With the wide selection of weapons, equipment, and abilities, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare allows for many play styles. The sniper is probably one of the most difficult. That’s why we have here 7 tips from sniper players for you, with which you can improve.
What exactly is sniping? This refers to a specific play style in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, where players primarily operate with a sniper rifle (English: sniper rifle, short: sniper).
The large rifles are unwieldy and difficult to control, but they deliver the most damage with a single shot and have a chance for a direct kill, even without a headshot.
For many players, sniping is the king’s discipline of weapon handling in CoD. If you want to improve, here are 7 tips from snipers for your next long-range or quick-scope kill.
1. Tip – Behavior in Game
How does sniping work in Modern Warfare? Working with the sniper rifle in CoD usually doesn’t involve hours of waiting and precise headshots.
According to YouTuber 9Lives, sniping in CoD is more comparable to run&gun play: always looking for the best spot to flank the opponents.
He believes that game modes with objectives, such as Headquarters or Domination, are best suited for this. Try to run behind enemy lines and catch or surprise opponents from the back.
So, pure run&gun play? To find good spots, you need to be on the move, but keep an eye on the objectives and your teammates. Play with objectives in mind, securing points, then you’ll always be close to the action.
If you see your teammates’ death markers, use your map knowledge to predict where the enemies might appear next or flank their position.
Stay cool! To hit your shots, a lot of practice and concentration is required. Always try to stay calm and keep control. With a bit of luck, you can even take out entire enemy squads before they even know what’s happening.
2. Tip – Scope Techniques: Quick-Scoping and More
And then just lay on the fire? There are several techniques that clarify how you can behave wisely as a sniper to optimally utilize the weapon’s power.
YouTuber “Spratt” explains in one of his English videos the different types of shots that, in his opinion, should all be used depending on the situation.
- Quick-Scoping
- These are the shots that, according to “Spratt,” you should make the most kills with.
- In this, you briefly zoom in, fire a shot, and then zoom out again.
- Importantly, the “ADS speed” – Learn more about quick aiming here.
- Hard-Scoping
- The exact opposite of quick-scoping: you look at an area where you expect incoming enemies for a relatively long time.
- However, holding your scope too long is not recommended because your sight will reflect, and you will also be visible to enemies from long distances.
- No-Scope, Hip-Fire
- In some situations, a quick shot from the hip is better than hastily zooming in or switching weapons.
- Also, use hip-fire and learn how bullets behave to be successful even with a quick shot.
We have embedded the full video for you here:
Aiming Techniques
- Drag-Scoping
- This is about how you aim at the opponent. Instead of trying to take the enemy directly into your sight, aim a bit left or right and drag the crosshair over the opponent to release the shot at the right moment.
- This way you can hit reliably even with a high input sensitivity, as movements in the scope are slower and the controller can utilize aim assist.
- According to “Spratt”, this technique works really well in Modern Warfare. It’s best to stay on the move, but stop briefly to aim and shoot, then run again.
- Advantage: Reliable hits
- Disadvantage: Slower aiming
- Center-Scoping
- “Spratt” believes this method can also be very effective, but requires a lot of practice and relies more on sensitivity without the scope.
- You use the center of the screen to aim at your target, going directly into a quick-scope shot. Over time, you’ll get a feel for screen center and can land quick kills.
- Advantage: Quick kills
- Disadvantage: Difficult to master
Equipped with this vocabulary, you already know the basic techniques of sniping at relatively short distances. More on drag-scoping and why the technique is especially a must for controller players can be found here:
As you move further away from your target, the movement patterns of the target and the behavior of the bullet become important; however, in most of the standard multiplayer maps, these points are not as significant. Under “Game Mechanics,” we will delve deeper into this.
3. Tip – Weapon Selection
Which weapons are suitable for sniping? Two weapon categories are essentially suitable for this risky play: the classic sniper rifles and two of the DMRs (Designated Marksman Rifle).
9Lives has examined in 2 of his videos the key attributes of the weapons, and we have summarized the findings for you here.
| Weapon | Aim Time (sec) | Shot Time (sec) | Damage Rank |
| MK2 Carbine | 0.200 | 0.667 | 5. |
| Kar 98k | 0.267 | 1.518 | 3. |
| Dragunov | 0.317 | 0.5 | 4. |
| HDR | 0.417 | 1.752 | 1. |
| AX50 | 0.350 | 1.535 | 2. |
These 5 weapons all offer the potential for good one-shots. These are hits that take out the opponent with the first bullet.
What’s important in the selection? 9Lives believes the shorter the time between shots, the more aggressive you can play with the weapon. However, as damage decreases, it becomes increasingly difficult to land one-shots because the hitbox for the big hits gets smaller.
With the Dragunov and the Carbine, hits to the upper body are necessary for kills, while the other calibers have more leeway, and even thigh shots with the HDR can mean the end for the opponent.
Weapon Recommendations
How should I decide? In the best weapons of the weapon classes, we have already covered in another article, and these recommendations apply here too.
MK2 Carbine
- For a very mobile and fast play style, the MK2 Carbine works really well. The time to aim in is excellent for this class, and shots are delivered at a good rate. However, the carbine quickly loses effectiveness at range, and the one-shot area is the smallest of all the rifles.
- Advantage: High fire rate allows for small mistakes
- Disadvantage: Narrow one-shot range
AX-50
- As a true sniper weapon, we recommend the AX-50, which comes with a really large one-shot area but should have accurate hits due to its lower fire rate. In its class, it is best suited for quick-scopes.
