Hello there.

Before I start blubbering on, understand that I don't actually play the game. It's on my shelf, collecting dust. I haven't gotten past level 2. My knowledge of the game's mechanics are somewhat limited + hammered by the mods I use.

With that said, here's my question...

I've seen quite a few questions concerning "sniper builds".
They tend to encourage the use of stealth.
This puzzles me.

I thought that when sniping, you were too far away from the target for him to actually do anything to you. Why sneak?
The same goes for suppressed rifles.

Thanks!

well actually in the real world the distance/accuracy ratio of rifles is reduced when they have supressors on but thats off topic, as for you're question it's because the vanilla snipers of fallout 3 are severely flawed in my opinion. they barely zoom in at all and the accuracy is horrible both in and out of vats so to be a decent sniper you need to be fairly close to be accurate with one

I heard Fallout had awful bullet trajectories at longer ranges. Is zis true?
Also, I was asking why use suppressors, when you're so far away from someone.
I'm not a gun nut. At all. But from my basic understanding (*cough* wiki page *cough*), the suppressor acts like a lengthened barrel, reducing peneratration while upping accuracy. No?

*re-reads*

EDIT: Reduces recoil. My bad.

When sniping, it is extremely recommended to be in Sneak mode to have higher accuracy, and so that you can get Sneak Attack Critical Strikes.

The big problems with sniper rifles are:

- rifle sway is very pronounced until your Small Guns skill is 95+

- big bang, tends to make baddies come looking for you

So a high sneak skill gives you better odds of changing location away from where you just fired a shot from. Or, if you're in an inaccessible location, staying hidden enough that the enemy won't spot you when they search. For truly sneaky sniping, try the Perforator (a silenced 5.56mm assault rifle with a scope). Since it makes no noise, you're much less likely to be spotted.

In general, my combat tends to open up with a Sniper Rifle at long range (usually against solitary / distant targets that I can sneak-kill). After which you either have to evade and flank, or switch to assault rifles or shotguns for close-in work.

In real life, snipers are taught way more how to navigate and move around stealthily. Modern-day snipers are often called "scout/snipers" because their main role is reconnaissance. To provide such recon, you have to get to a location as quietly and as stealthily as possible that provides an overlook.

Once the recon's done, they can either stay and fire off accurate fire (that serves tactical, strategic, and psychological advantages, like taking out the leaders of the enemy, taking out VIP's, or just scaring the crap out of em to the point they wont move) or move on to the next position.

Taking that into FO3, since FO3 is designed to be more RPG than FPS, you're going to have to take advantage of the numbers. One way of doing this is simply taking advantage of the stealth critical bonus. Sneaking around also is a good thing, since you can move around to get to a high point to take out targets at your leisure.

If this isnt for you, heavy armor (PA) and a minigun would probably be more your speed.

If that's the case, why does it matter? Sounds like for whatever reason, you don't enjoy the game, so why concern yourself with the game's mechanics?

I prefer to use the Xuanlong Rifle version in the fook MOD when sniping people. I find that this rifle is highly accurate plus in with high AP it can be deadly; and coupled with its automatix fire capabilities makes this a very lethal weapon of choice when I snipe people/creatures from a distance. There is a bit of difficulty when dealing with strong Super Mutant Masters and Deathclaws, but opther than that I have no problem at all sniping. I have a very high Small Guns Skill(100) and a very high Sneak Shill(98), coupled with clothing that enhances both, there isnt a rifle or pistol that does not prove lethal. SmallGunstends tobemyfavorite Skill as I like thevariety of weapons offered by mods.



:gun:

Vanilla sniper rifle is really flawed due to the game mechanics. There's almost no zoom, bullet travels with speed of a spit, reticles are broken, extremely inaccurate in VATS. So you need to be close to your target to effectively use is, but you need to be undetected to score a sneak critical, so there goes your Sneak skill. This is answer to OP's question. As for supressors, without it shot sound will attract everything to you and blow your cover (well, not like there is a supressed sniper weapon in vanilla game).
In real life it's not that simple, but basics are the same. First, every rl sniper, be they police snipers, hitmen, scouts or army sniper (marksman), need to be stealthy. It's basic of basics. Sniper is one of the most lethal units, so they are main target of enemy forces. If sniper is detected, supressing him becomes primary directive. So if sniper is detected, in most cases this means his death or at least nulifies his effectiveness, because target may take cover knowing where the sniper is. So stealth and camouflage are necessary to snipers.
As for supressors, in real life their purpose is somewhat different from what we see in movies and games. You can effectively supress sound of weapons with undersonic projectile, such as pistols. As for supersonic weapons, supressors for them needs not to be unheard by the enemy, but to reduce shooting sound to not to traumatize your own ears when shooting indoors. Even supressed, shooting sound of assault or sniper rifle will be pretty loud, so you won't be undetected. Usefullness of supressors in the open field is pretty questionable. For sniper rifles much more usefull is flame supressor/muzzleflash hider (or how it is called in english), so enemy will not see from where sniper fires exactly. Also supressor of supersonic weapons are very heavy. Myself on the shooting range i tried out Kalashnikov assault rifle and Dragunov sniper rifle supressed and unsupressed. I can say that sound of supressed Kalashnikov in closed quarters shooting range is pretty loud but bearable even without ear plugs, but for Dragunov you still need plugs. As for recoil reduction, maybe theoretically it removes some pressure from shoulder, but practically you won't feel it. What it does, it significantly lessens "barrel throws up"-effect after each shot (naturally, as supressor serves as one big overweight for the barrel), so it may make rapid firing from standing position more comfortable and less tiring. Finally, supressor caps effective range of sniper rifles to 200-250 meters, so it's one less reason to use supressor on a regular sniper rifle irl.

