Overview The Sniper (SP) is one of the most common artillery pieces in the Inner Sphere. Introduced in 2555, it rapidly became the mainstay of the Star League Artillery Corps. A simple design, requiring only basic maintenance, the Sniper saw widespread use from the outset. It has only half the firepower and range of the Long Tom but is far more mobile and easier to support. Given its excellent basic design, the Sniper will continue to have an impact on the battlefield for years to come. Capabilities The Sniper (SP) chassis is based on the now obsolete Badger class medium tank. Parts availability and the rugged design of the Badger were major points in the decision to use the tank chassis. The artillery piece is set in a forward-facing mount. The lack of a turret restricts the field of fire, but this is not considered crucial in an artillery piece. No additional weapons are mounted. A companion ammo carrier based on the same chassis accompanies the Sniper. The carrier mounts a Holly SRM 6-pack which provides emergency defensive fires for both vehicles. It also serves as transport for the gun crew, since the Sniper is only designed to carry the driver and the gunner. The key to the Sniper's success is the simple design of the weapons system. The gun is based on an old Terran artillery piece of the late 201h Century. Manufacturing methods used to construct the piece are kept as basic as possible. This insures that even planets with a modest industrial base have the ability to build Snipers. However, the Sniper has the capability to use any current shell-fuse combination. The Sniper utilizes the SureFire/3 gunnery system. While not as capable as other more high-tech units, it is a rugged design suited to battlefield conditions. The SureFlre/3 also has an optical backup. This can be crucial in the event the computer fails. The SureFire/3 is also within the manufacturing capacity of most industrial worlds. The Sniper has a crew of nine personnel. The driver and gunner ride in the Sniper itself. The assistant gunner and six loaders ride in the ammo carrier. The Sniper has an internal ammo capacity of ten rounds, while the ammo carrier transports an additional one hundred rounds. The ammo carrier also mounts various equipment to assist the crew in preparing and loading the artillery shells. Battle History One of the Sniper's most famous moments occurred in 2796 during the defense of the Davion world of Saginaw. Kurita assault troops landed in late 2795 with three 'Mech and nine conventional regiments and quickly proceeded to rout the defenders. Late in the campaign the Davion commander decided to break up his artillery batteries into small roving units, with the intention of harassing the Kurita forces and possibly disrupting their offensive timetable. The Snipers succeeded beyond their commander's wildest dreams. The Sniper teams were able to hit ammo dumps, troop concentrations, and repair facilities. While none of these raids were devastating to the Kuritists, they did disrupt the offensive on a planet-wide basis. The Kentares Massacre and the ensuing chaos it wrought on the Draconian military completed the job. By mid- 2798, when Davion reinforcement finally landed, the enemy was in complete disarray. After a short battle, the Kurita forces retreated off-world. Variants: There are currently no variants to this design. Notable Vehicles and Crews "Ol' Deadeye" "Ol' Deadeye" was one of the most renowned Snipers of the Inner Sphere. The gun and crew gained fame in the First Succession War during the defense of the Davion world of Odell. While assigned to a battery providing high-angle supporting fires to friendly troops, the unit came under attack by a raiding enemy 'Mech lance. The sergeant commanding "Ol' Deadeye" made a quick, desperate decision. Leveling the tube, he sighted the gun in on the nearest enemy 'Mech and opened fire. When the smoke cleared the 'Mech was missing the upper half of its body and the remaining enemy 'Mechs were fleeing in panic. "Ol' Deadeye" and crew had achieved that rarity in the artillery known as a direct first-round hit. The crew was decorated for their efforts and credited with saving the entire battery. STATS Sniper (SP) Mass: 50 tons Chassis: SLDI TRK/5(B) Movement Type: Tracked Power Plant: 200 Nissan ICE Cruising Speed: 42 kph Flank Speed: 64 kph Armor: Starslab/3 Manufacturer: Star League Defense Industries Communications System: MegaStar 180 Gunnery System: SureFire/3 Type: Sniper (SP) Tonnage: 50 tons Movement Type: Tracked Cruise Speed: 4 Flank Speed: 6 Engine: 17 tons Rating: 200 Type: ICE Control: 2.5 tons Lift/Dive/Rotors: 0 tons Power Amplifier: 0 tons Heat Sinks: 0 0 tons Internal Structure: 5 tons Turret: 0 tons Armor: 48 3 tons Location : Points Front : 12 Lt/Rt. Side : 12/12 Back : 12 Weapons and Ammo: (Type, Facing, tons) Sniper Front 20 Ammo (Sniper) 10 Body 1 Gunnery/Targeting Equip. Body 1.5 STATS Ammo Carrier (Sniper) Mass: 50 tons Chassis: SLDI TRK/5(B) Movement Type: Tracked Power Plant: 200 Nissan ICE Cruising Speed: 43 kph Flank Speed: 65 kph Armor: Starslab/5 Armament: Holly Mk. VI Short Range Missile Pack Manufacturer: Star League Defense Industries Communications System: KNM-3V Targeting and Tracking System: RU-4561 Type: Ammo Carrier (Sniper) Tonnage: 50 tons Movement Type: Tracker Cruise Speed: 4 Flank Speed: 6 Engine: 17 tons Rating: 200 Type: ICE Control: 2.5 tons Lift/Dive/Rotors: 0 tons Power Amplifier: 0 tons Heat Sinks: 0 0 tons Internal Structure: 5 tons Turret: .4 tons Armor: 128 8 tons Location : Points Front : 30 Lt./Rt. Side : 25/25 Back : 20 Turret : 28 Weapons and Ammo: (Type, Facing, Tons) SRM 6 Turret 3 Ammo (SRM) 15 Turret 1 Cargo Bay (100 rds) Body 10 Loading Equipment Body 2 Passenger Cmpt Body 1 Back to BattleTechnology 6 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1988 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com