Overwatch Sniper

Overwatch Snipers are specialized soldiers in the Combine Overwatch trained in the use of the Overwatch Pulse Sniper Rifle. Snipers are encounted hiding in high, concealed areas where they can get a good field of view. They are never seen holding their rifle except for the blue transparent sighting beam emitting from its hiding spot. Snipers can be detected by the beam emitting from their hiding spot or the sound of the rifle firing on another target.

Capabilities
Snipers are very accurate, and will fire ahead of a moving target so the pulse from the rifle hits the target. It will also shoot breakable objects to limit the amount of cover the target can use.

Snipers seem to take the doctrine "shoot anything that moves" quite literally, shooting at any living creature (besides Combine forces) such as headcrabs, zombies, and even birds.

Snipers tend to get frustrated if they repeatedly miss their targets.

Tactics
Snipers usually set up in well fortified 'nests', effectively invulnerable to ordinary gunfire. Explosives are a different matter, however, and if you can get close enough, a hand grenade will blow the sniper out of his hole nicely. This can be easier said than done, however, because if the sniper spots you before you're within range, which is often the case, you'll have to avoid his fire to get close enough. SMG grenades and RPG rockets are also ideal if you have any to spare. It might also be worth practicing using the Gravity Gun as a grenade launcher to extend your effective throwing distance.

Keep in mind that snipers tend to aim in front of you in the direction you're moving in order to score a successful hit. However, it is possible to confuse the sniper by running in one direction until he fires, then suddenly changing direction, then repeating the same process again until you reach cover.

Try to avoid taking cover behind breakable or light objects, as the sniper will try to expose you by shooting at the objects in front of you. Even unbreakable objects such as barrels can be knocked some distance by the impact of the bullet.

Once you get close enough, throw a grenade into the sniper's hole to kill him.

Trivia

 * If spawned using console commands, the sniper's model is a normal Overwatch Soldier which the sighting beam emitting right in front of the soldier's groin. This most likely means that it was never meant to be seen, so the appearance is most likely a placeholder. As well, the NPC is immune to bullet fire, and can only be killed by grenades. When it is killed, it will always be propelled forward, to make it fall out of the nests.


 * If the ammo cartridge for the sniper rifle is spawned using console commands, the texture on the ammo box is pink with the repeating words "OBSOL33T" ("leetspeak" for Obsolete) wrapped around it. The box, however, will just stay on the ground as the game does not know which weapon uses it.


 * Originally the player was intended to use the rifle wielded by the snipers, however, it was replaced by the resistance-built crossbow.


 * Early concept art of the snipers reveal that they might have been female at some point, much like the human Black Ops assassins from Half Life.


 * In Half Life 2 when Gordon saves Barney from Snipers after he returns from Nova Prospekt, if the birds on the roof are disturbed the snipers will shoot them down.


 * In Episode One, Alyx Vance uses a sniper rifle to aid Gordon Freeman in an area of City 17. However, Gordon does not see her holding the sniper rifle as she becomes hidden in the same way as an Overwatch Sniper.


 * In Episode Two, Alyx again uses a sniper rifle to aid Gordon as he travels through a zombie-infested bridge maintenance complex. This time, though, the rifle is visible to the player before they descend into the complex. It is in a fixed emplacement in a window, suggesting that the recoil of the weapon makes firing it freehand difficult, or simply as a form of control to prevent it from being taken by the player. Another reason why it may be bolted to the window is because of its immense size; it is as big and as cumbersome as an RPG Launcher. This could also explain why the weapon is never knocked out of sniper's nests by explosions. Also worth noting is the fact that it had to be recharged by a Vortigaunt before it would function. Some players have found a bug during this sequence: If the player manages to detonate any form of explosive in the sniper's nest Alyx is supposedly occupying, the corpse of a Combine Soldier will inexplicably fly out.


 * When Resistance members are shot by a sniper, they usualy die instantly. when the player is shot by a sniper, it does you damage, but not 100% simce this is due to Freeman having the HEV suit to protect him.