- Advantage: High damage and large one-shot area
- Disadvantage: Long time between shots
We’ll cover the perks in the next point, but the ability “Overkill” is essential for many snipers. As a secondary weapon, a very mobile close-range weapon like the MP7 works well. This way, you can switch to another strong weapon in emergency situations.
A build, showing how you can turn the MP7 into the ultimate run&gun weapon, has already been prepared for you.
4. Tip – Weapon Builds
How should I assemble the weapons? Modern Warfare comes with an elaborate weapon modification system, allowing you to customize your guns to suit your needs.
For fast sniper play, according to 9Lives, “mobility” is particularly important. This value speeds up your handling with the weapon by reducing the time required to go from sprinting to aiming.
How can I modify the carbine? The MK2 Carbine can be equipped with 3 attachments to enhance mobility or ADS speed.
- Stock – FSS MK2 Sport Stock
- Grip – Textured Grip Tape
- Laser – Tactical Laser
A high magnification scope for longer distances or a weaker scope for quick-scoping can be added. The last slot can be filled with a perk of your choice. For the carbine, we recommend using “Full Metal Jacket” (FMJ), as this increases damage and partly ignores cover, making one-shot hits more likely.
And the thick AX50? The sniper rifle already comes standard with a sniper scope, giving you more room for modification:
- Barrel – 17″ Factory Barrel
- Laser – Tactical Laser
- Stock – Singuard Arms Marksman
- Grip – Textured Grip Tape
As an extra, you can again take full-metal jackets. However, since the weapon already has high damage, “Spin” for faster reloading is also a good option.
Do I have to take the laser? The laser increases the ADS speed and is therefore important. However, it’s not for everyone and can cause problems, especially in multiplayer modes with specific objectives and only one life, as enemies can see the beam well. Look for other attachments for these modes or simply remove the laser.
5. Tip – Perks and Equipment
Which perks should I choose? With all the killstreaks, specialists, and field upgrades, there are more ways to refine your play style.
9Lives recommends working with the specialist function to unlock additional improvements during a life that can significantly support your game.
With the specialist function, you skip the popular killstreaks. Instead, after a certain number of kills, you get additional perks. This functionality is available only from level 29.
This way, after 5 kills, you can use 3 additional perks.
- Blue: Overkill
- Red: Hardline
- Yellow: Scout
- 1 Kill – Eager
- 3 Kills – Ghost
- 5 Kills – Alerted
What do the perks provide? With “Overkill,” you acquire a second primary weapon, and “Hardline” unlocks the specialist perks one kill earlier. “Scout” warns of unwanted encounters with enemy gadgets.
“Eager” allows you to switch weapons faster, while “Ghost” keeps you invisible to most enemy detections. With “Alerted,” you receive feedback from the game when an enemy has detected you from a certain direction.
And what equipment should I take with me? Here you can have some fun and experiment. Use the grenades and gadgets that you normally handle well, and utilize them to support your play style. However, claymores work particularly well for snipers as a form of alarm.
It’s the same with field equipment: Dead Silence is surely a good choice, but mobile cover also proves to be a real wonder tool in certain situations. Just try it out.
6. Tip – Game Mechanics
What does that mean? There are still a few small game mechanics that can influence your play as a sniper. It’s important to know and keep such little details in mind when you’re on the hunt.
- Center-Soping is not precisely accurate
- When you go into the large target reticle, the game does not hit exactly the point that you aimed at with the crosshair. There’s a slight deviation here.
- Large sights can change the reload
- If you mount a large sight on one of the DMRs, it can change the reload. The Kar 98k has a default magazine strip for reloading. However, with a large sight, each bullet must be loaded individually.
- Bullet drops and bullet speed
- These points become increasingly important with the distance from the target. The farther away the opponent is, the more height the bullet loses because gravity is a factor. The slower a bullet is, the higher the drop. Additionally, with a slower bullet, you need to plan more space for movement when targeting moving enemies to land hits.
- Recoil
- If you take hits, your character reacts quite vigorously in Modern Warfare. After taking a hit, retreat behind cover, as it can be really difficult to land a safe shot after an incoming hit. The weapon perk “Focus” can help here; however, you would have to give up either full-metal jackets or Spin.
- Penetration
- Bullets from penetrating or modified weapons can pierce through walls and deal damage behind cover. Use this to your advantage, but also pay attention to the materials of your cover. A wooden board won’t protect you much from a large caliber bullet’s impact.
7. Tip – Settings and Hardware
How do I set up my game best? The settings in Modern Warfare can make a significant difference when you properly adjust things like motion blur or your sensitivity. Here you can find 10 settings that can help your play.
You can also gain an advantage with your input devices. More easily accessible buttons can help prevent hand cramps and ensure that you hit the right button every time.
- Controller: Spratt recommends in his video a controller with extra buttons on the back. For consistent play, it’s essential to keep your thumb on the sticks at all times to react swiftly.
- Mouse: A mouse with some helpful additional input buttons can make certain moves faster. For example, map grenades or sliding to the mouse.
With these tips, nothing stands in the way of a great sniper career. Use the insights for other weapons or play styles as well. Take everything you can to help you outperform your opponents and achieve a long kill streak.
How did you like the tips? Do you have any other suggestions on how to become a better sniper in CoD?
