This is a definative Sniper Guide which makes up much of what I've learned in my 4 years of sniping in AA. There is also alot here that will make you a better player regardless of what weapon you use. I wrote this strictly for fun, to give me something to do while at work.

Having played alot less recently, my game has weakened considerably. I often find myself now in-game thinking about what i've written here, trying not to forget my own advice.

About Me: Dedicated to the sniper position since the Marksmanship pack came out. I made my first kill w\a dead-guy's m24 on the snowy hills of Mountain Pass when I didnt even have enough honor to do the sniper training, since then I have been somewhat addicted. Not so much to AA, but Sniping in AA - but I have always been a niche player. I usually find one gun in a game I like the best and stick with it faithfully. Unreal: m16 Sniper, Rogue-Spear: PSG-1, Raven-Shield: m14, CS: Deagle, Quake3: Railgun. I prefer guns with more power but leave less room for error (less bullets & low RoF) thus requiring more skill - this is because it puts you on the edge and is more of a rush. In AA my Trademark is probably having a nack for difficult shots - I am probly not good enough to produce high scores all the time, but I still enjoy landing difficult shots and fighting to the bitter end. I rarely use Flash's, Grenades or even the Pistol.

Sniping in AA is more of a struggle, a challenge and a rush than I've gotten out of any other game. Its the struggle that has kept me playing for so long. When I got so good that it was no longer a struggle I lost interest, quit and was only interested again when I came back and sucked at it all over again. I'm also interested in the mental side of sniping, the concentration, patience & timing. To be consistent it also requires a zen-like attitude which I'm interested in as well.

DISCLAIMER: These are only my opinions, I am 100% positive that many poeple will disagree with certain things I wrote. I have often disagreed with aspects of other poeple's sniping strategies and yet there may have also been things I learned from them. Take only what is useful to you. Since the best players don't fallow others, they create thier own way

PART 1

CONTROLS / SETUP / MOUSE / TECHNICAL

Its important to note that nobody should really change there controls because someone tells them too. Everyone has thier own way whichs is most comfortable for them. My only concern is if your control setup prevents you from doing something that someone else can do. One weakness in my setup is that my pistol button is not in a very good spot :/

- I recommend a Logitech Optical Mouse w/Cord
- I am of the opinion that High DPI is over-rated Hype.
- I am of the opinion that Mouse Acceleration is Evil.

- Make sure you disable any Windows XP mouse acceleration and when you install windows for the first time do the registry edit tweak for XP to convert the values back to win98 settings.

- Make sure your Key Config is a strength and not a weakness:

- Make sure your keys aren't awkward, out of reach, inconvenient, hard to find or remember, or hard to use practically while your playing. Furthermore, make sure you setup each of your keys a certain way for a reason.

MOUSE SENSITIVITY

- For the Mouse make sure that you have as much counter-control over the scope shake when sniping as possible and adjust your sensitivity to help this.

I set my Mouse sensitivity at 7.56 and used the same sensitivity for 3+ years. This is the highest sensitivity i've heard of anyone useing. I feel that for me its the prime sensitivity for control while in zoom. Having it high helps me to fight the sway/shake which happens very fast. Your hand movments must be equally small and fast to counter that shaking. If you can hit the targets on m24 training from the Standing position atleast some of the time you're probly ok.

The downside is that high sensitivity is over sensitive for your basic non-scoped shooting, but i've forced myself to get used to this to have the advantage in zoom.

BUGS!: Let's face it, AA is not the most responsive game and there are also bugs that add to the problem. Make sure fixing them is apart of your skill-set. Sad but true. Examples:

- Mouse Speed Drop (after taking a shot, re-zoom)
- Stuck in Walk-Mode (after taking a shot, re-zoom)
- Weapon Disapears (must be put away and taken out)
- Can't Run (Drop weapon)

SYSTEM SPECS:

Many people have said that I must have an amazing Machine, not true, my cpu doesn't even meet the minimum requirements for AA - I have an AMD +2100, 768mb Ram, Gforce 6600 Gt. I can't play coop maps, steamroller, and on River Village (2.8.1) I get 19 frames per second average. I have also played this game on a Gforce Ti-200 and I actualy learned to snipe on IC w/a Diamond Viper V77 w/a Pentium II if you can believe that.

In most games, including AA the sniper scope increases frame rate so its the weapon of choice for lower fps people in my opinion. Winning nocsoped fights can become a little un-realistic however. Most close quarters battles last about 1-5 seconds, people with higher fps have a huge advantage here. If its any consolation, playing with bad ping, low frame rate or a crap system will make you a better player.

If nessecary lower settings and choose frame rate over graphics.

PART 2

THE WEAPONS

A Look at the Weapons and the Pros and Cons of each. Keep in mind these are only my opinions.

m24 SWS

Strengths: Versitility, Stopping Power, Easy to Improve at, Zoom power is comfortable at close or long range distances. The Weapon inspires confidence.

Weaknesses: None

m82

Strengths: Stopping power, Faster Rate of fire allows more room for mistakes. Higher Rate of fire can be benificial to surviving an unwanted cqb confrontation. A very powerful satisfying weapon to shoot with.

Weaknesses: Harder to control, harder to improve with. Standing/Moving/Crouched shooting requires more skill and more practice to become profficient in than with the m24. Defending yourself with zoom against a close target seems far more difficult that m24. If you use the m24 alot you may find it difficult to noscope - The Longer Barrel can throw off where you sense your center to be. The m82 can throw off your timing for use of the m24. This Weapon Jams, alot!

Using the m82: Almost any shot that can be made with the m24 can be made with the m82, however it may require that you shoot faster or sooner than with the m24 as you have less control and must react quicker to the changes in the shake/sway. Its similar to using the m24 when you are wounded, the gun is still quite versitile but the difficulty in controling it is amped up. Once you really get into the groove with it, it often becomes as easy to control as the m24. (just takes awhile)

MOS

Strengths: Equal to the m24 in stopping power, Weaker zoom power makes Close/Mid-Range shooting very comfortable and fast, since the target will be easier to keep in View. Equal to the m24 in noscope shooting. Easy to control.

Weaknesses: Weak zoom power and lack of a bipod make the weapon less adept at engaging a long-distance target. It may take several tries before scoring a hit on a long range target.

Using the MOS: Excellent for any small map or tight situation, May provide some advantage over your rifle if you happen to grab one from an opfor.

SPR (not a sniper rifle in my opinion)

Strengths: Although weakened, semi auto does allow room to make mistakes and engage easy or unaware targets. Scope Sway is rather minimal, this makes the required headshots rather easy to line up.

Weaknesses: Lack of Stopping power, Only headshots will kill with a single shot, 2-4 Shots to the torso may require more time that you have. Slowed semi auto makes the weapon frustrating at times as you'll often need to shoot but can't. Weak weapon for close quarters for 3 reasons.

1) its extremely difficult to noscope someone in the head
2) SPR with gimped semi auto is no match for the ROF of a Saw, Rpk or any rifle.... not even a match for an m16 on single shot.
3) since you probly wont get a headshot in cqb you'll be hard pressed to hit center mass 3 times before you get mowed down yourself.

