RE: An idea for spotters for snipers

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Barclay [mailto:Thomas.Barclay@sofkin.ca]
Subject: An idea for spotters for snipers

Yeah, like the suggestions Tom. From my experience specialist Infantry
snipers do work in Teams of 2 or 3 men, unlike the lone rifleman (a
soldier with no specialist markmanship or fieldcraft training) often
incorrectly labelled a 'sniper'.

>Additionally, a spotter can spot for a sniper and this can include 
>making a seperate observe action to pick out a target or just calling 
>where the shots fired by the sniper hit, making multi-shot 
>engagements more devastating. Give snipers using spotters one 
>positive shift to their firepower when they are firing. 

May I suggest the modification to penalise the Sniper acting alone
rather than reward the Sniper that you provide with  a No 2?  ie Sniper
with No2/Spotter receives the full bonus as is. Sniper without the
spotter receives the penalty of down shift in range die.

>If the sniper is attacked, the spotter could choose to fight off the 
>assailants while the sniper continues to try to get his shot. If the 
>sniper did this without a spotter, he'd be an easy target (+1 shift 
>to attacking units fire attacks vs. the sniper who is trying to 
>ignore them and has no protection).

This sounds okay; personally I'd arm the No2/Spotter with a SAW or some
other weapon with a little more Firepower than the FP3 Impact d10 of an
Advanced Assault Rifle with GL. Consider that today the standard
Infantry rifle is somaething like the M16A2 and the No2 may carry a 203
or M249/Minimi.

Well, I guess die hard Sniper enthusiasts will come up with their own
interpretations regardless.

Cheers,

Owen G