A typical sniper works alone, or in a two-man team.
On his own, the sniper has to locate the target, find his own spot, do all the necessary calculations, take the shot and exfiltrate. If anything goes wrong, there is no rescue team for the sniper.
The sniper is a master of patience. Walking on foot through jungle, desert or arctic terrain is tiring, and staying concealed and motionless at his hiding spot is an art. Having his sights trained on the target, the sniper must work out the elevation of his shot so that his accuracy will not be affected by wind or gravity. When he is sure that the bullet will pass through the target’s head, his index finger slowly pulls the trigger – any slight jerk on the rifle will disrupt the bullet’s path altogether.
If the target falls, he has fulfilled his objective. If not, the missed shot will raise the alarm and the sniper has to leave his hiding spot immediately. He could choose to track down the escaping target, or scrap the mission altogether. If he chooses the former, the target becomes harder to locate; security around him is tightened and the sniper faces more pressure to kill him the next time round. But again, he is trained to kill and will not give up easily unless it is an emergency.
If he decides to escape back to base, he risks being pursued by the enemy. If he survives, his after-action-report will be negative.
The sniper’s spotter helps him find targets, as his name implies. He uses the rangefinder or binoculars to determine the distance to the target, and assists the sniper in calculating wind speed and direction. He is also armed with an assault rifle to protect the sniper throughout the mission. The sniper’s safety is his responsibility.