I dont wish to make this a Rant about how the SPR should be Fixed but I'll say this: How is it fair to gimp the SPR when an M4 in-zoom on singleshot (does more damage) and is basically the same thing? I find it quite rediculous. Fix the Rate of Fire so this gun can be usefull for something other than hospital rooftops.

Using the SPR: Dont get in CQB fights, play smart and safe, out position targets, dont fight head on or in the open without cover if avoidable. Generally speaking - aim for the head.

VSS

Using the VSS: I've only used this weapon a little.

It is fairly effective in Full-Auto but in alot of situations the ammo count is fairly limited for this. I usually opt to keep n Single-Shot but obviously you'll use Auto when you feel the need. As a sniper rifle It seems to do enough damage in single that Auto is not required. Headshots are fairly easy to line-up. I would only use Auto in Close Quarters situations. I try to be sneaky when I have this weapon.

M9 PISTOL

I pull it when there isn't time to reload. But I dont run out looking for enemy. I keep the pistol out as a precaution until I find cover to reload my m24. To me it was put in the game as a self-defence weapon, and that is how I use it. But then again I'm oldschool, I remember sniping long before I had a pistol. Half the time I forget its in the game.

THINGS A SNIPER SHOULD CONSIDER

PART 3:

GAMEPLAY TIPS FOR THE SNIPER

SNIPER PRIORITIES: Contribute to the mission, cover teammates as they advance or retreat, join them in advance only if its required, Take objectives only if required, Defend Objectives, Prevent enemy advances towards objectives, Calling out potential threats and enemy positions for your team. Counter-Sniping, Counter-203.

BASIC OVERALL STRATEGY: In General, my basic overall strategy is to engage targets (enemy) who are already engaged or distracted by other members of my team. Ideally I want to kill them before they become a threat to me or actually kill my teammates. Hopefully when they die to them it will appear to have come out of nowhere. Second to that is to be quick enough to react effectively against surprise threats and unavoidable contact.

HABITS

PLAY FOR THE LOOSING TEAM: Seriously, theres more honor in it and It makes you a stronger player too. Are you playing for stats or playing to become a better player? Easy kills will make you feel like a good player but adversity and challenge is what will actually make you a good player.

DONT CAMP TOO LONG: unless you are covering a staircase or have your back to the wall with no chance of being flanked Don't Camp in one place for too long. Especially not when prone. As the round wears on opponents will naturally become closer and takup positions on your flanks, the dynamic of your position will be either more or less of an advantage... make sure you know which. The only time you can 'camp-out' an entire round in one spot is if your team is dominating the map or if you play defense (from spawn) on one sided maps.

"Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate." - (Anon)

In the Urban Environment:

"You Must Keep Moving" - Delta Force

New and old players alike - keep in mind that if you're last alive, nobody wants to watch you camp.

SNIPE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE: Use the Sniper as often as possible. Some Tips for this ARE: Gain more honor so you are more likely to be awarded the sniper Position. If you become efficient with other weapons and improve your scores this will also help you gain the sniper position. Play spotter to the sniper and cover him, if he dies you will get extra chances to use the weapon. If you are nice to him he might toss it up for you. Never Beg for weapons, ask politely and dont spam the filter, if someone is already using it they obviously want the gun they will be even less likely to let you have it if you are annoying. If some dude with 98 honor has the sniper rifle and won't give it up you're better off switching teams or even leaving for another server.

SHOOT MORE OFTEN: if you want to improve at the simple act of shooting, shoot more frequently when you play. Shoot at everything and anything you get even a glimps at no matter how far fetched it might seem to actually make that shot. Always play to give yourself as much chance to shoot as many enemy as possible, dont hide. Also don't forget that it does actually take time to press shoot. By shooting more often you become more in-tune with your own timing. If you prefer to play large maps and this school of thought conflicts with concealment and stealth, use the sniper training to warmup for ten mins beforehand so that your not playing for hours and taking only a few shots each session.

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Gretzky

TAKE HARDER SHOTS: Challenge yourself! - Dont just go for the easy stuff - Try to hit between boards, tight spaces, tiny distant targets, go for the early kills on runners. Constantly go for challenging shots and don't conceed that you can't. If you can see it, you can hit it.

STAY REASONABLY GOOD WITH THE RIFLES: I often let my rifle and ironsight skills slide, this becomes a problem if I'm stuck with m16 for over an hour and all I want to do is snipe. From time to time I will play MOUT for the sole purpose of keeping some skill with rifles. Rifling is about putting as many bullets toward the target as accurately and quickly as possible.

STAY CALM UNDER FIRE: After breaks from AA & sometimes when i'm rather tired cqb run-ins usually scare the crap out of me. I'm jumpy. You must be quick and decisive but not fearful of what your shooting at or your return fire will be unfocused. If you are focused only on your own shot and not fearful you can beat just about anyone head to head at any distance. If you panic you won't hit a damn thing.

ALWAYS USE COVER: after any shot, don't assume you've hit the target and remain in the open. Shoot then evade or Lean Back (cover) - Obviously you should make your shots score in the first attempt, but use positioning and cover as if they never will.

WHEN YOU RELOAD IS IMPORTANT: Keep as much ammo in the m24 as possible at all times. I normally reload after 2 shots, I only run out of ammo if I'm being swarmed with with targets and Its a very dire situation.

HOW YOU RELOAD IS IMPORTANT: Keep your eyes on whats going on when you reload. Try to break the habit of going into a dark corner to reload, If you are watching an area as a sniper and have good situational awareness you don't have to take cover to relaod. What happens is, you go down the stairs to reload (or any concealed area) and take your eye off what you were watching, when you come back there are 2 enemies rushing you. Always keep your head up when reloading. If you keep an eye on the situation you can always retreat or adapt.

DONT GIVE UP WHEN WOUNDED: Fight On! being red does not mean you're useless in the scope, Your only useless if you believe you are. If you can, stop and/or avoid moving quickly untill the bleeding stops.

AVOIDING ENEMY FIRE

KEEP MOVING OR STAY OUT OF SIGHT: In general the eye picks up on moving objects faster, but people still opt to shoot at stationary targets before moving targets, 1st because they are easier to hit and being that they are not moving they also may be more ready to shoot back so they must be dealt with first - thus most of the people shooting at you will be less likely to engage you if you are moving. In larger maps where camping is more natural for sniping, camp where you will not be seen. At the same time, don't camp just because the spot is safe - makesure your usefull.

On smaller maps when you've made a Kill - Immediately sprint away to another location. Or simply sprint for a few steps incase you've drawn attention or fire.

STRAFE PERPENDICULAR TO POTENTIAL ENEMY POSTIONS

Regardless of whether or not your being shot. Move about as if you are about to be shot at. If you peak out over a hill and expect to draw fire, move as you look.

KNOW WHEN TO FALL BACK: If the enemy is close and does not rush you, if there is a pause in his shooting he's likely throwing a nade/flash.

REACTING TO ENEMY FIRE

"Bullets, my only weakness.... how did you know?" - disgruntled gamer

MOVE PERPENDICULAR TO ENEMY FIRE: No brainer? sure it is but if your getting attacked from multiple directions at the same time, not so easy. You have to keep from getting hit from different directions and can only fight one Threat at a time. Even if not being shot (yet) - Move perpendicular to thier postions before the bullets come at you.

