How do I improve my situational awareness?

[Blippy 26]

So I like to snipe. The problem is that the majority of my deaths were from somebody getting the jump on me. When I pick a spot to snipe at, I make sure it has a good field of view and conceals me (like surrounding myself with low pines with a ghillie suit). I always keep an ear out for footsteps and constantly look behind me, but someone always manages to get close enough to hatchet me to death or put a bullet in my skull, all without making a sound. On grass, it might be possible, but I've been ax murdered on top of warehouse roofs only accessible by ladder and didn't even hear the guy come up behind me.

Assuming they're not server hopping or teleporting behind me (likely, since I play on the public hive), what am I doing wrong?

Edit: And this is without firing a shot, so they didn't find me by sound.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Blippy

[TiredMiner 21]

Sniping, especially in a military simulation or real life, should not be done alone. That's your problem, I think. Have a friend watch your back or die trying.

You're not doing anything wrong per-se, it's just that sniping is innately flawed as it is meant either as a guerrilla attack(i.e. snipe one target then run away), or you have to be doing damage behind a perimeter of friendly forces. By yourself, you cannot remain in one place forever - especially if you open fire, you will simply get flanked and killed. There is nothing much you can about that, it's just how it is. (Of course, you can keep mobile after every shot - but there is just not enough good sniper spots in Chernarus to account for that; you might spent hours looking at nothing.)

Edit: And this is without firing a shot, so they didn't find me by sound.

I don't know then, you seem to be doing everything correctly. You play without any background noise(music, people talking), with max volume, and you still get axed?

Again, I am sure it's just fundamental weaknesses of being a sniper - you simply cannot do it alone.

Edited June 17, 2013 by TiredMiner

[Steak and Potatoes 13480]

Never fire more than one shot from the same position

[Hetstaine 10852]

If you must snipe alone, look around and pick the perfect sniping place..then don't use it, because everyone knows it is the perfect spot and will be looking for snipers there. Try and find an unusual spot (hard i know) somewhere where your back is covered so you can cut off at least one avenue of hatchet death.

[Saethkept 134]

Sounds to me like enemy players are spotting you out with binoculars and then flanking around from your six. Unfortunately, as earthy and detailed as Arma2 graphics are, a player still stands out like a sore neon sign - even wearing a camo suit - through binoculars. Really, the only advice I'd offer is to only choose positions from which you can rapidly move, areas that also offer multiple ways out. Going prone on a tower, stack or rooftop in DayZ is asking to be shot. Most players naturally look up and scan the architecture at least briefly before entering or exiting an area. If you play on Namalsk at all, try carrying both the white and green ghillie suit. Use the white above the snow line and on cement rooftops such as the one on the large building at Object A2. Use the green for tall grass, or hiding in front of the dam.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Saethkept

[-Gews- 7443]

i.e. snipe one target then run away

Never fire more than one shot from the same position

If you must snipe alone, look around and pick the perfect sniping place..then don't use it, because everyone knows it is the perfect spot and will be looking for snipers there.

These.

[Michaelvoodoo25 3120]

Always look / access your spot from both angles, ie where you are firing to and from.

Many times I can spot a sniper and used available buildings and cover to minimise being shot at. You really need a spotter also, no ammount of Holding Alt will stop a player from Hacking you to death.

Plus all of the above.

[toxicsludge 406]

Don't try to "blend in" with the grass, even with a ghillie (because of the engine). Try to conceal yourself with your background instead.

[JoeM (DayZ) 41]

As mentioned before don't use grass as cover. Once you get past a certain distance grass will not render in for people over that distance. Also I find that the graphics have some outstanding ability of making people 'shiny', people and zombies don't blend in well at all in this game. I don't know why, but everything sticks out like a sore thumb, if there is no fog I can see people at over 800m (even in trees) away without binoculars, just my eyes.

[OrLoK 16187]

Hello there

I'm not going to reveal all my snipey secrets. But what Hets says is true. All those "cool" sniper spots are the first place I check to see if there's any there for some axey hatchet fun.

chop chop chop.

One issue I have found is that some soundcards/earphones, for me, dont really give a good idea of where shot/footsteps are coming from.

In Arma/dayz I run around like a headless chicken when it comes to audio reports although I dont have the issue in other games.

Lastly, as everyone else has pointed out, a good spotter can really help.

Rgds

LoK

[Drakan 62]

Thats exactly why I quitted playing as a Sniper around towns.

I think that your issue comes first from desync problems.

I mean by this that although you're aware about your surroundings, you'll have many situations in which a guy will be sprinting towards you while you'll still be listening to the "charcoal flushing on a rusty iron deck in Solnichny factory" soundloop.

