If you see an enemy engineer or pioneer squad rushing at your sniper-don't retreat! Instead shoot down one of the squad and then unactivate camouflage and run back. The sniper will be able to move back at either the same or greater speed than the enemy engineer squad, so you won't be taking much damage from their SMGs. Just be sure that you stay away from close combat with the enemy squad and you'll be fine. Once their squad gives up the chase-have your sniper shoot them in the back. This tip works best against Engineers and Pioneers because their weapons are only good at close range combat and they have a low number of squad members-don't try and use it against riflemen!
Also I've seen jeeps or a squad or two just start rushing a sniper. At which point the sniper would either stay there and keep shooting or trying to retreat with cammo. This is usually a no no. You see a jeep or a large squad that you cannot kill without being seen then hit the retreat button ASAP. "Live to day, Fight again Tomorrow."
-Markmsen
This post has been edited by Marksmen77: Feb 5 2007, 03:24 AM
It was actually "He who fights and runs lives to fight another day". Idiot.
Well that's pretty harsh against someone who uses a turn of phrase adapted 1001 different ways... Here's my favorite : 'He who fights and runs away wastes valuable running time with all that fighting' Arnold Rimmer
cloaking isn't gonna do much though, becuase he can just keep hitting the "unit sniped" button to center on the sniper's location. Then he just has to get in close and finish you off. As to your question of do they cloak faster in cover... I kind of doubt it, but it is possible I suppose.
I partially agree with this tactic. A properly-used sniper will never find himself in the position outlined in the first post. Why? Before taking the shot, the sniper (you) must decide the consequences. Knowing that sniping discloses your position, you should always be on the move and position yourself such that you have support wherever possible. If you are outnumbered to the point that your escape route is compromised, or you have no support, don't take the shot. Rather, use the sniper as a spotter (with HOLD FIRE option ON) for atillery or position close to a choke point so you know what and when the enemy is bringing to the fight.
For close combat, I try to wait until my sniper is at a higher veterancy so that I can travel at full speed while cloaked.
Um, Stevie... if you only used your snipers in such a highly-specific set of circumstances, they'd probably never get used at all.
I think this could actually work against riflemen, since uncloaked snipers are at least as fast as riflemen. This allows you to kite them around the map very effectively, since you can pick one off whenever they stop chasing you.
Um, Stevie... if you only used your snipers in such a highly-specific set of circumstances, they'd probably never get used at all.
It's not really a highly-specific circumstance, it's more a cautious one. All I'm saying is I don't like to lose a sniper just to pick off one or two Volks.
QUOTE
I think this could actually work against riflemen, since uncloaked snipers are at least as fast as riflemen. This allows you to kite them around the map very effectively, since you can pick one off whenever they stop chasing you.
In 1v1, sure, but the majority of games I play are 4v4, so whenever a teammate shouts "SNIPER!" you've got potentially three people attempting to locate, cut off, and gib your sniper. At 340 gil, that is a costly mistake.
Yea, I had just taken down an MG in a match the other day and was moving (in camo of course) to another part of the map. I saw some rifles coming up, charging my sniper. They were still a decent space away, about half a screen length. Close to max range for them firing.
Anyway I hit retreat and a head shot from a bar takes out my sniper. He had about 40% health left. I was sad. Very, very sad.
I would argue for a cautious use of your sniper all the time. Cautious doesn't mean timid, it means calculated to have the best possible effect at the best possible time. So I suppose you could say "Cautiously strategic.
Um, Stevie... if you only used your snipers in such a highly-specific set of circumstances, they'd probably never get used at all.
I think this could actually work against riflemen, since uncloaked snipers are at least as fast as riflemen. This allows you to kite them around the map very effectively, since you can pick one off whenever they stop chasing you.
The specific reason that pios/engies are mentioned as a yes and rifleman a no comes down to engagement range. you can kite the pios/engies with minimum return fire because they have to be close to shoot. riflemen have 6x ticked off guys that can shoot just as far as your 1x sniper, so if they decide to give chase you're in trouble. if you don't have support for your sniper, and there are rifles coming that you're not going to beable to evade - just retreat. the sniper's 340mp cost is too great to risk.
