Snipers. No group is more feared and hated on the battlefield than snipers. An effective sniper can be the difference between victory and defeat in a match. While this guide will focus on Modern Warfare 2 the tactics and techniques can be applied to almost any game. You will learn that the sniper is, in my opinion, the heart and soul of his team.

The Good Sniper

Everyone believes that a sniper's purpose is to shoot guys from far away. This is only one of the things a good sniper is capable of. In fact, the most important thing a sniper can do doesn't involve firing his weapon at all. The most effective part of a sniper's role is that of a scout. Relaying enemy positions and movements to the rest of his team allowing them to have an advantage when they engage the enemy. They always say knowing is half the battle, and with a good sniper your team will know what's going on most of the time. Along the same lines of scouting out the enemy, another effective tactic is to blind them. Counter-sniping another sniper is another skill that is a must for an effective sniper. If the enemy team is running around blind then the advantage rests entirely with your team. On top of the previous two tasks is the snipers' most important duty, the sniper can pick off enemies in his sights, engage up close with a sidearm, control high traffic areas, and force the enemy to move in certain directions. Now for the breakdown. This is where MW2 specifics will be dealt with.

Weapons

In MW2 there are certain weapons that are head and shoulders above the rest. The sniper is one case where this is very evident. Once it's unlocked, the M21 EBR should be the snipers' rifle of choice. It is accurate, powerful, and shoots quickly. The next step down is the WA2000 which is a good choice as well. The Barrett and the Intervention just can't stack up to the first two rifles so only use them if they are all that is available to you. Oddly enough another good choice for a rifle is an ACOG FAL as it is very accurate and offers single shot firing.

On the pistol side I'd stick with the USP .45 to start. Once you get the .44 Magnum unlocked that should be your secondary from then on. The .44 Magnum is like a hand held sniper rifle, and thanks to its low profile sights, is very easy to shoot at a long distance. Some people may say a machine pistol is better than a handgun, but I have personally found that if you need to use a machine gun as a sniper you're getting into areas you shouldn't.

Of all the equipment types in the game only two are worthy of a sniper. Claymores are a sniper's best friend. Even if the enemy doesn't die from a claymore it will act as an early warning system of when someone is approaching. The other option is C4 however due to its difficulty to use successfully I'd advise against it.

Perks

First up are the blue perks. No sniper should have on Marathon or Sleight of Hand. Scavenger is definitely a good one as you can run out of ammo easily while sniping. Also, the extra claymores will come in handy. Baling is a useful perk as well, it allows for FMJ and a heartbeat sensor, which gives more protection from being snuck up on. Attachments on the rifles are the user's choice as they really don't make much of a difference. One Man Army is not for snipers either as it implies you will be switching.

Now the red group. Hands down my favorite is cold blooded, especially the Pro version. This eliminates the need to worry about UAV, Helicopters, Harriers, and Sentry Guns, quite a relief when you're out in the open and can't really get up and run. The rest of the perks are fairly useless when sniping. The only other perk that could be used effectively is stopping power, however, the need for that can be eliminated with the FMJ attachment.

Green perks are up next. Right off the bat I will eliminate Commando, SitRep, Scrambler, and Last Stand. None of them have any use for a sniper. The other two that do are Ninja and Steady Aim. Ninja is good because when coupled with Cold Blooded you become undetectable except by human eyes. Also the disabling of the sound of your footsteps can be huge in a game where everyone sounds like a giant walking around. Steady Aim will offer a longer period of time to hold your breath once it’s Pro, this is very valuable. The choice lies with the user here. I personally used Steady Aim until I got Ninja Pro and then switched.

Location, Location, Location

The first and most important thing you should do when being a sniper is finding a good spot. In essence, any spot can be a good sniping spot if it is setup correctly. The first sign of a good spot is a large field of view. Try and find spots that let you see as much of the map as possible. A sniper with a limited field of view is just that, limited. After finding a spot that looks good, be sure to check all the ways you could possibly be approached. Find the path that is either hardest for you to watch or most likely to have someone come from and place your claymores there. Also identify any areas in your field of view that will have a good view of you. Chances are you will need to watch that area for another sniper. Finally, while it’s not always possible, have an escape route to another location ready. Try not to pick the popular spots, as people will check these routinely. Some of the best spots are just a little ways away from the popular ones, as you will catch people checking them and can snipe them easily.

More coming