My only solution to this is to stick to regional servers (France and Germany only for me). And it id not a warranty of good sync (depends on many factors).

Then off course, hoping and ch...ting may be the other ingredients for this explosive mix.

I figured out that some LOTS of guys really put all their energy on this (revenge hoping). And surprisingly most of the time they are not playing alone but in teams (I still don't understand this).

I know this feeling and its very embarassing especially if you have a very good sniper spot and have spotted the guy ages before he could even see your shadow.

(very difficult / uncomfortable and narrow angle for shooting. (the place where you need to wait days before dinner)

Edited June 19, 2013 by Drakan

[Tek (DayZ) 95]

So I like to snipe. The problem is that the majority of my deaths were from somebody getting the jump on me. When I pick a spot to snipe at, I make sure it has a good field of view and conceals me (like surrounding myself with low pines with a ghillie suit).

Having a high field of view has the potential to be detrimental to your survival. Having wide expanses to scan increases the amount of area and angles that you can be seen from. And while each area is situationally different to each other, I always try to have an area I want to watch, and then limit the amount of area I can be seen from.

For example, if i'm sniping from inside a building, I stand as far back from the window as possible while still being able to see the area I need to cover. If in the wilderness, I try be between two tree's, or rocks, to help shield from the sides, and rear if possible. If none of those options are available, I will tuck up under a tree, or crouch in front of a tree. Silhouette's are your worst enemy when trying to not be seen. If on a hill with no cover, I will try to not be at the very top so that I am not silhouetted.

I always keep an ear out for footsteps and constantly look behind me, but someone always manages to get close enough to hatchet me to death or put a bullet in my skull, all without making a sound. On grass, it might be possible, but I've been ax murdered on top of warehouse roofs only accessible by ladder and didn't even hear the guy come up behind me.

Assuming they're not server hopping or teleporting behind me (likely, since I play on the public hive), what am I doing wrong?

Edit: And this is without firing a shot, so they didn't find me by sound.

If you didn't fire a shot, then something else is giving your position away. Either you're not concealing yourself properly, or your entry is being noticed. It's not always just being concealed in a spot. It's also getting into that spot in as sneaky a way possible.

Are you setting off some zombies? If you're in a building, you'll have zombies wondering around outside, so if someone is coming into town and notices the zombies are not in a "just spawned" state, then they will know that someone else is around and may seek you out.

What area are you setting up in? I don't want you to tell me your hidey holes, but if you're setting up in high-traffic area's, then people taking you out may know that the area you set up in are likely sniper spots. It could be that they were sneaking through the tree's looking for an unsuspecting sniper (sniper hunting).

I generally don't brag, but while I have bad days, and do get taken out, I am pretty highly successful in my PvP in both sniping, medium-range combat, and CQC. You have to learn to have eyes in the back of your head.

One simple tip that I suggest is to try to use your alt button to free look all the time. Running from spot to spot... creeping or crawling. Even when you're stationary under a tree, use your free look. It doesn't move your whole body, so the you have less movement when you're looking around. And that can be a huge factor on being seen or not seen.

[Igor Fury 0]

So I like to snipe. The problem is that the majority of my deaths were from somebody getting the jump on me.

Ok man! First Im thinking this situation as a real life situation if you were really talking to me ;) Awareness in DayZ means to me: Play with no music or any distractive sounds around you. Use headphones if you need to. If you have a friend to spot while you sniping make him/her also spot ppl around you... If you havent got spotters find some one to spot you or watch your back in every 10 seconds and... think if anyone might been following you. Always check your six!

If you want some to check your six, private msg me. Im ready for innocent blood. If you need real life advisor to kill some one... Well lol dont ask me hahahha

[Devon206 (DayZ) 77]

Fire Move. Fire Move. Vice Versa, confuse the enemy.

[TheDesigner 1197]

Never fire more than one shot from the same position

This.

Also, don't snipe on popular spots, like the hill north of Electro and Cherno or Stary Sobors sniper hill, people always run those to look for spawn campers. If you want to really be a sniper, join a high population server and get a good view on a commonly visited place. Like, if you're scouting out Stary, instead of approaching from the South like every sorry soul does, approach from the West. Good tree and bush cover plus a hill that overlooks the camp at about 800m out.

Edited June 22, 2013 by TheDesigner

[BarryManalow 1]

First of all some of you noobs need to learn to not skylight yourself. That and too much movement is the ways you get detected at long range.

Do not fire from a position wich doesnt guarantee an escape route wich is somewhat safe. This is important when whittling away groups.

Your ideal spot is out of the natural terrain horizon with the sun behind you. So if there is a hill, you will position at the foot of that hill.

For the rest its just a matter of head on a swivvel. Use alt alot or a track ir.

Edited June 23, 2013 by BarryManalow