Evade one while shooting the other. Move forward and back to evade the 3 O'clock fire, and side to side from the 12 or 6 O'clock fire. Getting shot at from multiple directions is not always a lost cause, knowing who to fight first and how to evade the other as you do it will keep you alive longer. Strafing is clearly a tactic from FPS games like Quake and unreal but still important. Moving targets typically get hit less in AA. Even walking slow makes it more difficult for people to hit you than standing still.

RUN TOWARDS THE GUNFIRE: The best cover from enemy fire is often between you and the enemy. There is often cover closer to the attacker than there is in the opposite direction - runing towards the bullets is sometimes also the best way to stay out of thier path and find cover. Moving toward the enemy even makes you a harder target than if you run away from him, its even true regardless of distance.

THE MOST THREATENING ENEMY GOES FIRST: One of the principle rules of the First Person Shooter. Shoot the scariest guy (or the one who's aware of you before you shoot the oblivious guy or the one defusing the objective) Kill the most threatening player first.

AWARENESS

YOUR SAFE UNTIL: The sniper doesn't have alot of firepower to discourage enemy advances towards him. Most of the time (if spotted) your considered a juicy target for a rush. So without being able to engage those targets earlier your in serious trouble. Therefore build your game around knowing what the enemy is doing. Even if you can't kill the target, knowing where they are gives you the option to atleast fall back to a position for a decent shot, throw a nade or simply retreat.

Once you loose track of where the enemy is and what thier doing - your chances of survival drop steeply.

SURROUNDINGS: know the battlefield & know the weaknesses of your current position at all times. Keep potential cover in mind at all times, move quickly through areas of ambush or avoid them. Use positions of safety or advantage. Use the terrain. (What If I get Shot At Right Now) - always have something to duck behind.

PLAYER NAMES: if there is a teamate on your flank or covering an area behind you and he dies will you notice? if you check his name before he moves out you'll know that your in trouble as soon as you see his name in the death list. Always check the names of people around you so you'll have this advantage.

DEATH OF TEAMMATES: know how many went where, pay attention to who's dying where and you'll know whether you have teammates on your flanks or rushing opfor

READYNESS: For the sniper this means being ready to scope quickly and immediately when a target becomes visible. Or when inside buildings and in small areas, ready to no-scope if nessecary. Either way, you should have your trigger finger resting on the approprate button.

JUMPING: If you can't see over a wall, ledge or any object and want to make sure an enemy is or isn't there (on the other side or below you)... Jump! You can jump to safely take a look and spot the enemy

USE HEADPHONES: the best snipers I've played with talk about being able to hear the click sound when enemies start running... thats the kind of advantage you'll have with headphones. Know what it sounds like when people walk on dirt vs stone & you'll rarely get flanked or attacked without warning. Know opfor weapons vs your teams and the different pitch of a gun being shot indoors vs outdoors, then you can pintpoint nearby enemy and make better descisions.

Sound is also the best defense against incoming nades. You'll also not always be able to physically see the nade land or bounce near you but you'll always hear it.

In general - play with the volume turned up a little louder, this will allow you to hear more and highten your alterness.

TURN MUSIC OFF: You will NOT hear footsteps if your listening to Rap/Trance/Rock music - I've tried it. The only exception might be classical music which might also inspire you to keep your calm or in my case, having fits of blind rage.

LISTEN TO YOUR INSTINCTS: Sometimes you'll feel an impending sense of dread... It crawls up your spine... You sense that if you Stand still any longer something bad will happen - yet instead of listening to this feeling you ignor it and just wait and see what happens. Try too listen too those instincts and don't die for a pre-set strategy.

MAP SPECIFIC TACTICS / PROBLEMS

HOW TO TRUELY MASTER A MAP: In my opinion the best way to 'master' a map is to use the same tactic or (go the same way) over and over. When playing UA I would go left for a whole hour. For the next Hour I would go only Right. Or I would pick more a specific position, like snipe from inside West. Once I had I learned to be somewhat effective from each area I would start to go more freestyle or alter my tactics based on the oppositions tactics. This is also an excellent way to take the pressure off yourself, forget the score and develope skills.

If you suck, perhaps only your tactic sucks - but make sure you're tactic does have some difficulty to it or you'll waste hours having nothing to shoot at.

SHOOT OUT WINDOWS: Breakable windows in AA stop bullets, shoot them out if you plan to use that vantage point.

USE ANGLES AROUND WINDOWS: Such as the windows on Def-side on IC. Never ever walk accross the window or crouch in it. Only stand beside the window and look out at angles. Also for that particular location: "never share a foxhole with someone braver than you" holds true. Don't go in a window room if someone is already there. If they come in - leave. People who don't use angle in windows (like them) draw garunteed 203 fire. Also don't draw fire to a window then leave and get someone else killed.

ATTITUDE

"The Mind is the athlete" - Mental Toughnes Training for Sports

CONFIDENCE: "Nobody is ever going to give you permission to be the best and thats the truth. " - Wedge

Sometimes people will say stupid or insulting things for no reason whatsoever, they will try to bring you down - Some will call you the greatest-ever when you know your not playing very well - other times you'll play out of your mind awsome and nobody will even notice... its foolish to go by what people say. True confidence comes from within, in a large part its a decision to think and look at the situation a better way.

ANGER will make you feel better, but usually make you play worse. You'll be angry when you want to be angry and for as long as you want to be. Hopefully you'll let go of it when you smarten up and realize its not getting you anywhere. Somtimes anger can also be a positive motivator if its a wakeup call to change your mindset. Like a lightbulb going off in your head telling you that you can do better and this is unacceptable - unfortunately most of the time however its not and actually has the reverse effect. If its not fun, why play?

DONT OBSESS ABOUT STATS: try not to play for numbers. Focus on the game and forget about your score, try having fun for a change and you'll play better. Having fun makes you play better so that should be your focus. I know I could have a much better FR if i stuck to maps like Pipeline, but that isn't why I play.

WHEN PLAYING YOUR BEST: Play a little longer, dont think about how your doing, dont even look at your score - just enjoy it. As soon as you recognize and think about it, its gone. Playing your best is normally the result of being alert, well rested and having fun. Nobody ever played well at anything before they had fun - First!

WHEN PLAYING POORLY: If you know before you even start that your going to play badly, perhaps your too tired or just dont feel it - do yourself a favor and dont play. I usually decide not to play when i'm tired because its a waste of time.

"If it's stupid but works, it isn't stupid" - Murphy's Laws of Combat

SHOOTING POORLY: If your shooting is off it could be for several reasons, what makes a difference is if you know what those reasons are. Are you - playing tired, not very alert, too excited, too anxious, too nervous, too much caffiene, out of tune with the ping, shooting too early, or shooting too late, drunk..... stoned?

My biggest problem? - Trying too hard.

if you know what the problem is you can usually make the small adjustments needed, as long as you are having fun this is usually possible.

DONT OBSESS OVER YOUR TEAM: Especially for the sniper it is bad news to expect people to come to your rescue or even cover you at all. Sad but true. Unless your playing with a clan that you know well and have good communication, dont expect anything from your team. Focus on your own game and what you can do for them instead of what they should be doing for you. Set an example. If someone does help you always thank them for it.

