You silly, silly people. You act like you're playing Half-Life, where a sniper is no more effective than any other person because a) the people you're
not focusing on are behind you and about to shotgun your ass to hades and b) even "large" arenas will be quite small compared to the gigantic PS. Snipers have to worry about being ambushed from behind/sides at all times in those type of FPSes. In PS, this is not the case at all.
Anyway for you legion of snipers, let us assume high damage and one hit kills (or close) is very common to the Bolt Driver. Example:
4 |33+ Vanu Snipers hear that the NC is coming o'er to their base to inflict casulties and capture their resource node- er... I mean facility. A squad of 24 NC soldiers raise their proud heads over the horizon, ready to start the initial phases of the attack and -
BAM BAM BAM BAM. Two people lie dead. Where the hell did that come from? Joe! We got SNIPERZ! Where are they?
BAM BAM BAM BAM (lucky shot...) Three more are taking a dirtnap. For christsake, JOE! Where are those damnable snipers?! Where are those shots coming fro-
BAM BAM BAM BAM. One person is sent toward the pearly gates, while another two are severly damaged. JOE! NOOOOOOOO!!!!! ... We'll have our revenge! Gully, Swornin! Get in the back, you're hurt. Smeld, take Donsin and Forva and run to that hill NOW!
BAM BAM BAM BAM (the two wounded die, and yet another full healthen soldier bites the big one). Those snipers are probably on that hill so MOVE!!!! Frint, take 7 of your men and see if you find out if any snipers are in that forest. Damnit! I know it's suicide running straight on, but we can't stay out he-
BAM BAM BAM BAM The poor wanna-be general is now dead, along with two others. The outfit eventually manages to find 2 of the snipers and kills them, while the others giddily prance away.
-Tally-
|33+ Vanu Sniper force: 4
NC Squad of suffering: 24
Total deaths for Vanu: 2
Total deaths for NC: 12
In closing, with the envisioned realistic and "balanced" Bolt Driver, a small force of snipers can significantly weaken any large squad on their way to battle.
THAT is what I don't want. I don't mind riding the bus as long as a good portion of my squad doesn't have to ride it with me.
Some of you fail to realize this game will be HUGE. Battles will not be one on one. A small skirmish will most likely be considered a little more than 12 people. In a game like this, snipers should not be the end all get all. Some of you complain about everyone being in MAXes? Pffffft. In your pre-fect world of Sniperdom, PlanetSide becomes SniperSide. With Bolt Dirver handy, with regular and AP ammo, a few friends, and a half-way decent hiding spot anybody on their way to anywhere has a lot to fear. Game would eventually halt due to everyone camping areas with their |33+ |2if|35 and not doing anything else. Is that what you guys are willing?
In a game like this, a Sniper is a
support role. Don't get rabid, wanna-be snipers. Stay cool, like your class is supposed to be.
The point of a Sniper in this game is to pick off weak targets that your squad/outfit is engaging in. Whether that's because their in light armor or severly wounded is irrelevent. If I'm in a MAX kicking ass and chewing bubble gum, I'd love knowing that my Sniper bud up there is helping me take out those pesky light armored fools running circles around me. If he "KSes" me, I love him for it. I get the BEP anyway, and it's less repairing that's gonna need to be done on me.
I guess what I'm trying to say is: "Snipers should be a good addition to a squad. Not a necessity, nor the entire squad composition."