Infiltrator vs Sniper

Gabage · 2012-06-19, 10:09 AM

I have seen a lot of interest in the Infiltrator class. "Sniper" and Infiltrator are two different things. Roughly, 50% of my newest recruits have all picked that as their preferred class.

I my self are and Infiltrator fan. However, by no means do I think it is a dedicated sniper. Dedicated "Snipers" contribute little, and are very seldom really needed. I do get the feeling that, this thought is on many people minds. Game after game the "sniping" population is very high. They just sit back shooting into objectives.

How I see it, is they are a valuable asset to a squad, but no so valuable to justify more than 1 or 2 per squad. The value in them is not so much in their capabilities of long range combat, but rather in the many other skills they bring to the table.

I envision the most capable, team contributing Infiltrators, spend most of their time with a pistol inside a base.

The sniper rifle still has its uses. When entering bases, it provides an excellent way of countering enemies, who are up high on the way into the structure. It is also good for short times of over watch. Furthermore, it can be used for getting a closer eye on the enemies ahead, when scouting ahead (combined with the tactical stealth).

Tactical stealth has many good uses. Its great for looking around corners and revealing enemy placement and ambushes. Getting behind enemy lines. If your the squad leader this can be combined to spawn a squad behind the enemies line. It should not be used to stealth up after your "Sniping" position is compromised, to relocate.

I now move onto Claymores. Sure they are useful to fortify a "Sniping" position. However they have a bigger tactical advantage elsewhere. Using them to defend the rear of your squad, and placing them near key location to alert you of enemy movement, are much stronger uses.

I move to the easiest and greatest reason to have an Infiltrator in your squad. Hacking. Increasing the rate in which your squad can cap a base. It is simple, you can't hack if you are "Sniping"

Gogita · 2012-06-19, 10:18 AM

So what is exactly the point of this topic?

bullet · 2012-06-19, 10:18 AM

It seems that the true infiltrator role has been shadowed by the fact that they have a sniper rifle. I've said it before but I havnt seen anyone using the infiltrator as an infiltrator.

willaguy · 2012-06-19, 10:24 AM

I dont remember the devs ever saying anything about the Infiltrators being able to hack a base faster than normal soldiers. They can however hack turrets whereas soldiers cant.

mintyc · 2012-06-19, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Gabage

The sniper rifle still has its uses. When entering bases, it provides an excellent way of countering enemies, who are up high on the way into the structure. It is also good for short times of over watch. Furthermore, it can be used for getting a closer eye on the enemies ahead, when scouting ahead (combined with the tactical stealth).

spotting is in the game so i expect this to be a very usefull function that the sniper provides in adition to its area denial abilitys.

ThermalReaper · 2012-06-19, 10:36 AM

Well that sounds very interesting but what's the point of the thread?

Gabage · 2012-06-19, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by willaguy

I dont remember the devs ever saying anything about the Infiltrators being able to hack a base faster than normal soldiers. They can however hack turrets whereas soldiers cant.

In the E3 videos, you can see any class but Max can hack the terminals to cap a base. You also see Infiltrator has the capability of upgrading his/her hacking systems.

Ratstomper · 2012-06-19, 10:44 AM

I think you're drawing too much of a hard line between snipers and infiltrators. It's not like PS2 where the two are mutually exclusive. Besides that, with all the open area in PS2, snipers are going to be very effective as suppressors and sentinels.

If you look at the typical round-based map FPSs, yeah snipers have limited uses. But this is more like a real war and will probably act more like designated marksmen as well as snipers and infiltrators. They'll likely either be with the squad hitting targets too far away for the normal grunts and doing normal infiltrator stuff (hacking, ambushing, etc.) OR be providing cover from more advantageous points and keeping an eye on the enemy in general. Infiltrators can spec into one playstyle, but that doesn't mean they cant do both to some degree.

That said, I would like infiltrators to be THE spotting and target painting class, just to help flesh them out as more than just a killer.

Gabage · 2012-06-19, 10:57 AM

True, however my intention is to limit the number of people spending 6 hours a night in one spot sniping.

Ratstomper · 2012-06-19, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Gabage

True, however my intention is to limit the number of people spending 6 hours a night in one spot sniping.

My hope is that movement is going to be necessary. Considering bases get capped a lot faster in PS2 than in PS1, I don't think snipers will be able to sit on one hilltop for hours sniping away at the same locations. Battlelines will move too quick. In fact, I suspect this is why they put the sniper and infiltrator into one class; because individually they wouldn't have much ability to adapt to changing conditions like other classes can.

Khrakhan · 2012-06-19, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by Gabage

True, however my intention is to limit the number of people spending 6 hours a night in one spot sniping.

There wont be much camping in this game I dont think. A sniper may get off quite a few kills if he is in a good spot, but chances are somebody is going to point him out or an aircraft will spot him and he'll be toast.

LAs should make decent sniper hunters, hopping all over the place making themselves hard to hit, dodging sniper shots, struggling to get from cover to cover, taking shots when they have a chance, they get closer and closer to the sniper and just as they're about to land on them.....bam, I come kamikaziing my scythe right into their hiding spot, getting the kill like a boss

Malstrum · 2012-06-19, 12:02 PM

If the game encourages you enough to work with your squad as an infiltrator instead of promoting "lone wolf" type gameplay then the infiltrator should be a very useful class for intel. However, with the high damage output's of sniper rifles in Planetside 2, it may be difficult to stop people abusing the sniper aspect of the infiltrator like it is in other games. But the trade-off with using the sniper would be having little or no defence other than camoflague.

There's also the saboteur role of the infiltrator as well, sneaking round a base, silently taking out enemies, laying claymores at choke points to cause havok and planting explosives on vehicles and turrets, sounds more fun to me than sitting back picking off target after target.

If they balance the classes well then the infiltrator should fit in well with the rest of the classes without being overpowered, then only dedicated snipers will role as a sniper. I guess it's down to testing in beta.

AnamNantom · 2012-06-19, 02:05 PM

I can say, I've done both in Planetside (1). Either way, bot are support roles that are very useful.

Predominately, I was an infiltrator/ advanced hacker, though, as I enjoy the thrill of being close to the enemy, effecting their day, yet not being seen.

Gloworm · 2012-06-21, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by AnamNantom

I can say, I've done both in Planetside (1). Either way, bot are support roles that are very useful.

Predominately, I was an infiltrator/ advanced hacker, though, as I enjoy the thrill of being close to the enemy, effecting their day, yet not being seen.

I use to play plenty of both back in the days. But i use to drop out of a plane on the towers of the base and snipe from there, or moving round the enemy base and planting mines.

There is no better way of distracting the enemy than making them run around in circles trying to find an infiltrator among their ranks.