TEAMKILLED INTENTIONALLY: Switch teams, seek revenge. If you spawn-kill you die also which means he died once, you died twice. Do the math.

TRY NOT TO FOCUS ON ONE PLAYER: Avoid whenever possible getting into arguments with players from the other team. This will only bring you down. It becomes a contest of ego, when the target becomes more than just another target and instead is the only one you want to kill you wont be able to kill him or anyone else. Sometimes you'll beat the other guy sensless and other times no matter what you do he'll somehow get the best of you. That's life. Your best chance to stay consistent is to be indifferent of who your shooting at.

BE HUMBLE: If you want people to speak well of you, never speak well of yourself. Plus the truth is, theres always someone better than you anyway and even if not - you'll run into that person sooner or later. Another 'necesity' of being humble is Not getting excited when you make a fine kill .. hit and move, forget your kills quickly because there are more enemies coming. There is no time to admire your shots or rub it in people's faces.... Whether you hit or miss, fire and forget - focus on the shot you're about to make and not the one you've just made.

PART 4:

PRECISION SHOOTING / SCOPE CONTROL / SHOT TIMING

This deals with the most basic shooting of very tight/small targets over distance and improvement of that precision. Shooting targets AT DISTANCE is the most basic sniping requirement in AA.

COUNTER-CONTROL: The Scope Movement can be countered in any direction with the proper pull in the oppposite direction. The scope constantly changes and so must my mouse movment. My control of the scope is a constant everchanging pull of opposites and when playing well its becomes instinctive. To become more precise (to improve) you have to be willing to always fight the scope shake from the moment you click zoom untill you zoom out, regardless of whether you have an enemy in view or not. Make it habit. When playing I am always testing and improving my ability to control the scoping to cover edges of walls, corners in windows, between boards or any tight spaces I might soon be required to make a shot through. I rarely just let the scope roam around.

The Scope Movment is in my opinion Not meant to make you miss at all. I have rarely felt that a shot couldn't be made. Its more a matter of when the shot can be made. The scope shake is somewhat random but does go through a cycle and with experience you come to know that cycle fairly well and even learn to use its movement to your advantage.

You wont really be able to fight the scope shake to the point of countering every movment and always forcing a hit. But with good control of the scope and keeping it close enough to targets, you'll almost always be awarded the opportunity to score the required shot. What will make you consistent is your ability to recognize that instant to shoot regardless of how or when it happens to occur.

EVERY SHOT IS DIFFERENT: No two shots are ever quite the same - even on similar targets. Because the path (directions) the crosshair moves before finally resting on the target may rarely ever be the same. How the crosshair ends up on the target is not important, only that you see the opportunity and fire.

To Make this possible, always be ready to shoot - keep your trigger finger tight to the mouse and create a hair-trigger.

A look at some of the Factors Involved in Scope Shake and landing a shot.

THE DRIFT: the overall movement of the crosshair caused by breathing and weapon instability outside Prone-Supported.

BREATHING: Stop and let the sniper scope drift on its own, You will notice:

- Inhailing pulls the scope up
- exhailing brings the scope down
- between the breathing the scope slows down

SIDE TO SIDE HAND SWAY: Hand sway is a Left to Right only pull that must be used or countered to land a long-distance shot outside of prone. Hand sway was only recently added. At first this robbed me of alot of shots. But the hand sway is rather predictable as it usually goes left after right and vice versa. You can anticipate this change before hand and it allows you to line up some of your shots.

THE SHAKE: Once you've pulled the crosshair as tight as you can onto the target and attempt to hold it there, both the drift and the Hand-Sway will be reduced to a shake of smaller radius. Basically, if it shakes - shake it back. (shake the mouse) I feel I need high sensitivity because my mouse & hand movments are so slight in this way.... you wouldn't even notice my hand was moving unless u looked very closely.

THE LOW POINT IN THE CYCLE: the crosshair shake goes through a cycle. There is without doubt a low point in its movement pattern where it slows and releases its control almost completely. This moment is very short but with practice you come to anticipate when this lull will occur and use it.

THE CEM: I have never really payed much attention to the CEM other than to occasionally take a look in times when my scope was acting funny. I liked the 2 part CEM that was unfortunately removed in 2.7. I like the CEM as a basis for the difficulty of shooting under different conditions, but while playing I normally dont physically feel the need to look down at it.

CEM BOOST: As you know, when next to teammates your accuracy is increased. Try not to rely on this just be happy when you have it. Usually I dont notice it. Sometimes I think 'gee that shot was easy' and realize I had a teammate nearby.

USE WHAT YOUR GIVEN: You only have so much control over the scope so to some degree you have to work with the movement, use it. Whatever you can't accomplish with your own counter-pull, allow the scope's own movement to do for you. Go half-and half - it's give and take. When I'm tired (less alert) I tend to allow the scope to do more of the work for me. When on (highly alert) I tend to control the scope much more aggresively.

GOING WITH THE FLOW: Sometimes you won't have to aim or adjust the scope at all - it will simply drift towards and over the target and if you anticipate this theres your shot. It is also quite common for the hand-sway to move the crosshair onto the target for you, provided you are keeping the scope close enough and are quick enough to spot this.

TIMING: The real secret to sniping might not even really be control or aim - it could be Timing (how fast you can shoot) or your reaction time in recognizing that the shot is lined up or about to line up. When you are really on the edge of peak performance with your timing you'll start to wonder if your not phsychic. It often does require that early of a reaction.

Finally: As you snipe - Look at the target, not the crosshair.

Especially if the target is very far away and(or) is moving - You'll fallow the target (lead) him much more smoothly, naturally and precisely if your eye looks beyond the scope and fallows the target.

IMPORTANT: DON'T SHOOT AFTER AUTO RE-ZOOM
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- I try not to use Auto-Zoom, its not so bad when prone and perhaps not even an issue when supported. But when on smaller maps it seems to really throw my 2nd shots off.
Almost as long as i've played AA I could not figure out why my 2nd shots sucked, Why after narrowly missing my first shot I could hardly control the scope at all on the 2nd shot. Its funny but I always thought this was some wierd bug in AA..... The reason is simply that I was allowing Auto-Zoom to control my 2nd zoom in. This meant that I wasn't pre-aiming as It zoomed in only after. I didn't realize at this time how crucial the pre-aim that I was to Scope Control.

If you go with auto zoom - make sure you control the scope as its zooming in and not mearly after its zoomed.

IF THE SCOPE FEELS FUNNY: If it feels off, just zoom out and back in, and then out and back in again. I have noticed lately that I 'reset' they scope in this manner after almost every 'real' shot that I take. It also helps to counter Walk-Run-Bug that keeps you stuck in Walk-mode and prevents you from running.

THINGS THAT EFFECT YOUR PRECISION

SHOOTING INJURED

The scope shake is far more drastic when injured, Try to accept this and do your best. Don't give up. Most of the same shots can still be made when injured it just takes more focus and a little more control. With a faster scope shake you might do well to make your hand movments faster and shoot a little sooner. When injured, play as if your not.

WORST POSSIBLE SHOOTING CONDITIONS / UNDER FIRE

Sometimes horrible scope shake will occur when you are being directly shot at and bullets are wizzing by your head. Its usually okay if you hold the shot and place it well, but sometimes it can cause the shot to seem impossible. I might opt to simply take cover and wait a few moments for my CEM to recover. If the enemy is very far away and my exposure is relatively small I might use the Bipod. Most of the time I will simply do my best to focus on hitting the target.

