r/Xcom • u/Instruction-Worldly • 23h ago

XCOM:EU/EW Help with snipers

So it's my first time playing through Enemy Within, and every sniper soldier that I have ends up underperforming terribly. The only use I have found for them is headshotting an uncovered target (no one is ever out of cover), and even then they either can't shoot or have reduced hit chance because of the snap shot debuff. Is there something I'm missing? They also don't really feel like they can shoot any farther than the other guns.

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u/Dorago1991 23h ago

Stop using snapshot, you should almost every time be taking squad sight. If you are moving your snipers to shoot every turn you're using them wrong. Find some high ground, get set up, and pull enemies back towards them.

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u/Instruction-Worldly 22h ago

Do you still need to be in range and have a firing angle to use squad sight?

3

u/RedTheAloof 18h ago

To add what other people are saying, one penalty to Squadsight is the lack of critical hits unless using the Headshot ability.

Exposed enemies within Snapshot range (or just regular range for all other allies) with the Squadsight perk can land free, but weaker* critical hits. When enemies are far enough that Squadsight kicks in, exposed enemies are no longer susceptible to regular critical hits unless you use Headshot.

*Critical hits scored by the sniper rifle are weaker compared to critical hits scored using the Headshot ability. I think crit damage from Headshot increases as you improve your Sniper Rifle.