I'm trying to design a sniper scenario, and I've got some ideas for the basics. Ideas or criticisms welcome. This is what I envision:

The PC's are walking through an area and are shot at by a sniper, they take cover, and so the encounter begins.

If the players have binoculars, they recieve a boost (or less difficulty) in using their Perception (other suggestion?) skill to spot the sniper. If they succeed, they spot the sniper. If they fail, they do not spot the sniper. If they roll threat, they get shot. If they roll advantage, the shot misses.

They can use their Coordination (other suggestion?) skill to move deftly to the next piece of cover. Maybe 10 meters at a time. If they succeed, they make the distance. If they fail, they get shot and only make it part of the way (threat vs advantage in this case?).

They keep proceeding like this, spotting and moving (perhaps the sniper moves after each shot, needing to be spot again). Until the players get in range, make another spot check, then can fire on the sniper.

This makes the battle more about using skills and coordination than a straight shoot out, but the players can still be injured.

hmm, I would consider stealth instead of coordination. And I would use range bands instead of rounds for moving 10 meters or whatever. They start at the snipers max range away and can move normally using stealth, or even slower like 1/2 movement using stealth or can choose to forgo stealth and run using normal movement.

I think the setting and environment should play a huge roll here too. Have cover and superior cover points they can move too.

Have the sniper only move locations when enough threat or despair is rolled.

Your players may also come up with alternate ways of dealing with this scenario too that you might want to at least stay open too or even prepare for.

hmm, I would consider stealth instead of coordination. And I would use range bands instead of rounds for moving 10 meters or whatever. They start at the snipers max range away and can move normally using stealth, or even slower like 1/2 movement using stealth or can choose to forgo stealth and run using normal movement.

I think the setting and environment should play a huge roll here too. Have cover and superior cover points they can move too.

Have the sniper only move locations when enough threat or despair is rolled.

Your players may also come up with alternate ways of dealing with this scenario too that you might want to at least stay open too or even prepare for.

I like the idea of using threat/despair to cuase the sniper to move. As long as the players roll well, the sniper will stay put, making the player's job easier. But if they keep rolling threats, the sniper moves around, making the players have to spot them again.

Have the sniper only move locations when enough threat or despair is rolled.

This is a good example of using the riders to drive the fiction. The standard rule of sniping is to snipe and move. In other games, the GM would decide (fiat or hidden rolls) exactly how the sniper shoots-and-scoots. But in this game, the GM can just use the riders on the players' skill checks to determine circumstances beyond their control.

As I read this the intention of the scenario is a skill battle between the sinper and targets?

As far as I can tell, RAW the encounter would begin at Extreme range, not an impossible shot if you have a blaster rifle with the long barrel and targeting scope. Moving from ext > long would be 2 man, with a third to get cover (2 strain), and again from Long > Medium (cover being 2 more strain). The strain is assuming they wish to cover the distance in a single "turn".

Depending on the relative lethality, you could have the threat generate damage, but this would be very different from the core way damage works. Or you could have the shots do stun damage. Which of course shouldn't work at this distance [secret tech....]

Other options for the checks I would suggest would be Athletics or Discipline for movement. You could also them an Intellegence based Leadership or Ranged Heavy check to determine the most probable locations for the sniper to set up. Maybe cunning instead of intelligence, boost die for relevant talents [sniper shot and true aim come to mind]

Remember that they could try and run away as well. Baiting them with the stun sniper rifle may or may not help them engage, but of course it's designed with a genetic key required to activate it, or the shooter could trash it when his position is comprimised.

I would hesitate to use threat for damage however. use them to have him maintain his distance.

I agree about threat for damage. Probably not a good use of it.

I do want to mention that you have a 2 maneuver per turn limit. So you can't move twice and take cover unless one of those is during someone else's turn.

One can not use/downgrade their attack action into a single move action? Then use their move action to move as well?

Is this "Saving Private Ryan" but in Star Wars vernacular? I like it - I may just use it!

One can not use/downgrade their attack action into a single move action? Then use their move action to move as well?

You can, but regardless of how you get maneuvers (through downgrading Action, or taking 2 strain, or advantage dice for a free maneuver), you're still limited to 2 maneuvers in a turn.

Is this "Saving Private Ryan" but in Star Wars vernacular? I like it - I may just use it!

Yeah, pretty much.

Okay, so following the advice in this thread: instead of using Threat for damage, then I would say that when threat is rolled by the player, then that prompts an opportunity attack from the sniper. He still has to roll success in order to hit.

There's one problem I see with this, however. Since all player's actions are, narratively speaking, occuring at the same time, the sniper couldn't possibly shoot at 2 different targets in the same turn. But i like the idea of a player getting shot at while moving (ie - when a threat is rolled). But it doesn't quite fit with the mechanics, hmm...

Threat is rolled, the player takes strain. That strain represents the shot coming through the area going after someone and causing mental issues with the character ("You never hear the blaster bolt that gets you").

One can not use/downgrade their attack action into a single move action? Then use their move action to move as well?

Yep. Then that's two maneuvers, which is fine. But you can't then take strain to make another maneuver afterwards, because there is a two maneuver hard limit. pg. 200

I agree about threat for damage. Probably not a good use of it.

I do want to mention that you have a 2 maneuver per turn limit. So you can't move twice and take cover unless one of those is during someone else's turn.

Correct, and my fault. I had a momentary synaptic reset.

Is this "Saving Private Ryan" but in Star Wars vernacular? I like it - I may just use it!

Yeah, pretty much.

Okay, so following the advice in this thread: instead of using Threat for damage, then I would say that when threat is rolled by the player, then that prompts an opportunity attack from the sniper. He still has to roll success in order to hit.

There's one problem I see with this, however. Since all player's actions are, narratively speaking, occuring at the same time, the sniper couldn't possibly shoot at 2 different targets in the same turn. But i like the idea of a player getting shot at while moving (ie - when a threat is rolled). But it doesn't quite fit with the mechanics, hmm...

Well, I believe that traditionally snipers operate in teams of 2, one spotter one shooter. or use "drones"

I think this is what I will do. Instead of putting the sniper in the initiative order, I think he's only going to respond to threats and failed skill checks.

If it sucks, then mark that one off for "bad ideas".

But I like ideas such as "Leadership checks" and the like. Makes for a good narrative. Maybe I could also put things in the environment which could distract the sniper. like a player shoots at a pipe, shooting steam into the environment, giving a temperoary boost to movement.

Snipers would typically be on hold, either looking for a target or getting a better sight picture on their current target. So it makes sense that he'd be out of the initiative order.

Nah, he could be in the initiative. If they don't want to get destroyed on their approach, though, they probably aren't going to want to use their maneuvers to just run. They need to move and take cover, unless the tankiest guy just runs up and tries to take all the damage.

Nah, he could be in the initiative. If they don't want to get destroyed on their approach, though, they probably aren't going to want to use their maneuvers to just run. They need to move and take cover, unless the tankiest guy just runs up and tries to take all the damage.

Yeah, my intention would be that they'd run from cover to cover. If they fail the stealth check, they get shot at (where the shooter still needs to roll success). I may put him in the initiative. Haven't decided that one yet.