Sniping -- tips and tricks.

[SO_stryker]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

Just one question to some of the good snipers out there:

How aggressive do you play? I.e, do you go for flag captures a lot, or do you "Ghost" along the sides of your squad getting rid of threats to their flag capture? ALso, do you try to move with the main troop body or stay to the sides of the battle (within effective range, not just sitting at spawn)

I find the sniper to be best played as a mobile defensive role to your squad, or defending a flag against infantry caps.

[[MyIS]Spetsnaz]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

How aggressive do you play?

Very agressive. All good snipers play aggressively.

The key is to know where *not* to go. Concentrate on flags that are not accessible by armor. As a sniper, the only 2 serious threats you have is armor and artillery.

Try to get into as many close combat situations as possible to get used to it. Once you are used to it, you wont be afraid of rushing someone.

For instance, if someone comes around a corner and sees you, they will sometimes duck back around the corner. They are expecting to lay there and wait for them to come back out. Instead, you rush from your positiong and surprise them. If they try to flank you, you will get the drop on them.

People say the sniper is useless because they think automatic weapons are more effective. This is false.

2 well placed shots from any rifle will take out the target. Couple that with the scope and you have a very deadly combination, even at close range. Snipers are usually better using pistol as well, because they often switch to it.

Just dont forget, movement and predicting the battle is key. You can move with the troops, without the troops, sneak around ... it doesnt matter. You just need to learn how to avoid things that you cannot beat.

[imported_Buzzsaw]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

^ This man speaks truth. Sometimes it is best to play with your squad/team in the main fighting, but at other times it is better to get away a bit to free up some space.
For example: On Karkand, these days (i have found) the MEC put up a much stronger fight for the first flag (nearest to US), and often the US get bottlenecked in the streets, and grouped together, making easy pickings for the enemy's arty. So instead move about round the side a bit, and you will either:
1) Be able to pick off enemy troops from the side/ rear, letting your guys push through.
2) Some enemies will see you moving and follow looking for a kill, and this opens up gaps again for an attack (even if you do die!).
Hope this helps.

[SO_stryker]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

Alright, i guess i just have to get better with my pistol :P

Thanks!

[[MyIS]Spetsnaz]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

Alright, i guess i just have to get better with my pistol :P

Don't get me wrong, charging someone that has a PKM is usually suicide. Here's a trick if you get into a close range encounter.

When someone sees you at close range, you are already the winner of a psychological battle. They think.. 'what can he do, just a sniper'..

Most of the time they will drop to the ground to aim and blow you away. If you follow the initial part of this thread, you'll follow the 'always have cover' rule.

If you run around a corner into another enemy that you simply will not, here's what you do:
1) Run to the nearest cover point (rock, bench, anything)
2) Go prone behind it for half a second (just enough to stop them from firing the intital burst, or firing the burst and missing).
3) Pop up again.
4) Aim the rifle at their ugly mug at close range and fire.

At times, you'll need to pop up in step 3, aim the rifle, go down and popup again.

What normally happens is that they think here's no way you're going to snipe them at close range. So they drop to the floor to take you down. When you go behind cover, they get confused because now they're the ones in the open. The brain sort of switchings from offensive to defensive mode. By the time they get used to that, you should atleast have put a snper round in their body (preferably the head of course, but u can easily finish them off with a pistol afterwards).

There are times when someone will simply charge at you. You need to pick that up a split second. It happens rarely, but when it does, here's a way to avoid them. If you some is charging at you at very close range:

1) Sprint and jump directly at them, but a little to the left.
2) In the middle of the jump, turn 360 degrees and fire a few shots with your pistol.
3) Sprint and jump into the nearest cover point.
4) Make them chase you around it by ducking and popping up over and over again.
5) Wait for the right moment to make your escape, then hit it.

The key is to make them stop chasing you. If you can evade their fire by ducking and popping up (and by hopping around them) long enough for them to run low on ammo, they're not gonna try to chase you down with the last round in the chamber. (If it's someone with a PKM, they usually drop the floor so use the tactic above this one. If they just chase you, it'll be very hard for them to hit you even at close range so the getaway will be easier).

Once you make a getaway, you should be prepared to get chased again. Make sure you get to a cover point and use the duck+shoot method while they are running you down

^ This man speaks truth. Sometimes it is best to play with your squad/team in the main fighting, but at other times it is better to get away a bit to free up some space.
For example: On Karkand, these days (i have found) the MEC put up a much stronger fight for the first flag (nearest to US), and often the US get bottlenecked in the streets, and grouped together, making easy pickings for the enemy's arty. So instead move about round the side a bit, and you will either:
1) Be able to pick off enemy troops from the side/ rear, letting your guys push through.
2) Some enemies will see you moving and follow looking for a kill, and this opens up gaps again for an attack (even if you do die!).
Hope this helps.

That's dead on accurate.

Alot of people fail to realize that in a public server, a good sniper is devastating. One of my favorite examples of causality in BF2 (as it relates to the sniper) is a situation where a great sniper causes a half of the other team to go sniper just to prove they are good enough.

You can also use claymores as a type of traffic light. Don't put claymores in highly congested areas that you want the enemy to go. If you see a very tight path (like the one between Hotel and Courtyard on Karkand), you want them to pour into it and get stuck down the center. By placing claymores inside of the chokepoint, you're discouraging them to go through as they are fully aware there might be claymores there again.

Not kidding here ... I've managed to drop entire squads that come through chokepoints. If you pick a good place of cover and use the duck+shoot method, they will just keep pouring into the same pocket over and over again. A claymore or two to cover other entrances to your location is a good thing. Hell... if you keep racking up kills in one area, sometimes it's best to charge forward to nearest cover point to disorient them a bit (they'll expect for you to stay in one place or retreat).

[SO_stryker]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

Ah, I've done the rifle shot once or twice before... by pure luck :cry:

Anyway, just gotta learn to think instead of being mesmerized by the graphics

Thanks a bunch

BTW, why don't you update your guide? The last few posts you made are VERY worthy of being front page material...

[Evil_Eye]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

Excellent guide.
It would be nice if you went through some spots aswell though.

[BigTex71]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

Interesting point once again, the Vid settings. What do you guys use? Here --> Click Meh <-- are mine.

My Vid Card is an ASUS Extreme AX800XL 256 Mb.

1600x1200 everything max.

My sig has my specs.
I just wish they would support widescreen in BF2 in one of these patches to make use of my monitor.

[Evil_Eye]

Re: Sniping -- tips and tricks.

I have all low, except 100% view distance. Still get very smoth FPS though .