Does taking cover with a sniper make him cloak faster? Let's discuss how to get that sniper re-cloaked, so he can maneuver away.
I've seen a bug in which a cloaked sniper enters a building, then exits, and cannot recloak. Very frustrating.
Anyway, taking cover before the shot means that he won't have to try to find some before shooting, which means a greater chance of hitting the target before it moves out of range. A sniper will always look for cover before taking a shot.
Snipers significantly outrange rifles, although I don't know what relative lines of sight are, so it may be the case that effectively they have the same range. I don't think this is true though. It still makes kiting riflemen fun and profitable... if you require a "pro" opinion on this, someone does that in one of the first ToH viewer replays and is praised for it by Bridger and Vitensby. If they give chase you decloak and run away, simple as that, thus tying up one squad worth of capping power and wearing it down whenever they give up the chase. Worst comes to worst, lure them back to your base bunkers or a friendly mg and they'll die that way instead.
Finally, basing your sniper useage on uncommon scenarios (both 4v4 games and the chance that your enemy will get a headshot on the first try) is probably not the best way to play an RTS. Most people play 1v1 and 2v2, so if your main criticism is "that wouldn't work in 4v4" then half the strat guides would have to be rewritten too. Worst case scenario planning is also a bad idea, for obvious reason: go with what's probable, not with what is possible.
In my experience retreating from jeeps or bikes is a foolish idea if you are spotted. A decent player will be able to chase you down while you are retreating as you retreat in a straight line at a slower speed than a recon unit.
My advice is...
1) Uncloak, and high tail it to your nearest support unit and cloak once in cover from friendly units. 2) Get in a building. Your sniper should be able to hold out until friendly units arrive. 3) Run round a corner, through a gap, around a hedge and then hit retreat so your oppositions micro is more of a challenge and the recon unit cant get up to speed.
Lone snipers, while useful for spotting are quite vulnerable, and as with any unit, should be used in/with support. Any WSC unit/axis counterpart really needs a jeep/bike to take advantage of their longer range than LOS.
Snipers are good but I prefer mortars, crazy range and unexpected, try putting mortar smoke on a tiger
Finally, basing your sniper useage on uncommon scenarios (both 4v4 games and the chance that your enemy will get a headshot on the first try) is probably not the best way to play an RTS. Most people play 1v1 and 2v2, so if your main criticism is "that wouldn't work in 4v4" then half the strat guides would have to be rewritten too. Worst case scenario planning is also a bad idea, for obvious reason: go with what's probable, not with what is possible.
It must have come out wrong, because I wasn't criticizing! I was just adding to it, 4v4 style. BTW: 4v4 rules you should try it.
This post has been edited by StevieWonder: Feb 7 2007, 14:40 PM
I've seen some replays where players skillfully use the sniper's high target value against their opponent. If you think ahead, you can set up a decent MG position out of major traffic lanes. Then send your sniper out as bait.
Act like a noob, taking on infantry or scout units that you obviously shouldn't be. The urge to chase you down will most likely overcome your opponent, at which time you run your sniper back into your prepared position. Once within the MG's field of fire, your sniper can safely turn around and start firing again. The enemy will get suppressed, lose a lot of health and men, and you'll be able to either force a retreat or score a full unit kill.
Evading with Sniper
If you see an enemy engineer or pioneer squad rushing at your sniper-don't retreat! Instead shoot down one of the squad and then unactivate camouflage and run back. The sniper will be able to move back at either the same or greater speed than the enemy engineer squad, so you won't be taking much damage from their SMGs. Just be sure that you stay away from close combat with the enemy squad and you'll be fine. Once their squad gives up the chase-have your sniper shoot them in the back. This tip works best against Engineers and Pioneers because their weapons are only good at close range combat and they have a low number of squad members-don't try and use it against riflemen!
By General Grant
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