Black Ops: The Quick Scope

Boom, Headshot

Quick Scoping has been around since the dawn of online first person shooters. Those who performed well with it were highly respected and a very strong force to fight. Maps such as de_dust2 from Counter Strike had long alleyways that made sniping a very deadly tool.

In recent years, Call of Duty and other mainstream shooters have been downsizing map space so that it accommodates close quarters combat for faster gameplay. Weapon accuracy has also increased dramatically. Nearly every Assault Rifle in Black Ops can kill quickly at long range. This makes sniping and quick scoping very risky since you only get one shot to do the job. However, there are a few techniques that’ll get you to the top of the chart.

My setup for quick scoping is an L96 with an ACOG, concussions, claymores, tomahawk, Scavenger Pro, Sleight of Hand Pro, and Ninja Pro. The L96 is an excellent rifle that one shots in vital areas. With an ACOG, it is great to use at closer ranges. Concussions are a good choice because of the short time it takes to toss one. They can be used to clear distances or detect enemies. Claymores are useful when camping or cutting off an entrance point. Tomahawks are just awesome. Scavenger Pro means I never run out of tomahawks or concussion grenades. SoH Pro is important for quick reloads and zooming. Ninja Pro is good with proper audio to hear enemies approaching and to move undetected. With this setup you can practice using the techniques listed below to become a better player.

First and foremost, is aiming properly. Quick scoping can only be done by people with a very precise aim. Make sure to have the proper tools to do so. When aiming, you must decide when to initiate your zoom feature for you gun. That is, if you are using either an ACOG or the default scopes. Zooming slows the speed at which you can aim, so you must optimize the correct time at which to begin aiming. Begin turning towards your target. Initiate the zoom. During the time your character is moving to look down the scope, make sure it is timed so that when you are finally zoomed, you are aiming at the opponent’s vitals. Fire.

You must also learn when the gun becomes accurate. Firing from the hip shoots the bullet randomly. When you look down the scope, there is a point at which the gun becomes accurate. Finding it takes practice.

Watch for people using 2nd Chance. It can be deadly with your reloading time. That is why I use tomahawks. If you insist on using grenades, pull out your sidearm and finish the job, or leave him to die.

Sit, don’t prone. When looking down your sights, you’ll notice that if you move to prone, the gun will move a lot. Going to sit just moves the gun slightly downward. However, sitting does make you a large target so use your best judgment.

The rifles have a certain effective range – mid to very long. See the image for more details.

Note that a sniping rifle can be used anywhere, but it is easiest at the safe distances so try to position yourself accordingly. 

That wraps up today’s post. I plan to do a shotgun guide in the near coming future. Thanks for reading.