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Snipers are an enemy type in Sniper Elite.

Snipers are one of the biggest threats in the battlefield, as they have long range, high powered weapons, and can kill the player in a few shots (or in one shot on higher difficulties). They can spot the player faster than all other types of enemies.

Etymology[]

Enemy Sniper SE4 Italia

A German sniper in Italy.

The name "Sniper" comes from the verb "to snipe", that originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India in reference to shooting snipes,[1] which was considered an extremely challenging game bird for hunters due to its alertness, camouflaging color and erratic flight behavior. Snipe hunters therefore needed to be stealthy in addition to being good trackers and marksmen.[1]

In the 18th century letters sent home by English officers in India referred to a day's rough shooting as "going sniping".[1] It took a skilled sportsman with a flintlock gun to bring down a snipe in flight. Such an accomplished shot was regarded as above average and inevitably during the 18th century the term "snipe shooting" was simplified to "sniping".[1] This evolved to the agent noun "sniper", first appearing by the 1820s. The term "sniper" was first attested militarily in 1824, becoming common place in the First World War.[1]

Sniper Elite 4 - Italia

Karl Fairburne dispatching an enemy sniper.

The older term "sharpshooter" comes from the calque of German Scharfschütze, in use in British newspapers as early as 1801. The word alludes to good marksmanship, itself descendent of the shooting competitions (Schützenfeste)[2] which took place throughout the year in Munich in the 15th century.[2] Small companies of shooters (Schützenfähnlein)[2] from the German states and Swiss cantons would form teams of Scharfschützen[3] for such popular competitions; proudly carrying flags depicting a crossbow on one side and a target musket on the other.[2] The earliest known date for the creation of a shooting club formed especifically for the use of firearms comes from Lucerne in Switzerland, where one club has a charter dating from 1466.[2]

Snipers are also called "hunters" in many languages, due to the nature of the craft (with the hunting horn also being a symbol of marksmanship), being called Caçadores, Chasseurs and Jägers. Other words for sniper include franc-tiréur, tiréur d'élite and atirador de escol. During the Battle of Berlin, German enemies refer to Karl as Scharfschütze while Soviet soldiers call him Sniper.

Sniper Elite[]

In the Original Sniper Elite, Enemy Snipers are somewhat less dangerous than later installments as they have less superhuman accuracy, however they can quickly zero-in on Karl if the player doesn't quickly react to their initial shot that usually misses, Enemy Snipers in this game will proritize hiding if possible instead of shooting if the player is looking at them, it's not uncommon for a sniper to shoot then hide before Karl can locate them. (Such as by crawling back and out of sight from whatever rooftop they are firing from.)

This makes them both more and less difficult to fight, less difficult because they tend to miss more but more more difficult when it comes to actually locating them.

If Karl is using a different rifle than them and the Sniper is either one of the rare ones where Karl can reach their location or their rifle drops the ground, Karl can swap his rifle with theirs.

Sniper Elite V2: Germany[]

Russian

Russian sniper on top of a building in Berlin,

Snipers in Germany are both Soviets and Germans, and they appear in several levels. Every shot they take is accompanied by a flash onscreen, which will alert the player to their presence if they weren't found out. Sniper shots are timed and they shoot - and even kill - the player even if the sniper himself was shot and his rifle is swinging upwards and not aiming.

Two prominent Sniper Teams appear as enemies. The Russian Sniper Team, and a German Sniper Team, both of whom are dispatched by Karl after they ambush him. The Soviet snipers are armed with Mosin-Nagant M1891/30 rifles with PU scopes, while the Germans have Gewehr 43 with ZF 4 scopes.

Karl sneaking on a German sniper SE V2

Karl sneaking on a German sniper on the tower overlooking the Mittelwerk Facility.

Tactics[]

  • In wide open areas it is a good idea to carefully survey the area with binoculars and tag snipers.
  • Make sure to stay low and in cover, and move slowly
  • Snipers typically operate in teams, so make sure to keep all sides covered.
  • Make sure to pay attention to Ground troops as well since they will attempt to flank you whilst you deal with Snipers.

Sniper Elite III: Afrika[]

Ghillie Sniper in position

German sniper in ghillie suit.

