Sniper/Spotter Manual

A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who operates to maintain effective visual contact with and engage enemy targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have and are equipped with high-precision rifles and high-magnification optics, and often feed information back to their units or command headquarters.

Sniper teams usually consist of a shooter and a spotter. A common practice is for a shooter and a spotter to take turns in order to avoid eye fatigue. In most recent combat operations occurring in large densely populated towns, such as Fallujah, Iraq, two teams would be deployed together to increase their security and effectiveness in an urban environment. A sniper team would be armed with a long-range weapon and a rapid-firing shorter-ranged weapon in case of close quarter combat.

Sniper Weaponry
A sniper rifle is a high-precision rifle designed for sniper missions. It serves to fulfill the tactical need for long range surveillance, effective anti-personnel and anti-materiel operations with a high hit probability, and can be used by military, law enforcement and civilian militias.

ATragMX
Horus ATragMX software considers atmospheric conditions, gun data, ammunition, range, speed and muzzle velocity to calculate precise aiming solutions with “come-up” results – and even accounts for Coriolis and spin drift effects. ATragMX, loaded on a handheld computer made by TDS Recon, is easy to use and lightning-fast. The Recon meets the rigorous MIL-STD-810F military standard for drops, vibration, humidity, altitude and extreme temperatures.

How to use and more: https://ace3mod.com/wiki/feature/atragmx.html

DAGR
The AN/PSN-13 Defense Advanced GPS Receiver is a handheld GPS receiver used by the United States Department of Defense and select foreign military services. It is a military-grade, dual-frequency receiver, and has the security hardware necessary to decode the encrypted P-code GPS signals.

In short this is a GPS that provides you with information about your position and other, it can be connected with a Vector 21 in order to acquire coordinates, distance and etc. It is an essential tool for long-range accurate sniping.

Kestrel 4500
The Kestrel 4500 Pocket Weather Tracker is Kestrel’s environmental meter. This is a mini weather station in itself. It is used alongside the ATragMX in order to take account of weather and enviromental conditions in your shot.

How to use and more: https://ace3mod.com/wiki/feature/kestrel4500.htm

Map Tools
This adds map tools that can be used to measure distances between two points or bearings on the map. They are essential for use in older settings, when the advanced equipment is not available.

More on Map Tools: https://ace3mod.com/wiki/feature/maptools.html

MicroDAGR
Military operations rely on the position, navigation and timing (PNT) data that GPS can provide. In combat, the accuracy of PNT data can mean the difference between life and death. Non-military GPS receivers simply aren’t good enough when lives are on the line

More on the MicroDAGR: https://ace3mod.com/wiki/feature/microdagr.html

Rangecard
Rangecard is extremely helpful when it comes to utilizing your rifle to it's best without advanced equipment, it also shows you your ammunition type, and exactly which settings you need for your optic in order to make that accurate shot.

More on the Rangecard: https://ace3mod.com/wiki/feature/rangecard.html

Spotting Scope
The spotting scope is used for long-range observation, usually used by the spotter in order to report on the placement of shots back to the Sniper, and correction.

More on the scope: https://ace3mod.com/wiki/feature/spotting-scope.html

SSWT Kit or Tripod
It's usually caried by a sniper team and used in order to provide a stable surface for the sniper rifle platform, and as such increase stability and accuracy, it has a modifiable height setting in order to properly set up the sniper.

More on the tripod: https://ace3mod.com/wiki/feature/tripod.html

Vector 21
ACE3 adds a realistic depiction of the Vector 21 rangefinder to the game. Unlike other rangefinders, it doesn’t just magically show you the range to your target, but in exchange allows you to do alot of things with it that the other choices in Arma do not offer. This is a crucial item for long-range accurate sniping.

More on the Vector: https://ace3mod.com/wiki/feature/vector.html

Standard Rangefinders
Rangefinders come in many shapes and sizes, but they work on the same principle, they utilize a laser in order to get the range from your position to the target position, they work by pressing T in-game.

Sniper Tactics and Notes
Sniper/Spotter - they can cover many roles, whether they're providing overwatch and supportive fire for friendly infantry, performing anti-sniper missions, eliminating HVTs, intelligence gathering, etc. Rather than providing a manual for each tactic, as they are long, we will give you some notes down, and let you develop skills and tactics that work best for you in the field, especially since this is ArmA and things work a bit differently than they do in real life.
 * 1) Do not create a basecamp or fixed positions. A sniper is a nomad. You must pop up where least expected. Never remain long in one position: it might be observed.
 * 2) Be meticulous about gathering intelligence. Where, when, and under what circumstances are our own soldiers being killed by enemy snipers? Then reconnoitre the ground and work out how the enemy snipers may be operating.
 * 3) Work closely with ordinary soldiers deployed nearby. They can provide intelligence, decoys, and distractions. They have awareness of events around them.
 * 4) Always use a trench periscope for scouting and surveillance or expose yourself the least you can. Never assume it is safe to expose yourself to gather intelligence. Always assume apparent quiet harbours danger. Work slowly, cautiously, and methodically. The successful sniper ‘measures seven times and cuts once’.
 * 5) When you must expose yourself, you should expose the barest minimum, be totally camouflaged, and as still as possible. Lie like a stone and merely observe. Aim to be completely invisible, even to the trained eye.
 * 6) Yours is a war of nerves, concentration, and endurance. Create distractions, exasperate the enemy with diversionary movements, and exhaust their ability to respond accurately.
 * 7) Do not fire until you are absolutely certain of a kill. If you fire without a clear target, you reveal your own position.
 * 8) Everything depends upon exhaustive intelligence, meticulous preparation, careful attention to detail, and endless patience. Impatience is death.
 * 9) Make sure you bring the lightest possible kit, when you're taking the shot, you never know when you'll need to bolt.
 * 10) If given a choice, utilize clothing, equipment and camouflage that provides the best possible concealment.