PLAYING NERVOUS

Your Own Breathing: Your 'real' heart rate will also change alot during play depending on the situation, the problem is that being overly hyped-up is not conductive to precision and making accurate shots. Its bad enough the Scope is shaking, if your hands are shaking on top of it then you'll have real problems hitting a target. Caffiene has the same effect... sometimes a cup of coffee won't wake me up at all but my hands will be jittery as hell.

Its better to have ice in your veins and not care but thats not always possible - All you can really do is take deep breaths and repeatedly tell yourself to chill out. Taking deep breaths is also a component to real-world sniping, marksmanship, even archery.

COLD HANDS

Remember I'm from Canada. Drink a cup of coffee or tea or sit on them between rounds. You'll miss all the time if your hands are cold. Sniping in AA requires rediculously small movments of the wrist/hand. I dont think these are possible when your hands are cold. Warm hands make for more precision. Its important that your keyboard hand is warm too, even this can throw off your game.

YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE SHOT

Your own attitude in how you look at a particular shot may cause you to miss. I'll get into this a bit more in depth later. Here i'll just say: Be Patient - Don't Try Too Hard.

DEVELOPING YOUR PRECISION & SHARPENING YOUR MIND

"Simulated weakness begets Strength" - Sun Tzu

5-15 mins before you play you can load the m24 Range and practice hitting targets. To get the most benefit, try shooting the targets from the standing position only. Prone-Supported is basically point and click. But from the standing position the shooting can be much more challenging, even to the point of terrible frustration. Its frustrating because you either can't find any opportunity to fire - or you see them again and again but fail to shoot - or wait too long. But doing this builds patience, mental concentration and shot timing more than anything else I can think of. You will almost always play better if you do this as warmup. Remember, the more intensly you 'want' to hit the target, the more impossible it becomes.

You will play better because most of the targets in-game will actually be easier to hit than the m24 training.

Making a game out of it:

- Try hitting the furthest target (or any) as many times as you can in succession without a miss from the standing position (my record for the furthest target is 4)

- Try hitting the targets left to right in order. See how far you can get w/out a miss. OR - don't move to the next target untill you hit them each in order once.

- Use a stop-watch and see how long it takes you to hit all targets from left to right in order. I have done this from the Prone/Supported, Crouched and Standing positions. You are allowed to miss & reload but you must hit each target once before moving to the next one. If you record it on paper you can try to beat the record later.

- Put music on and try hitting the targets in rythem to the music or a specific beat in a song. This pre-determines the time you will take the shot and you must see if you can force the shot at that moment rather than wait for it.

PART 5:

MORE CONSISTENT SCORING ON MOVING TARGETS

~ Hitting moving targets requires a good estimation and judgement. Much like a real sniper would have to judge wind or bullet drop, in the Gaming world we have to judge net-code, Ping and the speed & angle our target is moving. ~

MOVING TARGETS AT DISTANCE

- For alot of shots that involve leading you can use the prungs on the Crosshair. There are prungs to both sides which can be used to aim with. At certain distances and ping you will be able to use the 1st or 2nd prung ot the left or right to aim with instead of center.

- Be careful not to aim too far ahead - with 80 ping you usually need only aim to the first Prung when the target is very far away. It also seems that when the target is further away there is less need to aim ahead because its actually moving across the screen less quickly. When the target is close it move accross the screen much more rapidly and the lead must be far greater.



It's quite difficult to shoot consistently if you always play on different servers with different ping. I tend to look for servers around 90 ping or below - I have sniped effectively on servers as high as 140 but I have to be playing on that particular server most of the time to stay used to it. On lower ping servers I tend to over compensate for lag and still miss - and once I go back I'm spoiled from the good ping and have lost my ability to think/plan/fire ahead. Bad ping requires you do everythign earlier, including spot the enemy sooner.

TESTING THE PING: The first thing you should do when you join a server (which I always forget) is to test the ping by shooting at a nearby wall - look at listen for the ping delay. This is the only accurate way to get a sense of how much compensation you need for lag-time when shooting (on that server) I dont think you can just go by the number because sometimes 80 ping is different on one server than another. Atleast it seems that way to me.

- Always get your crosshair ahead of and keep your crosshair ahead of moving targets. Don't let the crosshair fall behind and play catchup to the target. Don't trail the target. Aim ahead of his direction to begin with and keep it ahead. If your your behind the target - quickly pull infront of him and move with him (holding the movement) steadily before firing.



TARGET AQUISITION: This must be quicker than in other situations because the threat is more immediate (closer) - Once the bullets start flying at you your effectiveness in the scope drops steeply - Thus, you want to be able to get your scope on the target and moving with him before he sees you and gets his Ironsights on you. You really want to beat them to the bullet in this way. Since the scope is probably a little faster you do have the advantage if you can control it quickly and place the shot. Keep in mind as your doing this you often can't aim right at the target but must look for the space he's moving into to place the shot. Since you dont have alot of time to waste you should always think in terms of aiming ahead of his movment and landing on the first try.

Early target aquisition is probably he most important element to being effective in the Urban Environment. Target aquisition is the result of using good positions in the map and awareness or understanding of enemy movments through the map. Its also about having good flow in your movement and scoping.

LIMITATIONS OF THE SCOPE IN-CLOSE

The limitation of the scope is that the closer the target is, the harder it becomes to keep the target in view. If he is moving quite close to you he will appar to be moving much too fast to fallow with the scope. Normally a no-scoped shot attempt is easier, but I have found with practice the scope can more ofthen than not still be effective in close if you are extremely fast with it and place it well. But again it depends on how fast he's moving, how much open space you have to make the shot (space he's moving in) and how close he actually is.

I believe alot of people give up in the scope once the target turns at them (sees them) they abandon the scope and evade too early - I always try to beat the enemy to the bullet - its very tricky. It takes me a certain amount of time to Aim-Perfect-Hold and Shoot and depending on how fast and or accuarate I feel the enemy is this determines how early I abandon the Scope and evade.

I guess its instinctive, sometimes I'm wrong and get hit because I stand before the enemy too long.. but usually I'm fairly good at sensing when I'm about to be hit. Hold the shot for as long as possible, place it well and only abandon the scope when you feel your about to be killed or cant avoid being hit before you hit him. You want to be 'on the edge' of knowing when exactly to pull out - this allows you to stand up to targets a tiny bit longer and get off a shot before you must evade.

- Whenever possible hold the shot (movment) before firing. If the target is moving and you are leading ahead of it.. hold that movement for a moment before fireing. Become one with the target, or match your crosshair with the target movment (at the perfect distance before Shooting. This is the most consistent way to hit a moving target.

If the target is weaving side to side you have to get him before he changes direction (again) and not be afraid to shoot a bit sooner. It really depends on whether you are intune with the enemy and can read his intentions.

FOLLOW TROUGH: This means not to stop the mouse movment when you shoot but but to continue it on after the trigger pull.
Its probably more important if the target is really moving fast or sprinting fairly close to you.

