Sniper
For the patient player who can sit and wait for players to come into their field of file.
Tactics
In depth knowledge of the maps are essential to find good sniping spots, ones that offer some cover and a variety of places to get setup in (well known sniper locations regularly get grenaded and shot at on the off chance of someone there) and offer good fields of fire.
Generally as a sniper you have several key objectives in each game. Your first and usually most pressing role is that of counter sniper. At the begining of a match you will want to seek out and eliminate your opponent snipers as quickly as possible, then control and dominate these positions. There are usually some standard sniping spots at either end of each map that have clear views of each other. It is sometimes down to speed to rush to these spots and aim quickly getting an edge on your target. This can be fun as you have to take down targets under pressure. However you can sometimes stop at a spot which has a viewpoint of your opponents which may not be targeted initally as they will be looking at where they expect you to appear. This then allows you to take out the targets then move into a more concealed position at your leisure.
At the start of the match there are also opportunities to catch the enemy team rushing from their spawn point and you can often get some early kills if you can find these routes. Be mindfull of enemy snipers with the same idea though.
Holding specific areas or even closing them off is what the sniper really is the master of. You can set up and hold several routes so effectively that you force the enemy to either commit large amounts of fire power to attempt to over run you or try a different route altogether. Just be vigilant and also watch for counter snipers and you can become almost unmovable. Keep an eye on the radar as it will alert you to new potential targets or give you warning of approaching enemy.
It is also an extremely useful role to relay information to the rest of your team, as you will usually have a good vantage point of a fair bit of the map. You can co-ordinate attacks or pass information on which routes enemies are making pushes through. When this works it works fantastically well as you can concentrate your firepower very effectively. By holding a whole route or section of the map and telling your team mates which routes the enemy are pushing through means that they will be running into your expectant teams fire. Communication works both ways as your team should be telling you where they have seen, or been shot by, an enemy sniper or dug in enemy and you can dispatch them for you team mates.
Remember though movement is the key, both in detecting enemies and avoiding being targeted yourself. Even just a small movement from yourself can be seen, in the kill cam, quite obviously. Therefore attempt to get into position and cover as much ground with your sights without moving at all.
Remember your Gillie suit will make you almost invisible even at close range, so utilise it. Lay prone when you can, as it makes you a harder target and improves your accuracy. Also look for gaps that you can shoot through in fences and between posts which can conceal you but still give you a clear field of view. Alternatively angle yourself to look through a window so your enemy can barely see you. (This is top secret stuff!)
Finally and most importantly, get a good picture of each map in your head and it will become second nature to ‘notice’ things that are not quite right. Sometimes a shadow in the grass or on the wall is all that is needed to identify a concealed sniper and then target them.
Perk Setup
Perk1
Claymores – For obvious reasons.
Bandalier – If you find yourself running out of ammo then bandalier is for you, but if you’re accurate this should rarely happen and if you are camping then there should be a “dropped” rifle of yours close by.
Perk 2
Generally stopping power is my standard choice, quite needed for some of the weaker rifles, it makes single shots kills almost certain. You could argue that this can be achieved with accurate head shots but I feel the speed at which you can drop several snipers in succession is more useful.
UAV jammer can be effective but as you cannot silence you rifle then it cannot be used to full effect. You can move and fire but the enemy will know roughly where you are.
Perk 3
Deep impact is a good choice as when counter sniping your opponent will invariably be behind cover. You can also harass by “test firing” along a wall or following them behind cover.
Steady aim is very useful especially when mobile sniping as it gives you a good chance when you bump into the enemy or get rushed.