Sniper scope shattered glass

Sniper scope with shattered glass, shot through the eye.

Sniper eye shot Saving Private Ryan

The sniper eye shot in Saving Private Ryan.

Snipers are a frequent menace in Africa. They do not instantly spot the player and can be spotted themselves by the ocasional glare of the lens of their scopes, or by carefully scanning the landscape with the binoculars. Snipers follow the same 3-phase system of awereness the other soldiers have (idle, suspicious and atttacking) but with much faster reaction. Their icon is a cross instead of a circle. Every sniper in Sniper Elite 3: Afrika is armed with G43 semi-auto rifles.

Shooting the lens of an enemy sniper will create a killcam with a slow motion sequence with no sound just before the bullet shatters the scope, with a distinct sound of glass shattering, like in the sniper scene in Saving Private Ryan.

Snipers are German Fallschirmjägers or equipped with ghillie suits for better concealment. There is one single exception in Kasserine Pass, with the sniper using common Afrikakorps uniform with a pith helmet, and nesting in the tower where Karl later meets Brauer.

There are no Italian snipers in the game.

Sniper Elites[]

The first sniper to appear in the game is the Long Shot in Gaberoun; he does not interact with the player or try to shoot him. The first active sniper is beyond the first German position in Halfaya Pass. Snipers can react to alerts and sounds, and some can even relocate to attack the player (there are more snipers in the Cooperative game). The last paratrooper sniper appears as part of the troop guarding Colonel Johann, the officer with the combination to Vahlen's safe in the final phase of the Kasserine Pass mission.

Pith Helmet Sniper[]

There is one single sniper dressed as a regular German grunt, with Pith helmet and standard Afrikakorps khaki uniform, at the Kasserine Pass. He is located in the central tower overlooking the plaza where Karl Fairburne needs to meet with Brauer.

Ghillie Suit Snipers[]

Eye shot Ghillie

Ghillie Sniper shot through the scope.

These Enemies are introduced in the Siwa Oasis, first with two of them defending the inner city and later ambushing Karl when he is exfiltrating. A trio of ghillie suit snipers also ambushes Karl Fairburne in the Kasserine Pass. Ghillie teams also defend the airstrip in Pont du Fahs in the ridges around the airstrip. They appear in the Save Churchill DLC, and are part of Raubvogel's body guard in the mission Confrontation.

They are more difficult to spot due to their camouflaged ghillie suits. They can be spotted by lens flares or by careful scanning with binoculars. They will be more precise when attempting to shoot Karl, thus they will not immediately alert other nearby ground troops.

Tactics[]

  • If spotted by a sniper there is a rising sound cue. Quickly get to cover.
  • Look for scope glare on suspected places.

Raubvogel[]

Raubvogel

Raubvogel is acompanied by Sniper body guards.

20190423232959 1

Karl Fairbourne holding Raubvogel's mask as a trophy.

Oberstleutnant Raubvogel is the Elite German Sniper that attempts to assassinate Winston Churchill and to kill Karl Fairburne during the Save Churchill DLC of Sniper Elite 3: Afrika. Raubvogel is the first enemy sniper to be an actual character and integral to the plot. He is very skilled and employs some of the same tactics as the player. He appears in the mission Confrontation, and is defended by a team of sniper bodyguards in an elaborated labyrinth riddled by traps guarded by snipers on overwatch.

Raubvogel sees his exchange with Farburne as a personal dispute and a challenge measuring both snipers' skills. He sets a trap for Karl in the Siwa Oasis (then occupied by the Italians) and leaves a note as bait beside the statue in his lair. He is identifiable by his metal mask and chest armor, which gives him better resistence to bullets, necessitating more than one shot. Eventually, Karl wins the duel and takes Raubvogel's facemask as a trophy.

Tactics[]

  • Move slowly and use binoculars frequently to scout, as he has traps set up.
  • Take care to avoid his sniper team.
  • Scout distant cliff faces, as he stays at a distance.

Zombie Army Trilogy[]

2358022-trailer sniperelitenazizombie2 gameplay 20131028

A Zombie Sniper.

