[Teyl_Iliar]

you gents are correct that is smoking aces.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b-c6rPPyVk&feature=related

I don't know. I'd figure that inside a city, a sniper might not be as useful as in a natural environment. long lines of sight, lots of time to cover team mates as the approach objectives, get one sniper have him with a few well placed smart firing platforms* covering the angles you need you'll have badass overwatch all the way in and all the way out to your pickup extraction point. Besides, if he's really talented/prepaired he can direct IDF on heavy armor or, hell he could call in air strikes via target designator; commit area denial, basically be the biggest distraction a fire team could ask for. Keep him and a rigger that's hooked up to self loading mortars and a few other *sniper rifles or an attack helicopter that makes for a hell of back up plan IMO.

[CanRay]

The advantage of Snipers is the Longarm Skill.

HELLO, SHOTGUN!    The poor Shadowrunner's Grenade Launcher. 

[Glyph]

Sniping, as others have pointed out, is, like melee combat, a niche role.  That doesn't mean you can't make a decent sniper - but simply make a good high-Agility street samurai, and then take long arms as a secondary ranged skill.  Being a sniper is like being the driver or the medic - it's something you pick up in addition to your main schtick.

[Xzylvador]

And if you don't like the unrealistic feel of using snipers in that close of range give them one of the new battle rifles from WAR they're almost as powerful as a sniper rifle.

These use automatics or longarm skill?
Since one of them is SA without BF, and none of them have FA, all use sport rifle ranges, so I'm guessing longarm.
But some use high-velocity ammo, which sound weird for longarms.
Also, aside from clip capacity, I don't see why they're much better than Walter MA-1200. (With less AP)

Second question: any rules on modding rifles like Barret 121 so they don't suffer for "use outside of sniping situations"? Does melee hardening do that? (Would seem weird being able to smash someone's skull with it without a problem, but shooting that person breaks your gun?)

[Codac]

I figured it was long arms myself and they aren't better it was just a suggestion for if you didn't like using a sniper rifle from a RP perspective.

And there are no rules that I am aware of giving you any negatives for using a sniper rifle close range.

[CanRay]

I don't know, Wheelman can be a specialized job that can be used on most 'Runs.  Even the ones that go off need a person that can use the streets to their advantage to lose electronic trails.

But, yeah, Sniper is more of a secondary role for Shadowrunners.  Mercs, now, would have use for a full-on Sniper.

[Glyph]

And there are no rules that I am aware of giving you any negatives for using a sniper rifle close range.

The Ranger Arms SM-4 gets -1 to attacks if its sensitive barrel is bumped (which the text implies is a given any time it is used outside of a purely sniping role).  But it is the only sniper rifle with that disadvantage listed (in fact, the Walther MA-2100 description makes a point of saying it is "free of the design instabilities common to other sniper rifles").

[Xzylvador]

And there are no rules that I am aware of giving you any negatives for using a sniper rifle close range.

SR4A p319, right below Sniper Rifles
(Basically, you face dice losses every turn you use it in non-sniping situations.)

The Ranger Arms SM-4 gets -1 to attacks if its sensitive barrel is bumped (which the text implies is a given any time it is used outside of a purely sniping role).  But it is the only sniper rifle with that disadvantage listed

The "penalty" for sniper rifles is mentioned before any specific sniper rifle. It counts for all weapons in sniper rifle category unless specifically mentioned otherwise, like the Walther MA-2100... that's how I interpreted that anyway.

So, was looking to mod that away, would hardening do that?

[CanRay]

The Designated Marksman Rifles (DMRs) in War! are good options for "Sniper Rifles" as well, useful in the tighter quarters of a city.

Although, I'm still trying to figure out how the Russians made a delicate weapon.

[Codac]

Hey Xzylvador could you post a quote of that section for me I don't have a copy of 4A near me and I don't see anything like that in SR4 or the changes document.

[The Seven]

The sniper in my first campaign started the game off as a face/sniper and ended as a nano-cyber-powered melee enthusiast with a fixer job on the side (they had 30+ street cred and 10+ notoriety).

And he never fired a single shot the whole campaign, be it sniper's or any other projectile weapon's.

[CanRay]

The best 'Runs are the ones where a round never leaves the barrel.

[The Seven]

The best 'Runs are the ones where a round never leaves the barrel.

Disagree. I like my runs gory and traumatizing. That way the players are edgy, and make mistakes easily.

</evil laughter>

[CanRay]

Me (While preparing a game when the group gets whiny):  "I'm adding more violence."

Group (In unison):  "We'll shut up!"

If I don't have my gun or car porn happening in game, I'm not a happy GM. 

[Kontact]

Hey Xzylvador could you post a quote of that section for me I don't have a copy of 4A near me and I don't see anything like that in SR4 or the changes document.

Use the Longarms skill when firing precision sniper rifles. While stur-
dier than earlier models, sniper rifles in 2072 are still not designed
for close-up combat. At the end of every Turn in which the rifle is
used in a running firefight (as opposed to a sniping situation), roll an
Edge Test. For every Edge Test failed, the weapon incurs a –1 dice
pool modifier until it is recalibrated with an Armorer + Logic (8, 1
Minute) Extended Test. The modifier is doubled if the weapon is used
in combat as a melee weapon or to defend from a melee attack.