Anti-Sniper strategy

“

Perhaps they can bury you in that van you call 'home.' Click to listen — The Spy

”

The Sniper is an extremely dangerous class at long range due to his ability to kill any class instantly with a fully charged headshot. Generally, the best way to engage a Sniper is to get as close as possible because he lacks substantial close-ranged weaponry. However, at far range, one should generally try dodging the Sniper by moving erratically, using a mix of random crouches and jumps. This however, may be less effective against more skilled Snipers. A cornered Sniper has few options available except to run or engage you with weaker weapons, such as his Submachine Gun or melee weapon. Keep in mind that a Sniper can inflict bleeding damage or Mini-Crit vulnerability, depending on his weapon loadout. Further, Snipers who use the Huntsman can quickly shoot arrows which are effective at short to mid range, although this weapon takes away from the Sniper's long-range effectiveness.

General

Attributes	Anti-Sniper strategy
Role	Staying at long range when fighting against Snipers, especially in the open, puts you at a great disadvantage. Try to close the distance between you and the Sniper. If you can't hide in open spaces, never stop moving. If you stand still, you'll be an easy target for enemy Snipers.
Health	The Sniper has a rather low amount of health; he is quite vulnerable at close range and will generally lose a fight against sturdier classes.
Speed	The Sniper walks and runs at an average pace, but he lags behind the enemy's main force for protection. In addition, he moves very slowly while scoped in. This makes the Sniper's ability to flee from fights rather poor.
Power	His primary weapons are unaffected by damage ramp-up and fall-off, making the Sniper very dangerous even at long ranges. The Sniper's primary weapons have the ability to kill players instantly, so try to not get hit by a Sniper at all.

Weapon Specific

A list of useful tidbits about the Sniper's tools, and how to counter them.

Primary Weapons

• Snipers will have their aim disrupted when taking damage, especially from sources like Bleeding and Burning. If you cannot get out of a Sniper's sight, try shooting him to ruin his shot.
• Firing projectiles (such as rockets) at a scoped Sniper will likely intimidate him into dodging it, denying him the time to take a clean shot.
• Scoped Snipers have a very limited field of vision. Attack them from the back or the side to catch them by surprise.
• Scoped Snipers also create a team-colored dot wherever their rifle is pointed. Try to stay out of an area where you can see such dots unless you are certain you can evade them (by passing through as a cloaked Spy, or by running through as a Scout).

Weapon	Anti-Sniper strategy
Sniper Rifle	Light classes can be killed with an uncharged headshot. Be careful of attacking a Sniper head-on; a skilled and/or lucky Sniper can headshot you even if you are right in front of him (which often intimidates Snipers into zooming out). A Sniper may attempt to weaken you with unscoped shots before charging at you with his melee weapon. Try to keep mobile and keep out of his melee range. A skilled Sniper using this weapon can quickly and easily dispatch most classes. To survive, try and disguise your head's location, for example by disguising or by shooting flames around your head. Vary your movement patterns to make it harder for the Sniper to get an easy headshot. A Sniper can still fire his Sniper Rifle even if he is not zoomed in; keep that in mind when closing in on one when you are at low health.
Sydney Sleeper	Don't underestimate the Sydney Sleeper due to its inability to perform headshots; it can reach full charge faster than the standard Sniper Rifle (a fully charged bodyshot can kill classes that have 150 HP or less), and will coat you in Jarate when charged over 50%. The Jarate effect proves to be very hazardous if you have just run into enemy forces. If a Sniper coats you in Jarate through the Sydney Sleeper, avoid combat until it wears off. Be especially sure to move out of the Sniper's sight, as he can follow up with a volley of uncharged shots or another powerful shot, all of which will Mini-Crit. Retreat becomes more essential if the Sniper decides to pursue you with the Bushwhacka.
Huntsman	Huntsman arrows are difficult to see, and as a result, difficult to avoid. Be sure to constantly strafe to get a glimpse of the arrow's flight path. Snipers cannot fire arrows while airborne. Use skills like juggling and airblast to keep the Sniper airborne to deny him a shot. Be careful to avoid an arrow immediately if he manages to land. Snipers cannot fire arrows while underwater, but they can still fire into water, so consider where you retreat. Watch the Sniper's animations before closing in for a melee kill. If he waves his right arm to catch an arrow, he might stun and taunt-kill you. Do not engage in close combat with a Sniper using the Huntsman. The increased hitbox size and shorter charge time can be lethal at this distance. Stay at mid-range to do enough damage while making it harder for the Sniper to hit you. If you are very quick and lucky, it is possible to airblast or stop an arrow mid-flight. The latter can be done by causing it to hit another projectile, such as a rocket or grenade. This will cause them both to detonate in mid air, saving you from (too much) damage.
Bazaar Bargain	Snipers starting the match or spawning with the Bazaar Bargain are at a disadvantage, requiring a longer time to charge high-damage shots. Any headshot, lethal or non-lethal, will build the Bazaar Bargain's charge rate; an overhealed Heavy or Soldier should be careful to stay out the range of any Sniper using this weapon. The Bazaar Bargain's charge rate will reset if the Sniper misses while scoped; move erratically to make him lose his hard-earned charge. If you can't escape being shot, try making the Sniper shoot your body; his charge rate decreases for every bodyshot.
Machina	The Machina will only fire when it is zoomed in, use this to your advantage by getting in close and attacking, forcing the Sniper to use his melee or, if applicable, his SMG. Be wary of Snipers skilled enough to shoot you at this range. A Sniper using the Machina may try to fully charge his shot to get the benefits of the gun. Try to disrupt him by moving erratically or by damaging him, lest you suffer a hit that is likely to be lethal. Be wary of lining up with another teammate out in the open; a Sniper skilled with the Machina may succeed in shooting (and killing) you both. The tracer rounds that the Machina fires make finding the Sniper who fired the shot an easy task. Be aware of other Snipers using the Machina though, as a single tracer bullet can be hard to trace back to the corresponding Sniper when there are multiple trails on screen.

