Sniper/Spotter Rule

[Raellus]

AFAIK, there is no official rule in v1.0 or v2.2 for improving a shooter's to-hit number if he/she is assisted by a dedicated spotter.

In watching bits of numerous "Top Sniper" type shows over the last couple of years, it is clear that most snipers train to operate with a dedicated spotter. The spotter assists the sniper in numerous ways. IMHO, PCs assisted by spotters should receive some sort of bonus to hit.

The v2.2 rules, at least, have rules for improving indirect fire if a spotter with eyes on the target call for corrections. I think that a similar rules should be applied to snipers acting with a spotter.

Perhaps, after a miss, a -1 TO HIT adjustment could be made for each correction called for a sniper. Perhaps the bonus could be adjusted according to the spotter's small arms or observation skill levels.

I'm trying this out right now in the game I GM. Two snipers are working together to spot targets and I figured they could help each other improve the accuracy if their shots if one of them did the shooting while the other observed and called out corrections.

Your thoughts?

[HorseSoldier]

The spotter's importance is grossly under estimated and under represented -- he's the thinker, the guy making the wind calls, and such. In a lot of ways it's more accurate to say the sniper assists the spotter by pulling the trigger with the scope dialed in and the gun pointed where the spotter has dictated.

To model this in the rules (at least v1.0), I'd average the CRM skill of the two. And treat them like a vehicle crew -- if the spotter's coolness under fire is higher than the sniper, use his number as he directs the sniper on engagements. That's maybe a little heavy handed and doesn't model reality perfectly, but it at least encourages people to do things more like the real world and less like Hollywood where the spotter is a non-entity who follows the shooter around dutifully.

[copeab]

It's also worth noting that the spotter and sniper don't use the same optics -- the spotter's scope is usually considerably more powerful than the sniper's scope.

[copeab]

Spotters may have become less important:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/01/one_shot_deal_inked/

[Dog 6]

very nice! I'll take 2.... :D

[kcdusk]

While a sniper concentrates on the target area through his scope, waiting hours on end at times for a potential target. The spotter often is focused on the teams more immeadiate surrounds - preventing them being found by any patrols, or other encounters that may impact on the team that the sniper simply cannot be aware of due to his "tunnel vision".

But i like the idea of a -1 adjustment after the first shot. I think theres allot here that could be pulled out of this re benefits.

[HorseSoldier]

The spotter's optics are better for surveillance, and most two man teams would trade of responsibility for glassing a kill zone and local security. You can't actually stay effective on glass for long periods of time, there's a fatigue and burn out factor that kicks in pretty quickly. In any case it should be noted that the spotter tends to be the senior member of the team, at least in US usage.