?? on the realism of snipers owning outside areas.

[Stagger Lee 0]

It appears that a squad of snipers will slaughter a squad of mixed infantry forces just about every time in open areas..no contest.

Obviously in real life it's a bit easier to blend into the terrain, but honestly I'm not sure this is completely unrealistic. It's always seemed to me that as ballistics technology has improved, that rifle combat would be held at greater and greater effective ranges. The limiting factors in real life combat may have something to do with the cost of said sniping weapons, possibly the cost of training the men to use said weapons, possibly the degradation of sniper weapons over a period of use, and the fact that they are not nearly as well rounded for urban combat.

But considering specifically outdoor combat with few intervening trees it would probably be best if the map creator restrict the number of available sniper rifles if he wants a semi realistic scenario to unfold. What do you all think?

[walker 0]

Hi Stagger Lee

As those who have played against me in MP can attest a grenade launcher firing indirect from defilade is an effective solution to any sniper as is moving in cover and concealment. Once you are under 200m the value of being a sniper starts to diminish and effective TTP is the major solution to a sniper.

In the real world snipers are the fire team or even platoon stopper and yes in the real world a good sniper can get phenomenal kill rates against soldiers who do not find cover. ArmA/OFP unlike other games points this out.

The real kill ratios for a sniper occur when people freeze in open ground.

Add in an AP minefield and even companies can be decimated by a single sniper. ArmA and OFP are the only games where this effect can be simulated with any degree of reality. Smoke and proper use of MGs for suppression with concentrated fire team leader directed fire and moving in bounds are the only solution to getting out of an open ground sniper ambush.

Of course prevention is better than cure, so fire team leaders need to know how to use the ground and plan routes in defilade.

This is realy a TTP discusion and perhaps needs to be in the thread on Dslyecxi's TTP paper.

Kind Regards walker

[b1sh0p 0]

In open areas, a sniper will always have the advantage over a regular soldier, with iron sights. And as such, a squad of snipers (something you don't see in real life, as it's usually just 1 sniper and 1 spotter) will decemate a squad of regular troops.

The solution is, as you said, to limit the number of weapons available in the mission.

I hate it when there are too many snipers, and I hate it that everyone who isn't a sniper usally has a M4/m203/acog and a M136/Javelin.

More people need to release missions with realistic loadouts. If the map is made for 10 players per side, a realistic loadout would be:

1 M249

1 sniper

1 spotter (m16 and binocs)

1 leader (m16 of M4, iron sights, or maybe Acog, binocs)

1 grenadier (m16/m203, or m4/acog/m203)

1 medic (m4 or m16, iron sights)

2 AT specialists (M16/M4, M136)

2 riflemen (m16/M4/M4Acog)

Compared to the usual 10 man squad we have nowadays

3 M249

5 snipers

2 M4AcogM203/ Javelin or M136

Realism FTW. Limit the types of weapons available in missions.

[Stagger Lee 0]

Thanks for the quick responses.

b1sh0p:

The 10 players loadout suggestion you gave is along the lines of what I've been thinking for balanced missions, especially if machine gunners don't want to feel useless.

[ArmaVidz 0]

America's Army had the limited loadout capabilities. While it's not always fun to get the pee-shooter, I whole-heartedly agree Realism FTW.

[walker 0]

Hi all

I suggest you read this Dslyecxi's TTP paper on the matter:

http://dslyecxi.com/armattp3.html#reactiondrills

Look under "Reaction to Sniper"

Kind Regards walker

[Dallas 9]

Realism FTW.   Limit the types of weapons available in missions.

I accidentally coined the frase 'combat robot' for the lack of better word or better english skills. A CR is a player in a cobra with a M107 and a couple of M136s. I agree: limit the special weapons and classes. Treat them as vital rescources, if lost them should be recovered, instead of filling ammo crates at spawns with SAW, ACOGs, SPRs and AT weapons.