Main Article: Zombie Sniper

The Zombie Sniper is special kind of zombie that is very agile and uses a sniper rifle. The Sniper Zombie will jump from one vantage point to another, firing at the player and leaving behind a distinctive green glow, making them easier to track. They often position themselves on high areas, such as roofs and treetops. They laugh when they hit a player and will grunt angrily in disappointment when they miss.

Zombie Snipers are more common in Zombie Army 4: Dead War.

Sniper Elite 4: Italia[]

Enemy snipers in Italy wear a dull brown camo ghillie suit, but without any foliage. The first sniper is encountered in the second mission, in a tower overlooking the Bitanti Village.

Spotting Snipers[]

  • If a sniper sees you before you see them, you will hear an eerie sound, and see a bright scope glint. This will greatly help you in pinpointing the sniper's postition.
  • If the sniper sees you long enough to be alerted, the scope will flash again and the sound will play once more, whilst the scope flashes red and the sniper opens fire.
  • Snipers usually move between 2-3 nearby positions frequently, and change where they are aiming very quickly, so try to wait for a sniper to turn away to take the shot if you are spotted.

Evading Snipers[]

Shot through the scope Sniper Elite 4

Sniper shot through the scope in Italy.

If you are spotted in the open by a sniper, do not go prone. Unlike most enemies, snipers have much better sight and therefore will continue to spot you if you prone. The best strategy is to find a bush or some cover, and wait for the sniper to stop looking your way to take your shot or sneak past them.

Sneaking up on Snipers[]

If you want to get up close and personal with a sniper, be wary. Some snipers will be in somewhat open areas and will patrol near other soldiers, but some have fixed sniping perches and will lay traps behind/under their position. On Giovi Fiorini Mansion for example, the sniper there has traps laid all throughout the stairs of the town house that he is in.

Arsenal[]

Snipers usually carry one of three different rifles - either a Karabiner 98K, a Mosin-Nagant M1891/30, or a Gewehr 43 rifle. However, if a sniper spots you at close range, they will pull out a submachine gun (usually an MP40 or a FNAB) and start shooting at you.

Sniper Elite 5: France[]

In France, German snipers served in critical points, especially in the strategic Mont-Saint-Denis. Karl's sniper activities became noticeable enough for the German command to employ special Sniper Jägers (sniper hunters) in their attempt to neutralize the vaunted Allied sniper known as "The Shadow".

Sniper[]

Snipers wear the same uniform as the Infantry but have netted steel helmets with leaves tied into them, and green and yellow face paint; they are armed with Gewehr 43 or Kar98k sniper rifles using soft point ammunition which can cause bleeding wounds. If shot, the player will have to use bandages or a health kit to stop the bleeding, Snipers in close range will use MP40 SMGs with silencers and MODEL D or Luger pistols.

Elite Sniper[]

Elite Snipers wear hooded uniforms with black cloth masks, having the same sniper rifles as the regular Sniper but with attachments such as trench mags or suppressors. They also use MP40 SMGs but a Sniper named Petric Kraft uses a Type 100 which he gambled from an Imperial Japanese Officer. Like Jägers, they are immune to takedowns from the front, requiring a stealth takedown or using a bayonet.

Sniper Jäger[]

Sniper Jägers are enemies encountered in the Invasion mode of Sniper Elite 5.[4] They have a multitude of appearances including a unique Ghilie Suit and can blend in with the infantry. Sniper Jägers are incredibly dangerous as they are controlled by players, the most experienced Jägers know the maps in and out and use the best loadouts. They are equipped with Axis rifles plus the French RSC 1918, and can use bayonets.

Gallery[]

Sniper Elite 4[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Pegler, Martin (2004). Out of Nowhere: A History of the Military Sniper. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 16. ISBN - 1-84176-854-5. OCLC 56654780.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Pegler, Martin (2004). Out of Nowhere: A History of the Military Sniper. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 30. ISBN - 1-84176-854-5. OCLC 56654780.
  3. Pegler, Martin (2004). Out of Nowhere: A History of the Military Sniper. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 14. ISBN - 1-84176-854-5. OCLC 56654780.
  4. Sniper Elite 5 – Cinematic Trailer | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5
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