Question about shortages...

[SVRussian]

I am curious if there is a shortage of snipers or support (lmg) people.

[Catch22]

There's a shortage of people who know how to fill those roles correctly

[SVRussian]

doesn't help =( haha

I just don't know what role to start next...

[Cyclops]

Every new member that joins us I tell them to get an AEG first before buying anything else. See what games are being played and what your team needs. No one can answer the question but your self and the group you run with.

[SVRussian]

I run a GBB KWA ak. I have been around airsoft but tired or running in and getting blasted lol

[McNair]

Yeah, run an AEG. If you're interested in running a LMG, borrow one and run it. 90% of the time people go back to their regular AEG after a game or two due to the weight of the LMG.

"Snipers" are generally pointless in airsoft as maybe 1% of people actually do it correctly.

[Sir Stubby Eyre]

There seems to be a bunch of kids that like to be snipers, and there are a few men that are snipers.

I would try some thing different like a sapper. Do a load out with a lot of claymores and grenades, maybe some land mines as well. I don't see too many of that kind of thing. It would require much patience and planning to do it right.

[Wolf_Raven]

I have been running into the same issues haha, a lot of the younger people that come out and play with us want to be a sniper.. they always seem to think its COD or something. I think another big reason is that when looking online they see the fps and the price and think its a smart buy. I really really try to get people to buy a decent AEG and build around that before they go in another direction.

[PvtPatches]

I settled in between with a DMR. I can scare snipers and still go toe to toe with an AEG. You got to find a role that plays to your mindset and skillset. Typically, I like the sneaky aspect of the sniper, but I want to be able to engage at a closer range with the faster RPMs to have the mobility that brings.

[Jester316]

I use my bolt action in a squad DMR/command role. It allows me to stay with my team, make some critical shots, and since I'm very limited on my ammo, I spend more time maneuvering and directing my team.

Stay with the AEG/rifleman role.

[Matt]

Being a sniper is about more than being sneaky, it's about recon, and knowing where your enemy is going before he knows. A good sniper is in constant contact with the CO, feeding valuable intel about the enemy whereabouts. When you are informed about where the enemy is headed, you can be ready with an ambush. During the ambush, your sniper becomes a force multiplier, taking out SAW gunners, squad leaders, any targets of opportunity. It's a beautiful thing when it all comes together.

Unfortunately it rarely plays out that way because most "snipers" are god knows where, don't have good radios, or don't listen to the CO. Or they have a CO who doesn't understand how to fully utilize the sniper. A sniper without command to report to is just a dude in the bushes with a gun. He may as well be a third team because he'll probably get shot by friendlies, nobody knows he's there and he's often wearing a ghillie.

If we're talking about "sniper" in the way I have defined it above, I'd say yeah there probably is a shortage. It's not an easy job. I've never done it, never had the patience.

[Reaver]

My opinion, not like it matters much, but own one of each and be comfortable/decently proficient with each type of airsoft gun. Get a bolt action and a lmg. Gives you versatility as the field, objectives, and opposition are constantly changing. One gun/roll may be king at one game, but may not work for you the next.

[DEagle]

It seems like a lot of people who are planning on getting into airsoft really want to be snipers, but few are very good at it. We had a lot of newbies show up for a game with sniper rifles, it was annoying trying to set up a game for that many snipers.
I haven't seen many SAW gunners (maybe due to the higher price of the SAWs), our team had a SAW that was for team use only but it had several issues with it's barrel and box mag.

[Wolf_Raven]