Modern Warfare

CoD4 Weapons: Sniping Guide by Crunchie

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CoD4 Weapon M40A3

Guide by MrYogurt - With a sudden rush of guides from many new members (most notably Jester) I didn't want get left in the digital dust.  Grin This guide will cover the entire technique of sniping, from choosing the right sniping spot to choosing the right sniper. Also, claymore placement and how to a how to reach your destination survival guide will be included.

Part 1: Choose your weapon. For each weapon, we will give a score of (+1) for every advantage, and (-1) for every disadvantage.

1. M40A3

Pros

Highly Accurate
Low Recoil
Usually one hit kill

Cons

Bad Fire Rate (bolt-action)
Small Clip

Score: 1

2. M21

Pros

Semi-Auto Fire Rate
Known to be a 'headshot machine'

Cons

Mediocre Accuracy
Least Powerful Sniper

Score: 0

Dragunov

Pros

Good Fire Rate (semi auto)
Good damage
The best for overkill classes, because it's the least effected by stopping power.

Cons

High, random recoil
Mediocre Accuracy
It's like the retarted baby of an M21 and a Barrett, Instead of having little power and little recoil, or high power and high recoil, you get a little of both. You'd be better off with the other guns.

Score: 0

R700

Pros

The Damage would make Chuck Norris proud.
Good Accuracy

Cons

Big Sway (when not holding breath)
Small Clip
Rediculous Recoil
Bad Fire Rate (bolt-action)
Reported by many to have hit detection issues
Almost no reserve ammo (12 extra rounds)

Score: -4

Barrett .50 Caliber

Pros

Serious Damage
Shreds through walls
Increased damage multiplyer on head, neck, and torso.

Cons

Mediocre Accuracy
Bad Recoil

Score: 1

Summary: The M40A3 is the winner, but as always, the choice is yours. Even though the R700 has by far the worst score, it can still be a good rifle.
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Part Two: Your perks

Perk Slot One:

Bomb Squad: I only recommend this before you unlock claymores. This only really helps when switching from one sniper position  to another, it helps you check for enemy claymores I.E. at the top of a staircase to a sniper point.

Claymores: They watch your back so you can stay focused on the most important thing: sniping.

Bandolier: I personally don't recommend, but if you find that claymores aren't that helpful and you'd rather have the extra ammo, knock yourself out.

Perk Slot Two:

Stopping Power: The most useful perk for sniping. Absolutely required for bolt-action rifles. Turns almost all of your shots into one shot kills.

Overkill: A fast-firing SMG always compliments a long range sniper well. This is especially good on games like S&D and sabotage where you have to be ready for any situation.

Perk Slot 3:

Iron Lungs: Makes sniping in general easier, especially at long range where you have to hold your breath for awhile.

Deep Penetration: Is useful when enemies run behind cover and you want to shoot through the wall and kill them.

Steady Aim: If you can do all the zirrgirzzi g-shot crap, this is the perk for you.

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Part 3: The Technique.

There are 7 steps to sniping.

1. Picking your sniper point. Requirements: Ypu must know the maps well.

To pick your spot, first, evaluate where the battle is taking place.

The Situation: You are on Overgrown and your team and the enemy's team are rushing the wooden bridge, a good idea would be to quickly sneak back to the stone bridge and snipe from there. This is a good spot because:

-You have an excellent view of the fight.
-It's easy to get to (unlike, say the sniping spot on the roof of the house near the barn).
-It's far away; the enemy will not be able to kill you from that distance, most likely.
-It's not a common sniper position; counter snipers are unlikely to check this area.

Disadvantages:

-The firefight may end before you reach the spot.
    -To counter this, you have to find out how many players are involved in the fight. The more there are, the        longer the fight.

Summary: It is a good choice of spot because the advantages easily outweigh the disadvantages, as long as the fight will last long enough.

2. Reaching your spot.

Requirements: Smoke Nade, Good pistol skills. Also recommended: A Desert Eagle. I only recommend using the the Desert Eagle for sniping. Otherwise use M9/ USP/ M1911 .45. The Desert Eagle is good for taking on one enemy at a time because of it's high power. Otherwise, don't use it because the main function of a pistol is so you can quickly pull it out if you run out of ammo in the middle of combat. A Desert Eagle is bad for this because it's small clip size and giant recoil make it ineffective against assault rifle wielding opponents. However as a sniper, you will be ignoring anything that isn't a close range encounter, and that's what the Deagle does best: Sprays it's entire clip into the opponent, at close range, as fast as it can.

