RO2 Marksman

Overview

Numbers of Marksman are very limited and the role is often much sought after. Weapons are initially the scoped Mauser Kar98k for the German team and scoped M1891/30 Rifle. On attaining veteran rank the German Marksman can elect to equip a scoped G 41(W) and Russians the scoped SVT-40 semi-automatic rifles.

History

More than any other role, the Marksman is synonymous with the battle for Stalingrad and reports and stories of snipers and their achievements have become legend. The Marksman's role was to engage and eliminate targets of maximum value and importance at range. High on the list of targets for a Marksman would be Officers and NCO's, Field Engineers, Machine Gunners and Field Medics - to the point that on both sides red crosses were no longer worn as they instantly made the wearer a target.

Both German and Russian armies had Marksman schools at the beginning of the war, working with somewhat different doctrines. Russian Marksmen were embedded with troops and would often work in teams of up to ten, German Marksmen were trained to work individually as "lone wolves".

Conditions within the City of Stalingrad made it particularly difficult to spot individual soldiers and certain areas became something of a Snipers hunting ground. The Red Army even took to encouraging established Marksmen to take trainees under "their wings" forming impromptu sniper schools in the field.

Gameplay

Whilst the Marksman is as effective as any other rifleman in the capture zone, his ability to strike at the enemy at a greater range than any other soldier should be used to maximum effect, targeting high value targets rather than concentrating on capture tactics.

Tactics

As in the battle for Stalingrad, the Marksman should seek out high value targets and the places they often patrol. Top of the Marksman’s list is the enemy Commander and Squad leaders.

Commanders tend to stay close to radios in order to call in artillery and recon planes – denying the enemy artillery and reconnaissance will massively help your team mates advance or hold capture zones.

Squad leaders are less predictable but are high value as eliminating them denies the enemy mobile spawn points and the cover of smoke grenades.

The third priority for the Marksman should be Machinegunners. Whether killing comrades or just suppressing them, enemy machine gunners can have a devastating effect on the battlefield and eliminating them massively improves your teams chance of success.

The hardest facet of the Marksman's activities in RO2 is to remain hidden. A combination of cover and shadow will offer the best solution to remaining unseen, as does avoiding presenting an obvious silhouette – probably ideal sniping situation is in a dark room, stood well back from a small window, ideally with your weapon supported.

Periodically lowering your weapon will improve situational awareness and keeping your magazine topped up is important as stripper clips are not available with the basic weapons. Finally, when you hear enemy boots closing in, switch to your side arm or iron sights as your sight is a hindrance at close quarters.

Equipment

Axis

• One scoped Mauser Kar98k
• One Mauser C96 or P38 Pistol
• Two Model 24 Stielhandgranate
• (Unlockable scoped G 41(W) on realism and action mode when Marksman class is veteran or above)

Allies

• One scoped M1891/30 Rifle
• One TT-33 Pistol or Nagant M1895
• Two F-1 Frag Grenade
• (Unlockable scoped [SVT-40 []] on realism and action mode when Marksman class is veteran or above)