Snipers! Need your help!

Hey all, I've recently experimented with the sniper, albeit usually leading to very bad experiences. However, I had a quick question. Do you guys lead your target? I was watching some sniper videos, and people usually follow their targets with their crosshairs, instead of predicting where the targets are about to go and leading them. Which tactic is advisable? Leading or just trailing a bit..?

I usually trail unless they're running in a straight line.

Follow, leading is a bad habit.  You're talking about leveling the crosshair and firing when they're under it, right?

Basically, verden. I try to predict where they're about to be, and I shoot when they get there. This usually doesn't work, because they almost never run the way i predicted

I try to lead them, and if i dont have time, i'll try and catch up with them with the laser.  But leading the target, or getting your crosshair to where they will be, rather than where they are currently at is preferable.   Also, If you can lead without zooming in to see the dot, then you can just zoom in right before they reach the center of your screen and headshot them with out waiting for the dot to show up, or hesitating.

Centering is something that you can only learn by playing sniper a lot, so keep practicing and you will find that your target's heads are closer and closer to the red dot when you zoom in.  The faster you can get a headshot off, usually the better.  So quick twitch aim is neccessary sometimes to capitalize on unaware enemies. 

Make sure your interp is set to half of your ping, 60 ping = cl_interp 0.03 so the hitboxes will be as close to the models as possible.

Lots of snipers aim different ways. I tend to predict people and let them walk right into my sights, that's just what I'm good at. Others are good at following people with the sights. I'm way too twitchy to do that, xD. Also, practice snapshots, they will save your life a ridiculous amount of times. If you don't know, a snapshot is when you aim the center of your screen at the head or whatever you want to hit before you scope, quickly scope and fire. Snapshots are great for sniper fights, or when you are getting rushed down. Getting that 150hp snapshot on that soldier that is rushing you does wonders for your chance of winning/surviving a fight. But in regards to aim "Style" just use whatever you are more comfortable with. It's MUCH harder to learn how to aim again than it is to just improve on what you already do.

TBH, sometimes i lead my target, then sort of "lock on" and fire.  I get to where they will be, zoom adjust, and shoot. 

I'm trying to get good at both quickly firing as i zoom, and charging shots, but the faster you can get to the target, the better, regardless of which direction you came from.

Try it all, and see what works for you.  You might find that you land a headshot more often when you just trail the target, and accelerate past the head, firing when the dot passes through.   This is heavily dependent on your mouse sensitivity settings and dpi.


I would like to note, that if what you are doing is scoping in, and holding it still till they reach your dot, you are doing it wrong.  Always be moving.

I twicth, but thats really diffucult for some players, and Can occasionaly drive me insane. But it's probably the best counter sniper tatic.

The key survival tactic for a sniper is to keep moving, right?

Basically what i'm doing now is finding a spot, and strafing around randomly until I see an enemy. When I see him, i scope and focus on and try to get a headshot (whether by leading or just shooting). However, when i see a lot of enemies, I find myself just camping and shooting until they either notice me or a spy backstabs me >_<. I don't really charge my shots, i just wait for an enemy and then scope --> hope for a headshot.

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Yea thats a good idea, if ther is another sniper, if it's just another heavy medic, jut put yourself in the shadows with your back agaisnt th wall and start shootin.