A tactical discussion

Shadowminion wrote: The surprising thing , I am seeing is more  "new Players " willing to accept the differentiation , between a "Sniper " , and a "Sharpshooter" .

Actually, historically speaking, a 'sharpshooter' is something completely different. Back during the Civil War, Col. Hiram Berdan Decided to put together a regiment of crack shots to engage the confederates. The resulting unit became known as "Berdan's Sharpshooters." The term 'Sharpshooter' was born out of the type of rifle that they were issued. The .52 Christian Sharps Breechloading rifle. Essentially, the regiment "Shot Sharps Rifles" and it got squashed down to "Sharpshooters" Since the requirements to get into the unit involved:

 "shooting ten rounds as rapidly as the shooter could reload into a target ten inches in diameter at a distance of two hundred yards. All ten rounds had to hit the target and the average distance could be no more than five inches from the center of the target."

They were the best shots in the Union Army. The term Sharpshooter worked rather well, and eventually was applied to anyone who was a decent shot.

Since SR_Crewchief effectively said everything that needed to be said, I figured I'd throw this little history lesson in for you fellows. Enjoy, and please keep it clean. You're doing a good job so far, keep it up.

The main problem that I see, is someone atributing a title to themself without knowing what it really means. Too add to the confusion, we can easily define 3 sub-types of sniper: military, law enforcement, terrorist. Each has either a different tactical environment, outcome objective, or both. That's why I start with defining the environment, which then defines which sub-type is the object of the discussion.

Instead of taking the hardnosed stance, like I used too, that paintball snipers don't exist, I endevor to demistrate that too actively try to apply the skills that destinquish a sniper from other players is not effective and why.

Hey Tyger, you didn't start the sniper debate (well maybe this round you did ). As I think you've see here and elsewere it's an old arguement and isn't going away. I applaude you for time and trouble you go through to produce your website and show to help educate people on the world of paintball.

1-The traditional definition of a sniper is an infantry soldier especially skilled in field craft and marksmanship who stalks and kills selected enemy with a single aimed rifle shot.

The word originates from the snipe, a game bird difficult for hunters to sneak up on.

In the last few decades the term 'sniper' has been used rather loosely, especially by the media in association with police precision riflemen, those responsible for assassination, any shooting from all but the shortest range in war and any criminal equipped with a rifle in a civil context. This has rather expanded the general understanding of the meaning of the term. It has also given the term 'sniper' distinctly pejorative connotations. This explains the increasing use of alternative terms, especially for police snipers such as counter-sniper, precision marksman, tactical marksman, sharpshooter and precision shooter.

2-Training is of paramount importance for snipers. A well-trained sniper can compensate for poor equipment. Military sniper training tries to teach a high degree of proficiency in camouflage and concealment, stalking and observation as well as precision marksmanship under wide operational conditions.

Snipers are generally volunteers accepted for sniper training on the basis of their aptitude as perceived by their commanders. Sniper trainees typically shoot a couple thousand rounds over a number of weeks. The training teaches core skills of camouflage, concealment, moving tactically over terrain, observation and rifle-shooting under varying conditions. Military snipers may be trained as FACs (Forward Air Controllers) to direct military air strikes, in artillery target indication and as mortar fire controllers.

Snipers are trained to squeeze the trigger straight back with the ball of their finger, to avoid jerking the gun sideways. The most accurate position is prone, with a bipod supporting the barrel, and the stock's cheek-piece against the cheek. Sometimes a sling is wrapped around the weak arm to reduce stock movement. Some doctrines may train a sniper to shoot between breaths or even between heartbeats to minimize barrel motion.

The range to the target is measured or estimated as precisely as conditions permit. Laser rangefinders may be used. At longer ranges, the bullet drop is estimated from a chart which may be memorised or taped to the rifle. The sights are adjusted accordingly. Shooting uphill or downhill can require more adjustment, either by "holding off" by eye, or "dialing in" to the scope. The slant of visible convections near the ground can be used to estimate crosswinds, and correct the point of aim. The point of aim is in front of moving targets. Anticipating the behavior of the target helps place the shot.

3-At distances over 300 yds (300 m), snipers usually attempt body shots, aiming at the chest and depending on tissue damage, organ trauma and blood loss to make the kill. At lesser distances, snipers may attempt head shots to ensure the kill.

In instant-death hostage situations, police snipers shoot for the cerebellum, a part of the brain that controls voluntary movement, that lies at the base of the skull. Some wound ballistics and neurological researchers have argued that severing the spinal cord at about the second cervical vertebra is what is actually achieved, usually having the same effect of preventing voluntary motor activity, but the debate on the matter remains largely academic at the present date.

To perform civil pacification, sniper-suppression, and intelligence a sniper or pair of snipers will locate themselves in a high, concealed redoubt. They will use binoculars or a telescope to identify targets, and a radio to provide intelligence.

Since most kills in modern warfare are by crew-served weapons, reconnaissance is one of the most effective uses of snipers. They use their aerobic conditioning, infiltration skills and excellent long-distance observation equipment and tactics to approach and observe the enemy. In this role, their rules of engagement let them engage only high-value targets of opportunity.

A sniper identifies targets by their appearance and behavior. Snipers shoot people who are in high-rank uniforms, or who talk to radiomen, or who sit as passengers in a car, or who have military servants, or who talk and move their position more frequently. If possible, snipers shoot in descending order by rank, or if rank is unavailable, they shoot to disrupt communications.

Snipers use deception, in the form of camouflage, unusual angles of approach, and frequent, often slow movement to prevent accurate counter-attacks. Some snipers are able to shoot an observant target from less than 100 yards (~100 m), while the target is searching for them, without being seen.

