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Tactics
Used by permission from Anthony Stuart Lovatt
Lovatt is a well-known airsoft sniper with several years experience.
It's all well and good looking like a bush and carrying the most up to date kit with perfectly set up rifle, but if you're in the wrong place then your no good to anybody. Being in the right place is just as important as using the right equipment.
First note that you are part of a team. To win you need to work as a team with good communication before and during the game. This is essential. You want to, as best you can, deceive the opposition about your abilities. If they don't think you are a sniper you will be more effective than if they know you are. Never form a pattern. If you find a way to attack or defend something well, it will not be long before people will predict what you will do and where you will be when you do it.
Being Airsoft you tend to know where the opposition will be as there are a given set of boundaries they have to be within. If possible, find out as much about the area you are about to play in before you go. The type of ground, the vegetation, local teams and strengths; anything that you might find useful will be of great help. A lot of the information can be found on team websites. Many list their members, what they look like, and sometimes their tactics and equipment. Check if they have any other snipers, as most probably that will be your largest foe.
Now that you have the basic info you need make sure you are on the same page as your team. More often than not I am shot by my own team for one reason or another (normally did not think I got where I was that fast), so let your team know who you are, if you're wearing a ghillie, what it looks like and where you will be going. At this point I have to say snipers normally are more experienced players though not always the case, and have been in teams or a self set up sniper team.
You have to decide if you're going to work alone, looking at the pro's and con's, or are you going to work with another? It is possible to work in sniper teams and can achieve good success, one instant was at op ff. 2 when the UN formed a well set up sniper screen which the rebels could not penetrate. If they had followed up rather then fall back when the rebels retreated they would have cleaned up rather taen walk into an ambush.
Working alone. In Airsoft I would say this is a viable option (tough still working with a team). It is far easier for one person to move unnoticed than it is for more than one. Unfortunately it does mean that you have no back up, nobody to help you pull out if need be, and, if you're using a single shot, no room for error. If working with a partner you have more of a chance of completing your designated task (not necessarily the overall objective) easier. Also, I have to say, it is easier to work with the same people so you learn to work together knowing their strength and weaknesses as so to overcome them.
When working in a team you have the advantage of larger firepower though a possibility of them giving you away. I can not comment on this tactic too much due to only using it a few times, and the only memorable time was at the NAC when the other two snipers where ambushed by the local team which was suppose to be helping us. Luckily I managed to take the bunker and the 5 people holding it on my own.
To attack an object you have to look at what you are using, who is in your team, and what they will be doing, as well as who you're attacking. Taking everything into account, you are supposed to work out what is the best way for you to attack them. It largely depends on what you are to do. If it's to take an object you are more likely to cover your teammates taking out snipers and others that pose a threat to your team rather than storming the compound. That can be either from a distance or close up support (normally where superior camouflage comes in to good use). This depends on what you use to an extent. Not only are you there to aid your team by taking out people that cause problems but also you can be the team's eyes. I have played a few games where I have just spotted for the team, crawled in close and radioed where people are. A lot of people won't do this because they want to fire their weapon and nothing more. You're supposed to be working as a team, not as Rambo. I doubt you are a sniper if this is how you play.
Defense is slightly harder. You will probably have to defend an object from being captured rather than prevent a person being shot. You will need to find an advantage point which is within the boundaries and gives you cover, both hard and soft, so you're not too obvious, yet you're still able to defend the object. Whether it is defending the object from within the object or from its outer boundaries, there is no answer to how is the best way to defend it. It depends on the object, how well you can disappear, and your advantage point. It is by far the hardest form of skirmishing for me anyhow. All rules of never firing in one place can and some times have to be thrown in to the wind as moving is not always possible. It's probably best to be slightly forward or to a flank and fall back than it is being on the object all the time. What I do know is that you need to prioritize. If the other team has a sniper, think where they're likely to go and look out for them. Same with more experienced players, remove their ability to work as a team. Take out the people that are passing on your team's positions, or the person that seams to be directing people. Remove the team's ability to work together and you have a greater chance of defending your objective. This also applies to attacking an object, teamwork, and good communication is more likely to win a game rather than a disorganized rabble. It also pays to take out those that pose a direct threat to your self as well as your team, though only a threat, if they do not know you are there use it to your advantage. You will have far more of an advantage/impact if they don't realize where you are. If your shooting at everything that moves, its not going to be long before you will be picked off with heavy amounts of fire. If a sniper leaves the team to take out casual targets, or targets of opportunity, it isn't long before people see them and let others know that they are there. You're part of a team, work as one. An individual never lasts too long, especially if there is a sniper section on the other team.
I have occasionally played games where the sniper section is allowed to defend an object from behind the opposition, this is where sniping comes in to its own and is by far my preferred type of scenario. For attacking you have to be ever vigilant of the rear of the team; look for players that make their way around the back of your team. Keep an eye on them if possible. Set up ambushes for them if need be. More importantly see if they have indeed sent out a roving patrol, otherwise you're wasting your time. Count how many there are on the other team and if you can't see or at least account for the sniper team, assume they're behind you or to one of your flanks. Rest assured they're looking for you specifically.
If you happen to be a part of the patrol, use it to your best advantage, find the other teams core element, or sniper team. Most of the time they will be engaged with the attack. Use surprise as best you can, move about a lot and attack from many different angles not to let them rest easy. Its best to attack when they're on the attack, as they tend to be facing the opposite way and making this far easier. The less they know where/who you are the more effective you will be. I tend to find letting them walk right past you gives them more confidence that there is nobody around making them more careless of players! Use everything you can to your advantage.
Anthony Stuart Lovatt ©2003
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