Sniping alone does not win the battle:
Skirmish matches are won by frontline troops taking objectives. Sometimes, particularly on Manus Peak (the open 3 objective map), there are too many snipers and not enough frontline troops. Sometimes for the good of the team, you need to swap your sniper rifle for a submachine gun and head in to hack an objective.

Sometimes there is an enemy sniper in the prime sniping position you want to use. Time to swap to your submachine gun and take them out.

Sometimes a frontline solder or a shotgun scout will sneak up on your position. Time to swap out to your submachine gun and start dancing and shooting.

I think you can see by this point why I have dumped skill points into Submachine Gun skills. With Submachine Gun Operation 5 and a couple levels of Proficiency you will win in a 1v1 with an equally skilled Assault Riffle at close range. This will allow you to be a Marksman and run with your squad on the front line using your SMG in close quarters and your Sniper Rifle as opportunities present themselves. At this point you become deadly at any range, and versatile without having to change fittings.


Redline Snipers (Why Snipers have a bad name):
The true Redline Sniper is the guy who snipes from near the initial spawn point. They are hated by the Enemy because only another sniper or a rail gun can reach them. They are hated by their own team because their poor positioning means they do not contribute much to the teamGÇÖs success. Their field of fire does not cover many of the strategic objectives and at that distance they are only going to get the occasional kill when a Red stops to tie their shoe half way between objectives.

If I spawn behind the Redline I may stop and take a shot if I see one on my way out, but I will not linger there. If the other team has taken all the objectives and has redlined us, then I have no qualms about sniping from the Redline. In that situation I may be able to thin the line enough for some of our Frontline troops to slip through.

I donGÇÖt have a problem with people sniping from just inside the Redline when they have a good field of fire. If you are close enough for a Red to take you out with an assault riffle, then there is nothing cowardly about your position. If you have a field of fire that covers several objectives and gives you a view of much of the battlefield, then your team has nothing to complain about either. One example of such a position on the Manus Peak map is a saddle dip in the ridge line below one of the MCCGÇÖs. It and the road behind it are in the Red Zone, but by doing a little rock climbing I was able to take out a sniper from that spot by getting close with an assault riffle. Another example from Manus Peak is on the opposite side of the map, one of the rocky spikes is on a low angle and you can climb to the top for a good vantage point. I think it is just in the Red Zone, but I have had Reds show up and take me out with assault riffles, so I feel there is nothing unsporting about using that spot. (I think these two spots mostly survived the landscaping that came with Uprising.)

I am really hoping that CCP is carful not to create any really prime sniper positions deep in the Red Zone when doing their map layouts. They seem to be so far. I donGÇÖt want to be forced to choose between my sense of fair play and using a prime tactical position.

Larry:

When I comment about squad mates I am referring to the people you run with on a regular bases. They should get an idea of how good you are after a few days, sooner if they know what to look for.

Your opponents will come to respect you, or hate you, much faster. It only took me 6 minutes to reclassify you from my default sniper risk assessment of GÇ£minor annoyanceGÇ¥ up to GÇ£major problemGÇ¥ the first time I faced you in battle. Having a memorable name helps.

Random Blueberries on your team however base their assessment of you on their past experience with Snipers, and lets face it, the average Sniper has no business being deep in the Red Line. So, yeah, you have to face the blowback from the frustration they experience over constantly dealing with armature Snipers. Much of my advice in this guide is geared toward encouraging inexperienced Snipers to chose a vantage point a bit closer to the action where they can be more effective, and engender less Sniper hate among their teammates.

By the time you are good enough to be effective from deep in the Red line, you are good enough not to need my guidance. As with most things you start by learning the rules, then you come to understand the rules, and with that understanding comes an ability to see when and how it is appropriate to break the rules. That can equate to the Apprentice, Journeyman, Master progression.