To perform suppressive fire to cover a retreat, a sniper positions himself, hidden, with a view to a large open space. When a pair of enemy squads attempts a crossing, the sniper disables one person, preferably a leader. Most often this is a hip shot, possibly followed by a jaw shot to prevent effective instruction. When the squad attempts a rescue, the sniper uses rapid fire, aiming for the trunks of enemy soldiers to kill as many as possible. A prudent sniper leaves the area at this point, anticipating the flanking attack that normally follows. A brave or desperate sniper may ambush one of the flanks, and if possible, will move outside the flank to do so.

To demoralize enemy troops, snipers can follow predictable patterns. During the Cuban revolutionary war, the 26th of July Movement always killed the foremost man in a group of Batista's soldiers. Realizing this, none of them would walk first, as it was suicidal. This effectively decreased the army's willingness to search for rebel bases in the mountains.

With heavy .50 calibre rifles, snipers can shoot turbine disks of parked jet fighters, missile guidance packages, expensive optics, or the bearings, tubes or wave guides of radar sets. Snipers on hill-tops can often shoot down scout helicopters lurking below a ridge-line. Similarly, snipers may shoot locks or hinges instead of using a door-opening charge.

4-Generally snipers are isolated even from soldiers of their own army by the dislike of the ordinary infantry for this type of combat. During World War II, captured snipers were often shot out-of-hand by their captors.

A commonly held view is that snipers must have a psychopathic or sociopathic personality in order to function efficiently. This view is not shared by military experts as dysfunctional personalities are likely to be unreliable in high-stress combat situations. Most people will also agree that training a mentally ill person into a very highly trained covert killer is a bad idea both in peacetime and wartime (the sniper will be out on missions only a small percentage of their time in the theater of operations).

Snipers do, however, require a different type of psyche to the average soldier – they must be comfortable being alone for long periods, be very self-reliant, and be comfortable with doing 'cold-blooded' kills – attributes that not every soldier will share.

5-The use of sniping as means of murder has been immortalised by a number of sensational U.S murders, including the Austin sniper incident of 1966, the John F. Kennedy assassination, and the Washington sniper serial murders of late 2002. However, these incidents usually do not involve the range or skill of military snipers.

Sniping has also been used by terrorists, for example in the Northern Ireland Troubles, where in the early seventies a number of soldiers were shot by concealed riflemen, some at considerable range. There were also a few instances in the early '90s of British soldiers being shot with .50 calibre Barrett rifles.

6-Some doctrines distinguish a "sniper" from a "sharpshooter" or "designated marksman". While snipers are intensively trained to master field craft and camouflage, these skills are not required for sharpshooters. Snipers often perform valuable reconnaissance and have a psychological impact on the enemy. A sharpshooter's role is mainly to extend the reach of the squad to which he is attached.

These differences in role and training affect doctrines and equipment.

Snipers rely almost exclusively on stealthy bolt-action rifles while a sharpshooter can effectively utilize a faster-firing, but more conspicuous semi-automatic rifle. In some military doctrines, a two-man sniper team consists of a designated marksman who uses a bolt-action rifle, and a sniper support (usually the spotter) who uses a semiautomatic sniper rifle, or at times an assault rifle or carbine.

A sniper's intensive training, forward placement and surveillance duties make the role more strategic than a squad-level sharpshooter. Thus, sharpshooters are often attached at the squad level while snipers are often attached at higher levels such as battalion. 
   This is just an opp.    hope you all understand me, this is just my opp.

Edited by abegarza911

i liked your video...

I totally agree with ur post, but really if people want to call themselves snipers in paint ball who cares.  They are just being ingnorant pricks? but then again it is just a game, we are not playing with 50 caliber rifles that are capable of tearing some ones head off at 900 + meters.  so yeah ur right in paintball u cant be a sniper, but if some one wanted to call themself that why should u or anyone care... as long as we know (and of course let them know too) that they are just being stupid

SR_Crewchief, you have hit the proverbial nail on the head with that post. One cannot ascertain all the qualities of a military sniper on a paintball field. Pseudosniper would be a good name for a marksman on the woodsball field.

RE: DC "Sniper"

· A superior marksman - one could argue both ways.
· Expert knowledge in the art camouflage for concealment - ingenious, (if that is the word...) use of camouflage modifications with the vehicle 
· The ability to approach the target without being detected - Yes 
· Engage the target from beyond effective range of return fire - Chose the targets carefully, they couldn't return fire anyways.
· The ability to engage the target without revealing your position - Yes 
· The ability to egress the area after successfully engaging the target without being positively identified and engaged - Yes, seeing it took a long while for him to be caught.

My thoughts.

 

Crewchief, here is one point that wasn't brought up in the other thread about sniping (Which Gun is Best?). The "sniper" misnomer transcends paintball. Rewind your memory to the "DC Sniper". He made shots from a hundred yards with a semi-automatic assault rifle and the media labeled him a "sniper".

I have never seen a better post on the topic of snipers

But i agree hole heartedly that "Snipers" dont exist in paintball!! i have a designaed sharpshooter on my teem, sad to say its not me but, my sharp shooter is kinda rich and pracktices every week with 2000 rounds on moving targets (The rest of us). We all get 30 paintballs and try to eliminate him from a long ridgeline. its near impossable as the rige is 50-60 ft tall so he comands a 150 yard area!! with a few big trees as bunkers we have only eliminated him once!!

 

Your post matches my description whenever I play woodball. I do almost all of the above^^^. I am not the greatest at sneaking up on a target but I am a marksman, I am great at blending in(ive been steped on), Im effective to about 220 ft., maybe a little under, I can engage without being spotted(semi auto, every 2-3 seconds), I never move...I pick a spot and stay there. (+)