DOWN FROM ABOVE: Think: Jackson in the bell tower near the end of Saving Private Ryan - Targets which are moving toward you or away from you from below often require a diagonal lead to hit. You move the crosshair at a diagonal angle the same as they are moving.

These shots are often very awkward because your not used to moving the mouse accurately in those directions. Most of your mouse movement is lateral. These are diagonal. For me I have to stiffen up my wrist and move my entire forearm. Its very strange because it is the only type of shot in AA where I control the mouse in this way. I also typically have to hold the shot longer if they are sprinting, especially if the target is quite close.

CUT-OFF SHOTS

- Simply shooting ahead of them (cutting off) without fallowing them with the scope is an entirely different type of shot and is often less consistent, it requires perfect timing and judgment of ping and server conditions. It also becomes quite difficult if the servers ping fluctuates and is not consistent.

This type of shot is usually when you are covering a small area and the enemy runs past it. Such as an ally or past a window or door opening. You try to stop them (running) before they leave your field of view.

In Close quarters situations the scope can be used in this manner quite effectively - such as 'setting up' the scope at a corner when you know the enemy is about to come around it.

PART 6:

S H O O T I N G - P O S I T I O N S - I N - P R A C T I C E

I don't think it is wise for the sniper to take a positions where he must 'shoot or die' - "Always in the back of my mind is the thought 'What If I Miss?......."

Instead I try to position myself with good cover and with the best view of the enemy - best if they either can't see me at all or I am less of a target for them. Should I miss, I hide my position by taking cover. If I am in a more open area I stick as close to cover as possible. I alway keep cover in mind even when there is no apparent threat, thus if i'm spotted I have something to duck behind or run too quickly.

I still also must engage enemy people head-on but I play as if my shots will miss and always evade after or hit the dirt after - I also keep an escape route in mind - There is no such thing in AA as a bad firing stance or position - The only bad position is one where can't avoid being shot at or one where you can't escape.

THE PRONE POSITION: The prone position is the position I use the least and the one I feel I must talk about the most.

Improved accuracy and being a smaller target are advantages of the Prone Position - but without proper cover from a teamate or spotter, (which is typical in AA) There are serious disadvantages that go with being prone (in the wrong situation) that must be considered before taking advantage of the improved accuracy. Consider the terrain, your level of concealment, distance from the enemy and whether or not you must really go prone to engage the target.

Going prone on maps like Urban Assault, Dusk etc. and even Insurgent Camp to some extent is useless. On Border, Mountain Pass, Bridge SE, River Village - and the larger maps going prone is often advantaeous and nessecary.

I personally have no problem with going prone if is safe (still effective) and the situation requires it. Even on Urban Assault I employ the prone position in certain situations where it is effective and of no disadvantage.... and there are several positions even on UA that meet this requirement. I also use it alot on urban as an evasion tactic - then standup and return fire.

Consider the Following:

1. You will loose situational awareness while on the ground.
2. You loose mobility and the ability to react and evade quickly to an un-suspected threat.
3. You can't really defend yourself if flanked and you can't really evade an incoming 203 or hand grenade.
4. You make yourself a stationary target, it is usually difficult to evade from the ground - movement is slow and Rolling is sluggish and unresponsive compaired to straffing.

So before you assume the prone position ask yourself :

- Do I really need to be prone to be effective from this spot
- Will I soon be flanked or spotted by incomming enemy
- Do I have cover or teammates between me and enemy
- How long will I realisticaly be able to stay here
- Am I in view of snipers or 203

Thus Look for Positions that meet these Criteria in order to
Snipe from A effective (yet Safe) position.

The prone position is an important part of Sniping, know where and when you should use it. Just don't rely on it so much that its the only way you can defend yourself.

A Note about Slow Prone Movement:

- If you have engaged an enemy from Prone but missed and taken cover - DO NOT creep out (especially in slow crawl) to setup another shot. Especially against a sniper - You cannot spot-shoot when prone. If your fighting another sniper you need to make your shots quickly. This can be done more effectively by first taking up another position to go prone or using a crouched or standing position from your current cover.

PRONE SUPPORTED: I become very nervous as i'm waiting for the bipod to deploy because i'm leaving myself defensless untill it is.. once it is I can't evade, I also have a limited field of cover. 90 degrees or something... So I Try to avoid using the bipod whenever possible - Unless for a specific target that less of a threat or you simply cannot hit otherwise.

Deploy the bipod with caution. Its a tool, use it wisely. Unless your target is at exteme distance or partially concealed - do not deploy it. A good example is when you can only see his neck and shoulder - Keep in mind how far the targets are on the m24 Range - That is how far (or difficult) they should be before using it.

CROUCHED POSITION: Provides good accuracy, with little sacrificed by way of mobility and situational awareness. Most snipers will advance to use this position more frequently once they've become proficient in prone shooting.

STANDING POSITION: Being able to shoot from the standing position gives you several advantages, for one you can better see to shoot over tops of hills, walls, ledges etc. You can shoot without having to change your stance first. You will

QUICK LEAN : If you've already spotted the enemy you can use a quick-lean to return fire on him

This has to be one of the smartest ways to shoot on a small map with adequate cover But also large maps when you have only a Tree for cover - yet I see very few snipers do it. Its only dangerous if you stick your head out too long. Only lean long enough to make the shot and then take cover regadless of whether you hit it or not. Never assume you've made the shot and always take cover after firing, either by falling out of the lean or evading completely. The more you use it the faster you get and you'll be stopping threats before they can even react, sometimes they may not notice you at all. In other situations you can use leaning to fight a target that has already spotted you, such as a Dangerous Rpk gunner.

CROUCH WALK: One technique I often see both Snipers and Riflemen use is the crouch against a short ledge. Strangly your weapon might not reach over the ledge to shoot but once you press up against it in crouch/walk mode and hold the foreward movment toward it your player height will raise a bit and you can scope out over the top of the ledge too shoot. You can also use this technique while moving sideways and walking/crouched along the ledge.. You make yourself a moving target and still have some stability to shoot.

FLUID SHOOTING ON THE MOVE: Yes it's possible to snipe on the move and if you use the snipers long enough its something challenging that you'll probly want to try improving at. The more you use it the more you'll see it as a valid tactic. I had already been sniping for well over a year before I even attempted to use it. Even though it appears your moving quickly in scope, your walk speed is snail pace.

Walking does Not drastically affect the Scope Sway and can just as easily be used to help line up a shot as it will cause a miss - since you are in control of the walking. Athough it's possible to score a moving shot on a long-range target, I generally use for closer targets because its generally a bad Idea to move and shoot against a guy who's prone even if he is far away... more likely he'll hit you before you hit him.

But its not just for Shooting - You can also use Walk-Zoom to simply move as you Recon the enemy sniper & even use Walk-Zoom while using the Binoculars when Rifleman.

But in the Urban environment or when an enemy appears at random - moving helps you to keep from being hit while you take a shot. Its often a gamble to stand still and expect your opponent to miss.

This is important to remember for Fluid shooting on the move - with any weapon. If you want to bring ironsights or scope up and shoot without stopping, you need to first downspeed to walk.