For this part I'm going to take you through step by step how to effectively survive all the way to your spot. The Situation: I'm in the blown-out building on Backlot (The one that has staircases on either side), and most of the fight is taking place in the construction sight, so I have a good view of the fight. My team is doing well and forces the enemy to drop back and out of the building. I can tell by my radar that the fight is now taking place by the area just outside the construction sight by the wooden planks just outside the building. (If you don't know where I am talking about, it's the area where if you were facing the mounted machine gun, I mean the area to the left of you.) The fight is out of my view, so I decide to move. Action taken: I throw smoke outside the construction sight and whip out my pistol. I jump down from the spot and evaluate my choices: I can snipe from the second floor of the construction sight, or I can snipe from the two story building in the center of the map. I decide not to snipe from the construction sight because, while it does have a better view of the fight, I would be to close to the enemy and would be easily killed. I turn left and I'm now facing the  other mounted machine gun that is not in the construction sight. I turn right at the corner (now facing towards the construction sight again). I see an enemy, probably a flanker, and he spots me also. I quickly move back behind the corner before he gets a shot off, so I go prone near the corner and look slightly upward with my Deagle. (Never hug the corner to close in this type of situation, or when the enemy comes around, you won't be able to react quickly enough to kill him.) He rounds the corner and doesn't see me. I open fire, and he sees me now, but it's too late and I take him down. I take his weapon in exchange for my pistol. This is important.I round the corner once again and I'm standing outside the sniper spot. I check my radar, and the fight still seems to be going on. I also look on my radar to see if there is anyone in the my chosen sniper point. I don't see anyone, but I've learned the hard way in the past not to trust my radar with my life. Before I go in, I check the windows and doors for enemies, but I don't see any. I check for claymores in the common spots (under/ next to the car, at the top of the stairs) and spot one at the top of the stairs, so I know there is an enemy in that room. I toss a frag (cooked for 4 seconds) in and I kill him. His claymore disapears and I set one in the same place. I step in to the room and walk to the window facing the construction sight. I am now ready to snipe.

3. Claymore placement (Optional) Required: Claymores (duh)

This is just a quick note on claymores. Don't place them on stairs. This makes them easy to see. Place them far back from the top of the steps so that an enemy walking up the steps would not be able to see it until he is near the top. Other good places include around the corner of a doorway etc.

4. Check for counter snipers in common sniping spots. Take action if needed. Always prioritize snipers over infantry when sniping.

5. Do your thing. Kill enemies as they pass by.

6. Every once in a while, check to see if your claymores are still there, because if it is gone, there may be an enemy coming. This has saved my life many times Shocked

7.Repeat steps 4-6.
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Other Tips and Facts:

1. If there are many enemies and snipers in the area, it is advisable to retreat back to cover after each shot you take.

2. Since bolt-action snipers accept individual rounds, you can chamber the current round by pressing the fire button. This is helpful when you need to fire while reloading.

3. Use smoke liberally.

4. Always prioritize enemy snipers over enemy infantry.

5. Don't snipe from designated sniper spots as often as possible; you become a less likely to be seen by an enemy sniper. Rather, come up with new and creative spots that are not likely to be checked by the enemy.
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Final note and dedication.

I wrote this guide because there are many noob snipers out there, who just need a nudge in the right direction.

I dedicate this guide to:

Mr. Cynical- For being the funniest mod.
Kaptain Karl- For being being an all-around good mod (funny, helpful, nice)
OneSillyRabbit- Well, seeing how you have about 180 karma, you must doing something right. Lol jk, your probably the most helpful mod.
Vancha- Because you're the most mature.                                                                    
iSniper- Like Kaptain Karl, you are an all-aroud good moderator.

And To

Xplosiv- Because if he hadn't made this site, I'd have to post this on some other forum that wasn't nearly as good as this one  Grin.

Thanks for reading, because my fingers just fell off from all that typing. (I typed this  with my toes)

EDIT: That was an absolute ass to revise, I probably missed loads of stuff. Oh well  Grin.

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