Tactics: Sniper

[XP270]

These are a set of four tactics a sniper should use to either provide cover or just take out enemys
First is armnament:
Always choose somthing mid-heavy weight since you'll more than likely be camping. I suggest a CPS2-2.5k, and the CPS 1200 myself since they are longrange.
Second is camoflague:
Always try to stay hidden. Just dress like the surrondings around you.
Third is camp:
Always try to stay in a spot where you have basically an overview of the battlefield since if you can see em', you can shoot em'.
Fourth and finally is aim well:
Always try to get a scope on your sniping weapon. I always have my monoscope mounted atop my CPS 2500's handle when I'm sniping.
(Usually effective for most soak till you drop games[OHK, Soakfest etc.])
Use these tactics wisely and Soak on!
(Oringinally posted at Extrawater 18 Feb 2008)

[WaterWolf]

Another effective weapon of choice for snipers would be the Aqua-Labs-Sniper-Rifle*, which has a much higher effective range than any beam-gun.

*:http://aqualabs.tripod.com/thelaunchers.html

I have not built the A.L.S.R, but I am in the process of constructing a WBL rifle of my own design, which has a relatively high ROF and works both as a sniper and assault rifle.

[XP270]

Okay, I'm not much of a HM water weapon person so for your average non-multi talented soaker, I gave my own recomendations. But thanks anyways WW!
Water Fight:

[HBWW]

The idea of sniping with a soaker is alien and just plain bizzare to me, worse is putting on an actual scope. Given the typical soaker range, plain sights made out of PVC and paper clips should suffice for sharpshooting, but trying to "snipe" with a long range soaker (which, in most fights, you're not the only one to have the higher ranged soaker) is just odd. Even with a supercannon, it'd be more practical to bring it up to support the rest of the line than to try to hide it. In this case, concealment is only temporary; the "sniper" here is exposed once the assault begins. Snipers shouldn't be that easily spotted after an attack IMO.

Perhaps its just my fighting style, but I just find the idea of sniping with a low-range weapon to be strange. Or perhaps the "sniper" we're describing here is actually supposed to be more of a scout or stealthy assistant providing cover fire from a concealed position while the rest of the team moves in.

[emperor_james]

how can you snipe when the longest range gun barely can get 50 feet...

[HBWW]

^ That's basically just a shortened re-iteration of my post above without the capitalization and puctualization. =p

[cobralex297]

Personally, I think the term 'snipe' is overused because of the fairly diminutive range of soakers. I also think that scopes are rather silly (this is just my personal opinion) because within the range of whatever soaker that I'd be using, I can pretty much aim by hand. I'm sure I'm not alone...

[mutuhaha]

While some of the advice given is sound, for example being hidden and not wearing bright neon clothing as well as a good field of vision, I think the idea of sniping might lend itself too much to confusion with the real military idea of sniping with a rifle. Remember that we're only using water guns, and unlike bullets, streams can fragment in mid-air as well as lose alttitude fast (i.e. dipping). Thus, stream physics should also be taken into account when considering a "sniping" position, which makes the idea of sniping with a scope rather strange to me, since I don't think the stream will always conform to the target viewed through the crosshairs unlike the projectile weapons they were built for. In my opinion, the role of a water gun sniper is more akin to that of an ambusher, as the water gun equipped sniper probably won't have a very comfortable distance between his targets and himself, unless sniping between levels of a building complex or any other such gradient (i.e. higher ground). If your opponents go in groups, you might only have time to soak 1 or 2, before the others come after you, in which case a good, creative (but please, not dangerous) escape plan is always nice. Night snipes/ambushes are slightly different however, since the quieter atmosphere and darkness helps the sniper/ambusher a lot. Against undisciplined opponents, night ambushes can be very effective; once my friends and I were the target of one in an urban compound and it nearly gave me a heart attack.

However, sniping with WBLs might present a different set of circumstances, which might bring back the typical "real military" advantages back to a sniper to some extent. Scopes or at least sights might make more sense on the WBL sniper since there's the additional need to be accurate and save ammo and pressure. In this respect WaterWolf's WBL sounds promising, so experimentation and documentation would be great! A quick reload sniper would be even better, due to the obvious benefits a higher rate of fire brings.