What type of marine would make the best sniper? We have sniper rifles for deathwatch. Who should use them?

A techmarine might be a good candidate. His imorove cover ability could help him make a sniper nest more secure.

A devaststor seems possible as he's all anout shooting stuff anyway.

The apocathery doesn't immediately seem like the greatest choice, but he can whip up some nasty poisons custom made for the job and he has other non combat tasks to do like patching his bros back up.

could always go wolf scout, they seem to make really good snipers. In general I like tac marines as my snipers.

The best sniper you can make is a Raptor TacMarine with Bolter Mastery (if I remember the name correctly - the trait that gives you +10 BS and +2 damage when using bolt weapons) and a Stalker Bolter.

You want to probably use tactical marine as devastator might not have enough perks to make it worth while. Both could work though.

Then scout armour and specialist deathwatch sniper from Rites of Battle. The rifle has silly aim buffs. Toxic, good damage and range... Being AV 7 it doesn't apply the stealth penalty which 8+ applies. Camo cloak.

Second best sniping setup in the Imperium right there.

A techmarine can take weapons tech with an exotic weapon and make himself seriously deadly at least for a few shots. I know in normal chaopters marine scouts usually serve as snipers as most marines see sniping beneath them but am not sure how scouts end up in na DW team, I thought a marine has ot prove himself to get invited to that party.

BTW, anyone surprised there isn't a special sniper bolter that fires heavy bolter ammo in single shot mode? Longer range, more power than a stalker pattern bolter.

I know in normal chaopters marine scouts usually serve as snipers as most marines see sniping beneath them but am not sure how scouts end up in na DW team, I thought a marine has ot prove himself to get invited to that party.

Oh so wrong my Ad-mech friend. While many of the scouts are indeed newbies, they serve what is perhaps the most vital role of all. It is their duty to either strike when the enemy is not expecting it to cripple them and disorientate them so that the marine shock troops have an easier time, to identify the weak points in the foe defences as best places to strike or the points of strength to avoid and coordinate this information with their battle brothers. They provide the critical information to keep the rest of their squad alive, take out key targets etc.

Indeed there are also many scout marines who are better than entire squads of first company veterans, see Torias Telion who is a veteran of hundreds of years, honour guard and still remains a scout to ensure new blood are well trained.

Besides, the recruitment of the Deathwatch is that you are approached by the Inquisition if they feel your skills may be of use. Exceptional marksmen be they captain or scout may be called upon as required, heck it's probably more likely that a new warrior is called upon. A fresh face, one who has not got so much past behind him and a long future to the watch.

Although really all these scouts are still second only to the best Imperial sniper ever, the Vindicare Assassin. Inquisition stuff ftw!

Oh yes, the vindcare is the imperium's best sniper, but i don;t know how often a DW unit can whistle one up. As to a scout, yes they can serve in a DW unit, still marines have some advantages, like a techmarine's weapon-tech ability, an apothecary's poison round skill, etc.

As to the best sniper in the galaxy, how about a necron deathmark?

Oh yes, the vindcare is the imperium's best sniper, but i don;t know how often a DW unit can whistle one up. As to a scout, yes they can serve in a DW unit, still marines have some advantages, like a techmarine's weapon-tech ability, an apothecary's poison round skill, etc.

As to the best sniper in the galaxy, how about a necron deathmark?

Disagree, the Deathmark still has to materialise in this material universe before it can shoot. It appears in the perfect ambush spot but only an assassin knows a good ambush spot. I'd suspect their training and conditioning would mean they can snap shot more effectively

I find that tactical marine tends to offer the best base specialty for snipers. Killmarine offers a great deal of stealth skills straight away for those that lack them in chapter advances, which I'd rate as crucial for a sniper to have.

Theoretical best? The aforementioned raptors are great at sniping. Wolf scouts and raven guard are even stealthier. Other chapters do get that tasty +5 Ballistic Skill which increases their eventual possible score. I found a Guardian of the Covenant Killmarine was a solid sniper, between Dark Angel stats and Killmarine stealth.

On scouts. The actual scouts are newbie astartes (though they can still be gifted killers). Their seargeants are some of the most experienced marines in the chapter. Which makes sense, as they have the immediate responsibility of training up the scrubs.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Space_Marine_Sergeant#Scout_Sergeants

Scout sergeant's motto" Give me the boy as a scout and I will give you the man as a marine."

BTW, anyone surprised there isn't a special sniper bolter that fires heavy bolter ammo in single shot mode? Longer range, more power than a stalker pattern bolter.

Wasn't there a relic like that in Emperor's Chosen?

I used an accurate missile launcher as a devastator one game. It was awesome. I was hitting those alpha legion like i had a lascannon.

Too bad the GM ruled I could never do that again

(arcane weapon from RoB if you're wondering how I did it)

I used an accurate missile launcher as a devastator one game. It was awesome. I was hitting those alpha legion like i had a lascannon.

Too bad the GM ruled I could never do that again

(arcane weapon from RoB if you're wondering how I did it)

AFAIK the extra damage from accurate only applies on basic weapons. So pistols and heavy weapons can have accurate, it just makes them a bit easier to hit with.

I used an accurate missile launcher as a devastator one game. It was awesome. I was hitting those alpha legion like i had a lascannon.

Too bad the GM ruled I could never do that again

(arcane weapon from RoB if you're wondering how I did it)

AFAIK the extra damage from accurate only applies on basic weapons. So pistols and heavy weapons can have accurate, it just makes them a bit easier to hit with.

Indeed. Though, unless memory fails me, that didn't stop them from making Ultra-Pattern sniper rifle a heavy weapon by mistake

Indeed. Though, unless memory fails me, that didn't stop them from making Ultra-Pattern sniper rifle a heavy weapon by mistake

At least they have errated it.

BTW, anyone surprised there isn't a special sniper bolter that fires heavy bolter ammo in single shot mode? Longer range, more power than a stalker pattern bolter.

Wasn't there a relic like that in Emperor's Chosen?

There is the Angelus Boltgun in Inquisitors Handbook. It has the same damage as heavy bolter in DH (2d10X, Pen 5) and has Accurate, but only 3 ammo in the mag, and reload is 2 or 3 Full (load every bullet manually).

You could adapt it for DW, and have it deal 1d10+12X, Pen 5 or deal damage like normal bolter 1d10+9X, Pen 4 and give it Felling 1 to be in line with newer setting, that gave most sniper rifles felling.