a difficult test of your skills.

-squeegie