DO NOT use the AUTO-WALK ZOOM feature. What that does (if you dont know) is put you in Walk-Mode automatically whenever you zoom in - Don't use it - Instead stay in control of your zooms and your walking. 1 - 2 - 3. Walk / Scope / Shoot

this type of shot has a 1 - 2 - 3 rythem to it. You will have to be in control of your rythm. It is also very difficult to control the transition between NoScope and Scope view with Auto Zoom Walk turned on. Its lazy and less effective.

Make sure you Pre-Aim well to have the Scope On-Target as you move and as early as possible. I find the scope has a tendency to sometimes Dip down or away from the target Initially, but when I'm playing well I don't notice this often.

NO-SCOPING

~ Tips for the BOLT-ACTION Warrior ~

I dont advocate running around the map in an attempt to noscope everyone you see. I've done this occasially but It is not normally how I aim to play. NoScoping weak or unaware players is one thing, Intentionally choosing to no-scope against good players with experience is a Gamble. But at the same time it must be said that - given a cqb situation it is better to commit fully and engage the target head-on than noscope reluctantly.

You can often noscope a weak player without taking any fire or damage - But good players are agressive, they duck and weave - ther movments are spontaeous and unpredictable. Good players DO NOT underestimate the sniper even in close quarters and because of that they are deadly to the sniper - Engage aggressive players fully but only if you have no choice.

"if you run you'll die tired, if you hide you'll die scared" - SF

"If you stood to fight and lost, you should have ran - if you run and get shot in the back you should have stood and fought" -Wedge-

Usually I intend to keep the enemy at a distance and scope, I noscope when I have no choice, when there is no chance to Zoom in or when I feel I have a better chance at survival if I Rush my attacker. This is often the case because you CAN'T no-scope consistently by backing up - you have a better chance moving toward your attacker and pressing the fight.

"NO! ... do, or do Not.... there is no try...." - Master Yoda

Its my opinion that you should not use a dot because then every other sniper with a little noscope ability gets accused of it. Its just not nessecary to do well. If you have ever seen the best AWP players in CS in CPL tournaments you will see them line up and take half of thier shots before the zoom even shows up on thier screen. And these guys are playing in supervised tournaments on somebody else's monitor.

NO-SCOPING WITHOUT A DOT (EXPLAINED)

REFERENCE: the m24's Barrel is an inch or so off from the center of my screen - thats my point of reference, The Tip of the Barrel. Its the closest non-changing reference point I have relative to center. At the same time I have to remind myself over and over and over: DO - NOT - AIM - WITH - THE - BARREL.

keep the barrel OFF the target.

PLAYER NAMES: the enemy name will appear on your screen, this is perfect if you are behind him or if he is not moving. Make sure your not aiming too low, shots through the hip (from the side) often do not kill.

STAYING SHARP: Practice lining up noscope shots on objects that are difficult to hit because they are narrow or small such as telephone polls. You'll only learn where the center is through practice and repetition. Do it alot, keep in touch with where your center is by testing it whenever you sorta forget or your shots seem off. Re-Testing noscoped shots on objects as I play is my bread and butter for staying sharp. I do this early in the rounds when its safe to waste a few bullets.

If you do it alot you get good. If you dont noscope often you forget how.

PRACTICE - A QUICK WAY TO LEARN YOUR CENTER: A quick way to learn your center is to load the MOUT Shoothouse and mpcheat changeclass VSS or S24. The Vintorez on Single fire is my choice because there is less reloading involved.

CHECK ALL CORNERS: Move and clear rooms the same as you would with an m16 or SAW. The urban environment is not the place for a sniper, but if you have no choice you can atleast do it right.

MOVING IN A GROUP: If you must advance into close quarters territory you may want to fallow a group or individual - but always let them enter rooms first. Stay close behind as if too cover them. You do not want to be spotted first because he'll have a better chance in that regard.

TIPS & TACTICS FOR WINNING NOSCOPED FIGHTS

Don't Panic or Freak Out - Stay calm

If he scares you at first - Get calm *get him in Focus*

Look Directly AT your attacker

Aim for Center Mass / Keep your barrel high, avoid shooting legs

Don't Shoot before your ready / Watch his movement - re-adjust and shot

Watch closely the movement of his gun barrel and mussle flashes - keep out of its path.

Move Forward and to one side of him

Move as 'sharply' around him as you can, as he turns to shoot cut the angle even sharper - causing him to have to aim faster (if he has low mouse sensititivity he can't turn to catch you)

Keep your head down - you dont need to bob up and down but ducking even once does help get hit less.

The more you miss the more you have to move to evade

If the fight goes on for more than the first few seconds don't run out of ammo - whatever you did wrong in the last 2-3 shots make right on your last 1-2 shots. Don't run out of ammo.

If you are behind him don't let him turn around

If there is a doorway he must pass through to reach you - use this 'narrow' space to take your shot, before he reaches the open area (he can't move side to side) Always try to attack them before they get in the open - even if it means moving toward him or into position before he reaches the door.

One tactic that stands out is acting incapable and then 'Turning' on the enemy - Apear at first to be afraid - and then Rush him fearlessly

"Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance." - Sun Tzu

Lastly, be couragous underfire because its the only way to survive head to head. To maintain your visual focus under fire, Dont fear the target or you wont look directly at the target, you'll be spraying and praying, except with only one round at a time.

TIPS & TACTICS FOR WINNING NOSCOPED FIGHTS

Move as much as possible

Watch his Gun Barrel to stay out of its way

Use Running Sprints to keep from getting hit

Dont panic - be more calm and decisive than him

If your both missing your both panicking - whoever takes the first sharp and decisive shot wins

Beware of his Pistol - you have 5 shots, it has infinite ammo

PART 7:

* DISPLACING *

"Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend." - US Ranger Rules for Gunfighting

No-scoping isn't the only way to handle a situation, there is also something to be said for knowing when you should fight and when you should not.

By using Fall back tactics you can often avoid noscoping all together. Its a different style of play than I normally use but I quite like it because its more about outsmarting enemies than standing up to them on thier terms.

If you know you are being flanked by a SAW Gunner he will not catch you if you run because he will not run himself. He will keep his weapon up at all times and will be anxious to shoot. Since he's moving slower you'll usually be able to put some distance between. Run for any cover turn back and use leaning to make a shot, if you miss - run and fall back again to a new position and repeat. I have used this to great effectivenes on Urban. Sometimes I have not killed the threat untill the 3rd or 4th position I fell back too but took no damage. Most people who chase you think you'll run all day, once you stop and turn back to fire at them the firs time they'll usually be surprised by it.

For the sniper Positioning is atleast half of the battle, choose the path of least resistance, move into gaps where the enemy has not covered.



I often feel more threat from the enemy sniper than thier riflemen or machine gunners, this is mostly because I can hear the RPK's and AK's a mile away. Generally I'm in a position of covering my team and since my team advances first - there is always teammates between me and the enemy - therefor to get to me, they must first kill atleast one or more of my team. But the enemy sniper on the other hand gives no warning. He's just out there somewhere lurking. The most dangerous sniper is the one you can't see or can't find, once you spot him - hopefully. You'll be able to engage him succesfully or just avoid him.

FINDING THE SNIPER: IF the enemy sniper puts a bullet past your face (you hear him) don't spend time looking for him right then and there because it will likely get you killed. Instead move to cover and try to find him from a different location.

