How to prioritize your targets
Armchair Sniper has noticed over the years:
COIN has created a gap in training regarding deciding who or what is worth a bullet. Moving forward, LSCO is the new buzzword. And with NEW comes an opportunity for training. 1994 was the last time “Key Targets” were discussed in Sniper Manuals within conventional Army publications. Sniper Training did a fantastic job of outlining the battlefield targets of opportunity and prioritized them as such:
Snipers.
Dog Tracking Teams.
Scouts.
Officers.
Noncommissioned Officers.
Vehicle Commanders and Drivers.
Communications Personnel.
Weapon Crews.
Optics on Vehicles.
Communication and Radar Equipment.
Weapon Systems.
Let’s take a moment to ponder why this hierarchy was established and IF the priorities have (or should) change.
Snipers
A sniper team's primary target is another sniper. In addition to endangering friendly forces, the enemy sniper is the sniper's natural foe. A sniper's transient nature justifies engaging him because he might not be seen again.
Dog Teams
Sniper squads and other special teams that may be operating in the region are seriously endangered by dog tracking teams. A trained dog is challenging to fool. The sniper should first attack the dog's handler when engaging a dog-tracking team. As a result of the dog's confusion, other team members might be unable to manage it.
Scouts or Forward Observers
Scouts must be eliminated. Scouts are astute observers who can reveal important details about allied units. They are dangerous on the battlefield because of this and their capacity to manage indirect fire.
Commissioned officers
The sniper team's next main target is the officers. Some forces experience such a severe operational disruption when necessary officers are lost that units may be unable to function or coordinate for hours.
Non-Commissioned Officers
Losing NCOs has an impact on a unit's performance as well as the morale of lower-ranking members.
Vehicle Commanders/Drivers
Without a commander or driver, many vehicles become useless. Taking out the vehicle's commander or driver can severely impede the enemy's advance and reduce their ability to react.
Communications Personnel
Eliminating the enemy's communications staff will significantly reduce their capacity to coordinate their actions and forces, as the people in charge of communicating with troops in the field are also vital assets to the opposition. Only highly skilled personnel in some armies can operate different radios. The enemy's communication network will suffer a significant setback if these individuals are eliminated, creating a substantial advantage for allied forces.
Heavy Weapons Crew
A heavy weapons crew is a highly skilled group that can quickly cause significant harm to both people and property. Eliminating a heavy weapons crew significantly diminishes the enemy's capacity to pose a solid defensive posture, mount a successful counterattack, or start an offensive.
Optics on vehicles
Vehicles rely heavily on their ability to traverse terrain and observe at extended distances. Eliminating integrated vehicle observation equipment will reduce the platform's efficacy by immobilizing or neutralizing heavy equipment.
Communication and Radar equipment
Communication equipment is the cornerstone of many supply chains, military operation synchronization, and inter-unit coordination efforts. Radar equipment is a central technology to most defensive postures and the center of most anti-air operations. The reduction of this equipment will create an isolated element, reducing overall combat effectiveness. If this is destroyed, a broad spectrum of operations can be accomplished.
Weapon Systems
Heavy weapon platforms(including: machine guns, anti-tank, shoulder-mounted anti-air platforms, and hand-carried indirect fire weapon systems) are pivotal in both offensive and defensive operations. Neutralization of these systems will slow the enemy tempo considerably.
Why is enemy equipment the lowest priority to a sniper?
As snipers are usually deployed on the front lines of a conflict, their priority is to eliminate enemy personnel, as they are the greatest threat to the safety of the sniper and their team.
Taking out enemy equipment is often not a priority, as it may not pose an immediate threat and can often be replaced or repaired.
The list is still accurate(almost 30 years later)
Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) will bring back a revival of the snipers that are expected to conserve ammunition for engagements that can/will change the tide of battle. The conventional military sniper will again be considered a reconnaissance asset, not just a trigger-puller, forcing them to decide whether the shot they are about to take is worth the loss of actionable information.
