As the sun sets, a steady rain falls across the mountain, blanketing the valley in murky grey. Over the tree tops below me and to the east, i can see a patch of lighter green. The laser range finder gave a reading of 630 meters to the far side of the clearing. A spot on the ground midway across the field is 576 meters. Twilight will go fast because of the weather, and, if the target doesn't appear soon, i'll spend another night with the ants and mosquitos. Suddenly, between the steady vertical grey streaks, several small, dark, and moving dots appear to the far side and right edge of the clearing....
If you run.... you'll only die tired!
Since the invention of the firearm, skilled individuals with specialized equipment have influenced the tide of battle. At times, this effect has been so great as to turn the tide of history. From Leonardo da Vinci to present, the long range rifleman has had a telling effect on the direction, drive and scope of battle. By his discriminatory nature, he has felled the command structure of his enemies, rendered their equipment useless and driven fear into the hearts of their fighting men. The sniper is one of the most effective weapons on the field of battle. He is frugal, and precise. He is not a superman, capable of incredible feats, but he is skilled in ways that many misunderstand.