A true sound suppressor works on a series of baffles to soak up sound waves...but as a result it also decreases projectile velocity. Despite many common misconceptions, it won't work with supersonic rounds, therefore you require specifically manufactured subsonic ammunition. Consequently, the ballistics for an off-the-shelf firearm modified with a suppressor go out the window...even for handguns which are in the subsonic range to start with.

Essentially, you require purpose built sound-suppressed firearms for it to be consistently and truly successful.

I agree that in many western nations today snipers are also used as scouts, although I see that more as a result of a lower quality of training and doctrine of standard line infantry rather than any specific value of snipers themselves. By the time you get snipers back in, the value of most tactical intelligence is lost in any case. Forces with good infantry and combat doctrine, and good training tend towards sniping as casualty-orientated rather than recconaisance (I stress tend, here...).

My question was out of pure curiosity.
But I do enjoy the game. Very much. Too much, perhaps. Which is why I have refused to play, as to not spoil my experience. I want to play the game. I really do. But I can't...
So I just lurk around the forums, discussing a game I know nothing about...

Anyhow, thank you for the help.

definition of a weirdo.

Why?

Reasoning seems sane enough to me...

why would you call her/him a weirdo she/he might have a life so she/he doesnt want to play a game as addicting as this.

How much can you enjoy a game that you never got past level 2? That's what, exiting Vault 101 and you stop? How can you spoil an experience you've never received?



For something to be an addiction, I think you have to spend a significant amount of time on it first.

All the people saying the Sniper Rifle isnt accurate need to learn how to use 'em. :/

at 95+ small guns you can usually headshot anything from as far as your game allows you to see.

The trick is,at long range you have to aim a little low..just practice and you will figure out how low for what distance,the reason for this is because the bullet seems to fire AFTER the gun kicks up,soo the bullet actually goes much higher then where you're aiming when at long range.

The Gauss Rifle is easier to use at long range,but a Sniper Rifle is very usable if you know what you're doing.

Aaannndddd,to answer your question,sneaking is to make your aim steady,and to get sneak critical bonus.

For something to be an addiction, I think you have to spend a significant amount of time on it first.
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thats true but is that a reason to call someone a weirdo?

Well, the way it reads to some of us ("I don't want to spoil my experience, so I'm not experiencing it.") seems a bit odd.

(Along with the idea that, if you've only gotten to level 2, just how much of the game can you actually have "experienced"? Or did you install a "gain no XP" mod?)


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As for the original question:



There is one main factor - the game gives you a massive damage bonus if you hit an unaware enemy while in Stealth. So, if you want to snipe people most effectively, you need to be in Stealth mode, even if you're so far away that they don't see you even out of Stealth.

An additional minor factor is that, when you're crouching in Stealth mode, you have a bit less sway in your gun aim.


And sound suppression just gives you a better chance to stay in stealth if you 1) miss, or 2) want to shoot multiple targets without them attacking you.
(Which, honestly, makes no sense. I don't care if I'm hidden and my rifle is silent - if I splatter a raider's head all over a clearing, the guy standing right next to him should react, dammit. )

I play on the Xbox so I know nothing about the mods for this game but I will say this...sniper rifles for the most part svck in my opinion. With 100 small guns you will have zero sway but the bullets don't go where the reticle is aimed. Forget about headshots from a distance because you will miss 75% of the time and sniper rifles deteriorate fast so you wanna make your shots count. If you aim directly at the torso you will have a better chance at hitting and 1 bullet with a sneak attack critical bonus with 100 small guns is enough to drop most targets. With the gauss rifle you can drop whatever you couldn't drop with a regular sniper rifle. If you don't mind sniping without a scope then get your hands on the Lincolns Repeater or Ole Painless because they have a good natural zoom and zero spread so you will get those long distance headshots most of the time; they can also be repaired very easily. Sneak is very necessary for all the reasons already stated. You also might wanna consider getting your hands on the chinese stealth armor.

Exactly I head shotted nearly all the raiders outside evergreen mills from the top of the cliffs. You just need to get in a groove with it I think. I ussually aim for the neck area in medium range, and just below the neck in long range.

Okay, so I think I got it now. Thanks for the help.

OP requested close as it has been answered.