Secondary Weapons

Weapon	Anti-Sniper strategy
SMG	The Submachine Gun is surprisingly accurate but ineffective at longer ranges. If a Sniper attempts to attack you with it, try to move away from him while attacking with a more accurate weapon. The Submachine Gun does not deal much damage per shot, but it will quickly stack with sustained fire. Keep an eye on your health. If a Sniper starts attacking you with his SMG, keep in mind that even though it is accurate, it can only hold 3 full clips of ammo and he will quickly have to resort to his other weapons.
Razorback	The Razorback deprives a Sniper of his Secondary weapon, take advantage of this by fighting the Sniper just outside of melee range. The Razorback may discourage Spies from backstabbing him, but it shouldn't deter you from attacking him from outside his view anyway.
Jarate	Jarate can be removed by extended Healing, entering water, or touching a Supply Cabinet. It is often best to retreat for cover if covered in Jarate, as you will most likely be pursued by the Sniper's teammates, who can now inflict Mini-Crits on you. The enemy Sniper may also give chase with the Bushwacka or the Tribalman's Shiv. Jarate can be reflected by compression blasts.
Darwin's Danger Shield	Do not underestimate the health of a Sniper using the Shield; take advantage of his lack of a secondary weapon and kill him outside of his melee range. As a Spy, do not be intimidated by the presence of the Darwin's Danger Shield on a potential victim; the item does not prevent backstabs like the Razorback does.

Melee Weapons

Weapon	Anti-Sniper strategy
Kukri	A Sniper will generally only use his Kukri as a last resort. Simply back up and finish the Sniper off.
Tribalman's Shiv	The Tribalman's Shiv does less damage upfront, meaning you will probably kill the Sniper in melee combat. However, the bleeding causes it to do more damage over time, so have an idea of where health packs and Medics are before facing a Sniper wielding one. Do not let the Sniper get close to you if you have been Jarated, as bleeding is affected by Mini-Crits.
Bushwacka	A Sniper will typically pull out his Bushwacka after dousing you in Jarate. Wait for the effect to fade away before confronting him or keep your distance. Keep away from a Sniper with the Bushwacka if you have used Crit-a-Cola or if he is buffed by the Buff Banner, as all his Mini-Crits will become critical hits. A Sniper equipped with the Bushwhacka suffers 20% more damage from fire, allowing Pyros to kill him more quickly; be careful if he takes a chance and throws Jarate at you.
Shahanshah	Be careful in engaging in prolonged melee combat with a Sniper wielding the Shahanshah. At over 50% health, the weapon will do 25% less damage than normal; once a Sniper's health is under 50%, the weapon will do 25% more damage than normal. A Sniper holding the Shahanshah may purposely run into harm's way in order to deal serious damage to you once he gets within melee range; kill him before he does. The Sniper may change his mind and retreat if you deal enough damage to him; pick him off as he runs away.

Class Set

Set	Anti-Sniper strategy
The Croc-o-style Kit	A Sniper using this set is even more vulnerable than usual at closer ranges due to a weaker primary weapon and a lack of a secondary weapon. As a counter-Sniper, aim for the upper body instead of the head, as a fully-charged bodyshot will still kill the Croc-o-Style Sniper whereas a headshot would be wasted.
Lawrence of Australia	This set is geared towards the offensive Sniper, so fight him mid-range to render his weapon bonuses useless.

See also

• Team strategy