"Generally the one who first occupies the battlefield awaiting the enemy is at ease" - Sun Tzu

SCOPE TO SCOPE: Beating other snipers head to head (or scope to scope) is about precision & confidence but also not taking them for granted. The more often you engage snipers successfully head on the more confidence you'll aquire. The more you tend to avoid other snipers the more fearful you'll be of them.

HEAD-ONLY TARGETS: Often all you can see of the enemy sniper is his head. This is a very tricky situation to win. You know you can probly take a shot at him and not get killed if you do it fast enough. But he is prone and likely supported. You must often stand, lean or even move to take that shot. But being the thick headed fool that I am, I can't resist trying because I know any shot is possible and if you can see the target it can be hit.

The problem is that this kind of target is very nerve racking to fight because its one of the most risky. What tends to happen with me Is my anxiety builds up till the moment I shoot... I know that the longer I am In his view the longer he has to shoot me, thus the longer I take to make my shot the more anxious I am to evade out of his line of sight. This means that each Time I take my shot I am taking it at the peak of this anxiety to duck/move. Therefor I typically hit nothing... I might come very close but my fear to get out of the way preceeds taking the shot.

Other times however for 'whatever reason' I have almost no fear of the same type of target and often hit it in the first and only try. I am able to ignor the threat so that I focus only on my own shot and not his. I still duck out of the way, but my shot is not affected by the decision to move/evade. There is no difference in the difficulty of the shot or the chance of being killed, yet this Time I am as calm as a hindu cow - and because of this I can actually hit the target.

Should the you both miss it is best not to make your next attempt while you are both fire-ready. But instead to do something to make him fire again, and then take advantage his recharge time.

MAKING HIM SHOOT FIRST / DRAWING HIS SHOT: If you feel that your the better sniper you can often draw his shot by presenting yourself. A good rule of thumb is if he spots you first but for some reason doesn't fire at you - Make him see you or lean out to draw his shot and then take cover. After dodging his attempt you will have a safe moment to take a shot of your own.

MAKE HIM MISS: The more he misses the more anxious he'll get, the more desperate he'll shoot. Its also true for you though.

BREAK YOUR RYTHEM: Don't return fire in a patern of Duck/Shoot/Duck shoot... instead break the rythem and make him wait when he thinks you'll show yourself and attack when he thinks your hiding.

CHANGE POSITIONS: If possible change positions to be behind different cover before each shot.

MAKE HIM WAIT / MAKE HIM THINK: One thing a sniper hates is having to wait longer than he thinks he has too. By simply waiting a few moments you will get into his head - are you going to shoot again? rush him? hide? or give up on the fight all together and have you already pulled back. When a really smart player is about to flank me with SAW he won't rush me in the predictable way - Once spotting me and knowing I'm scoping his direction - he will just sit there around the corner - I have no idea if he's going to flash me, rush me or what he's doing ... he just makes me wait... I become anxious... I can't wait to shoot him, and then when he finally does rush at me I've lost my calm readyness and I'm an easy kill. This can be used against other snipers.

SHOOT ON THE MOVE: For Shorter distances you can try moving while you shoot - Often you can get a decent attempt at a shot by moving accross his view. Even though you might miss on the move if you focus the shot is usually possible and worth trying - it affords you a chance to shoot w/out worring 'as much' about his shot. If your moving and he's not you are taking the initiative.

JUMP OUT: At medium distance on Urban maps you can even Jump out infront of the sniper, take aim and fire - At shorter distances a single jump prior to aim won't affect the scope that much.

WORST THINGS YOU CAN DO: Stand still / Underestimate him / Underestimate his superior stance or position. Take chances. Over-confident. Over anxious.



IN REACTING: Your hand goes where your eye goes and not the other way around. Because of the many hours of gaming we have played, our hand is almost perfectly in-tune with what our eyes are focusing on in-game. The hand doesn't make alot of mistakes aside from occasionally slipping off the mouse-pad or not giving us the precision we want when they are freezing cold - The eyes however don't always perform as consistently. When tired our eyes are less focused and sluggish and spot details more slowly. Our brain can't keep up to process all the information as quickly and we are unable to react with the needed precision. This means poor visual-focus results instantly to having bad aim.

So to some extent godlike aim really translates to godlike visual focus - or how accurate and quick your eyes can find the target. The hand is mearly a slave in this process. I dont think one gamers hands are any faster than anothers - its the quickness of the eye that makes the difference.

When I am noscoping well its almost like my perpheral vision is everywhere except the target which is in tight focus... The enemy is almost magnified while everything else is blurry.

If your tired, sometimes there isn't much you can do to reverse the sluggish effects and aim better. Small details that would normally Stand Out are now blurred out. You have to make an active effort to stay alert.

You can drink cofee, You can make sure your eyes are more active in panning, moving and searching - this can might help to avoid blurry tunnel vision. A really intense firefight and a sudden rush of adrenaline will help. But the best visual focus will always be mid-morning after a good nights rest.

IN CONCENTRATION: In gaming the accuracy of the eye is still the most important factor in concentrating on a distant target. Even though your not reacting quickly your eye must still focus on the target and if moving - the eye must fallow the target.

When the target is moving at any given speed the eye has to match that speed and movemnt in order for your hand/aim/mouse to do the same and make an accurate shot *applies to zoom especially* And like I said before its more natural to look at the target beyond the lines of the crosshair.

IN READYNESS: Just looking toward your screen might not be enough regardless of how fast your eyes are. If you are over-concerned with what people are typing or looking at the death-list too much you can't be ready for whats coming at you. Readyness means having your eyes / and your weapon closer to where the threat is about to emerge from. Having your weapon and overall focus in the best position possible means your eyes/weapon/mouse/wrist & hand will have less distance to travel (on-screen) to the target and there will be far less time between and less room for error.



The Reasons you Miss

The more desire you have to take down the target, the more urgently you 'want' to hit the target, the more difficult the simple act of doing so actually becomes - Don't ever feel you must hit the target, Dont ever tell yourself you must hit the target. Dont ever focus on whether or not you'll hit the target before firing. Don't ever worry about the consequences of not making the shot. Your best shots will always be a surprise to you. Don't panic when you miss. Dont put more pressure on yourself with each consecutive shot.

Instead - Stop shooting, take cover, take a deep breath, and allow your next shot to be less forced. Don't think about the shot as you take it, just let it happen.



TARGET RICH ENVIRONMENT: Just about anything can break your aim down to the point of rendering you useless. Even having too many targets to shoot at - Multiple targets will cause you to take too long to decide which to shoot or the opposite - you will Rush to kill one before loosing sight of the others. You really need to not think forward (about what Might happen or Not happen) you really need to focus on one target one its own, at a time.

PULLING OUT A CLUTCH: Being last alive is the most intense situation you will face. You must have extreme patience and desipline to control adrenaline and nerves till 'after' the fight is over. Even the fear of Success in a clutch can ruin it. Try not to focus on what will happen just what is happening - Play smart and deal with one target at a time.



"When the physical skills of shooting have been acquired the archer discovers that they are not enough alone to produce consistent performance: if the psychology of the archer remains undeveloped and is not in harmony with the bow and the body then the arrows continue to miss. Thus, the final technique for mastery is a spiritual one." - Kyudo