> “I would say that for every ten missions we go out on, we maybe actually take a shot once,” said Volodymyr “Aton” Harbovsky*. “We get all kinds of missions and we work with all kinds of units. Taking out an enemy soldier is pretty much never the priority… it’s more an opportunity one takes advantage of, if it is presented.”
> “They (the AFU) vetted us for everything, they even gave us lie detector tests,” Harbovsky said. “But the funny thing was, they never checked how well we could shoot… I guess they trusted us on that.”
> If a Russian soldier is spotted, an AFU sniper’s preferred tactic is the same as any other infantryman on the battlefield: Get a precise map grid and then call in indirect [artillery or mortar fire]. Bring in a drone to help. If you can avoid shooting your rifle and risking exposing your position, avoid it.
This seems less like rewriting the marksman’s handbook and more like using snipers as scouts.
“I would say that for every ten missions we go out on, we maybe actually take a shot once,” said Volodymyr “Aton” Harbovsky*. “We get all kinds of missions and we work with all kinds of units. Taking out an enemy soldier is pretty much never the priority… it’s more an opportunity one takes advantage of, if it is presented.”
Sounds like a sniper team is a recon role, able to neutralize potential enemies, before they could come in range for using their rifles.
Where as (presumably) most of us think about them as:
– Battle Snipers: Keeping overwatch in battles, neutralizing exposed enemies and take care of the flanks.
– Hitmen: Neutralize high ranked targets like in the movies.
Marksmanship is one of only 7 core skills required to qualify as a Sniper. You could be the best shot in the world and still have no chance at being a qualified Sniper.
The article is accurate where the soldier states shooting someone is very rarely his job.
Covert Reconnaissance is the majority of their work much the same as other indirect fire support specialists like JTACs and MFC/AFCs.
I think this is more the difference between a designated marksman and a scout-sniper, but interesting nonetheless.
I feel like a cheap tactic would be basic barrel+mag+electronic fire as distractions. Place a few of these glorified sewer pipes around the front and suddenly the snipers are everywhere and nowhere.
6 comments
An interesting read.
> “I would say that for every ten missions we go out on, we maybe actually take a shot once,” said Volodymyr “Aton” Harbovsky*. “We get all kinds of missions and we work with all kinds of units. Taking out an enemy soldier is pretty much never the priority… it’s more an opportunity one takes advantage of, if it is presented.”
> “They (the AFU) vetted us for everything, they even gave us lie detector tests,” Harbovsky said. “But the funny thing was, they never checked how well we could shoot… I guess they trusted us on that.”
> If a Russian soldier is spotted, an AFU sniper’s preferred tactic is the same as any other infantryman on the battlefield: Get a precise map grid and then call in indirect [artillery or mortar fire]. Bring in a drone to help. If you can avoid shooting your rifle and risking exposing your position, avoid it.
This seems less like rewriting the marksman’s handbook and more like using snipers as scouts.
“I would say that for every ten missions we go out on, we maybe actually take a shot once,” said Volodymyr “Aton” Harbovsky*. “We get all kinds of missions and we work with all kinds of units. Taking out an enemy soldier is pretty much never the priority… it’s more an opportunity one takes advantage of, if it is presented.”
Sounds like a sniper team is a recon role, able to neutralize potential enemies, before they could come in range for using their rifles.
Where as (presumably) most of us think about them as:
– Battle Snipers: Keeping overwatch in battles, neutralizing exposed enemies and take care of the flanks.
– Hitmen: Neutralize high ranked targets like in the movies.
Marksmanship is one of only 7 core skills required to qualify as a Sniper. You could be the best shot in the world and still have no chance at being a qualified Sniper.
The article is accurate where the soldier states shooting someone is very rarely his job.
Covert Reconnaissance is the majority of their work much the same as other indirect fire support specialists like JTACs and MFC/AFCs.
I think this is more the difference between a designated marksman and a scout-sniper, but interesting nonetheless.
I feel like a cheap tactic would be basic barrel+mag+electronic fire as distractions. Place a few of these glorified sewer pipes around the front and suddenly the snipers are everywhere and nowhere.